Dear Doves

 

I am so grateful to Ola, Charmaine and Cary  because they reflect God’s word and His righteousness so well.

 

I have no doubt at all that we are SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH and NOTHING CAN EVER CAUSE US TO LOSE THAT SALVATION.

 

In my opinion, this presupposes that however sinful we have been since the moment of our salvation, we actually want to remain saved in spite of our inability to avoid succumbing to temptation.

 

However, I think it may be possible to backslide (a major understatement!) to such a degree that someone does not want to keep the priceless and everlasting gift that the Lord has given, so if that person chooses – because of free will – to actually give it back and be in a state of rejection of all that God is at the point of death, that person will not go to heaven.

 

Of course it is possible to say such a person was not really saved in the first place, or that it simply can’t happen, but this then begs the question: what category of person is being talked about in the bible, where Paul says that some people (eg Gal 5 v19 – 21) will not inherit the Kingdom of God..... Are they all unregenerate? I don’t think so, given the context in which he is speaking.

 

What about Mark 13 v13 where “all who stand firm to the end will be saved”

 

Love to my brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

Steve