Ernest:
You said that a person can know he is saved if he remains faithfully obedient to the Lord.
If this was the case no one can be saved. Where in scripture does it say or comes close to suggesting that to be saved we must ‘remain faithfully obedient to the Lord.’ What is your measure or threshold or meaning of ‘remains’…is it 100 % of the time, or 50% of the time?
That is why we need God to lead us to Jesus his way and by his word in scripture; and its all there. I have written a brief summary to another of this site called the Road to Salvation. let me know if you want me to post it to you.
You said, ‘Your position is that Paul could have quit all of this and yet still be saved?’ Yes, you are completely correct in what I would say.
No, I’m not a so-called Calvinist. I knew that I apparently shared some areas with the Calvinists on salvation when someone labelled me as one.
Bless you,
APAK
IF one remains Obedient TO the Jewish Law, they shall be saved.
IF one WAS subject TO the Jewish Law, "they" Have been Redeemed from the CURSE/SIN Laws of Consequences.
IF one WAS subject TO the Jewish Law, "AND" have accepted Christ Jesus as their Savior, FOR "them" their Law was fulfilled by Jesus, and "they" have Become Converted, Saved, Born Again, and A new Creature.
IF one was not subject TO the Jewish Law, they still are not.
A Gentile was not subject TO Jewish Law. Their SIN was personally AGAINST God, of Disbelief In God, In His Messiah.
When a Gentile chooses to Learn About God, that man gains Faith.
IF that man ELECTS to submit his life TO Christ the Lord Jesus, his SIN Against God IS Forgiven Forever, and he is Converted, and FOREVER a New Creature. By the INdwelling Power of God, that man WILL FOREVER be Kept IN Faith-FULLNESS to God.
THAT man has BECOME Spiritually PERFECTED by the Lords Power, ONCE and Forever he is ACCEPTABLE for the Lord to Claim that man When He descends from Heaven TO the Clouds.
For such a man, while he remains on earth... IS there MORE he can do TO serve the Lord?
Absolutely. And the Lord directs that mans WAY for what the Lord needs for that man TO DO.
What every such man does, MAY NOT be "acceptable" to other men....or even Seen by other men....but then it is NOT other men a Converted man is directed to Please.
Men like to be CRITICS, telling other men WHAT they must do to serve the Lord....
The Lord is a Converted mans KEEPER and Director.
Receiving Salvation and other ETERNAL Gifts,
ARE NOT MAINTAINED, by "good Works".
They ARE maintained by the Power of the Lord within a man.
Good Works that Glorify the Lords Name are not forgotten by the Lord. He shall REWARD such a mans Good Works, AFTER the mans body is Glorified....which is what "storing up treasures in heaven addresses".
And SO, what about a Converted man who has some crummy works?
Is his Salvation jeopardized? NO!!
His "rewards" he could have had will be withheld.
And WHAT about, a man who is Converted, WHO CLAIMS, or others claim, his behavior is poor, he is SINNING? <--- That is a LIE.
SIN is against God, and that is resolved, forgiven, covered, remembered no more.
A Converted man CAN NOT SIN, (1 John 3:9) which is to say; A Converted man CAN NEVER AGAIN NOT BELIEVE in God.
A Converted man IS a new Creature FOREVER. Forever WITH the Lord. Forever ALIVE.
So what about a poor relationship BETWEEN men? Arguing, lie, Adultry, Cheating, etc.
IS IT A SIN? No it is a Trespass of one man against another man.
And what about the Consequences for Trespasses? A Converted man is taught to Forgive men of their trespasses against him.
Additionally IF a Converted man IS the Trespasser, he is taught to Correct His Wrong Doing between himself and the one he trespassed against.
Additionally, Scripture teaches, THOSE such things / and the consequences thereof ARE the mans OWN burden to bear.
Gal 6:5
You get in trouble with the law...you bear the consequences.
You get in trouble with a spouse, friend, co-worker, neighbor....you bear the consequences.
It has NOTHING to do with a Converted mans Conversion being in Jeopardy.
Works DO NOT Convert a man.
Works DO NOT Keep a man Converted.
Works DO NOT Jeopardize a mans Conversion.
Works are about Glorifying the Lords Name.
(Which only a Converted man Can do).
Works are about storing up Treasures in Heaven.
APAK...they MIGHT get it, but then, maybe not.
God Bless you,
Taken