Sábado, 12 de Outubro de 2024
   
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Can We Lose Salvation?

In 2 Peter 2.1, Peter speaks of false teachers who deny the Master who bought them therefore bringing swift destruction upon themselves. The phrase “who bought them” suggests Peter had believers in mind. As to the assertion that those people will bring destruction upon themselves for denying Christ, it suggests they will lose their salvation. This verse also means a challenge to the doctrine of Limited Atonement for if we say those false teachers were not Christians, we will have to deal with the term “who bought them” and conclude that the atonement of Christ’s cross works itself out in unbelievers too.

Calvinists, however, understand that Peter did not refer to believers in this verse. The forthcoming ruin set aside to these people and referred to in verses 3 to 9, along with the sordid behavior attached to them in verses 10 to 22, lets no room to consider them new creatures, sanctified by genuine faith. How then can we interpret the statement that the Lord has “bought them

Apparently, verse 20 describes the way we must understand this. According to this verse, false teachers, when associating with a church and beginning to congregate (verse 1-3 and 13), “have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”. And that is the “moral” release the term “who bought them” refers to (not the work in the Cross).

Those unbelievers, by hearing the truth about Jesus and entering the community of disciples, had been rescued or freed of the idolatrous, dirty and worldly life they used to live. However, as false Christians, they soon came back to that life (verses 21-22). Such interpretation is especially put forward by John Owen (The death of death in the death of Christ, Book IV:V:III:3), one of the greatest theologians of the 17th century.

There are some other passages that seem to teach that Christians can lose their salvation. Some time ago I wrote a series called “Tulip’s Touching Truths” talking about these passages. Well, the series has been expanded and became a small book to be released in the coming months. In this book, you brethren will be able to access these explanations.

What should be settled as of now, thus, is that the real believer has his salvation guarded by God and not by himself. As said the so known preacher John MacArthur Jr., “if we could lose salvation, we certainly would”. In fact, the safekeeping of such a precious asset is not in our hands but in the Lord’s. So that it is impossible for someone to rip it out of such powerful hands.

And this is a basis for Christians’ peace and rest. By the way, thinking of the peace brought to Christians by this safety, Jesus said, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (Jo 14.1-3).

Jesus’ so reassuring words must be welcomed by all of us. Yes, our hearts may beat smooth, keeping firm assurance that he prepared us everlasting dwelling. And they are not going to be empty. The one who made them will also open their doors so that all whom Christ called and who received him in faith there may dwell.

Pr. Marcos Granconato

Strength and faith

Soli Deo gloria

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