So is it.
Possible to lose your salvation.
Or is it true that if you get saved at some point in your life,
you're always saved?
This question can cause a lot of stress because what if we really mess up?
Can we sin so badly that we lose our salvation?
There seems to be a lot of disagreement on this question,
so I'd like to add to the discussion.
By sharing seven thoughts that, number one.
Someone is saved because of their faith, not their good works.
Ephesians chapter two, verses eight and nine four By grace
you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves.
It is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
In this passage, Paul talks to the church of Ephesus and he tells them
that they are saved through faith, not their works or good deeds.
So I need to make this clear.
What determines someone's salvation is the fact of
whether or not they have faith in Jesus and his death for their sins.
And like Paul said earlier, a person cannot earn their salvation
by filling their life with a bunch of works or good deeds.
Otherwise, people could.
Be capable of boasting.
That, number two, Saving faith must have works.
James Chapter two, verse 26 four As the Body Without the Spirit is dead.
So Faith Without Works is dead.
Also in this passage, James tells Christians
that in the same way, a body without the spirit is dead.
Faith is also dead if it does not have works.
James, earlier in the passage, explains how belief in God isn't enough
because even demons believe in God but are doomed for hell.
And then James wraps up the thought by explaining that
faith must have good works.
Otherwise faith is.
Dead.
Now, while this thought may seem contradictory to thought, number one.
It's not.
Some people may think that faith and works equals salvation,
but in actuality it's faith alone that saves people.
And this faith is proved true or made real by works.
According to the Bible, there is a difference
between belief and faith
and were saved through faith as seen in Ephesians chapter two, verse eight.
And at the same time, if there's no works but only belief.
Faith is dead because demons. Also believe.
Thankfully, though, we have Hebrews Chapter 11, verse one,
that gives us the definition of faith, and it reads Faith
is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen.
It gives us assurance.
About things we cannot see.
And the definition for faith that I've come up with from this passage
is this faith is firm belief that results.
And confident action.
Because if you continue to read Hebrews 11, you'll find that people's
belief always led them to do something.
So let me try to bridge the divide between faith alone saves and faith.
What that works is dead.
And here it is.
A saving faith works.
And that's it.
Are we saved by the works that come out of our life? No.
But when a person understands that Jesus loves them.
That person will want to love him back.
And that love looks like.
Obeying his. Commandments.
As seen in John chapter 14, verse 15, which reads,
If you love me, obey my commandments, not number three.
Grace should not be abused.
ROMANS Chapter six versus one or two.
What shall we say then?
Shall we continue in sin? That grace may abound?
Certainly not.
How shall we?
Who died to sin live any longer in it?
In this passage, Paul essentially is asking, Should we just sin?
Because if we're saved by grace, then does it matter what we do?
Any response to that thought by saying no,
If we're dead to sin, why should we continue sinning?
So here's the issue.
Some people in the past have abused God's grace, and this is what it looks like.
Take Billy here, for example, and he thinks, Hmm, I'm not saved based on works.
I'm saved based on my faith in God.
So I can sin right now and ask for forgiveness later.
Because at the end of the day, no one's perfect.
And my salvation isn't based on what I do, so who cares?
Now, while many of us may not have verbalized
these exact thoughts, some of us can live like we believe It's true.
And this thinking would put us in dangerous territory because I would argue
that if someone were to truly think about Jesus, about his beatings,
his lashings, his piercings, his agony, his suffering, his cries and his death,
I would argue that someone who truly understands
what Jesus did for them would always try to get up.
Despite their many failures and try to fight against sin.
As opposed to someone looking at Jesus's sacrifice and saying,
Oh, Jesus will forgive me, and then dive right into sin
for this person who is abusing God's precious grace.
I would probably make the assertion.
That they do not have saving faith.
Not number four.
Someone can know they're saved.
First, John, Chapter five, verse 13.
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God
that you may know that you have eternal life
and that you may continue to believe in the name.
Of the Son of God.
In this passage, John tells the Church that the reason why he writes to them
is so that they would believe in Jesus and that they may know
that they have eternal life and so that they would continue to believe.
And the key word here is no.
And the observation I'll make is that someone can know for sure.
Whether or not they have eternal life.
So for Christians, it shouldn't be a guessing game of whether or not
they're saved through their personal relationship with God.
Christians can know for sure if they are saved, and this will lead to a.
Godly peace that.
Can look death in the. Eyes and smile.
Because they know where they're going.
Once they breathe their last breath.
That number five.
Nothing can separate God's children from God's love.
ROMANS Chapter eight versus 38 to 39.
And I'm convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love.
Neither death nor life, neither angels and demons.
Neither are fears for today nor worries about tomorrow.
Not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love.
No power in the sky above or in the earth below.
Indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us.
From the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
In this passage, Paul tells fellow Christians
that nothing can ever separate them from God's love, and this would include
their own shortcomings and failures when it comes to send.
Because if their sin
could separate them from God, then this passage would be inaccurate.
It's important to note, though, that the book of Romans was written to
Christians.
So what Paul was effectively communicating was this believers
who have faith in Christ and are justified in Christ.
Nothing could separate them.
From God's love.
Not number six.
Some people look like they have faith, but don't have.
Faith.
First, John, Chapter two versus 18 to 19 little children.
It is the last hour and as you have heard, that the Antichrist is coming even now,
many Antichrist have come by which we know that it is the last hour.
They went out.
From us, but they were not of us.
For if they had been of us, they would have continued with us.
But they went out.
That they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
John here is explaining that there are many Antichrist or people
opposed to Christ that are present and that they came out from among Christians
but were never really Christian.
And if they really were Christians.
They would have continued in their faith.
In the Christian walk.
There's a lot of people who talk the talk and can't.
Even walk the walk but were never truly saved.
Judas Iscariot was one of these people.
He was one of the 12 disciples who served people and worked miracles.
But he betrayed Jesus for money.
And might I mention.
That no one suspected him until after Jesus's arrest.
So for people who look at believers
who left the faith, I would say that there's probably two possibilities.
Either they're like the prodigal son and God is allowing them to make bad.
Decisions and is waiting for them to return to him.
Or they never truly had faith
and like Judas faked it
and thought, Number seven, lives should be examined for true faith.
Second Corinthians Chapter 13, Verse five
Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.
Test yourselves.
Do you not know yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you.
Unless indeed you are disqualified?
In this passage, Paul commands the Corinthian Church to examine
or test their life.
To see if they are actually in the faith.
And this is something every believer should do regularly. Why?
Because we're sinners.
And we should pay close attention to passages like Matthew 721 to 23,
where Jesus says, 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.
Many will say to me in that day.
Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast
out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name, and then I will.
Declare to them, I never knew you depart from me.
You who practice lawlessness.
So all that to say.
If we're really Christian,
we should really examine our lives and ask ourselves questions like.
Do I really have faith?
And does Jesus really know me?
And I'm not saying this to freak you out, but to encourage you to know for sure.
Whether you truly have saving faith.
So for someone who asks the question, can someone lose their salvation?
My answer is this.
If someone is truly a child of God who is saved by faith,
nothing can separate them from God's love.
Therefore. They cannot lose their salvation.
But they should always examine their faith until the day they die and.
Are reunited with Jesus.
Okay.
Also, here's all the points
that we shared in the video so that you can see them all in one place.
And I hope you remember today.
Jesus loves you.