2 Cor. 13 (WRAP)

Intro

>Can a believer lose their salvation ? Why or why why not?

No…here’s why:

God has promised to complete His work in us

Those elected for salvation were written in the book of life before the foundation of the world.

We are kept by God’s power—in the case of lost salvation, who would be said to prevail?

Important note: Distinction between intellectual belief and saving faith.

I always struggled with the classic line— “well, if they left the faith they just never really believed it in the first place.”

This line of argument doesn’t work--

I used to believe in Santa Clause and alligators in storm drains

The fact that I no longer do so does not retroactively invalidate the fact that I once genuinely believed those things

—>The bible draws a distinction between belief and faith.

-belief (knowledge of) the truth)

-faith (trust in)

Faith is God’s gift whereby those who believe place their hope and trust in Him, repenting of sin and living a life of obedience to His will.

Here’s the biblical logic behind those category assertions:

Belief represents merely knowledge of God (therefore knowledge of the truth) and not saving faith because the demons believe. (James)

This mere knowledge of the truth is not saving because it is common among the unrighteous. ()

We read that without faith (trust in) it is impossible to please God.

Therefore, man may believe (know of) God without believing into him (trusting in) him, which is the basis of faith.

So, when someone rejects the faith they previously claimed to hold, it demonstrates they had a man originated belief, not a God-given faith

that made with human hands fades

that made by the hand of God endures

Paul’s admonition here is therefore not about making sure they don’t lose their salvation, but rather to discern carefully that they ever had it!

the condition of someone who believes themselves out of danger (Titanic) is perilous because they aren’t looking for a means of rescue