Monday April 7, 2014

Coming Up Sonday April 13

I Can Lose My Salvation.

Read Psalm 25:10, 33:4, 57:10
Your friend sits quietly in the corner of church sobbing softly to herself. As you approach her to comfort her she reveals to you that after today’s sermon she thinks she has lost her salvation. She reveals to you that she thinks she has sinned once too often and the grace of God has been depleted. How do you respond? How do you treat her? How do you comfort her?

When it comes to the salvation issue there are two broad and opposing schools of thought. The Calvinists argue that you cannot lose your salvation. “Once saved always saved” could well be their catch cry. At the other extreme, the Arminians argue that you can lose your salvation. Interestingly, both quote Scripture as their source of authority.

The difference lies in the starting point of the answer. The Calvinists start with God. Scripturally speaking God is omniscient (all- knowing), omnipotent (all powerful) and omni-present (present everywhere throughout creation). Added to this, God is a faithful God who never breaks His Word and promise.

The Calvinists thus argue that if God chooses us (Ephesians 1:40) or elects us (Romans 9:1-29) and if God is all powerful and all knowing then He is able to secure us and protect us for our ultimate salvation. If we could lose our faith then God would cease to be an all powerful and faithful God. His promises in the Word would fall into the category of idle promises. 1 Peter 1:3-5, Ephesians 1:3-14, 2 Timothy 4:18, Romans 8:28-39 and a host of other passages are promises that God will protect us and lead us safely to our heavenly inheritance. To argue that I can lose my salvation, in a Calvinist world view, is a flat denial of God’s providence or sovereignty, a denial of His promises and a complete denial of His sovereign power.

The Westminster Confession of Faith (chapter XVII) sums up the Calvinist position exceedingly well:

I. They, whom God has accepted in His Beloved, effectually called, and sanctified by His Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved.

II. This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father; upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ, the abiding of the Spirit, and of the seed of God within them and the nature of the covenant of grace: from all which arises also the certainty and infallibility thereof.

III. Nevertheless, they may, through the temptations of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of the means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins; and, for a time, continue therein: whereby they incur God's displeasure, and grieve His Holy Spirit, come to be deprived of some measure of their graces and comforts, have their hearts hardened, and their consciences wounded; hurt and scandalize others, and bring temporal judgments upon themselves.

If we adopt the Arminian world view then we can lose our salvation. While some use difference words or phrases (eg some say we don’t lose it we choose to give it away) the bottom line is that salvation is lost.

Assurance falls by the wayside. We are constantly at the mercy of our good works and our performance. Such a world view creates doubt, confusion and a complete lack of assurance.

Worship Moment
Since God is omnipotent and totally faithful to His Word and promises we would do well to learn to offer up praises to God throughout the day. Learn to sing and make music in your heart to the Lord as you go throughout the day.

Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. What hope/encouragement can you give your friend who thinks she may have lost her salvation because she sinned once too often?
2. What is assurance of faith?
3. Do you have this assurance?
4. What is the outcome of having complete assurance of faith?

Prayer:
Having read today’s passages, jot down 2 points for each type of prayer.
Adoration:

Confess:

Thanks:

Supplication:

• Pray that God would grow each believer in your congregation in love, in faithfulness and in depth of knowledge of God.
• Pray that the teaching from yesterday’s Sermon will be fresh in the hearts and minds of each believer throughout this entire week.