We Know We Have Eternal Life!

[MrVersatile48]

We Know We Have Eternal Life!

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

1 John 5:11-13 NIV

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But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it.

He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously.

God's gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there's more life to come--an eternity of life! You can count on this.

Titus 3:4-8 MSG

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For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

2 Timothy 1:12-14 NKJV

_________________

We need a Savior because we are sinners,
and the wages of sin is death...

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of
our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.



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Through the Bible in a Year - Readings for September 4

September 4: John 10:22-42, 2 Chronicles 9, Psalm 74

Click Here for the complete schedule

Or Copy and paste this link into your browser:
http://www.arcamax.com/ttb-yr.html



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Weekly Meditation 9/2 - 9/8 Called To Righteousness

He Is Risen!

Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming.

1 Corinthians 15:1,2 and 20-23 NASB

 

[Catholic Crusader]

Some people promote a very attractive idea: All true Christians, regardless of how they live, have an absolute assurance of salvation, once they accept Jesus into their hearts as "their personal Lord and Savior." The problem is that this belief is contrary to the Bible & constant Christian teaching.

Recall this Scripture: "If we have died with him [in baptism; see Rom. 6:3-4] we shall also live with him; if we persevere we shall also reign with him" (2 Tim. 2:11-12). So, ff we do NOT persevere, we shall NOT reign with him. In other words, Christians can forfeit heaven. Jesus tells us, "He who endures to the end will be saved" (Matt. 24:13; cf. 25:31-46). Ergo, if you do not endure to the end, well........

The Bible makes it clear that Christians have a moral assurance of salvation (God will be true to his word and will grant salvation to those who have faith in Christ and are obedient to him [1 John 3:19-24]), but the Bible does NOT teach that Christians have a guarantee of heaven. There can be no absolute assurance of salvation. The Bible says, "See, then, the kindness and severity of God: severity toward those who fell, but God's kindness to you, provided you remain in his kindness, otherwise you too will be cut off" (Rom. 11:22-23; Matt. 18:21-35, 1 Cor. 15:1-2, 2 Pet. 2:20-21).

Note that this includes an important condition: "provided you remain in his kindness." It is saying that Christians can lose their salvation by throwing it away. He warns, "Whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall" (1 Cor. 10:11-12). , Paul admitted that even he could fall away: "I pummel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified" (1 Cor. 9:27). In saying this he points out that even he cannot be infallibly sure of his own present state or of his future salvation.

As a Catholic, when someone asks me if I have been "saved," I answer: "I am redeemed by the blood of Christ, I trust in him alone for my salvation, and, as the Bible teaches, I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), knowing that it is God's gift of grace that is working in me."

 

[JayR]

"All that the Father gives me shall come to me; and him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which has sent me, that of all which he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day."

Do you think Jesus is going to fail His Father? We have clearly establish here that ALL that the Father gives to the Son SHALL COME TO HIM, and him that comes to the Son He will IN NO WISE CAST OUT. So they are absolutely going to come to the Son, as stated, and the Son will IN NO WISE CAST THEM OUT. So they are going to stay with the Son. It is the Father's will for the Son not to lose any of those who come to Him, are you seriously suggesting that the Son is going to sin against His Father's will and lose some that were given to Him? Is the omnipotent Lord Jesus Christ going to fail His Father?

No. The Son is going to accomplish His Father's will to the most minute detail, and every single chosen vessel of grace which the Father gives to the Son is going to be raised up at the last day.

 

[Catholic Crusader]

The Bible does speak of salvation as a past-tense event, such as in Ephesians 2:8–9: "For by grace you have been saved through faith." But Scripture also speaks of salvation as a present-tense event. In Philippians 2:12, Paul exhorted us to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."

Just as we cannot deny that salvation is a past- and present-tense event, one cannot deny that Scripture also speaks of it as a future-tense event. For evidence of this, see verses such as Romans 13:11: "our salvation is nearer than when we first believed" (Rom. 13:11; cf. 1 Cor. 3:15; 5:5).

