12/05/12

Once Saved forever Saved?

Matthew 22:11 - And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:


Yesterday a brother called me and was telling me, of how many youths have these wrong understandings that if they believe in Jesus Christ they are sealed from sin and they cannot sin. They also believe they are now in the hands of God and on their way to Heaven and nothing can stop them from going to Heaven.

To put it in a picture - if I am in Mumbai and someone gives me free a ticket to London, that does not mean I have reached London. To be in London I need to first reach the airport, board the flight and travel all the way to London. There are many possibilities on the way which can stop me from reaching London, like me missing the flight, the flight crashing on the way or the flight getting cancelled completely with no possible accommodation on another flight.

The first thing people do not understand is the purpose why Jesus came. Most think Jesus came to take us to Heaven by dying on the crucifix; those who think this have little chances to reach Heaven.

Paul puts sin in two aspects one he refers as 'sins' and other as 'sin'. The first is the wrong doings and the second the nature to do wrong. Jesus by His sacrifice cleansed us of the first. With regards to the second Jesus as man could not do much, other than became an example as one who overcame the nature to sin and one not having the sin nature (He became our cornerstone).

To help us overcome the nature of sin Jesus Christ gave us His Spirit and that was the most important reason He came for, the cleansing was part process towards this. It is only by the working of the Holy Spirit in us that we overcome the sin nature. It is the Holy Spirit who removes us from the branch Adam and grafts us into the Branch- Jesus Christ. That is why Jesus said unless we are not baptized in water (Jesus Christ) and in Spirit (Holy Spirit) we will not enter Heaven. This baptism does not mean just dipping someone in water nor pouring water and oil on someone's head in the Name of Jesus.

The main problem with people is that they do not know what Heaven is. All think Heaven is up even though the earth is round. People do not know the only ones who can go to Heaven are Sons of God and what the term Son of God means is not clear to them. They are confused between God the Son and Son of God. As man Jesus was called Son of God and so also are all the Angels. People in their confusion use a capital S for son when connected to Jesus and small s for the others.

Being Son of God is to do with the Image of God being in us. Adam was called Son of God before he sinned and lost the image of God. The most noteworthy point to note is that the fallen angels were still called Sons of God just before the floods during Noah and after that they were called devils and had also lost their powers since then.

Going to Heaven is all about the '12'. It was because of the importance of the 12 that the Lord in the Old Testament the Lord orchestrated History with the 12 tribes of Israel and in the New Testament with the 12 Apostles. Heaven is not made of earthly gold or precious stones but of spiritual things. The 12 precious stone which are noted in the book of Revelations are the ones which symbolized the 12 tribes and they in turn symbolize the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit.

In Galatians Paul wrote of the 9 Fruits and then wrote of the 3 remaining in his letter to Ephesians. Paul did this because these 3 were not something which man could grow.

The fruit of Truth is received by the working of the Holy Spirit in us. It is only after this we receive the Fruit of Righteousness from the Son and thus get eligible to receive the Fruit of Holiness from the Father. Today's message talks of the Righteousness of the Son being in the parable like the weddings dress without which the guest is thrown where there is terrible pain and suffering (lake of fire).

Entering Heaven without the Fruits of Truth and Righteousness is not possible and it is by our baptisms that we get them.

By believing in Jesus Christ we are saved from Hell but that does not give us a guaranty that we will enter Heaven.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, You said not by my power nor by my strength, but by my Spirit. Holy Spirit it is by You alone that the Truth is revealed unto man. Jesus Christ by His death and resurrection made You available to us. Jesus also said unless we are born again we will not enter the Father's House and without You we cannot be born again. Holy Spirit renew us, take us from Adam and root us in Jesus Christ making us Sons so that we receive the wedding gown and enter our Father's House...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
Matthew22:11-14
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

Matthew 7:21-23
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

John 8:31-32
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Ephesians 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

Romans 6:1-6
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Hebrews 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

1 John 3:1-2
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)