The reason you cant lose your salvation is?.....

[Kidron]

So, what is "righteousness without the law"?

Roman's 3:21- 28

Its called "GRACE".

that is to say.....God places HIS very righteousness on you, in you and for you......for FREE....... based on Jesus making this possible via the Cross, death, and resurrection..
Your part in the deal is to "BELIEVE".
You have NO OTHER PART in SALVATION.
The reason is because God has done it all for you through Christ's atonement.
This is "Salvation".
This is "justification by Faith, Without the >DEEDS<"......and that would be the Law, or your good works.
Another way to understand it is very simple.
You took Jesus, so God took you.
End of story.
Bottom line.
Done.

So, once you have attained this free gift of Salvation, then how do you fall from this GRACE?
very simple.
YOU CANT.....but you can come to believe that you can...
And once you do, you'll start trying to keep your salvation based on your behavior and that becomes your religion.
In other words you start trying, by self effort, to gain by your behavior what GOD already did for you.
Now isn't that a mess?
It really is, and some of you are deep into this mess and you need to get free from this self-righteous trap.
The reason people get this all twisted, is ither because they belong to a cult that has led them to believe that some deed they do is how you get God to accept you (Water Baptism) for example, or,
they get into sin, and become confused within their guilt which leads them to begin to believe they are no longer accepted by God because they messed up.
(how can i be saved when i dont FEEL saved)....(how can i still be saved when i did that AGAIN and AGAIN).....etc.
And once this happens, they start tying to keep themselves "saved" based on not messing up., which is impossible, as you cant save yourself by not messing up, nor can you keep yourself saved by not messing up.
If you could, then Jesus didnt have to die on a Cross for ya.

The other reason that people get all tangled in a mental web of confusion about "losing it", or "keeping it", is because they have confused Discipleship with Salvation.
This is very typical of a Christian who will tell you that you can lose it if you dont live it.
Which is nonsense of course.

So, what is "discipleship".??
Well, its not something that can save you.......so get that right.
Get that right !!
Then, understand that discipleship follows Salvation but does not replace it nor can it attain it.
Discipleship is you trying to please God for what he has done for you, which does not save you or keep you saved.
Once you realize this, and begin to comprehend that Salvation is NOT OF YOU, and therefore cant be lost by you, you will then begin to experience the Joy of the Lord.
The Joy of the Lord, is the Joy of knowing that God has given you Eternal Life with Him and free pardon of all your sins forever = that you cant mess up.
And once you get that revelation, you will begin to serve God not because you are afraid or confused or feel guilty..... but because you are so THANKFUL and THAT is when you are living right.
That is when you have the real understanding of Salvation and Discipleship.



K

 

[JLB]

So, what is "righteousness without the law"?

Roman's 3:21- 28

Its called "GRACE".

that is to say.....God places HIS very righteousness on you, in you and for you......for FREE....... based on Jesus making this possible via the Cross, death, and resurrection..
Your part in the deal is to "BELIEVE".
You have NO OTHER PART in SALVATION.
The reason is because God has done it all for you through Christ's atonement.
This is "Salvation".
This is "justification by Faith, Without the >DEEDS<"......and that would be the Law, or your good works.
Another way to understand it is very simple.
You took Jesus, so God took you.
End of story.
Bottom line.
Done.

So, once you have attained this free gift of Salvation, then how do you fall from this GRACE?
very simple.
YOU CANT.....but you can come to believe that you can...
And once you do, you'll start trying to keep your salvation based on your behavior and that becomes your religion.
In other words you start trying, by self effort, to gain by your behavior what GOD already did for you.
Now isn't that a mess?
It really is, and some of you are deep into this mess and you need to get free from this self-righteous trap.
The reason people get this all twisted, is ither because they belong to a cult that has led them to believe that some deed they do is how you get God to accept you (Water Baptism) for example, or,
they get into sin, and become confused within their guilt which leads them to begin to believe they are no longer accepted by God because they messed up.
(how can i be saved when i dont FEEL saved)....(how can i still be saved when i did that AGAIN and AGAIN).....etc.
And once this happens, they start tying to keep themselves "saved" based on not messing up., which is impossible, as you cant save yourself by not messing up, nor can you keep yourself saved by not messing up.
If you could, then Jesus didnt have to die on a Cross for ya.

