DUMPSTER DIVING One of the on-line sites I frequent is Plain Truth Ministries with Greg Albrecht. I thought this was an interesting insight into eternal security. By the way, the title is mine, don’t blame Greg for it. You’ll see why I chose it if you read the article. In answer to a question about “once saved always saved." Here is a brief answer to a big question, big because it’s assumptions and implications are far-reaching. As it is popularly used within Christendom today the word “saved” is a loaded word, with meanings attached to it that are far beyond biblical definitions. I’ll be responding to that specific topic in an upcoming Plain Truth article titled “Stop Trying to Get Saved” (Winter 2012 issue). Setting that part of the discussion aside, my first response to your question is simply this: I don’t believe that when God gives his grace to someone who truly surrenders and yields to Jesus Christ that God’s gift is conditional. The gift of God’s grace is often called “eternal life” in the New Testament. God does not give “conditional life.” Those who are truly in Christ are in him eternally. Jesus said that no one God gives to him would be lost. But the question then arises: what about someone who seems to have been, for all intents and purposes, “in Christ” but is now seemingly, and obviously so at least from all appearances, not now “in Christ”? The dilemma here lies in our ability to accurately assess who is “in Christ” and who is not. God never said that he would supply us with a list of all those to whom he gives his grace and all who are not in Christ. So it is impossible for us individually, or any institution, to keep a list or data base, so we can keep checking on all those who are “in” and all those who are “out.” Of course, this fact does not stop some within Christendom from making lists of them and us – list making is an obligatory part of performance based religion. So we hear the terms “saved” and “lost” within the context of those who humans have determined to be in Christ and those who are not. I believe all those who are truly transformed/spiritually reborn/ reconciled/converted have that relationship eternally – that relationship is eternal and it cannot be lost. Of course, when many who have been habituated by law-keeping hear the implications of God’s grace and the new covenant, they reply with the response that has been drilled into them: “If that’s true then God is allowing himself to be taken advantage of, because if we cannot lose our relationship with him then why not go out and indulge in wine, women and song?” Such objections arise because those who have been brainwashed and spiritually imprisoned by performance-based religion cannot conceive of and seemingly do not yet know the one true God who does not relate to humans the way humans relate to one another. God’s grace is scandalous to the human mind. God’s grace doesn’t make human sense. We would not do things the way God does things. His economy of grace runs counterintuitive to our religious economies. . To answer the objection -- “if we truly are eternally in Christ, unconditionally, why not do whatever we want to? Why not live a permissive life? Why not take advantage of God?” If we are truly in Christ, we are not going to return to the garbage cans for our spiritual meals. We will not continue to dumpster dive for spiritual nourishment, for God has provided an eternal place at his banquet table where we are NOW seated (Ephesians 2:6). Father God, thank you providing the security we need forever. Our spiritual hunger is fed at Your banquet table and no where else. Let us strive to remember our salvation is by grace alone, on faith alone, in Christ alone. These things we pray in Jesus name. And the saints said … Amen and Amen.
Posted on: Sat, 03 Aug 2013 10:09:16 +0000
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