Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 9/15/2004

Question
"My question is, How do you feel about once in grace always in grace, I personally don't agree with it, but a topic of this was brought up with a new boyfriend of my sisters, and we were brought up NO, because just like being a parents if a child does wrong, and continues to do the same thing over and over again, we in our hearts would feel they are not truely sorry for their sins, like I feel our heavenly father would feel, if you continue to do wrong (sin) and knowingly continue to do this same thing, then to me that goes to Catholic whom drink, sorry no offese to Catholics, but they repent and repent and repent, that you must not of truely been saved to begin with or as we call born again, if you turn your back on God. We consider this to be a backslider. Please help me to have bible scriptures to back up my beliefs.....because he brought up that scripture where we will be forgived please don't quote me on this one, but 70 times 7 or something like that, thank you";  

Answer
Hi Tammy,

Let us consider first of all how one first comes to grace.  We find that there is absolutely no act that we can do, no law that we can keep, to rite that we can perform that would help us to merit His grace.
If there were... then Jesus' death was useless!

Galatians 2:21
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

2.  The only way to be saved is to trust in what Jesus did by faith alone.... it is accepting His free gift by faith.

Romans 5:1-2


Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Romans 4:1-8


What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture?  Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Romans 3:19-25
19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.  20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;   
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

3.  Since it is by faith and not works...then it is not our vow not to sin that saves us...but it is the fact that Jesus paid for our sins on the cross and when we believe that....then we are justified, or declaired to be righteous.

4.  If then we are saved by grace alone, it is impossible to think that we are kept saved by our works.

Galatians 3:1-3


O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Romans 11:6
6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

4.  Children are punished...but at no time do your children quit being your children....even if they are unrepentant children.  God clearly tells us that we do not start out as children of God, but we are adopted when we receive the gift of salvation....therefore we are children of God....and once a child, we cannot even consider that God would disown one of his precious children.

John 8:44
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.  
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Romans 8:15,17
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

John 1:12
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Galatians 4:5-6
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Hebrews 12:5-8
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

5.  SOme claim to have faith, or they prayed the sinners prayer, but they never truely believed....it is not that they lost their salvation...it is that they were never saved.

2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

James 2:18
18 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.  
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

6.  Finally in summary.... it is not asking forgiveness for sins that saves us it is belief in what Jesus did that saves us.

Acts 16:31
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ,
Pastor Don