I heard a pastor say one time that the Christian life “isn’t a sprint to the finish line.” When many come to Christ they think they have arrived at that finish line, but as time goes by they realize that it is only the beginning of a long and hard journey; one that requires suffering and endurance.
Some may feel like life was better before they came to Christ. The will fall away before they receive their reward. I believe our Salvation is sealed, as long as we keep our faith in Jesus Christ. However, there are many things that come up in a Christians life that test our faith, and only the elect will make it through the sifting process.
Hebrews 3:3 NIV says,
If you ask me, that’s a pretty big IF! We have been given the Gift of Salvation for free, and we can choose whether or not we want to receive it. If we choose to receive it, God will never take it back, but I firmly believe that we are able to give it back. Many have fallen away from God, and it’s not a good thing to do!
I’m disappointed when I see people presenting the Gospel as if it were a lottery that was won, and suddenly we have no more worries. We are still living on this planet! We are going to struggle just like those who haven’t received Christ, and we’ll probably struggle more because we are an increasing threat to the enemy! However, we CAN overcome these struggles because Jesus is alive in us. Ever battle won, is a victory for our Lord. Are you playing to win?
Life is not one race, it’s many races. Sometimes we are running cross country, and things seem easier than ever. Sometimes we are hiking up mountains, and it seems like the only way out is to give up. However, God is with us through it all. In fact, He knew everything we were going to go through before time even began! He knows what we are capable of, and He is cheering us on constantly.
It’s time to train our senses (Hebrews 5:14), and to be on the watch for anything that could separate us from the Will of God.
Amen, you are balanced in the view.
One can fall away when one continues to live in sin and refuses to repent. We see a case in 1 Cor 5, where a man was caught for illicit sexual conduct and he refused to repent. Paul passes strong judgments on him [turning him over to satan so that his flesh may be destroyed] by removing the covering of the Church.
He then goes onto say in 1 Cor 6:9 that none of these who “continue” to live in sin shall enter the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19 , 1 John 3:9 and other verses tell us the importance of being united with the Lord in holiness without which no man will see the Lord.
We can never earn our salvation, as you said it’s a free gift. But if the salvation we receive from God does not bear fruit in our lives, we need to examine ourselves. A saved life and an unchanged one is totally unbiblical. Today, this happens because people fail to obey the first part of the Gospel- and that is to repent. They’re just believing for things from the Lord.
Much more to be said, but I’d be writing an essay lol. Love you man! And let me know about Monday morning Study
Sidhu
Comment Submitted: January 26th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
I totally agree with you, Justin. And that’s why I dislike the prosperity gospel so much because it can lead to people leaving the faith and discarding their free gift of salvation when they don’t see what was ‘promised’ happening in their lives.
Your post reminds me of Romans 5 which I was re-reading just a couple of days ago:
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
– Romans 5:1-5 ESV
God bless, and Shalom.
Comment Submitted: January 27th, 2008 at 7:09 am
As my pastor says, he believes in eternal security, but that’s it’s not unconditional. We do have the option of being “once saved, always saved” — if we continue in the faith and live according to God’s terms of the covenant. But the Bible clearly states that it is possible to fall away. There are a lot of Scriptures that show that.
Thanks for spreading the word, Justin, because it sure needs to be done. There are too many preachers who are presenting a watered-down, incomplete gospel, which is deceiving people by making them believe they’re saved just because they want to be happy and have rewards.
Comment Submitted: February 1st, 2008 at 12:59 am