How Can We Have Assurance If Only Those Who Endure to the End Will Be Saved?

How can Christians have assurance if only those who endure to the end will be saved.

That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity why this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez and this is a radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day.

Would love to hear from you.

Here's our phone number it's 833 the Corvettes 1-833-843-2673. Our phone lines will be open for the next 25 minutes or so. You can also post your question on one of our social media sites and you can actually watch atrial live on YouTube right now we have a YouTube channel and you can send him a message through the YouTube channel and always email us anytime at questions at core, Christianity.com burst up today let's go to a voicemail that we received from one of our callers earlier this week.

How long will Cheryl and likewise in reference to my pastor wants to change the way how new members have held baptizing in the name of the five-day assignment and the Holy Ghost ain't just want to die down and gave his name only to see the way he baptized members hope you can help me answer this question so I can have more under standing. Thank you. Thank you Cheryl for that question. I would tell you pastor to stick with the way he's been baptizing in the name of the father and of the son of the Holy Spirit.

That's the proper way to administer holy baptism and intercourse is precisely what Jesus himself said in the great commission at the end of Matthew's gospel in Matthew chapter 28 verse 18 Jesus came and said to them all authority in heaven and on earth is been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold I am with you always, to the end of the age that you have right there from the lips of our Lord Jesus. Another reason that there's some confusion on this sometimes is when you go to the book of acts. Acts chapter 2. For example in Peter's preaching on the day of Pentecost. He says in verse 38 repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. So there talks about being baptized in the name of Jesus will I don't think that that you know this is different than what Jesus was talking about in Matthew 28 of this is the beginning of the fulfillment of the great commission. The focus here is is he speaking to a primarily Jewish audience there on the day of Pentecost that is calling them to align with Christ is widen the baptism is referred to as the baptism of Jesus are being baptized in the name of Jesus's association with Christ with the Messiah. This is in the baptism of John is working to see later in acts chapter 19 verse one.

It happened that while Paulus was at Corinth, Paul pastor, the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples and he said to them, did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed they said no we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit and he said into what then were you baptized, and they said into John's baptism. Paul said John baptized with the baptism of repentance telling people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is Jesus, and on hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. I think that these are actually Trinitarian baptisms but the focus is association with Christ were baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As Paul says in Romans chapter 6, for example. And so, so baptizing of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit and know that that baptism is this picture of our being united to Christ in his death and resurrection through faith and and so I was eight again to your pastor. Stick with the triune formula S counsel. Thanks for that atrial. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez.

If you have a question about the Bible, the Christian life.

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That's 833 the poor and if you call us outside of the alive program hours. You can always leave your voicemail and we do our best to review voicemails each day. Let's go to Tim in St. Louis, Missouri Tim what is your question for pastor atrial model that kind of way shuttle shuttle.

What does the Bible say about how long will be created for attempting to bring the Son of Man and I know that this is something that so many believers struggle with and so the first part of your question. You know what is the Bible have to say about eternal security symptoms. You hear the phrase once saved always saved, thrown around in the ideas you just sort of been a believe in Jesus except them in your heart and you go live however you want, but so long as you been sealed you. We believe in Jesus or you made a profession of faith, you may never go to church.

You may never grow in grace, and you may never have any experience of the Lord's presence. You know but but your your your saved rights and benefits referred to is easy believe is a look were not justified by anything we do, but the person who is justified is you know, filled with the Holy Spirit and and does by the grace of God into the gift that God gives begin to grow in grace but but that growth is slow and difficult and there is a real battle with sin that takes place every day and so are our assurance doesn't come from what we do. It comes from the promises of God and so you know passage that I like to go to in terms of thinking about assurances what Jesus himself said in John chapter 10 verse 26 EEE begins and in this way says you do not believe because you are not among my sheep speaking of the religious leaders my sheep here my voice and I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. That's a promise right there my sheep. Jesus says will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

My father, who is given them to me, is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my father's hand I and the father are one symptoms you hear about a doctrine that's referred to as the perseverance of the saints that is that those who are truly the Lords the sheep the saints that they will persevere in faith.

I like to think of it more is there to be preserved by the grace of God, because even though we stumble and fall the Lord as Jesus says, will never leave us or forsake us, Tim. If you if you believed on Jesus Christ for your salvation justified by faith alone. He will never leave you or forsake you know that doesn't mean that we don't struggle and and there will be periods in our lives were where maybe that struggle is is more intense than at other times and we and we feel that we been quenching the Spirit and so we begin to question the man might be my really a believer and I would say in those moments, but we we flee to is still the promise of the gospel looking away from ourselves and clinging to the grace that God gives to us in his son Jesus in receiving that object and promise of the gospel by faith alone and resting it, and in light of it, seeking to live a life it's honoring to the Lord now want one other passage that all little bring up because you knew mentioning a what about that that struggle with sin that we have and it's it's Romans chapter 7 in Romans chapter 7.

I think Paul is describing his own experience as a believer in and it is a struggle. It's a fight Jesus into sometimes I do the things that I don't want to do and I and I do the very things that I don't want to do, or sometimes IIII do that very things I don't want to do this. Is this battle between the flesh of my flesh and the spirit, and that in the what the Spirit is leading us to.

