Salvation 101 (Part 11) - Can the Gift Be Taken Back?

Can one born of water (the flesh) be unborn? No. One may die on this Earth, but one cannot be unborn. It is the same with spiritual birth. One born again cannot be unborn. (I shall paraphrase for clarity and emphasis.)

"No, Nicodemus, you cannot crawl back into your mother's womb. Don't be silly. But, just like you were born of the flesh you must be born in the Spirit. This is what I call born again. It's a one-time thing, never to be repeated, and there's no going back." (John 3:1-6)

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:1-6 ESV)

"Yes, Nicodemus, everyone is born condemned because of Adam. No one earns nor escapes condemnation. But, anyone and everyone who believes in the Son of God is no longer condemned. They are justified as of that moment. There is only one reason anyone would be condemned; they remain so because they refuse to believe in the Son of God." (John 3:16-18, 36, Romans 5:16-19)

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. (Joh 3:16-18)  

 

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (John 3:36)

And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:16-19)

• Because of Adam
• For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation
• because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man
• as one trespass led to condemnation for all men 
• by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners 

• Because of Christ Jesus
• And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. 
• the free gift following many trespasses brought justification
• much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
• one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.
• by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 
• (Romans 5:16-19) 

"My dear Ephesians, and all those with whom this letter is shared, it is by grace, not effort, you have been saved, and this is through faith, turning away from yourself and believing in the Son of God. It is not by 'strength of faith' either, or else that would be your effort, not His. Believe as a child would believe. Salvation is a gift of God, given freely. Salvation is not a reward based on any work or works. 

It is not something you did, nor are doing or going to do, nor anything you are required to do as evidence. It is not a result of any kind of works, no matter how solemn, hallowed, or religious it may be. You cannot boast of any accomplishment, mindset, sincerity, sorrow for sins, or wholeheartedness. 

The Son of God completed 100% of the requirements for people to be saved. Only believe, and you will be saved. Then He will have 100% responsibility for the salvation of your soul. And that, my friends, is guaranteed, sealed by promised Holy Spirit." (Ephesians 2:8-9; 1:13-14)

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV)

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

"See the blatant contrast between condemnation in the first Adam (Adam) and justification in the second Adam (Christ). We're talking death in the first Adam and life in the second. You only die once, but you have eternal life eternally. 

Be convinced no one can ever pluck you out of the Father's hand because no one is stronger than Him. Certainly not you or me. Be convinced that nothing in all Creation can separate us from His love. As Christ declared on the cross, 'It is finished.' The work for salvation is done, and He wants all people to be saved." (Romans 3, 4, 5, 8; John 10:28-29; 1 Timothy 2:4)

Please refer to your Bible for the chapters of Romans 3, 4, 5, 8. Here are a few samples: 

as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. (Romans 3:10-11)

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (Romans 3:23-24)

Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, (Romans 4:4-5 ESV)

But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, (Romans 4:23-24 ESV)

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. (Romans 5:8-9 ESV)

Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:18-19 ESV)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 ESV)

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1 ESV)

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39 ESV)

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will 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 the Father's hand. (John 10:28-29 ESV)

[God] who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4 ESV)

These are but a few of the many places in Scripture that clearly explain why salvation is not a two-way street. The Gospel of John was written so you may believe (John 20:30-31), and the letters of John were written so you may know you have eternal life (1 John 5:13).

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31 ESV)

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13 ESV)

Salvation is not a behavior modification program. So then what is all the talk and warnings about working out your salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12), or being disqualified (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, the "prize" is not salvation)? It is not about losing your salvation; that's a gift that cannot be taken away nor lost. 

The fact of the matter is simple: your personal sins are not an issue in salvation and once you have eternal life you have it. There's nothing to prove. Nothing to live up to. There's no standard you need to achieve nor keep to maintain your gift. It's yours: freely and entirely yours. (2 Cor 5:17-21)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21 ESV)

Behavior, humility, study, etc., the things Paul stresses the saved Christian to do after salvation is about rewards for knowing God, learning and joining His eternal plan, voluntarily, or 'run with endurance' (Hebrews 12:1-2), and not under compulsion, in the work left to do while we here are on Earth. 

