Just how do I keep my salvation?
"Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith..." Hebrews 12:2a
Nothing like giving a provocative title to a blog, eh? Let me just jump right into the middle of one of the biggest Christian debates in all history. I'm feeling rather theologically mischievous today, but I really do have a good point to all this that may help you, so please bear with me.
Okay...this really conjures up the old question, "Can I, or can't I, lose my salvation?" Which is right? Or...maybe...it's not really either choice; that is, as most of us understand the question...and maybe...both are right. Maybe we don't even understand what we're asking. Let me explain...
First, the argument. There is one side of evangelical Christianity that says that if salvation is a free gift of God's grace (unmerited favor), and it has nothing to do with us, and if we can't possibly come to God on our own or save ourselves, then we can't lose it either. In other words, "once saved always saved." It's a compelling argument that can be substantiated in Scripture. A champion of this theology was John Calvin, a noted theologian in the 16th Century. American preachers like Jonathon Edwards, reformation theology in general, and a host of other evangelicals adopt this view. While I tend to agree with most of Calvin's postulates, I believe that some of his defenders, zealous to prove God's sovereignty, have taken it to extremes, thus putting God in this box, making Him some control freak that's really doing little more than playing games with souless human robots. He created us in His image with a will to choose, only to totally take it away from us! And He further compounds the ridicule by telling us to choose! This extreme Calvinistic argument is a bit ridiculous in my view.
On the other side of the debate, there are people who believe man has, at least, limited free will and responsibility (meaning "response-ability"); thus they can indeed lose their salvation. These people, too, substantiate their view with just as many Scriptural references as the Calvinists. The champion for this view was a theologian named Jacobus Arminius, who was born shortly after Calvin. Interestingly enough, Arminius was actually taught by Calvin's son-in-law and was himself a "Calvinist" until he heard someone argue the other side better than he so he rejected pure Calvinist teachings. John Wesley, founder of the Methodists, was also a preacher of note who adopted many of the Arminian beliefs, along with many Pentecostal and holiness persuations. I will add at this point that some have taken this position to mean that if we died while "sinning," we've lost our salvation, which I personally think is as ridiculous as extreme Calvinistic views.
I must also mention here that both sides believe that a person cannot save himself but only by God's grace drawing him. And neither believes in man's unlimited free will. But these are the two basic views given in a very simplistic fashion.
Ok, enough with the history. Which one is right? Or are they both wrong? Are they both right? Is there yet another option? (Did I get you to say hmmmm yet?) Actually, in a way (and I mean, a way), all of these answers could be right.
We must understand that Scripture does indeed teach us that our salvation has nothing to what we have done but what we believe. So...just what are we to believe then?
The first thing we need to understand is that our sin nature condemned us to die and be forever separated from God ("death" means separation). Without going into detail here on that, suffice to say, there are many Scriptures to support this truth. The second thing we need to understand is that God must have justice for our sin, our violation of His creation purpose (to glorify God), and that this justice was satisfied by Christ Jesus. More on this later. But first I want you to notice something about the following passage.
In 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them.”
Notice here that we had nothing to do with this exchange and payment for sin. God reconciled us (straightened out man's sin problem) through Christ. In other words, we weren't involved in this "reconciling" equation at all. But there is another thing we must know about this reconciliation. It is a gift from God that no one deserves. Of course, Paul plainly says this very thing in Ephesians 2:8-9...
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."
So this salvation is a free gift. (that's an important point) For a gift is not something we have anything to do with other than to "receive" it graciously from the giver (or Giver, in this case). Just like if you gave me a gift, maybe a box of candy. I had nothing to do with whatever it took to make the candy, nor do I necessarily deserve it; the only thing I can do is respond to you by receiving it from your hand. I do this because I believe you when you say you're giving it me. And after receiving it from you, it is now mine.
And I say this because it is not mine until I accept the fact that the gift is actually mine. Before my receiving it, it was only potentially mine; in other words, it was indeed a gift provided for me but might as well not even have existed unless I actually "receive" it. And with regard to the free gift of salvation, there is nothing I can do except receive it by believing that God's justice has been satisfied on my behalf.
