Expert: Cooper P. Abrams III - 6/5/2008

Question
I was saved over 20 years ago, but I backslid terribly.  Just recently, I've come out of my "slumber" and repented. I realized that believing in "eternal security", no matter what I did; contributed to my gross negligence and disobedience. If our salvation is secure and we can't lose it, then why is there so many warnings in the bible? Doesn't James 2:19 mean that we have to do more than believe?  Doesn't it refer to works?
Thank you.

Answer
Hi Terri,
  Good question.  1 Cor. 3:10-15 explains the rewards given to believers at what is called the BEMA judgment which is for Christians. Note verse 15,  "If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." (1 Corinthians 3:15) So the verse is saying that there will be believers in heaven who were saved, but received no reward because of not living for the Lord.
   Yes, true belief should produce works, which means a believer lives for the Lord Jesus Christ.    However, if we simply look around us we can see that many professing Christians do not live their lives as the Lord wants.
   James says "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." (James 2:18)   In other words, the evidence of saving faith is works.   
    A person who has believed may just choose to set on the side line and do little or nothing.   They may not get involved in gross sin, but their not serving the Lord is sinful.    It can only be explained by understanding the grace and love of God.  
    Once God saves a person, that person becomes the adopted son of God and that relationship cannot be changed.    There are faithful sons and daughters and also unfaithful.
     When a child of God backslides, they are still God's sons and He will continue to seek to bring them back to the will of God.  Of course He cannot bless them in their backslidden state, but He does not abandon them.   It is no fun for a Christian to not live for the Lord.   God also will chasten believers who backslide into sin as Hebrews 12:6-8 explains.    
    Yes, Christians are to live for the Lord and serve Him.  That honors the Lord, is a testimony to others and gives believers rewards.   In eternity, those who did not live for the Lord will suffer lost (1 Cor. 3:15).  I have a message on my web site, Bible-truth.org at http://bible-truth.org/Judgment.html#Judgment titled "The Account we must give."  It will explain the matter further.
    Thanks for your questions.  If you have further questions or comments please write.
Cooper Abrams
Romans 12:1-1