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Fast Fact - Conditional Salvation |
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Defense of the Conditional Salvation (not Once saved / Always Saved) |
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Many people believe in Eternal Security or "once saved, always saved." Eternal Security teaches that ones salvation is unconditional and cannot be lost. Our works, whether good works or sins, do not have an effect on our salvation. Once we come to saving faith nothing can prevent us from reaching Heaven. Scripture, however, is replete passages demonstrating that our salvation is conditional. If we do not live as God’s commands, we may lose our salvation. The follow is a list of such passages. (The hyperlinks will open an online NASB to the chapter referenced) If you believe in Eternal Salvation, read the Scripture and ask yourself the questions in brackets: Matthew 5:23-24– "Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift." What if you do not reconcile with your brother (See Matthew 5:25-26). Matthew 5:29:"If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna." [What if you continue to sin with your eye?] Matthew 5:30– "And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna." [ What if you continue to sin with your hand?] Matthew 6:14– "If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you." [What if you do not forgive your others their transgressions? – See Matthew 6:15]. John 8:31– "Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciple…" [What if we do not remain his Jesus’ word?] John 12:24-25– "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life." [What if we refuse to die to self?] John 14:15 and John 15:10– "If you love me, you will keep my commandments…If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love." [What if we do not keep his commandments?] John 15:14– "You are my friends if you do what I command you." [What if you do not do what Christ commands? Also, what does it mean to be a friend of God? (See Romans 8:13– "For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." [What if we do not put to death the deeds of body and live according to the flesh?] Romans 8:16-17– "The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him." [What if we refuse to suffer with Christ? Will we be glorified with him and be heirs of eternal life?] Romans 11:21-22– "For if God did not spare the natural branches, (perhaps) he will not spare you either. See, then, the kindness and severity of God: severity toward those who fell, but God’s kindness to you, provided you remain in his kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off." [What if we do not remain in God’s kindness?] 1 Cor. 3:17– "If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy." [What if we destroy our bodies which are temples of the Holy Spirit?] 1 Cor. 9:26-27– "Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing. No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified [Greek: adokimos]." [What did Paul believe would happen if he did not drive his body and train it?] 1 Cor. 16:22 – "If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be accursed." [What if we stop loving Christ? (See John 14:15 and John 15:10)] 2 Timothy 2:11-13– "This saying is trustworthy: If we have died with him we shall also live with him; if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he will deny us. If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself" [What if we do not persevere? What if we deny him? What if we are unfaithful?] Hebrews 3:6– "…but Christ was faithful as a son placed over his house. We are his house, if (only) we hold fast to our confidence and pride in our hope." [What if we do not hold fast to your confidence?] Hebrews 3:14– "We have become partners of Christ if only we hold the beginning of the reality firm until the end…" [What if we do not hold the beginning of the reality firm until the end?] Hebrews 6:7-8– "Ground that has absorbed the rain falling upon it repeatedly and brings forth crops useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God. But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is rejected; it will soon be cursed and finally burned." [What if we do not produce good fruit?] Hebrews 10:26-27– " If we sin deliberately after receiving knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains sacrifice for sins but a fearful prospect of judgment and a flaming fire that is going to consume the adversaries." [What if we sin deliberately after receiving knowledge of the truth?] Hebrews 10:38– "But my just one shall live by faith, and if he draws back I take no pleasure in him." [What if we draw back?] James 1:26– "If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, his religion is vain." [What if we do not bridle our tongue and deceives his heart?] James 2:14– "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?" [What if we have faith without good works? Will that faith save him?] James 5:19-20– "My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." [What if someone didn’t bring back a sinner from error? Will that person that strayed form the truth be saved?] 2 Peter 2:20-22– "For if they, having escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of (our) Lord and savior Jesus Christ, again become entangled and overcome by them, their last condition is worse than their first. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment handed down to them. What is expressed in the true proverb has happened to them, "The dog returns to its own vomit," and "A bathed sow returns to wallowing in the mire." [What happens if we do not escape the defilements of the world and become entangled and overcome by them? Would they still be considered righteous?] 1 John 1:7– "But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin." [What if we do not walk in the light as he is in the light? Will the blood of Jesus cleanse our sins?] 1 John 1:9– "If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing." [What if we do not acknowledge our sins?] 1 John 2:29– "If you consider that he is righteous, you also know that everyone who acts in righteousness is begotten by him." [What if we do not acknowledge that everyone who acts righteously is begotten by him?] 1 John 3:17– "If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him?" [What if we do not provide for the poor?] 1 John 4:12– "…Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us." [What if we do not love one another?] Salvation is not a one time event, but rather it requires our cooperation with God's grace. If we choose not to cooperate and do not repent by the end our of lives we will be damned. |
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www.HandsOnApologetics.com |
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