We have a wonderful opportunity after coming through the doors of salvation, to participate in God's gracious plan by sharing the gospel with others and then help leading them to all truth. (1 Tim 2:4; John 16:12-15) And know this: even if your works are not good (and be clear a steward of God's word is held to a higher standard), you are still saved. (1 Corinthians 3:13-15)

[God] who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4 ESV)

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John 16:12-15 ESV)

each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:13-15 ESV)

So, what do you think? For one, we can conclude that if there are verses that sound like you can lose your salvation after examining the concrete evidence for eternal security, those verses must mean something else, and they do. Let them. 

Most of the warnings about behavior is against losing effectiveness or losing focus. Perhaps, the simplest example is James 2:17. (So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.) He is not referring to salvation being lost or never without eternal life. 

Rather, James is addressing believers and encouraging them to do good works, which we were created in Christ Jesus to do as in Ephesians 2:10 (For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.) 

It's unfortunate we get confused when James uses the word "justified" (James 2:24). But, Ephesians 2:8-9 make the conditions clear: by grace, through faith, not of yourselves. Paul clearly teaches in Romans 3, you cannot accept a free gift of eternal life by working to earn it (quoted above). Besides, no one can do good works unless they are saved (also quoted above). And Paul continues in Romans 4 and 5 to clarify the sharp contrast between the first Adam and the last Adam (Jesus).

Lastly, all this is to show, and be convinced by, the abundance of the grace of God. He has overcome every obstacle to reconcile us to Himself, which is far more than we could ever have imagined. Why work against this grace? Why not accept it and be convinced in your heart by the Holy Spirit that through Jesus Christ we are children of God, our Father? 

Once we are saved, then, and only then, can we get on with the calling which have received, which is to know Him and Jesus. By this we can then do the good works we created in Christ Jesus to do and capture those heavenly rewards. We shall run the race as for a prize of eternal glory which does not perish.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13 ESV)

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. (John 17:3 ESV) 

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21) Amen!

Know The Love of Christ that Surpasses Knowledge (Eph 3:19)

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

Do we all realize just how much God loves us?

He loves us so much that, without any condition whatsoever, He held back nothing to get us. After Adam sinned, God knew the only way to reconcile man to Himself was to send His only Son in the likeness of a man to die for us. God's righteousness demanded a perfect sacrifice, and Jesus Christ executed His Father's plan perfectly. He became sin, though He did not sin, so that we could become perfect children of God.

Now, nothing stands in our way of reconciliation, not even our personal sins.

That's right! Because of what Christ did, God was completely satisfied this requirement was entirely met. Christ completely satisfied the Father in that He died for all sins, and not for our sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And now, the righteousness of Jesus is simply credited to the accounts of all who believe. All who believe are justified in God's eyes in this way, having done nothing but believe in the name, the person, of His only Son.

Do we realize God did all the work so that His offer could truly come to us as a gift?

There is nothing you have to do to be acceptable to God for salvation. Reconciliation is all based on the condition of your heart in a moment of time. If at any one time in your life you believed and trusted in Jesus for your soul salvation, it was done. You were saved at that moment. Even if you proceeded to screw everything up immediately after, you're still in God's family. If you have never trusted in Jesus for your soul salvation, you can be saved right now by believing and trusting in Jesus Christ in your heart.

There are no degrees of salvation. None!

Once saved, you cannot become more saved or less saved. Just like when you are born in the flesh, you cannot be more born or less born. You are saved by grace through faith in Christ. More than that, you are in the body of Christ, which is what the church really is. No one can take you from the Father's grasp! Nothing will separate you from the love of Christ! He is your Father for eternal life, and eternal life is all about knowing the Father and His Son.

Now that we are saved...

Let's take a little time to rest in Christ, and learn from Him. Let us soak in the assurance of salvation and our guaranteed glorious inheritance in the saints. Let Him tell us all the marvelous things He's done for us, to us and in us, to reconcile us to Himself. What wonderful New Creations He has made of us! And now God, who freely gave us His Spirit, let's us fellowship with Him, to discover what He's really about; again, He holds nothing back from letting us come to know the truth and to know Him. He already knows us, and He loves us just the same. Let us grow into the knowledge of the grace and truth that is in Christ and now imputed to us. Let us speak the truth in love so that we all grow into the fullness of Him who loved us from before the ages began.

When we understand His plan, we'll understand His plan for us. (Romans 12:2)

Love in Christ,
Dwight

(Various Scripture verses are referenced above, including John 3:16; Ephesians 1:13-14, 18, 2:8-9; 1 John 2:2; Matthew 11:28-30; John 10:28-29; Romans 8:38-39; 1 Corinthians 2:7, 12; Philippians 2:5-8; John 17:3; Romans 8:3-4; Titus 3:4-7; Romans 4:4-5; Romans 5:6,8), Ephesians 4:13, 15-17, 2 Corinthians 5:17 etc.)

