Can we lose Salvation?

[finney]

OK. I see where this is going. Actually, there wasn't any "heat" in that little missive, I'm not angry nor upset in any way with you (or anybody else I've run across here), it's just that there's so much to cover I was just puddle-jumping to touch on as much stuff as I could in as brief a time as possible (I don't always have much time for this).

Once you get past Philemon you're no longer dealing with church books, you're dealing with books for those that turn to Christ during the tribulation. Paul, not John, not Peter, not James, not the writer of Hebrews or anybody else you care to name is the apostle to the Gentiles and it was to him that the mystery of the church and the dispensation of grace was revealed. When you (or anybody, for that matter) try to make Hebrews or I John apply to the church you're pounding square pegs into round holes. Don't give me "All scripture is..." either, because not all scripture is for practice (unless you stone witches and kill those that practice homosexuality and only travel about 6,000 feet from Friday afternoon to Saturday the same and so on and so on. 613 rules in the Old Covenant, most of which are just flat out ignored. Pretty much only those dealing with people giving money to Priests, Pastors and Parsons are mentioned).

Anything at all that you must do to remain saved becomes work for reward (not losing your salvation). God will punish you for doing or not doing by taking away His free gift (which He said He wouldn't do; the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. That's repentance on His part, not yours, by the way.) of everlasting life through faith in Christ Jesus and when you say that you (or anybody) denies the cross. If you can lose salvation then 1) it wasn't everlasting and 2) not all sin was placed on Christ; there was enough left over to condemn you.

I'm stickin' with the sins of the world placed on him and God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their sins against them and Jesus was made a curse for us and so on. It's not about what we do for reward or fear of punishment, that's the law; it's about what we do out of love and being beseeched to do, not commanded.

I don't know what you think you can do that will cause you to lose everlasting life, but if that's what you believe than you better not do it. I feel for you and all those that still struggle with the law of sin and death. It's a big dragon and he still rears his head over my way, too.

finney