once saved, always saved?

[DHC]

Once saved always saved (OSAS) is the only doctrine which has full understanding of God's love.

Non-OSAS believe that God loved us enough to send His Son to die for us when we were still sinners, but after becoming children of God if we don't endure or don't bear enough fruit God will send us to hell! In other words, the Christian is less loved by God, than the sinner for whom Christ died!

But the bible says how much more shall we be saved because of Christ:

Rom 5:9 "Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!"
Rom 5:10 "For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!"

God's love did not end after Jesus died on the cross. God's love is still keeping us saved until the end:

Rom 8:38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hello James.

I find the continual debate over whether a person is 'once saved always saved' interesting. Though the language used in the
New Testament does not support this idea. Here is an example of the language used in one of Paul's letters.

Colossians 1
21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,
22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him
holy and blameless and beyond reproach
23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the
hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

No doubt you all noted line 23, it does stand out, I cannot dismiss the usage. The conditional term 'if', this represents the conditional status
that Paul conveys to the reader. If you remain in Christ, if you continue in the faith, if you do not fall away, etc.

Your salvation is conditional on your continued testimony of Jesus Christ.
Your salvation is conditional on your continued belief in Jesus Christ.
Your salvation is conditional on not being moved from the hope of the Gospel.

Scripture specifies the conditions, this is not theology but the dictates of the language
used by Paul.

 

[brakelite]

Those people who fall away from God were never saved in the first place,

That there are many who have fallen away from God there can be no argument, sadly. However, the above phrase, which I have seen often, presents something of a dilemma. How can one fall way from something if he wasn't there in the first place? Say I fell away from the third story of a building. Here I am lying none to comfortably on my back looking up to where I once was. A bystander comes along and asks what happened. I tell him I fell away from the third floor, he says, oh no, that's impossible because the builders made the walls so you couldn't fall out, so you couldn't have been on the third floor, you really tripped up over that parking meter. That bystander, for whatever reason, chooses to ignore the open window flapping in the breeze.
Just like the supporters of OSAS. We know that God loves us so much that He truly would do anything, even to giving His Son to die, in order that we may live with Him forever, but the choice to do so will always remain with us. He draws us, woos us as a loving Father would; provides a way of salvation; offers us everything short of divinity as a reward; loves us unconditionally and makes the most astonishing promises; but will never, ever force, cajole, impose, or demand our love in return. That is an all too human trait one that is not becoming for a self-sacrificing God of love. Love that demands a loving response or forces it is not love. Our power to choose is entirely consistent with God's promise never to leave us or forsake us, is entirely consistent with His promises to keep us secure forever in His care, and He will certainly carry out His promise to abide with us forever, if we continue to want that to happen. That choice, that freedom to choose God or not, will ever remain with us for as long as we are on this planet. Those supporters of OSAS tend to either not believe in the power of choice, ignore it all together, or find some other way to explain it away such as 'they weren't saved in the first place'.
You can choose to open the window and jump if you like; that doesn't mean you weren't with God at some stage, nor does it mean He won't take you back. After all, the whole concept and meaning of 'falling away' or apostasy literally means divorce.Divorce indirectly implies that at some stage there was a relationship...a marriage. Divorce, although in the worldly sense and in the spiritual sense is something God hates and will avoid if at all possible, yet allows for in certain cases. That window might not be easy to undo, you may have to force the lock and climb up high somewhat to get through all the while having that voice in your ear saying No! I love you! Don't do this! Don't go away!" But God will not forcibly detain you.
Exactly as in the case of an earthly marriage. I love my wife. If for some reason she decides she no longer can love me, I will do anything and everything in my power to change her mind. But in the end, after all avenues have been tried and closed, the same love that I have for her when she was determined to stay is the same love that will allow her to go if she is determined to leave. Does God love any less than me?

 

[spirit1st]

Salvation is only in Faith in what He already did . Has nothing to do with the weak dying flesh .

That why so many try to plant doubt in others .

Rom_5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
Rom_5:16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. Rom_5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

 

[AudreyNicole]

How can one fall way from something if he wasn't there in the first place?

I certainly agree with much of what you said. You asked the question, "How can one fall way from something if he wasn't there in the first place?", and that is exactly what I was referring to in my response. You can't lose something you didn't earn; you can't lose what you never had. I suppose I should've quoted the phrase, "falling away from God", as I meant it sarcastically. While I think it is possible to walk away from God, if one is truly saved s/he will always turn back (i.e. repent).

