Can You Lose Your Salvation

Over the last few weeks, we've been debating the question 'can one lose their salvation?' in our small group.  My opinion has leaned always towards 'no'.  Not in order to assure myself that my actions couldn't cause my demise but that they couldn't cause my salvation.  I do believe that the devil is constantly in the ear of those that have given their life to Christ saying "Are you really sure you are saved?" while God is in the other ear saying "I will never leave you nor forsake you".

To think that our actions, I argued could keep us saved devalues Christ's sacrifice.  He paid it all and died so we might live.  I'm not arguing that we need to work out our sanctification but all we bring to our justification is our sins (sorry forgot who originally said this).

Today, I heard a sermon from Chuck Swindoll on Disqualification.  He made a compelling point.  Not that our disciplines or actions assure our salvation but that the state of our heart will be judged.  Can we love God with all our heart and desire Him over everything, and than slowly fall in love with the things of the world and forget God.  I believe we can.

It's not a quick action like the slip of the tongue.  'Oh no, there goes my salvation, let me work to get back in right relationship with God.'  No, it's more like deciding not to accept the gift we once accepted.  Jesus' death paid the price and this is a gift we need to receive.  He doesn't force it on us.

As Chuck so eloquently described putting something else before God is subtle, very subtle.  We test the boundaries, we rationalize our actions, we continue to push the limits.  Until we say "I don't care the cost, I want ..."  and the blank space is anything but God.

But their is hope.  Chuck mentions Samson and how his ego led to his demise but he didn't mention the end of the story.  In Judges 16:28, Samson prays to God "O sovereign Lord, remember me.  O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes".  Some say Samson's hair had grown back and therefore his strength had returned but then he wouldn't need to pray.  No, it's clear that he put God back in His right position, as the sovereign Lord, and therefore took himself off the throne of his life.  God answered Samson's prayer and if you turn back to God he will answer yours.

Please listen to Chuck Swindoll's sermon here:
Insight for Living - April 26, 2010

* Image courtesy of http://www.howstuffworks.com/

Do you have Boundaries

   I just heard a sermon and the Holy Spirit convicted me.  The sermon was on Daniel 3, the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.  In the story the king of Bablon, Nebuchadnezzar, setup a golden statue and told everyone that they must bow down and worship it.  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused and they were told that if they didn't comply they would be thrown into the blazing furnace.  Without hesitation this is how they replied:

 ¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. ¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. ¹⁸ But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

They didn't have to discuss the matter.  This decision was made a long time ago when they decided who they would follow.  They were thrown into the furnace and God was with them.  Read the story in Daniel 3.

This got me thinking 'do I avoid sinning because God said so, or because of the potential negative consequences.'  Furthermore, have I made a decision that no matter what the consequences, 'I will not' or 'I will' do certain things.  The answer for me was 'no'.  I had not drawn those lines clearly.  Yes, there are some things such as murder that wouldn't require any thought but do I have a clear line that I would not cross?

I decided to create a "Will Do" and "Won't Do" List.   That is, lists that help me define the boundaries of what I will do, and won't do at work, at home, at church and with my neighbors and friends.

I soon realized that it is very important that I be specific.  For example, it's easy to say that 'I will not break the law'. But this statement is much more effective: "I will not pay for any services in cash to avoid taxes."

Have you defined the boundaries in your life.  If you haven't, you might make the wrong decision when put under pressure.  Are you willing to take that risk?!

What's on your list?  We would like to know.

Do you want to be Forgiven or Excused?

I recently read a sermon by C.S. Lewis called "On Forgiveness" (From the Weight of Glory published by HarperCollins).  I thought I would share some of the brilliant insights from Lewis:



Forgive Everyone/Everything or you will not be Forgiven Anything
"We believe (as Christians) that God forgives us our sins; but also that He will not do so unless we forgive other people their sins against us.  There is no doubt about the second part of this statement.  It is in the Lord's Prayer; it was emphatically stated by our Lord.  If you don't forgive you will not be forgiven.  No part of His teaching is clearer, and there are no exceptions to it.  He doesn't say that we are to forgive other people's sins provided they are not too frightful, or provided there are no extenuating circumstances, or anything of that sort.  We are to forgive them all, however spiteful, however mean, however often they are repeated.  If we don't, we shall be forgiven none of our own."

Forgiven or Excused?
"I find that when I think I am asking God to forgive me I am often in reality (unless I watch myself very carefully) asking Him to do something quite different.  I am asking Him not to forgive me but to excuse me.  But there is all the difference in the world between forgiving and excusing.  Forgiveness says "Yes, you have done this thing, but I accept your apology; I will never hold it against you and everything between us two will be exactly as it was before."  But excusing says "I see that you couldn't help it or didn't mean it; you weren't really to blame."  If one was not really to blame then there is nothing to forgive.  In that sense forgiveness and excusing are almost opposites."

Please Forgive Me but Understand ...
"...the trouble us that what we call 'asking God's forgiveness' very often really consists in asking God to accept our excuses.  What leads us into this mistake is the fact that there usually is some amount of excuse, some 'extenuating circumstances.'  We are sp very anxious to point these out to God (and to ourselves) that we are apt to forget the really important thing; that is, the bit left over, the bit which the excuses don't cover, the bit which is inexcusable but not, thank God, unforgivable.  And if we forget this, we shall go away imagining that we have repented and been forgiven when all that has really happened is that we have satisfied ourselves with our own excuses.  They may be very bad excuses; we are all too easily satisfied about ourselves."

No Excuses
"When you go to a doctor you show him the bit of you that is wrong-say, a broken arm.  It would be a mere waste of time to keep on explaining that your leg and eyes and throat are all right.  You may be mistaken in thinking so, and anyway, if they are really all right, the doctor will know that."

He Forgives!!
"A great deal of our anxiety to make excuses comes from not really believing in it (forgiveness), from thinking that God will not take us to Himself again unless He is satisfied that some sort of case can be made out in our favor.  But that would not be forgiveness at all."

For more on forgiving others, pick up the book here: http://www.amazon.com/Weight-Glory-C-S-Lewis/dp/0060653205/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270923180&sr=1-1