The other reason that people get all tangled in a mental web of confusion about "losing it", or "keeping it", is because they have confused Discipleship with Salvation.
This is very typical of a Christian who will tell you that you can lose it if you dont live it.
Which is nonsense of course.

So, what is "discipleship".??
Well, its not something that can save you.......so get that right.
Get that right !!
Then, understand that discipleship follows Salvation but does not replace it nor can it attain it.
Discipleship is you trying to please God for what he has done for you, which does not save you or keep you saved.
Once you realize this, and begin to comprehend that Salvation is NOT OF YOU, and therefore cant be lost by you, you will then begin to experience the Joy of the Lord.
The Joy of the Lord, is the Joy of knowing that God has given you Eternal Life with Him and free pardon of all your sins forever = that you cant mess up.
And once you get that revelation, you will begin to serve God not because you are afraid or confused or feel guilty..... but because you are so THANKFUL and THAT is when you are living right.
That is when you have the real understanding of Salvation and Discipleship.



K

Hopefully, while you are "realizing" that your salvation "can't" be lost, you will also realize YOU don't get to dictate the terms of YOUR salvation.

As a young immature Christian that is growing and learning, I believe God gives us "much grace", to the baby Christian.

However, there comes a day when we are to grow up.

There is much scripture on either side of this issue, as it balances us for our life with Him.

The balance of Grace and Truth is found only in Him.

As we surrender to the crucified life, we will find ourselves walking in the light as He is in the light and the blood of Jesus will continually cleanse us...


JLB

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Heb 10:26, 29 are "if we . . ." and "How much . . . do you think", already discussed at great length.
Knowledge of the truth differs greatly from knowing the Truth.

And look at all the times I've included the context that shows that this knowledge they have is that of a saved person. In context we see these people have been sanctified by the blood of Jesus.

The argument against OSAS has changed from this:
1) He won't let us go, but we can jump out of His hands.

to this:
2) Now He will let us go, He will disown a Christian, [and perhaps a Christian can still jump out of His hands].

No, he will not disown a Christian. He will disown a former Christian...one who has departed from the faith such that God has no further obligation to guard him/her.

Heb 10:39 "But we are not of those withdrawing to destruction, but of faith, to the preservation of the soul."

Paul's gift of encouragement hard at work. This isn't a declaration that the Hebrew church is saved and all the warnings he's given them don't even apply to them. The whole counsel of God shows us that it is those who remain in the faith to the end that do that to the preserving of the soul.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Amen!

Without the faith, there is no preservation of the soul.

Great point!


JLB

I caught that, too. Did you g8grace?

 

[Gregg]

Amen!

Without the faith, there is no preservation of the soul.

Great point!


JLB

Heb 10:39 says we are "of faith into [which has led to] a souls preservation [a posession]"; and in no way infers that our faith itself preserves the soul.

It is unbelief and it consequence from which God saves us by grace. God keeps us saved because of who He is and what He has done.

 

[Gregg]

Amen!

Without the faith, there is no preservation of the soul.
Great point!
JLB

I caught that, too. Did you g8grace?

Lets be honest gentlemen. You both are misrepresenting what was stated in my post.

Heb 10:39 says "of faith" and you changed it to "without the faith".

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Now you have overstepped what any scripture says.
Where does it say if one believes they are not saved they are no longer saved? Now you are adding to what the scripture says.

Could you reword that, please.

Paul did not just give strong warnings against sin, he gave strong assurances of God's grace towards us.
When people are indoctrinated in the law mixed with grace they can become weak in faith so that they believe the Lord has rejected them and that is very different then them rejecting Him.

No, the danger of law keeping doctrines is they can give the false assurance and confidence that one is okay with God because of the law keeping they do.

Something came to mind about that scripture Hebrews 10:29. It says the blood that 'sanctified' them, not 'justified' them.

I was wondering when someone was going to see that. That's why I've been posting this verse along with Hebrews 10:29 NASB...

"...that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me." (Acts 26:18 NASB)

Thinking of the believing wife who sanctifies the unbelieving husband so that the children are sanctified. Neither the husband or the children are justified but they are sanctified.
Hmm...

He's not saying your family gets sanctified and set apart to God in salvation, like the person who has faith gets sanctified. What he is saying is they are not unclean to the believer. They don't make the believer defiled as they would if they were not his family.

