S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

The short answer to this question is, no, a true Christian cannot "give back" salvation. Oddly enough, some who agree that a Christian cannot "lose" his salvation still believe that salvation can b...

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July 01 2013 • 25 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jennifer Rothnie Supporter Housewife, Artist, Perpetually Curious

Imagine you have signed a contract. In particular, you have signed your name onto the New Covenant (aka the New Testament) - a legal document in which Christ fulfills -all- terms and obligations. 'Signing' is not a "work" (Rom 4:5, John 6:29 but it must be done to enter into the contract. The reward for this agreement, to be paid in the future, is eternal life. For signing this contract, you received a down payment of your future inheritance - the Holy Spirit.

Nothing can make you "lose" this contract - no earthly lawyer, no hurricane, no demonic forces, etc.

However, can you cancel your agreement? Can you remove your name and thus reject present salvation from slavery to sin, and give up future salvation from death? It is this question that Heb 6:4-6, Heb 10:19-30, and other passages address.

Heb 6:1-6 One could call it an "advanced class" Bible study - the author is not addressing unbelievers or even new believers, but people who have been Christians a while and theoretically should be maturing.

Heb 6:5-8 warns them of the case of Christians who had seen the light (II Cor 4:6), ate of the heavenly gift (John 6:33), shared in the Holy Spirit (I Cor 12:13, II Peter 1:4, Eph 3:6, Heb 3:14, Col 1:12, Phil 1:7, Eph 4:4, etc), tasted the goodness of the word of God (Psalm 38:4) shared in spiritual gifts (1 Cor 12:4), and repented (Acts 2:38), but then fell away. 

Likewise, The people of Heb 10:26 had the full/personal knowledge of Christ (II Peter 1:3-11) but then returned to slavery to sin. (Abiding as slaves of sin rather than abiding in Christ), and now can only expect judgment.

As such, going back to the contract metaphor, if we rip up our own contract and reject its seal (the Holy Spirit), how can we expect to receive our inheritance when the time of the contract is up (Christ's return)? Does God give partial credit? [No, He asks us to continually abide, continually believe, etc. (John 3:16) Those who do not remain, but rather leave, are thrown out and burned]. Can we ask Christ to sign a new-new covenant with us, because we tore up the first one? Can we ask Christ to die again to re-cover our sins because His first death 'wasn't enough'?

No. While it is a hard teaching, Paul here and elsewhere makes clear that for a Christian, free from and dead to sin, to return to slavery to sin is a one way ticket. After being freed from condemnation, if you then once more choose condemnation, there is no "second pardon".

Fortunately, defecting from Christ is very different than our continual struggle with sin, doubt, selfishness, rebelliousness, etc. (Rom 7:7-25 vs.) The church needs to come around believers who are struggling to help them, or in extreme cases hand them over to satan to be tested as to whether or not their faith will endure. (Jude 1:22, I Tim 1:18-20, Luke 15:11-31) We rarely know if someone has denied Christ vs. Just faltering through a trial.

From God's perspective, He "never knew" those who believe for a time then fall away. (Mark 4:19, Matt 21:15-23) Rather, He blots their name from the book of life as if they were never there. (Rev 3:5) From man's perspective, we can indeed believe for a time and be delivered from sin - but if we do not remain, abide, continue, endure, etc, and give up the Holy Spirit...then we cannot expect to receive salvation from the second death and to receive eternal life when Christ comes in His glory. (John 15:1-8, II Peter 1:3-11, 1 John 5:1-5, etc) Belief is *continuous*! (John 3:16)

July 04 2014 • 38 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Anthony Clinton Supporter Teacher in China

The root of the Doctrine of once saved always saved usually goes like this. “You were not saved by good works so you cannot lose your salvation by works.” The problem with this statement is that the doctrine implies that if you were not saved by good works you cannot lose your salvation by bad works. Because of the TULIP theory they cannot allow any teaching to nullify the base doctrine related to Calvinism. It is clear that though we did not earn our salvation by good works we have the freedom of choice to either remain in Christ, the true vine or cut ourselves from abiding in Christ. The analogy of the true vine teaches us that even the apostles had to remain in Christ or suffer the final consequences of eternal loss of salvation. (John 15)

