1:6 - Many verses come to mind when we consider the doctrine of the Preservation of the Saints. This is the understanding that one can not �lose� his salvation. This doctrine is tied in with the very concept of salvation. Salvation is not a work of our own. It is a gift from God. For one to make the claim that the Christian can �lose� his salvation is to make salvation, ultimately, the work of man as the �keeping� is then dependant upon the spiritual strength of the convert.
This is not to argue that there are many, I call them �cultural Christians,� who seemingly have made a profession of faith and then fall out from the Christian �lifestyle.� These were never converted in the first place. They held onto their own power to �augment� that of Christ. Their entire faith and trust was not centered in Him and His power, but was centered - at least partially - in their own interests and self image.
These had made a �hobby,� or �life style� change, of religiosity rather than a spiritual conversion to a trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior. This verse makes that very case. Jesus had begun the work of salvation in the true believer. He promises to keep that good work of salvation in the true believer until we reach Heaven. �The day of Jesus Christ,� is reference to the return of the Savior when He calls us out of this world and into the Heavenly realms.
True salvation is all of His work. Even our acceptance of this salvation is of His work. We need to realize this. We are sinners until He touches us with salvation. God will never associate with sin; His holiness is the opposite of sin. We can not approach that holiness - not even to request salvation. It is Jesus Who approaches us with the offer of salvation which quickens our sin darkened hearts to life in Him.
It is true that �whosoever will may come.� But, it is equally true that no one will come until the Lord has quickened the heart that is dead in sin. In true salvation all is of Christ. This extends from the offer, to the acceptance, to the keeping, to the ultimate reward of a Heavenly existence. All is of Christ.
Does this mean that the Christian may sin with impunity? Of course not! I John 2:1 will inform us that we are not to sin. Ever! The previous verse reminds us that we do sin; if we claim to not sin the Word calls us a liar. It is the same verse, I John 2:1, which tells us not to sin contains the phrase that instructs us that we are to seek forgiveness for that sin that does bespot our lives.
Are we perfect? No. Are we forgiven and made new creatures unto God? Yes.
Paul does give a warning in I Corinthians 11:30 about mistreating the Lord�s Table. He says, �For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.� The Spiritual Principle there is that God will punish unconfessed sin in the Christian�s life. He may send sickness to cause us to sit apart and consider our ways. He may call us out of this life. But, He never takes His gift of salvation from us. Consider that Paul placed those who were being judged for their sin as part of the group of Christians to whom he was speaking.
When Adam turned his back upon God he became a sinner. That is what he remained all the days of his life. That is the spiritual heritage that he passed down to all his physical offspring even unto this day. The blood of bulls and lambs, offered in humble sacrifice to God, covered this sin among the penitent until the time came when Jesus was offered upon the Cross of Calvary.
We often forget that when sin came into the human race, with the Fall in the Garden, that nature itself was cursed because Adam had been given the task of overseeing nature. Our salvation does not touch the natural world about us except as we interact with prayerful witness for others who need this salvation. Sin continues to attack our physical bodies as they are part of the natural order of things.
Still, our spirit is regenerated with the Blood of Jesus. Sin can not touch this regenerated spirit.
Adam repented and offered sacrifice - and his body died. Such is the result of sin in the natural order of things. But, I believe that the spirit of Adam, made righteous by the sacrifice of Jesus Who would come thousands of physical years later, now resides in a peace of perfection in the Spiritual realms.
When we accept Jesus as our Savior, as He works upon our hearts with His convicting grace, our souls are quickened. This is the mirror, reverse, image of the sin of Adam. Adam turned his spiritual back on God at the Fall. We turn our spiritual lives toward God at the point of conversion.
This does not mean that all of our physical problems are solved. God, in His grace, can and does often offer healing from physical malady. This is, however, not the purpose of salvation. Salvation is the restoration of our soul�s purity before God. It is the restoration of our spiritual union with the Father. This will never be removed as it is incumbent upon the power of Jesus; His power never fails.
Looking into the Words of God.