An online resource for understanding the true meaning of grace.
IS THE LAW DONE AWAY WITH?
This topic should be a simple one. however due to a lack of ligic and a desire to prove one side, this topic tends to become a bit frustrating. I find that the party believing that we cannot lose our salvation is very biased in that direction. possibly out of a fear that if they are wrong, they must therefore be doomed to hell. the worste part of this conversation comes with the territory of predestination.
When you combine bias and predestination in the same conversation, you wind up following people around in circles as they
• This means that if you believe that the Law was done away with, you do not believe in the cross.
BAPTISM
Before we are baptized, the Holy Spirit is impressing and guiding us. When we are baptized, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit just as Jesus received it when he was baptized. God dwells in us and our body becomes a temple of God.
The Bible indicates that the actual technique of baptism is important. The disciples disciples practiced a full submersion baptism in the name of Jesus. A certain story describes a group of 12 men who were baptized in the name of John the baptist, and were not even aware of the holy spirit. As a result they did not even receive the spirit during their baptism, and were all rebaptized.
Act 19:1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples
Act 19:2 he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit."
Act 19:3 And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism."
Act 19:4 Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus."
Act 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Act 19:6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
Act 19:7 Now the men were about twelve in all.
Baptism parrallels an earthly wedding ceremony. Would you have a wedding ceremony when you are a baby? It would mean nothing. The action one performs during baptism means nothing on its own, but is merely a symbol of their wedding covenant with God who has invited us to the marriage supper of the lamb. In life, you cannot be married without a legal wedding. At the same time, what good does a beautiful wedding ceremony do you if the 2 people are not in love.
The Holy Spirit is a gift that teaches us, enabling us to comprehend spiritual things, and sanctifies us, empowereing us to live a righteous life. Most importantly it guarantees our inheritance of eternal life.
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Notice how the holy spirit is guarantee of our inheritence. There are several views of how our salvation works. This very topic has divided many churches. First there is what has been humoruously called "yo yo" salavation. This means that everytime you sin, or fall away from god, you are lost again until you repent. I am not aware of any church actually believeing this, rather that it is a misconception that members seem to have as they are growing in knowlege. The main rebutle for this is that the Bible indicates that as long as we have the holy spirit, it is our guarantee that we are saved.
On the other end of the extreme, we have another view which is held my a majority of non-denominational churches, evangelical churches, and taught by many popular christian leaders. This view is that once you have recieved the gift of the Holy spirit, you cannot lose your salvation. As the Holy spirit is a "gift" it therefore cannot be earned. This belief then leads one to the obvious conclusion that if you cant lose your salvation then there is no need to repent from sin. Jesus died for all sin past present and future, therefore sin is essentially done away with.
The New testament discusses this issue alot, which makes us realize that this topic must have come up alot back in their time. As we see, we are given the holy spirit, and it stays in us, but lets see what the bible has to say about this...
Notice that Ephesians warns against "grieving" the holy spirit, then lists various things that grieve the spirit, and also adds that we need to forgive one another.
I have heard peopel read this next verse and conclude completely opposing views. Some say it affirms their view that it is "impossible" to lose our salvation while others see it as a warning, that if we do infact fall away, to the point where we are nolonger partakers in the Holy Spirit, that it is impossible for us to regain repentance.
One thing I have yet to find in the Bible is an illustration or meantion of why or how we lose god's spirit. The conclusion for many is that because there is no clear meantion of how to lose god's spirit, and hence lose salvation, that it must not occur.
There is however meantion of a mysteroius impardinable sin.
Is blashpeming the spirit something that is some sort of exotic mysterious sin that only rare high level satanists can commit? Or is it something we all do all the time? The word "blasphemy" the name given when someone counterfeits or claims to be somthing. Jesus was accused of blasphemy when he claimed to be the son of god. We are warned that the antichrist will blaspheme Jesus's name, his temple and his angels. This means that he will claim to be Jesus, and counterfeit his angels and temple.
So then, lets nail down what exactly it means to blaspheme against the holy spirit.
The Holy spirit is called the teacher. The purpose of the instruction from the holy spirit is to sanctify us or teach us the ways of god and also empower us to follow the ways of god. What would happen if we tried to do the work of the holy spirit ourselves. What if we tried to use intellect to understand the scriptures and then relied upon our own willpower to follow what we thought the truth was. This would definately qualify as blashpeming the spirit. Infact it is very easy for us to blaspheme against the spirit of god. What if we rely on our pastors, or friends and family for truth rather than listening to what the sprit is telling you. By relying on anything other than the holy spirit as a teacher, you are making yourself incapeable of taking any steps along the path of sanctification and righteousness.
Do We Still Need to Ask for Forgiveness?
I have always been surprised that this would be debated, but yet it is. Right in the lord's prayer Jesus tells us to ask.. "Forgive us our sins as we have forgiven other."
so not only do we need to be forgiven on a daily bases, but we also need to forgive others.
As i have meantioned, that the bible doesn't make an on the surface easy to understand explanation of how we can lose our salvation. On the otherhand, take a careful read through romans. If we can't lose our salvation, most of the book makes no sense. Why are there repeated warnings to "perservere" and endure inflictions. If we are saved no matter what, why would we have to percervere, for bonus points? Most of the disciples were martyred for theiri faith, and if you read the book of revelation and the prophecies of the gospel you will see extensive warning that those living in the last days will have to choose salvation even over their own lives. During the dark ages, over 50 million christians were killed, imprisoned and tortured for their faith, and today christians are enduring the same in china and the middle-east.
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2Co 7:8 For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while.
2Co 7:9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.
2Co 7:10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
2Co 7:11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
Updates:
Once saved always saved, or fight the good fight. Christianity is greatly divided on this topic. The bible provides clear answers.
Forgiveness. a secondary topic of salvatio. Some say it is unnecissary, while others say its essential for our salvation.
Universal Restoration, a highly indepth topic, claiming that everyone including satain and his angels will be saved in the end.
Life after death, some claim they commune with their lovevd ones from heaven, while other say the dead are sleeping.
The Sabbath. linked to the study on grace and the law, this topic has divided christians for nearly 1700 years.
God`s Covenant with his people. Understand the exact significance of the old and new covenant.