People that hold such a bias as the TULIP theory cannot interpret the Scriptures in their true light because Scriptures that refute eternal security 2Peter 1:10, Heb 6:4-6, Heb 10:19-30
Rev 3:5 and Rom 11:20-23) for example are clouded or covered over by their false contexts. Many times I have discussed the scriptures with Calvinists and when I mention making ones calling and election sure, (2Peter 1) their reply is that these are not Christians but Jews living under the Old Covenant. That reply is an invention because the context in these cases are definitely being spoken to Christians under the New covenant. Hebrews 10 regarding apostasy has to be talking to Christians because the writer includes himself while addressing the hearers “if we sin willfully” and later we see that these Christians he is addressing had suffered the loss of their possessions for the Gospel. Nevertheless since it does not agree with the concept of Calvinism they try to create another context. Recently I was explaining the context of Romans 11:22 and again because it did not fit reformed doctrine understanding they tried to make it a message to non-Christian Jews. They have been continually denying the true context of these Scriptures because such truth demolishes the doctrine of Calvinism. I have heard of Christians that served God for many years and pastors included who at some point in their lives give it all away and return to the way they lived before they had become Christians, some even dying is that apostate state and so all they had they lost because they ceased abiding in Christ.

August 19 2014 • 6 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

JD Abshire Supporter

I do not believe a person can give back salvation under any circumstances 
and that Hebrews 6 can be a tough chapter to understand but we need to read it in light of Chapter 5:11-14. (Context, context).

5:11 " Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing."

v.12 " For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat."

v.13 "For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe."

v. 14 "But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

1. dull of hearing
2. Ought to be teachers
3.Need to be taught
4. Need milk, can't handle strong meat
5. Those who use milk are unskillful, a babe (Gr. nā'-pē-os = an infant, little child, a minor, not of age, metaph. Childish, untaught, unskilled)
6. Meat belongs to the mature.
(According to Paul, his audience is very immature)

Chapter 6 begins with "THEREFORE" (Gr. dē-o' = wherefore, on account of)
What is "therefore" there for? Paul is connecting chapter 6 with his previous remarks in chapter 5.

Hebrews 6:1 " Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,"

Hebrews 6:2 "Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment."

Hebrews 6:3 "And this will we do, if God permit."

What is Paul trying to tell us here? "Grow up, get past the core principles"

Hebrews 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,"

Hebrews 6:5 "And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,"

Hebrews 6:6 "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."

I believe Paul is drawing a hypothetical in Hebrews 6:4-6. "If" it were possible "they" could fall away it is impossible to renew "them" again seeing "they" crucify to "themselves" the Son of God all over again making him a public disgrace. (Italics mine)

v. 9 "But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak."

"But" is one of the most important words in scripture. Notice the pronouns. "them", "they" and "themselves" are in direct contrast to the "beloved" and "you". 

"IF" it were possible to fall away i.e. lose your salvation, it is impossible to be renewed. "If" that is the case, passages like these below are contradictory, nonsensical and false.

Hebrews 4:16 "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

Hebrews 7:25 "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

What is the point of Christ's intercessory position? What is the point of our confession if salvation is lost and cannot be restored?

Simple logic. 1. Something is what it is. 2. It cannot be what it is not. 3. It cannot be what it is and is not at the same time.

Galatians 2:16 "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."

August 18 2014 • 11 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

James Kraft Supporter 74 year old retired pipeline worker

The short version is, you who believe you can be lost after receiving Christ as your personal savior are in reality saying that Jesus death on the cross is not good enough to pay the price for your sins, and now you must live a holy life in order to be saved. Your salvation now rests on you instead of on Christ. 

There is only one that has walked the face of this earth that lived a perfect life and then gave his life a ransom for those that believe. I am not Him and neither are you. Our greatest sin is still unbelief. Our old nature is still prideful and we think we can contribute something to our salvation. 

Jesus paid it all, all to Him we owe. We would rather glorify ourselves than Him. You will never love Him like you should until you see the truth that you are a child of God by faith in what Jesus did on the Cross for you. God requires perfect holiness, and that is why only Jesus can be our savior. We cannot save ourselves. Some of us do pretty well but we all fall short of Gods righteousness. 

