Answers to this vary bc of the different meanings that have been applied to these terms . Saved. Some ppl say it means just that. Settled. Done. Guaranteed.There are those who say no way. There's a 'provision' clause .... Saved provided ...... And then any number of things may be listed.
Some may argue that saying 'provided' is adding to the finished work of Christ on the cross, and therefore adds to the gospel, meaning there IS no gospel.
Some others may argue that saying Done Finished Complete means the life that the saved person lives henceforth is made meaningless (regarding salvation).
And if they are living like the devil, how can they claim to be saved? And ppl will say they can make good points on both of these positions, and scripture is used for support. And I'm sure some would say there are more positions than these.
I think that since this topic has been debated for a long long time by many great and deep thinkers, it might be best for me to say both and neither.
Jesus paid it all. Our salvation is secure in Him.
If we believe in Him, His atoning death for our sins, His resurrection from the grave, we're saved. It's the object of our faith that matters ... In this case, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself ... Not our faith in and of itself, nor how much of it we can muster up to make sure we're not crossing some invisible line that says OOPS, too much sin, you aren't saved anymore.
Will Jesus lose any that are His? No.
Are we saved by our own righteousness? No.
We stand in His righteousness.
How we go moving forward may be better left as personal sanctification, and maybe God deals with each of us in different ways at different stages of our life.Is one person convinced that God wants them doing something, and perhaps it's bothering their conscience to the point of questioning their salvation? Then maybe they need to do (or stop doing) what God is telling them.
I personally don't believe anyone's salvation is based on their own performance, but if it brings that person to accept Jesus' substitutionary sacrifice on their behalf and they're saved, then Praise the Lord.
If someone else is already there, and are convinced that Jesus saved them, then Praise the Lord! We're not their judge to tell them no!
And if someone is somewhere in the tension between, well, we're called to love one another, pray for one another, encourage each other, build each other up in the faith.THE faith.Jesus is our Saviour. He's the One who loves us with an everlasting love, and gave Himself FOR us!
I guess the only unforgiveable sin from that point on is if a person decides they don't care, they're not interested, and make a willful, determinative decision to reject the Lord Jesus Christ, and His gift of salvation, and all that that means.
And who knows if that person continues to be alive, God may get them saved yet! He's our loving heavenly Father, and His mercies are new every morning, and His grace and love abounds.
This was a great question, Wilhemena, and I'm sure I didn't get any closer to answering it than before, but thanks for letting me toss two cents in, and thanks for inspiring us to think a little deeper. I DO have more I'd like to say, and have a more convinced position than perhaps I stated here, but I'd like to hear some others as well. God bless you with His grace in Jesus.
