Good question. A few thoughts. Pardon the questions, but they are mostly rhetorical:
Your question is essentially an eternal security question. I do believe in eternal security. I don't believe it applies to as many as some may think it does. I do believe the nearly 600 (as I recall) commands in the NC Epistles and the warnings therein are of great importance and not to be skimmed over with some false assurance of security.
I'm still on the fence with once justified/declared righteous always justified. At this time I place great importance on this:
- Are we truly justified if we do not grow to live a justified life
- 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. (1 Jn. 3:7 NKJ)
- A few commands re: the Spirit:
- 16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (Gal. 5:16 NKJ)
- 24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Gal. 5:24-25 NKJ)
- 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Eph. 4:30 NKJ)
- 19 Do not quench/extinguish the Spirit. (1 Thess. 5:19 NKJ)
- We also haven't discussed context here.
- Are we truly sanctified and being sanctified if we do not grow to live a sanctified life?
- NKJ 1 Thess. 4:3-4 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,
Your question is essentially an eternal security question. I do believe in eternal security. I don't believe it applies to as many as some may think it does. I do believe the nearly 600 (as I recall) commands in the NC Epistles and the warnings therein are of great importance and not to be skimmed over with some false assurance of security.
I'm still on the fence with once justified/declared righteous always justified. At this time I place great importance on this:
65 And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father." (Jn. 6:65 NKJ)
I know the historical context, but I see this event and teaching of Jesus to be filled with information, much of which I think at this time can be generalized. I also see much importance to Jesus' lesson at the well in John4 because He emphatically says what God the Father is looking for in men.
I don't think this is a game we're playing here.
I trust God to determine who to grant to His Son and who not to.
I trust all of His commands to be important.
The saved vs. never saved is probably the best position I can state at this time. All His commands are thus meaningful instruction and mandate to those being saved. On the flip side they're devastating to the game players.
16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable/disgusting, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. (Tit. 1:16 NKJ)
Your thoughts?