Gekko: we do not have absolute knowledge - never have - and never will.
That we are finite is a given an indisputable. That is not what I am addressing. When I speak of ‘not having absolute knowledge,’ I am speaking in the specific context of the nature by which we hold our assurance of salvation. When one states that they cannot fall from a state of grace, or that once saved always saved is true, if they are to speak of any cognizant characteristic of the way in which we hold our salvation, some things are automatically assumed which I feel are directly contrary to the teaching of the Word of God. One that holds to once saved always saved as a state in which they personally believe is true in their case, must of necessity believe that we can have absolute knowledge, knowledge beyond all possibility of error, of our salvation. Such a belief in turn eliminates salvation held to by the faith Scripture mandates it is held by in this world. Faith of one salvation and absolute knowledge of ones salvation cannot coexist. Either you walk in salvation by faith or you walk by salvation as known absolutely, but you cannot walk by both at the same time. The two states are mutually exclusive.
We know that God knows those that will be saved as absolute knowledge, yet God has withheld this knowledge from us except as we hold that knowledge by faith. As we fulfill the conditions He has laid down in order to be saved, which are repentance, faith, and obedience to the end, we walk in the faith that we are accepted by Him. As we stray from those conditions, the assurance we once had is clouded by the testimony of conscience that we are not who we once thought we were. God has not so designed the assurance of salvation as to grant to us an unwavering assurance while in possession of an evil conscience. It is as if though a cloud shrouds our once vibrant faith, knowing full well that our actions and formed intents are not in keeping with the clear conscience we once had at salvation. Our duty can be none other than to repent once again for the sin in our lives, doing our first works over again in light of sins committed subsequent to our original salvation experience. Only then will the light of faith burn brightly again with a full assurance of our righteous standing with Him. Our goal should remain firm to strive to walk in such a way that ones relationship with God becomes one of such a nature that to sin would be the absolutely unusual thing in times of unusually intense pressure and temptation, and righteousness and love towards God and our fellowman the by far more constant direction in our lives. It should be the normal walk with God to find ourselves quick to repent and turn from all known wrong, relying on the Holy Spirit to strengthen us in our inner man to walk humbly and righteously before our God in our daily walk.
If one says he or she loves their spouse, the least that can be expected from them is a consistent walk, proper actions towards their spouse. If the common experience the spouse encounters is one of unfaithfulness and abuse, it would only be just to question the love the spouse has for the other. If such actions of abuse and injustice were to continue indefinitely, one could only expect a separation or divorce to be in order. In such a case one would be fair in stating that the offending party in fact must not love the other to maintain such a pattern of maltreatment.
Our walk with the Lord is much the same. “If ye love me, keep my commandment,” “He that saith he loveth me, and keepeth noth my commandments, is a liar and the truth is not in him.” Scripture is clear. The following will not inherit the Kingdom of God. “ Re 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. “ This should be a fearful warning to each and every one of us to make our calling and election sure, and to allow our actions to direct our understanding to the state of our relationship and the eventual standing we will or will not have as we stand before the Lord in judgment. We all shall give an account for every idle word spoken and every deed done in the flesh.
Help me oh God to be faithful in examining myself fairly before the light of your Holy Spirit via my conscience in light of your Word, and to judge myself in this world that I may not have to be judged in the next. 1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
SAS incorrectly assumes, and the false notion that I can have a trustworthy faith while at the same time be in possession of an evil conscience, a conscience that testifies to unrepented and repeated sins in ones life. I would maintain that ones assurance would be limited to times when one has repented of all sins that are past, and wains as one falls into sin subsequent to that cleansing experience. It would seem to me the purpose of every believer to seek a place of consistent holy living before God through obedience and dependence upon the power of the Holy Spirit to guide and direct ones actions in accordance to His Word, without which no steady and constant assurance will be possible to maintain. Any assurance one would like to hold to while one is in possession of an evil conscience, is shaky at best, deception at worst. I believe that many are being deceived today into believing they have eternal security while in fact they are but deceived as to their standing before God. “ Ps 24:3 ¶ Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?