Main |
CHAPTER SEVENWHO THEN CAN BE SAVED"...There shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies... And many shall follow their pernicious ways... They allure through the lusts of the flesh...those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 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" -2 Peter 2:1-2,18-20. "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord. They say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you... But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings" -Jeremiah 23:16-17,22. Question # 7.1 - Once we have obeyed the gospel (by repenting, being baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins, and have received the gift of the Holy Ghost) are we at that time assured of unconditional eternal security? "He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved -Matthew 10:22, & 24:13. 'Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance... faith... baptisms... resurrection... judgement... 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, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 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. For... that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected... whose end is to be burned" -Hebrews 6:1-8. "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a fearful looking for of judgement 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... 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?... The Lord shall judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions . . . Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise... Now the just shall live by faith... We are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe unto the saving of the soul" -Hebrews 10:28-39. "When His disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible" -Matthew 19:25-26. "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he -that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" -Hebrews 11: 6 . "...We ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for...the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it" -Romans 8:23-25. "Now the parable is this... They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away" -Luke 8:11,13. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" -1 Timothy 4: l . "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God" -Hebrews 3:12. "Ye therfore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness" -2 Peter 3-l7 "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God" -Hebrews 12:14-15. "...I keep under my body, and bring it unto subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" -l Corinthians 9:27. "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers... drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things... Neither be ye idolaters... Neither let us commit fornication... Neither let us tempt Christ... Neither murmur ye, as some of them...and were destroyed... Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition... Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" -l Corinthians 10:1-12. "For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But... judgment and fiery indignation..." -Hebrews 10:26-31. "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... If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance... For... that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned" -Hebrews 6:4-8. "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through... Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning... But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow to her wallowing in the mire" -2 Peter 2:20-22. Question # 7.2 - In the Old Testament law it was written- "...Moses... spake these words unto all Israel... The Lord thy God... He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee..." -Deuteronomy 31:1,6. Did that mean the Israelites themselves could never fall from God's salvation? And what about us, in this dispensation of grace? "...Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for... (According as it is written, God hath given them... eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this same day"' -Romans 11:7-8. "Well, because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear. For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in His goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off" -Romans 11:20-22. Question # 7.3 - Knowing that "The kingdom of God is...righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serves Christ is acceptable to God" (Rom. 14:17-18), do we find any Scriptures saying that a person can be cast out of that kingdom? -In Jesus' Parables- "...Many shall come...and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" -Matthew 8:11-12. "...The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth..." -Matthew 13:41-42. "...The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net... Which, when it was full, they... gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth" -Matthew 13:47-50. "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them which were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come... Then saith he to his servants... Go...and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage... And the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king... saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment (see Rev. 19:7-8)... Said the king to his servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen" -Matthew 22:1-14. "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household... Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing... But and if that evil servant shall... begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The Lord of that servant shall come...in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" -Matthew 24:45-51. "For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one... and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents...made them other five... He that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one...hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them... He which had received the one talent...said, Lord...I...hid thy talent in the earth... His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant... Thou oughtest...to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him... And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" -Matthew 25:14-30. "Then said one unto Him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And He said unto them, Strive to enter in at the straight gate: for many...will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When...the Master...is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to...knock...saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and He shall...say...I know you not... Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But He shall say...I know you not...depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob...in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out..." -Luke 13:24-29. -During The Apostolic Age- "...Ananias, with Sapphira...sold a possession, And kept back part of the price... and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?... Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words...gave up the ghost... And...his wife...yielded up the ghost..." -Acts 5:1-11. "...War a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: 0f whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan..." -1 Timothy l:l9-20. "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but... shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" -2 Timothy 4:3-4. "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us" -1 John 2:19. -In Jesus' Decrees in Revelations- "Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus... I know thy works, and thy patience... And for my name's sake have laboured... Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent... To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life..." -Revelation 2:1-7. "...Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life... He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death" -Revelation 2:8-11. "And to the angel of the church at Pergamos... Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth..." -Revelation 2:12-17. "And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira... I know thy works...and faith... Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her...and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am He which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works... He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations..." -Revelation 2:18-29. "And unto the angel of the church in Sardis... I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead... For I have not found thy works perfect before God... I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee... He that overcometh... I will not blot out his name out of the book of life... -Revelation 3:1-6. "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia... Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation... Hold thou fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown..." -Revelation 3:7-13. "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans... I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot... So then because thou art lukewarm... I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich... and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked..." -Revelation 3:14-22. "...If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" -Matthew 6:14-15. "...If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples... and... shall know the truth..." -John 8:31-32. "...If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death" -John 8:51. "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you" -John 15:14. "...If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it" -Luke 9:23-24. "...If we be dead with Christ...we shall also live with Him" -Romans 6:8. "...If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His" -Romans 8:9. "...If Christ be in you, the body is dead... but the Spirit is life because of righteousness" -Romans 8:10. "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" -Romans 8:13. "...Joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together" -Romans 8:17. "...If God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest He also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in His goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off" -Romans 11:21-22. "If any man defile (destroy) the temple of God, him shall God destroy...which temple ye are" -1 Corinthians 3:17. "...I declare unto you the gospel... By which ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain... How that Christ died for our sins... And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day" -1 Corinthians 15:1-4. "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" -Galatians 6:9. "And you, that were... alienated and enemies... by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled... If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel" -Colossians 1:21-23. "For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord" -1 Thessalonians 3:8. "...If we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, He also will deny us" -2 Timothy 2:11-12. "...We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end" -Hebrews 3:14. "...If we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins" -Hebrews 10:26. "If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as sons... If ye be without chastisement... then are ye...not sons" -Hebrews 12:7-8. "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is in vain" James 1:26. "...Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone" -James 2:17. "...Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue...knowledge... temperance... patience... godliness... brotherly kindness and... charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful... If ye do these things ye shall never fall" -2 Peter 1:10. "...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" -2 Peter 2:20. "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light... the blood of Jesus...cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves... If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins... If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar..." -1 John 1:7-10. "...If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" -1 John 2:1. "And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments" -2 John 2:3. "...If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" -1 John 2:15. "...If we love one another, God dwelleth in us..." -1 John 4:12. "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar..." -1 John 4:20. "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed..." -2 John 9-10. "...If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 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, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book" -Revelation 22:18-19. Question # 7.6 - Can we know we are of the truth if we keep His commandments? "And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him" -1 John 2: "...Whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him... in this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother" -1 John 3:5-10. "We know that we have passed from death into life, because we love the brethren" -1 John 3:14. "...Everyone that loveth Him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of Him. By this we know that that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous" -1 John 5:1-3. "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another... By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" -John 13:34-35. "...Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth... For...if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God" -1 John 3:18-21. Question # 7.7 - Is receiving His Spirit evidence that we abide in Him? "...And hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us" -1 John3:24. "Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit" -1 John 4:13. Question # 7.8 - Will backsliders be saved (if they remain unrepentant), or is enduring unto the end evidence of salvation? "...Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" -Matthew 24:13. "And ye shall be hated of all men for my sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" -Mark 13:13, and Matthew 10:22. "...We are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul" -Hebrews 10:39. "When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it" -Ezekiel 33:13. "For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest He also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in His goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off" -Romans 11:21-22. "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 judgement... 0f... much sorer punishment... 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... Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul" -Hebrews 10:26-39. "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" -Romans 10:10. "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" -Philippians 3:13-14. "...Who then can be saved?" -Matthew 19:25. "...He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" -Matthew 24:13. "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ- for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death" -Revelation 12:10-11. End of Chapter Seven. Please Continue with Chapter Eight. Tom Raddatz
|