What's Become of You In Christ

What's Become of You In Christ:

36+ Things at the Moment of Salvation

"The old has passed away; 

behold, the new has come." 

(2 Cor 5:17b)

1. A believer is in the Eternal Plan of God, sharing the destiny of the Lord Jesus Christ. As such the believer is:
Foreknown: Acts 2:23; Rom. 8:29; 1 Pet. 1:2
Elect: Rom. 8:33; Col. 3:12; 1 Thess. 1:4; Titus 1:1; 1 Peter 1:2
Predestined: Rom. 8:29,30; Eph. 1:5,11
Chosen in Christ: Matt. 22:14; 1 Pet. 2:4
Called: 1 Thess. 5:24

2. The believer is Reconciled:
By God, 2 Cor. 5:18; Col. 1:20
To God, Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:20; Eph. 2:14f.

3. The believer is Redeemed: (purchased from the slave market of sin)
Rom. 3:24; Col. 1:14; 1
Pet. 1:18; Eph. 1:7.

4. The believer is removed from Condemnation: 
John 3:18; 5:24; Rom. 8:1.

5. The believer is under Grace and not under Judgment: (doctrine of Propitiation)
Rom. 3:24–28; 1 John 2:2.

6. The believer's sins are judged by the spiritual death of Christ on the Cross: 
Rom. 4:25; Eph.1:7; 1 Pet. 2:24.

7. The believer is made dead to the old life and alive unto God. He/she is:
Crucified with Christ: Rom. 6:6; Gal. 2:20
Dead with Christ: Rom. 6:8; Col. 3:3; 1 Pet. 2:24
Buried with Christ: Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12
Risen with Christ: Rom. 6:4; Col. 3:1

8. The believer is free from the law: 
Rom. 6:14; 7:4,6; 2 Cor. 3:11; Gal. 3:25.

9. The believer is adopted: (placed as an adult heir in the family of God)
Rom. 8:15; 8:23; Eph.1:5.

10. The believer is justified: (declared righteous)
Rom. 3:24; 5:1,9; 8:30; 1 Cor. 6:11; Titus 3:7.

11. The believer is regenerated: (born spiritually into the family of God)
John 13:10; 1 Cor. 6:11;
Titus 3:5. In regeneration the believers are:
Born Again: John 3:7; 1 Pet. 1:23
Children of God: Gal. 3:26
Sons of God: John 1:12; 2 Cor. 6:18; 1 John 3:2
New Creations: 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15; Eph. 2:10

12. The believer is made acceptable to God: 
Eph. 1:6; 1 Pet. 2:5.
To make a believer acceptable to Himself, God sees to it that the believer is:
Made righteous: Rom. 3:22; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9
Positional Sanctification: 1 Cor. 1:30; 6:11
Perfected forever: Heb. 10:14
Made qualified: Col. 1:12

13. The believer is forgiven all trespasses: 
Eph. 1:7; 4:32; Col. 1:14; 2:13; 3:13

14. The believer is made nigh: (heavenly citizenship based on Reconciliation)
Luke 10:20; Eph.2:13,19; Phil. 3:20

15. The believer is delivered from the kingdom of Satan: 
Col. 1:13; 2:15

16. The believer is transferred into God's Kingdom: 
Col. 1:13

17. The believer is placed on a secure foundation: 
1 Cor. 3:11; 10:4; Eph. 2:20

18. The believer is a gift from God the Father to the Lord Jesus Christ: 
John 10:20; 17:2,6,9,11,12,24

19. The believer is delivered from the power of the Sin Nature: 
Rom. 2:29; Phil. 3:3; Col. 2:11

20. The believer is appointed as a priest unto God: 
1 Pet. 2:5,9; Rev. 1:6

21. The believer is under the care of God as a chosen generation and a protected people: 
Titus 2:14; 1 Pet. 2:9

22. The believer is given access to God: 
Rom. 5:2; Eph. 2:18; Heb. 4:14,16; 10:19,20

23. The believer is within the much more care of God; as such we are:
Objects of His love: Eph. 2:4; 5:2
Objects of His Grace: for salvation, Eph. 2:8,9;
for keeping, Rom. 5:2; 1 Pet. 1:5; for service,
John 17:18; Eph. 4:7; for instruction, Titus 2:12
Objects of His power: Eph. 1:19; Phil. 2:13
Objects of His faithfulness: Phil. 1:6; Heb. 13:5
Objects of His peace: John 14:27
Objects of His consolation: 2 Th. 2:16
Objects of His intercession: Rom. 8:34; 7:25; 9:24

