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Michael, I just need to ask you if you already have an opinion on this question, or not. This is a sometimes hotly debated theological subject. Are you aware of the the two sides of this debate, and have you personally chosen a side? The answers to these two questions determine where the conversation on this matter heads. Thanks for starting the discussion. I look forward to your response. - Pastor Dave

Pastor Dave,
This was a question that came up at work one day,so I am somewhat aware of the two sides of this debate, although mabye not very theological. I believe that when you ask Christ to live in your heart, if you truly mean it(which only He knows) you will always be saved. God says that He will never leave or forsake us.(Jos 1:5,Heb13:5) Some people say that if someone is saved and there is no fruit they aren't saved anymore. My questions to them are Did they really mean it when the accepted Jesus?, and How would you know only God knows our hearts. One other thing that was said was in reference to Timothy 4:1 saying in the latter days some will fall away from the faith. (lose their salvation) I think that this is not saying that you will lose your salvation. I think that it is just sin which of course we will always have in our lives. Hope this helps. Michael

Michael,
Thank you for your sincere interest in this subject. The reason this is such a hotly debated theological question is because you can find scripture in the Bible to support both sides. And both sides of the debate dismiss the scriptures that the other side hold as absolute. Honestly, when two christians start arguing over this issue, it's one of the saddest things I've ever seen.
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The Bible absolutely does teach that our salvation is secure because of who God is, not who we are. God has also seen fit to put plenty of warnings in His Word for us to not "fall away." People find all kinds of ways of making sense of this. Possibly the easiest one to grasp is that if someone seems to have completely "fallen away" that is proof they were never really saved. Similarly, if a Christian perseveres to the end, that is proof that they really were saved.
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I'd like to have our resident apologist, Nick Neel, put in his thoughts on this for you, but let me recommend my favorite reading on the subject: The reading is primarily about the even 'hotter' question of predestination & free will, but your subject is part of that overall debate. The most balanced view I've seen is the book "Chosen But Free" by Norman Geisler, who is a wonderful apologist. You can order his book at this link - http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=25219&netp_...
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A very easy to read pamphlet on where Calvary Chapel's stand, and an easy way to see some of the key scriptures on this debate, can be found at this link - http://www3.calvarychapel.com/library/smith-chuck/books/caatwog.htm
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Here's the bottom line: If you have truly made Jesus your Lord, you are Truly saved, and GOD is your absolute guarantee! However, don't think you can live like you're not saved & still be saved. There are plenty of exhortations & warnings to say that if we truly are saved, there will be true evidence. And if there is no evidence, then repentance is in order.
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I'll have Nick send you some words of wisdom also. Thanks a ton for the question. - - Pastor Dave.

I think you really have to examine your heart or your motives as to why you accepted Christ in your heart. True conversion should produce a change in your life. Without the discipline of daily word and prayer people easily fall away or fall into false doctrine. People who accept Christ just because they hear a message that says He will give them a wonderful life but neglect the root cause that we need His righteousness to replace our sinful nature, then I believe they were only looking for a quick fix.

Ed,
I agree with you. The condition of our heart is the only thing Jesus is after, and true conversion should absolutely produce a life change. We must preach about sin before we can preach about salvation, and the daily disciplines of prayer, worship, and the Word are the lifeblood evidence of conversion. We just have to be careful to let God be the only judge.
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We can't really know, even for those who's life's seem to have changed radically, even then, God is still the one & only judge. We must encourage & disciple believers to have the confidence of true life change evidence. But we must never hold the measuring rod up & determine if someone meets our "saved standard" or not. Remember the Pharisee & the Tax Collector in Luk 18:9.
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Thanks for joining and responding. Please let me know your continued thoughts.

Pastor Dave

Pastor Dave,
I agree, that God must be the ultimate judge of our hearts. If we listen to people for any length of time, we usually can find out where they're coming from, from a spiritual standpoint. This doesn't mean we use our standard to judge people, we have to let the word of God do that. I've been "saved" for the good part of my adult life, only to find out that what I thought was the gospel message that God wanted preached, i.e. prosperity gospel was the message. Ironically, this message doesn't speak to to the conditions of our hearts, but to our flesh. Does this mean that I wasn't saved? No! It just means that it took God a long time to get through to me! What got me to question whether I was truly saved was studying evangelism. In "faith" churches the message of salvation just isn't preached. This got me to question my motives as to what I believed.People can be saved, but unless they are discipled in the Word of God, they are prone to fall prey to doctrinal error. Such is what I believe is happening to a lot of christians.

