ArchivedOnce saved always saved? :: Reply to AnieoReply to Anieo You are putting unwarranted assumption into the text. Nowhere do these verses show apostasy being equated to the loss of salvation. Because possession can mean different things. For instance, there is a difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge. You can know the truth but not truly believe it. Remember what happened to the father of the possessed boy in Mark 9: Mark 9 [NIV] 21 Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered. 22 "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." 23 " 'If you can'? " said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." 24 Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Notice that the father of the boy wanted to believe, yet could not. So it is with many pseudo-Christians. Another example is genuine belief in the wrong things. For instance, one can genuinely have faith in a counterfeit Christ, or a version of Christ that does not exist. The Corinthians seemed to have suffered from this basic problem: 2 Corinthians 11 [NIV] 3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. 5 But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those "super-apostles." This list can go on. But I believe the point is made. This encyclopedia entry (page 1, bottom) does not list a single verse from Scripture that establishes a connection between apostasy and the loss of salvation. You are relying on your personal assumptions put into this article to make the point. The only thing that comes remotely close is this: Jude 1:6 [NIV] And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. The angels were not under grace, nor did they have any atoning sacrifice for their sins. Thus, when the sinned, they were sent straight to hell. This is because they were created perfect (ref. Deuteronomy 32:4, Ezekiel 28:12), thereby rendering them in full control of their actions. However, all humans are born sinful without choice (ref. Romans 5:12-14). They are all imperfect, thereby not giving them full control of their actions. This caused God to make grace and an atoning sacrifice available to all men. Thus, comparing the fall of angels to man's salvation is a faulty analogy. It is like comparing apples to oranges. And how do you know that they were truly born again? All you have is assumptions. However, if any of the examples you could provide were truly saved, I would agree that the Spirit will go silent when one refuses to listen to it. But, nowhere does Scripture show the Spirit leaving a believer. To the contrary, Scripture says that the Spirit will forever stay with a believer: Hebrews 13:5 [NIV] Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Matthew 28:20 [NIV] "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." John 14:16 [NIV] And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- 17 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. Were Christ and Paul lying? Then prove this is the case with Scriptural prooftexting. Trying to argue alleged "historical facts" only serves to divert the discussion. You have yet to provide Scriptural prooftexting that directly links apostasy to the loss of salvation. Instead, you assume this is the case and insert unwarranted assumption into the text. This issue is not about "voiding out Scripture," but rather properly interpreting it. And accusing all OSAS adherents of trying to "void out Scripture" is an unjustified circumstantial ad hominem attack. So are you saying that the demerits of one's actions can merit the loss of their unmerited salvation? Not only is this paradoxical reasoning, but it also violates Ephesians 2:8-9 and Romans 11:6. Ephesians 2 [NIV] 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. Romans 11:6 [NIV] And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. Just because Scripture uses an "if-then" statement does not mean that it is establishing a condition for salvation. That is an unwarranted assumption based on doctrinal presuppositions. In addition, I respectfully submit this personal note: What I find frustrating, yet amusing, is the fact that most adherents to Conditional Salvation theology think they see references to their doctrine in just about any part of Scripture. It seems that they cannot turn a page of the Bible without spotting "prooftexting." The reason that this is the case is because they actively read Scripture with their presuppositions and assumptions in mind, not for what Scripture actually says. The result is cart load after cart load of misquoted Scripture, which is piled together in an effort to "stack the deck" against the opposing viewpoint. Thus, if you refute 10 misquotes of Scripture, they usually show no signs of caring. Instead, they will simply conjure up another 10 misquotes. And the cycle will continue to repeat itself until they display boredom and leave. You are putting unwarranted assumptions into the text. Revelation 3 [NIV] 1"To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. 