Hello.
I had this very same question. I asked a fellow Christian what he thought, and this is the email he sent me. As a new member of the Baptist Church, my Pastor stated 1. justification (getting saved) 2. sanctification (basically a lifelong process of becoming more Holy) 3.Glorification (you've arrived..he taught most of us are in the sanctification phase until we die).
HOWEVER...LISTEN TO THIS PART....He also stated that there are some people who can go to church and may not be saved. So these people CAN fall away. I asked how? He stated that because they weren't GENUINE BELIEVERS in the first place. So how do you know a GENUINE BELIEVER????? OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S WORD!!!! Does that mean that we can't slip-up every once and a while? All of us slip up every once and a while! what's the bible state, not an exact quote but along the lines of.. anyone who claims they're not a sinner is a liar. So if we 'get saved', and then go back to living like the rest of the world, that's a pretty good indication that person may be in trouble. That's a pretty good indication that the person may not be saved. That's not 'bearing fruit' if we are back into habitual sin. I struggle with obedience!!! I struggle with obedience every single day!! In fact, I'll be blatently honest with you, and I don't care what anybody else thinks reading this, do you have any idea how hard it is for me to stay away from being on a porn site this very moment!!!!!!!!! We all struggle. But being 'saved' is not a license to sin ( Not that I'm saying that's what your saying at all). I highly doubt that they're isn't a Christian that doesn't struggle with obedience. That's just my two cents and to be honest, I'm still learning all I can...thanks and on to the email that comforted me...
The email response to my question below...
As for the lady Mary K. Baxter, I do not know of her at all (<<I had asked him what he thought of Mary K. Baxter, whether or not she was telling the truth because her story so disturbing>>). I have never come across her book or any book of her so to speak, so I can not tell you what I think of her as a person. But as her interpretation of the word, she is most certainly wrong & wrong in such a big way if she teaches that you can lose your salvation ( just one other aspect of this as well, she is a woman & according to the word, women can not teach men in any way )see 1 Timothy 2:11-12, 1 Timothy 2:13-14, 2 Timothy 2:14, Women in the church are not restricted to public praying or prophesying (1 Corinthians 11:5), only to having spiritual teaching authority over men. The Bible nowhere restricts women from exercising the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians chapter 12). Women, just as much as men, are called to minister to others, to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and to proclaim the Gospel to the lost (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15).
After saying this salvation can not be lost at all & anyone who claim this are teaching error & in so doing are calling God a liar, please note: Salvation is trusting or believing in, by faith, that Jesus Christ paid for your sins with His blood on the cross of Calvary.
"He that BELIEVETH on the Son hath everlasting life:. . ." John 3:36
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever BELIEVETH in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
The Bible makes it clear that OUR WORKS has nothing whatsoever to do with our salvation.
We don't receive it by our works - and we don't keep it by our works!
" NOT BY WORKS of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us,. . ." Titus 3:5
"For by grace are ye saved 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
Salvation is the free gift of God. If we had to work to keep it - it would not be a free gift - and God would be a liar!
". . . the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23
". . .by the righteousness of one THE FREE GIFT came upon all men unto justification of life." Romans 5:18
Salvation is not enduring or a process, but an event in time. Salvation is a NEW BIRTH. Just as your first birth happened on a certain time and day, so does the second birth.
"(For he saith, I have heard thee in a TIME accepted, and in THE DAY OF SALVATION have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted TIME; behold, now is THE DAY OF SALVATION.)" 2 Corinthians 6:2
"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be BORN AGAIN, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3
"Being BORN AGAIN, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." 1 Peter 1:23
Once you are born again SPIRITUALLY - you become a child of God.
"Beloved, NOW are we the SONS OF GOD, . . ." 1 John 3:2
"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of ADOPTION, whereby we cry, Abba, FATHER." Romans 8:15
Just as nothing can "negate" your physical birth, nothing can "negate" your spiritual birth.
My children will always be my children. We may have troubled times. Our fellowship may be broken, but our relationship can never be broken. They will always be my children. Nothing or nobody can change that! And once you are born again spiritually - God becomes your Father - nothing or nobody can change that! Your fellowship may be broken, but your relationship can never be broken!
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 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." Romans 8:38
"My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." John 10:29
Jesus promised He will never leave us. Jesus could not say this if there was even a chance of losing our salvation.
". . .for he hath said, I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE, nor forsake thee." Hebrews 13:5
". . . and, lo, I am with you ALWAY, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Matthew 28:20
When the Bible speaks of possessing eternal life, it speaks in the present tense (hath, have, etc.) - SOMETHING WE ALREADY HAVE! If we had to work or endure to keep our salvation, this could not be true.
"He that believeth on the Son HATH EVERLASTING LIFE:.. ." John 3:36
"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE,. . ." 1 John 5:13
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, HATH EVERLASTING LIFE,. . ." John 5:24
". . . him that cometh to me I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT." John 6:37
"And ye are COMPLETE IN HIM, which is the head of all principality and power:" Colossians 2:10
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