Bible Discussion Thread

...I just believe we are to heed to whole council of God in Scripture on this and work out our salvation with fear and trembling, so that we do not walk away from Jesus. I cannot tell my sons that their faith was not valid enough to save them as youths, and I cannot say that since they believed as youth, they are forever saved. I tell them that they are separated from God right now because of their current unbelief and that God will receive them lovingly when they repent and ask Him for help to believe once again. They are prodigals, loved by God, and He is always working 24/7 to bring His lost sheep back home to Him. I am trusting Him and look forward to when all of my sons are once again reunited to Christ, having "divorced" Him.

I was defining willful sin. I was not speaking to whether someone can lose their salvation or not. I affirm that Peter did not become unsaved. Like all of us, he sinned even as a believer. Has any of us on here or in the body of Christ lied? gossiped? replied to someone in anger? doubted or despaired of faith? backstabbed another? We do not lose our salvation wen we sin, intentionally or not. But if a person apostasizes and renounces their faith in Jesus and does not return to God before they die, I believe that they are not saved. But I also believe that Jesus will draw anyone who has done so back to a place of faith before they die. He will keep those who love Him. When all my sons were young up to their teen years, they believed in Jesus. Their child-like faith was effective towards their salvation. But when they turned away and denounced their faith, I would never say that they were never saved in the first place. That is counter to Scripture that says if we believe on the Lord Jesus we will be saved. Salvation is not based on age or maturity; it is based on God's grace in giving us faith to believe, which my sons had received. I think it is a wicked thing to tell our children tat believing in Jesus saves you and when turn from Him, we say that their faith was not "real" enough to save them. Who could ever be sure that their faith was "true" enough to be confident of their salvation then? Also, it is a wicked thing to teach that a believer is once saved, always saved. This statement makes it true even if they, after receiving the Lord in faith, they live turned away from God and pursue sinful living. Believers would think that they could live however they want and still retain their salvation. I think of it this way, good works do not earn us salvation, but sinfulness always breaks fellowship with God until we repent and confess, even as a believer. I am not totally settled one way or another concerning the security of the believer doctrine. see more...