4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Notice that Revelation 3:1-5 is addressed to the spiritually dead church called "Sardis." Not only does Christ tell this church that it is dead (verse 1), but he also instructs it to remember what it received and repent (verse 3). Then Christ notes that some people have not soiled their clothes (verse 4), or are true believers. He then lists the rewards that these believers (verse 4), and others that join them by overcoming (verse 5), will get in the future (verses 4 and 5). When Christ calls for people to "overcome," he is calling for its members to overcome the spiritual deadness of this church. And this is to be done by repenting after remembering what they received and heard, which are the steps towards being saved. Therefore, "overcoming" simply means successfully taking the necessary steps to be saved, or the immediate result of doing this. Therefore, Revelation 3:1-5 is not written within the framework of believers losing their salvation, but rather the spiritually dead getting salvation. And with this in mind, let us examine Revelation 3:5. Revelation 3:5 [NIV] He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. Revelation 3:5 [NASB] 'He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. Revelation 3:5 [KJV] He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. The word for "never" [NIV] and "not" [NASB and KJV] is Ou me (Strong's #3364), which means "never, certainly not, not at all, by no means" [Strong's Lexicon] and "a double negative strengthening the denial; not at all:--any more, at all, by any (no) means, neither, never, no (at all), in no case (wise), nor ever, not (at all, in any wise)" [Strong's Greek Dictionary]. In this verse, Christ is strongly affirming that no believer's name will be removed from the Book of Life. In other words, Christ is emphasizing the security of the believers from Sardis, especially that of the overcomers, not their insecurity. Quite simply, you do not encourage the people of Sardis to overcome, or be saved, by saying how one's name can be removed from the Book of Life. This would be nonsensical. So no, Revelation 3:5 is not speaking about Conditional Salvation. You are putting unwarranted assumption into the text. John 8 [NIV] 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8 [NASB] 31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." John 8 [KJV] 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. The Greek word for "teaching" [NIV] and "word" [NASB and KJV] is logos (Strong's 3056), which means "of speech," specifically "doctrine or teaching" [Strong's Lexicon]. The Greek term for "disciples" [NIV, NASB, KJV] is mathetes (Strong's #3101), which means "a learner, pupil, disciple" [Strong's Lexicon] and "a learner, i.e. pupil:--disciple" [Strong's Greek Dictionary]. These verses are speaking about discipleship. Notice that in verse 31, he tells the believing Jews that if they hold to his words or teachings, then they will truly be his learners, pupils, or disciples. Then in verse 32, he says that the result of this will be them knowing the truth, which will set them free. In short, Christ is speaking about a teacher and student relationship between him and the believing Jews, with the communication of knowledge being the purpose. Thus, the conditional statement being made here applies to being a true learner of knowledge, not keeping salvation. When put within the context of John 8, this statement was directed towards Jews who had just started believing him (verse 30). In response to their belief, Christ made an offer in the form of the above conditional statement (verses 31 and 32). This means that he had directed this statement towards the unsaved, not believers. This is significant because one must receive knowledge before issues of receiving salvation come into play. So no, John 8:31 does not set down a condition for keeping salvation. You are putting unwarranted assumption into Scripture. John 8:52 [NIV] [...]yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death. John 8:52 [NASB] [...]and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.' John 8:52 [KJV] [...]and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. The Greek word for "keeps" [NIV and NASB] and "keep" [KJV] is tereo (Strong's #5083), which means "to attend to carefully, take care of," as in "to observe" [Strong's Lexicon] and "to guard (from loss or injury, properly, by keeping the eye upon; [...] by implication, to detain (in custody; figuratively, to maintain); by extension, to withhold (for personal ends; figuratively, to keep unmarried); by extension, to withhold (for personal ends; figuratively, to keep unmarried):--hold fast, keep(- er), (pre-, re-)serve, watch" [Strong's Greek Dictionary]. The Greek word for "word" [NIV and NASB] and "saying" [KJV] is logos (Strong's 3056), which means "of speech," specifically "doctrine or teaching" [Strong's Lexicon]. In John 8:52, Christ is speaking to the unbelieving Jews. He says that if one carefully attends to, observes, or detains what he has said or taught, then one will never taste death. In other words, one must follow Christ's teachings in order to avoid spiritual death. This means that Christ was offering the unbelieving Jews knowledge that leads one to salvation. However, the unbelieving Jews rejected this offer with mocking criticism (verse 53 and 57). So no, John 8:52 does not provide a condition for keeping salvation. You are putting unwarranted assumption into Scripture. 