Featured The gospel according to Paul

That's it, ignore Paul.

 

Salvation is in Christ, not in you. Reject Christ forfeit heaven. It's that simple....

Heb 10:10 By that will (Christ's will - His doing & dying) we (believers) have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Christ's work of atonement is a finished work. Faith doesn't make it so....Faith is accepting what has already happened "in Christ Jesus".

Now look what happens if the believer turns his back on Christ:

For if we (believers) sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.

What is this willful sin? What's the context? Again, see verse 10. We are complete in Christ by faith.

28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified (see verse 10) a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

A born again believer can trample the Son of God underfoot and count the blood of new covenant a common thing - thereby insulting the Spirit of grace. Don't kid yourself.

We are once saved always saved as long as our faith remains in Him. But if you apostatize, its over for you. Apostasy is rejecting your need of Christ....It is not to be confused with back-sliding...

 

Now look at Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free (i.e., from under the curse of the law), and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage (i.e, salvation by law)

2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you (the Galatian believers) become circumcised (compare Acts15:1,5), Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace."

Any believer who has turned his back on the gospel and is attempting to be justified before God by his law keeping has, according to Paul, fallen from grace.

So there's another warning to believers. The warning is don't be deceived by your own righteousness, for you have none. You can never earn salvation by your law performance. If you think you can, well, you've fallen from grace. That is, you are lost....

 

Oh, I see...Paul's just making a point. His warning, well...not a warning, just a principle. Don't worry, be happy. Paul's just teasing us. Calvin, after all, is an Apostle from God, not Paul.

So when Paul says, "For if we (believers) sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries." He doesn't really mean it. Paul's just having fun with us.

 

Let's look at the following:

John chapter 10 NASB

verse 16 I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also....25 Jesus answered them (the unbelieving Jews), “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. 26 But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep (i.e, you do not follow me the Good Shepard). 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish (i.e, die the 2nd death); and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

 

"He (the good Shepard) came to his own (the Jews), and his own people did not receive him." John 1:11

Now, let's look at "no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand".

Rom 8:35 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?"

So John's right....if you have placed your faith in Christ - no matter how much "trouble or hardship or persecution" comes your way - no one can take you away from Christ, but...

But what? YOU, of your own free-will, because of "sin’s deceitfulness" (Heb 3:13), can of yourself chose to abandon Christ.

The text says "no one" can cause you to fall, and that's true, but it does not say "you" yourself cannot reject Christ.

 

If you have decided to keep your faith in Christ, no matter what, then no one can separate you from Christ.

Bottom line: Keep the faith, or apostatize. It's your decision.

 

Matt 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come......

Your faith must endure until the end....You are once saved always saved as long as you keep your faith in Christ.