Can You Lose Your Salvation?

Can one truly lose the salvation they once embraced? Join us as we grapple with this profound theological question in a spirited discussion that may challenge your understanding of faith. We tackle the contentious belief of "once saved, always saved," scrutinizing the intricate balance between divine assurance and personal choice. With thought-provoking references to biblical figures like Adam, Eve, and Lucifer, we explore how free will plays a critical role in our spiritual journey. By examining key scriptures, we underscore the necessity of perseverance and the real potential to stray from the path of salvation.

Our exploration extends into the realm of free will within our relationship with God, drawing intriguing parallels to personal agreements like marriage. We delve into the flexibility and consequences of altering spiritual commitments, illustrating how one’s commitment to faith can be both a profound gift and a personal choice. Through scriptural analysis from Matthew and Colossians, we confront the notion of guaranteed salvation, emphasizing the importance of a transformative life grounded in faith. This episode challenges the listener to consider how steadfastness in belief can shape their eternal destiny.

We also consider the peril of falling from grace and the dangers of adherence to religious laws without spiritual connection. By sharing personal stories and examining passages from Galatians and Hebrews, we reveal how even a life steeped in religious tradition can miss true salvation without a genuine relationship with God. The conversation further explores the power of forgiveness and the significance of living by God's will as the ultimate path to fulfillment. Through this episode, we invite you to reflect deeply on your spiritual journey, balancing the assurance of salvation with the responsibility of faithfulness.

Chapters

• 0:01 Theological Discussion
• 8:52 Free Will in Relationship With God
• 18:41 Falling Away From God's Grace
• 31:14 Walking in God's Will
• 36:15 The Power of Forgiveness in Faith
• 40:43 Eternal Security and Free Will

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

What is up everybody? Welcome to another podcast episode. We're going to dive into something today that I've been getting a lot of questions about, and this is, I believe, a very necessary theological discussion. Some of you may be super, extremely smart and you have all the right answers, which. Thank you so much for those comments. They are always a blessing, and that is sarcasm, because you just like to tell everybody how much you know instead of helping brothers and sisters out. But whatever, that is the internet today, but some of you are maybe new to Christ. Some of you may be more seasoned Christians, but you don't have exactly the knowledge that maybe someone who's been studying the Word of God for 20 years, or maybe you've known Christ for 20 years and you've never really studied the Bible. So today we're going to talk about something that's more of a theological stance. My denomination is what is called Church of God, and our mothership, as I call it, is in Cleveland, tennessee. That being said, I want to talk to you a little bit about something that is a prominent stance for the modern church, and we're going to phrase it up like this okay, can you lose your salvation? Can you lose, um, your? Can it be taken from you. Can it be, uh, stolen? We're going to dive into some of those questions. We're also going to, instead of doing a argument and me giving you my opinion, we're going to go to scripture, and I think that needs to be key above all. So stick with me.

Speaker 1: 1:52

Before we get into today's video, I just wanted to say thank you to all of the new subscribers. If you haven't yet consider subscribing, hit that bell notification so that you can see every time I put out a new video. A major portion of you that watch my videos haven't subscribed yet, so why not? It's free. You can also find a PayPal link below if you want to give a one time or give a monthly to support the channel. Anything, great or small, is appreciated. Now let's get into the video.

Speaker 1: 2:26

So what does it mean if someone uses the phrase once saved, always saved? What does it mean when someone says that? What does it mean when someone says you can't lose, or you can lose your salvation, now, these are kind of loaded questions. Salvation, now, these are kind of loaded questions, and people use twisted up scripture to support, like a lot of people do, especially with minimal understanding or not wanting to have more of an understanding, but will only see or have scripture that fits their narrative. So we're going to walk through some things Jesus said, we're going to walk through some things that Paul said and we're going to. I'm going to leave it open to you to make your own assumption, but coming from how I believe, I believe that there is no room for error in this, that no one can steal your salvation.

