Hi John,
Just a quick note: something I was relieved to discover in my Bible reading…
I am so dog tired of hearing the claims of the “I’m-saved-and-you-can’t-make-me-doubt-it” Xns on Facebook.
So, I dug in and did some reading, with my wonderful assistant—Strong’s Concordance—just to really see what the Bible says about salvation, and was relieved by the many scriptures that support the truth. (Xns make it so confusing trying to have it their way!)
One scripture, in particular, that JUMPED out at me, I don’t recall ever having read before, but it is pretty interesting, among many others that satisfy the fact that salvation is a future hope.
1Thess 5:9 – KJV –
For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. . .”
1Thess 5:9 – NASV –
For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. .”
1Thess 5:9 – NIV –
For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath, but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1Thess 5:9 – PJHV –
For God has not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation through our Master, Jesus Christ. . .”
(The NIV is the one that comes the closest to being a bad influence, with the possibility of a misinterpretation based on “receiving” salvation in the present, as Xns proclaim.)
But the word “obtain” is pretty much a slam dunk of something that is to be received in the future; something to work for, to hope for, to live for. PRAISE GOD!!!!
I don’t know how Xns can read their Bibles and still hold onto the notion that they “got saved” (received their guaranteed salvation forevermore) when they “accepted Jesus into their hearts.”
I felt led by the holy Ghost to research that, and it has refreshed me this morning.
Brad
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When I was young, I also did a survey of the various forms of “save” in the New Testament (i.e., after the day of Pentecost. I wanted to see what the apostles said about salvation after they were born again.
As I recall, about 75% of the times that the apostles used one of the forms of “save”, they used it in a future tense, as in the phrase, “shall be saved”. About 23% of the time, they used it with a present meaning, as “being saved”. And about 2% of the time, they used “saved” in the past tense. It was clear to me that Christians had it all wrong. They use “saved” almost exclusively in a past tense form, which is an obvious corruption of the gospel.
Be thankful that you have the sound judgment and the humility to bow to whatever God has said about salvation, Brad. It is no small thing. And pray for the masses who have been swept up in this “get saved” madness. At some point in the future, I feel sure, Jesus will raise up somebody who will help them stop claiming what they must work to obtain: the salvation of the Lord.
I leave you with Jesus’ words from John 5:28-29
28. The hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29. and come out, those who have done good things unto the resurrection of life, but those who have practiced evil unto the resurrection of damnation”.
When is the last time anyone has heard any Christian, whether a minister or not, refer to those verses? I have never heard a Christian sermon based on those verses, or on these verses, from Romans 2:
6. [God] will render to every man according to his deeds,
7. to those who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, He will give eternal life:
8. but unto those who are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, He will give indignation and wrath.
9. There will be tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first,and also of the Gentile,
10. but glory, honor, and peace to every man who does good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile.
jdc