Let God be true and everyman a liar. I love Him because He first loved little sinful me. I love all of you because He loved me. Sorry, it started out to be the short version.

Paul said all of our boasting in ourselves is sin. We can only boast in the cross.

February 19 2015 • 21 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

RICK PORTER Supporter Chaplain [ Truckers Chapel ]-- Undeserving Child of God

John 3:16- Simply says believing produces eternal life. Eternal, means exactly what it says. When one is born again spiritually, they can no more be unborn, than they can be physically unborn.

If salvation is all GRACE, then whether a human allows their carnality to shame their testimony, does not mean they have severed their relationship with their Heavenly Father.

July 20 2014 • 4 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Billy P Eldred Supporter

I believe that the only unforgivable sin is the rejection of Christ as your Savior, as the son of God who died for your sins.

I also believe that this applies before or after you have accepted Christ as your Savior.

Sometimes things happen to people in this world that make them mad at God. That is Okay, unless they blaspheme and reject Christ. Just like the seeds that sprang up and then were choked out, some Christians can get caught up in the cares of this world to the point that they lose sight of Christ and turn away. I believe that if this happens, God will, through the Holy Spirit try in many ways to draw them back. But If they persist in their stubbornness and truly reject Christ, not just get mad at God, then I believe they have given up their salvation by committing the one unforgivable sin.

2Pet2:20 "If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning".

August 19 2014 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Glenn Harrell Supporter Bi-vocational Minister, writer

RETURN TO SENDER

A Christian cannot "give back" their salvation as if returning a gift to the giver.

Why not?
--I am unhappy with the gift. 
--It is the wrong size. 
--Wrong color. 
--The giver has disappointed me.

Most people are investigating this theological concern in the context of God "taking back" his gift of salvation from you and me. Like when God is having a bad case of buyer's remorse. He plans to trade you and me in for a different model because he can do better or because we want to get out of our contract.

Asking this question causes us all to look closely at: 
--Salvation by and from God and His giving of gift.
--Our role and cooperative in the Salvation process.


I would add to all the other excellent answers:

1---Salvation is not a commodity to be traded or tossed here and about on human whim. "He offered a sacrifice once for all, when he gave himself." Hebrews 8:27 It is final for all who know him in salvation.

2---Relationship with Christ includes voice recognition software! 
We are being kept in his care as he is the Chief Shepherd. 

"My sheep know my voice, and I know them. They follow me, and I give them eternal life, so that they will never be lost. ("give back") 
No one (including the dumb, stubborn sheep himself)
can snatch them out of my hand." John 10:27-28

3---When a New Birth is involved, there is no option of being "unborn".

We humans always think more highly of ourselves than we ought. 
Anyone claiming to have buyers remorse against God and wanting to
"give it back" is likely still lost or at the least very confused.

I am reminded here of a teen aged girl wanting to give back the ring to the boy who hoped to be her boyfriend. Shall we matriculate God into our tiny school and reduce him to child's play?

Why would I say this? 

"The scriptures say that no one who has faith will be disappointed, 
no matter if that person is Jew or Gentile. There is only one Lord, 
and he is generous to everyone who asks for his help. 
All who call out to the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:11-13

Attempting to give back ones Salvation either reflects a possession of phony goods or an immature attempt to tell God off because He hasn't measured up to one's expectations of performance.

He will demonstrate himself faithful and unchanging, 
for he can do no other. From his children, he neither takes back nor receives back the Christ he placed in their lives. Otherwise Christ becomes a reward for behavior or a token for sale.


PS.

YES! A Christian can give back. Just as a grateful citizen of this country can give back by volunteering, a Christian, overwhelmed by God's grace, will want to give this same grace back to God by loving, serving and sharing with others.

March 03 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Lynn Willis Supporter Obedient Daughter of the High King of the Universe

To quote from S. Michael Houdmann's answer to another question:

"It is man's choice whether to accept and believe the truth of Jesus Christ as presented in the Scriptures. To receive the truth and the love God offers is in keeping with its teachings, "This is love for God: to obey His commands" (1 John 5:3). Conversely, to know the truth and not obey it is to face the wrath of God: "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness" (Romans 1:18). Frankly speaking, there is no more dangerous condition for man than to know the truth and refuse to obey it. To do so is to harden the heart and make God's condemnation sure."

Can you give back God's free gift of salvation? No. Can you refuse to receive it? Yes. Can you know about it and still refuse it and choose instead to live in sin? Yes. Can you know the Holy Spirit and still walk away from the truth once you know it? In my opinion (this has been debated before), yes, because as you continue to live in sin, bit by bit, the Holy Spirit WILL leave you. This is scripturally sound as well because how many people in the Bible have plead with God "Not to leave or forsake me"? Many.

Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

I've been saved only a short time. I did a lot of research into salvation when I first was saved for I began my relationship with the Lord feeling very unworthy of His love and grace and mercy, and I was, and remain so! This lead me to examine Calvinism etc. And the issues of salvation for all who believe in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, or only the elect, or called. The fact of the matter IS... predeterminism and salvation for all are both in scripture, so both exist as possibilities in this discussion.

Salvation is a free gift from God but we can refuse it. That is the free will aspect of our Lord Almighty. As S. Michael Houdmann states above, it is man's choice whether to believe the truth and accept God's grace. 

Today, I know I am saved by the blood of the Lamb, and I cannot foresee my ever turning away from Jesus ever again. He is my EVERYTHING. People who do not make Him their everything however, continue to live in and of the world, whereas we are taught to be in the world, just not of it. I have seen people passionately seek a relationship with Jesus, only to 'backslide' back into living a worldly life of sin. It breaks my heart but it also reinforces for me the fact that loving Jesus is a commitment one makes and all the letters to the churches in scripture encourage the churches to stay strong in their faith for a reason. 

I feel our spiritual union with God is about two things: faith and endurance. Those who endure to the end will be justly rewarded. Those, like the seeds that fell on the side of the road who heard the word but it didn't take root, have not endured. I always thought of that parable: "but those seeds in the thickets and on the side of the road and on the rocks if they were fighters (for God) they could have survived." That is faith; but the endurance factor - that was not there for those 'seeds'.

So my short answer (!) is this... you cannot give back a gift freely given you have not accepted, but once you accept it, and repent, if you choose to walk away from it to again live in sin instead, or committing yourself to Jesus, then you ultimately do rebuke your own salvation and that, to me, and I imagine to God, is the worst thing someone can do, for it serves to crucify Jesus a second time. That, dear brothers and sisters, can not sit well with our Lord God, and gives satan free reign in your life circumstances as well. If you’ve ever run from the Lord—or if you’re running now—and you wonder if He’s walked away, the book of Hosea is for you, as it is about God’s relentless pursuit of an undeserving people = all of us. 

I hope this sharing helps someone.
Blessings!

August 25 2014 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jeremy Garner Supporter

If free will is exercised to choose salvation, then free will does not dissolve after salvation. No one can be snatched out of God's hand, but He doesn't hold anyone against their will. We have to determine if our preconceptions about eternal security have shaped our doctrine, or the Word of God.

March 04 2016 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Michael Bobier Supporter

My opinion (and that is just all it is) is this: How can we give away what isn't ours to begin with? It is not our contract with God, but is exactly the opposite: It is Gods contract with man. 

When we look at the written word of God do we see it as our own little personal direction book, or is it God revealing to man His character, who He is, what His personality is like and what His love is like? We have all read and heard preached to us over and over about the death and resurrection of Christ but do we really understand that the crucifixion was actually God pouring out His wrath on the innocent to justify the guilty? 

To look at salvation as my own little possession, to think that I control its destiny is to completely overlook the real meaning of why Christ did what he did. To purchase the souls from the slave master, the devil, that he won back at the great fall of mankind. It is Gods salvation; He just gives me the benefits of it. I don't control it, it is not mine to give away, and therefore I do not have to worry about God changing his mind like mere mortals do.

March 04 2016 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Craig Mcelheny Supporter Christian Author

As I read the Scriptures, it is he who endures to the end that is saved (Matthew 24:13). And Heb. 10:36 tells us that we have need of endurance so that after we have done the will of God, we can receive the promise. The promise is the Crown of Glory, given to us when the Lord returns (1 Peter 5:4). The will of God, relevant to this discussion, is found in 1 Peter 4:12-19.