24. The believer is part of Christ's inheritance:
Eph. 1:18

25. The believer is a beneficiary of the inheritance from God: (an heir of God and a joint-heir with the Lord Jesus Christ)
Rom. 8:17; Eph. 1:14; Col. 3:24; Heb. 9:15; 1 Pet. 1:4

26. The believer has a new position in Christ: 
Eph. 2:6; Col. 3:4; 1 Cor. 1:9; 3:9; 2 Cor. 3:3,6; 5:20; 6:1,4

27. The believer is the recipient of eternal life: 
John 3:15; 10:28; 20:31; 1 John 5:11,12

28. The believer is a member of the family of God: 
Gal. 6:10; Eph. 2:19

29. The believer is Light in the Lord: 
Eph. 5:8; 1 Thess. 5:4

30. The believer is united with the Father: 
1 Thess. 1:1, cf. Eph. 4:6
He is united with Christ: John 14:20, cf. Col. 1:27
A member of His Body: 1 Cor. 12:13
A Branch in the Vine: John 15:5
A Stone in the Building: Eph. 2:21,22
A Sheep in the Flock: Eph. 2:21,22
A part of His Bride: Eph. 5:25-27
A Priest in His Kingdom: 1 Pet. 2:9
He is united with the Holy Spirit Rom. 8:9; 8:29

31. The believer is the recipient of the ministry of the Holy Spirit:
Born of the Spirit: John 3:6
Baptized by the Spirit: 1 Cor. 12:13
Indwelt by the Spirit: John 7:39; Rom. 5:5; 8:9; 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; Gal. 4:6; 1 John 3:24
Sealed by the Spirit: 2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 4:30
Recipient of Spiritual Gifts: 1 Cor. 12:11; 12:27-31; 13:1,2

32. The believer is glorified in Christ: 
Rom. 3:20

33. The believer is made complete in Christ: 
Col. 2:10

34. The believer is the possessor of every spiritual blessing: 
Eph. 1:3

35. The believer is the recipient of a human spirit: 
Rom. 8:16; 1 Cor. 2:12; 2 Cor. 7:13; 1 Thess. 5:23; Eph. 2:5

36. The believer has access to all Bible truth through the Grace system for Bible understanding
and Christian growth: 
Col. 2 and Eph. 4
A Saint of the new species: 2 Cor. 5:17

(Credit for this list goes to Lewis Sperry Chafer.)

How Did I Get Lost in the First Place?

Me: "Why do I need salvation?"

God: "Because you are lost."

Me: "How did that happen?"

God: "You were born."

Me: "Why?"

God: "Why were you born?"

Me: "No. Why am I lost just because I was born?"

God: "All people born of Adam are lost. The trespass of one man brought condemnation for all. That was My judgment following his one trespass."

Me: "But, it wasn't my fault. Was it?"

God: "No. Neither Adam's sin nor My judgment are your fault."

Me: "I don't understand. Why condemn me for something I didn't do?"

God: "What My righteousness demands, My justice executes. My righteousness demands perfection. I know what is in man."

Me: "Surely, I am lost for good! What hope do have I of ever obtaining the righteousness You demand?"

God: "My righteousness also demands a perfect sacrifice for sin. My Son, Jesus Christ, has perfectly executed My plan for salvation. My righteousness is yours through Christ just for the asking. My Son has purchased righteousness for you in full, and for anyone who would believe in Him. He is the propitiation, the utter satisfaction of payment, for your sins and for the sins of the whole world. His righteousness is pure, and I will credit His righteousness to your behalf, not even counting your sins against you."

Me: "It's free? I don't have to do the impossible and try to earn it?"

God: " Yes, it's free. No, you don't have to do the miraculous. That's been done for you. For it is by My grace you are saved, not your works. In fact, if you even try to earn your righteous wages, you will nullify My gift that is by grace. It's one or the other. Your choice, believe or resist My terms."

Me: "Who would be crazy enough not to accept such an offer?!"

