Thursday, December 21, 2006

Still Saved?

1 Peter 1:1-6b "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance. Praise to God for a Living Hope Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice"

When I think of some of the false teachings that have invaded so many denominations today there is one that really has always been a thorn in my flesh, it is the teaching that a true believer can somehow lose his or her salvation. How in the world do they fit that into the passage above where Peter clearly states "an inheritance that can never perish"? Or Ephesians chapter one or a number of other verse's that clearly teach the security of the believer. I have heard many Christian's that teach the loss of salvation is some how based on what the believer does or doesn't do, as if one can somehow stamp out the sovereignty of God by some sin they commit after God has chosen them to salvation, they fail to understand who God is and they fail to understand that salvation is the work of God and not man. Notice that Peter states that our security is not kept by us but by the power of God. In verse six Peter tells us to greatly rejoice in this, well what is this? Go back to verse 3 and 4, It's the new birth and it's the inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade kept in heaven for you. Well if I could loose my salvation what's left that I may rejoice in? I am also reminded of 1 John 5:13 "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." How can I know I have eternal life if I can loose it? Well lots of folks buy into this false doctrine from false teachers but I think I will stick with the writers of the Bible and let them answer for me.

No comments: