As i witness to people I am finding more and more people who think they have lost their salvation, both young and old from homeless to elderly and most read the bible or say they do, they all without exception bring up the book of Hebrews, willfully sinning after knowing the truth or Esau about finding no repentance it is heartbreaking to see the pain in the eyes of some of these people. I think maybe some can't forgive themselves, some almost cause me to change my way of thinking because i struggles with some of those issues this is a tough subject and affects many more people than i thought. I could use some help with this subject so when i see them again.
There's some that taste of the Holy Spirit, they partake of the Holy Spirit, they get the knowledge and enlightenment of the basic truths and foundations of the things of Christ, and they might even in their mind believe that it's true. But that doesn't mean they are saved. A person must completely surrender their life to Christ, and trust in His power to keep them saved.
I believe in the permanency of salvation because I know who saved me, and I trust in His promise that He will keep me saved by His power. Salvation has nothing to do with me. It is all a work of God. The only thing I contributed to my salvation is the sin from which I needed to be saved from.
A person has to ask themself who they are trusting in when it comes to salvation. Are they trusting in themselves to keep themselves saved? Or, are they trusting in God's keeping power. Jesus promised to never leave us nor forsake us. If we are merely partakers, playing the part, we're not saved. A person must fully surrender to Christ. Once His Spirit indwells us, that is permanent, eternal, and therefore as long as He is in us, there is no loss of salvation. And He has promised to never leave!
Regarding the simplicity of salvation , John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Salvation requires more than just believing. There is a misconception that many Christians have - that all they have to do is proclaim that they are a sinner, ask for forgiveness and call on Jesus to save them. Jesus Himself said "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Later in Matthew, Jesus follows that up with, "For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."
Let's analyze the first quote, first. Do is an action word and certainly not passive. It requires us "to do" something. But what? The will of My Father. What then, is the will of God? The will of God is not an abstract idea that is so complex we can't know what to do. Rather, the will of God is made known to us by His Spirit, the Holy Ghost, and relayed to us via Jesus through the Bible. So what does Jesus say we must do to obtain salvation? Jesus is asked what must one do to obtain eternal life. He first responses with several commandments. The guy says, "I do those things." Then Jesus replies, "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me." Sell what thou hast requires great faith that the Lord will provide. Give to the poor is charity, which scores mega-points in getting to heaven. There are several references to charity including: And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity; charity covers a multitude of sins, and
though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
Giving with a pure heart (doing charity is the will of God) is an action item and is a major key to eternal life. This is a major stumbling block to many complacent Christians. Remember: faith (that God provides for us, charity (is love) and hope (Jesus comes soon).
These are Hebrews and Jews who went back and denounced the whole thing and were back professing their unbelief, and hatred, and anger toward the Lord and they were doing it publically. You see, a person can be in a group with believers and seem just like everyone else but not be saved.
They can give up their old lifestyle and seem to be following the Lord and then after some time just walk away and go right back to where they were before. And people might wonder what happened because they seemed like a believer.
Well, if you understand the parable of the sower, you know what happened. Only 1 out of the 4 people that received the seed gets saved. There are three others that heard the same thing that the saved person hears, but they have different reactions.
One of them is a person that's excitingly, with joy, hearing the word. But then when tribulations come, and by the way that's how you grow, through trials and tribulations, but when the tribulation came, they quit because it's not exciting anymore.
Now it's down to living life. Now it's down to trusting the Lord, and learning how to live by faith! And to the flesh, sometimes it's not as exciting as it first was. So they quit!
The indication in the bible that a person is saved is that they make it all the way to the end. All saved people make it all the way to the end.
A person who is not saved can look, act, and talk, and believe just like a normal believer. You can learn the language and learn the doctrines, and learn the lingo and say "praise the Lord," and you can learn how to put Jesus bumper stickers on your car correctly, and then one day just disappears.
The proof that one is saved is that they make it to the end. Why? Because we are kept by the power of God for salvation!
So he encourages believers to move past the foundation doctrines and elements of the things of the Lord, mainly because the people who stay in that area can either be saved or unsaved.
It says they were made partakers of the Holy Ghost. Notice the emphasis. They were partakers, that is, they were in this interaction and the Holy Spirit was ministering to them. They were partaking of the Holy Spirit as He was enlightening them. But notice they were partakers of the Holy Spirit. The emphasis is the Holy Spirit, not Christ. The Holy Spirit's the one that's ministering. They didn't know Christ.
Hebrews 6:5 says, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
All these tastes, it's like sampling. A non-believer can sit in with believers and receive the same ministry of God's Spirit to that group, even in their own lives, as to the truth of Christ.
So they have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come. They were actually there to participate. I recall the ten lepers that approached Jesus and wanted their healing. So He healed the ten lepers and sent them on their way, and only one of them stopped and returned to worship the Lord, and the Lord turns to the disciples and says weren't there ten lepers? Nine of them just took their healing and took off. Only one turned to worship Christ.
There are people who participate in the powers of God's Spirit moving in amongst His people, and they're not even saved.
Hebrews 6:6 says, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
It says if they shall fall away. There's no "if" in the Greek text. It's just after having fallen away. They've already done it. It's after having fallen away. And you can see in all these things that he's listing, they are all past tense. It's something they used to do that they don't do anymore.
Verse 4 started off by saying it's impossible for these people. Verse 6 says to renew them again unto repentance; Impossible!
Seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to open shame.
I don't believe a truly saved person can ever lose their salvation. The book of Hebrews was written to the Hebrews, Jewish people. They were following along, partaking of the truth, but never really surrendered their lives to Christ. It's not talking about a saved person walking away and giving up their salvation.
These Hebrew people were being enlightened to the truth, but when the time came for them to make a decision to surrender their lives to Christ, they would turn and walk away because it was a difficult decision for them. If a Jewish person surrenders their life to Christ, it would cost them everything. Their family would disown them, they would lose their jobs, and they would even be kicked out of the temple.
You see, they were being enlightened, but they were not saved. They made the decision to walk away because surrendering to Christ would cost them everything. So the verses in Hebrews are not talking about a saved person losing their salvation.
The writer says in Hebrews 6:4, for it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and the word enlightened means to have your mind illuminated to the truth. An enlightened person doesn't necessarily mean that person is saved. There are some who say that only believers can be enlightened. But John 1:9 tells us that the light, who is Christ, enlightens every man coming into this world. Every person is enlightened to the truth. So everybody gets enlightened but not everybody responds in the same way.
Secondly: and have tasted of the heavenly gift. They've participated with the things of Christ. They have participated with the Holy Spirit. They don't have Him living inside, but they tasted of that heavenly gift that God gives to His people. They're sitting in amongst God's people and they're participating and they're receiving.
Salvation in the Bible is as simple as to belief in God and that he sent his son to die for your sins, "True repentance" and this is the message that John the Baptist was preaching, is repentance from false beliefs and turn to the true God, repent of sin for salvation is never taught or mentioned in the Bible, that would be works and not by faith alone. John 3:16
There is nothing we can do to save us, Rom. 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Rom. 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Did Abraham repent of his sins?
Rom. 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And these examples are just in the beginning of Romans
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Hebrews 11 "the faith chapter" verse 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. etc. etc. So.....
After salvation we should strive to live as God want us to live , and to show his love, die each day to ourselves and allow the Spirit of God to lead us but once saved always saved you cannot loose your salvation.
There's some that taste of the Holy Spirit, they partake of the Holy Spirit, they get the knowledge and enlightenment of the basic truths and foundations of the things of Christ, and they might even in their mind believe that it's true. But that doesn't mean they are saved. A person must completely surrender their life to Christ, and trust in His power to keep them saved.
I believe in the permanency of salvation because I know who saved me, and I trust in His promise that He will keep me saved by His power. Salvation has nothing to do with me. It is all a work of God. The only thing I contributed to my salvation is the sin from which I needed to be saved from.
A person has to ask themself who they are trusting in when it comes to salvation. Are they trusting in themselves to keep themselves saved? Or, are they trusting in God's keeping power. Jesus promised to never leave us nor forsake us. If we are merely partakers, playing the part, we're not saved. A person must fully surrender to Christ. Once His Spirit indwells us, that is permanent, eternal, and therefore as long as He is in us, there is no loss of salvation. And He has promised to never leave!
17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
All we have to do is believe PERIOD
Let's analyze the first quote, first. Do is an action word and certainly not passive. It requires us "to do" something. But what? The will of My Father. What then, is the will of God? The will of God is not an abstract idea that is so complex we can't know what to do. Rather, the will of God is made known to us by His Spirit, the Holy Ghost, and relayed to us via Jesus through the Bible. So what does Jesus say we must do to obtain salvation? Jesus is asked what must one do to obtain eternal life. He first responses with several commandments. The guy says, "I do those things." Then Jesus replies, "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me." Sell what thou hast requires great faith that the Lord will provide. Give to the poor is charity, which scores mega-points in getting to heaven. There are several references to charity including: And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity; charity covers a multitude of sins, and
though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
Giving with a pure heart (doing charity is the will of God) is an action item and is a major key to eternal life. This is a major stumbling block to many complacent Christians. Remember: faith (that God provides for us, charity (is love) and hope (Jesus comes soon).
