Removed from Christ?
Hello Brothers and Sisters in Christ! I'd like to have a loving conversation about the Bible. If you want to argue, please don't. If you want to have a uplifting conversation between believers, please feel free to express your thoughts, even if you disagree.
Let me just say that i DO believe in eternal security. I believe that those who abide in Christ as described in 1 John have eternal security. I do not think eternal security is extended to those who turn their back on the sanctified life that they were born into when they accepted Christ, showing by their life styles that they do not have faith in the full work of Christ, which is our status as a new creation, no longer bound to sin.
At least three times in the New Testiment it is made clear that we can be removed from Christ. The first place is John 15. When speaking about those who belong to Christ, Jesus says: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away". So it is clear that those branches who are in Christ can be removed. And verse five makes it clear that we are the brances. Now, what happens to us, who belong to Christ, if we don't abide in Him? "he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned".
The word here translated as "burned" is the same word used in Revelation 19:20 and 21:8 "And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur." and "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." John 15 is not talking about our works being burned but us: "you are the branches".
Paul warned his readers several times about those who live these lifestyles; "do not be decieved, those who do such things will have no place in the Kingdom of God". That man who had sex with his mother (in law?) still had a chance to repent and be saved, but you be sure that if he continued in his sexual immorality that he would have no part in the kingdom of God. Please answer me on this. Do you believe this to be true? That if someone makes a habbit of sexual immorality that they will be excluded from the kingdom? Even the man from Corinthians 5?
John 15 showed us that those who are in Christ can be removed from him. We see this again in Romans 11:22: "Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off." The Jews were cut off because of their unbelief. But Paul is clear that we too will be cut off if we do not "continue in his kindness". It is perfectly clear that after we have been grafted in through faith in Christ that we can be removed.
Once again we see that we can be removed from Christ:
Galatians 5:4
"You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace."
"Severed from Christ" means that at one they were a part of Christ.
Still not convinced that we can loose our position? Let me ask you this, who can get kicked off of a baseball team, those who are members of it, or those who never joined? Of course it is only those who have something who can loose it. I can only loose an apple if i've got one in the first place. With this in mind, read Revelation 22:19: "and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." The KJV even says that their part can be taken out of the book of life! We can loose our part from the things of heaven!
It is perfectly clear, in light of these scriptures, that a believer can loose their position in Christ.
Eternal life is eternal, but we must abide in it if we want to take part in it. Let me ask you this, was God a liar becuase so many Israelites never made it to the promised land? Or when other Israelites did not inherit the promises of God, was God the liar? Of course not! It is a covenant! They broke it, not God. We are also under a covenant. If we do not abide in Christ we will forfit the promise of eternal life that is promised to those who walk in the light. If we walk in darkness, and say we walk in the light, we are liars and have no fellowship with God.
Do you agree with these scriptures that we can be removed from Christ?
If you feel like you have wandered away from God, and you feel bad about your sins, i believe you still have a chance to repent and enjoy the love and forgiveness of God. Please take this time right now to confess your sins to God, and ask Him to lead you with his Holy Spirit so that you would not return to your sins.
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. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments."
Hello Brothers and Sisters in Christ! I'd like to have a loving conversation about the Bible. If you want to argue, please don't. If you want to have a uplifting conversation between believers, please feel free to express your thoughts, even if you disagree.
Let me just say that i DO believe in eternal security. I believe that those who abide in Christ as described in 1 John have eternal security. I do not think eternal security is extended to those who turn their back on the sanctified life that they were born into when they accepted Christ, showing by their life styles that they do not have faith in the full work of Christ, which is our status as a new creation, no longer bound to sin.
At least three times in the New Testiment it is made clear that we can be removed from Christ. The first place is John 15. When speaking about those who belong to Christ, Jesus says: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away". So it is clear that those branches who are in Christ can be removed. And verse five makes it clear that we are the brances. Now, what happens to us, who belong to Christ, if we don't abide in Him? "he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned".
The word here translated as "burned" is the same word used in Revelation 19:20 and 21:8 "And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur." and "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." John 15 is not talking about our works being burned but us: "you are the branches".
Paul warned his readers several times about those who live these lifestyles; "do not be decieved, those who do such things will have no place in the Kingdom of God". That man who had sex with his mother (in law?) still had a chance to repent and be saved, but you be sure that if he continued in his sexual immorality that he would have no part in the kingdom of God. Please answer me on this. Do you believe this to be true? That if someone makes a habbit of sexual immorality that they will be excluded from the kingdom? Even the man from Corinthians 5?
John 15 showed us that those who are in Christ can be removed from him. We see this again in Romans 11:22: "Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off." The Jews were cut off because of their unbelief. But Paul is clear that we too will be cut off if we do not "continue in his kindness". It is perfectly clear that after we have been grafted in through faith in Christ that we can be removed.
Once again we see that we can be removed from Christ:
Galatians 5:4
"You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace."
"Severed from Christ" means that at one they were a part of Christ.
Still not convinced that we can loose our position? Let me ask you this, who can get kicked off of a baseball team, those who are members of it, or those who never joined? Of course it is only those who have something who can loose it. I can only loose an apple if i've got one in the first place. With this in mind, read Revelation 22:19: "and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." The KJV even says that their part can be taken out of the book of life! We can loose our part from the things of heaven!
It is perfectly clear, in light of these scriptures, that a believer can loose their position in Christ.
Eternal life is eternal, but we must abide in it if we want to take part in it. Let me ask you this, was God a liar becuase so many Israelites never made it to the promised land? Or when other Israelites did not inherit the promises of God, was God the liar? Of course not! It is a covenant! They broke it, not God. We are also under a covenant. If we do not abide in Christ we will forfit the promise of eternal life that is promised to those who walk in the light. If we walk in darkness, and say we walk in the light, we are liars and have no fellowship with God.
Do you agree with these scriptures that we can be removed from Christ?
If you feel like you have wandered away from God, and you feel bad about your sins, i believe you still have a chance to repent and enjoy the love and forgiveness of God. Please take this time right now to confess your sins to God, and ask Him to lead you with his Holy Spirit so that you would not return to your sins.
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. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments."