In my late teens, while I was having a weekly bible study, I had mentioned to my group members the trouble I was undergoing in my neighborhood with fellow teens and adults who were jealous of me for not doing and not having done the things that they were doing. I lived a totally different lifestyle than what they all did.
One lady from my bible study specifically pointed to a particular verse of scripture and then spoke it out loud to me. It read: They are puzzled that you do not continue running with them in the same decadent course of debauchery, so they speak abusively of you. 1 Peter 4:4
Although I had never indulged within the same behaviors as certain neighborhood folk, I had cut loose those who I had grown up with and refused to be bothered with others who were not of good character as I had no desire to associate with wicked or undesirable people.
As a result, and out of resentment for my living “not of the world”, these affiliates (who came in legions) ventured upon me to lose my salvation. They believed if they could deliberately ensnare me into doing some deed I’d no longer be saved and end up going to hell where they were headed.
There are people in the world who actually believe that one’s salvation is dependent upon whether or not some disqualifying sin is committed. They think the precious gift of eternal life is contingent upon how well one refrains from offending God.
From what I have learned according to biblical scripture once we truly become saved, we’re always saved and nothing is able to forfeit that salvation.
Eternal life to begin with is based on God’s pure grace and mercy and not determined by any of our deeds or misdeeds. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–Ephesians 2:8 And Romans 11:29 goes on to say, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable”.
The bible doesn’t state that until we sin a number of times or carry out some huge sin that our future eternal state will remain unaltered. God already knew each one of us who were going to follow his way long before he created us, And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. Romans 8:30.
All of us believers in Jesus sin while we’re here on the earth, the concern is whether one continues to practice their sin in a type of way that may insinuate a heart that is unreformed.
The wages of sin are death, however, the gift of God is eternal life in our lord Jesus. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. John 3: 16-18
God punished our sins through Jesus on the cross.
All of our sins were forgiven by Jesus’s death and resurrection and we are made righteous by what he did. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. Hebrews 10:14
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. Romans 10: 9-10
Once we genuinely accept Jesus Christ as our lord and savior and repent, we receive the Holy Spirit which represents our assurance and security of eternal life as well as the renewal and regeneration of our moral and spiritual nature. The Holy Spirit aides us within desiring to do God’s will. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. Romans 8:9
the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. John14:17
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Phil 1:6
l give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” John 10:28-30
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 28:37-39
All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” John 6:37-40
Although our salvation is guaranteed through God’s promises if we truly are saved, this precious gift of life eternal is not to be taken for granted. The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD. Romans 5: 20-21
This is a serious life event and we are required to honor our lord by abiding within accordance to his will. Our salvation will not be in jeopardy, but as followers of Jesus Christ we will all have to account for what we do as the measure or degree of rewards that we will receive in heaven depend on how well or poorly we serve God while we’re still here on the earth.
If we properly serve God fruitfully our work will survive God’s testing fire meaningfully, leading up to rewards.
If we don’t gain or achieve anything substantial within service to God our works will not stand up to the test and they will render of no value, burning up in the fire and we won’t receive any rewards, though we will still be saved.
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 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. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 1 Corinthians 3:9-17
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. Romans 10: 9-10
Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. Romans 8:30
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Romans 6: 1-2