Look at the context. Paul tells the believer to stay with the unbelieving spouse. He's explaining that they can not become unclean by associating with their 'unclean' unbelieving families. God pronounces them clean (sanctified, set apart...allowed to be touched). There sanctification is obviously not by their faith, unto salvation....they do not have faith. Paul is telling the believer that they are not violating the prohibition to be joined to unbelievers:

"14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. 17 "Therefore,COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you. 18 "And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:14-18 NASB)

When you're married to an unbeliever, they are not to be put away on the basis of them being unclean unbelievers that the believer should not be joined to.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Lets be honest gentlemen. You both are misrepresenting what was stated in my post.

Heb 10:39 says "of faith" and you changed it to "without the faith".

No. We both saw where that scripture teaches that it is the continuance of faith that preserves the soul, not a falling away from faith, but being preserved anyway as g8grace contends.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

I've never seen him make the argument that "if one believes they are not saved they are no longer saved", for example. I doubt he feels that way.

Correct. I do not make that argument.

But he does often say that if a believer stops believing in the Gospel, you are not saved. (you know an out-right rejection of Jesus as God and/or that Jesus rose from the grave, etc.) Which I’ve never said doesn’t make a lot of sense on the surface of the matter. I just simply don’t see it ever happening in the Bible (or in my experience).

And the point I've been hammering is the Bible does in fact talk about these people. I couldn't resist it any longer simply because they didn't fit into my own reasoning and experience with God and people I know. Except for one person who confessed Christ, spoke in tongues, lived for God, but then departed the faith with much animosity and hatred toward God. But I will concede, it ain't over till it's over...even though it looks pretty much over to me, and has been for years with only a hint of life showing up again recently.

Knowing what I do about his ideas on this topic, I doubt he'd say, for example, that a person that simply wonders about their own salvation becomes un-saved, as soon as they do that doubting. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, so-to-speak.

Thank you, sir.

I'm with you in that God is long suffering and patient, giving everybody every possible chance to come to their senses, whether they were ever saved to begin with, or not.

 

[Gregg]

Hopefully, while you are "realizing" that your salvation "can't" be lost, you will also realize YOU don't get to dictate the terms of YOUR salvation.

As a young immature Christian that is growing and learning, I believe God gives us "much grace", to the baby Christian.

However, there comes a day when we are to grow up.

There is much scripture on either side of this issue, as it balances us for our life with Him.

The balance of Grace and Truth is found only in Him.

As we surrender to the crucified life, we will find ourselves walking in the light as He is in the light and the blood of Jesus will continually cleanse us...


JLB

Really, you think God gives grace based upon our stature, or maturity in Christ. But God says His grace abounds towards us and He favored us in Christ (Eph 1:6-8, Rom 5:20-21).

You say 'The balance of Grace and Truth is found only in Him.' There is no such thing as balance between grace and truth, and is an extra-biblical teaching.

 

[WIP]

Thanks guys this is the most 'friendly' this battle has been in a while... too you all

I would like to reiterate this same sentiment. Without a doubt this subject is often difficult to discuss while remaining civil and this particular thread has been a joy to read. There is a lot of good solid information being discussed and when done in the way it has been, it is much easier to follow along and learn. Thank you to all of you.

 

[Deborah13]

Could you reword that, please.


No, the danger of law keeping doctrines is they can give the false assurance and confidence that one is okay with God because of the law keeping they do.


I was wondering when someone was going to see that. That's why I've been posting this verse along with Hebrews 10:29 NASB...

"...that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me." (Acts 26:18 NASB)



He's not saying your family gets sanctified and set apart to God in salvation, like the person who has faith gets sanctified. What he is saying is they are not unclean to the believer. They don't make the believer defiled as they would if they were not his family.

Look at the context. Paul tells the believer to stay with the unbelieving spouse. He's explaining that they can not become unclean by associating with their 'unclean' unbelieving families. God pronounces them clean (sanctified, set apart...allowed to be touched). There sanctification is obviously not by their faith, unto salvation....they do not have faith. Paul is telling the believer that they are not violating the prohibition to be joined to unbelievers:

"14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. 17 "Therefore,COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you. 18 "And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:14-18 NASB)

When you're married to an unbeliever, they are not to be put away on the basis of them being unclean unbelievers that the believer should not be joined to.

I know what it means about the unbeliever married to the believer being sanctified and the children. If the children are not sanctified they would be as illegitimate children.