Ed,
Amazingly, much of Paul's writing to the NT church was regarding incomplete or incorrect understanding of salvation in Christ. GAL, COL, and even ROM, were all written out of similar concerns as you've stated here. The answer is for us to actually follow the Great Commission to go make disciples, teaching them to obey all that Jesus commanded.
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However, we have to be careful not to make our 'opinions' into 'doctrine'. We need to be absolute where the Bible is absolute, and we need to be graceful where the Bible is not absolute. Amen?

Pastor Dave,
In a recent Pew forum on religion and public life, they state that most American religious believers, including most christians say eternal life is not exlusivly for those who accept Christ as their Savior. My question is If one accepts Jesus as their Savior knowing that He said that He was the only way to the Father, and then later on belives that there are many paths that lead to the Father, Is this person really saved? It takes only an act of faith to be saved, this I believe according to Rom. 10:9-11.But in holding to a belief that ther are many ways to salvation, isn't that really denying our Faith in the one who saved us? How can we produce fruit if we beleve one way for a while, then believe completly opposite of what the scripture teaches as in luke:8-13, And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, recieve it eith joy. But these have no root; they belive for a while, and in times of testing fall away. (esv)

Ed,
Luk 8 is a great place to study this topic. One of our most popular 2-message CD's has on it a message called "How to not fall away" which is taken from Luk Ch 8. We've given away over 17,000 of just this one CD. The 1st message on that CD is a message taken from Ray Comfort's message called "Hell's Best Kept Secret," a message you may be aware of.
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Certainly LUK 8 is a warning to all who hear the Word, and a challenge to each one of us to evalute the condition of our heart (soil), and our fruit. I believe there are many, as you do, who have been tricked into thinking they are saved because they raised their hand in a group of 10,000 people & repeated a certain prayer. That is not necessarily a guarantee of salvation, though it could lead to such guarantee, nor is it specifically found that way in the Bible.
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I believe it is eternally important for us to evaluate which soil in LUK 8 describes our own heart. And I think it is critical for us to encourage those we know to evaluate which soil describes their own heart. And I believe repentance and fruit bearing is the only true "sign" of salvation. This is a serious warning, to be taken seriously.
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We should lovingly encourage & exhort those around us to evaluate the condition of their own heart (in light of LUK 8), & the condition of their own salvation. And we should lovingly convey the appropriate warnings in scripture regarding this issue. We must love them, encourage them, & warn them, but we must never be their judge. There is only one Judge, and you & I are not Him.
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As far as the survey of what Christians think; That is a sad sign of our times. The surveys are wrong, the people's opinions are wrong, the Bible is RIGHT, Amen?

Pastor Dave,
It would seem that those who merely profess to be born again but show no fruit of their salvation tread on dangerous ground. In John 15:5-6, Jesus tells us if we abide in Him we will bear much fruit, and if not, that they would be cast into the fire to be burned. Those in Luke 8:13, and the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root;they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. I was listening to your teaching on being grafted in, and in Rom.11:17-23, it talks of sharing in the nourishing root, that the root supports us, and not we it. The natural branches were broken off because of unbelief. If God didn't spare them, neither will he spare us. Hebrews 3:6,12-19 But Christ as a son over his own house;whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm onto the end. Verse 14, for we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast to the end. Verse 12 tells us to take heed lest there be in us an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. If Israel could not enter in because of their unbelief, how much more so we?

Ed,
These are all very good "Litmus Tests" for all believers to apply to their own lives, and I believe they are in God's Word as good challenges and warnings. Of course, those on the "Eternal Security" side of this issue have as many scriptures (& a few more) giving us strong confidence that if we are truly saved, then God has assured us of our eternal security.
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I believe ALL of the Bible. I believe both the erternal security verses and the warning verses. I believe both sides are in scripture on purpose, and for our good. I believe we must challenge our own "Abiding" in Christ, and we must test our own commitment to Christ as our absolute Lord. I also believe we can have absolute assurance of our eternal security, if we are truly 'in Christ'. And I believe that if we have that eternal security in Christ . . . then we will never truly fall away.
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I really don't think we need to choose a side on this issue. I believe we must be challenged by the warnings, AND we must be confident in our security "in Christ". That way, we don't have to decide which verses to downplay & which verses to stand on. Instead, we can stand on the Whole Counsel of the Word of God.
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Well, there you go. That's my position. Hope it helps.
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Pastor Dave

Pastor Dave,
I'd like to introduce you to my brother-in-law, Ed Prislac! 
Hi Ed, I take it you guys are still on the Word By Mail! That is fantastic! You have no idea how much Nicki and I have been blessed at this body.
 
Thanks guys for a riveting conversation.  God bless you all.   2Cor 5:7