Is it possible to be 'saved' and then turn away from Christ?

BANDERSNATCH · May 1, 2006

Seems like the 'eternal salvation' debate centers around if it is possible to turn away from Christ after believing in Him.

Just curious as to where viewers stand...

Bandy

Dudley Do-Wrong · May 1, 2006

Define "believe in Him".

Remember what is written in James.

BANDERSNATCH · May 1, 2006

by 'believe in Him' I mean... that you confessed Him as Lord (at some point) and that God raised Him from the dead.

By James I'm assuming you are referencing being tossed about by every wind of doctrine?

bandy

FESTUSHAGGIN · May 1, 2006

a person can be saved and lose their way. they can live in away that i snot pleasing unto the lord, but once you are saved noone can take that from you.

leroy · May 1, 2006

FESTUSHAGGIN said:
a person can be saved and lose their way. they can live in away that i snot pleasing unto the lord, but once you are saved noone can take that from you.

Exactly festus, like the avatar watched the marathon on tV land this weekend.

BANDERSNATCH · May 1, 2006

Just wondering who believes that someone can confess Christ, then come to a point in their life where they 'deny Christ to men'.

Bandy

Dudley Do-Wrong · May 1, 2006

By James I'm assuming you are referencing being tossed about by every wind of doctrine?

No, I'm referring to James 2:19

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble

leroy · May 1, 2006

BANDERSNATCH said:
Just wondering who believes that someone can confess Christ, then come to a point in their life where they 'deny Christ to men'.

Bandy

Peter did 3 times.

ilikembig · May 1, 2006

FESTUSHAGGIN said:
a person can be saved and lose their way. they can live in away that i snot pleasing unto the lord, but once you are saved noone can take that from you.

I agree with that, but what about...

Mat 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven

GeauxLSU · May 1, 2006

BANDERSNATCH said:
Just wondering who believes that someone can confess Christ, then come to a point in their life where they 'deny Christ to men'.

Bandy

I do.

I can't recall yesterday's scripture but basically it was "you will know them by their works."

I don't subscribe to the definition apparently many do. This of course starts to get into the 'can you earn your way into heaven' discussion and though I don't believe that, I do believe you can earn your way OUT of heaven.

Double Barrel BB · May 1, 2006

God gives you the gift of Salvation, there is no way you will give it back.

Ephesians: 2:8-9

DB BB

leroy · May 1, 2006

ilikembig said:
I agree with that, but what about...

Mat 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven

I believe that is for the ones that never accept him into their heart. I think all of us have backslidden at one time or another. If you believe you can lose it do you think you can earn it back?

ilikembig · May 1, 2006

leroy said:
I believe that is for the ones that never accept him into their heart. I think all of us have backslidden at one time or another. If you believe you can lose it do you think you can earn it back?

I don't believe one could lose it. I was questioning where the verse from Matthew comes into play. Say one is saved and like some on the board research and find doubt and deny Christ to others do they still go home to live with God once they leave earth?

Double Barrel BB · May 1, 2006

If you can loose your salvation, than you are saying it is up to you. You are saying that you have to do something to loose it. That is taking God out of your salvation.

DB BB

BANDERSNATCH · May 1, 2006

I'm saying that, just like you choose to take God's gift, you can choose to give it back by denying that Christ is the source. If a saved person can let Satan deceive them into believing that Jesus was not our saviour, then they are giving God's gift back..since they don't believe that eternal life comes through Him anymore.

So, someone can deny Christ before men and Christ will still confess them before the Father?

Bandy

Double Barrel BB · May 1, 2006

No if you deny Christ, then you were not really saved in the first place. IMHO

DB BB

SBG · May 1, 2006

BANDERSNATCH said:
So, someone can deny Christ before men and Christ will still confess them before the Father?

Bandy

That's the confusion Bandy. A person that has been super-naturally transformed into a new creature by Jesus Christ will never deny Him before men. This is the TRUE faith that Stephen had when he looked into heaven and saw Christ standing at the right hand of God. His TRUE faith allowed him to gladly lay down his life instead of rejecting Christ. It is same faith that the apostles had. When faced with the option of denying Christ or dying a horrible death, they chose to put their trust in the resurrected Christ.

Let me pose the question to you specifically in this manner.

Can you forsee of even imagine rejecting Christ yourself?

Madsnooker · May 1, 2006

I believe you can lose your salvation althouth I believe it is very hard.

Pual writes to Christians on many occasions about falling away etc. Also there is a place in the New Testament that speaks of having your name blotted out of the book of life. I would think that is pretty clear. It can only be blotted out if it was there. I will find it and post it.

I do agree as so many say, No one can take your salvation away but I do believe you can give it back by your works (I do not mean by stumbling).

BANDERSNATCH · May 1, 2006

SBG said:
Can you forsee of even imagine rejecting Christ yourself?

Although I've been saved since I was ~13, a few years ago I was watching PBS and saw this show about "Jesus and the early Christians" that shock my faith to the core. First I had heard about the apocryphal gospels and other 2nd Century writings. For a long time this really bothered me. At that point I could have denied Him had it not been Ravi Zacharias' ministry. The Gospel of Thomas (a gnostic gospel dated in the 2nd Century) had some really weird 'sayings' in it that I could not see Jesus saying. Very hard to imagine denying Him now, but then it was not unimaginable for me.

Bandy

Double Barrel BB · May 1, 2006

Jeremiah 13:23 "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil."

Matthew 7:18 "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit."

Eph. 2:1 "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins."

John 6:44, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."

Romans 3:11 "There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God."

John 3:19, "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved."

Is it possible to be 'saved' and then turn away from Christ?

Can someone reject Christ after being saved?

Yes, once saved, you can later reject Christ

No, it's not possible to believe in Him and then reject Him

Maybe. I'm not sure

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