 

[Gregg]

No. We both saw where that scripture teaches that it is the continuance of faith that preserves the soul, not a falling away from faith, but being preserved anyway as g8grace contends.

Heb 10:39 does not speak of action or continuance - no verbs in that verse but 'are'. Rather, we are of faith and not of apostasy. It agrees with Eph 1 that we are the purchased possession of God in Christ; our souls are redeemed and preserved in Him.

 

[JLB]

Really, you think God gives grace based upon our stature, or maturity in Christ. But God says His grace abounds towards us and He favored us in Christ (Eph 1:6-8, Rom 5:20-21).

You say 'The balance of Grace and Truth is found only in Him.' There is no such thing as balance between grace and truth, and is an extra-biblical teaching.

Would you expect a baby to obey every word of instruction from his father?

Would you expect a 10 year boy to be a responsible father?

TRUTH SAYS - the soul that sins must die.

GRACE SAYS - For God so loved the world that He gave His Only begotten Son...


And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.


JLB

 

[Gregg]

Would you expect a baby to obey every word of instruction from his father?

Would you expect a 10 year boy to be a responsible father?

TRUTH SAYS - the soul that sins must die.

GRACE SAYS - For God so loved the world that He gave His Only begotten Son...


And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.


JLB

The context in this forum relates to someone who is already a Christian, and the whether or not he can lose salvation. Yes, Jesus Christ is full of grace and truth. Grace and truth are not weighed against one another that one might prevail over the other. God's truth will not lead to the spiritual death of a Christian even if he sins.

For the Christian, God does not withhold grace so that a Christian soul must die if he sins. Sin has consequence effecting the Christian who sins, but not so that his soul dies [to be separate from God].

"Then being justified [aorist passive participle] by faith [that faith which led in the past to being justified], we have [present active subjunctive - if justification has occurred then we have this] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," (Rom 5:1).

"through whom also we have [perfect active indicative] access by faith into this grace in which we stand [perfect active indicative], and we glory on the hope of the glory of God" (Rom 5:2). We 'have access into' and 'we stand in grace,' - both ongoing results of a completed action, a completed action accomplished and consummated by Christ [through whom].

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Can our unfaithfulness or unbelief nullify Gods faithfulness to a saved person? No.
[...]
Rom 3:3-4~~
What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?
May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written,

What he's saying is just because the Jews blew it doesn't mean God's plan can't be fulfilled. In context we see that what he is saying is the plan is not based on human performance, but on faith. He is in no way suggesting people who don't have faith are saved despite their failure to believe in Christ.

2 Tim 2:13~~13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

Surely you can see in the whole passage that there is a distinct difference between being faithless and disowning God. We know that because the two have two different outcomes. Being faithless--God is still faithful. Disowning God--he disowns you.

So, it's impossible that being faithless and denying God are the same thing that they should both have the same outcome of God being faithful despite those things. Read the whole passage. As long as you belong to him he will not/ cannot deny himself (you, a member of his own body). But if you are removed from the body through a denial of Christ he will deny you who are no longer a part of his body.

"through whom also we have [perfect active indicative] access by faith into this grace in which we stand [perfect active indicative], and we glory on the hope of the glory of God" (Rom 5:2). We 'have access into' and 'we stand in grace,' - both ongoing results of a completed action, a completed action accomplished and consummated by Christ [through whom].

This standing in grace has a condition attached:

"1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, ...in which also you stand, 2 ...if you hold fast the word which I preached to you..." (1 Corinthians 15: NASB)

"...you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited , but fear; 21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you,either. 22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off." (Romans 11: NASB)

It's not a condition for the satisfactory performance of work, but of continuing in the kindness of God's forgiveness. I want Kidron to show us how this is equivalent to trying to be justified by works of the law such that it can be claimed that even this continuing in God's kindness is actually a damnable work of the law that can not save.

 

[JLB]

The context in this forum relates to someone who is already a Christian, and the whether or not he can lose salvation. Yes, Jesus Christ is full of grace and truth. Grace and truth are not weighed against one another that one might prevail over the other. God's truth will not lead to the spiritual death of a Christian even if he sins.

For the Christian, God does not withhold grace so that a Christian soul must die if he sins. Sin has consequence effecting the Christian who sins, but not so that his soul dies [to be separate from God].

"Then being justified [aorist passive participle] by faith [that faith which led in the past to being justified], we have [present active subjunctive - if justification has occurred then we have this] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," (Rom 5:1).

