I've always been taught and believe that once saved, always saved or that it is impossible to lose your salvation. Having said that I just read Matthew 10 22 and where Jesus says, "but he that endureth to the end shall be saved". Is it meant to be taken literal or does it have another meaning? Thanks
I concur with Brother Chris and what you were taught.
Once a person is born again ( Born of God's Spirit) he can never be unborn!
We're in the Father and the Son's hand!
Our salvation is in their hands!!
Jude 1:24 reads "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
If salvation depends on you and I to present our righteousness we would lose our salvation every minute.
As for the verse you mentioned Matthew 10:22 I'm not sure the quote in question "but he that endureth to the end shall be saved" is talking about just salvation.
So saved from what?
Look at the previous verses.
5-7, "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
10:17-18, "But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
Look at verse 23 "But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the "CITIES OF ISRAEL", TILL THE SON OF MAN BE COME.
I believe this deals with their local present mission and on into the far future where it may have salvation implications.
It started out with the twelve apostles on their present commission and on into the future after the Rapture of the Church!
The Apostles made it alive through their mission as will those ministering post Church will make it in the tribulation.
Either way it's stating that they WILL ENDURE to the end!
Thank you for replying. Yes, the verse in question was "he that endureth to the end shall be saved". Just by reading it I took it as "saved" meant born again. I've believed in the death, burial, and resurrection for a long time and have never lost faith in Jesus Christ but have stopped living like I should for a while. I now feel the need to have a closer walk with the Lord by studding his word and going to Church. I know I can't earn my way into heaven by doing these things, but I just want a closer walk and study the word of God. I have been saved a long time now, but I have never really studied the word for myself. Thanks for your help.
Hello again Forgiven forever. May you be encouraged from what has been shared with you here to truly wait upon the Lord, for His Spirit Who has touched your heart to seek Him earnestly after the long spell away from Him. There is nothing more wonderful than to be resting with great assurance in the joy & blessing of God, and knowing His ministry in your life when things don't always go the way you would like or when feelings of anxiousness or fear arise. Our LORD is indeed the great Healer & Sustainer, Who promises to never leave us - wherever we go & in all we do, He is with us & in us. Stay close to Him by faith, reading His precious Word and talking to Him at any time (both in praise & prayer).
Just a short note to your question, whether Romans 2:13 "would be considered works?" To understand what the apostle Paul was writing about, one would need to at least read all of chapters 2 & 3 of Romans. In chapter 2, Paul was addressing both Jew and Gentile believers in Rome, but turns his attention to the Jews in the Church ( Romans 2:17). There were some there that maintained adherence to the Old Testament Laws given to Israel, to which Paul asked 'if you preach adherence to the Law, then how well do you keep that Law, for only those who can keep it perfectly will be accepted by God'. Of course, the expected response would be, 'we can't keep the Law perfectly'; even as James 2:10 states, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
So Paul goes on in Romans chap 3 to give the answer. Romans 3:19,20: the Law applies to those under it and by keeping the Law (even imperfectly), no one, Jew nor Gentile, can be justified before God. So Paul's conclusion ( Romans 3:28: "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law). So, not only keeping the Law, but doing any good that tries to supplement Faith in God through Jesus, would be Works - and Works & Faith don't mix ( Galatians 3:19-26).
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1 John 1:10
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
we are goanna sin daily and no one is perfect or without sin. If we could live a life sin free, God would not have sent his only son to die for us.
I understand we can't live however we want to and practice our sin. For the spirt is willing but the flesh is weak.
Chris has given you a good reply. However, if we examine the saying, "once saved, always saved," it can be true or false; we can use Scripture to support or refute it. So where does that leave us?
In John 3:16, it says that if we believe in Jesus, we will be saved. Jesus promises never to fail. Salvation is based on the grace of God, through faith, not by our efforts, Ephesians 2:8-9. Our salvation depends on the righteousness of Christ and God's mercy, Titus 3:5.
We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23-24. We are justified not by works of the law but by faith, Galatians 2:16. We are called not because of our works but because of God's purpose and grace given to us through Jesus, 2 Timothy 1:9.
Our salvation is founded on our faith in Jesus Christ. In John 10:27-29, we are His sheep, hear His voice, follow Him, and are granted eternal life, which no one can take from His hand. Our salvation is secure because it relies on Jesus' work. As Hebrews 10:23 states, we are to hold fast to our faith without wavering because He is faithful.
Conversely, there is the risk of apostasy or falling away. Luke 8:4-15 illustrates this. In verse 13, it describes someone who received the word with joy and believed for a while but fell away when tempted. This person was a believer who later turned away; individuals can walk away on their own.
We must live by faith and be led by the Spirit. Paul says in Colossians 1:23, "If ye continue in the faith." We also see in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 about the great falling away when the beast rises, along with many other verses too numerous to list that emphasize we must endure to the end, like Revelation 2:10, also we are told to hold fast. If we remain strong in our faith, nothing can take our salvation away.
I understand that some say those who fall away were never truly saved, but I do not see that supported by Scripture, and it may be false hope for one who is weak.
Hello Forgiven forever. Even as your pen name correctly states, that those who have been forgiven & have received new birth in Christ, are truly saved & secured forever. There is, and always will be, different opinions on this subject, as you have shared Matthew 10:22. Without getting into the matter of whether a true believer in Christ is eternally saved or not, the verse you gave is to be read in context. Jesus was speaking to His disciples, and from verses 17-22, Jesus tells them what lay before them (i.e. arrests, beatings, trials in courts, family rebellion).
