Christian, take heed, lest you fall

"I prayed a prayer when I was 13, so I'm going to Heaven even though I'm not living right."

For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. Rom 8:13

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Gal 5:19-21

This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. 1 John 3:10

"OK, he's not saved because he was never saved in the first place. But whoever is really saved cannot lose his salvation."

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Heb 10:26, 27

Then the master called the servant in. “You wicked servant,” he said, “I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart. Mat 18:32-35

The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. 1 Tim 1:5,6

But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die. Ezek 18:24

Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. Luke 8:13

"You're teaching salvation by works if you're saying we have to keep living right to be saved."

Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Rev 3:2

He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. Rev 2:11

We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. Heb 3:14

"If works are so important, what about grace?"

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, Titus 2:11,12


"But I thought that when I was saved, all of my future sins were forgiven."

But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. 2 Pet 1:9

"Are you saying I can be saved, then backslide, then be saved again?"

My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth, and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death, and will cover over a multitude of sins. James 5:19,20

Jesus suffered, died, and rose from death to purchase my salvation, and I could never add one ounce of merit to that. I am saved by grace through faith. I chose to receive that grace twenty-nine years ago. I couldn't have chosen to do so if God had not drawn me by his Spirit, but it still was my free will that decided to receive him. I still have free will. And so do you. Let's choose, by the grace of God, to follow Jesus today, and tomorrow, and so on until he returns.