Speaker 1: 3:22

So the devil, the devil himself, okay, one of the the the highest ranking, important angels, which is, I believe, a part of the ego of why he fell and became prideful and all that stuff is because he, he was so beautiful, he was so important, and I think he plays a lot of that into today's culture and if you see it growing and growing and growing and growing, it's because that is the normal of the devil and so he's trying to pass on, make us be like him and design us in his likeness, because we're created in God's image. So, if he can twist up God's creation, like he did with himself and like a third of the angels that fell with him, yes, they are angels we call them demons down here, but they are fallen angels. So, that being said, can the devil himself come and steal your salvation? No, he cannot. Can your mother, father, neighbor, brother, sister, wife, husband? Can they come in and steal your salvation? Absolutely, mother, father, neighbor, brother, sister, wife, husband, can they come in and steal your salvation? Absolutely not. They cannot steal your salvation. But because we have free will, we can walk away from God. We can walk away after knowing him, just as Lucifer did.

Speaker 1: 4:48

Lucifer was in the presence of God. Some people try to use it as like well, if they turn away from God, they were never saved. Bible okay, strictly Bible you talk about the beginning. You have Adam and Eve in the Bible that knew God. They literally walked with God. God walked with them in the cool of the day, and yet they had the free will to turn their back on God.

Speaker 1: 5:16

But there was a consequence to that. There became a separation that was not there before. The same thing with Lucifer he had the presence of God around him at all. But then he began to seek after and desire the same thing he presented Adam and Eve with he himself had already partaken of. He was trying to get a beautiful creation you and I, adam and Eve that God created and designed, and he saw that they had no worries. They had no issues.

Speaker 1: 5:45

Just, I believe, from his perspective, as once he did, and then he ruined it. So if he's already destroyed, he's already been defeated. He knows his end is coming. It was just a matter of time. Then why not take something else? He had already taken a third of the angels. Why not take something else that God had created, that God had designed, and try to make it for himself? This is the error of self-righteousness. This is the error of our hubris, where we think that we are better or more than what God has actually designed us for, and we have been made and designed in his image to worship him. But he gives us that free will to do so.

Speaker 1: 6:30

So let's dive into some scripture. So I'm going to show you my screen and make sure I got the right one teed up here. So this is coming from Matthew 24, 13. I always use New Living Translation is a very easy, easier understandable instead of King James. I even have a new King James study Bible, but when I'm teaching scripture in my church, I'm a pastor of a church, lead pastor of a church. I want to tee up things as easy as possible so that anybody who hears can understand, and I think that's the point. Jesus had a very awesome way of doing that, and that's actually one of my prayers and harsh desires is that he gives me that ability. So, matthew 24, 13,.

Speaker 1: 7:16

As you see on the screen right here, salvation is not a one-time event, but a continual process of faith and perseverance. Faith by faith, through grace, we are saved, so that no man can boast and perseverance. Now, perseverance means that there is a lasting element, there is a remaining element to this context, but the one who endures to the end will be saved. Salvation is not a one-time event, but a continuous process of faith and perseverance. I wanted to tell you that before I read the Scripture, I wanted you to understand. Perseverance is an endurance to the end, an endurance to the scripture I wanted you to understand. Perseverance is an endurance to the end, and endurance to the end in scripture we may get to it. I don't remember if it's in my notes or not, but in the uh, I think it's in revelation it talks about there's a great falling away. Okay, there cannot be a great falling away unless there is a great following. You understand what I'm saying. It cannot be one way here and then it's the opposite over here. That doesn't even logically make sense. That means that once you will follow him, the next you will fall away, and not just as Lucifer did when he fell from heaven. So salvation is not a one-time event.

Speaker 1: 8:52

There is an initial agreement. For instance let me use this I've been married before. I've been divorced. I'm divorced right now. I'm divorced right now. Let me back up I was divorced, I was married before. I'm married again now to my wife, put on paper before a judge, with a lawyer, with representation, and that agreement established the rest of our child's life that we had together. It gave custodial parenting to one person where I was at that time, it was her and then we flipped it later. Now he's been with me for six years now and the written agreement by my choice can be stepped out by her choice.

Speaker 1: 10:00

There's child support, there's insurance, there's there's all kinds of things in the agreement. There's visitations, you know. There's child support, there's insurance, there's all kinds of things in the agreement. There's visitations, you know. There's a set time where she has them. There's a set time where I have them. Set time for tax returns, set time for holidays, which we're in the middle of right now. There are agreements that are on paper, odd and evens and all the stuff that the judge worked out for the benefit of the child and the parents have agreed upon.

