(ThyBlackMan.com) I am going to clear this up right now, regardless of what you have heard and regardless of what you want to believe. I find that most people who believe you can lose your salvation
(1) do not overstand the difference between religion and relationship,
(2) do not overstand what your salvation is based on,
(3) want to proof text by taking one scripture and trying to support what they want to believe or what they think should happen,
(4) have not done an exhaustive or thorough study,
(5) do not overstand what happens to a person once he or she receives eternal life (salvation),
(6) are only repeating what they have heard or been taught in error
and
(7) just do not want to believe that God is that good, God is that forgiving and the blood of Christ is that strong. These are 7 of the key reasons that people believe in error that you can lose your salvation, in effect believing that eternal life is not always eternal.
If eternal life is a trap door, a revolving door, a deception or a clever play on words, then God is a liar, a trickster or a deceiver. Of course He is none of the above and the scriptures neither contradict God nor each other. Those who think you can lose eternal life have been misled.
Let’s walk through this by the numbers. But before we do, let’s get rid of the phrase “once saved, always saved”. Why? Because the Bible does not say it like that and we must be careful attempting to add interpretations that put things in our own words instead of God’s Word. For these reasons I will not use that phrase or cliché’ to describe eternal life in Christ.
Number 1 – Eternal life, by its very definition, is ETERNAL – not temporary. If you have eternal life temporarily only until you mess up, you never had eternal life at all. And you need to know that He who redeems you can also keep and preserve you until the end (1 Cor. 1:8-9, Philippians 1:6).
Number 2 – You don’t have the power to break the seal of the Holy Spirit. You are not nearly that powerful, especially all alone without God backing you up. And He won’t back you up to break His own seal put in place to protect your eternal life. If He did that would mean the Father and the Holy Spirit would be divided and the Bible is clear that a house divided against itself cannot stand. The Bible says God’s children are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30).
Number 3 – You don’t have the power to resist the Lion of Judah. If a believer or son strays away the Lion of Judah is coming after him. He will leave the 99 to come after the one (Matt. 18:12, Luke 15:4). Think about what happens when a lion goes after anything – an aggressive, intensive, focused “do or die” pursuit. So if you think any tiny human can resist coming back into the fold when the Lion of all lions comes after you, then you are sadly mistaken. Actually all God has to do for most believers is slightly remove his hedge of protection, let satan bite you in the butt and you will come running back. Fact.
Number 4 – You can’t name one person in scripture under the New Covenant who lost eternal life. And to say even Judas did is an assumption tied to a much deeper and more complex study. There are no cases under the New Covenant in scripture where anybody had eternal life temporarily, especially since the judgment has not happened yet. And even the prodigal son returned, didn’t he?
Number 5 – Salvation is based on relationship, not religion. Entrance into the family and subsequently the Kingdom requires that you are adopted by God and the blood of Christ covers your sins. The books of Romans and Galatians boldly declare that a born-again believer is now a child of God, no longer a servant, not a sinner. Thus when believers sin, we are sons acting like sinners – but we are not sinners. That happens often as we shed the remnants of the old creation we once were. That also happens as we continue to dwell in both an imperfect body and a world of temptation. But as we grow in spiritual maturity and wisdom, that should happen less and less. This process is called “sanctification” whereby we become more and more holy. Not to be confused with salvation.
Number 6 – There is only one unpardonable sin and one means ONE. I recommend studying the following scriptures: Mark 3:28-29, Matt 12:31-32 and Luke 12:10. If God does not add to the list, you cannot either because we are neither to add to the Word of God nor take away from it. If you do, you risk bringing a curse upon yourself. You therefore cannot say unpardonable sins include suicide, murder, lying, theft, incest etc. Why not? Because God does not. And as deplorable as these sins are, YOU CANNOT MAKE THEM UNPARDONABLE just because you think they should be.
