The scriptures are clear on the subject, as seen in this post. If one strays away from God's truth and hardens his heart, he/she is voluntarily walking out of God's hand, away from His protection, leaving salvation behind.
Nevertheless, one who follows the Lord in His footsteps and keeps his/her garment cleansed by the Blood of Jesus, walking in His will, has no fear to lose his/her salvation. This is when the following scripture applies: "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand." John 10:27,28
Nevertheless, one who follows the Lord in His footsteps and keeps his/her garment cleansed by the Blood of Jesus, walking in His will, has no fear to lose his/her salvation. This is when the following scripture applies: "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand." John 10:27,28
God's word warns us, therefore there must be a real danger of losing one's soul, otherwise these warnings would be futile. Therefore we must take the warnings of God seriously.
Ezekiel 18: 24 + 26... But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.
verse 26... When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies.
Hebrews 3:12...Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;...
Hebrews 10:26... For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins. Verse 29... Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, a holy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? (KJV).
Paul is speaking here to the believers in Jesus Christ, and the possible consequences of sin mentioned.
John 15:4... Abide in Me, and I in you... Verse 6... If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Abide in Me... is a command... not a statement.
We can easily understand from Jesus' words, that salvation is not the end, but the beginning of our walk with the Lord and the means to grow in grace and transformation into His likeness. Growing in God and following in His footsteps is ACTIVE. It is MOTION in God's direction. It is participation with God, and it takes endurance.
Matthew 10:22b... But he who endures to the end will be saved.
Matthew 7:21...Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of heaven, but he who DOES the will of My Father in heaven.
2 Peter 3:17...You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked.
Here, Peter clearly warns for the POSSIBILITY of being led astray.
And where do you think the wicked is going to be... lost forever... in hell!
The error of the wicked... is followed by eternal death, that is were the apostle warns for.
Although salvation is NOT by works, once saved we have to abide in Him, fight the good fight, run the race, take up the armor, carry our cross, crucify the old nature, surrender our will to the Father, allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us.
James 1: 22... "BUT BE DOERS OF THE WORD, AND NOT HEARERS ONLY, DECEIVING YOURSELVES."
Phil 3:18,19 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
Revelation 2:10,11...Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.
2 Timothy 1:12...For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that HE IS ABLE to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.
TO KEEP WHAT? that which I have committed. "COMMITTED" being the Key-word to stay on the right path.
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Ezekiel 18: 24 + 26... But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.
verse 26... When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies.
Hebrews 3:12...Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;...
Hebrews 10:26... For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins. Verse 29... Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, a holy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? (KJV).
Paul is speaking here to the believers in Jesus Christ, and the possible consequences of sin mentioned.
John 15:4... Abide in Me, and I in you... Verse 6... If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Abide in Me... is a command... not a statement.
We can easily understand from Jesus' words, that salvation is not the end, but the beginning of our walk with the Lord and the means to grow in grace and transformation into His likeness. Growing in God and following in His footsteps is ACTIVE. It is MOTION in God's direction. It is participation with God, and it takes endurance.
Matthew 10:22b... But he who endures to the end will be saved.
Matthew 7:21...Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of heaven, but he who DOES the will of My Father in heaven.
2 Peter 3:17...You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked.
Here, Peter clearly warns for the POSSIBILITY of being led astray.
And where do you think the wicked is going to be... lost forever... in hell!
The error of the wicked... is followed by eternal death, that is were the apostle warns for.
Although salvation is NOT by works, once saved we have to abide in Him, fight the good fight, run the race, take up the armor, carry our cross, crucify the old nature, surrender our will to the Father, allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us.
James 1: 22... "BUT BE DOERS OF THE WORD, AND NOT HEARERS ONLY, DECEIVING YOURSELVES."
Phil 3:18,19 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
Revelation 2:10,11...Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.
2 Timothy 1:12...For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that HE IS ABLE to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.
TO KEEP WHAT? that which I have committed. "COMMITTED" being the Key-word to stay on the right path.
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Go in the peace of God!
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