Speaker 1: 10:32

That being said, both of us the mother and father can step outside of the agreement anytime we want, but there are consequences to stepping outside of that agreement. Okay so, and also another, let's go a step even further that would be. I think a good point is that at any point the other parent can sign an agreement to step outside of that and no longer be involved in that child's life. So on paper that now you can say nope, I refuse to be in relationship with that child. Now, obviously he's a good parent. I would never want that, his mother would never want that. But as an option, we have the option, the free will, to change up the contract to where I no longer have rights. And the same thing with your Christian walk. You can, you are not forced to have a relationship with God. You have the ability to step into agreement or to step out of the agreement, and there's repercussions for each one.

Speaker 1: 11:40

So Jesus emphasizes here in Matthew 24, but the one who endures put it on screen one more time the one who endures to the end will be saved. There is an endurance quality. There is a perseverance necessity. Jesus emphasizes the need to remain steadfast, implying the possibility of falling away if endurance is lacking. Let's go to the second scripture, colossians 3, verses 7-8, and it says this you used to walk in these ways in the life you once lived, but now you must rid yourself of all such things as these anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips. Okay, paul is encouraging believers to continue to live in a transformative life. To live in a transformative life. He is telling them that failure to do so will implicate you in falling away or excluding yourself from relationship with God Excluding yourself, relationship with God.

Speaker 1: 13:03

Now let's go to number two. I said we're just shooting through this. This is scripture. This is not my opinion. This is scripture. Okay, just setting this up because it's pretty hard stuff. Okay, for it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened.

Speaker 1: 13:24

It's talking about those who once knew the truth, those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit. Now, this is after the book of Acts, where the Holy Spirit came down and people were able to impartake on each other pray and the Spirit would fill them over and over again. It was a description of laying hands on and an impartation would happen and they would be saved. They would come to Christ, they would give their lives over to Christ and they would be filled with the Holy Spirit, as in Acts 2 demonstrates. Filled with the Holy Spirit, as in Acts 2 demonstrates. Those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come, and who then turn away from God, away from God by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves nailing Him to the cross once again and holding Him up in public shame.

Speaker 1: 14:38

It is so evident in just this scripture alone, in just this scripture alone. When you phrase it up, see, it's a presupposition. You pre-presume, you presume, you assume. When someone says once saved, always saved, or someone can't steal your salvation, this is an accurate statement, but you can give it away. Salvation is even called a gift from God.

Speaker 1: 15:02

I believe God has given us in the physical world every single thing we need to understand spiritual principles in the Bible. I don't believe he has left us out there, not understanding. Now there's some things we won't know to the other side of heaven, that is, heavenly things that we, just our minds, can't comprehend. For instance, my mind cannot comprehend the angels that surround his throne, with the wings and the eyes, and all my mind cannot comprehend that. One day I will see it and I hope I won't be scared while I'm in heaven. But you know, it is what it is Now.

Speaker 1: 15:36

That being said this, right here there is no room for misinterpretation. It says let's put it on your screen one more time and I'm doing this so that you will know, and maybe you have somebody who thinks that they can just do whatever they want, they can live however they want, they can step outside of God's will and they're still good because they read the Bible or they pray a lot. Praying and reading the Bible does not save you. It doesn't.

Speaker 1: 16:04

The Pharisees in the Bible knew the scripture. The devil, he knows the scripture. It does not mean you're going to heaven. Okay, it is a product having that hunger and thirst for his righteousness and his word and getting to know him more. It is a product of salvation, but it is not what produces salvation, for it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened, those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God, they've known scripture, they've known what is right, they have known what is wrong but they have fallen away and they've shared in the Holy Spirit but yet now they reject it, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come, and who then turn away. So there is a turning to God and then there is a turning away. So this passage suggests that the individuals who were once saved have the free will to turn away, losing their standing and being blameless and righteous before a holy God. I think this is a little bit. A part of how we get so confused on all this conversation is that we're not really understanding that it takes a holy life before a holy God, through Christ Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, to live in such a way.

Speaker 1: 17:32

So let's go to another scripture Told you, we're going to hammer this home. Get it up here, teed up for you on the For if you wait a minute, is that the right one? Galatians 5.4. Yep, I got two computers going and it's messing with my brain. So that is not the right verse that I have. That's okay. Galatians 5.4,. Why is it not right? I don't know. I'm going to read you, for if you're trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ. You have fallen away from God's grace. Okay, well, the one I have on my, my screen. I'm not sure why it's different. You have been severed from christ. You who are trying to be justified by the law I think it's a different translation is what it is. You have fallen away from grace. So, yes, it's the same one, just a different translation. But both of them say new, living translation anyways. So we'll read what you see on the screen.