Number 7 – If sin takes you out of the family, none of us would go to Heaven. Every “saved” or born-again believer will still sin every month (if not every week) of his or her life – either by omission or commission. We all have sinned and fall short. Christ did not come to stop us from sinning. He came because we could not stop. We inherited Adam’s infectious “sickness” to sin and we were born into it.
Number 8 – God does not provide a formula for sins removing believers from inheritance nor sonship. So for those of you who say you can lose your eternal life, how many sins would it take? Would it take 3 big sins, 12 little sins or one sin several times over and over again? And which sins are stronger than the blood of Christ? Where does the Bible say that? Nowhere under the New Covenant.
Number 9 – God does not give any formula in the Bible for the reversal of all that happens to you once you are born again. I find that people who believe you can lose your salvation never understood what happens to you once you receive it in the first place. Therefore let’s see what happens.
What happens when you become born-again (John 3:3)? Let’s examine what happens together, not necessarily in the exact order. First the blood of Christ covers your sins, all of them except the ONE unpardonable sin. You may want to say “not future sins” but realize that all of your sins were future sins when Christ went to the cross because you weren’t even here. Second the person’s sins are forgiven (past, present and future). Third your sins are forgotten (Hebrews 8:12). Fourth you are adopted into the family of God and grafted in so you now have relationship, not religion (Romans 8:16, Galatians 4:7). You are no longer a servant nor a sinner. When you sin, you are a son (or daughter) who sins. You are no longer identified by Christ as a sinner, your sins are no longer held against you and again, they are both forgiven and forgotten. You also become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21), not a sinner.
A born-again believer continues in the faith, not to keep eternal life, but rather as the automatic fruit of who he is as a child of God. His loyalty is therefore more of fruit than works.
You are redeemed from the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13) and you are not going to be “unredeemed”. The child of God has received an Advocate who is the very same Person who will judge on judgment day. The Holy Spirit comes to live/dwell inside the believer and He only dwells in new vessels, thus the analogy of old and new wine and wineskins. We are the church, the temples and tabernacles of the Holy Spirit (Ezek. 11:19). And the Holy Spirit was given to the church at Pentecost, to dwell in you once you become a part of that church (the body of believers, the body of Christ). There is even more that happens to you but (1) I don’t have room to list everything and (2) even if I did, I don’t know all the good things that happen. For a born-again child of God to lose his eternal life (salvation), everything good that God changed in the believer’s life would have to complete reverse itself. That is not going to happen!
THINK ABOUT THIS: IF SIN STOPS YOU FROM GOING TO HEAVEN, NOBODY IS GOING
The born-again believer is being spiritually rebuilt from the inside out. That is why he/she is actually becoming a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). The carnal mind is replaced with a new mind, a renewed mind, a new way of thinking – the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5, 1 Cor. 2:16). He/she receives a circumcision of the heart. The old heart was despitefully wicked (Jeremiah 117:9, Ezek.11:19, Ezek 36:26). The believer receives a new Father (John 1:12), a new destination, a new name (Rev 2:17, Rev 3:12, Isaiah 62:2).
Number 10 – People who say “God won’t just let people continue to sin and go to Heaven ” do not realize that none of us ever stopped. So if you believe man-made nonsense, you reject God’s plan for eternal life, you reject Heaven and nobody else would either based on your formula. You may say “you mean to tell me I can just go out and kill 100 people and go to Heaven”? To you I would say a believer does not think such things because a child of God has a renewed mind, the mind of Christ. Nor does a born-again believer try to find loopholes to continue in willful and deliberate sin.
A child of God finds ways to reject, avoid and flee sin. We are being perfected but we are not perfect. However when we sin, unlike the unbeliever, we have an Advocate with the Father. The same Advocate who judges on judgment day. Recognize that your Attorney is also your Judge and the same person who gave His life for you. There is NO condemnation in Christ. NO means NONE. So once you understand what your Advocate does, did and will do, you will have a better understanding of your eternal life.