God: "You'd be surprised how many people reject My Son. The salvation I offer is so complete, so wonderful, and so simple. Yet, many would not dare relinquish trust in themselves to do good. Somehow, they think, 'I must do the things God has commanded so that I may please Him.' Yet, I am most pleased when a humble person allows My Spirit to work in them. They resist the Holy Spirit when they insist on doing things their own way. For this, they will remain condemned. It's their choice. It's their arrogance."

Me: "Now my heart knows why I was lost, and knows why I am found. For how else could You have made an offer based on grace alone? How could I've let myself be saved by You otherwise? See it is a perfect plan, perfectly executed. The righteousness I seek, therefore, is Yours, in Christ, not my own. I believe You, Father. I believe in Christ, Your Son. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

God: "I'm delighted you see now. Indeed, my child, you are saved by My grace because you believed in My Son as your Lord and Savior. Now, may the eyes of your heart be enlightened so you may grow in grace and in knowledge of the truth. Be sanctified in the truth; My word is truth. Come now, and discover the unsearchable riches that are yours in Christ, even the fullness of Him who is the head of the church, which is His body. Amen!"

And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 

(Romans 5:16)

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." 

(Ephesians 2:8-9)

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 

(2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

This Marvelous Journey into God's Hand and Heart (Letters to My Father - January 21, 2017)

Dear Father (Jan 21, 2017),

Yes! Absolutely I love You. You know I love You. But, what I need to emphasize in my writing is why. I learned to love You by learning the truth from Your word by Your Spirit.

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:17 ESV)

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. (John 16:13 ESV)

I may have been saved and born again many years ago. But, I didn't understand from Scripture just how thorough and consistent is Your message of Your amazing grace. I didn't fully appreciate just how rock solid is the assurance of my salvation from Your word.

But, now that I do, the blessings of that knowledge are my responsibility. They are also a tremendous privilege. You know I've spent years and hours studying these things and other doctrines. It took a long time to undo the assumptions I previously held tightly.

But, I sought You and You rewarded me. I have been blessed with a wonderful pastor/teacher, used by the Spirit to guide me into all truth, even the deep things of God. Now it's time to share what I've learned. This is the real essence of my blog title, Revelations For Life.

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10b)

[It's as if God is telling me...] Do not be afraid to teach, go deep, and stay off the surface. Seek to exhaust doctrinal topics, such as salvation by grace. Ask the questions I had and answer them directly. Let my yes be yes and my no be no. Illuminate the coherency of God's perspective of humanity's problem and its condition with God's solution, desire, and eternal plan.

[Back to addressing my Father...] Let everyone who asks know the reason for the hope that is in me. May I answer with all gentleness and patience, compassion, clarity, enthusiasm, and boldness. If I have gained any insight from Your word of truth, Father, grant me the courage to declare it boldly and make it plain to everyone.

You know I love You, Father. Now I desire to let the world know why. May they also know the abundance of joy and peace that comes from knowing You, not as the world gives, but as You give.

All my love,
Dwight
(w/ minor edits)

Dear Reader,

I had tons of questions about being Christian both before and after I was saved. The phrase I just uttered, "I was saved," was loaded with questions.

• Saved? Saved from what?
• Why do I need to be saved?
• How can I be saved?
• What does it mean to be saved?
• What does it mean to "work out your salvation?"
• Is salvation the same or different from being born again?
• Who can be saved?
• What of my sins before I'm saved?
• What of my sins after I'm saved?
• Does salvation have any prerequisites?
• Was salvation always available?
• How does salvation differ in the OT versus the NT?
• Is salvation permanent or temporary?
• Can my salvation be lost? If so, how? If not, why not?
• When can I consider it done?
• How can I be sure I'm saved?
• What is not salvation?
• What does 'salvation by grace' mean?
• Is there anything keeping me, or anyone else for that matter, from being saved?
• Were only certain people chosen to be saved?
• What about infants and those with cognitive challenges who can't comprehend the gospel?
• Who will not be saved? Yikes! Why not?
• Is there an unpardonable sin? What is it? Have I committed it?

Those questions are just a small sample of the ones I studied in His word. This is only the doctrine of salvation. I tried to address one common assumption in my post, "Can a person's lifestyle condemn them?" But, there are many other doctrines. In all of them I wanted to understand these things from His perspective. I didn't want to grab something just because it sounded good and holy. I was hungry and thirsty for the Bread from Heaven and the Living Water only He could provide, no matter how good the filet mignon and Maine lobster tail sounded on an empty stomach. I had a soul to feed.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. 