So salvation can be lost because salvation is a past, present, and future event. One must look at salvation in a broaderâ€â€and more biblicalâ€â€context. Once you have reached this point, we see the evidence that the free gift of salvation can be just as freely forfeited.

 

[JayR]

So salvation can be lost because salvation is a past, present, and future event.

Uhh. That doesn't follow at all. We are saved absolutely, and the fact that our salvation or conversion originated at a certain point in time, is being worked out in this present moment in time, and will be consumated at the Judgment, doesn't change that at all.

 

[Catholic Crusader]

....We are saved absolutely, and the fact that our salvation or conversion originated at a certain point in time, is being worked out in this present moment in time, and will be consumated at the Judgment, doesn't change that at all.

Then why is Paul not so sure? Paul admitted that even he could fall away: "I pummel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified" (1 Cor. 9:27). In saying this he points out that even he cannot be infallibly sure of his own present state or of his future salvation.

 

[JayR]

No, he doesn't say that at all. If you would read the verse in it's context instead of tearing it out of context and slapping it down and asigning your own meaning onto it you would realize that. He is talking about disciplining himself so that he practices what he preaches. He doesn't want to be preaching the gospel to people and find that he himself did the very things that he tells other people to do, which would be harmful to the gospel, and to his own witness.

Notice how you are arguing that Jesus Christ the King of kings and the Lord of lords is a failure and doesn't have the ability to fulfil His Father's will.

 

[Catholic Crusader]

Notice how you are arguing that Jesus Christ the King of kings and the Lord of lords is a failure and doesn't have the ability to fulfil His Father's will.

I notice that's what you THINK I'm saying, but those words never came out of my mouth. Christ accomplished His work. But that has NOTHING to do with whether or not you can throw away your salvation.

1 Timothy 1:19
....some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.

Matthew 10:22
....but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Matthew 24:13
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

John 15:6
If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.

Romans 2:6
God will render to every man according to his WORKS

Romans 11:17-23
And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches.. .. consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off

Phillipians 2:12
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

 

[JayR]

....some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.

If that happened then it wasn't God given saving faith, because if it were, it would have endured to the end, because true saving faith is a gift of God which is given to converted men when the Father gives them to the Son, and once they are in the hands of the Son, He isn't going to fail His Father as you are saying He will by claiming that Jesus would allow those whom the Father has given to Him to choose to fall away. Jesus isn't a failure.

....but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Absolutely, and because it has been ordained by God that Jesus lose none of those whom He gives Him, and by His sustaining grace they will endure to the end. If someone doesn't endure to the end and falls away then that is evidence that they never knew Him in the first place, as in Matthew 7. Many will say to Him on that Day, Lord, Lord, and He will say to them, depart from me, I never knew you, you workers of iniquity.

If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.

If a man does not abide in Christ, then he was never given to Him and was never abiding in Him in the first place, because those whom the Father gives to the Son He will in NO WISE CAST OUT, and the Father has commanded the Son not to lose any whom the Father has given Him, and that includes the ones whom you think the Son would allow to choose to forsake Him against the Father's will. Jesus isn't a failure.

God will render to every man according to his WORKS

Yes He will. What's your point? That doesn't say at all that Jesus Christ isn't going to accomplish His Father's will in saving everyone that comes to Him and is truly given to Him. Don't be mistaken, there are hypocrites who claim to be His followers who will fall away because they were never in Him in the first place, but every single one that the Father gives to the Son who will abide in the Son will absolutely be saved because Jesus Christ is not a failure and in His omnipotence He will fulfil the will of the Father to perfection.

consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off

If you continue in His goodness, then you are a a vessel given to the Son by the Father, if you don't continue in His goodness, then you were never a vessel given to the Son by the Father, because the Son isn't a failure.