Number 11 – Taking a scripture by itself to try and prove a point (such as Hebrews 6:4) instead of doing an exhaustive study will not give you the full understanding of eternal life. It is much more complex than a scripture or two in one chapter of one book. When you make this mistake in Theology it is called “proof texting”. You must look at the consistency and totality of scripture on a given subject.
John 10:28-29 King James Version (KJV) states WHO controls your eternal life once you choose.
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
Number 12 – For those of you who think God should not allow people into Heaven who sin, you would not or could not go. Be careful that you do not “condemn” yourself. Secondly, your opinion or preference on the matter does not decide how God handless salvation. Nor does it override the consistency of scripture regarding eternal life. So be careful that your own beliefs, formulas and definitions do not cause you to face a backlash of your own judgment.
Number 13 – God did not give man power over something as important as eternal life – only the choice and faith to select it. John 10:28-30 points out that NO ONE can snatch you out of His hand, no one including you. Your works (good or bad) do not control eternal life, God does. You cannot “un-make” yourself a child of God by what you do. Relationship cannot be lost like that any more than your son can stop being your son just because he acts up, acts out or rejects you.
Overstand the power of the sacrifice made by the Messiah. It is the acceptance of what Christ has done that makes you a son, not the works you have done. You are saved by grace trough faith and NOT by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Thus you did not put yourself in the family by your works and you cannot remove yourself by your works or lack thereof (see Romans 3:28). Works are not the determining factor. Not your works anyway. This is your blessed assurance that God is in control, not you.
Nothing and no human being is powerful enough to separate you from your life in Christ – especially not you. Therefore you need to be persuaded in your own mind by the full evidence and proof of scripture. We are further reassured of this yet again in Romans 8 which states:
Romans 8:38-39 King James Version (KJV)
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Number 14 – Those who you might want to say have fallen away are those who God says were never His by choice in the first place. And real choices are followed by the proof of real loyalty and real dedication. The Bible teaches the wheat and the tares have grown up together (Matthew 13:30) so you need to know that profession (Romans 1:22) is not the same as confession by faith verified by works. The Bible teaches that God separates the sheep from the goats.
The Bible teaches that the dog has returned back to his vomit. But notice that the dog, even if he acted different, was still always a dog. Thus he returned to his old ways because he was never transformed. He was not a dog who became a sheep then changed back into a dog. A child of God has been transformed (Romans 12:2). Simply put, an unbeliever is not a believer who has fallen away. An unbeliever is an unbeliever who acted like a believer yet never believed unto salvation. This is often true no matter how much a person attends “church”, prays or gives. There are even pastors who are unbelievers.
In 1 John 2:19 (KJV) it states: 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
In Matthew 7:22-23 (KJV) note that God says “I NEVER KNEW YOU”. Furthermore so much for good works determining that you go to Heaven. They don’t. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
So what about those who make errors and do the wrong thing but don’t know it? What about those who have never seen, heard no read the scriptures? James 4:17 addresses such cases. It tells us that sin is attributed to those who know something is wrong but chose to do it anyway. I would also say that every person has a basic sense of right and wrong, good and bad – as inherited from Adam and Eve.
Number 15 – Born-again believers are predestined. God knew who would come, who would stay and who would pretend. He drew you to Him (John 6:44) and then predestined you even before you made the choice (Romans 8:29). All this time you just thought it was all about a tiny human making the choice and having the ability to put yourself in the kingdom or take yourself out. Wrong. If you thought that, you gave yourself too much power and authority that you never had.
Number 16 – The Messiah is able to preserve your eternal life and present you blameless (Jude 24). The life of the child of God is hidden with Christ (Colossians 3:3). What then when we sin? First we have an Advocate. Second our sins are forgiven. Third our sins are forgotten. Fourth our sins are covered by the blood of Christ. Fifth we lose favor, we lose fellowship and we have to reap what we sow ON EARTH until we repent. Thus there are consequences but not consequences that cancel our eternal life.
Number 17 – Referencing numbers 13 and 15 of this study, God through His omniscience knew who would do what, including who would rebel, repent, pretend and who would never sincerely nor genuinely accept the sacrifice of Christ. Once you believe, repent and accept the Christ, you will know that God did not leave control over your eternal life up to you. If He had, nobody would ever make it to Heaven. If sin would remove us from the promise and the family, no human being on this Earth would receive either. Is Eternal security a license to sin? No. The child of God finds every possible way he can to do the right thing and rejects rebellion or willfully continuing in sin.
Number 18 – Once you truly choose, there is no going back. Today we have been studying the fine print of your covenant or contract if you prefer to call it that. The rules, terms and guidelines are outlined in great detail. I find that most people who want to reject the truth of eternal security are those who have never studied it thoroughly or those who never knew what eternal life is based on. I find that those who think an actual child of God has the power to reject God and stay in that state are those who really do not know the power, promises and persuasion of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. I find that people who reject eternal security do not over stand sonship, becoming a new creation nor Who our Advocate is and what He has accomplished. Know that “eternal” has never meant “temporary”.
You do have a choice, but once that choice is made, you are not repeatedly given the option to step in and out when you want or because you feel like it. The kingdom of God does not work that way. Which is why God’s children are SEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT UNTIL THE DAY OF REDEMPTION. If you try to break that seal, you are not smart enough, not strong enough and not authorized to do so.
Most pastors I have heard are miserably failing to explain the fine print in the agreement, the rules in the family that you join once you are adopted, the many other unstated decisions you make when you accept the Messiah as Lord AND Savior, the safeguards in place so you won’t screw up the opportunity and all the work the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have done for you and to you. Eternal security is eternal.
Ephesians 4:30 King James Version (KJV) states: 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
But what about if you lose your faith? You can’t because (1) God has given every person a measure of faith (Romans 12:3) and (2) faith is also a gift. Your faith can grow weak just as anything grows weak that you do not use, build or strengthen. But it will not leave and YOU cannot remove it because YOU did not obtain it. Even in the weakest point of your faith it is still there. Though maybe dormant or not very noticeable. Faith by God’s definition is not just believing. It is much more. A study on faith can easily prove this is true. But for now know that you cannot drop or eliminate what God placed in you. That is out of the realm of your authority and ability. And when your faith reaches up to meet God’s grace reaching down to you, that one time is all that is needed for you to be saved by grace through faith.
Never forget that Christ did not come to help us keep the law nor to keep you from sinning. He came because we could not keep the law and we could not stop sinning. If you try to keep the law and think your works will perfect you, yet break any part of the law of sin and death at any time, you are guilty of breaking all of it and therefore not entitled to eternal life (James 2:10). The book of Romans points out that children of God are not under that law. A child of God is under the Law of the Spirit of Life, a better covenant built upon better promises (Romans 8:2, Hebrews 8:6). A New Covenant not based on condemnation for those who are born-again. People go to Hell because they refuse to accept Christ who paid for their sin. Thus they fall under the Old Covenant which requires them to pay their own sin debt. And the wages of that sin is death so they do not receive eternal life.
Finally every month, week or day every single child of God on this planet will sin. Maybe by omission, maybe by commission or maybe by error. God knew that before you were born. And if a child of God has to worry about sinning his way out of his inheritance, the family of God and Heaven, then nobody can sleep at night. Then there is no blessed assurance. Then there is no eternal security. Then you are not sealed until the day of redemption. Then you only have ETERNAL life temporarily. Fortunately God is smarter than to trust salvation with human beings who would surely make a complete mess of it.
Let God be true and every man a liar. Listen to the TOTALITY of what the Bible says. Other belief systems have infected the truth of eternal life by complicating things with scales of good works they want to believe God uses. But they have made only it harder on themselves. Don’t do that to yourself. Believe!
Staff Writer; Trevo Craw
A Free Thinker, who loves to talk about Politics, etc. Also, all about uplifting the Black Community even if it doesn’t fit your mindset. One may hit me up at; TrevoCraw@ThyBlackMan.com.
“REMEMBER The Sabbath to keep it holy.” Thus says the LORD GOD ALIMIGHTY. The Sabbath day is on Saturday 7th day of week not Sunday dont let anyone tell differently The Church Catholic and Costantine Roman Emperor changed it to Sunday is because Constantine was a Sun god worshiper and Catholic Church did just because it said it had authority to do so.
I have been a pastor for 50 years (33 at the same church),and I have to tell you how very much I enjoy your writings no matter what you call them. I was raised Baptist, one once a month they had a praise and prayer service at the African Methodist Episcopal church and my parents took us. That formed my beliefs and strengthened my faith and I am eternally grateful. I saw the Holy Spirit in action and saw a love and a worship that changed my life. Keep up the good work Brother.
Eternal Life is not Salvation.
“I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.” (2 Corinthians 12:2)
“There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:” (1 Corinthians 15:40-42)
Note: 2 Corinthians 12:2 and 1 Corinthians 15:40-42 unmistakably tells us that “salvation” is nothing like the “Protestant” definition of “universal salvation for all” by the “Grace of God”. These verses inform us that there are different “degrees of salvation and glory” or exaltation.
“Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” (Luke 13:23-24)
“Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:” (Romans 9:27)
“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (John 5:28-29)
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.” (Revelation 20:12-13) (for further understanding read all of Revelation 20)
Salvation versus Exaltation
The teachings about grace in the 2nd chapter of Ephesians are perhaps the most quoted by evangelical, Nicean, and protestant Christians. “For by grace are ye saved”, Paul taught the Ephesians, “through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast”. (Ephesians 2: 8-9). When reading these two verses, the student of the scriptures must be aware of the meaning of “saved” versus the meaning of “exalted”.
Men are thus saved by grace alone, in the sense of being resurrected, as all mankind will be resurrected; they are saved by grace coupled with obedience, in the sense of gaining eternal life.
The gospel plan is to save men into the Celestial Kingdom, and thus Paul teaches salvation by grace through faith, through obedience, through accepting Christ, through keeping the commandments, through performing Christian good deeds (works).
Thus, all will be resurrected, saved in that sense, by grace, by the gift of Christ through His death on the cross and His resurrection. And all who desire to be exalted, that is to live again in the presence of God the Father, in the Celestial Kingdom, must be obedient to the laws of the Gospel as given by Jesus Christ, and through His atonement, His suffering in Gethsemane, and on the cross.
Evangelical, Nicean, and protestant Christians do not differentiate between salvation and exaltation; for them there is no such thing as exaltation or degrees of glory as stated in 1 Corinthians 15:40-42, only salvation, meaning eternal life.
While African Americans are wasting their time praying to a white God and the Religion of the slaves aka Christianity; the racist white americans are praying to their white banks, white businesses, white schools and they are doing a thousand times better that black people. In addition, Racist America has created a buffer between them and African Americans by bringing in the Hispanics, Asians, Middle Easterns, and migrants in general who are now taking over all the jobs and controlling all the businesses in the Inner cities of the poorest black communities.
These Hispanics, Asians, Middle easterns prayed to their businesses, their banks and their own agenda that does not include black people except for taking the black dolalrs aways from the black communities and putting in the white man’s bank or their Asian banks.
With that said my Fellow African American Christians, while you are praying to the teaching of your former slave masters and reading a black, red, or brown dictionary known as the Bible, your black Christian children are been murder by police officers or by other Christian black children who were raised by single black Christian mothers with no ring on their fingers or a husband; more so, your black Christian children are struggling to get jobs and they are falling victim to the School to prison pipeline created by the children of the slave masters and the creator of the garbage religion and white God that you followed with such a devotion.
