Today, Selwyn starts his study with an important question: “Since the Holy Spirit’s presence in our hearts is the pledge that God’s promises will be kept and His purposes will be carried through, today we ask: Does this mean that once we are saved we can never be lost?” I think that from God’s side of the relationship that is certainly true – He will be true to His promise.
But what about us – if we actively go against what we know to be true – will we still be saved? This aspect of Selwyn’s question does not have a consistent answer within the Christian community.
Many will refer to Hebrews, Chapter 10; and I think it’s worthwhile going through the relevant verses: (10:26-39) “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died wthout mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that santified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? … So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, ‘He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith, And if he or she shrinks back, I will not be pleased with them.’ But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed but of those who believe and are saved.”
I think that these verses are saying that those who have received the gift of God’s Spirit do not deliberately keep on sinning and they also don’t insult God’s Spirit. Consequently, those who follow Jesus and love God with all their heart, mind and strength; and also love their neighbour in the same way that God loves them – do not shrink back because they believe. Do you agree?
I also agree with Selwyn that we should keep verses, such as this one: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one can snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28): always at the front of our mind. Isn’t it great to fall into God’s loving hand; and to know that no-one can snatch you out of His hand – absolutely no-one, not even Satan or any of your enemies. The answer to today’s question – am I safe? Is a heart-felt, and resounding ’yes’; go, and look at the night sky and see the millions of stars kept in place by God’s power – and know, you are safe – forever!
Am I safe?
Today, Selwyn starts his study with an important question: “Since the Holy Spirit’s presence in our hearts is the pledge that God’s promises will be kept and His purposes will be carried through, today we ask: Does this mean that once we are saved we can never be lost?” I think that from God’s side of the relationship that is certainly true – He will be true to His promise.
But what about us – if we actively go against what we know to be true – will we still be saved? This aspect of Selwyn’s question does not have a consistent answer within the Christian community.
Many will refer to Hebrews, Chapter 10; and I think it’s worthwhile going through the relevant verses: (10:26-39) “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died wthout mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that santified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? … So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, ‘He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith, And if he or she shrinks back, I will not be pleased with them.’ But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed but of those who believe and are saved.”
I think that these verses are saying that those who have received the gift of God’s Spirit do not deliberately keep on sinning and they also don’t insult God’s Spirit. Consequently, those who follow Jesus and love God with all their heart, mind and strength; and also love their neighbour in the same way that God loves them – do not shrink back because they believe. Do you agree?
I also agree with Selwyn that we should keep verses, such as this one: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one can snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28): always at the front of our mind. Isn’t it great to fall into God’s loving hand; and to know that no-one can snatch you out of His hand – absolutely no-one, not even Satan or any of your enemies. The answer to today’s question – am I safe? Is a heart-felt, and resounding ’yes’; go, and look at the night sky and see the millions of stars kept in place by God’s power – and know, you are safe – forever!