Speaker 1: 18:41

If you're trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, okay, what is law in the Old Testament and New Testament? The law given by Moses, by God to Moses, for God's people, the Ten Commandments. And then you have, if you read in the Old Testament, like it gets very detailed on what is right and what is wrong and what to wear, what not to wear. This is a today like Catholicism or legalism in the Protestant church or in the evangelical space. It is a way of doing things, keeping the law, like you're doing it right, you're doing exactly what you're supposed to do, and these are all great things. Even Jesus looked to the Pharisees and he was like listen, they are perfect at keeping the law, do what they do, but don't act how they act, like they're so stuck on themselves and self-righteous and all these things.

Speaker 1: 19:35

So Paul is explicitly stating that believers can fall from grace. It says right at the end you have fallen away from God's grace. The only way to literally fall away from something is to be close to it. You cannot fall away unless you are drawn near. You cannot fall away unless you were up on it. It does not make any logical sense. So for people to say and use the statement like any logical sense. So for people to say and use the statement like well then, they never knew God. This, all the scriptures we have read the one, two, three, four scriptures we've read so far says the exact opposite that these people have known God and yet they have fallen away because God gives us free will. It doesn't mean if you don't understand this or it doesn't, it's not clicking in your head. It doesn't mean you're ignorant. It doesn't mean if you don't understand this or it's not clicking in your head. It doesn't mean you're ignorant. It doesn't mean you're stupid. It just means you don't have an understanding of what it actually means to be close to God and then fall away. And I promise you there's people out there that can speak to this.

Speaker 1: 20:32

I was one of them. I was raised in church my entire life. I felt the presence of God multiple times in my life. I followed God as good as a young teenager could, and then a young man. But then when I got out on my own, I realized that my salvation was tied to the protection of my family's house. It doesn't mean I didn't know God, but I didn't have that personal relationship with God. And so I got that personal relationship with God. I followed after him. I prayed, I read, I read, I fasted, but I let.

Speaker 1: 21:09

In my early adulthood I finally got it Like I gave my heart to Christ. When I was young I knew that's what I was supposed to, but it took a level of of kind of development and maturity for me to really understand what it meant to give my heart to Christ, to give my life to God. And so when I did, I went and I started going to a Bible college as a good, you know Bible, uh, as a good young, uh pastor's kid does, I guess. Um, and there was nothing in my life that was not pleasing to God. I even saw at the university the Bible college, bible school. There was beer in the dorms and stuff like that. And I'm like what is going on? Like they were hiding it, and I'm like this is so. I didn't drink, I didn't smoke, I didn't do anything Like my life was God's, like I really wanted to do. I really wanted to live my life for God.

Speaker 1: 22:06

But I let my selfish ambition and there's churches around here that do the same thing, pastors that do the same thing their selfish ambition of what they. They want to be a celebrity pastor, they want to be famous, they want to be known instead of being known by God, which is the most important, and there begins to be a separation. Most of the pastors, or most of people that love the Lord, they don't set out to live a life separate from God, but it ends up being that way because they fall away. It's sometimes the way life ends up happening. It's terrible, it's not fun when you have to learn the lessons the hard way, but that's.

Speaker 1: 22:47

I knew God, I knew him, I wanted to live my life for him. I was going to college to be a youth pastor for ministry. I wanted to give everything I had over to God, but I let my flesh destroy the path God had for me. And so I'm not saying I'm not saying people fall away just pulling it out of my. I'm saying it because I did it Like this was a path that I went down and it destroyed every good thing in my life. So for me to stand here and try to try to argue that it's not possible. I've seen it firsthand. And the wake of bodies that leaves is detrimental. Every relationship was destroyed, every witness of who I was or who I wanted to be, who I aspired to be for the Lord, was destroyed. And God has had to rebuild it from ground zero Because I let it just completely be demolished. So, anyways, so Galatians 5.4,.

