Knowing that God never changes and that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), it is reasonable to say that what I believe must not be picked out from just one scripture but must be supported in both the Old and the New Testaments.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, (2 Timothy 3:16). Simply, we cannot ignore a scripture because it seems to say something we do not want to hear.
Scripture tells us to, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling".
If we are saved regardless of what we do, this scripture in Philippians 2:12 would make no sense at all. If we accept this scripture for what it says, we can understand that our salvation is still within our control, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). Why then is it in our control? Simply because we have been given the ability to reject God's work in our lives in favour of our own sinful desires.
When we give our hearts to God and receive Him as our Lord and Master, we receive the sure promise of or salvation. In the very instance that we receive Him into our lives as our God, we are made perfect and scripture is fulfilled in our lives. We are saved and all of our sins are forgiven. However, those sins that are forgiven are the past sins and not the future sins that we may still commit. Once we are saved, when we sin, our salvation is still possible through our repentance of those sins. Without that repentance, our sin separates us from God in exactly the same way as it did with Adam.
Hebrews 2:1-3 - Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him.
If the scripture tells us that we can drift away and neglect so great a salvation, how is it that we can be so certain that we cannot?
Hebrews 3:12 - Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.
If the scripture warns us to beware of this, how can we say this cannot be?
Hebrews 6:4-6 - 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.
If the scripture tells us that we can fall away, who are we to say that we cannot?
1 Corinthians 9:27 - But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
Even Paul knew that he himself might be disqualified if he didn’t take care. Are we any different from him?
Romans 8:13 - For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Here is the point that we must start to understand. If we live according to the flesh, we will die (in the biblical term of being separated from God).
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