Why this is important is because Scripture says that Christ died for the sins of the "whole world" (I John 2:2). As I already pointed out, it is a free gift from God for all mankind, but nonetheless, until a person actually accepts this free gift...or "receives Christ by faith" ...this free gift does them no good. In this regard, everyone who is lost is already forgiven, as well as everyone who is saved. The only difference between the two is that the latter are saved by faith (having received the free gift), and the former are lost because they did not believe, thus, did not receive it by faith. Again, it had nothing to do with whether they lived a good life, lived a wicked life, obeyed or disobeyed all the commandments, but whether they received by trusting in the free gift of God.
Back to the "exchange" in 2 Cor 5... The question is, if it was all Christ's work that God is satisfied with, then what has changed about this, or will ever change about this historical fact in the future? For that matter, will anything about the gift change? You're right, nothing will change becuase it's already done...it is finished! And it had nothing to do with me or my performance. Christ's Blood satisfied God at Calvary 2,000 years ago...it still does now...and ever will satisfy God in the future. So, the question is, if we had nothing to do with satisfying God's requirements to make us right before Him, and it's a free gift, then how can anything you or I do ever change that? For if I sin, even in the future...did Christ's atonement still satisfy God? Yes. Did it change anything concerning my salvation? No. So does Jesus' Blood shed still atone for all I have done or ever will do? The answer is still, Yes.
Sounds like Calvin was right...but hold on a minute....what about all the Scriptures about people who have left the faith, those apostates, and those who have turned away from the grace of God? Furthermore, why did Paul and the other writers spend so much time telling believers to "keep the faith" and persevere if "falling away" was an impossibility? Arminianists may point to many Scriptures like the following:
"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame." Heb.6:4-6
Sounds to me like believers are able to walk away and even go past repentance (like Esau). And I know full well our Calvinist friends have their answers to these apparent warnings, but even our beloved salvation verse, John 3:16 says “anyone who believes” does not mean anyone who believed at one point in time, but rather, it is a continuous act of believing. Numerous epistles in the New Testament also exhort people to overcome and promise eternal life to those who do so. If overcoming was guaranteed upon salvation, the exhortation would be foolish. The point is, both sides can make equally compelling arguments, and both sides have problems with their arguments. I am not going to belabor those differences anymore here.
Okay, again, you may ask...what is it? What's your point, Mel? Well, here's my point...if salvation is already settled in heaven, not based on anything I do, and at the same time, I must somehow persist and persevere, it must mean something else to "keep the faith" (otherwise it's pointless to tell me to do something God will do for me anyway).
I believe that it means what I said at the beginning...that our salvation is not based on what we do but what we believe. My "keeping" and "persevering" is only in my continuing to believe and trust in what Jesus did, not what I do or don't do. For nothing ever changes about God's salvation. And as long as I continue to believe that, I have "kept the faith."
So you see...it has absolutely nothing to do with whether I still sin or not...God has already given up on me anyway! My flesh will always be my flesh. God is not interested in redeeming my flesh! To think otherwise is to still be arguing with God! But it has everything to do with whether I give up (renounce) any other way but to put my entire dependence upon God and know that He is satisfied with Jesus' payment for me on the Cross. Whether I sin or not is entirely a different matter...only by walking in the Spirit, in other words, using my will to yield to God's will, can I overcome sinning. The flesh is always the flesh; the spirit is the spirit. But that's another subject...
So when I'm "looking unto Jesus," I have been saved...I am being saved...and will be saved. But, on the other hand, if I still believe that I have to make myself right with God somehow by rules and regulations, through what I do, whether it sounds Christian or not, then I have fallen from grace (Gal.5:4).