Speaker 1: 23:53

Paul is writing and saying explicitly that believers can fall from grace, from grace, indicating that salvation is not a constant, always, no matter what, that it can be walked away from. So let's look at this other scripture. Alright, we only got six more to go. So let's look at thisrews 10, 26. Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth. So what is salvation? Salvation is? It is a revelation, receiving a, a divine knowledge that you are not enough, that you are not righteous, that you cannot do it on your own, that you need a savior. And you have received knowledge of the truth, which that is the truth. There is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. Okay, that's great right. Deliberate sin after coming to the truth nullifies the efficacy of Christ's sacrifice in an individual's life, highlighting the importance of ongoing obedience. So look at this scripture, dear friends. You always followed my instructions when I was with you and now that I'm away, it is even more important Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.

Speaker 1: 25:36

I'm actually at the end of the year, we're wrapping it up, but there's a I'm doing a John Brevere's book. Where did I put it? Hold on. So this book right here. John bevere uh, let's see, we can see the all of god. John bevere uh, he also has podcasts on YouTube and anywhere you listen to podcasts. Very good book.

Speaker 1: 26:07

It's talking about living in the fear of God and I think this type of right here. This is something that has been lost on church people. When I talk about sinners, we're talking about church people. This whole podcast episode is about church people, people in the church doing church but forgetting to be the church. There's a big difference. Your brothers and sisters work hard to show the results of your salvation, so salvation does not produce I mean, works does not produce salvation, okay, but salvation does produce works and we have to work hard to continue to keep that witness alive. So that means there is effort on our part. It's not just a one and done. There is a initial yes, initial agreement, but it takes an ongoing process to keep this alive in your heart and your mind and the reputation of the Lord and yourself.

Speaker 1: 27:04

Let's go on to the next one. I got too many screens going. All right, let's look at this one when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior, jesus Christ, and then so there's a before, and then there's an after, okay, and then okay, and then, tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they're worse off than before. This is literally describing someone who has known Christ, who has given their life to Jesus, and they are then getting tangled up back into the sin that they once gave up a lifestyle they once ran from. I have these people in my mind right now. They started coming to church, they gave their life to God. They were, they were just. You know, from the exterior you would think they were completely sold out.

Speaker 1: 28:14

And then something happened and all of a sudden they started drinking again, they started partying again and it was like they were. They were, they were right on the edge of like really surrendering, coming to the altar every, every time and praying, and it was like man, they're doing it, you know, and as a pastor, that's that is something to celebrate. That's something that, like it gave me life, and you know what I mean Like breath in my lungs to see somebody who was once, who I was once, like that that, you know, played a little bit of the game, but finally it's like they got some traction. They were getting it. They were, they were really wanting to serve the Lord. They were wanting to share their testimony.

Speaker 1: 28:54

They, they had overcome so many things in their life and then it was just like they stepped outside just a tad of the will of God and when they did, it was like the house of cards began to crumble, like everything that they were saying out of their mouth. They wanted to do. Saying out of their mouth, they wanted to change. Saying out of their mouth, they wanted to to let God take and let God do what only God can do and let the Holy spirit transform, renew and just elevate them in a way that only the Holy Spirit can do. And the power, and you know the speaking in tongues, and it's like man. They're about to get it, man, their life's about to break through.

Speaker 1: 29:29

And then it was as if something pivoted in their life and I don't know what it is Like. I'm not the pastor anymore, I don't know, but they stopped showing up to church, they stopped listening to the Lord, they stopped listening to correction. They stopped, and it was like man, it they were so close and I don't, I, I do not believe that they are too far gone. I mean I, I've never believed that about anybody. People ask me it's kind of funny because, honestly, it's the law. So I mean the law can do what the law says. It was in the Bible as well. But like, not corporate punishment, isn't that spanking? Where they kill them, when it's like you messed up so bad, we're killing you, the death penalty. I just can't get behind that. And I'm not saying people don't deserve it, but I just, in my heart, I'm like man. I just I just want them to have a chance to turn back to God. And I feel the same way about this couple. I'm like man. Just they were so close and listen.

Speaker 1: 30:28

I don't know why I'm getting off on this, but if that's you and you, you have been like on the fence of a breakthrough or on the fence of, like, giving everything to God. Stop playing games before it's too late and don't turn away from the Lord but run to him. Like, give up that sinful nature, the alcohol, the pornography, the sleeping around, the adultery, all the things that you think you need to satisfy that hunger that's inside of you. Stop it, because it will not sustain you. It's as if you were eating. It's like I call people cool whip Christians, cool whip. You know the big old tub of stuff. It looks like there's a lot of substance but there's no weight. You know what I mean. It looks like there's a lot but there's not a lot going on.