(2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV)

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 

(2 Timothy 2:15 ESV)

I learned to delight in Him as He provided answers, and that made me want to learn more. Surely, he gave gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor/teachers. But, I would still question what others taught to see if it was true. The title alone was not enough.

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who [diligently (KJV)] seek him. 

(Hebrews 11:6 ESV)

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 

(Ephesians 4:11-14 ESV)

I frequently checked myself by examining my motives and asking, "Why do I believe what I believe?" Was I simply following what sounded good from someone who seemed like an authority on the matter? After all, they studied it for years, went to seminaries, had Masters and Doctorate degrees. (And yet, there's no shortage of authorities who disagree.) Or maybe they were among the poor and serving the suffering with profound compassion. Maybe they were popular on TV or the Internet and in books and appealed to the masses. Could they all be wrong?

Or did I confirm what was being said by reading and studying the Scriptures myself, and seeing if His Spirit was testifying with my spirit that these things were so? You may be familiar with some of my other posts about "Why Scripture?" and "Scripture Q&A." (If not, please check those out.) Those lessons were a large part of my starting point. Let this moment be another point at which I do my best to teach what I know for anyone who is asking or seeking.

Please! By all means, do not settle for popular opinion or the status quo. Neither is a school of thought correct merely because it is narrow path. Verify everything in God's word.

Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 

(Acts 17:11 ESV)

The truth is not popular. You might think it would be. But not God's truth. Not only do people want to inject their own positive human goodness into it, which is not necessarily God's perspective. But, the enemy of God also wants to distort this information and is very good at it. That's partly why we have so many denominations, yet little unity. (See the reference from Ephesians 4 above.)

Tradition also, no matter how solid or how long, is not an indication of truthfulness. It might feel good because it's familiar, or look divine because it's been going on forever. But, God's word breaks through traditions to give a much deeper meaning to being Christian.

Be humble and open to what God has to say in His word, and do not go beyond what is written. Everything He wants us to know has already been written in the Scriptures. There's no need to go outside the Bible for additional information, as if He left out some critical piece or clue to a puzzle. Rather, some outside information may be useful in helping us understand Scriptures, this blog included. But any outside information should be tested by the word of God, including this blog.

Lastly, as you assimilate the word of God and His thoughts and heart into your own mind and heart, you will be able to discern what is His will, and recognize what is not. This is not to puff us up in anyway. Rather, we should have the same attitude as that of Christ Himself: humility.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 

(Philippians 2:5-8 ESV)

All that being said, I will continue on to my next set of lessons, a series which I will call "Salvation 101." Please join me on this marvelous journey into God's hand and heart.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will 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 the Father's hand. 

(John 10:27-29 ESV)

In Christ,
Dwight

PS - I use a Bible program called e-Sword available from www.e-sword.net from which to read, study, and quote Scripture. While I sometimes need to understand the Greek and Hebrew words of the original texts (dictionaries also available in e-Sword), the English Standard Version (ESV) is one I found to be a decent translation to understand the thought God is expressing. ESV copyright says I can quote from it, just so long as I note its origin when giving the verse. Note also, I may have underlined part of a verse for emphasis, but generally I intend to emphasize the whole passage.

We need to remember it's about understanding God's thoughts on His terms. Is the correct translation in John 14:23, for example, obey or keep? What's the difference? We cannot automatically assume we know. What if the thought, upheld by the definition of the Greek word being translated, means "to guard" or "to protect." The thought is then different than simply doing what you're told to do. We should seek to understand the context, the thought being expressed, and perhaps visit a Greek dictionary to make critical distinctions. Remember, He is trying to tell us something that we have not thought to ask. We are carnal; He is spiritual. It's information we couldn't even imagine.

I also refer to the KJV, NKJV, NIV, and NASB on occasion. I feel the ESV and NIV in comparison, along with some Greek dictionaries, best accomplish this, understanding His thoughts, trying to be as literal as is readable. I tend to avoid translations that have taken the liberty of injecting their own thoughts into the text, such as MSG, NLT, TLB, and CEV. I feel they often dilute or miss the significance of what is being communicated. I am very careful about the dictionaries, concordances, and commentaries I use. Again, the emphasis is on understanding God's thoughts. I do not entertain books celebrated by certain denominations as being equivalent or more important than the Bible, nor do I consider and church denominations to be on equal footing or greater than the authority of God.