Insinuating that one can "Lose" their salvation is in itself a false teaching. I don't care if you have been saved for X number of years or have a vast knowledge of scripture, read this book or that book by this man or that man. If you are truly Born again and have accepted Christ as you own personal Saviour, then thats it!
Sealed with the Holy Spirit Until He comes for us or calls us home. I stumble, I fall, I pick myself up with my Saviour's help. The changes in my life didn't happen overnight, with the strength that is in Christ Jesus I strive to become more like him through my attitudes and actions not works.
I take it gophgetter that you personally, are declaring that salvation can be lost? That in hand, we are essentially talking about lordship salvation here? That once saved always saved is a false teaching? If that is the case then you have just called your professed LORD and Saviour a false prophet.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever BELIEVETH in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
"My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." John 10:29
"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE,. . ." 1 John 5:13
". . . him that cometh to me I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT." John 6:37
Speaking regarding backslidden believers, Paul states this very important point
"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: BUT HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; yet so as by fire." 1 Corinthians 3:11-15
Now most certainly I don't want to suffer this kind of loss when I stand before Christ and that is the Fear of the LORD that drew me back. But when I had no fellowship, didn't speak to anyone about my salvation, and rarely prayed when I was backslidden, did I lose that GIFT that Jesus gave me? was his righteousness that was imputed onto me taken away? Did the Saviour that was come to seek and save that which was lost cast me aside and forsake me? a resounding NO! springs forth. In our human frailty we make mistakes and sin.
You have children yourself, if they ran away from home, would your heart not break in two, and would you not rest until you had returned them home safely?
Then how much more does our Father in Heaven LOVE US!
"For we are MEMBERS OF HIS BODY, of his flesh, and of his bones." Ephesians 5:30
"If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: HE CANNOT DENY HIMSELF." 2 Timothy 2:13
With all Gods promises to SAVE US, KEEP US, and PRESERVE US, to say we can lose our salvation calls him a liar.
". . .he that BELIEVETH NOT GOD hath made him a LIAR; . . ." 1 John 5:10
Don't be confused by the simplicity that is in Salvation! And to bring to light your original topic of, "once saved always saved" teaching being of satan. I think my Friend you will find that the devil is behind the teaching that salvation can be lost!
"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from THE SIMPLICITY that is in Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:3
Peter was saved because he followed Christ, he denied him, not once not twice but thrice! did Peter lose his salvation in that very moment the cock crew? Peter was backslidden and grieved until he was reassured by Jesus in the days after his resurrection. by simply being told FEED MY SHEEP! Therefore I FORGIVE YOU for denying me, now get back to work and Preach the Word!
and he went on and preached
Who are KEPT BY THE POWER OF GOD through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." 1 Peter 1:5
In the name of My LORD Jesus Christ.
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