IS ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED? Part2

See Part One Here
THE THIRD SCRIPTURE

John 6:37-40 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.(KJV)

Read: The Exchange

The word everlasting life in the above is the greek word aionios (pronounced ahee-o-nee-os). It means without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be.

At this point, I will like to clarify something important

 THE MEANING OF ETERNAL/EVERLASTING LIFE

Eternal life is the same as everlasting life and means that which isn’t subject to time.

Eternal life is the unique quality (reality) of God's life at work in the believer.

Believers live in "eternal(166 /aiṓnios) life" right now, experiencing this quality of God's life now as a present possession.

This is life eternal, that they might know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom God hast sent. (JOHN 17:3)

This life (possessing Christ) is ageless. 

However, the extremists seem to mix up/confuse the nature of the life with the possession of it.

This is what I mean, the life itself has no ending just like God has no ending but the person having it can lose it. 

Read: The Mystery of New Birth

Example

It was this life that they had in Eden. Rememeber that they were created in the image of God right? Genesis 1:27.

God said the day you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall surely die –Genesis 2:17

This death is a separation from God. The physical death was aftermath. The real thing was the spiritual death (separation from God). 

In that same John chapter 6, Jesus said  in verses 40 and 47 that anyone who believes in him receives eternal/everlasting life. In verse 51 he says, if anyone eats of him (Jesus) the same shall live.

This means, anyone outside Christ is dead though “moving around” on earth.

Read: Stages of spiritual growth

Sips my Hollandia youghurt

In John 3:18  Jesus said, “He that believeth on him (JESUS) is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

The greek transliteration of the word condemned in the above verse is Kreeno it means separated, put asunder. This separation is death (absence of eternal life/everlasting life).

So if we were to read that verse in the original statement of Christ, it would be , “He that believeth on him (JESUS) is not condemned (has life/is joined with God): but he that believeth not is condemned (separated from God and therefore dead because he/she has no eternal life) already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Having eternal life is really what it means to be saved! 

Don’t get it twisted.

And we are saved/receive eternal life when the follow the principle in Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (KJV)

From the above scriptures, they rightly say that

·     Salvation is eternal

·     Jesus does not reject those who come to him

Read: Is Jesus Really The Only Way To God?

BUT IS IT SCRIPTURAL TO SAY SINCE SALVATION IS ETERNAL, ONE IS FOREVER SAVED EVEN IF HE CHOOSES TO WALK IN SIN?

The following verses gives us God’s perspective on that

1 John 3:9 (NIV)

No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.

Hebrews 10:26 (NIV)

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 

Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 

How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 

For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Hold on one bit.

Wear your glasses 

let’s look at the SENTENCE… THE LORD WILL JUDGE (greek Kreeno which means to separate, put assunder) HIS PEOPLE.

HUH?

Someone please give me apple juice!

Isn’t it this word kreeno (put assunder), the same word Jesus used in In John 3:18?

“He that believeth on him (JESUS) is not condemned (Kreeno- put assunder): but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Let me say it plain English, perhaps you read it Swahili

#Laughs

Anyone that does not believe in Jesus is Kreeno (separated from God). He that believes and deliberately continues to sin, the Lord shall kreeno (separate, put asunder).

Do you also remember that to be put asunder is to be dead from God aka not having eternal life?

Sips my Hollandia Yoghurt

(Clears my throat)

Take a look at these verses

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Mathew 10:22 What happens if you drop half way? You shall no longer be saved! And if salvation means having eternal life. Does someone who is no longer saved still having eternal life?

But Jesus told him, "Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God." Luke 9:62 (NLT)

 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. John 15:6 (NIV)

Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. Revelation 22:14

That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:27 (KJV)

We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. Hebrews 3:14 (NIV)

So darling, what’s your answer?

Always saved forever saved?

I’ll like to know your thoughts.

Committed to your fulfillment

Anne Atulaegwu

JOIN ME AT THE PREACHER'S KIDS CONFERENCE THIS WEEKEND. 

DETAILS HERE