So, let me be clear in what I am saying here...my (and your) only part here is to keep believing and totally trusting what Jesus did; God's part is to save me and keep me. And His "keeping" comes from my trusting Him by faith. Faith comes first through my cooperation, helped by His grace, then, and only then, His promise comes into my experience...my peace with God, my justification, my sanctification, imparted entirely by the Spirit through faith in Christ. And, in that way, I enter into the "rest of God" (Heb.4)
So...was Calvin or Arminius right? My answer...Yes! Did God "predestine" me, have foreknowledge, already plan in advance that I would would believe...or did I have make the choice and turn to Him? The answer again...Yes! It was preplanned, provided for and I have to make the choice. In fact, He even helps me make the choice because He knew I would make the choice! (Ponder that one...it will make your time-bound head hurt!) And even though He gives me a choice to keep the faith, the Holy Spirit in me helps me do so. So God gets all the glory; I get His salvation and joy of the Lord! Hallelujah!
Furthermore, I can have "blessed assurance" because I can be and remain confident in what Jesus did, and know that I know that I know...that I am without a doubt, saved! Why? Because God's requirements aren't up to me to keep! Believing in Christ's finished work on the Cross is what I "keep." I stop struggling with God and agree with His assessment of me, that I am hopelessly unrepairable, but Jesus' life and Blood is enough and nothing can ever change that! I have absolutely no confidence in a sinner's prayer, or that I was repentant or sorry enough, or that I follow rules good enough, but my confidence is in that Jesus satisfied God's requirements for me. This, I believe! This, I hold on to by faith.
Brothers and sisters, if we can just get a revelation of this, we will get our eyes off of ourselves (on either side), forever bound by sin-conscienceness and fears, and the whole debate outlined here becomes totally irrelevant! There is nothing I can do to lose God's salvation...as long as I believe that it is enough for God.
You may ask, "This sounds a lot more like Calvinism than Arminianism, that I really can't lose my salvation. Well, that's fine if that helps you, but there is a critical distinction. Calvinism leads me to forfeit my will and basically wait for God to act on the earth in all His affairs. In this way, it is a passive faith. But if I do have a will, then it must be that God wants me to use it to partner or cooperate with Him, to release His decrees and purposes on the earth.
Like Daniel, whose intercession and prayers released God's purposes for Israel's return from captivity, or Jesus' admonition for us to pray for God's will to be done on the earth as it is in heaven, it does make a difference what we do. For instance, even though God has already done everything, we still must pray, we must still seek, we must still ask to see His purposes come to fruition. If we don't pray, not much, if anything, happens. Scripture even says that we can "hasten" the coming of the day of the Lord (2 Pet.3:12). It's time to wake up from our slumber and passivity and get on with God's business! More on that some other time...
I will leave you with this thought...What is the work are we to do? Jesus answered it best in John 6:29...“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." So let's keep believing and run the race set before us!
Nothing like giving a provocative title to a blog, eh? Let me just jump right into the middle of one of the biggest Christian debates in all history. I'm feeling rather theologically mischievous today, but I really do have a good point to all this that may help you, so please bear with me.
Okay...this really conjures up the old question, "Can I, or can't I, lose my salvation?" Which is right? Or...maybe...it's not really either choice; that is, as most of us understand the question...and maybe...both are right. Maybe we don't even understand what we're asking. Let me explain...
First, the argument. There is one side of evangelical Christianity that says that if salvation is a free gift of God's grace (unmerited favor), and it has nothing to do with us, and if we can't possibly come to God on our own or save ourselves, then we can't lose it either. In other words, "once saved always saved." It's a compelling argument that can be substantiated in Scripture. A champion of this theology was John Calvin, a noted theologian in the 16th Century. American preachers like Jonathon Edwards, reformation theology in general, and a host of other evangelicals adopt this view. While I tend to agree with most of Calvin's postulates, I believe that some of his defenders, zealous to prove God's sovereignty, have taken it to extremes, thus putting God in this box, making Him some control freak that's really doing little more than playing games with souless human robots. He created us in His image with a will to choose, only to totally take it away from us! And He further compounds the ridicule by telling us to choose! This extreme Calvinistic argument is a bit ridiculous in my view.
