This is for you to check yourself.

I did.

SINCERELY

Check yourself.
I checked myself.

Sincerely
Mobley

While I do agree with your statement (since there is nothing you can do to gain salvation, there is nothing you can do to lose it.), I cannot agree with being once saved always saved. We may as well then agree with Pastor Carlton Pearson view of inclusion. I would not have people believe that they can live however they want to and give their life to God on their death bed, though I know this decision is Gods and his alone, but by viewing life this way what has the individual given to the kingdom, whose life is greater because of their witness? Once save always saved, not our decision, but not one that I would teach.

Scripture teaches that you can give your life to Christ in the last minute and be saved. It may not seem fair, just like it didn't seem fair to the day workers in the parable Jesus told, where they labored all day only to get paid the same amount as the people that came in the last hour. They grumbled, but it was not their decision who should be paid and how much.

Bryant's point is that if you truly have been saved and recognize that gift, you will try to live your life in appreciation of that and reverence for your creator and savior. We don't live anywhere near perfect, but we try to do the right thing. Still, someone can be saved and not live much like that's the case. If so, they are barely escaping judgement, and will have little if any reward in heaven. As Paul describes it, it would be like escaping a fire with the singed clothes on your back: By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. 1 Corinthians 11-15.

There are many "mysteries" in Christianity. The more you study the Word, the more you realize that God is beyond human comprehension. That's why He's God and we are not. When He speaks to us through the Bible, He is speaking anthropologically, i.e., in human terms.

Jesus often taught in parables because He knew that His "sheep" would understand. Those who are not His do not understand, nor do they feel His presence. Paul speaks often and in detail about the fact that we are saved by Faith, and that only by Grace, so that none might boast. The writer of Hebrews warns us not to ignore so great a salvation, lest we lose it. Mystery.

And yet, I find great assurance in the promises of the Gospel Message. It is not something that lends itself to a debating society. It is something that, once you have experienced it, you know it. It comes for some very early and for some at "the eleventh hour". I find that quite wonderful.

How can you beleive the Son for eternal life, yet reject Him with the actions of your life and still think you can go to heaven. Do a word search on "deeds" to see what the whole counsel of God has to say on this matter. We are saved by faith yes, but also to good works that were set before us. Our actions dictate our heart. If your mouth and your actions contradict each other, believe your actions. We "do" as we believe.

Betty Ann, Your comment gave me pause for thought. I appreciate where you are coming from but I feel your viewpoint is lacking in grace that God gives each of us who believe. I am a Christian but I still sin. I do not sin more because of God's grace but I recognize there will be moments when I disregard God and act contrary to how He would have me to act. If people only observed me at one of those times they would say I am not a Christian according to my understanding of your comment. My actions are not always a clear portrait of my beliefs. My beliefs make me desire to always in every circumstance act as Christ would act. Paul had something to say about this along the lines of I do the things I should not do and do not do the things I should do. Once when I was concerned for the salvation of a friend who had committed suicide a wise person told me that God judges the whole life and not just one action. What grace He gives to us. That is truly something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. May God bless you.

I agree with Betty Ann. 2 Corinthians tells us that when we are truly saved, we become new creatures in Christ. We act differently. Jesus said in John 10 that His sheep hear His voice and they follow Him. They don't follow the world any longer. They follow Christ.

I would strongly disagree with the comment, "Perhaps it was done on a whim or without the proper analysis. Just relax. The fact that you are worried about it is usually sufficient proof that you are indeed saved." My disagreement is based on my own salvation experience. I walked an aisle when I was nine years old because I didn't want to go to hell. For 35 years, I lived a life of disobedience, even the context of a Baptist church. In struggling with how my disobedience reconciled with being a child of God, I realized that it didn't. Upon hearing a sermon out of Titus 2, I realized that I had never "denied ungodliness and worldly lusts" because I had never repented. That's the key - repentance (see Mark 1:14-15). So doubting your salvation sure doesn't mean you're saved. This I know from my own experience. It could be God drawing you to Him. And when He grants you the faith to truly believe, you will be saved. I would suspect that that rarely occurs on one's death bed.

As 2 Corinthians 13:5 says, examine yourself to see whether you are in the faith. Read 1 John and see if you meet the tests of a child of God. If not, call out to God to grant you faith to believe and seek Him until you find Him. If you're relying on a magical prayer that you prayed at an altar many years ago for your salvation and there's been no fruit since, you'll likely find yourself one day standing before God saying "Lord, Lord" (Matthew 7:21-23) while Jesus says, "Depart from me you who practice lawlessness."

Yes, I definitely think that a true Christian would want to follow the teachings & example of Christ. However it was Christ that said whoever is without sin to cast the first stone. No one is perfect and it is not up to us to judge another person's heart. That should be left up to God. The trouble with many Christians is that they look to other men as their examples & not to Christ and therefore are disappointed and even use that excuse as turning away from God.We need to quit looking at the speck in other's eyes & remove the log in our own.

