Salvation. Overcoming. Repentance.

(Salvation, Overcoming and Perservering, The Relationship and the Heart Condition, and Repentance).

[Salvation]

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 establishes the truth about Salvation, works, and the Bema judgement.
1) Faith in Christ is the Foundation of Salvation, which only He can lay, not by our works, only His work.

- There is no Jesus + "___".

- It is by Faith ONLY, not by works. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

- He is the one who finishes the work. (Philippians 1:5-6)

- We bring nothing to the table of Salvation.

- We bring nothing to the table of Sanctification either.

2) Everything else built (works) upon that Foundation is subject to testing (Bema Judgment), as to whether it was:

- His work through you [Gold, Silver, Precious Gems]

- Your work through yourself [Wood, Hay, Stubble].

- All will get the Garment of Salvation

- some will get Robes of Righteousness

- there will be some who get crowns

- and there will be some who get no rewards at the Bema

- but they (ALL) will be saved, some as by fire (1 Corinthians 3).

3) All who call upon Him then are saved and redeemed. (Romans 10:11-14)

- All "real" believers stand before Him, because He is able to make them stand.

- All who are in Christ, will be Resurrected or Raptured at Redemption.

- None miss the Resurrection or Rapture of the body.

4) This leaves no room then for "Carnal Christian" or Christians who miss the Redemption of the Body, because they are not ready by or because of [insert falsehood here].

The Body of Christ is not joined to Him, dismembered.

We ALL (the Body of believers) will stand before Him at the Bema.

___

[Overcoming / Perservering]

Overcoming and Persevering is by our walk of faith in His finished work (Tetelestai), until either our death and resurrection or our rapture. It's all His work.

We overcome by our Faith, because He overcomes through us by His finished work. (1 John 5:4-5)

We will (unfortunately) trip and transgress during this limbo of life in the imperfect.

Until we either die and are resurrected, or are raptured when we all are completed in Redemption.

For this we have Jesus our advocate who is quick and willing to immediately forgive and cleanse us.

(1 John 2:1-2)

Again, He is the one who finishes the work. (Philippians 1:5-6)

It comes down to those who are "TRULY" saved, will still sin until we are perfected, but they will constantly come to the Lord for the daily washing. Remember the parable about washing the feet? (John 13)

[The Relationship - Heart Condition]

In John 10 we see this remarkable statement about those who are "In Christ" being Once Saved, Always Saved (OSAS). It is however, conditional upon a relationship with Christ, which is where most fail in their understanding of it.

| John 10:27-30

|

| My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.

| I give them eternal life, and they will never perish.

| No one can snatch them out of My hand.

| My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all.

| No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

| I and the Father are one.

So in that sense... Once you are saved, you will always be saved.

Why? Because you will keep coming to Him daily, overcoming and persevering until He completes you.

And again I say to you: "He is the one who finishes the work." (Philippians 1:5-6)

It is a Heart condition, a daily relationship. Not just a plane ticket or an escape plan.

How else does one know His voice, and how else does He know us? So that we never hear those terrible words of "Depart from Me for I never knew you."

But I really don't like that acronym (OSAS). It is too easy to mislead or decieve.

And the problem is, some think they are saved (and always saved), but they are not.

We are warned not to be deceived, and more importantly not to deceive ourselves.

Those who claim the name, but never really changed their ways, aren't really saved yet. They are not really Christians yet.

Anyone can claim they are a Christian. That doesn't necessarily mean they really are.

True Salvation shows the fruit of Repentance and Love, or it is doubtful True Salvation has actually occurred.

But, we only see the outward appearance, and only God knows the heart, and only God is the judge.

All the Law and the Prophets hang on the two commandments of Love. Love to, and for God, and that also of your neighbor or enemy. In effect, when you do these two, you will not break the others, because you won't want to or intend to.

It again comes back to the Heart condition, the daily relationship.

[Repentance]

The definition of Repent/Repentance is "Change of mind, change of ways, change of thought." It does not mean "Sorrow, guilt, or asking forgiveness." Those are separate things.
There is also a distinction between Big "R" repentance and little "r" repentance:

[Salvation Repentance (Big R- Coming to Christ the first time)]

- At first repentance (Big R), you are completely washed and cleansed and receive salvation. You are sealed by the Holy Spirit unto redemption. There can be no second round of this, this is why Paul asks shall we crucify him again?

[Daily Repentance (Little r - Confession of daily sins)]

- The daily repentance (Little r) and confession is the washing and cleansing from daily sin by our advocate to the Father.

Jesus as our High Priest is the only one who can do the cleansing of the believer, either initially, or daily. It is best portrayed in John 13 by the exchange that Jesus has with Peter.

[Washing of the Disciples feet (John 13)]

Here Jesus begins to wash the disciples feet as a servant.

Peter objects, but when Jesus tells him that unless he is allowed to wash Peter's feet,

he (Peter) can have no part in Jesus (Christ). Peter then requests his whole body be washed.

Jesus tells him that once the body has been washed it is not necessary to wash it again, only that which is in need of cleansing.

What is the meaning then of this?

Our first Repentance and washing at the moment of Salvation is the (big "R") repentance, the saving Repentance.

But we also need daily washing (Little "r") repentance. You see it in the Lord's Prayer that He taught us. "Give us this day ... and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."

So the washing of the feet is the symbol of daily repentance and communion and prayer with the Lord.

Why the feet?

Jesus only needs to cleanse the feet of the believer. The part that is in contact with the ground of the corrupt world as we walk our path each day during the bearing of our crosses.

The daily sin, while we exist in this limbo before our day of perfection.

This is our purification, our refinement. And so they must be washed by Christ daily, but the whole body does not need the cleansing again.

We see the daily in the Lord's prayer even.

"Give us this day, our daily bread...

...and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us."

We still sin, and will until He comes. But we constantly bring it to the Lord.

Why?

Because we have that relationship, and the desire to please God by our faith,

and receive His faithful forgiveness when we do stumble in our walk.

Jack Nichols.