On the other side of the debate, there are people who believe man has, at least, limited free will and responsibility (meaning "response-ability"); thus they can indeed lose their salvation. These people, too, substantiate their view with just as many Scriptural references as the Calvinists. The champion for this view was a theologian named Jacobus Arminius, who was born shortly after Calvin. Interestingly enough, Arminius was actually taught by Calvin's son-in-law and was himself a "Calvinist" until he heard someone argue the other side better than he so he rejected pure Calvinist teachings. John Wesley, founder of the Methodists, was also a preacher of note who adopted many of the Arminian beliefs, along with many Pentecostal and holiness persuations. I will add at this point that some have taken this position to mean that if we died while "sinning," we've lost our salvation, which I personally think is as ridiculous as extreme Calvinistic views.
I must also mention here that both sides believe that a person cannot save himself but only by God's grace drawing him. And neither believes in man's unlimited free will. But these are the two basic views given in a very simplistic fashion.
Ok, enough with the history. Which one is right? Or are they both wrong? Are they both right? Is there yet another option? (Did I get you to say hmmmm yet?) Actually, in a way (and I mean, a way), all of these answers could be right.
We must understand that Scripture does indeed teach us that our salvation has nothing to what we have done but what we believe. So...just what are we to believe then?
The first thing we need to understand is that our sin nature condemned us to die and be forever separated from God ("death" means separation). Without going into detail here on that, suffice to say, there are many Scriptures to support this truth. The second thing we need to understand is that God must have justice for our sin, our violation of His creation purpose (to glorify God), and that this justice was satisfied by Christ Jesus. More on this later. But first I want you to notice something about the following passage.
In 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them.”
Notice here that we had nothing to do with this exchange and payment for sin. God reconciled us (straightened out man's sin problem) through Christ. In other words, we weren't involved in this "reconciling" equation at all. But there is another thing we must know about this reconciliation. It is a gift from God that no one deserves. Of course, Paul plainly says this very thing in Ephesians 2:8-9...
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."
So this salvation is a free gift. (that's an important point) For a gift is not something we have anything to do with other than to "receive" it graciously from the giver (or Giver, in this case). Just like if you gave me a gift, maybe a box of candy. I had nothing to do with whatever it took to make the candy, nor do I necessarily deserve it; the only thing I can do is respond to you by receiving it from your hand. I do this because I believe you when you say you're giving it me. And after receiving it from you, it is now mine.
And I say this because it is not mine until I accept the fact that the gift is actually mine. Before my receiving it, it was only potentially mine; in other words, it was indeed a gift provided for me but might as well not even have existed unless I actually "receive" it. And with regard to the free gift of salvation, there is nothing I can do except receive it by believing that God's justice has been satisfied on my behalf.
Why this is important is because Scripture says that Christ died for the sins of the "whole world" (I John 2:2). As I already pointed out, it is a free gift from God for all mankind, but nonetheless, until a person actually accepts this free gift...or "receives Christ by faith" ...this free gift does them no good. In this regard, everyone who is lost is already forgiven, as well as everyone who is saved. The only difference between the two is that the latter are saved by faith (having received the free gift), and the former are lost because they did not believe, thus, did not receive it by faith. Again, it had nothing to do with whether they lived a good life, lived a wicked life, obeyed or disobeyed all the commandments, but whether they received by trusting in the free gift of God.
Back to the "exchange" in 2 Cor 5... The question is, if it was all Christ's work that God is satisfied with, then what has changed about this, or will ever change about this historical fact in the future? For that matter, will anything about the gift change? You're right, nothing will change becuase it's already done...it is finished! And it had nothing to do with me or my performance. Christ's Blood satisfied God at Calvary 2,000 years ago...it still does now...and ever will satisfy God in the future. So, the question is, if we had nothing to do with satisfying God's requirements to make us right before Him, and it's a free gift, then how can anything you or I do ever change that? For if I sin, even in the future...did Christ's atonement still satisfy God? Yes. Did it change anything concerning my salvation? No. So does Jesus' Blood shed still atone for all I have done or ever will do? The answer is still, Yes.