As for the human choice issue, that is one of the great divine mysteries. For while I agree that it is, to a point, our choice to choose the Lord, the Bible makes it abundantly clear that ultimately it was not our choice at all. Ultimately we had nothing to do with our salvation.... that was all Christ. Many verses explicitly state that we did not at all choose Him... ever.... and we never would have. In actuality, He chose us, before the beginning of time. Now this of course gets into predestination, and that is totally out of my league as a human.

I don't claim to know all the right answers but I can say one thing, I never would have chosen to follow Christ if He did not by grace save me through faith, as a gift. It was not of myself at all. I did absolutely nothing to save myself. In fact, before He chose me, I was doing everything to destroy myself (unknowingly of course). It was Him, not me who opened my eyes, He opened my ears, He softened my heart, and He caused me to respond to His calling by faith (and none of that was at all my choice). I never would have chosen Him, if He didn't first choose me.


I, as a mere human, did nothing to earn my salvation. And thus I, as a mere human, can do nothing to lose it.

 

[Ophel]

you didn't earn your salvation through good behavior, so you can't lose it through bad behavior.

Exactly! I think I know who said that!

 

[Stan53]

That's right, no one EARNS salvation. We accept God's means of redemption, Jesus Christ, and receive salvation and Eternal Life as a result of our choice. We also can walk away into apostasy as a result of our choice.

 

[Chad]

I'm not going to skim through 17 pages of replies (no offense intended at all), but going off the title of the thread and previous discussion here in the forums on the same subject, I'm going to give it to you in the most simplified way possible, bible truth. It is evident that people cause confusion by diving "too deep" into various Scriptures, making new points or facts out of context all over a simple question. If you walk away from GOD and never return (repent, and "take up your cross and follow Him"), you are not saved.

Read Scripture: John 3:16
Anyone who believes in Jesus and accepts His atonement for their sins and walks with Him, is saved. Your sins and anyone's sins cannot outdo the power of GOD's love and Jesus' blood on the Cross.

Read Scripture: Luke 15:11-32
If you walk away from GOD, but repent and return, you did not lose your salvation. Read about the Prodigal Son. That's the point of this parable.

Conclusion: we have no right to determine what's in another's heart. We have no right to judge nor assume if they are saved or not. That's not our job, nor our calling to make such any claims in the first place. We are called to be disciples and spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Why the quarreling over OSAS? Does it edify? Does it spread the Gospel? Does it save? Do it glorify GOD? No. It injects fear to those who are babes in Christ or those still drinking "milk" and not chewing on meat and stumbling them with confusion. This is not from Christ.

Matthew 28:19-20
"Go therefore and n make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

2 Timothy 2:22-26
22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. 24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, e patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and i escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

 

[james1523]

Hello James.

I find the continual debate over whether a person is 'once saved always saved' interesting. Though the language used in the
New Testament does not support this idea. Here is an example of the language used in one of Paul's letters.

Colossians 1
21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,
22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him
holy and blameless and beyond reproach
23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the
hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

No doubt you all noted line 23, it does stand out, I cannot dismiss the usage.The conditional term 'if', this represents the conditional status
that Paul conveys to the reader. If you remain in Christ, if you continue in the faith, if you do not fall away, etc.

Your salvation is conditional on your continued testimony of Jesus Christ.
Your salvation is conditional on your continued belief in Jesus Christ.
Your salvation is conditional on not being moved from the hope of the Gospel.

Scripture specifies the conditions, this is not theology but the dictates of the language
used by Paul.

Hi DHC I see we've popped up here too on a similar matter to the Calvinist thread .

Re: "23 if indeed you continue in the faith",
you think the "if" refers to the reconciliation in verse 22, however the "if" refers to "in order to present you before Him
holy and blameless and beyond reproach".

Please note "the faith" - this refers to the object of our belief - Christ, not our act of believing. "Continuing in the faith" refers to the matter of abiding in Christ, which results in us being holy, blameless and beyond reproach. Hence this is a matter of our experience in Christ and not a matter of our position in Christ (as children of God). This in the same sense as Titus 1:6 of an elder being blameless.

