My question is : if, in Free Grace, you can lose your faith and still be saved, what on earth does save?
Dear GracePeace,
Grace is defined as "unmerited favor" and is the reason why Christ comes to a person who is in a "lost" condition (either unbelievers or apostate believers). When Christ comes to a person, He does so without their asking or permission.
Grace is not contingent upon anything that a person might do or believe. It is only contingent upon God's love and mercy which He has for all mankind.
God's grace comes to an unbeliever when Christ freely gives them the
Early Rain of the Spirit. With the Early Rain of the Spirit, the unbeliever will have a "measure of faith" and certain spiritual gifts. At this point, the person becomes a believer, enters the church and is now "called to be a saint" (not a saint yet).
But since the Early Rain of the Spirit is only a small measure of the Spirit (Deu 32:2, Job 37:6 & Joel 2:23), it will leave the new believer (a "babe")
spiritually blind,
carnally minded and
unconverted. In this condition, the new believer will NOT be able to receive the truth of Christ's New Covenant teachings. As a result, their house will remain empty of the truth. Satan will then come to the new believer and deceive them via the spirit of anti-Christ. This will happen to all new believers and it cannot be avoid.
Here is one of the places in scripture that teaches this truth:
Mat 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself SEVEN other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
The spiritual symbol of an unclean spirit represents a spirit which teaches Satan's false truth through lies and deceptions.
Since a new believer remains
spiritually blind (
Mark 8:21-25) after receiving the Early Rain of the Spirit, they cannot replace their worldly false beliefs with the truth of Christ. ONE unclean spirit leaves but comes back with SEVEN more. The number "seven" represents perfection. In this case, the number seven represents the perfection of Satan's lies/deceptions which come to a believer by the indwelling of the spirit of anti-Christ. Now, instead of ONE unclean spirit within the believer, they now have EIGHT. The number eight is a spiritual symbol which represents a
new spiritual condition. In this case, the new spiritual condition is
worse than the first (a man of sin).
A second witness to this truth comes from Isa 28:9-12. My comments are in
blue.
Isa 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts (converted believers who have both the Early and Latter Rains of the Spirit). 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11 For with stammering lips and another language will he speak to this people. 12 But the word of the LORD was unto them (babes/unconverted believers) precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken (by Satan).
Because all who enter the church remain spiritually blind, carnally minded and unconverted, Satan is able to deceive them and cause them to "fall away" (mixing works with faith). When a believer does this mixing, they are trying to serve two masters which will cause their house to fall (loss of salvation).
For the Elect who are in this apostate condition, Christ will come to them a "second time" (because of grace), pour out the Latter Rain of the Spirit and restore their salvation.
With the Latter Rain of the Spirit, the believer's spiritual blindness will be healed. With this new ability to "see", Christ will appear to them and gather the child of God to heaven (spiritually speaking). The baptism of Fire (Mat 3:11/Day of the Lord) will then commence and will destroy the "chaff" (all things that make the believer carnal)
within the believer. After this judgment is complete, the person will be converted and will walk by the Spirit. Satan can no longer harm them. Their salvation is secured.
When a new believer (a babe who only has the Early Rain of the Spirit) mixes in their own works with faith (trust in Christ to do all the things necessary to save them), they are still drinking the Old Wine and will remain under the condemnation of the Law (John 8:3-11).
Luke 5:39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.
For this reason, salvation requires that Christ give a person
BOTH the Early and Latter Rains of the Spirit.
James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receives the EARLY and LATTER RAIN. 8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh (second coming with the Latter Rain).
Psa 68:9 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful RAIN (the Latter Rain), whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary (in a fallen away condition).
Jer 3:3 Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no Latter Rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead (apostate condition), thou refusedst to be ashamed.
1Sam 12:17 Is it not wheat (Elect) harvest to day? (Day of conversion/salvation) I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder (voice of God) and RAIN (the Latter Rain); that ye may perceive and see (spiritual blindness healed) that your wickedness is great (have become apostate/man of sin), which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king (Satan).
The Apostles received the Early Rain of the Spirit when they walked with Christ. As a result, they receive a "measure of faith" and called Jesus "Lord". This verse applies:
1Cor 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Spirit.
The Apostles received the Latter Rain of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. This is when they were converted and saved.
Mat 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children (no longer babes), ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Paul received the Early Rain of the Spirit when Christ first appeared to him on the Damascus Road. Paul's physical blindness represented his spiritual blindness. Paul's inability to eat or drink for the next three days represented Paul not being able to eat the true bread from heaven (truth) or drink the New Wine of the New Covenant. After Paul's three days were complete, Christ "came again" (typed by Ananias) and baptized Paul with the Holy Spirit (the Latter Rain). The scales then fell off Paul's eyes so that he could begin eating meat.
All of what I have presented above happens to a person
solely because of God's grace which is manifested in Christ who will do all the work of saving a person. For this reason, Paul makes these statements:
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Joe
