(pastorlesofm;57116)
The last word I remember from the Cross is (not) was "it is finished". Never again will Jesus be asked to go back to the Cross to suffer for sins past, present, and future. l John 1:9. Many times I've run across christians who seem to think they are Heaven's police force. Many times my board of directors of OFM would give me a tongue lashing as I would allow men who were in our discipleship program would fall into drugs, alcohol, sex, etc. and I would welcome them back with open arms until the Lord did His work and they got set on the right track. I said to my board "thank God we are not God, we'd all be in trouble.". Remeber God hates sin but loves the sinner.
Agreed. People need to stop policing others and realize that we, in Christ, are simply, compeltely, not under the law. We live under grace. Sin is never a matter of salvation for a Christian. It is a matter of fruitfulness... in this life now, and in the life to come. If a person chooses to walk away from the True Vine and not bare fruit, then they will experience unnecessary pain, and will not have the gifts of the Spirit that come. If they want to be poppers in heaven and on Earth, that is their choice. Salvation is not the issue, and it is unwise completely wrong to dangle someone's salvation out in front of someone. It is possible that a conversion was not legit... but only God knows that. I make no judgment on that matter... that is God's call. We aren't called to the ministry of telling other people they aren't saved. EXAMINE YOURSELVES to see if you are in the faith or not... By all means, if someone comes to you and asks for help on this, so be it.We are under grace, and we do not claim, unclaim, or reclaim our salvation with works. He has done the work, it is finished, period, end of story. Salvation can't be lost by works, because it wasn't gained by works. Even many seasoned Christians don't, and may never grasp this for some reason... God knows.