1 John 2 [NIV] 18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist--he denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 24 See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us--even eternal life. 26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit--just as it has taught you, remain in him. Verse 24 is not speaking about a condition to keep salvation, but rather how the individual preservation of "what you have heard" guarantees that one has attained salvation, or is in Christ. Notice that in verse 19, John mentions how certain Christians simply left, which showed that they were not really Christians. Then, in verses 22 and 23, John states how unbelievers reject the truth and show they are unsaved. And then in verse 26, John mentions how many people are trying to lead Christians astray. Thus, within this context, verse 24 serves as a standard for knowing truth and guaranteeing salvation in light of such circumstances. You are misquoting John 10:28-30. John 10 [NIV] 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one." The Greek word for "hand" [NIV, NASB, and KJV] is cheir (Strong's #5495), which means "fig. applied to God symbolising his might, activity, power," specifically "in upholding and preserving (God is present protecting and aiding one)" and/or "in determining and controlling the destinies of men" [Strong's Lexicon] and "(through the idea of hollowness for grasping); the hand (literally or figuratively (power); especially (by Hebraism) a means or instrument):--hand" [Strong's Greek Dictionary]. In John 10:28-30, Christ illustrates the security of his sheep by saying they cannot be snatched out of his hand ( verse 28 ) and God the Father's hand (verse 29). Does this mean that Christ's sheep, or believers, are literally standing in the hand of Christ and God the Father? No, these verses are a symbolic illustration of their grasp on believers, which is maintained through activity and power. And this activity and power is used to uphold believers, preserve believers, and determine or control the destiny of believers. Now notice that verses 28 and 29 say that nobody can snatch Christ's sheep, or believers, out of Christ's or God the Father's hand. This means that nobody can void out their activity and power that surrounds believers. More specifically, nobody can nullify how they uphold believers, preserve believers, and determine or control the destiny of believers. This is significant because these verses outline intangible realities that an external person or the believer themself cannot nullify through free will actions. It is only by Christ and God the Father's choice that such things are removed or stopped. Therefore, this verse applies to all people, even believers themselves. You are confusing salvation with sanctification. There is a difference between having a life in Christ (salvation) and how one lives their life in Christ (sanctification). Salvation is easily obtained, for it is by God's grace alone (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 11:6). However, the difficulty comes in traveling the path of sanctification that God sets before you. This is because sanctification is imparted by God (ref. Romans 6:22, 2 Corinthians 3:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:23). This is speaking about requirements for true discipleship, not salvation. Where does Christ say that this is a requirement for keeping salvation? Nowhere in these Scriptural quotations does it state that anyone lost their salvation. You are relying on assumption put into the text to make your point. How do you know that he was saved, but then lost his salvation? You are putting unwarranted assumption into the text. 1 Corinthians 9 [NIV] 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul uses an analogy to explain the life of believers. Specifically, he compares the life of believers to a sporting event, as in a race. When a race is held, the central issue is not if the participants finish the said course, but how they finish the course. In other words, a race is not about completion, but comparison. And in order to do well against others, one must prepare properly, such as in doing training and getting the right equipment. And the more successful an athlete is during the competition, the more they are rewarded. When applied to the life of believers, this analogy shows that simply living a life in Christ, or completing the course, is not enough. Instead, how one lives that life in Christ, or travels the course, is also very important. The believer must prepare by pursuing sanctification, or the proper training. And the more fruitful that a believer is during their life in Christ, the more rewards they will get afterwards. In addition, notice that in verse 25, Paul clearly states that this race is run for crowns that will last forever, or rewards, not salvation. Nowhere does Scripture symbolize salvation as a crown. This is because salvation is a change in one's standing before God, not a material possession. Remember what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15: 1 Corinthians 3 [NIV] 10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. In explaining the judgment of the saints by Christ, Paul points out that people will get different rewards according to their works. Nowhere in the Bible is there an exhaustive list of what these rewards might be. However, some rewards are mentioned within other parts of Scripture. For instance, we will get crowns: Crowns, in general: 1 Corinthians 9:25, 1 Thessalonians 2:19, Revelation 3:11 Crown of Righteousness: 2 Timothy 4:8 Crown of Life: James 1:12, Revelation 2:10 Crown of Glory: 1 Peter 5:4 Crowns worn by elders: Revelation 4:4, Revelation 4:10 Crowns worn by Christ: Revelation 19:12 The list could go on, but the point is made. You are putting unwarranted assumption into Scripture. Revelation 21 [NIV] 6 He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." Notice that in verse 6, Christ mentions that he will give a drink to those who are thirsty. This phraseology is also mentioned in the Gospel (ref. John 4:12-14, John 6:34-36, etc.), where it refers to the giving of the Spirit (John 7:37-39). This is significant, because this expression is Christ's way of offering salvation. This offer is repeated by Christ offering to be one's God and make one his son. This echoes the promises of the New Covenant (Hebrews 8:10 [see Hebrews 8], Galatians 4:4-7). Thus, the context of verses 6 and 7 is clearly about receiving salvation. Therefore, "overcoming" refers to taking the necessary steps to be saved, or the immediate result of obtaining salvation. And this is further supported by how verse 8 states that unbelievers, or the unsaved, will be placed in the lake of fire. You are engaging in a hasty generalization. Can you prove this is the case with all OSAS advocates? I, personally, have never done this. I prefer to stay within the realm of Scriptural interpretation and debate. In doing so, I place equal emphasis on both (1) the believer's responsibilities and accountability and (2) God's sovereignty over salvation. However, I see the balance between these two items in a different context that you do. You are engaging in non sequitur reasoning. Not all adherents to the doctrine of Eternal Security, or OSAS, believe in or use Calvinistic predestination as a basis for their doctrinal beliefs. The problem is that you pay more attention to those that do this as opposed to those who do not. In other words, you pay attention to the "hits" and ignore the "misses." Contrary to your presuppositions, the doctrine of Eternal Security does affirm free will, but also affirms the consequences of free will actions. Specifically, once one makes the choice to accept Jesus Christ, their choice places them under the ownership of Christ and God the Father. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 [NIV] 18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. One is owned by God because their body is the temple of the Spirit (verses 19 and 20). With this in mind, recall that the Spirit dwells in one's inner being (Ephesians 3:16), or spirit (ref. Romans 7:22-23), while one's body is the temple of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16). This is significant because this makes both one's spirit and body part of the "living temple," thereby making God's ownership of an individual all-encompassing. Hence, it is the owner that decides what happens to a believer, not a believer themself. Therefore, citing what believers do is not a valid criteria to declare the loss of one's salvation. Revelation 5 [NIV] 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." Verse 9 clearly says Christ purchased men with his sacrifice, not the other way around in any form. This means that what Christ does with men, not what men do with Christ, is what matters. You are equivocating apostasy with the loss of salvation within free will issues. Nowhere does Scripture link the two concepts. That aside, the idea that one can choose to reject salvation and simply lose it, just like any material gift that one does not want, is inherently based on a misunderstanding of what salvation is. Salvation, among many other things, is the complete payment of one’s sin debt, which includes all the past, present, and future sins one will commit (1 Peter 3:18, Hebrews 9:27-28, Hebrews 10:14). Thus, no matter how much one backslides, their sin debt remains paid for all time. Thus, salvation encompasses a reality that surpasses the simple issue of freewill decision making. And if someone’s sin debt is already paid for all time, then