Jesus Said: "Strive to enter the Narrow Gate, for many I say will try and not be able. For Wide is the way that leads to destruction and there are many who go in by it. Narrow is the Gate and Difficult is the Way which leads to Life and Few there be that find it!" Matt7:13-14, Luke13:24
Jesus gave this in answer to the question, "Lord, are there FEW who are saved?" Few enter and fewer still endure. But the preachers today would have you to believe that anyone who has 'once' believed is guaranteed to enter. But NOTHING could be further from the truth. In Christ's own words: The way is Narrow and Difficult that leads to life and MOST of humanity will not take it. They will instead choose a way that 'seems' right to them, but ends in eternal destruction.
MANY will come before the Lord in the great Day of Judgment saying 'Lord, Lord, did we not preach your word, cast out devils and do many mighty works in your Name?' Although He will not deny that you have done these things, He will indeed declare, "I NEVER at any time knew you, depart from Me you who practice lawlessness!" Matt 7:21-23
You do not come to Christ in your own good time, nor do you 'repeat' a
prayer and receive eternal forgiveness of sin.
Scripture says that: "Many
are Called but Few are chosen." (Matt22:14) &
"No one come to Me unless the Father who sent Me Draws him."
(John6:44)
It is godly sorrow
that works true repentance unto a lasting salvation. (2Cor 7:10) 'Pardon'
from sin, is salvation begun and it is received by faith in Christ
producing works. 'Holiness' is salvation continued and is faith working by
love. And heaven is salvation concluded, the reward of our faith. (1Pet
1:7-9)
...One Truth Cannot negate another, if the Bible is to remain the infallible Word of God....
God has joined together 'Faith, Repentance, Obedience and Endurance' to work regeneration in the soul of man. Exalting faith over obedience and endurance has resulted in the ruin of the modern church. Many are trusting in the 'faith' of devils for their eternal salvation! (James 2:19) As a tree is known by its fruit, so 'faith' is also evident by what is has produced. Faith that DOES NOT include the 'Mind of Christ' and a 'Walk' worthy of His calling is indeed 'dead faith' and will send you to hell fire.
The Apostle Peter told us to "Make our Calling & Election Sure! For if we do, we will never stumble and fall down!" (2Pet1:10) The Grace of God is sufficient to equip us for every good work to do His Will, 'Working' in you that which is well pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ! (Heb13:21) But your final Salvation is based on the 'Condition' that you 'Continue' in that Grace through Faith & endure to the end. (Heb3:6, Matt10:22, Col1:23,1Cor15:2)
True Salvation:
- The True plan of Salvation calls men to humble repentance toward God & Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts20:21 (the Gospel in a nutshell) Jesus came preaching Repentance. Matt4:17, Mark1:15, Luke13:3. The Apostles preached repentance at Pentecost and beyond! Acts2:38, 4:19, 8:22, 11:18, 17:30. Any presentation of the Gospel message that Does Not involve the demand to repent is 'False Gospel!' . Paul said in 2Cor7:10-11 that the Measure of True Repentance or "Godly Sorrow", as he called it, is: "Diligence, Purity of heart, Fear of God, Zeal & Vindication!" When you 'accepted' Jesus as your 'personal savoir' did any of these things happen? If not, you have experienced "The Sorrow of the world that produces death!" True Repentance toward God produces Radical change in behavior & life style. If you are still in bondage to your old sins, you have NOT been saved.
- The New Birth of John3 can not take place in the believes heart as long as he/she still clings to worldly lusts. True soul saving faith is evident by Obedience to Christ. The Two are 'inseparable'. Faith is Obedience & Obedience...Faith. That's why the scripture can say in one place, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ & you shall be saved." & in another, "Deny self, take up your cross and Follow." One passage does NOT negate the other. To 'Believe' is to 'Follow'. Expressed in the original text in the 'Present, Continuous' tense. When the Scripture says to 'Believe' it's actually saying, "He who is now Believing and continuing to do so, will be saved." It is vital to the final salvation of your soul that you grasp this much neglected Truth! The false teachers have perverted faith into a 'moment' of acceptance with a guarantee of eternal life afterward. (this is a doctrine of demons!)
- The new convert to Christ must be properly instructed in the faith to become aware of the pitfalls that confront his journey into the Kingdom. Many toils and snares await along the Narrow pathway to life. He can become deceived and fall away. (Pet3:17 1Tim4:3-4) He can become entangled in the wordily lusts and forfeit his salvation. (Matt13:21, 1Cor6:9-10 ) He can grow weary and lose hope. (Gal6:7-10) He can be thwarted by persecutions. (Luke8:13 ) and he can return again to his sin and be fall from Grace. (2Pet2:20-22,Gal5:2-4) This is why there is such a sense of urgency in the many scriptures. Paul told Timothy to "Keep reminding them to endure!" 2Tim2:11-14. Peter said to make our calling and election sure! James said Faith without works is dead, Js2:20, and Jude told us to keep ourselves pure. These are just a 'Few' of the scriptures that continually admonish us to remain 'Steadfast' in the Lord. To ignore these clear cut warnings because you 'believe' people are eternally saved, is dangerous to the soul.
- Final salvation is 'conditional' (Titus1:2,3:7, Jude21) Men invented the OSAS (once saved always saved) doctrine under Calvin. (who was undoubtedly a heretic of the highest order, persecuting and killing people who did not agree with him.) Holding this false doctrine forth as a fundamental tenet of the Christian faith has caused untold destruction on the human race, immeasurable in scope. How many broken homes and lives can be traced to this awful teaching that 'Christians' can live in open rebellious sin and still be saved forever? Under such teaching Grace is reduced to 'License' for immorality. Blatant carnality is common practice in the church and people are given false assurance in their sins, told that: "No one is 'perfect', you are under grace not law, so don't worry about continuing in sin!" Yet Scripture is very clear on this matter. Let NO ONE Deceive you! Those who commit the sins listed in the following passages WILL NOT inherit the Kingdom of God! Read carefully & pray for forgiveness now! (1Cor6:7-10, Gal5:19-21, Eph5:5-7, Phil3:17-19)
- The Power of sin must be broken by the Power of Grace.(1Pet1:22, 2Pet1:4) The Flesh must be crucified with Christ. (Gal5:16-26) Sin CANNOT have dominion over you! (Rom6:14) Because Grace is NOT License, but Power! If the Christian does not Walk in Newness of Life (Rom6:4, Gal5:16) by Faith in the Power of God's Grace, he will 'Fall from that Grace' and forfeit his salvation! (Gal5:4) It has NOTHING to do with WORKS! It's Grace 'working' in you, NOT you working 'for' Grace, on 'CONDITION' that you 'CONTINUE' to allow it! (Heb13:21-21, 2Cor9:8, Eph2:10)
- If you are sitting under a church leader that teaches, "Christians can NEVER lose their salvation no matter what they do." , I advise you to flee and take as many people with you who will come! The longer you remain under the influence of such 'doctrine' the more likely it is you will be deceived. You are probably in bondage to sin already because you have trifled with temptation, thinking it was OK, and you are in 'desperate' need of repentance unto life! Like the Prodigal son, you are 'Dead' in your trespasses and sins. (NOT just out of fellowship with the Father) you will NEVER find the True peace you are seeking unless you Return to Christ in repentance and 'Abide' in His Love. As long as you cling to the false hope of 'eternal security', you will be in danger of losing your soul. Come Home to Jesus before it's eternally too late.
The Difference between a 'single' act of faith & a 'continuous' life of faith is the difference between 'heaven & hell'.