The goal is to stand before the judgement seat of Christ and be approved, holy, blameless and beyond reproach - not for eternal salvation (which would be a doctrine of works) but for rewards:

2 Cor 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

In other words.. not continuing in the faith does not affect the reconciliation which was accomplished once for all by what Jesus Christ did (note verse 22, God reconciles us, we don't reconcile ourselves by our own faith efforts) .

Salvation being conditional upon your own efforts (works) regarding faith or endurance in faith, is opposite to the language used by Paul about salvation being entirely of God's grace and mercy without works.

Basically if it's anything we can boast in (our faith, good deeds, endurance etc), it is not taken into account for our salvation. Some have very weak faith, others have very strong faith.. it doesn't mean one is more saved than the other.

 

[Puddleglum]

Hi DHC I see we've popped up here too on a similar matter to the Calvinist thread .

Re: "23 if indeed you continue in the faith",
you think the "if" refers to the reconciliation in verse 22, however the "if" refers to "in order to present you before Him
holy and blameless and beyond reproach".

Please note "the faith" - this refers to the object of our belief - Christ, not our act of believing. "Continuing in the faith" refers to the matter of abiding in Christ, which results in us being holy, blameless and beyond reproach. Hence this is a matter of our experience in Christ and not a matter of our position in Christ (as children of God). This in the same sense as Titus 1:6 of an elder being blameless.

The goal is to stand before the judgement seat of Christ and be approved, holy, blameless and beyond reproach - not for eternal salvation (which would be a doctrine of works) but for rewards:

2 Cor 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

In other words.. not continuing in the faith does not affect the reconciliation which was accomplished once for all by what Jesus Christ did (note verse 22, God reconciles us, we don't reconcile ourselves by our own faith efforts) .

Salvation being conditional upon your own efforts (works) regarding faith or endurance in faith, is opposite to the language used by Paul about salvation being entirely of God's grace and mercy without works.

Basically if it's anything we can boast in (our faith, good deeds, endurance etc), it is not taken into account for our salvation. Some have very weak faith, others have very strong faith.. it doesn't mean one is more saved than the other.

So weak faith is ok then ?
Lukewarm ok to ?
just believe in blind faith ok to ?
Why resist evil ?
Satan was saved to ? he also believes in Jesus, he even talked to Jesus and he even tried to tempt Jesus. so what will he do to you of little faith. could he lead one astray of little faith ? i have seen it ! many a time.
How many times have you seen one who went the Church that had some faith then years down the track you see them and they say You don't believe in that crap do you ! and then point out how stupid anyone is in this day and age could believe such etc etc we are so much more evolved, so much smarter than one back in that day, they would not know anything of worth they were backward people who lived in caves and it goes on and on, Political correctness is out guide and Zero tolerance is the go, my wants and my this and my that !

 

[james1523]

So weak faith is ok then ?
Lukewarm ok to ?
just believe in blind faith ok to ?
Why resist evil ?
Satan was saved to ? he also believes in Jesus, he even talked to Jesus and he even tried to tempt Jesus. so what will he do to you of little faith. could he lead one astray of little faith ? i have seen it ! many a time.
How many times have you seen one who went the Church that had some faith then years down the track you see them and they say You don't believe in that crap do you ! and then point out how stupid anyone is in this day and age could believe such etc etc we are so much more evolved, so much smarter than one back in that day, they would not know anything of worth they were backward people who lived in caves and it goes on and on, Political correctness is out guide and Zero tolerance is the go, my wants and my this and my that !

Weak faith is definitely OK and God never sent anyone to hell for having weak faith. The bible says not to reject those weak in faith (Rom 14:1), if we are told to accept them then God accepts them too.
Jesus said in John 10:28 no one will snatch them out of His hand.

 

[spirit1st]

The called can fall away . The elect cannot .
The question becomes ? who is the called ?
The called are everyone . He calls us all , then tests us . Those who follow Only him then He makes the elect . His Sons and daughters and He alone keeps us

I do not understand , why these scriptures are not accepted ?

1Jn_3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

1Jn_5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

You Must be able to sin to fall away .

Our New Spirit has His type mind and nature . No wonder it cannot sin .

Rom_6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

The question is ? are we really FREE of Sin or is that a lie ?
the answer is easy . our Spirit born of God is free of sin , but our flesh never is .