Remember with an increase in migration to the United States by other races there was an increase in black incarceration. Yes, while you were distracted praying to a Neanderthal God, the Racist American government were letting in millions of illegal Asians and Hispanics in order to deprive the young black Christian men and women from having jobs by giving those jobs to all the illegal immigrants and as you can see every where you go in America and in the black inner cities you will find the Asian, Hispanics and Middle eastern controlling all the businesses, having all the jobs and more importantly they are the ones feeding black America with their Hispanic, Asian and middle easter food that black people love so much and spend their black dollars at those stores but receive nothing in returned.
Thank you sir for your comment, i come from a middle eastern background. whatever people do to offend God or His people from whatever background they come from is done based on the fact that they do not know God. God through Jesus Christ has shown us that His love extends to each individual on the face of this earth. His love is equal to blacks, whites, yellows or any other color, The love is for every race, tribe or nation. The people who break God’s love unfortunately have not experienced God’s love. i invite you to ask God to reveal Himself to you so you can know Him. I suggest that you read the new testament in the bible and try to pry to find God’s attributes (Justice, Mercy, Love and Grace) I wish I have the space to explain to you that I love you even that i do know you because God loved me when i did not deserve it. Please when people miss behave that is not because of God but because they do not Know God. God bless you my friend. I pray that when i am in heaven i can see you and say hello.
Thank you sir, that was very helpful.
One of the most powerful, concise, articles ever written about this subject. You can call your website anything you want, because we are all ‘brothers” in Christ if we “overstand” this article. Thank you for this article, you handled the Word very well!
Eternal life has been granted but where a person spends that eternity is the question.
https://www.catholic.com/video/does-the-bible-disprove-once-saved-always-saved
Galatians CH5 VS 4 Revelation CH2 VS 10 Ananias and Sapphira? Obey the Gospel, That form of doctrine Romans 6:17 11 thess 7-9 1 Peter ch4 vs17-18, 1 peter ch3 vs 21 Acts 22:16 Acts Ch2 vs 38, Acts 2, 47 Hebrews 10:29
I wanted to address each one of your 17 points separately with scripture, but that takes a ton of words, scripture and includes: an understanding of: atonement, original sin, free will, man’s earthly objective, Love, the purpose of sin for nonbelievers, the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, God’s foreknowledge, the idea of “whoever”, works and a gift. Each one of these topics will just generate even more questions.
Where should we even begin?
Everything is driven by the objective:
The differences and issues begin with misunderstanding of the objective. Most Christians like: Man’s objective is to “bring glory to God” and have scripture references to support that objective, but a person can take any commandment or direction of God given in scripture and have Biblical support for call that command: “Man’s Objective”. We are certainly commanded to do that command, so why is it not man’s objective?
There are the two superior commands which all other commands are subordinate to and combined would be like: “Love God (and secondly others) with all your heart, soul, mind, and energy.” That appears to be man’s “Mission Statement”. The huge problem with fulfilling that “Mission Statement” is the fact that the “Love” needed would have to be huge, way beyond anything man could develop, learn, deserve, earn, pay back, be instinctive to man, or somehow just be forced upon humans.
Thus, the reason you have free will, is because it is required for you to complete your earthly objective.
This messed up world which includes satan roaming around is not here for your pleasure, but to help each of us to become like God Himself in that you have the unique, unbelievable Godly type Love (God himself is Love).
There are just somethings even an all-powerful Creator cannot do (there are things impossible to do), like create another Christ, since Christ has always existed, the big impossibility for us is; create humans with instinctive Godly type Love, since Godly type Love is not instinctive. Godly type love has to be the result of a free will decision by the being, to make it the person’s Love apart from God. In other words: If the Love was in a human from the human’s creation it would be a robotic type love and not a Godly type Love. Also, if God “forces” this Love on a person (Kind a like a shotgun wedding) it would not be “loving” on God’s part and the love forced on the person would not be Godly type Love. This Love has to be the result of a free will moral choice with real alternatives (for humans those alternatives include the perceived pleasures of sin for a season.)
