It has become commonplace—almost epidemic today—to proclaim Christ as Savior while living a life which Scriptures would clearly call worldly—even blasphemous at times. It has become commonplace to feel safe and secure in our salvation and walk with God simply because we’ve said a prayer and got baptized at some point; or had an emotional moment of repentance, or a time of walking with God in our life only to slowly go back to a completely worldly walk. Some seemingly get close to God every time there is trouble in their lives only to trust self again when the burden has passed. With so, so many “Christians” living their lives in this manner today, it is absolutely imperative that we address how this looks to God. And what the true state of a person’s salvation and heart may be in this mindset. Like it or not, believe it or not, scripturally we are drawing very near the end. Not only are lives and hearts being torn apart as many walk falsely in their faith, but many will soon be caught unprepared and lost when the trump sounds very soon. There is an age-old notion and debate as to whether a person can lose their Salvation after they have truly accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. With all of my heart—backed by overwhelming Scriptures—I believe God’s Word teaches that: God will never leave nor forsake you and that nothing will make God stop loving and wanting you. But that you and I have every freedom and potential to leave Him: Hebrews 3:12-14; Galatians 4:8-9, 11; Colossians 1:21-23; 2 Peter 3:17-18; Matthew 10:22; Matthew 24:11-13; 1 Corinthians 15:1-2; Matthew 5:13. These verses literally spell out the fact that we can leave Him, but never does God give up on us or abandon us in our sins or doubts: 2 Timothy 2:13. Yet, for the sake of the rest of this study together, let’s address the possibility that one could never lose their Salvation. 1 John 2:19: This passage clearly says many who walk away after having seemingly been a part of Christ had deceived the church and maybe even themselves, only to walk back to the world when times changed. So, whether you believe we can walk away or you believe those who walk away were never saved—this changes nothing about the end state of the departed person—they are without Christ and headed for damnation. Why do some walk away? This is not really the important question. What is the important question is: Why do many find themselves living lukewarm? Or even opposed to God? After once walking with Him? Here are two major reasons which Jesus Himself Gives: Matthew 13:20-21. 1) Is that people love and accept the thought of how Jesus offers salvation, security and blessing. But the true words, the true love, the true way of Christ do not become a part of who they are. They have no deep roots, they are still “The seed growing.” When their faith requires difficult choices or hardship, they begin to stumble away again. This describes so many who want everything about God’s blessings and security but are not willing to suffer anything taken from their lives or go against anything in the world. They are not willing to change anything God calls wrong or sinful; not willing to step away from anything they want in life to trust and live out what they have first embraced. Many today even blaming God for their hardships. Even saying things like: “I prayed that God would help me, and He didn’t!” If this is the reason you have drifted from God, please realize: God never promises to remove your burden, He promises to walk through it and give strength in it. If not receiving something from God has turned you from Him then He has answered your greatest need by showing you what was more important than Him in your life. What if this had been the mentality of Job, who lost everything while following God’ Joseph, who was sold as a slave, falsely arrested, imprisoned; Abraham, who waited decades to receive a promise he stood upon; or even Jesus, Who prayed that God would make another way to save the world. Our prayer—our desire—in true faith for our sacrificial Redeemer should be: “God, if not, let me honor You where I am!” Or maybe we’ve never truly honored Him at all.