There is no Sin in our LORD JESUS CHRIST and All Born -again are in HIM .
al_2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.


Jud_1:1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
1Jn_3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.


2Co_5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Our Spirit has eternal life

Our flesh is doomed to return to the Planet it came from . Thank you JESUS . Be glad to dump it .

 

[Stan53]

The called can fall away . The elect cannot .
The question becomes ? who is the called ?
The called are everyone . He calls us all , then tests us . Those who follow Only him then He makes the elect . His Sons and daughters and He alone keeps us

I do not understand , why these scriptures are not accepted ?

1Jn_3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

1Jn_5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

You Must be able to sin to fall away .
Our New Spirit has His type mind and nature . No wonder it cannot sin .

Rom_6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

The question is ? are we really FREE of Sin or is that a lie ?
the answer is easy . our Spirit born of God is free of sin , but our flesh never is .

There is no Sin in our LORD JESUS CHRIST and All Born -again are in HIM .
al_2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.


Jud_1:1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
1Jn_3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.


2Co_5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Our Spirit has eternal life

Our flesh is doomed to return to the Planet it came from . Thank you JESUS . Be glad to dump it .

The elect only become the elect when they answer the call.
Matthew 22:14 is about properly answering the call. That is to have the Blood of Christ as your covering. This parable is about how the Jews did not respond to the New Covenant and how it was to be opened to ALL the world.

I do not understand why you refuse to see and acknowledge scripture that clearly shows our responsibility in walking with Jesus, which I and others have quoted.

Now in regards to the scripture quoted above, let's take a look.
1 John 3:9
​No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, because God’s seed abides in him. He cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
1 John 5:18
We know that everyone who has been born of God does not continue to sin, but the one who was born of God protects him and the evil one will not harm him.
How about 1 John 1:7?
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
or 1 John 2:1?
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous
one.
You can't just cherry pick verses to fit your theology. ALL scripture must be taken into account.
Again Jesus made it clear.
Matthew 10:22
And you will be hated by all on account of my name. But the one who endures to the end, this one will be saved.
Matthew 24:13
But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
and Paul corroborates this
2 Timothy 2:12
If we endure, we will also reign together. If we will deny Christ, he will also deny us.

 

[spirit1st]

Yep changing word can change the meaning 100% . No doubt about it .

Jesus did it all for us . He alone paid the price for our sins .He alone keeps us forever more .

Eph_4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

2Co_1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

1Pe_1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.


1Pe_1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1Pe_5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.



Peter and all the other 11 disobeyed GOD and knew there rewards before they were even saved .

I have no doubt I belong to Him and He never leaves me or Forsakes me .

1Pe_4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Heb_13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

1Jn_4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
He has declared Us All , over comers at our beginning in the LORD . And more than conquerors .

Not because of our deeds . But because of HIS deeds.

Rom_4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Rom_9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God

Rom_7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing

 

[Stan53]

Hebrews 6:4-6
For it is impossible when those who have once been enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit 5 and have tasted the goodness of God’s word and the powers of the coming age 6 and have committed apostasy, to restore them to repentance, since to their own harm they are crucifying the Son of God again and exposing him to public shame.
Hebrews 10:38-39
But my righteous one will live by faithfulness. But should he shrink back, my soul will take no pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are lost, but are of those who are faithful and so preserve their soul.
Romans 11:22
Consider therefore the kindness and the severity of God—severity to those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.

Pretty clear based on the above that we have a responsibility to WALK the WALK.

 

[james1523]

Matthew 10:22
And you will be hated by all on account of my name. But the one who endures to the end, this one will be saved.
Matthew 24:13
But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

You are jumping to conclusions that the word saved means eternal salvation. This is ignoring the clear context of the word "saved", which is to do with the end time events on the Earth:
Matt 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?




To be clear that our endurance has no part to play in our eternal salvation:

Eph 2:4-10
Our salvation is because of God's great love and rich mercy:
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,

God's saving grace is that He made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions:
5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

God not only has saved us from judgement and hellfire, God has seated us with Christ in the heavenly realms, this is our current position:
6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

We were and are destined to be vessels for God to show the riches of his grace and kindness:
7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Grace and faith is not from ourselves, it is God's gift:
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

This is entirely the grace of God, nothing of ourselves, so no one can boast:
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

We are God's handiwork, everything we are and will be is because of God not ourselves:
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

 

[Ophel]

You are jumping to conclusions that the word saved means eternal salvation. This is ignoring the clear context of the word "saved", which is to do with the end time events on the Earth:

What makes you think that saved isn't for all time? Is God's grace not almighty to save forever? Is Jesus' blood inept in some way?

