First, I think the world of you brother, we agree on a lot. But I think the matter swings on this part of your comment... "whether or not a truly born again child of God can lose their Salvation." Where I would say a person has returned to sin, turned away from the truth, you'd say they were never really saved in the first place." I believe you are eternally saved as long as you remain saved. We had a poster in another recent thread here say you could commit murder and if you had at some point in your life confessed you're a Christian you're going to heaven. That is a scary comment. I don't think you'd agree with that. I think you'd say that person was never a sincere Christian in the first place.
Thank you for your kind words. I feel much the same about you.
Yes. You have hit on exactly the issue. I believe that a person who truly is born again. One who has been filled and sealed with the Holy Spirit, (
Ephesians 4:30-32),
whom Jesus said (
John 6:37) All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of
ALL He has given Me I should lose
NOTHING, but should raise it up at the last day. (John 10) And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given
them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch
them out of My Father’s hand. I and
My Father are one.”
He is also this:
Hebrews 12:2
looking unto Jesus, the
AUTHOR and
FINISHER of
our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jude 24
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present
you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
And so much more....
But just with these we have,
The Holy Spirit indwelling AND SEALING the child of God,
Jesus promising he won't lose a SINGLE person that is His,
that NO ONE, not even yourself, can be snatched away from the closed Hands of Father and Son,
that He started AND WILL finish YOUR Faith,
that He is able to prevent you from falling away.
Think about just that one. Will Jesus fail in that promise?
So all of these, and many others, would somehow have to be twisted in such a way to say that Jesus has failed, and to say that no, it's us that have failed, either means He wasn't truthful with His promises, OR that WE are responsible for keeping what He has paid for, and given us. In other words, by necessity it MUST be some type of work we have to do to keep ourselves saved.
No sister, we are secure in Him. We can grieve Him, and hurt Him, and there ARE terrible consequences for doing such, but one of them ISN'T a loss of eternity with Him.
I assure you, I was on your side in this, until revelation by the Spirit through the Word. I hope you can get there as well.
But no worries, if not. Like a thread I started yrs ago, I know of NO ONE who believes exactly as I do on every issue. You love and trust Him, and that's good enough for me.