Next reason: Matthew 13:22. 2) Many truly accept Christ with the real desire to live for Him, but they put everything in life before serving Him—family, career, acceptance, things, relationships all come first until they become unfruitful in the Kingdom until God has become Something they entertain when they have room or when they have a need. And they eventually grow so far away from Him that He is hardly a thought, much less the reason for life. When we don’t let His Seed grow in our lives—when we remain focused on ourselves and the world—eventually all the seeds planted around His Seed will grow, choke the sprout until God becomes “Simply something in the way of getting what we truly want!” And so He needs to either change or go. That is when we have decided to walk away or when it becomes apparent that we never knew Him. It is absolutely certain that we all will have times of darkness and loss of passion in our walk. So, how do we know: when we are simply in a low point of our walk and when we are proving we have walked away from Him? It is so much simpler than we make it. God is not a legalist. It doesn’t matter if we have said a prayer of Salvation; it doesn’t matter if we truly believe He exists; it doesn’t matter how badly we may have sinned or fallen if we have truly accepted Him. You can debate words spoken and Lives lived, but none of these things matter to God. None of these things hold God to some unbreakable legal contract. God cares only about one thing—the only thing that is an absolute true, determining factor: Do you really love Him right this minute? Everything else is irrelevant and smoke to cover truth. Many would immediately say: “Yes, I love Him, case closed.” But if you really are seeking truth about yourself and not just wanting to feel good, contemplate this: If I proclaim how much I love my wife—even if I had one time in the past, said: “I do!” at the altar, and yet today I cheat on her, lie to her, abuse her, do I really love her? Why don’t we look at this obvious, literal truth in our own lives? Why don’t we simply ask this question of our own hearts? Rather than hide behind technicalities and proofs like a legal document or case to win? Because we know we can’t rely on the actual evidence, it is too compelling and convicting. We have to try and prove our case on theological arguments and hand-picked verses. How about dropping all of the debates and simply asking yourself if are you completely surrendered to Him? Do you want Him more than anything else, at any cost, right now? It’s not whether you ever really knew Him or walked away. It’s not whether you did or said the right things. It’s do you love Him right now? Let’s test ourselves in a clear, easy way using Scripture and you will know undeniably where you are right now: Romans 8:9. Can we all agree Scriptures say if we are saved, we are indwelt with the Spirit of God? Then let’s see what the Spirit of God does in our lives: John 16:8. One of the main things the Spirit of God does in our souls is to convict us of what is sin, show us what is true righteousness, and make us understand His Judgments against sin. And so, what is the effect of that conviction from the Spirit in the heart of a true lover of God? 1 John 3:3-10; Romans 8:5-7; Matthew 7:16-20; John 14:15: All of these scriptures say we cannot choose to live in sin and be of God. Please understand a Christian can commit the worst of sins; a Christian can have a time or season of darkness away from God; but they cannot continue in that sin without overwhelming conviction, pain and guilt, knowing they are against God’s Love and Will. Just as David and Saul both were anointed of God, both committed equally horrific sins against God. But David’s heart, soul and body melted away in conviction until he repented and returned to God! Psalms 32:3-5: While Saul embraced his selfish ways until his heart became so hard and seared that he turned completely from God. God’s Seed in your heart and soul will sprout to produce fruits according to His Word and righteousness because we love who He is more than we love our sins and natural desires. God says clearly and simply: we will be known by those fruits. Yes, we may fall; we may even walk in sin for a time and He will never give up on us. But if we remain in that sin with the Spirit convicting our hearts and showing us Truth, our hearts do become hardened; our conscience does become seared, and we do not hold onto Him to the end. Some would say “We never knew Him!” Either way, it is Scripturally clear we do not have Him now. How many of us… have chosen a life of unforgiveness and bitterness towards others and refuse to give the same mercy they have received? How many are living in sexual sin and are loving it, not caring if they are out of God’s Will? How many are standing for all of the things that make God sick, angry, and broken-hearted, that He Died to erase from our world? Because these things or the people that want them are more important than offending God? How many people have chosen to embrace an alternate lifestyle, wanting to change God’s clear Word and Desire for our lives, over embracing God for Who He Claims to be, over embracing His Wisdom and Will above our own? How many get their fulfilment in substance abuse, with no true desire or fight to leave it because they want it more than God? How many proclaim Christianity, but show nothing but constant contempt and hatred rather than concern and love for all those we just mentioned? These freely growing fruits are a product of the seed that grows in our hearts. Scriptures clearly say those fruits cannot save us or condemn us, but that they do show whether we have truly trusted Him or not. Stop debating. Stop trying to accept Salvation on a legalistic claim, and judge your own heart according to the clear proof of your life. Are you walking with Him, even if you occasionally fail? Then accept His Peace! Because He is Faithful even when you fall. Are you living in sin, but terribly convicted? He is anxiously anticipating your repentance, so that He can show complete restoration and embrace Or are you living in sin and embracing it with all your heart, unapologetically? He has never left you. But He says that your fruits—your desires—prove you do not know Him right now. But, just like David, the man after His own heart, it is never too late to come back home. Listen to God’s plea to Israel when they had done the same thing: Jeremiah 3:21-22. Worry less about how you look, less about legalities, and face the truth of where you really are right now. Then surrender to the one who died to have you back.
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