angeljan said:
Heather,
The Worse false doctrine ever devised by satan is the Once saved always saved doctrine. Your hypothosis or example, above does not explain if this person with Faith produced good fruits and remained steadfast in faith. Did he follow the requirements of our God.? Did that person have a True changed Heart. Angel
Angel... there is much to learn. Simply grabbing passages out of the context of the entire Bible, and ignoring those which say what you claim is impossible, is an old snare.
You must realize several things. One. You are saved by grace and faith. Not works. Works can not save. Yet, you just stated that works will save.
Two. There is a twofold aspect to salvation. The other is that once you are saved, what you choose will either produce works of righteousness, or deeds of the flesh. The flesh can appear to be very good and nice by human standards. But, only what is enabled and enpowered by the Holy Spirit will be honored by God. We either produce wood, hay, or stubble (deeds done in the energy of the flesh) or gold, silver, or precious stones (righteous actions , deeds, or righteous problem solving).
Now, once we are saved from Hell we are saved for ever. BUT! After we are saved, there is no guarantee that our choices will please God. Not everyone saved will reign with Christ. That is a kingdom issue. Only those who are faithful will rule nations with Christ. Those who do not, will be saved, but will have nothing to show for having glorified Christ during their salvation. Here's the reason...
1 Corinthians 3:12-15 niv
" If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. "
Read the last verse again?
" If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. "
This one will be saved, but will have
NOTHING to show for what he did while saved. He will be saved as a man running from a burning house. All rewards will be lost. He did
NOTHING to please God after he was saved. Yet, he
remains SAVED!
Okay. This person fell from grace. This person refused to be a hearer of God's Word. This person lived according to human viewpoint. He did nothing to please God. Yet he believed in Christ.
"...he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. "
What you have been expressing is a common error. One based upon seeing God as a super human being, not God. God's justice is complete and beyond what man can do. That is why we must become transformed in our thinking, not transform God to ours. God has no acceptions. It must agree with all the Word, not just parts. If it is in conflict, then we must continue to seek an answer that will stabilize our souls. We are saved from Hell once we believe in Jesus Christ. We are not saved by works. After we are saved, grace must produce works in us (gold, silver, precious stones), If not, our works will be void of grace and be dead (wood, hay, and stubble). Wood, hay, and stubble is produced by those who have fallen from grace. They decide that they will try and please God in the energy of their flesh.
They can be very nice people and do many nice things. Or, they can return to being very bad.
God wants transformation. If he has grace do its work in us, then living deeds will follow. Dead works is one following a script. Producing it because you are told to = law. It is what those backslidden often times will
attempt to do to please God. Anything not of grace and faith, can not please God. Yet, many are religious and perform rituals and such. These can not please God. Yet, if they believe Jesus died for their sins, these same ones are saved. Saved as a man running from a burning house. Only thing saved is his soul. All rewards in Heaven will be lost.
Grace and peace, Gene