11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.” Acts 15:11 NKJV
Friday, September 14, 2018
Monday, September 10, 2018
Grace Q & A: Can a Christian lose their Salvation?
For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. Hebrews 2:1 NASB
We've been in an extended study getting back to the basics of the Good News Gospel of Grace. Using a Q & A format we've asked and answered many pertinent questions about Grace and even addressed concerns some may have about the message of the Radical Grace of God.
So far we've seen that under Grace, there is no condemnation in Christ. We've seen what Grace is, we've also addressed the concern about too much Grace? Is there something as too much Grace?
Today, it seemed good to conclude this study by answering the question often asked in relation to God's Amazing Grace. Can a Christian lose their salvation? Can a believer forfeit or leave, or "give back" the gift of salvation?
What is the root of such questions? What drives believers to ask such a question? Is it walking by Faith or walking by sight, or walking according to outward evidence, to surmise that a person once born again can somehow undo what only Grace and the Finished Work could accomplish?
Where did man somehow draw the conclusion that a believer can lose his salvation? We have zero accounts of anyone in New Testament Scripture where they were born again and then lost that salvation or came to the point of "walking away" from their faith. I mean if something that has such eternal consequence as loss of redemption, shouldn't there be at least one person we can point to that experienced this?
What is at heart is a concept rooted in many believers thinking. This concept suggests that somehow man, in all his finiteness can somehow undo the eternal work of the Infinite Lord God Almighty. In other words, if there is a way to foul it up man can find a way so therefore God just allows fallible man to foul it up and has made no fail proofs in His plan of redemption.
Can we lose our Salvation? Can we leave it?
Here is the Good News Gospel of Grace answer. No! Your salvation is an eternal work of God, not a temporal work rooted in the fallibility of man and his performance. Think of it, what work caused you to be saved? What good deeds did you do enough of to qualify you for Heaven? No amount of good deeds or random acts of kindness done caused you to have an entryway into the Kingdom of God. No righteous act performed caused you to be saved, so what unrighteous act could cause you to be unsaved?
Where the disconnect begins is the fallacy that man, when they receive Jesus, are somehow in Covenant, personally, with Father God. So if they aren't faithful to uphold their end then certainly, it seems justified that the person would then be removed from the Covenant. Many Christians in some form or fashion hold to this belief.
The problem with this concept is the truth that God and man are not in Covenant together. God already tried Covenant with man. That was the fault of the Old Covenant. Man couldn't keep the standards of a Holy, Righteous God. The Law was good and perfect but couldn't make man perfect or holy.
Under this New Covenant, God is in Covenant with Himself. God is in Covenant with God and He is infallible. So we are not even factored into the equation. Whenever you hear a teaching or concept that suggest that man in his strength or power, or actions can somehow undo the work of redemption, the Finished Work of Christ, know that is an error. It is wrong because it presumes that man is factored into the equation. The only part man plays in this Covenant is to believe, and God even gives us His Faith as a gift.
Irrevocable Love
Lose our salvation? Salvation is a gift. An eternal gift. Salvation is not an eternal reward for faithfulness or good works or kind deeds. You cannot earn a gift. If salvation is rewarded because of good works or performance it ceases to be a gift. If salvation is received by belief, but then perfected by good works and kept by our ability to remain sinless and faithful, then salvation is a wage earned, a payment for services rendered.
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Romans 11:29 NKJV
This is the Word I want to encourage you with. Irrevocable. God's gifts are irrevocable. Salvation is a gift from God. This gift is irrevocable. God doesn't renege or change His mind about His promises. Yes, you may say but surely our actions or unbelief has a part to play in keeping our salvation, right? See this passage in another translation.
29 God’s gifts and God’s call, you see, cannot be undone. Romans 11:29 NTE
This is the Good News of Grace! We are eternally secure. Our salvation is begun by Grace and kept by Grace. God is our Father, not our Heavenly employer.
Jesus gives us His clear view of our eternal security;
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” John 10:27-30 NASB
Hear what the Apostle Peter says about our eternal security;
4 And God has reserved for his children the priceless gift of eternal life; it is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And God, in his mighty power, will make sure that you get there safely to receive it because you are trusting him. It will be yours in that coming last day for all to see. 1 Peter 1:4-5 TLB
In summation, can we lose our leave our salvation? Absolutely not! We are eternally secure in the perfect hand of God, resting safely in His perfect once for all redemption. Fear-based theology, reactionary theology, that is reacting to the missteps and failures of our brothers and sisters in Christ by formulating a concept of loss of salvation has no place in the life of Faith.
We are saved by Grace through Faith. We are kept by His Grace and not our goodness or faithfulness. We walk by Faith, believing what He said about us is true. We don't walk looking at our circumstance or others to determine the truth. Jesus and His Word are the only truth we look to. Receive this irrevocable love and rest in His Grace. Once you've received Jesus you are eternally secure, no matter what.
Image courtesy of smokedsalmon at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
Grace Q & A: Our future sins are already forgiven?
For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. Hebrews 2:1 NASB
We've been in a study of the Good News Gospel of Jesus Christ. Utilizing a Q & A format we've been asking questions concerning Grace, getting back to the basics of the Grace Gospel. We've seen that under Grace we are no longer under condemnation. We've addressed the sin issue. We saw the place of Grace and the local church.
