Many of you folks are holding to a view that salvation is this position you hold APART from the actual CONDITION of the heart
The Bible very clearly states that...
Mat 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
The Bible also states this...
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Dominion means to "rule over." The reason sin is to not have dominion is due to not being "under law" but rather "under grace."
Now if we look in in the next chapter it says this...
Rom 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Rom 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Rom 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Read those scriptures several time and carefully put them all together. What do they teach?
1. Sin shall not have dominion over a Christian.
2. Sin has dominion due to the law (transgression is a violation of the law 1Joh 3:4).
3. Being in the flesh works fruit unto death by the motions of sins.
4. Delivered from the law to serve in newness of Spirit.
Let's add a few more scriptures. First let's demonstrate how the "motions of sins produce death."
Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
The above passage clearly had "death" being the result of "yielding to temptation" which is wrought by the "lusts of the flesh." Yet it is important to establish that this death is ONLY produced when there is LAW. Paul describes the death as follows...
Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Rom 7:8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
Rom 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
Rom 7:10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
Rom 7:11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
Carefully read the above passage again. Notice it teaches that it is "the law" or "the commandment" which GIVES KNOWLEDGE and it is "the knowledge of sin" which gives "sin the power to kill." Hence Paul was alive without the law but when the commandment came sin revived and he died.
This is what happened to Adam and Eve in the garden. They were both innocent and alive walking with God. God then gave them a commandment to not do something. Instead of obeying God Eve yielded to the lusts of her flesh (Gen 3:6) and sinned unto death. The spiritual connection between her and God was broken and thus she died to God having her conscience defiled. Adam followed her example and died also.
Sin is defined in the text 3 times in the New Testament.
Disobedience.
1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Disobedience.
Jas 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Disobedience.
Rom 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
All the verses above have sin defined as either a violation of a command or a violation of conscience. The sin that kills is disobedience.
John describes TWO KINDS of sin.
1Jn 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
1Jn 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
1Jn 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
Now go back and reread Rom 7:7-11 about how sin kills. Paul is describing there "sin unto death" which is ALWAYS presumptuous sin. It is simply CHOOSING to do wrong when YOU KNOW to do right.
Now go back and reread Rom 7:4-6. Dead to the law THROUGH the body of Christ so we can be MARRIED TO ANOTHER which WE SERVE in NEWNESS OF SPIRIT.
The "serving in newness of Spirit" is KEY. Why is it key? Paul writes this...
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Rom 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Being under grace means YOU SERVE RIGHTEOUSNESS instead of serving sin. Read the passage above for it clearly teaches that "being made free from sin" is connected to "obeying from the heart." If a person is still "sinning unto death" (disobedience) then THEY ARE STILL A SLAVE OF SIN (Rom 6:16).
Remember the very first verse I quoted?
Mat 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Jesus actually stated the following...
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
SO WHAT IS SALVATION?
Salvation is being SET FREE FROM SIN. Both the dominion of sin and the bondage of sin.
Many of you believe in some abstract positional salvation which is simply not taught in the Bible. You are holding to a myth and believing in doctrines of men.
Real Christians DO NOT SIN UNTO DEATH. Real Christians KEEP THEMSELVES instead.
1Jn 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
How do they keep themselves?
The walk after the Spirit.
Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
This whole debate of "can you lose your salvation" is pure foolishness because the "salvation" in question is not salvation at all.
Heed this wanring of Paul to Timothy...
1Ti 6:20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:
1Ti 6:21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen. The first to Timothy was written from Laodicea, which is the chiefest city of Phrygia Pacatiana.
Science is knowledge. Oppositions of false knowledge are debates where BOTH SIDES are in error. If your debating about whether salvation can be lost or not but you are not holding to a bliblical view of salvation then you are blowing smoke and wasting your time, deceiving and being deceived.
STOP IT! Dig deep into your Bibles and BELIEVE WHAT IT SAYS. Stop isolating and proof texting passages out of context.
MOST who profess Jesus Christ are going to be rejected at the judgment. Don't be one of them.
Mat 7:22 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?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
MANY MANY MANY MANY MANY MANY MANY.
Few will find life.
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
FEW FEW FEW FEW FEW FEW FEW FEW FEW.
Luk 13:23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
