Truly Saved or Not, What's the Difference?

[DeafBaptist]

I was reading the Eternal Security thread and am still kind of puzzled since I do come from a background that states that one can lose their salvation and am beginning to understand that if one is truly saved that they cannot lose their salvation.

Is this, "truly saved", referring only to those that attempt not to live a sinful life? I know we are all going to sin and that we just have to dust ourselves and get up and keep going... That's how the guy that led me to Christ today explained it, in my own words of course.

So how does one know if they are truly saved or not and know that their salvation can never be removed? But if one can backslide, how does their salvation remain intact? That's the obstacle I find at the moment.

Thanks!

[Guest Guest]

I was reading the Eternal Security thread and am still kind of puzzled since I do come from a background that states that one can lose their salvation and am beginning to understand that if one is truly saved that they cannot lose their salvation.

Is this, "truly saved", referring only to those that attempt not to live a sinful life? I know we are all going to sin and that we just have to dust ourselves and get up and keep going... That's how the guy that led me to Christ today explained it, in my own words of course.

So how does one know if they are truly saved or not and know that their salvation can never be removed? But if one can backslide, how does their salvation remain intact? That's the obstacle I find at the moment.

The "truly saved" is just something that is said to differentiate those who repented and trusted in Christ from the heart from those who professed Christ without really meaning it. The latter would be the one who gets "saved" because his friends are doing it, or because he doesn't want to go to hell(but isn't willing to surrender to Christ either, just wants an "insurance" policy) etc.

Those are people who were never saved to begin with, though they may have said they were; they did not repent or believe from the heart. They mentally understood salvation, but they didn't apply it so to speak. As such, they had no salvation to lose.

[Anon]

Eternal security is something God promises and we take by faith. Obviously a saved person is going to mostly show that he is saved by his zeal for God...but occasionally they do backslide and its harder to see their "fruit".

I John is a good book to read, in chapter five it says we can "know that we have eternal life". Salvation isn't based on feeling, its based on fact, the fact that God promised us, and we can take that to the bank. Er...a more reliable bank than the ones we have here these days. :thumb

[DeafBaptist]

Salvation isn't based on feeling' date=' its based on fact, the fact that God promised us, and we can take that to the bank. Er...a more reliable bank than the ones we have here these days. :thumb[/quote']

That's a good one! :lol:

[Truthseeking]

If one says they're saved change will follow. Its only through Christ Jesus that we can endure to the end. Don't lose your stance. One that truely believes will struggle with sin and persecution, but can't lose their salvation. Check this out ....

Galations 5:22-26

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

This is what a Christian should be like ......

[SoulReaver]

I was reading the Eternal Security thread and am still kind of puzzled since I do come from a background that states that one can lose their salvation and am beginning to understand that if one is truly saved that they cannot lose their salvation.

Is this, "truly saved", referring only to those that attempt not to live a sinful life? I know we are all going to sin and that we just have to dust ourselves and get up and keep going... That's how the guy that led me to Christ today explained it, in my own words of course.

So how does one know if they are truly saved or not and know that their salvation can never be removed? But if one can backslide, how does their salvation remain intact? That's the obstacle I find at the moment.

Thanks!

HEY! Nice name. Sometimes I feel that way. I'm just wondering why my head is ringing.
I talk to 'Christians' all the time. Of course, I can't assure them of their salvation, no more than we can you. Only the Holy Spirit and you can judge your heart, but be wary, your heart will fool you. The Bible gives us evidence of salvation to use to judge ourselves in relation to how we react to faith. Luke 19 lists 3 evidences, I believe it's 3, together.
1. Receiving Christ. That is to say that you 'received'/trusted the promise that Christ died for your sins.
2. You have an urge/conviction to call Him Lord. Not out of duty, but out of a heart that is broken by love, not your love, but His love in dying for your condemnation from sin.
3. Urge/conviction to make wrongs against other people right. Not because we sinned against them, but because we disgraced the grace of God, of which we are witnesses if we have confessed the first two points.

Not mentioned in Luke 19 are these:
4. Urge/conviction to tell others the Gospel as best we can. We should study, but we are under no command to wait for learning or growing, but to begin is to grow and learn. The blind from birth man said, John 9:25, "Whereas I was blind, now I see." vs. 28, "And they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple"
5. Love for others. ALL others! In action in points 3 and 4. Sometimes (alot) love doesn't come 'til we witness for the hope that is within us.
6. Urge/conviction to do right. Not as though we've already attained, although we have in Christ.
7. Knowledge of sin when we sin. The work of the Holy Spirit within us.

Think about it as you read, study and witness for Him. How many evidences can you find? Evidences must be Scriptually based.

For Christ!

[deputydog530]

John 10:28-29 says we can not be taken out of God's hand, and man cant take us from God. That includes self. Lots of examples in the bible of believers in terrible sin, but are still saved. I corinthians chapt 1 through 3.

Also when saved, you are adopted as a son. In a court of Law, adoption is more binding than a natural birth. Eph 1:13 we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. We can do some really dumb things, get off into terrible sin and still be saved. There will be consequences for that believer.

So how do you know if your saved? Well, one fruit is, does your sin bother you? Was there a change in your life?... others posted above.

There are a lot of Christians who are saved and not living for God that are going to have a very sad time in the judgement, just like there are a lot of moral folks who live the "christian life" and are in church every sunday who are not saved.

Once saved, always saved.

[Guest Guest]

:goodpost: deputydog530.

:hijack: Where are you---DeafBaptist? OB needs help with the deaf ministry. :thumb

[deafnva77]

I need to post more in that forums to attract some Google searchers (hopefully IFB ones) . Just can't think of a topic right now.

[Guest Guest]

I need to post more in that forums to attract some Google searchers (hopefully IFB ones) . Just can't think of a topic right now.

I might be able to help with that, Angie. I just need to talk to my people. LOL.