As Christ suffered in this world, so shall we, that we will one day live for God’s will, i.e. always (innately) desire to do His will (1 Peter 4:1-2). To accomplish this, we should not be alarmed at the ‘fiery’ trials that remove the dross, as they will produce exceedingly great joy when His glory is revealed (1 Peter 4:12-13). For when Christ is revealed, we shall be like him in glory (Col. 3:4), but until then it is God’s will that we face suffering as a means to test our souls (1 Peter 4:17-19).

Are there none who fail these tests? Paul, in Rom. 8:29, tells us that God foreknew us, predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son, called us, justified us, and those whom He justified, He glorified. Justification doesn’t come until one’s life is ended, or until we are raised in glory at the Rapture. Until either of those points occur, it is possible to ‘draw back’ (NKJV) from the Lord (Heb. 10:37-38). And it is possible to ‘draw back’ to the point of ‘perdition’ or ‘destruction’ (Heb. 10:39).

Someone may have a better handle on the words, ‘draw back’, but the two words from Strong’s that I think might apply are, to shun, or withdraw. To ‘draw back’ to perdition or destruction (NASB), in my opinion, is to renounce one’s faith in the Gospel. If this be the case, what then, is the outcome of those who don’t ‘draw back’? In Heb. 10:39, we see that it is the ‘saving of the soul’ (NKJV). Additionally, in Heb. 9:28 we see that Jesus “will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” Thus, it would appear to this lowly soul that Salvation doesn’t truly take place until the Lord returns at the Rapture.

Do we need to take a closer look at our terminology? Rather than saved, would it be more appropriate to say we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit of promise, with the hope of eternal glory, i.e. In Christ? The Holy Spirit is the guarantee (NKJV) or pledge (NASB) given to us “until the redemption of the purchased possession,” to the praise of His glory (Eph. 1:14). I believe the Greek, here, is saying that the Holy Spirit is given to us as part of the ransom for our glorified bodies, and that the transaction is not consummated until we are completed in the image of the Son, to the praise of His glory at the Rapture.

I believe I am In Christ and being saved, as it states in 2 Corinthians 2:15-16, an aroma to Christ from being made spiritually alive by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, to the realization of our inheritance which is eternal life in the presence of the Father. Until such time I am in process, and I could fall pray to the cunning schemes of our adversary, ‘drawing back’ to perdition.

Technically, I can’t give something back that I don’t possess, but practically, I can lose my salvation by choosing to turn my back on the Gospel, insulting the Spirit of grace (Heb. 10:29).

August 23 2014 • 6 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Sherry Smith Supporter Registered Nurse

I think Charles Stanley explains it best via the title of his book....

This Gift Is Forever

By Dr. Charles Stanley


You and I do not have eternal life because we exhibit unwavering faith. We are saved because at a moment in time we expressed faith in our enduring Lord, Jesus Christ, and what He accomplished for us on the cross. The apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:8-9: “By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” The salvation that has been given to us is His loving, sacrificial gift to us—we can do nothing to earn it.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I have learned that a present that can be taken back is not really a gift at all. True gifts have no strings attached. Once we place a condition of any kind on a present, it becomes a trade—not a gift. So to say that our salvation can be taken from us for any reason, whether it be sin or disbelief, is to ignore the plain meaning of what Paul teaches us in the verse above. Questioning the permanency of our salvation is equivalent to not believing Ephesians 2:8-9 or the other passages where what Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is clearly described as a gift.

What you do once you’re saved is another matter entirely. Once you accept a present, it’s yours, like it or not. You can take it and bury it in the backyard, but it is still belongs to you. You may say, “Well, what if I give it back?” But you can only return the present if the giver accepts it back, and there is absolutely no evidence in Scripture that the Lord has ever taken back the gift of salvation once it has been given. His love keeps Him from doing so. Remember, Christ came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). Why would He take back what He came to provide?

“What about a wavering faith?” we may wonder. “If faith is our way of accepting God’s gift, can’t we lose our salvation if our trust in Him falters?” Though it is true that faith serves as our spiritual hands by which we receive the Lord’s gift, it is not necessarily a sustained attitude. We are reconciled to God the moment we accept what He has offered.

September 27 2014 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Joseph Adesina Supporter

First I will like to observe that this question is itself confusing, the Bible no where talks of people giving back their salvation but rather it addresses abandoning our faith in Christ. If the question the is suppose to be same as abandoning ones faith in Christ then it will be easier to address as we shall have straight forward answer from the Bible. If we all agree that the best principle of hermeneutics is to interpret the Bible literally then we shall not seek for hidden meaning when a passage of the Bible speaks clearly.

1. The first question is does the New Testament the possibility of departure from the faith?
2. The second question are there warnings in the Bible to Christians not to depart from the faith?
3. The third question is do we have examples of those who departed from the faith?
4. Lastly do we have people in history and our contemporary time whom we know were once in the faith but later abandon the faith?

Coming to the first: Jesus taught the possibility of departing from the faith both in His parables and His instruction. In the parable of the sower there is the group that "heard the word and with joy receives it and ENDURE FOR A WHILE but when persecution arose they fall away" note that they receive it which is what many today do. If Jesus said they receive it with joy then believe Him that they did and if He said the fall away thereafter believe that they do. He also talked about the second group who receives the word but the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word and it becomes unfruitful. Notice that in this instances the problem is not with God but with man.

The second talks about warnings; Jesus gave warnings to His disciples in all the gospels and in the book of revelation. He said " And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares" and in His Olivet discourse talking about His second coming He started first by warning to be careful so they don't get deceived and He said only those who endures to the end will be saved. In the book of Revelation He said hold fast that you have that no one takes your crown for only those who overcome will sit with Him in His kingdom.

Examples of those disciples who felt the teachings of Christ was so hard and decided not to follow Him any longer in John 6 and Demas once a companion of Paul decided to abandon the faith because he loved the present world.

Church history is replete not just with individuals abandoning the faith but whole denominations but and when this happens God will raise up others to continue His work such was the necessity of reformation under Martin Luther. In our various churches we see it every now and then brothers and sisters who were once fervent in the faith who gave genuine testimony of their salvation abandoning the faith.

Christian life goes beyond all the theories surrounding "Once in grace always in grace" I think we should leave Calvin or Armenia alone and see how to encourage brethren to live a holy life so as not to be disappointed on the last day "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord" Hebrews 12:14

To me the issue of giving back salvation is not addressed in the Bible but abandoning of one's faith is sufficiently taught in the scripture and we see that every now and then.

March 04 2016 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Gregory Tomlinson Supporter Minister, husband,father,grandfather,vet., college graduate

Matthew 13: [18] Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
[19] When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
[20] But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
[21] Yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
[22] He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
[23] But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.(KJV)

Without a doubt some believe temporarily and turn back. Can you follow the way of Christ and have your name removed from the book of life? Absolutely. Many here have implied, no, yet in Revelation 22: 19: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life. (KJV) 

So your actions can get you removed. In the parable of the sower failing to bring forth fruit gets you removed, turning back because of being ashamed of the gospel, or loving the world more will get your named removed. Are you earning your salvation? No, you are bringing forth the fruit of your faith. Like James says, faith without works is dead, not works of the law but of faith. You can also have it put back in through repenting and doing your first works (of faith) over. 

"Give it back" concepts and principles of recorded offences (sin) or salvation are not corporeal objects that can be returned. With belief and confession the slate of offences is wiped clean you can add to it by returning but that which God has forgiven is gone, forgotten, and paid for by the blood of Christ. Now if he that is righteous turns from righteousness they shall be remembered for the evil that they do and if they who are sinners turn from (repent and believe upon the name of Jesus) their unrighteousness they will be forgotten and they shall be remembered for the good not the bad, Ezekiel 18:21-23 explains this.
"Give it back" is not the same as abandoning your faith. Many people today are offended and will reinterpret scripture so as not to offend; some rewrite the entire book to fit self-righteous cultural perceptions. This is a perfect example of lukewarm faith and the end time great tribulation by design will weed these people out or purify them. Maranatha

June 13 2018 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report