Today, it seemed good to address another issue. What about our future sins? Are our future sins really already forgiven? The sins we've yet to commit? Those misdeeds we've not even engaged in are already forgiven and cleansed?
The answer is yes. When you received Jesus, at that instant all of your sins were forgiven and you were fully cleansed by the blood of Jesus. This is such good news it should be heralded throughout the land. Yet, when we speak this truth to believers it's met with disbelief and skepticism. Why?
We are conditioned by tradition and religion that we need to see ourselves as lowly sinners. To see ourselves as not so pure. We see our righteousness as mere positional but not truly who we are presently. We are also convinced that we aren't fully forgiven.
God's forgiveness is an installment plan?
The installment plan theology is what much of the Christian Church ascribes to. This plan seems gracious to tradition. In reality, it leaves Christian's seeing themselves as only partially forgiven.
The installment plan sees forgiveness as an individual transaction. Each time you miss it or blow it, you must come to God to get forgiven for that particular sin. If you don't, you harboring known sin. You will be out of fellowship with God, and your prayers will not be answered.
The installment plan sees us forgiven only up to the point of receiving salvation. Afterward, we must receive forgiveness for each sin committed. How is it received? By our owning up to it and apologizing for it.
In this theology, tradition prides itself on being gracious by saying "see your past is forgiven." People will speak of the goodness of God to rescue people from their past. The Saints past is done away in Christ, they are made new. Great, but what about today?
What about the struggles believers are facing right now in the present? What about those temptations that seem to be overtaking them? What about those habits they can't seem to overcome? Are they currently unclean Christians?
What about the addictions that may be there tomorrow? What about the anger issues, the impatience, the critical words that may be spoken? What about the future? Is it uncertain?
Before Grace, I knew 2 Corinthians 5:17. I knew I was a new creation. I knew the enemy couldn't remind me of my past without me reminding him of his future. Tradition would say, you're righteous in Christ, your past can't hold back God's goodness or favor. What about my current circumstance? Would that cause God to withhold blessing?
So I knew I was righteous in Christ, but this righteousness seemed only to apply to my past and not my present or future. I don't believe I am alone in this experience. Tradition can never offer me any peace of mind or a firm faith.
Forgiven ONCE for ALL Time!
Tradition's installment plan disregards the Finished Work. The installment plan exchanges a once for all time forgiveness, for an individual transaction plan. Its biggest error is substituting a forgiveness only attained by the shedding of blood with a forgiveness obtained by individual apologies.
How is forgiveness even obtained? Is it by our turning away from committing sinful deeds? Is it by our admitting we sinned? Is it by individual apologies? The Bible is clear, there is only one God accepted way forgiveness for sin is obtained.
22 In fact we can say that under the old agreement almost everything was cleansed by sprinkling it with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Hebrews 9:22 TLB (emphasis mine)
The Word is simple and clear. The only way for sins to be forgiven is for the shedding of blood. Think with me. If we are only forgiven of our past sins, and after the point of conversion, we must seek forgiveness as an individual transaction for each sin, whose blood is being shed for each of these forgiveness transactions? Ours? Does Jesus need to keep dying for each sin we commit?
Religious tradition then back peddles, saying no Jesus shed His blood once but we must individually apologize for each sin to obtain forgiveness for each sin we commit. So we exchange the once for all sacrifice for individual effort. We substitute God's forgiveness plan with our own apology plan. Traditions plan of redemption and receiving of forgiveness is in direct opposition to God's perfect plan of blood-bought redemption.
Jesus perfect shed blood is the final sacrifice it's the only shed blood we need for once for all time forgiveness of all our sins, past, present and future. Our individual apologies are not how we receive once for all forgiveness. God isn't looking for your apology but rather looking for you to believe and accept His once for all time perfect sacrifice for sins.
Forgiven once for all time for all our sins? Yes! The Word is clear;
13 You were dead in sins, and your sinful desires were not yet cut away. Then he gave you a share in the very life of Christ, for he forgave all your sins, Colossian 2:13 TLB
14 who bought our freedom with his blood and forgave us all our sins. Colossians 1:14 TLB
It is clear He has forgiven us once for all time. Rejoice, in Christ, your past is cleansed and done away with. Your past can have no hold on you. All shame of yesterday is removed by Jesus, the shame remover.
Be glad, He sees your current situation. He sees you in the middle of the mess. God isn't turning His head away from you. He isn't turning His back on you. His perfect redemption purchased the blessing and goodness and favor not your behavior or performance. His goodness causes us to run towards Him even in our worst. You are forgiven and cleansed right now.
Celebrate, your future is bright. His forgiveness is already there awaiting you. Even if you fail, stumble or fall, you can confidently get back up and keep walking with your Father. No need to fear that He will eventually give up on you.
Oh, but what if I am still failing and giving into this same temptation? Surely, His Grace has limits? No, His Grace knows no bounds. The concept that He wouldn't keep forgiving us if we keep sinning the same sin is faulty. Because He has already forgiven us once for all time. Look, when He saved you, He knew of all your struggles and failures, and the foul-ups you'd make before you did and He still chose to save you.
In summation, are we forgiven of our future sins? Yes, we are forgiven once for all time. Heaven's economy is a shed blood economy. Jesus shed His blood once for all time. There is an endless supply of forgiveness. It's not over, no matter how many times we fail. We must remember and trust in the Finished Work. We are forgiven once for all time in Christ.
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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