Hi everyone,
I believe that those chosen, elect children of God, will persevere, and walk in repentance, and good works...these will be those who overcome through Christ, and do not try to enter in by their own righteousness, but also have hearts of obedience so that their great salvation is not neglected, and Christ is not trampled. Essentially, they will not fall away ( not guilty of apostasy), and Christ will see them as spotless, and they will mature unto good fruit to be gathered in the harvest.
So, our security in our salvation comes in grace, but that is through faith, which involves works...we are called unto good works in Christ. Our heart/faith is revealed in our walking/working out our own salvation with fear and trembling. This is belief. Jesus did say, "If you love me keep my commandments" and we should never take that lightly, but understand that God expects obedience from those who call Him Father (the adopted), obedience to Him in Christ, which is faith.
I agree with something along the lines of what JayT said, a perfect, or upright man, will never feel that way, but always be striving to walk holy as Christ walked, in willing obedience, in humility, and in sincere repentance, especially for unbelief, or presumptuous sin, which does lead to the Great Transgression Psalm 19:13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. These things can only be done in Grace, however, and I believe that Scripture teaches that God chooses His children...but only He see's the heart, and only He knows who will enter in. The difference between the sheep and the goats is what they did, and did not do, to the least of the brethren.
This thread reminds me of this passage...
Matthew 21:28-32
28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.
29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.
I don't believe in cheap grace, as some may define it, but rather a walk in communion with God, through the blood of the Lamb, and by the work of the Holy Spirit, a genuine grace that produces active faith in the child of God, and in the church as a whole. In this way, we can be lights, and be useful for God's plan. How can one come to the Father, in communion, without first repenting of their sin daily?
Jesus taught us to pray, "forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." The regenerate must have this heart, or perhaps they may be counted with the goats.
The Lord bless all of you.