Read the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15, the young son was generously given more then he could handle (like most of us today), which the father would realize. The prodigal son returned to his father, not out of “Love”, but selfishly wanting a job he did not deserve or should even ask for. Just because the son became just willing to accept pure undeserved charity from the father he hated, allowed the father to shower him with gifts. God is that way with you.
God has created beings to shower them with the greatest gifts possible, the greatest gift being having a Love like His.
If there is this Creator of the universe out there, His “creations” could not really “do” anything for Him, so this Creator would have to be seen as a Giver (Unselfish Lover) and not trying to “get” something from His creation.
Why would God have a totally unselfish type of Love, since He personally would not get anything out of it? If God’s “Love” is some kind of knee jerk reaction, then it is really meaningless (something like; gravity which is nice to have, but everyone automatically has it). God Loves us in spite of what we have done, who we are or what we will do, so it has to be by His choice.
God would create the right universe for the sake of the individuals that will accept His gift (the most powerful force [Love] in all universes, since that force [Love] compels even God to do all He does) and thus the willing become like He is (the greatest gift He could give).
What keeps the all-powerful Creator from just giving whatever He wants to his creation, eliminating the need for free will and this earthly time.
This Love is way beyond anything humans could develop, obtain, learn, earn, pay back or ever deserve, so it must be the result of a gift that is accepted or rejected (a free will choice).
This “Love” is much more than just an emotional feeling; it is God Himself (God is Love). If you see this Love you see God and thus people can see God in us.
This Love, to be Godly type Love, is a free will choice, a conscience decision, of the individual and not a knee jerk reaction. Yes, we have plenty of reason to Love God out of gratitude, but He would not want it to be “automatic” like a robot, but our choice.
All mature adults do stuff that hurts others (this is called sin) these transgressions weigh on them, burden them, to the point the individual seeks relief (at least early on before they allow their hearts to be hardened). Lots of “alternatives” can be tried for relief, but the only true relief comes from God with forgiveness (this forgiveness is pure charity [grace/mercy/Love]). The correct humble acceptance of this Forgiveness (Charity) automatically will result in Love (we are taught by Jesus and our own experience “…he that is forgiven much will Love much…”). Sin is thus made hugely significant, so there will be an unbelievable huge debt to be forgiven of and thus result in an unbelievable huge “Love” (Godly type Love).
Sin has purpose in helping willing humans in fulfilling their objective. God does not like it but allows it.
Let me just give you an example of How God works to help willing individuals.
If the nonbeliever had knowledge of God’s existence that person would not need faith in God’s existence, but faith is needed for humility and humility is needed to humbly accept pure charity and the only way to get Godly type Love is through accepting it as pure charity in the form of forgiveness.
This also shows a “need” for man to sin.
That is one topic briefly addressed.
A question about predestination. I fully agree with all other points. If a born-again believer is predestined to salvation, has he meaningfully chosen to belong to Christ? He could after all have not, chosen other. Likewise, even more troublesome is the unbeliever predestined to damnation, who cannot choose to belong to Christ.
“REMEMBER The Sabbath to keep it holy.” Thus says the LORD GOD ALIMIGHTY. The Sabbath day is on Saturday 7th day of week not Sunday dont let anyone tell differently The Church Catholic and Costantine Roman Emperor changed it to Sunday is because Constantine was a Sun god worshiper and Catholic Church did just because it said it had authority to do so.
Wonderful article. I have few times I doubt I am saved but this article explains my faults as a new believer to a tea and helps me better understand Salvation, redemption and sanctification. Thank you
Just Curious: How comfortable would you feel on a Site that says, “Thy WHITE Man”? The Color Reference seems unnecessarily Divisive: Is This Commentary ONLY for Black Men? If not, why the Separation by Color? It’s NOT Biblical to separate people because of Pigmentation!