Speaker 1: 31:14

Don't be that. Be a person of substance. Be a person of character. Be a person that you know who you are, not by the world's definition or the culture's definition, or them telling you what you need to be successful or telling you what you need to look like you're succeeding in life. God needs to be that definition for you and you need to let him be that Lord of your life, and not the material things, not your spouse, not your parents, not your kids. Let the Lord be the Lord of your life. That is the only way you're going to find satisfaction of your life. That is the only way you're going to find satisfaction in this world. That is the only way you're going to find purpose in this world.

Speaker 1: 31:48

And don't be tricked by thinking because you had a moment with God and it was real and it was good and in the moment you were satisfied. And now you're just walking around, not caring about his will, walking, stepping out of sight of his will. You are not. If you are walking outside of God's will and you're not listening to him, you are not his child. That's just the facts. Like you, have fallen away and have been tricked into living in a comfortable prison cell. That is just satisfying enough to keep you where you're not really living in your purpose. Satisfying enough to keep you where you're not really living in your purpose. God desires for us to be and have more than that. So that was for free. So I don't know why I got off on that, but here we are. All right, salvation must be worked out with fear and trembling, signifying that it requires continuous effort and dedication. All right, so this is my fourth point, warning against apostasy.

Speaker 1: 32:51

So let's look at this. I actually had wait a minute. Did I skip ahead already? Oh, I did, sorry. We've already read that scripture. Yeah, 2 Peter 2.20. I'll read it one more time. Why not? Let me put it back on the screen. Put it back on the screen for you. And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior, jesus Christ, and then get tangled up and enslaved, which is what sin does, it will keep you bound by sin again. They are worse off than before, and that couple I was talking about, like it, does it really looks like they are worse off than they were before. So let's look at this. So I highlighted this right here. I had it in my notes that I was going to do just 319, hebrews 319, which is where we are, but I started reading and I just want to read from 16 to 19. If that's all right with y'all, get this man. You know how much I hate. You. Can't stand ads and junk, all right? No, you can't even see it on your screen. Well, that's good's good. So let's start at 16.

Speaker 1: 34:03

And who was it who rebelled against God, even though they heard his voice? Wasn't it the people Moses led out of Egypt and who made God angry for 40 years? They had a good streak right. At least they were consistent. Wasn't it the people who sinned, whose corpses in the wilderness? God buffed that out. And to whom was god speaking when he took an oath that they would never enter his rest? Wasn't it the people who disobeyed him? So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest. So, oops, sorry, wrong computer.

Speaker 1: 34:55

Even after being delivered from Egypt, many Israelites failed to enter the promised land due to unbelief. Christians can fail to enter eternal rest if they fall into unbelief. This goes back to free will. All of us have the free will of believing or not believing. God is not going to force you into heaven, and probably the truth be told you. Probably some of you wouldn't like it. There there's going to be all kinds of people of different races and colors and beliefs and when I say beliefs I'm talking about they believe in the one true God and Jesus Christ, but different denominations. There ain't going to be denominations in heaven. It's going to be every person who has called upon the name of the Lord, doesn't matter about Bible study, doesn't matter about seminary, doesn't matter about baptism, doesn't matter about speaking in tongues. Guy on the cross next to Jesus went into paradise with Jesus that day. He had no seminary, he had no baptism, he had no speaking in tongues, he did not produce any fruit of the Spirit. He did not even produce any gifts of the Spirit. But he said yes to Jesus and that's the point. The rest of it comes after. But the point is to say yes to Jesus and consistently say yes to Jesus.

Speaker 1: 36:15

I had somebody ask me the other day about forgiveness. Forgiveness is one of the hardest things to do as a Christian, as a believer, because most of the stuff that we feel is accurate, it's justified, but God doesn't call us to act immaturely when it's justified. We're supposed to be spiritually mature people that, in spite of how we're treated or how we are done, just as Jesus did. We still forgive and we love them. Well, how do we do that? Sometimes you have to forgive them multiple times every day. When it comes to your mind, you have to say you know what.

Speaker 1: 36:55

And here's the thing that for me it works, because I've been done like anybody else. I've been done a lot of wrong, deep hurts, deep cuts. Thank God, now they're just scars and no longer cuts. Scars remind you of the pain, but they are not any longer painful, and that's the point. Any longer painful.

