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Churches Of Christ/Why do some people say we are always saved once God accepts us, and others say no?

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Expert: - 5/10/2003


Question
I'm confused. We get told that once someone becomes a Christian, they can never go to hell. Your group says this isn't true. Can you show mw in the Bible where it is wrong to teach this?

Answer
Hi!

I assume you are asking why we believe it is wrong that you have been taught the doctrine of Calvin, "Once saved, Always Saved."

Let me ask. Are the apostles among the most righteous men of which you have ever seen or heard? I will presuppose your answer to be an affirmative. Consider this:

I Corinthians 9:27, "But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."

Paul was speaking of his salvation yb the reminder that he preached to others. Even so, he could still be cast away from God (lost). Does Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, believe he is saved forever? Not according to this passage he doesn't.

Is it appropriate for us, any of us (let alone multitudes of us), to believe we are better off spiritually than Paul? Or, do we believe we have enough knowledge now so as to believe we have surpassed what knowledge God gave Paul?

Not so. Is this impolrtant to your becoming saved? There are a lot of people who deny this. However, if they will not repent of this error, how can you trust them with any other doctrine, especially those pertaining to the obtaining of your salvation? Those doctrines may be in just as much error. They have demonstrated a lack of knowledge in scripture.

In His Service,
Marvin Howard
preacherman_1962@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/preacherman_1962/sermons.index.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Study-God_Logically

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Marvin Howard

Expertise

I consider myself to be a "doctrine specialist" if there is such a thing. I offer scripture to support or refute (as needed) any doctrine practiced within what is commonly termed "Christianity" today. I am willing to try questions on prophecy and history, though they are weak points. I have learned a little, however. Also, as I am disabled, I have time to research many things. For example, I can find a congregation of the church within twenty miles of your ZIP Code if one exists. If traveling, I can locate a congregation for your visit. I am accountable in this ministry to a group of Christians. I will share my answers with them for review. If a question is private, I will redact the names for privacy.

Experience

I became a Christian on April 7, 1969. I have been a substitute, spur-of-the-moment preacher for thirty years. My last pulpit was with the congregation in Braswell, GA. My sermons have always contained at least fifty percent scripture. On occasion, I have preached in seven states, and four foreign nations. This is beside my online ministry. I am now, officially retired.

I hope to never mislead anyone saying I'm a member of one group, when I'm really in another as one here does. By his own admission, he isn't a member of the church, but of the "Christian Church" (sic) denomination. If I can be honest, I don't know why others would want to lie.

Education/Credentials
Having already acquired significant Bible education from self-study, I attended 1.5 years of Bible college through the church at Dyersburg, TN (before my health waned) in an attempt to get paper to say I know what I know.

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