Sounds like Calvin was right...but hold on a minute....what about all the Scriptures about people who have left the faith, those apostates, and those who have turned away from the grace of God? Furthermore, why did Paul and the other writers spend so much time telling believers to "keep the faith" and persevere if "falling away" was an impossibility? Arminianists may point to many Scriptures like the following:
"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame." Heb.6:4-6
Sounds to me like believers are able to walk away and even go past repentance (like Esau). And I know full well our Calvinist friends have their answers to these apparent warnings, but even our beloved salvation verse, John 3:16 says “anyone who believes” does not mean anyone who believed at one point in time, but rather, it is a continuous act of believing. Numerous epistles in the New Testament also exhort people to overcome and promise eternal life to those who do so. If overcoming was guaranteed upon salvation, the exhortation would be foolish. The point is, both sides can make equally compelling arguments, and both sides have problems with their arguments. I am not going to belabor those differences anymore here.
Okay, again, you may ask...what is it? What's your point, Mel? Well, here's my point...if salvation is already settled in heaven, not based on anything I do, and at the same time, I must somehow persist and persevere, it must mean something else to "keep the faith" (otherwise it's pointless to tell me to do something God will do for me anyway).
I believe that it means what I said at the beginning...that our salvation is not based on what we do but what we believe. My "keeping" and "persevering" is only in my continuing to believe and trust in what Jesus did, not what I do or don't do. For nothing ever changes about God's salvation. And as long as I continue to believe that, I have "kept the faith."
So you see...it has absolutely nothing to do with whether I still sin or not...God has already given up on me anyway! My flesh will always be my flesh. God is not interested in redeeming my flesh! To think otherwise is to still be arguing with God! But it has everything to do with whether I give up (renounce) any other way but to put my entire dependence upon God and know that He is satisfied with Jesus' payment for me on the Cross. Whether I sin or not is entirely a different matter...only by walking in the Spirit, in other words, using my will to yield to God's will, can I overcome sinning. The flesh is always the flesh; the spirit is the spirit. But that's another subject...
So when I'm "looking unto Jesus," I have been saved...I am being saved...and will be saved. But, on the other hand, if I still believe that I have to make myself right with God somehow by rules and regulations, through what I do, whether it sounds Christian or not, then I have fallen from grace (Gal.5:4).
So, let me be clear in what I am saying here...my (and your) only part here is to keep believing and totally trusting what Jesus did; God's part is to save me and keep me. And His "keeping" comes from my trusting Him by faith. Faith comes first through my cooperation, helped by His grace, then, and only then, His promise comes into my experience...my peace with God, my justification, my sanctification, imparted entirely by the Spirit through faith in Christ. And, in that way, I enter into the "rest of God" (Heb.4)
So...was Calvin or Arminius right? My answer...Yes! Did God "predestine" me, have foreknowledge, already plan in advance that I would would believe...or did I have make the choice and turn to Him? The answer again...Yes! It was preplanned, provided for and I have to make the choice. In fact, He even helps me make the choice because He knew I would make the choice! (Ponder that one...it will make your time-bound head hurt!) And even though He gives me a choice to keep the faith, the Holy Spirit in me helps me do so. So God gets all the glory; I get His salvation and joy of the Lord! Hallelujah!
Furthermore, I can have "blessed assurance" because I can be and remain confident in what Jesus did, and know that I know that I know...that I am without a doubt, saved! Why? Because God's requirements aren't up to me to keep! Believing in Christ's finished work on the Cross is what I "keep." I stop struggling with God and agree with His assessment of me, that I am hopelessly unrepairable, but Jesus' life and Blood is enough and nothing can ever change that! I have absolutely no confidence in a sinner's prayer, or that I was repentant or sorry enough, or that I follow rules good enough, but my confidence is in that Jesus satisfied God's requirements for me. This, I believe! This, I hold on to by faith.
Brothers and sisters, if we can just get a revelation of this, we will get our eyes off of ourselves (on either side), forever bound by sin-conscienceness and fears, and the whole debate outlined here becomes totally irrelevant! There is nothing I can do to lose God's salvation...as long as I believe that it is enough for God.
