Excellent Spiritual bullies retard spiritual growth God's Correction or Condemnation? by Deniz22

Unfortunately, some teach God's only recourse in dealing with disobedient believers is to take back the free gift of salvation He gave them. These teachers do great damage to sensitive souls whose faith is not grounded in clear foundational scriptures. Here is my response to those mistaking God's correction for condemnation. Those who trust Christ are saved forever and cannot be lost according to Christ's own words. John 5:24: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life." A common error is to mistake Christ's correction of His church for condemnation. The result of this grevious error is to make the basis of salvation the believer's works instead of Christ's sacrifice on the cross which alone removes sin. Every believer is subject to God's correction (Hebrews 12) which we are neither to faint under (give up our hope in Christ) nor to ignore. The believer is the born-again child of God, within whom resides the Spirit of God forever. We are indeed called to a life of fellowship and service to Christ. If we fail to obey and develop under grace to spiritual maturity, we will suffer "loss of reward" at the Judgement Seat of Christ where He will personally evaluate our service for Him. Sadly, some believers will see their works entirely burned up, while others will be rewarded for their works done through the Spirit. Yet no believer will lose his/her salvation, since it is the gift of God paid for in full by Jesus Christ. "According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 NKJV Please read the above again: disobedient believer's works will be burned up, "but he himself will be saved". The Word picture drawn by the Holy Spirit is of a man running naked from his burning house. He himself is just barely saved, and he is unable to save anything except his soul. The purpose of God's sometimes severe correction of His children is to bring about true obedience based on grace, so the barely saved experience portrayed here will not be ours. Take heed, and do not lose heart. Whomever God loves, God corrects but there is NO condemnation in Christ. Author Notes John 10:28-30 New International Version (NIV) 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father�?�¢??s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.�?�¢??

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