April 9                                            Deut 26 - 28

ONCE SAVED, FOREVER SAVED?

MEMORISE: ‘If a man abide not in me, He is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. “’ (John 15:6)
READ: Ezekiel 3:17-21

Several believers have been made to accept a dangerous belief concerning their faith in Christ. They have even supported this with passages of Scripture. They believe that once saved you are forever saved. No matter what you do, you maintain the status quo. They support this claim with Hebrews 7:25: ‘Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.’

Also see Hebrews 5:9: ‘And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him…’

By this they say salvation is eternal. Once you give your life to Christ, that’s all there is to salvation. You can return to sin but when you die you will still see yourself in heaven. It is a horrible lie from the pit of hell! The Scripture is very clear about the fact that having once believed in Christ, it is possible to fall away from him and end up in hell. Jesus, in an illustration said he is tree and those who believe in him are the branches. He further days: ‘If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned’ (John 15:6).

It is your continuously remaining in Christ and obeying him that secures your salvation. If it is possible to find salvation to Christ, it is also possible to lose it. Hence the Scripture enjoins you to ‘work out your salvation with fear and trembling.’ God says without mincing words: ‘Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him’ (Heb 10:38). Thank God we are not of them who draw back (v 39).

You have started the race. God expects you earnestly to contend for it. In our reading today, God said that when a righteous man returns to sin, all the past righteousness will be lost and he will be treated like the sinner that he now is. Be careful lest another takes your crown. Jealously guard your salvation daily. Satan is seeking to steal it from you.

ACTION POINT
List five people in the Bible who were saved or started well but ended up
In damnation. Give reasons for their failure.