After these words to them, Jesus tells them, "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." Now this sounds to us like Jesus was telling them that only if they put up with all this suffering in their ministries, then God would accept them & bring them into His Kingdom - if they don't they would be rejected. A brother on these pages recently gave the Greek rendering of this verse (as you know that Greek was the written language of the New Testament). The meaning is not as I have given above (i.e. what we think it means), but Jesus was telling His disciples, that 'having endured these trials', or 'after you have endured these things & your end has come, you will see God's Salvation'. And of course, these Words of Jesus were not just to warn them or cause fear of impending suffering, but to show them that when they (or even ourselves) are put to the test and by the help of God's Spirit we remain strong in suffering, we can be encouraged that we will conquer fear & pain, being received by God. So, "shall be saved" does not refer to what Jesus would do later by laying down His Life for our redemption and salvation, but refers to God's intervention by receiving that faithful servant of His into His Glory, when suffering, pains & trials will be over.
Welcome to the site!
I concur with Brother Chris and what you were taught.
Once a person is born again ( Born of God's Spirit) he can never be unborn!
We're in the Father and the Son's hand!
Our salvation is in their hands!!
Jude 1:24 reads "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
If salvation depends on you and I to present our righteousness we would lose our salvation every minute.
As for the verse you mentioned Matthew 10:22 I'm not sure the quote in question "but he that endureth to the end shall be saved" is talking about just salvation.
So saved from what?
Look at the previous verses.
5-7, "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
10:17-18, "But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
Look at verse 23 "But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the "CITIES OF ISRAEL", TILL THE SON OF MAN BE COME.
I believe this deals with their local present mission and on into the far future where it may have salvation implications.
It started out with the twelve apostles on their present commission and on into the future after the Rapture of the Church!
The Apostles made it alive through their mission as will those ministering post Church will make it in the tribulation.
Either way it's stating that they WILL ENDURE to the end!
God bless.
You're seeking spiritual growth and practical Sanctification.
You're remedy of studying God's word is the way to do that!
Prayer is also very important.
May the Lord bless you in your studies!
"For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified."
Blessings
Thank you
"Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law."
James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Blessings
Just a short note to your question, whether Romans 2:13 "would be considered works?" To understand what the apostle Paul was writing about, one would need to at least read all of chapters 2 & 3 of Romans. In chapter 2, Paul was addressing both Jew and Gentile believers in Rome, but turns his attention to the Jews in the Church ( Romans 2:17). There were some there that maintained adherence to the Old Testament Laws given to Israel, to which Paul asked 'if you preach adherence to the Law, then how well do you keep that Law, for only those who can keep it perfectly will be accepted by God'. Of course, the expected response would be, 'we can't keep the Law perfectly'; even as James 2:10 states, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
So Paul goes on in Romans chap 3 to give the answer. Romans 3:19,20: the Law applies to those under it and by keeping the Law (even imperfectly), no one, Jew nor Gentile, can be justified before God. So Paul's conclusion ( Romans 3:28: "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law). So, not only keeping the Law, but doing any good that tries to supplement Faith in God through Jesus, would be Works - and Works & Faith don't mix ( Galatians 3:19-26).
1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
Matthew 19:16
"And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?"
Matthew 19:17
"And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."
Blessings
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1 John 1:10
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
we are goanna sin daily and no one is perfect or without sin. If we could live a life sin free, God would not have sent his only son to die for us.
I understand we can't live however we want to and practice our sin. For the spirt is willing but the flesh is weak.
Chris has given you a good reply. However, if we examine the saying, "once saved, always saved," it can be true or false; we can use Scripture to support or refute it. So where does that leave us?
In John 3:16, it says that if we believe in Jesus, we will be saved. Jesus promises never to fail. Salvation is based on the grace of God, through faith, not by our efforts, Ephesians 2:8-9. Our salvation depends on the righteousness of Christ and God's mercy, Titus 3:5.
We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23-24. We are justified not by works of the law but by faith, Galatians 2:16. We are called not because of our works but because of God's purpose and grace given to us through Jesus, 2 Timothy 1:9.
Our salvation is founded on our faith in Jesus Christ. In John 10:27-29, we are His sheep, hear His voice, follow Him, and are granted eternal life, which no one can take from His hand. Our salvation is secure because it relies on Jesus' work. As Hebrews 10:23 states, we are to hold fast to our faith without wavering because He is faithful.
Conversely, there is the risk of apostasy or falling away. Luke 8:4-15 illustrates this. In verse 13, it describes someone who received the word with joy and believed for a while but fell away when tempted. This person was a believer who later turned away; individuals can walk away on their own.
We must live by faith and be led by the Spirit. Paul says in Colossians 1:23, "If ye continue in the faith." We also see in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 about the great falling away when the beast rises, along with many other verses too numerous to list that emphasize we must endure to the end, like Revelation 2:10, also we are told to hold fast. If we remain strong in our faith, nothing can take our salvation away.
I understand that some say those who fall away were never truly saved, but I do not see that supported by Scripture, and it may be false hope for one who is weak.
God bless,
RLW
After these words to them, Jesus tells them, "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." Now this sounds to us like Jesus was telling them that only if they put up with all this suffering in their ministries, then God would accept them & bring them into His Kingdom - if they don't they would be rejected. A brother on these pages recently gave the Greek rendering of this verse (as you know that Greek was the written language of the New Testament). The meaning is not as I have given above (i.e. what we think it means), but Jesus was telling His disciples, that 'having endured these trials', or 'after you have endured these things & your end has come, you will see God's Salvation'. And of course, these Words of Jesus were not just to warn them or cause fear of impending suffering, but to show them that when they (or even ourselves) are put to the test and by the help of God's Spirit we remain strong in suffering, we can be encouraged that we will conquer fear & pain, being received by God. So, "shall be saved" does not refer to what Jesus would do later by laying down His Life for our redemption and salvation, but refers to God's intervention by receiving that faithful servant of His into His Glory, when suffering, pains & trials will be over.
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