What if you lose your faith?

[Taken]

Luke 17:21

How did that happen to the born again.
By being born again into the Spirit of God, by the Holy Spirit of God.
Now, where is God?
There is your answer.

DID YOU SAY...

“unbelievers who lost faith, are still saved” ?

If not, can you clarify what you DID say?

Thanks,
Taken

 

[Ferris Bueller]

2 Timothy 2:13
If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

Yes, he's got the believer's unfaithfulness covered. What he does not cover is your denial of him in unbelief:

"if we deny Him, He will also deny us;13if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself." 2 Timothy 2:12-13​

 

[Ferris Bueller]

13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

It's written to "you who believe in the name of the Son of God". It is for presently believing people ('believe' is in the present tense). They are the one's who may know that they have eternal life, not the person who has turned back to unbelief. As John himself says in the letter, the condition for having eternal life is that the word remain in you:

"23Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.24As for you, let what you have heard from the beginning remain in you. If it does, you will also remain in the Son and in the Father. 25And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life." 1 John 2:23-25​

Some will argue that the word will always remain in the believer (that is, they will always believe). Fine. But that doesn't change the condition for remaining in the Son, the Father, and the promise of eternal life. You must continue in your believing all the way to the end to be saved in the end:

"6 ...we are His (God's) house, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast." Hebrews 3:6​

 

[stephen64]

It's written to "you who believe in the name of the Son of God". That is who may know that they have eternal life, not the person who has turned back to unbelief. As John himself says in this very letter, the condition for having eternal life is that the word remain in you:

"23Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.24As for you, let what you have heard from the beginning remain in you. If it does, you will also remain in the Son and in the Father. 25And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life." 1 John 2:23-25​

Some will argue that the word will always remain in the believer (that is, they will always believe). Fine. But that doesn't change the condition for remaining in the Son, the Father, and the promise of eternal life. You must continue in your believing all the way to the end to be saved in the end:

"6 ...we are His (God's) house, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast." Hebrews 3:6​

Someone on the internet once said:
''Your sin will not keep you out of Heaven, but losing your faith will''
That got me thinking. If you look to your sin/shortcomings and judge whether you can attain to Heaven due to them, you are probably, if not definately living under law.
But if you keep going on and on following after the flesh, inevitably your heart will become hardened by sins deceitfulness and you will eventually lose your faith as a consequence. So in the end, I found myself agreeing with what that person wrote

 

[Ferris Bueller]

Someone on the internet once said:
''Your sin will not keep you out of Heaven, but losing your faith will''

This is exactly true.

 

[Ferris Bueller]

That got me thinking. If you look to your sin/shortcomings and judge whether you can attain to Heaven due to them, you are probably, if not definately living under law.
But if you keep going on and on following after the flesh, inevitably your heart will become hardened by sins deceitfulness and you will eventually lose your faith as a consequence.

Yes, that is what the church needs to hear.

"12See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God. 13But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness." Hebrews 3:12-13
​

They keep toying around with this OSAS stuff and they find themselves living less and less consecrated lives to the Lord. God warned Israel of complacency after coming into the Promised land.

 

[Ferris Bueller]

if you accept Christ as your saviour, but make a shallow commitment, you may be placed in a saved state, but you can lose that. For those who do not make a shallow commitment, they remain safe.

That is why I say not being able to fall away from the faith is something we grow up into. In the Parable of the Sower it is the person with the good and noble heart who clings to the word that perseveres:

"15But the seeds on good soil are those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, cling to it, and by persevering produce a crop." Luke 8:15​

 

[Ferris Bueller]

James is not talking about "righteousness" in your verse. He's talking about dead faith, and how this is to be avoided.
He is talking, not about being righteous, but about the proof of you having faith that is living, and not "dead" is that you produce Fruit, spiritual.

Now explain how that means being justified by works.

 

[Marymog]

And I thank God for it. It separated true believers from the corruption and control of the Catholic church organization. The hard lines of our various denominations, including yours, make it so we know not to even bother darkening the door of some churches. For example, I will never enter a Catholic church, or whatever church teaches what Behold teaches. When a group establishes an official Christ rejecting doctrine you don't need to go any further in investigating them to see if they belong to the truth.

You thank God that Satan has divided Christianity from one Church with one authority and one doctrine into thousands of denominations with no authority and multiple doctrines??????? That's concerning.....

