pmc9439@beaver.cs.washington.edu (Patrick Chaney) (03/06/90)
I would be interested in knowing how many of you believe in eternal security, or where once one is saved, they are always saved. Don't you think that once a person has accepted God's grace gift of salvation they are saved forever? Christ died once, and that was more than sufficient. Once we have accepted the righteousness imputed us by his death, we are covered forever by His grace. That doesn't mean we should go do whatever we want secure in the knowledge we will go to heaven. But I will go so far as to say that once a person is truly saved, from that point on no sin whatsoever can remove Him from the *gift* of eternal life. (It is not earned! It is given) I would be interested in any follow-up comments. ========================= Surf the Gorge ! =============================== Patrick Chaney Seattle University (..!uw-beaver!sumax!pmc9439) Flight Simulation SE Boeing (..!uw-beaver!tahoma!rfsl701fs!pmc9439)
kutz@cis.ohio-state.edu (Kenneth J. Kutz) (12/24/90)
> > Matt 24:13 is talking about a QUALITY associated with a saved > > person - continuance in the faith. Could this be any clearer > > than in I John 2:19? !?! > Suppose Elmo is a habitual sinner of the worst kind, used to > doing all sorts of foul things. Suppose he sincerely repents and professes ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > faith. ^^^^^^ > But what about tomorrow? Suppose there's a great opportunity to make > millions ripping people off, Elmo gives in, and leads the rest of his days > swigging rum in the Virgin Islands, unrepentant for any sin, and cursing his ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > conversion to Christianity. In addition, he does even fouler things than ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > before. This can't happen. One of the two underlined statements above is incorrect. Both cannot be true. If Elmo sincerely repents and professes faith it is because God did that work in him. Repentance is not something we drum up on our own - IT IS A GIFT FROM GOD. That being the case, what I am saying is that the second sentence CANNOT and WILL NOT happen. You have described a nonsensical situation in light of Scripture. An analogy: What if I pour blue ink through a white linen tablecloth yet the tablecloth was never stained since it was made? This statement makes as much sense as the two underlined concerning Elmo above. One or the other is false. Both cannot be true. > Rather, we should always be careful lest > we should fall, though confident that if we do fall and yet sincerely > repent, forgiveness and salvation are still possible, subject to God's > grace. I believe there are some biblical truths appropriate here. Notice who is the source and keeper of salvation in these passages: "To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy" - Jude 24 "who has saved us and called us to a holy life not because of anything that we have done but because of his own purpose and grace" - 2 Tim 1:9 "he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus - Col 1:6 -- Kenneth J. Kutz Internet kutz@andy.bgsu.edu Systems Programmer BITNET KUTZ@ANDY University Computer Services UUCP ...!osu-cis!bgsuvax!kutz Bowling Green State Univ. US Mail 238 Math Science, BG OH 43403