Small group was wild tonight. Our conversation focused on questions like:
* Once I'm a believer, can I lose my salvation?
* Does God choose certain people and not others to be saved in advance?
* Can a person fall from grace at any point?
* Is my destiny already sealed no matter what I do before I'm born?
So yeah -- wild.
I won't get into all of it here - and some things are mysteries - and I don't know with 100% surety about every subject - but some things I know for certain:
It isn't natural for a true believer in Jesus Christ to continue on in a life of sin. We are new creations. The true believer grows in Christ and lays aside sinful responses, realizing that continuing on in them will jeopardize his walk with Christ.
Does God demand perfection from us? Hardly. If He does, then the question must be raised: 'Is our standing in Christ based on our righteousness or on God's?' If we are saved only as long as we maintain flawlessness, then salvation is no longer by grace. We believe God doesn't let anyone go easily.
But there is a danger in going too far over HERE as well. We do not believe our standing with Christ is so fragile that it can be shaken by the slightest mistake ... that a temporary lapse into some kind of sin automatically cancels everything God has done in us up to that moment. And yet, we must take care that we do not fall into prolonged and profound sin that is consciously held without repentance and continued with no regret.
Stay the journey.
And be blessed.
* Once I'm a believer, can I lose my salvation?
* Does God choose certain people and not others to be saved in advance?
* Can a person fall from grace at any point?
* Is my destiny already sealed no matter what I do before I'm born?
So yeah -- wild.
I won't get into all of it here - and some things are mysteries - and I don't know with 100% surety about every subject - but some things I know for certain:
It isn't natural for a true believer in Jesus Christ to continue on in a life of sin. We are new creations. The true believer grows in Christ and lays aside sinful responses, realizing that continuing on in them will jeopardize his walk with Christ.
If we are saved only as long as we maintain flawlessness, then salvation is no longer by grace.
Does God demand perfection from us? Hardly. If He does, then the question must be raised: 'Is our standing in Christ based on our righteousness or on God's?' If we are saved only as long as we maintain flawlessness, then salvation is no longer by grace. We believe God doesn't let anyone go easily.
But there is a danger in going too far over HERE as well. We do not believe our standing with Christ is so fragile that it can be shaken by the slightest mistake ... that a temporary lapse into some kind of sin automatically cancels everything God has done in us up to that moment. And yet, we must take care that we do not fall into prolonged and profound sin that is consciously held without repentance and continued with no regret.
Stay the journey.
And be blessed.
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