 

[Marymog]

By how they live:

"20So then, by their fruit you will recognize them." Matthew 7:20

"7Little children,d let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous.e 8The one who practices sin is of the devil," 1 John 3:7-8

​

Lol....OK....Sooooo when someone asks to join your group of Lambs what questions do you ask them to confirm or "recognize" that they are a true Lamb of God?

Curious Mary

 

[Marymog]

We're not afraid of that because even if someone does invent his own truth his life will make that evident (you know, that 'fruit' thing). Those of us in the true body of Christ don't discern the true body of Christ by the accurate and approved performance of various ceremonies and liturgical procedures and church affiliation, but rather by how a person lives. 1 John is about discerning the Christ rejecters dwelling among them and their Christ rejecting doctrines by how they live. So, no fear of letting the church read and discern the Bible for themselves. It will be evident what spirit they listen to and follow...if given the freedom to do so. The Catholic church does not allow this freedom of discovery and growth, setting people up to believe it's lies.

How will it be "evident"? What would be your first clue? That they don't believe, teach, preach etc what you believe, teach, preach? Then it is evident what spirit they listen to?

You give very vague and generic answers and make statements that make no sense. They are not logical and have....as they say...no meat on the bone!

Mary

 

[Marymog]

When he believed in the promise of a son in Genesis 15:6. That is when he received the promise of a son and believed it. And the verse says that is the moment he was justified (made righteous) by his faith. Just like how it is for us today. Abraham is our example. Justification occurs when we believe God's promise of a son that will inherit the blessing on our behalf. Not when we do things in faith, but when believe in God's promise of a Son.


James is not contradicting Paul. The scriptures plainly say Abraham was justified when he believed God's promise of a son in Genesis 15:6. So Paul is not wrong about Abraham being justified by believing God apart from works. James is simply telling us that's not the only way a person is justified. They are also justified (shown to be righteous, not made to be righteous as Paul is saying) when they act in accordance with the righteousness they have by faith. Abraham was justified by both faith and works. Faith all by itself, apart from what he did, made him righteous before God in Genesis 15:6. What he did in Genesis 22:9-10 showed him to have that righteousness.

Oh goodness....Not only do you cherry pick Scripture and quote only parts of it that support what your men have taught you, you are also doing it to me.

Here is the key point you did not address: There were many years, probably more than ten years, between his first mentioned demonstration of saving faith and the subsequent declaration of righteous in Genesis 15.

I am not asking you to address this. I am just pointing out your cherry picking abilities.

 

[MatthewG]

What if you lose your faith?

I guess one makes the choice to say - I do not need God, or the Lord Jesus Christ.

It happens all the time. People being Christian, then they leave the faith... it is called becoming apostate, can they come back to faith? Sure if they choose so (repenting from their formerly walked way).

 

[Ferris Bueller]

You thank God that Satan has divided Christianity from one Church with one authority and one doctrine into thousands of denominations with no authority and multiple doctrines??????? That's concerning.....

No, I'm thankful that corruption is separated into identifiable organizations. That way I know immediately which church organizations to avoid right off the bat instead of attending there and then finding out the hard way that they are not of the truth. But at this stage in church history where the leaven has worked it's way pretty much through the whole batch it really doesn't matter that much anymore.

 

[Ferris Bueller]

Lol....OK....Sooooo when someone asks to join your group of Lambs what questions do you ask them to confirm or "recognize" that they are a true Lamb of God?

Curious Mary

How will it be "evident"? What would be your first clue? That they don't believe, teach, preach etc what you believe, teach, preach? Then it is evident what spirit they listen to?

You give very vague and generic answers and make statements that make no sense. They are not logical and have....as they say...no meat on the bone!

Well, for starters, "are you sleeping with your step mother?" (1 Corinthians 5:1).

But seriously, in a closely knit group of believers that actually follow Apostle Paul's authoritative counsel on how to meet (1 Corinthians 14:26-31), which rules out about 99.9% of all church organizations, including yours, it will become evident in time who is living in unrighteousness and who is not.

 

[MatthewG]

Well, for starters, "are you sleeping with your step mother?" (1 Corinthians 5:1).

But seriously, in a closely knit group of believers that actually follow Apostle Paul's authoritative counsel on how to meet (1 Corinthians 14:26-31), which rules out about 99.9% of all church organizations, including yours, it will become evident in time who is living in unrighteousness and who is not.

In the Second Letter Paul wrote, Paul tells those in the Corinthian church to forgive the guy. Crazy isn't it, we need all of the scripture to make total sense of what we have from the Apostles that wrote what they did!

