A warning to born-again believers who are sinning habitually

[Zachary]

Greetings!
“May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in
your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. By His divine power,
God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.”
(2 Peter 1:2-3, New Living Translation)

This warning concerns believers who are sinning habitually without repentance.
To repent: turn away from your sins, doing everything you can to forsake them.

The #1 Reason Why God sent the Messiah

A few old covenant people did manage to please and satisfy God.
But, Jesus came so that many more of the human race would be able to
satisfy Father God’s high standards, and thus be allowed into heaven!
Isn’t this the main reason for Jesus and the new covenant?

Those who believe in Jesus and His message …
❶ are given the Holy Spirit to indwell them to teach them “all things”
as well as be their Comforter, Advocate, Helper, Healer, etc.
❷ are made into new creations -- they have new and different ideas,
opinions, attitudes, priorities, etc. -- focusing more on spiritual things
(this new birth is a spiritual birth, while the 1st birth is a physical one).
❸ are given God’s Holy Scriptures to teach them and guide them.
❹ are sanctified unto holiness: God sets them apart for undergoing
the process of growing in holiness. However, they have free will
to reject God’s plan for them … and can fall away from the faith,
drift away, fall from grace, draw back to perdition (Hebrews 10:39), etc.

It should be obvious that these born-again believers (above) have
incredible advantages over God’s old covenant people. They have
been enabled (set free) to overcome sin, the world, and the devil!
They are set free from their blindness, being captives of Satan, etc.
They are now able to be “overcomers” as Jesus overcame (Rev 3:21).
They are now able to overcome sin, be sanctified unto holiness, and
thus be acceptable to Father God for a glorious entrance into heaven.
They need to sincerely repent of (run from) their new sins (2 Peter 1:9).

● To reconcile the so-called OSAS NT verses with the many verses
opposing them, it has been deduced by some Spirit-filled believers
that the NT usage of “pisteou” (believe) must include obedience!
(Note: The verb tenses in John 3:16 reflect a continuing “belief”.)

● Jesus said, “He who (really) loves Me will obey My commandments.”
Loving God is one of the 2 qualifying conditions for a person to be fore-
ordained, predestined, called, justified, and glorified (Romans 8:28-30).

… continued in post #2 …

 

[Zachary]

Many have said that we are the church of Laodicea (see Revelation 3:14-22),
and the reason is: pastors are not warning their sheep of their responsibilities.
Jesus often warned, “Do not let anyone deceive you.” Paul talked about
“this evil world in which we live” (Galatians 1:4), and Jesus even told His
12 disciples that they were evil (Luke 11:13).

Paul warned about the great apostacy (or falling away) in the last days
(1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 3:1-7). We believers have no excuse for this
this because God has given us everything we need to live holy lives.

So, it is necessary to explain why Paul wrote: …
“work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12)

In everything below, “believers” refers to born-again believers.

This information is a warning to believers - backed up by many NT verses.
We have a part to play in our salvation other than belief-faith-trust in Jesus as
our Lord and Savior. We were chosen and called to be sanctified unto holiness
through our enduring faith-obedience to the Lord … instead of obedience to
Satan and the flesh.

From Dr. Thomas Hale, medical missionary to Nepal) …
“When Paul says ‘continue to work out your salvation’, he means that we must
obey Christ and do God’s will. We must continue to follow Christ’s example.
Our lives must become more and more holy. Jesus said ‘Be perfect as your
heavenly Father is perfect’. This is what it means to work out our salvation …
But remember this: We are free to reject God’s grace. We can refuse to obey
God’s will. We can continue in sin without repenting. That is dependent on us;
that is our choice. But if we choose to accept God’s grace and to obey Him,
then God has promised to help us.” (The Applied New Testament Commentary)

If we want to take the NT seriously, we need to reconcile the so-called OSAS
(once saved always saved) verses vs. those which stand opposed to OSAS!
The dozens of NT verses below stand opposed to OSAS.

Many NT verses prove each of these spiritual truths:
Believers stay righteous by practicing righteousness
Believers stay righteous through their obedience
Believers faith must endure until the end of their lives
Believers keep salvation by repenting of their sins
Believers were chosen and called to live holy lives
Believers must love, forgive, not judge or condemn
Believers must be victorious overcomers

One page of Scripture verses is available for almost every topic.

 

[Zachary]

As stated at the end of post #2 …
Believers stay righteous through
● practicing righteousness
● loving Jesus unto obedience
● enduring until the end of their lives
● repenting of their sins
● living holy lives
● loving, forgiving, not condemning
● being victorious overcomers

ALL of the above is done through FAITH.
BACs who do the above …
believe it is God’s will for their lives,
and that it will result in their salvation!
Why else would they do it?
Oh yes, for rewards in heaven!
Yeah, sure.

A stroll down Hebrews lane …

Abram “received the RIGHTEOUSNESS
that comes by FAITH.” (Heb 11:7, NLT)

Good olde Hebrews 12

● Get rid of your sin to survive spiritually:
“… you have not yet given your lives
in your struggle against sin.” (Heb 12:4, NLT)

● Live a holy life so you will see the Lord:
“… work at living a holy life, for those who are
not holy will not see the Lord.” (Heb 12:14, NLT)

Luke-warm BACs will be disqualified
Jesus warns luke-warm BACs in Rev 3:15-16,
and we see it again here … The Lord Jesus
“will come again … to bring salvation to all
who are eagerly waiting for Him.” (Heb 9:28, NLT)

Only “the faithful” BACs will be saved
“We are the faithful ones, whose souls
will be saved.” (Heb 10:39, NLT)
Please note: When Paul wrote Ephesians and
Colossians, he was only writing to “the faithful”.
See Eph 1:1 and Col 1:2.

This has just been a little reminder that OSAS is a lie
from the very deepest pits of hell.

 

[Armadillo]

To repent: turn away from your sins, doing everything you can to forsake them.

To repent is to change your mind, metanoia.

Jesus came so that many more of the human race would be able to
satisfy Father God’s high standards, and thus be allowed into heaven!
Isn’t this the main reason for Jesus and the new covenant?

In the Old Covenant people didn't have the Holy Spirit living in them and needed prophets to tell them what to do, their base desire was reward and punishment. God wanted a relationship with us, with no separation. A relationship with the Son is a relationship with the Father, and the Holy Spirit lives in you, John 14:26, Romans 8:11. The gift is eternal life that starts at the moment of belief in His Son, Romans 6:23.

❹ are sanctified unto holiness: God sets them apart for undergoing
the process of growing in holiness. However, they have free will
to reject God’s plan for them … and can fall away from the faith,
drift away, fall from grace, draw back to perdition (Hebrews 10:39)

If you believe in free will, your free will can get you in and your free will can get you out but God's gift and His call cannot be taken away, Romans 11:29. He holds your hand, you don't hold His because you can let go and run into traffic and He won't let that happen.

● Jesus said, “He who (really) loves Me will obey My commandments.”
Loving God is one of the 2 qualifying conditions for a person to be fore-
ordained, predestined, called, justified, and glorified (Romans 8:28-30).

How can one love God if they don't know how much they are loved?

 

[Armadillo]

Believers stay righteous through
● practicing righteousness
● loving Jesus unto obedience
● enduring until the end of their lives
● repenting of their sins
● living holy lives
● loving, forgiving, not condemning
● being victorious overcomers

ALL of the above is done through FAITH.

Believers are righteous not by what they do but what Jesus has done for them. It isn't our faith, it's His.

Galatians 2:20, I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Our faith meets His faith by believing in Him, Galatians 2:16.