To Janice and Christ Follower,
Janice, I completely agree with what you have said. It is God's grace that saves us and the same grace keeps us. Yes we still sin! I completely agree. It is those that can "go on sinning" without any awareness of the grief it causes the Holy Spirit and then out of pride say, "I will still go to heaven because I prayed a prayer to ask Jesus into my heart." It is the difference between taking snapshots of a person's life versus a video of it. You can follow a true believer around and snap photos of their life that could prove they were not a believer because we still do sin. A video of the same life would show a consistant walking in repentance and fellowship after sin is committed. So I am not saying you can't sin, I just question how long you can willfully be disobedient to prove you never were saved in the first place. That is for God to know.

In regard to "Christ follower", we are told by Paul through the promoting of the Holy Spirit to test ourselves so that others don't have to. In 1 Cor. 5 we are commanded to judge "so-called" brothers. If you call yourself a "brother" and are not acting like it, this chapter commands us to call you on it. Now if you are not a "brother" it is a different story. Paul is addressing the Corinthian church for not addressing the sinfulness in their midst. Sin in our midsts leavens the whole dough. For us to turn a blind eye to sin in our midsts makes us no different than the world. Yes we are to get the log out of our eye first just as Jesus says, but you can't obey one law and ignore another. Again, it is the whole counsel of God's word that teaches us. Why get defensive over the discussion. It is a win win situation. Check yourself to see if you are in the faith. Either you are, great! If you are not, repent and believe.

Oh beloved hear the Words of Christ, Repent and beleive the gospel. These are present active verbs that keep on going. So keep on repenting and keep on believing! Pray for me as I strive to be found faithful and persevere to the end!
Betty Ann

I'm pretty sure I'm not saved.

Are you ok with that, JCO?

Completely fine with it. That's how strongly I don't believe...

Let all just think about our own salvation. I know what I believe, and I do not know what anyone else believes. The same is true of anyone reading these words. None of us know what is in another's heart.

I believe this devotion is biblically correct. When we become Christians and the Holy Spirit lives in us we change. Believe me, I've changed. But that doesn't mean I am perfect. And it doesn't mean I won't stumble. Like Janice, I fail all the time. Failing is part of our spiritual development. I repent, learn, and try my best not to sin again.

It reminds me of this beautiful poem:

I came to my teacher with quivering lips, my task undone.

Teacher, do you have another sheet for me, for I have soiled this one.

She took the old sheet, stained and spotted, And into my tired heart she cried,

"Do better this time, my child."

I came to the Father with quivering lips, my task undone.

Father, do you have another day for me, for I have soiled this one.

He took the old day, stained and spotted

And gave me a new one, clean unspotted,

And into my tired heart he cried,
"Do better this time, my child."

If you strongly don't believe then I do not think you would be here. Lovin Life

Jonathon, while you are content not believing, you are not facing death with the reality that whithin a few moments you will cease to exist. When this happens you may seriously change your mind, I have seen it done by people who claim to be pure athesists when they are about to die. I know from previous posts to each other you are bent on not wavering from your belief, we as Christians are just as determined to hold to our beliefs also. We have told you and Eric over and over why we believe the way we do, if we choose to believe the Bible and I do, why does that bother you. You say it is just a book that is written by men and full of falacies but you choose to believe a book that is also written by men which is called a science book, what is the difference? The Bible has been proven to have come true on many occasions and still prophecies are coming to pass everyday, it has never been proven wrong by science and yes I have been a student of the Bible and science for maybe as long as you have been in the world, and I have never seen it happen. I have heard about how it has been done but it has not been proven. I just don't understand why you are like you are. Nobody has called you and tried to MAKE you believe yet you just can't resist trying to prove us wrong. Don't you see the wasted effort you are putting forth? I still am praying for you and Eric and nothing you say will change that. Have a blessed day because God made it just for you.

Betty Ann, I agree alot with what you're saying in that yes, we are supposed to point out to other believers when we see them train wrecking their life & obviously sinning against the Lord. My only thing was that it seemed some were giving themselves authority to judge if someone was even saved or not. I'm just saying that yes chistians are supposed to put forth fruit, but there are false followers that for a time seem to bear as much or more fruit as real followers (Jim Jones & David Koresh comes to mind) & that we shouldn't constantly be going around as I've heard some people doing and always saying I doubt someone's salvation because they see sin in their lives because we ALL sin. I hope I'm not sounding too opinionated, but it does bother me to have people judge other people's salvation. God is God and we're not.

By the way Jonathan I've told Erik in the past that I have committed to pray for him EVERY day. I have been doing the same for you & yes I know you would rather I didn't, but oh well.Believe it or not it is a commitment I plan to keep up from now on if it takes it because you have been put on my heart. God bless

Christ Follower, you can do what you like. If you want pray for me, fine... I neither like nor do I dislike it.

I have made a commitment to remember in the future that this is a DAILY DEVOTIONAL, not a daily debate. I have erred in that direction myself, and I intend to avoid it in the future. God bless.

Grant, you're totally right. I've been particularly guilty of that myself today. Thanks for the reminder. It's hard sometimes when someone hits on one of my pet peeves. I'll have to work harder on that sin :-)