I am confident that
if the Holy Spirit is residing in my soul/temple/heart at the time of my death, I will definitely be saved.
His
presence in my soul/temple/heart at the time of my death is my
guarantee of salvation.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 "Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee."
I take special care to not defile my temple with
sin leading to death so that the Holy Spirit will continue to remain in me. (
Sin leading to death is also defined as
mortal sin in the RSV.)
1John.5:16 "If any one sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. [17] All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal." RSV
Acts 5:32 "And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is
the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him."
The Holy Spirit continually resides in the souls of people who obey God's commands.
If people defile their souls with mortal sin, the Holy Spirit no longer abides in their defiled temples/souls and so they no longer have their guarantee of salvation. His presence within their souls is their only guarantee of salvation.
1 Corinthians 3:16-18 "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17
If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. 18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise."
Destroy means
condemnation.
2 Timothy 2:16-19 "But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. 19
Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,†and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity."
If God's Holy Spirit is not residing within my soul at the time of my death, God will not recognize me as one of His own.
Matthew 7:21-24
Luke 13:23-27 "Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?†And He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ 26 then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ 27 But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’"
Why doesn't He now recognize/know the persons who were once saved through faith and baptism but who later sinned mortal sins and did not repent before death?
Ezekiel 33:13 "When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, but he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity,
none of his righteous works shall be remembered; but because of the iniquity that he has committed, he shall die."
Die means
to be condemned.