"through whom also we have [perfect active indicative] access by faith into this grace in which we stand [perfect active indicative], and we glory on the hope of the glory of God" (Rom 5:2). We 'have access into' and 'we stand in grace,' - both ongoing results of a completed action, a completed action accomplished and consummated by Christ [through whom].

God's truth will not lead to the spiritual death of a Christian even if he sins.?

Here is the truth that will lead a person to not inherit the kingdom of God.

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21

Christians, believers, Church people... Who violate this truth will not inherit the Kingdom of God.


JLB

 

[gr8grace3]

Let's look at the context!

13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. 14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 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.
2 Timothy 2:13-18

If a young Christian has their faith weakened or overthrown because they become involved with those who teach a doctrine that states the Resurrection is past, [such as Full Preterism teaches], it may take some time for the Lord to bring them sound teachers to restore them.

This does not necessarily mean they have become "unsaved', it means that they have become involved with those who have strayed from the truth, and are in need of being restored.

However if they continue to stray and wander from the truth...

as the next verse goes on to say -

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."


It is interesting that James uses this phrase - wanders from the truth -

19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. James 5:19-20

We have James saying that a brother [brethren] who wanders from the truth, is considered to be a sinner.

Someone who turns him from his error saves a soul from death...

... and cover a multitude of sins.

Love covers a multitude of sins.

James seems to have the same mind as Paul, in that a person can be considered a brother, yet if he is entangled and wanders from the truth, is considered a sinner.

Pretty serious!

Please consider!


JLB

We are all considered sinners.

The "someone" who turned the "sinner" from his error is also considered a "sinner." The "someone" doesn't just have "some" sins covered by his act of love,but a MULTITUDE of sins. The "someone" is no better then the "sinner" The someone just has spiritual insight that the sinner is lacking at that moment.

And I believe James is talking about the sin unto death for believers. Moses is one example for us.

Moses is the "sinner" and His disrespectful nagging wife is the "someone" who saved Moses from the death that the Lord was going to bring upon him.

24Now it came about at the lodging place on the way that the LORD met him and sought to put him to death. 25Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and threw it at Moses’ feet, and she said, “You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to me.” 26So He let him alone. At that time she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood”—because of the circumcision.

 

[JLB]

We are all considered sinners.

The "someone" who turned the "sinner" from his error is also considered a "sinner." The "someone" doesn't just have "some" sins covered by his act of love,but a MULTITUDE of sins. The "someone" is no better then the "sinner" The someone just has spiritual insight that the sinner is lacking at that moment.

And I believe James is talking about the sin unto death for believers. Moses is one example for us.

Moses is the "sinner" and His disrespectful nagging wife is the "someone" who saved Moses from the death that the Lord was going to bring upon him.

24Now it came about at the lodging place on the way that the LORD met him and sought to put him to death. 25Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and threw it at Moses’ feet, and she said, “You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to me.” 26So He let him alone. At that time she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood”—because of the circumcision.

We "were" all considered sinners.

The blood of Jesus removes our sin.

We are now considered holy and sanctified, if we continue...

No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! 9Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:8-11



Likewise Paul says -

16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? Romans 6:16


JLB

 

[Gregg]

God's truth will not lead to the spiritual death of a Christian even if he sins.?

Here is the truth that will lead a person to not inherit the kingdom of God.

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21

Christians, believers, Church people... Who violate this truth will not inherit the Kingdom of God.


JLB

Read closely . . . "those who practice such" and not 'we who practice such.'

I don't know of Christians who repeatedly and habitually practice such things and remain in them. However, I have known Christians who touched upon some of those things (Gal 5:19-21), but the Lord disciplined them and they repented of their works of the flesh. All men sin to one degree or another, Christian and non-Christian, but sin of any degree falls short of the glory of God. We are and remain redeemed, righteous, cleansed, justified, sanctified, spiritually raised from the dead by God's doing - not by our past, present, and future actions.

Perhaps you believe in a gospel that rests partially upon your own person, upon your own abilities, and upon qualities that you possess. Sounds like a different gospel, and an unstable one at best.

Perhaps God saves someone, and then entrusts the fulfillment of His salvation to the one He saved - but wouldn't it be ridiculous to believe such a thing. I trust the Creator, fully, and I do not place trust or faith in myself to any degree. I trust my Redeemer who purchased and holds me.