It’s easy to see that as long as you want a relationship with Him, Christ your Savior will allow nothing to sever that relationship. But what happens if you should turn your back on Christ and go back to a life of willful sin without regard for God or fellow man? Does God ever have grounds for divorce??

CAN A MAN CHOOSE TO LEAVE GOD?

HEBREWS 3:12-14 "Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,"

MATTHEW 24:13 "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

1 JOHN 1:7 "If we walk in the light .... the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin."

ROMANS 11:22 "Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off."

1 JOHN 2:24 "Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father."

2 TIMOTHY 2:12 "If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us."

JOHN 15:1-6 "You are already clean (saved) because of the word which I have spoken to you. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away;

If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned."

1 CORINTHIANS 9:27 Paul himself said, ". . . lest by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast away." (rejected)

ROMANS 11:17-20,21,22 Paul speaking to a Gentile convert says, "...some of the branches were broken off, and you ... were grafted in....." "Do not be haughty but fear, for if God did not spare the natural branches He may not spare you either." "Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God; on those who fell severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off."

1 TIMOTHY 4:1 ". . . some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits"

1 TIMOTHY 5:15 "For some have already turned aside after Satan."

REVELATION 2:4 (Speaking to the church of Ephesus) "you have left your first love." "Repent"

2 PETER 2:20 "For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning."

2 PETER 1:9-10 Peter tells the brethren to give all diligence to their growth in knowledge and virtue, "for he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins." (He lacks faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity.) "Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if your do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

HEBREWS 10:26 "For if we sin (are sinning or continue to sin) willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin."

(This verse was improperly translated from the Greek because there is no present participle in the Greek.)

This verse describes exactly the condition of the callous individual who believes that he has been saved and therefore cannot ever be lost. He goes on sinning without even trying to stop, all the while believing that he is in a saved condition. There is nothing that God can do for this person, because he does not sense his need.

EZEKIEL 33:13 "When I say to the righteous he will surely live (eternally), and he so trusts in his righteousness that he commits iniquity, none of his righteous deeds will be remembered; but in that same iniquity of his which he has committed he will die (the second death)."

EZEKIEL 18:26-27 "When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die (the "second death").

Again, when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteous, he will save his life (eternally)." (Ezekiel 33:13-16)

MALACHI 3:7 "Return to Me, and I will return to you, Says the LORD of hosts."

REVELATION 1:1 - 3:22 John the apostle was given a message for each of seven churches. Each message was given by Christ Himself. Each message gives a command, and each message gives a promise of reward for those who follow the command.

To Ephesus, the message is given by the One "who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands" (Rev. 2:1, 1:13,20). The command is given: "Repent and do the first works..." (Rev. 2:5). The promise: "TO HIM WHO OVERCOMES, I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God" (Rev. 2:7).

The implied message would be that whomever does NOT overcome, will NOT eat of the tree of life.

To Smyrna, the message is given by "the First and the Last, who was dead and came to life:" (Rev. 2:8). The command is given: "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Rev. 2:10). The additional statement is made: "HE WHO OVERCOMES shall not be hurt by the second death" (Rev. 2:11).

The implication - that the one who is NOT faithful, and does NOT overcome, will NOT receive th crown of life, and will die the second death. The second death is the "lake of fire" (Rev. 20:6,14).

Remember that these messages were not given to unbelievers. They were given to the churches.

To Sardis, the message is given by "He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars" (Rev. 1:16,20). The command: "Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die" (Rev. 3:2). And the promise: "You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. HE WHO OVERCOMES shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels" (Rev. 3:4-5).

If Christ does not confess the name of a sinner before His Father, that sinner will be lost. His name will be blotted from the Book of Life, and he will die the second death. (Rev. 20:15). No one will enter the New Jerusalem who’s name is not found written in the Book of Life (Rev. 21:27).

To Philadelphia, the message is given by "He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts, and no one opens" (Rev. 3:7, 1:11,18). The command is given to "Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown" (Rev. 3:11). The promise: "HE WHO OVERCOMES, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out not more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name" (Rev. 3:12).

The "crown" here referred to is the "crown of life." To receive this crown is to receive eternal life. The "key of David" is the key to life - eternal life (Rev. 1:18).

