PART 4 ETERNAL SECURITY

Is sin an issue in regard to a believer losing their salvation?

Can a believer lose their salvation?

�-�Christ’s Atoning Sacrifice - Is Sin Still the Issue?                                                  

�-�If Sin Is No Longer An Issue In Relation To The Debt Owed To God, Then Why Is There Still An Issue Concerning A Believer Losing Their Salvation Because Of It?

 ...You Decide

CHAPTER 8

Christ’s Atoning Sacrifice - Is Sin Still the Issue?                       

It appears that both sides of the argument concerning whether or not salvation can be lost agree that Jesus is God, a member of the Trinity along with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. Both also believe that He came to earth in order to pay the penalty for sin that Adam and Eve committed in the Garden of Eden. Because of Adam’s willful sin, all who are born after him have an inherited sin nature, which habitually sins. The eventual destiny of human souls was Hades, and prior to Christ’s resurrection it was a two-compartment location where the conscious spirits of the dead waited for judgment.

Those who hold that a person cannot lose their salvation propose that those who believed in God as He was revealed went to the part of Hades called Paradise or Abraham’s bosom.

Those who believe that a person can lose their salvation propose that:

1. Believers in God as He was revealed who received the on-resting Spirit at some point, and followed God’s commandments, statutes, judgments, and testimonies went to Paradise.
2. Believers in God who did not receive the on-resting Spirit would go to a compartment of Hades referred to as torments.
3. If a person believed in God and received the on-resting Spirit, but then decided to continually sin without repentance, the Spirit would depart and their destination would be a place of torments.

Heaven, at that time, was off limits to the entire human race. Mankind needed someone, a savior, to be their substitute; someone who would pay the penalty (or ransom), for all of the sins ever committed�"past, present, and future; and who would also provide forgiveness (to wipe away a record of the debt owed). So Jesus left heaven and took upon himself the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men.

While living on earth Jesus and his disciples celebrated the Passover, partaking of a sacrificial lamb. The bread and wine became analogous to Jesus’ impending death on the cross; with the bread symbolizing Him as the sacrificial lamb without spot and blemish, and the wine symbolizing His blood which would be shed for the forgiveness of sins.

…and they made ready the passover. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Matthew 26:19,26-28)

A short time later Jesus went to the cross for us, suffering physically and spiritually, making the payment required according to the demands of God’s justice by shedding His blood and dying on the cross so that the sins of the entire world could be forgiven. The forgiveness of sins means the release of mankind from their debt and the erasure of the record of the debt with penalties attached.

And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Mark 15:25,33-34)

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. (John 19:30)

And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2)

…having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross (Colossians 2:13-14)

Sin therefore is no longer an issue in relation to the debt that mankind owed God, but that doesn’t mean that all mankind will automatically go to heaven because their debt has been paid and the record cancelled.

Why?

While the barrier of sin (its debt) has been taken care of along with heaven being open to receive earthly residents, mankind still has one remaining obstacle which prevents them from entering heaven upon physical death. What is it you might ask? It’s his sin nature. A nature that sins cannot enter heaven.

At salvation when a person repents and believes they receive a new nature that being in the person of the Holy Spirit. Now that the nature has been addressed can the committing of habitual sin cause the Holy Spirit to depart from His place of indwelling in the body? Is sin still an issue in this regard?

CHAPTER 9

If Sin Is No Longer An Issue In Relation To The Debt Owed To God, Then Why Is There Still An Issue Concerning A Believer Losing Their Salvation Because Of It?

It depends on how the idea of forgiveness is looked at.

Those who believe that a person cannot lose their salvation would propose that when an individual repents (acknowledges their sin) to God the Father and professes belief in Christ, God the Father looks at His Son’s atonement and forgiveness of their sins, which was accomplished on the cross, and uses this reality as the means by which he allows them to be quickened (made alive; imparting spiritual life) by means indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses (Colossians 2:13)

Following the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the hope is that the new believer will grow to maturity or spiritual adulthood. This involves learning about the various doctrines of the faith (i.e. redemption, forgiveness, etc.) as well as the doctrine of personal sanctification, which involves learning about who we are as new creations in Christ. If this learning is personally appropriated through memorization and meditation of scripture, the believer will begin to think and act differently and in accordance they will be filled or controlled by Holy Spirit consistently. As such their life will begin to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit�"love, joy, peace, etc.

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (Ephesians 6:11)

Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour (1 Thessalonians 4:1,3-4)

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (Galatians 5:22)

When sin arises, confession (the admitting our guilt) to God the Father will result in immediate forgiveness. This forgiveness does not refer to the wiping away of the debt owed to God on the cross, because this was already accomplished by Christ. Forgiveness in this regard refers to the:

• Removal of punishment (discipline by God) that would have become due.
• Removal of the cause (sinful state in which we were operating).
• Removal of lost fellowship with God..

If we do not confess our sin to God the Father, then he will chastise (discipline) us, training us so that hopefully we will learn how to become spiritually victorious in order to be able to share in His divine nature.

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

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. (Hebrews 12:6-7,10-11)

According to this view, the sins that we commit in the dimension of time will not affect our eternal standing with God because Jesus has already taken care of the payment that was necessary. The commission of sin does result in the inability of a believer to experience the filling (control) of the Spirit. While the Spirit doesn’t leave the body because of sin, our lives will cease to produce His fruit, and God’s love, joy, and peace will no longer be evident as the believer allows the old sin nature to take over.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:27-28)

Those who believe that a person can lose their salvation would propose that the indwelling Holy Spirit and related benefits can be lost if a believer continues to live in sin with no admission or acknowledgement of guilt to God the Father. They maintain that God’s justice has been satisfied by Christ’s atonement, but that the receiving (indwelling) of the Holy Spirit and His related benefits are conditional. If a believer loses the Holy Spirit, so then are the benefits lost, one of which is eternal life. At physical death this person will go to hell.

They insist that in order for a believer to secure their salvation, they must continually make decisions within the dimension of time to follow God. This doesn’t mean that they won’t sin but that, in most cases, their sins will primarily involve their mental attitude which can be easily confessed to God the Father and forgiven. Habitual sin involving egregious overt sins such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, etc. that is not confessed and turned away from will result in the Holy Spirit’s departure along with the resulting loss of benefits.

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:26-29)

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. (2 Peter 2:20-22)

Before going on to the next chapter I would like you to consider the following questions.

What is your outlook concerning the forgiveness of your sins?

Does the sin that we commit negate the forgiveness of sins that took place on the cross?

Is it your opinion that a believer who lives in habitual sin actually gets away with it?

Do you think the message that a believer will lose their salvation, if they continue in habitual sin, will cause them to stop sinning?

Do you think that a believer who is living in habitual sin should be taught/reminded that God has provided for them a new mind and power source for every area of weakness and strength in their life; and that if they appropriate these truths on a daily basis their thoughts, speech, and actions will change?

So now we have come to the all important question, “Can a believer in Christ lose their salvation?”

Many scriptures will be considered, and two opposing arguments will be presented, one that says a believer can lose their salvation and the reasons why and the other that says a believer can’t lose their salvation and the reasons why.

 

Reviews

[Valentine]

Most people sin in some way every day...not even realizing it. I think God does not take away salvation but we can toss it back in His face. We need to pray every day, to thank Him and also ask Him to forgive us if we slipped in some way. Valentine