 

[Ferris Bueller]

Oh goodness....Not only do you cherry pick Scripture and quote only parts of it that support what your men have taught you, you are also doing it to me.

Here is the key point you did not address: There were many years, probably more than ten years, between his first mentioned demonstration of saving faith and the subsequent declaration of righteous in Genesis 15.

I am not asking you to address this. I am just pointing out your cherry picking abilities.

What is wrong with you?! Genesis 15:3-6 PLAINLY says Abraham was credited righteousness (justified) when he believed God's promise of a son:

"3Abram continued, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.”4Then the word of the LORD came to Abram, saying, “This one will not be your heir, but one who comes from your own body will be your heir.” 5And the LORD took him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.”a6Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Genesis 15:3-6
​

Can't you see the correlation of how we also are counted righteous when we hear and believe God's promise of a SON who will inherit the blessing on our behalf? Get it? Abraham is our example of how a person is made righteous by faith in the promised SON, apart from anything they do to get that righteousness.

Then, when we do something commensurate with that believing we SHOW that we have the righteousness that comes through faith in God's promise of a SON. And so we are justified that way, also, just as James says we are to be:

"10Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.11Just then the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.12“Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him,” said the angel, “for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.b”​

Genesis 22:10-12​

See it? MADE righteous by faith in the promise of a son in Genesis 15:6. SHOWN to have that righteousness in Genesis 22:9-12. You won't learn this in a Catholic church. But there it is in plain words in our Bibles for all of us to know and learn. You can be offended by that and close your ears, or you can have an open and humble heart and recognize that the Catholic church is not teaching this truth visible in our Bibles for all to see and understand. They don't teach it because they do not know it. You blindly exalt the Catholic leadership because that's what they told you to do. Start seeing for yourself. Let the Holy Spirit be your teacher as you read the Bible for yourself without the confusion of Catholic and Protestant doctrines and talk about it with other believers who are doing the same thing. That is how you will learn and grow up into the knowledge of the truth. Stop depending on corrupt organizations who instill fear into you to follow them exclusively.

 

[Behold]

@Behold I love the quote which @Eternally Grateful has on his avatar: "He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ".

That is Phiippians 1:6

The "HE" is GOD.

"God is FAITHFUL to complete your SALVATION"........ and that is because He started it with the New Birth and finalizes it when you get the new Body, and are completed= "conformed into the image of Jesus"

Your Faith in Christ, that you gave God, .... JESUS finishes..

Hebrews 12:2. "finisher of your FAITH"........ that is Jesus.... not you.

So, all this is teaching is that "The Gift of Salvation" is in God's Hands, and He applies it to you, and GOD completes it for you.

Its just like being Born again. You also don't cause that...

Salvation is ALL OF GOD......beginning to End......starting with the Cross of Christ, and taking you from sinner to Saint, and from "new Creation" to "conformed into the image of Christ", ultimately.

What is our part in it?
TO RECEIVE IT....as SALVATiON IS A GIFT.

 

[Ferris Bueller]

In the Second Letter Paul wrote, Paul tells those in the Corinthian church to forgive the guy. Crazy isn't it, we need all of the scripture to make total sense of what we have from the Apostles that wrote what they did!

The important takeaway from the story is that guy had to repent in order to be saved when Jesus returns. He repented. Paul told them to receive him back into the fellowship. He was restored to faith in Christ. Assuming he remained restored he will enter into the kingdom at the end of the age.

 

[Behold]

it is called becoming apostate, can they come back to faith? Sure if they choose so (repenting from their formerly walked way).

Only your MIND has "walked away".

The Believer's born again Spirit is always..."ONE WITH GOD" "IN CHRIST".

You can't end the Birth of the Spirit, because you have a mood one day, and say....."i dont want to go to heaven"... because your kid died, or your mother was murdered and you blame God.

Understand?

See, you didnt cause yourself to be born again, and so, you can't end being born again.

"what if a believer loses faith".
What if they do. = God has already ACCEPTED their faith, when they gave it to Him, and He then produced the new Birth in them, Spiritually.
Its done.

Now, be good or be not good........the believer is not born again because they are good or bad, but because GOD has accepted their FAITH ALREADY.
Its DONE.
You can't stop being born again, with a mood swing or a faith crisis.

The born again ARE KEPT BY GOD, who FINISHES THEIR SALVATION, and is FAITHFUL to do it... AND....Jesus FINISHES THEIR FAITH... Hebrews 12:2 & Philippians 1:6