To Laodicea, the message is again given by Christ, "the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God;" (Rev. 3:14). To command: "buy from Me gold," and "white garments," and "eye salve." Hear my voice and open the door" (Rev. 3:18-21). The promise: "and I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me" (Rev. 3:21). "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcome and sat down with My Father on His throne" (Rev. 3:21).

Anyone who refuses to open his heart to Christ will not receive eternal life

REVELATION 21:27 "But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life."

LUKE 10:20 "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

HEBREWS 12:23 "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant . . ."

PHILIPPIANS 4:3 "And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life."

REVELATION 12:18 "All who dwell on the earth will worship him (the beast), whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Rev. 17:8)

REVELATION 20:15 "And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire."

REVELATION 22:19 " . . . and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy (Revelation) , God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."

REVELATION 3:5 "He who overcomes ... I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life."

MATTHEW 18:23-35 THE PARABLE OF THE DEBTOR

Sins are forgiven and covered when confessed and forsaken. So long as the sinner remains in Christ, his past sins remain covered and forgiven. If however, this person returns to his former life without Christ, his sins, past and present will be open in the books of Heaven. He will meet the record of his entire life on judgment day.

This lesson is taught in the parable of the unmerciful servant, who after he had been forgiven his entire debt, (been saved) dealt harshly with his debtors, and the Lord then required him to pay all that had once been forgiven him."

If forgiveness were obtained by doing something to coax God into forgiving us, then it would also be true that we can do things that would cause God to change His mind.

But if forgiveness is discovered as an unchanging quality in the heart of God , then the way to lose forgiveness is to separate oneself from this forgiving God. I can become so rebellions, so drawn by the cheap attractions of sin, that I don't care about forgiveness

But in each case I am the one who has changed. God has not changed.

This, of course, is the weakness of the "once saved, always saved" doctrine. It is based on the premise that once God has decided to forgive a sinner, He will never change His mind. The problem is, God does not change His mind; we do! The sin problem doesn't center in God's opinion of man, but in man's opinion of God.

God is forgiveness. He cannot be untrue to Himself. There was never a point in time when Divinity decided to forgive sinners. "For I am the Lord, I change not." (Malachi 3:6) God forgave man before he ever sinned. God forgave man before he ever existed. But man must accept that forgiveness, and renew his relationship with God, before he can receive its life giving power.

There is another deception into which many Christians fall. It is the sin of presumption. Many come to believe that God is so forgiving that He will continue to forgive them, no matter how long they continue to repeat their sin. As long as they ask for forgiveness over and over, they can sin, over and over. This deception is deadly, because they have ignored the need for repentance. David said, "If I regard sin in my heart, the Lord will not hear me" (Psalm 66:18).. Confession is not enough. Repentance is also necessary. To repent means "to turn around." It means to stop doing what you were doing. Those who believe that confession is enough, never really plan to change. They never ask God for the power to change. They deny Christ entrance into hearts and their lives.

ROMANS 6:16 "You are the slaves of the one you obey."

If I willfully, blatantly sin then I am Satan's slave. If I say, "forgive me," but then I deny the saving power of God, to change my life, I deny God Himself. I refuse the essence of forgiveness which is healing, and I am lost.

If we lose faith, we lose salvation.

JOHN 20:31 ". . . but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

ACTS 16:31 "So they said, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.'"

MARK 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."

MARK 9:23-24 "Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"

ROMANS 11:20-21 "Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.

HEBREWS 3:12-14 "Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end."

HEBREWS 3:19 "So we see that they (Israel) could not enter (into Canaan) in because of unbelief."

HEBREWS 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

If you do not believe that your Heavenly Father can help you, will help you, and in fact desires very much to help you, then you will not reach out to Him. You will not pray. You will not ask, and God will not enter your mind without your permission. He will not violate your free will.

We must believe that Jesus is indeed the Son of God. We must believe that He can and will forgive our sins. We must believe that He can and will live in us, and give us power to overcome any inherited or cultivated tendency to sin. We must believe that Christ living in us can overcome. This faith opens the door to God's healing forgiveness.

If I deny the power of God to overcome every sin, I am saying that God's power in my life is insufficient. I have closed the door.

There is no need to be lost. Paul wrote, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). "With God nothing is impossible" (Luke 1:37). "What He has promised, He is able to perform" (Romans 4:21). "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

Forgiveness is more than a legal maneuver. Salvation is more than a ticket to the city with golden streets.

God can and will change your life. But you must respond. You must choose whom you will believe. If you once had faith and somehow lost that confidence in God, go and find it again. Search, read, pray until you find it - until you find Him.

And remember, faith too is promised (1Cor 12:9).

ACTS 16:31 (ASV)So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." NKJV

JAMES 2:19 (ASV)You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe -- and tremble! NKJV

In what way does the belief of a child of God differ from that of a demon? Demons will not be saved in the kingdom of God - yet we read that they "believe." Demons know who God is. They know He does exist. They know He is all powerful. They also know that they have lost the battle for this world. Christ will soon banish Satan to the pit. The belief held by the child of God goes beyond knowing what is and what will be.

First: The child of God believes certain things about the character of God. He/she believes that God is love, that God is kind, patient, and merciful.

Second: In the child of God belief leads to obedience. His/her obedience says, I believe that God is just, and holy, and good, and knows what is best for me. The child of God has surrendered, because he/she believes in the goodness of God.

"NEVER REALLY SAVED"

Suppose I return to a life of sin after I have been baptized, after I have made a commitment to Christ. Many Christians would say this action on my part indicates that I was never "really" saved. They believe that if a person is saved he is changed and will never return to his old life.

What does this mean to me, if I'm out there sinning again? If I'm sleeping with someone without benefit of marriage - was I never really saved? If I become addicted to drugs and begin to steal - was I never really saved? What if I'm jealous of a coworker? Want if I gossip frequently? At what point do I know that I was never "really" saved, so I'd better go back and do it right this time? If I commit "big" sins, then, for sure, I was never really saved. But what if I continually commit "little" sins?

Salvation is a process. I am being saved. Day by day - hour by hour, I am growing in grace. I have entered a relationship with my Savior. I may slip and fall many times, but so long as I continue to pray, to ask for forgiveness desiring to become like Christ in character, I have not left that relationship. (Let's face it, because of temperament or training, some folks find it easier to act like a Christian than others do.) If I were to die before I reached full maturity, Christ's righteousness would cover my imperfections, and I would be welcome in Heaven.

I have said that I consider myself to be in a saved condition - now, because I have entered into a saving relationship with Christ. I could comfortably say, "I am saved," or even "I have been saved." I do not, however, believe that I am irrevocably saved. I may revoke my salvation, if I choose to leave my relationship with Christ.

Just as marriages sometimes die through neglect, so my relationship with Christ could die if severely neglected. Suppose I just choose to pursue things other than spiritual growth . (I’m not openly rebellious towards God. I haven’t consciously turned away from Him.) The end result is the same. Doubts creep in, slowly almost imperceptibly. One day I realize my faith is gone. I can choose to go in search of evidence to restore my faith. Like the prodigal son I can return to the Father’s house. But the longer I stay away, the greater the likelihood that I will ever return.

HOW CAN THE UNIVERSE BE SECURE?

EPHESIANS 2:8 (ASV)"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." NKJV, NAS (similar wording in NIV and NASB)

In the parable of the sower, the seed which fell on stony ground, and the seed which fell among thorns did sprout and begin to grow. Christ explained that the person represented by the rocky ground, first received the word (seed) with joy, but later the young plant died because it did not put down a root (Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8).

The word did have an effect. It sprouted and began to grow. The person represented by the thorny ground, received the word (seed) "with joy." Only later was it choked out by the thorns (the cares of life, persecution, temptation and trial). The soil represents the condition of the heart or mind, and this is personal choice. ("Do not harden your hearts" Hebrews 3:8.)

If you are covered by the righteousness of Christ, then you ARE perfect in the eyes of God.

If you are abiding in Christ, if you have a relationship with God, and you are being transformed into the image of His Son, then you are indeed in a saved condition. If you were to die today, you would be called from the grave by Christ, in "the resurrection of the just." Because one has not reached full maturity in Christ does not mean he/she is not righteous in the eyes of God, through Christ. A newborn Christian is indeed covered by the blood of Christ so long as he/she remains in that saving relationship.

A friend recently pointed out to me that the New Covenant promise of Ezekiel 36 will NOT be fully realized until we reach the promised land. EZEKIEL 36:24-28 "For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. THEN I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God."

If you’ve been worried because you’re not yet a "perfect" Christian, take heart. God will keep His promise.