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

He isn't talking about literally working for your salvation. He is talking about continuing in the salvation given to you in fear and trembling, in humility realizing that it isn't something that you have earned or deserve. This isn't an exhortation to work for salvation, but an exhortation to work out salvation, continuing in the salvation that was given to you in fear and trembling. It is a warning against pride, and a call to humility and to the fear of the Lord.

 

[Catholic Crusader]

He isn't talking about literally working for your salvation....etc, etc...

This always the answer: "He isn't REALLY saying........"

Jesus says "This is my Body", but when Catholics point this out, you all just say, "He doesnt REALLY mean This is my Body."

Jesus says "You must be born of water...", but when Catholics point this out, you all just say, "He doesnt REALLY mean You must be born of water."

Jesus gives the keys of the kingdom to Peter, but when Catholics point this out, you all just say, "He doesnt REALLY mean the keys of the kingdom."

James says you are justified by works, but when Catholics point this out, you all just say, "He doesnt REALLY mean you are justified by works."

My question is: WHO ARE THE REAL BIBLE BELIEVING CHRISTIANS HERE

 

[JayR]

The ones who intepret those verses truly and don't skew them to conform them to their traditional church teachings that are radically heretical.

 

[JayR]

The verse doesn't say work FOR salvation, it says work OUT salvation. In your mind you seem to be replacing those two words when reading this, and therefore you are confusing the interpretation. It isn't talking about working for salvation at all.

 

[Catholic Crusader]

The verse doesn't say work FOR salvation, it says work OUT salvation. In your mind you seem to be replacing those two words when reading this, and therefore you are confusing the interpretation. It isn't talking about working for salvation at all.

2 Timothy 2:12
If we endure, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us

 

[Catholic Crusader]

A 60 Second Lesson:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlcinxP56AE

 

[JayR]

If we deny Him, sure He will deny us, because if we deny Him that is evidence that we never knew Him, and the Father never gave us to Him, because those whom the Father gives to Him will stay with Him because He isn't a failure. Do you seriously believe that Jesus Christ is a failure? You are indirectly arguing for that by stating that those truly saved will lose their salvation, because if that's true, then Jesus Christ failed to fulfil the will of His Father to keep and raise up all that He gives to Him, and not lose any. So, what is it, is He a failure or not a failure?

 

[mutzrein]

Seems like there's a lot of people saying they have eternal life.

I'd like to ask, 'How do you know?' But more than that, how would anyone else know?

If WE KNOW, what is the evidence?

 

[Catholic Crusader]

If we deny Him, sure He will deny us, because if we deny Him that is evidence that we never knew Him....

....and therein lies my point, if you really stop and think about it. You cannot tell the person you are evangelizing that he has an assurance of salvation because he may fall into that catagory. And YOU may fall into that catoagory, because no one knows what the future holds. Many staunch Christians haved turned from God for various reason: Perhaps the death of their child or some other terrible tradgedy that leaves them numb. You just don't know what a person will do.

 

[JayR]

and therein lies my point, if you really stop and think about it. You cannot tell the person you are evangelizing that he has an assurance of salvation because he may fall into that catagory.

I agree. No man should tell any man that they are saved. EVER. That is not our place. God tells men that He has saved them.

And YOU may fall into that catoagory, because no one knows what the future holds.

Here's where you are wrong. I know for a fact that God has saved me. I know God. I have a relationship with God. God knows me, and I know Him, and I experience Him on a daily basis. I just experienced Him ealier today. If you got a flat tire and were on the side of the road changing your tire when the wheel fell off and rolled onto the street, and if when you went into the road to get the wheel, and an eighteen wheeler crushed you and threw your body 50 feet into the air and you somehow survived, do you think you would know for a fact that you had an encounter with an eighteen wheeler? Yes? Let me ask you this, what is bigger, an eighteen wheeler or God? Do you seriously believe that you can have a genuine encounter with God where you die to self and live to Him where He puts His Spirit within you and lives within you and not know for a fact that it has happened? You can know my friend. I do know, and I couldn't care less if you believe otherwise, because you're wrong.