If the born-again saved state is such that free will is lost then - it is God adopting a system that voids free will - in which case He could have done this for Lucifer or at the very least Adam and saved us all the trouble.
If the born-again saved state - is such that it is just as impossible for the born again saint to fall from Grace - than it is for the easter bunny to steal your car out of your driveway... then all the Bible warnings about "Fallen from Grace" and "severed from Christ" and "you stand only by your faith .. you should fear for if God did not spare them neither will He spare you" -- cannot be taken seriously at all.
in Christ,
Bob
No, all those warning make perfect sense, they are for those who have been brought to a point of repentance.
Heb 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
This passage says it is impossible for these persons if they fall away, to renew them again unto repentance, that is belief. They understand the gospel, they taste it, but they turn from it. I believe this is the point of no return, when you reject Christ in this state, you will never be brought to repentance again.
Heb 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them:
but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
Here is a warning, that the hearer should come short of the promise of eternal life in Jesus. But note that the persons who came short NEVER believed.
Then a few verses later, we see another warning;
Heb 4:7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David,
To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
You can hear the gospel and understand it. You can know you are a sinner and bound for hell. You can believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died for your sins, and yet you can harden your heart and not trust Jesus to save you because you wish to continue in sin.
This is what men are warned about.
Now, the warning in Romans is the most difficult to understand.
Rom 11:20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off,
and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21 For if God spared not the natural branches,
take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness,
if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
Now, of all scripture that supports a person losing salvation, I would say this is the strongest. It says these persons are standing by faith, but they should fear, lest God also spare not them. They must continue in faith.
So, this does argue that faith is a continuous thing. But again, Jesus said of those who were lost that he NEVER knew them. They never had a real faith in Jesus. And, it is said of those that depart that it is evident they were never saved to begin with.
1 Jhn 2:19 They went out from us,
but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
This verse shows that those that did not continue were never saved to begin with. So, you must see the warning in Romans 11 in this light.
In addition, there are scriptures that show once a person is saved, they cannot be lost.
Jhn 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me,
hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Jesus said that whoever believes on him has everlasting life now, and shall not come into condemnation. This could not be said if you could lose salvation.
1 Jhn 3:2 Beloved,
now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
This verse says we are sons of God NOW. This argues that a person cannot lose salvation, if a person could lose salvation, it would be presumptuous to say we are the sons of God now.
So, I have looked at many scriptures concerning this topic, and I do not believe you can lose your salvation. There are MANY warnings in scripture, but I believe these apply to persons who have been enlightened and brought to the point of repentance, but have fallen away in unbelief.