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

[james1523]

What makes you think that saved isn't for all time? Is God's grace not almighty to save forever? Is Jesus' blood inept in some way?

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Temporal salvation in the sense of deliverance from earthly dangers not eternal salvation from lake of fire.

 

[Stan53]

You are jumping to conclusions that the word saved means eternal salvation. This is ignoring the clear context of the word "saved", which is to do with the end time events on the Earth:
Matt 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

Actually you are jumping to a conclusion. Being saved is avoiding permanent physical death in this context. You have to HAVE salvation to receive Eternal Life, which is why we must endure. It is in the context of OSAS that I used this. The context in chapter 24 includes signs of the end times, but chapter 10 does not. The point Jesus was making was endurance. Carrying your cross daily. We are NOT secure if we are NOT striving to do His will.

To be clear that our endurance has no part to play in our eternal salvation:
Eph 2:4-10
Our salvation is because of God's great love and rich mercy:
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,

God's saving grace is that He made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions:
5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

God not only has saved us from judgement and hellfire, God has seated us with Christ in the heavenly realms, this is our current position:
6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

We were and are destined to be vessels for God to show the riches of his grace and kindness:
7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Grace and faith is not from ourselves, it is God's gift:
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

This is entirely the grace of God, nothing of ourselves, so no one can boast:
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

We are God's handiwork, everything we are and will be is because of God not ourselves:
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Well endurance may not be in these verses james, but they are NOT the entire scripture are they? Running the race, fighting the good fight and endurance are throughout scripture IF you care to see them.

 

[james1523]

You are jumping to conclusions that the word saved means eternal salvation. This is ignoring the clear context of the word "saved", which is to do with the end time events on the Earth:
Matt 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?


Actually you are jumping to a conclusion. Being saved is avoiding permanent physical death in this context. You have to HAVE salvation to receive Eternal Life, which is why we must endure. It is in the context of OSAS that I used this. The context in chapter 24 includes signs of the end times, but chapter 10 does not. The point Jesus was making was endurance. Carrying your cross daily. We are NOT secure if we are NOT striving to do His will.


Well endurance may not be in these verses james, but they are NOT the entire scripture are they? Running the race, fighting the good fight and endurance are throughout scripture IF you care to see them.

Let's consider the entire scripture then for a moment. In scripture different types of judgements are mentioned. According to Rom 14:10 and 2 Cor 14:10 there is something called the judgement seat of Christ. In these verses a unique Greek word used is 'bema' which refers to the judge's seat in the Olympic games. The purpose of this judgement is for rewarding faithful believers. The scriptures about running the race, fighting the good fight and striving to win the prize are all in the context of the Olympic games, for obtaining rewards, not for obtaining forgiveness of sins and escape from hellfire. Certainly fighting the good fight and endurance are in scripture and we must do these. But they have no part in our eternal salvation. And if we think we don't have to do things that don't affect our salvation, we have missed the point entirely. If we are in Christ our sins have been forgiven, we are a child of God and we are seated in the heavenly places with Christ. Objectively this is our status as believers.

Re: " We are NOT secure if we are NOT striving to do His will."
Our security in practice is based upon our new birth, our relationship with the Father as His children - the fact that we are one spirit with the Lord. Striving to do His will is not to secure our eternal salvation, forgiveness of sins or escape from hellfire, but to obtain God's blessing and favor as obedient children.
If one strives to keep the faith or endure or maintain good works for eternal salvation, then Christ's death is of no effect.

 

[Ophel]

Temporal salvation in the sense of deliverance from earthly dangers not eternal salvation from lake of fire.

We who have FAITH have salvation by the grace gift of God. Consequently, armed with that life-giving knowledge, we must run the race of endurance. God doesn't stop with teaching us about how He will deliver us from earthly dangers---He tells us that we have the authority of Christ to command them.

Luke 10:19 Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.