Once saved..always saved....It's right here.

[MarkT]

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. John 10:27

Not follow instructions; Follow Me.



JLB

To follow him is to follow his instruction. It's the same thing. Read Proverbs. Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight; Pr. 4:1

 

[MarkT]

IF we read the account of the sheep/goats in Matt. 25 we should see that these are clearly deployed in terms of allegory.

A sheep will hear EVERY WORD of God. And when they DO HEAR, they may honestly come to the conclusion that they do goat works, when they don't do sheep works. But a goat will never hear both sides of the ledgers. A sheep will hear Every Word, and understand.

Just food for thought.

How many honest sheep will raise their hands and say they don't always and only do sheep works?

I suspect very few. Because to be honest, the sheep will see A GOAT! And understand that they do do BOTH works, good and evil.

Believers read these parables and they automatically insert themselves only on the good side of the ledgers. That's how the "flesh" operates. They can't come to "honest" conclusions. The flesh won't allow it.

Both sides of the ledger? There is no ledger. The sheep are those who did the word of God. The goats are those who did not do it.

 

[smaller]

Both sides of the ledger? There is no ledger. The sheep are those who did the word of God. The goats are those who did not do it.

I rest my case.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

I think you've misunderstood the noun for "faith". It's not our action that keeps us saved. The word "faith" is a noun, and means God's Word, which is what we believe. God's Word is what keeps us saved, by grace.

As to what keeps us "for the day of salvation", Paul said it this way:
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise Eph 1:13

Then, Paul said this:
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

So, having believed, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit "in Him". And we were sealed FOR THE DAY OF REDEMPTION.

I find it informative that Paul even included the problem of grieving the Holy Spirit. In spite of doing that, we are STILL sealed FOR THE DAY OF REDEMPTION.

Seems according to the 'loss of salvation' crowd, if one grieves the Holy Spirit, they lose salvation.

Clearly, they do not.

 

[JLB]

To follow him is to follow his instruction. It's the same thing. Read Proverbs. Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight; Pr. 4:1

Hearing your father's instruction is good, but it is certainly not the same as what Jesus said...

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

This was a reference to those that heard His voice and followed Him, as these disciples went wherever Jesus went... Because they believed.

As you have already said "My sheep" refers to Israelites and not us.

Either way verse 27 is not a blanket statement that refers to all.

Finally, it is believers who have been promised eternal life, not those who believe for a while, then no longer believe. Luke 8:13

Believers who believe for a while then no longer believe, are no longer "believers".


JLB

 

[Mike]

I've locked this thread. At the very least, it will be closed for a while and we'll clean it up again, but it may remain closed. WIP and I have warned everyone time and time again here and in other threads to stop with the following types of responses.

• You are purposely redefining scripture.
• You are unwilling to accept what Christ said.
• You ignore scripture and force your opinion to please your itching ears.

There is mocking of people and all out disrespect. Everyone should create their response with the premise that the other person honestly interprets scripture as he says he does. These accusations of them purposely denying scripture is dishonest at best.