You may ask, "This sounds a lot more like Calvinism than Arminianism, that I really can't lose my salvation. Well, that's fine if that helps you, but there is a critical distinction. Calvinism leads me to forfeit my will and basically wait for God to act on the earth in all His affairs. In this way, it is a passive faith. But if I do have a will, then it must be that God wants me to use it to partner or cooperate with Him, to release His decrees and purposes on the earth.
Like Daniel, whose intercession and prayers released God's purposes for Israel's return from captivity, or Jesus' admonition for us to pray for God's will to be done on the earth as it is in heaven, it does make a difference what we do. For instance, even though God has already done everything, we still must pray, we must still seek, we must still ask to see His purposes come to fruition. If we don't pray, not much, if anything, happens. Scripture even says that we can "hasten" the coming of the day of the Lord (2 Pet.3:12). It's time to wake up from our slumber and passivity and get on with God's business! More on that some other time...
I will leave you with this thought...What is the work are we to do? Jesus answered it best in John 6:29...“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." So let's keep believing and run the race set before us!
Labels: Christ, Faith, free will, Jesus, salvation, sovereignty
posted by Pastor Mel at 3:44 PM
4 Comments:
Oh boy....would I like to wrestle some more! But I won't! But what I will do is send you a gift. You can accept it or not. But know that it is a free gift, and once I send it to you, I will not ever accept it back...even if you deny the gift! No matter what you do with it, keep it, reject it, deny that I ever sent it to you, or even if you send it back...it will never negate the fact that I am giving you a free gift and it will remain that forever. Or should I say for the "aionion" time period? No, that would be incorrect...Forever would be the right word in this particular case!
Mel, in all seriousness, I SINCERELY appreciate your heart and ministry and do not take that an "accidental push of the button" put us in touch with each other. I love your passion and straight forwardness, and look forward to being challenged and encouraged by what the Lord is doing through you.
TO GOD BE THE GLORY! May we both move beyond the milk and eat at the table! Your servant, brother, and friend. mark
Please note that you may delete this so others won't read it...but know that the gift will be coming!
LOL! You are showing amazing restraint. Very good! I did say I was being theologically mischievous!
And don't get me started on how some have twisted and distorted the Greek word, "aionion!" I could go on for pages and pages how they have tortured the word! According to these folks, it actually means both temporary and eternal...at the same time. Just pick and choose which way you want it! That God aionion and anionion life can be defined as eternal, but "aionion" punishment is temporary! So, if you're following that logic, I wouldn't be too sure about the gift being "aionion" either. But, not to worry, we don't have to wait for it...the gift's been here waiting for us for 2,000 years! And I agree, glory to God!
I don't need to delete your response. I appreciate your viewpoint and your passion for the deeper things of God. Stay hungry...He will fill!
Thanks again for your input.
God bless,
Mel
Okay...whoever these guys are that you are reading...stop! You can't have the word aionion both ways so ignore them!
And just to remind you (cause I know you know this) the Gift has been here waiting before the creation of the world and HE chose to give it whether we want it or not! Just had to through that in.
Have a great weekend! mark
LOL! (Again). I can't stop! Ahhhhhh! Actually, I don't read these articles anymore. But friends of mine have been sending this stuff to me for about four years now, to help me understand this "deeper truth." I'm only "parroting" what a lot of these ultimate reconciliation teachers want me to believe. But I will stop...
Apparently, on this subject at least, we both have strong wills to believe our views and we have resisted each other successfully. So, either we do both have a will, or God's sovereignty somehow led us to believe opposite things. :-)
As far as your gift you mentioned. I decided I don't want it...no matter how long you offer it to me...in fact, I don't even believe it is a gift. I think it's just a crutch for losers who can't think for themselves. And I am not going to have anyone but ME run my life! No one can make me take it...in fact, the more you insist, the more I don't want it! I shake my fist at thee! Ha! I am "my own man" and nobody, I mean nobody, is going to give me anything I don't want. Besides, the gift doesn't even exist...it's just some silly superstition...
Just having fun... :-)
You have a great rest of the weekend too.
God bless,
Mel
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