there is no reason why God would revoke that person’s salvation. This is because nothing outside of sin separates the individual from God. No, aside from the other arguments I have presented, there are two key issues that necessitate Eternal Security. First, Conditional Salvation theology neglects the fact that one is a "new creature" in Christ. Titus 3:5 [NIV] he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 2 Corinthians 5:17 [NIV] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 3 [NIV] 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. Romans 7 [NIV] 14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. When one is saved, they are a "new creation" in the sense that (1) a veil is removed from the minds and hearts while (2) their spirit is regenerated into a godly spirit by the Holy Spirit. This creates two key problems for Conditional Salvation theology: 1) In order to fully reject Christ, one must reject Christ in their spirit as well as their flesh. However, if one possesses a godly spirit with a godly nature through regeneration by the Holy Spirit, then they would be required to fully overcome the nature of their spirit, which is impossible. At best, a Christian would backslide or "fall away" due to listening to the sinful nature of their flesh more than the godly nature of their spirit. But one would never be able to reject Christ in spirit. 2) When the veil is removed from the mind and heart of a believer, they will never be able to fully deny the truth of the Gospel in their minds in their hearts. - - - - - Second, Conditional Salvation theology neglects the fact that the Holy Spirit is God's seal on the believer that guarantees the believer's redemption and salvation. And all Christians who are saved receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:37-39). Ephesians 1 13 Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory. 2 Corinthians 1 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. In Ephesians 1:13-14, Paul says that when the Ephesians had believed the gospel, they were sealed by the Holy Spirit as a guarantor of their redemption, or salvation. The Greek word for "marked with a seal" in Ephesians 1:13 is sphragizo (Strong's #4972). This verb is used in the Aorist tense, which means this verb expresses its meaning "without regard for past, present, or future time." In addition, Ephesians 1:13-14 shows that the Holy Spirit is the seal and the only shown criteria for being permanently sealed with the Holy Spirit is believing (ref. Acts 16:30-31, Romans 10:9-10), or simply being saved (Acts 2:37-39). Thus, any Christian who has truly believed in Christ at any time in their life will be permanently saved through a permanent sealing by the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17). 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 expresses the idea that believers sealed with the indwelling Holy Spirit are under the ownership of God. The Greek word for " to seal" (Sphragizo, Strong's #4972) again ocurrs in the Aorist tense, thereby indicating that those sealed with the indwelling Holy Spirit are under permanent ownership of God. Ephesians 4 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Like it or not, doubts can enter your mind, even while you offer the most ardent resistance to the opposing viewpoint. Put another way, seeds can be planted within you despite your best efforts to dig them up. Therefore, I take such claims of mental invincibility with a grain of salt. Instead, I prefer to let the conversation take its natural course before making such conclusions. So are you claiming that the Spirit gives you the correct interpretation of Scripture? What about when people of the opposing viewpoint claim the same thing? How do you prove that this claim applies to you as opposed to others? You are putting unwarranted assumption into the text. The term "saved" (sozo, Strong's #4982) can have multiple meanings, as in (1) possessing spiritual salvation, (2) being protected from something, or (3) preserving something. Notice that in Matthew 10, Christ is giving the Apostles instructions for when they are sent out (verse 5). Within these instructions, Christ focuses on their mission ( verses 5-8 ), habits or conduct they should adopt (verses 6-16), and how they will encounter persecution (verses 17-23). The statement in question is made within the third focus of Christ, which is how they will encounter persecution. He specifically says that if they endure, then they will be saved. This means that their personal preservation from that particular misfortune comes from enduring, abiding, or remaining (Hupomeno, Strong's # 5278). The encyclopedia articles you cite (page 3, bottom) do not quote any verses that establish a connection between apostasy and the loss of salvation. You are relying on your personal assumptions put into these articles to make the point. If you disagree with this, then post the Scriptural references that you want addressed. |
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