“Where you place your faith determines where you’ll spend eternity.
How you live your faith determines how you’ll spend eternity.
Don’t confuse where and how.”
I’m thinking a lot about Christian discipleship these days. I’m defining genuine or biblical discipleship (as opposed to what many people assume is discipleship) as “The process of learning to live like Christ, then actually doing it.”
Open Vault Door (Picture by Eric Rice)
One of the most important discussions I have with people has to do with the concern about their salvation. Many people believe that they can lose salvation, or have it taken away, depending on how they live, what sins they may commit, or what good things they never do.
In this post, I’d like simply to show the Scriptures most frequently used to support their beliefs, emphasize a phrase or two, and give some questions I’ve been asked.
For those who believe “once saved, always saved”, these passages can be troublesome and are often called “problem passages”. In the following posts, we’ll explore them a little further and see if they accurately represent the teaching of the rest of the Scriptures.
But false prophets arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. These false teachers will infiltrate your midst with destructive heresies, even to the point of denying the Master who bought them. As a result, they will bring swift destruction on themselves. 2 Peter 2:1 Does this mean that I could deny God and lose my salvation?
Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message I preached to you– unless you believed in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 What if I don’t hold firmly to the message?
You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace! Galatians 5:4 I can fall away from grace if I return to my old ways?
So I do not run uncertainly or box like one who hits only air. Instead I subdue my body and make it my slave, so that after preaching to others I myself will not be disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:26-27 Could I be disqualified?
“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me– and I in him– bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and are burned up.” John 15:5-6 If a person doesn’t remain in Jesus, he is sent to hell? How can I be sure that I am “remaining”?
For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you. Notice therefore the kindness and harshness of God– harshness toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. Romans 11:21-22 Again, how do I know if I have continued enough to be spared and not cut off?
For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit, tasted the good word of God and the miracles of the coming age, and then have committed apostasy, to renew them again to repentance, since they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves all over again and holding him up to contempt. Hebrews 6:4-6 What if I left the church for a long time and lived a sinful life? Is that apostasy? Is it impossible for me to be saved?
For if we deliberately keep on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins is left for us, but only a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a fury of fire that will consume God’s enemies. Hebrews 10:26-27 But I thought we would never stop sinning until we got to Heaven. How are we supposed to be perfect after we’re saved?
I testify to the one who hears the words of the prophecy contained in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book. Revelation 22:18-19 What if I have misquoted the Bible to someone – does that count as adding or taking away? Is that big enough to lose my salvation over?
Stay tuned, and we will study these and the rest of the Scriptures together.
The last two chapters of Proverbs are sort of appendices to the rest of the book. Solomon seems to have compiled the first 24 chapters personally. Hezekiah had his guys put together 5 more chapters that Solomon didn’t include. But these last two are completely different.
First, we don’t know anything about the writers (Agur, Lemuel’s mother) or the recipients (Ithiel, Ukal, King Lemuel). Secondly, the proverbs are more like paragraphs than short, pithy sayings.
So, here are some thoughts from chapter 30.
Every word of God is purified; he is like a shield for those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he reprove you, and prove you to be a liar. (30:5-6)
Many people are familiar with the prophecy of Revelation 22:18-19 that someone who adds to or subtracts from the Revelation (sometimes misapplied to the entire Bible) will be severely punished.
The results in Proverbs 30 don’t seem nearly as harsh, but the point remains the same – don’t put words in God’s mouth. Don’t try to make him say something he never said. This is actually the point behind the third commandment (Exodus 20:7), which I will be teaching on at OTCC later this spring.
There is a generation who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
There is a generation who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not washed from their filthiness.
There is a generation whose eyes are so lofty, and whose eyelids are lifted up disdainfully.
There is a generation whose teeth are like swords and whose molars are like knives to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among the human race. (30:11-14)
Four times Agur says, “There is a generation.” From the description, it seems to me like this is a recurring “generation”, and ours is no different.
Consider the national decay that a generation with these morals will bring:
This is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, “I have not done wrong.” (30:20)
I know this can be taken a couple of different ways, but here’s how I read it. I get the picture of the adulterous person (woman or man) as a predator feeding off of their victims. Think vampire. When they’re done with the “meal”, they calmly wipe their mouths, look up, and say, “What?”
Under four things [the earth] cannot bear up…an unloved woman who is married… (30:23)
Wow – this one caught me off guard. Of all the things nature could abhor, a married woman unloved by her husband? Remember, the Bible is God’s very own heart and mind written down for us. What does this tell us about him? What does this tell me about me?
Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive. (27:5-6)
While this sounds really good, and it makes a lot of sense, many people just really don’t want to go there with their friends. It’s easy to think, “I wish someone would tell them…” Part of living in community with others and doing life together means asking the tough questions and “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).
So, go ahead and say it. It won’t be easy, but it will be much better in the long run and good for your friend’s growth.
Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, so that I may answer anyone who taunts me. (27:11)
Every leader or teacher understands this one. There’s no feeling like teaching a great Biblical truth to a group of people (say, at church), only to find your kid doing the exact opposite in the lobby after the service – with everyone watching!
The same is true for God’s family. When the “accuser of our brothers and sisters” (Revelation 12:10) stands before God with his accusations about me and you, does he have anything to say?
A continual dripping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike. (27:15)
Thank God I don’t have a “contentious wife”, but I hate rainy days. At least they go away to come again another day. I can’t imagine coming home to that every day. You rock, babe!
As a crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold, so a person is proved by the praise he receives. (27:21)
We all know that a big part of life is how we deal with criticism. We teach our kids how to handle it. According to Solomon, dealing with praise is just as big. How a person handles praise shows a lot about who they are inside.
How do you manage praise?