These are Hebrews and Jews who went back and denounced the whole thing and were back professing their unbelief, and hatred, and anger toward the Lord and they were doing it publically. You see, a person can be in a group with believers and seem just like everyone else but not be saved.
They can give up their old lifestyle and seem to be following the Lord and then after some time just walk away and go right back to where they were before. And people might wonder what happened because they seemed like a believer.
Well, if you understand the parable of the sower, you know what happened. Only 1 out of the 4 people that received the seed gets saved. There are three others that heard the same thing that the saved person hears, but they have different reactions.
One of them is a person that's excitingly, with joy, hearing the word. But then when tribulations come, and by the way that's how you grow, through trials and tribulations, but when the tribulation came, they quit because it's not exciting anymore.
Now it's down to living life. Now it's down to trusting the Lord, and learning how to live by faith! And to the flesh, sometimes it's not as exciting as it first was. So they quit!
The indication in the bible that a person is saved is that they make it all the way to the end. All saved people make it all the way to the end.
A person who is not saved can look, act, and talk, and believe just like a normal believer. You can learn the language and learn the doctrines, and learn the lingo and say "praise the Lord," and you can learn how to put Jesus bumper stickers on your car correctly, and then one day just disappears.
The proof that one is saved is that they make it to the end. Why? Because we are kept by the power of God for salvation!
So he encourages believers to move past the foundation doctrines and elements of the things of the Lord, mainly because the people who stay in that area can either be saved or unsaved.
One more, I promise!
It says they were made partakers of the Holy Ghost. Notice the emphasis. They were partakers, that is, they were in this interaction and the Holy Spirit was ministering to them. They were partaking of the Holy Spirit as He was enlightening them. But notice they were partakers of the Holy Spirit. The emphasis is the Holy Spirit, not Christ. The Holy Spirit's the one that's ministering. They didn't know Christ.
Hebrews 6:5 says, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
All these tastes, it's like sampling. A non-believer can sit in with believers and receive the same ministry of God's Spirit to that group, even in their own lives, as to the truth of Christ.
So they have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come. They were actually there to participate. I recall the ten lepers that approached Jesus and wanted their healing. So He healed the ten lepers and sent them on their way, and only one of them stopped and returned to worship the Lord, and the Lord turns to the disciples and says weren't there ten lepers? Nine of them just took their healing and took off. Only one turned to worship Christ.
There are people who participate in the powers of God's Spirit moving in amongst His people, and they're not even saved.
Hebrews 6:6 says, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
It says if they shall fall away. There's no "if" in the Greek text. It's just after having fallen away. They've already done it. It's after having fallen away. And you can see in all these things that he's listing, they are all past tense. It's something they used to do that they don't do anymore.
Verse 4 started off by saying it's impossible for these people. Verse 6 says to renew them again unto repentance; Impossible!
Seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to open shame.
Will continue:
I don't believe a truly saved person can ever lose their salvation. The book of Hebrews was written to the Hebrews, Jewish people. They were following along, partaking of the truth, but never really surrendered their lives to Christ. It's not talking about a saved person walking away and giving up their salvation.
These Hebrew people were being enlightened to the truth, but when the time came for them to make a decision to surrender their lives to Christ, they would turn and walk away because it was a difficult decision for them. If a Jewish person surrenders their life to Christ, it would cost them everything. Their family would disown them, they would lose their jobs, and they would even be kicked out of the temple.
You see, they were being enlightened, but they were not saved. They made the decision to walk away because surrendering to Christ would cost them everything. So the verses in Hebrews are not talking about a saved person losing their salvation.
The writer says in Hebrews 6:4, for it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and the word enlightened means to have your mind illuminated to the truth. An enlightened person doesn't necessarily mean that person is saved. There are some who say that only believers can be enlightened. But John 1:9 tells us that the light, who is Christ, enlightens every man coming into this world. Every person is enlightened to the truth. So everybody gets enlightened but not everybody responds in the same way.
Secondly: and have tasted of the heavenly gift. They've participated with the things of Christ. They have participated with the Holy Spirit. They don't have Him living inside, but they tasted of that heavenly gift that God gives to His people. They're sitting in amongst God's people and they're participating and they're receiving.
I'm running out of space but will continue:
There is nothing we can do to save us, Rom. 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Rom. 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Did Abraham repent of his sins?
Rom. 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And these examples are just in the beginning of Romans
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Hebrews 11 "the faith chapter" verse 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. etc. etc. So.....
After salvation we should strive to live as God want us to live , and to show his love, die each day to ourselves and allow the Spirit of God to lead us but once saved always saved you cannot loose your salvation.
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