Speaker 1: 37:17

And that's the point is that I realized that the person that hurt me the most and cut me the deepest, that they were just as selfish as I once was, that they just were a sinner like I once was. Like. They are in need of a savior, just like I need a savior, just like I need a savior. That is just the raw, unfiltered truth is that they are sinful. They are flesh. We are evil and we need Christ to change that evil from bad to good, from selfish to righteous, from dirty to clean. Without the element of Jesus Christ and his blood to wash us and make us white as snow, there is no hope. But we as Christians should be able to answer for that hope, and sometimes how we answer for that hope that is within us is by forgiveness, that we know that we, our sins, put Jesus on the cross, just as their sins put Jesus on the cross.

Speaker 1: 38:19

So look with me in John, chapter 15. John, chapter 15. Yes, this is Jesus talking. Yes, I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who remain in me and I in them will produce much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain it's a key word who does not remain in me. So the word remain is very specific, because to remain means you were outside, Then you came inside, and to remain, you have to stay on the inside and not fall to the outside. Okay, that's just logic. Follow the logic. The Bible is very logical.

Speaker 1: 38:55

We try to church it up and make it all where we have to know the foreign, you know the original language and American Greek and all that stuff. But I mean it's pretty simple. Sometimes we just overcomplicate things and get in stupid church arguments when there's not even a need. So who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. That's tough.

Speaker 1: 39:17

Jesus didn't pull punches. He loved the sinners. But I mean, if you think about who he's talking to right now, he's not talking to sinners, he's talking to church people. He's talking to religious people. He's saying listen, if you're a part of me and you're a part of God, you're a part of me because I'm in him and he's in me you better remain or you will be cast aside. The only way you can cut a branch listen, the only way a branch has life is to be tapped into the true vine, right, so it has to at one time been in the true vine and cut off. And that is when it becomes useless and it withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile and burned. That may be foreshadowing of hell, I don't know. Think about it, it's not that hard. Jesus teaches that branches believers must remain in him to avoid being cast away and burned. And you probably guessed it.

Speaker 1: 40:14

We're going to end on Revelation. Okay, so I'm going to wrap this up. Revelation the book of life can be blotted out. Look at revelation, chapter 3, verse 5. All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the book of life, but I will announce before my father and his angels that they are mine. Now think about this. Think logically for a second. Read the text.

Speaker 1: 40:43

The promise not to erase suggests very bluntly that they can be erased. Why would you promise not to be erased if it's a known that it can't be erased? Do you see what I'm saying? Like it's kind of a logical like oh well, that makes sense. Why would I promise to not do something if there was a possibility to do something? Like if my son does something stupid and we're out in the public area, say, we're at a mall and we're shopping and he's acting like a special and he's being disrespectful, well, now I'm going to promise him a spanking, because there was, until he acted up, a promise of no spanking. And now there is going to be one, I promise. So he is literally giving a two side of the coin right here by saying this way and that way, all who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names victorious. Now what happens? How do you get victory? You last until the end and you win. Think about it. You cannot be victorious. Okay, I'm just going to let. I think you got it. I'm not going to keep going, but I will announce, before my father and his angels that they are mine. So he is promising not to erase would suggest that there is a possibility for it to be erased by our free will. Okay, so here's the closing thoughts. All right, so stick with me just for a second.

Speaker 1: 42:35

Salvation is a gift by grace, through faith, but Scripture consistently highlights the importance of ongoing belief, repentance and obedience. You cannot say you love Christ and not obey Him. You cannot say you are made righteous before God if there is no repentance, and you cannot endure until the end if your faith is not ongoing. The warnings and exhortations in the New Testament indicate that salvation can be forfeited if one turns away from God and fails to persevere. So that is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 passages that we went over in this 45, almost 45 minute podcast episode, and there are more, but there's no way I'm going to do a five hour podcast episode.

Speaker 1: 43:43

I'm not my Mike Winger. That being said, nobody can take or steal your salvation. So if you're newer to Christ or whatever the case may be, understand that somebody can't come up to you and just like snatch it out of your hand. Okay, but you have the free will to make decisions, to stay under the covering of Christ or to step outside of the covering of Christ. The choice is yours. Whether you know God or whether you don't, all of us are one day going to stand before the judge, before the Heavenly Father, and we are either made righteous or we will be damned for eternity. That choice is completely up to you.