You see a parallel text in Galatians chapter 5 where he calls the Galatians to walk in the spirit inside. I would say that the reality of that battle doesn't indicate that you're not a believer but that you are indeed a believer that the spirit of God is at work in you convicting you of sin, and so II would take comfort brother and clinging, clinging to the cross into the promise of the gospel and allies want to go back to Tim briefly because I know that this is a huge struggle for it for so many people are there. Are there other passages that are there giving you concern.

Specifically, our work on play Matthew 21.3 Lord great limitless addresses very quickly. Chapter 6 actually is is a text to referring to and there what you need understand is in the context of the book of Hebrews that the people that the author, the Hebrews is addressing were being tempted to go back to the sacrificial system of the old covenant.

In other words they were rejecting the gospel. This wasn't just of the other struggling with sin or bluster what whatever it is it's they were getting to the point where they were were beginning to reject Christ is sacrificial work for them and and replace that with you know the bulls and goats of the old covenant sacrificial system. This is why the author the Hebrews over and over again says Christ is better. He's better than the sacrificial system is better than the old covenant priesthood because they were tempted to go back to that is the really an apostasy which I think demonstrated that that many of them are some of them at least had not truly believed in that. Actually I think what's indicated earlier in Hebrews where he got to the Hebrews likens the Hebrew church to the wilderness generation and he says they had good news preached to them, just as you have the word didn't benefit them because it wasn't mixed with faith united with faith for those who believe in so there's there's that and then in the text that you mentioned. Matthew chapter 7 where Jesus says to the false teachers depart from me. I never knew you. That's not that's an individual who's losing their salvation.

This is somebody who Christ to say what I have. We've never at no point had that relationship. That personal relationship.

I never knew you.

So again, this is this is not calling into question that the security of the believer, but it does highlight I think that people can be in and around the church have an assertive cognitive understanding of the truth of God's word and yet not lay hold of the promises the gospel by faith. And so that's were called to is to look to Jesus Christ. What he's done for us and to believe it and and and to receive it for ourselves for our own forgiveness and and from that to to be full of gratitude and to seek to live a life that honors the Lord and we fall.

We get up and we trust in him. We continue to pursue him, knowing that he's at work in us both to will and to do for his good pleasure.

Tim God bless you.

Hey Tim, thanks so much for listening to core Christianity. We really do appreciate you and I drill. Thanks for the great explanation of the gospel and justification and how we are called to live, just some beautiful theology there for all of us to really sink your teeth into. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. Maybe a passage in the Bible that confuses you, feel free to give us a call 833. The core is the number in our four months of the open for the next 10 minutes or so 833-843-2673 today were excited to share a new book with you.

It's a book by a friend of core Christianity pastor David Cassidy. Yeah the book is called indispensable David Cassidy's lead pastor, Spanish River church in Boca Raton, Florida, and this this book really gets at the indispensable doctrines of the Christian faith in a way that I think is devotional and helpful, not really encouraging for you. Whether you're a newer believer. Or maybe you've been walking with Jesus Christ. For some time.

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Pastor Cassidy is a great writer and we've offer other books from him in the past. You can find this book indispensable by going to core Christianity.com/offers again core Christianity.com/offers look for David Cassidy's book indispensable will be to receive voicemails here at the corn. You can call us 24 hours a day and leave your question for a drill 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. There's a voicemail from one of our listeners named Justin I was wondering how is it possible to be saved now if Christ said only those who endure to the end shall be saved.

Thank you. Have a nice, great question again forward to talking here about assurance and salvation so so a couple of things. One, there's there's this phrase you may have never heard it, sometimes called the order of salvation. The ordo salute us and it's those distinct acts that God does in our lives in redemption to our union with Jesus Christ and so you think about the fact that God is called us to himself and then what is he do, he justifies us by faith alone.

Now that justification when you are justified by faith, believing Jesus Christ. It's a definitive act. It's it's done.

It's an act of God. All of our sins are forgiven, and God gives to us the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ and because of that we can say what what I'm saved. And this is that at the very heart of the gospel and Paul says in in Romans chapter 5 verse one therefore, since we have been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. We are saved in a very real sense right now assured of the fact that we are going to be in, in heaven, but God is still also working in us and bring us to something else. Ultimately, the new creation fully and finally, the resurrection of the body and the life of the world comes of theirs to the future element, we might say none of our justification that's already happened but were looking forward to being glorified and day by day were being sanctified more and more by the grace of the Holy Spirit. And I know sometimes it feels like it's the two steps forward and one step backward but nevertheless as I as I said earlier, God is never to leave us or forsake us, and he's at work in our lives. And so, so we have confidence that in our confidence is ice dated already is not so much in ourselves. I'm really going to make it him in a tribal airman, but it's no it's in God and in his grace and the fact that he keeps us he preserves us he continues to to work in us both to will and to work for his good pleasure. As Paul told the Philippian church so that we have confidence that one day we will be in the presence of the Lord is already given us a foretaste of that reality through the gift of the Holy Spirit in justification and so so brother when we are saved now by faith in Jesus Christ and were looking forward to the fullness of that salvation.

At the resurrection of the dead. Thank you.

You're listening to core Christianity and our phone lines are open right now will be taking your calls for the next seven months or so. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life doctrine theology, you name it.

833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 let's go to Sarah who's calling in from Las Vegas, Nevada. Sarah what your question for a drill hello old pagan symbol 2/worship God and Deuteronomy 12 for God says we must not worship the Lord the way the patent is true Christian justify pagan Oracle mold tuition got national think like that chakra trap, which is a comfortable circle not often you look at but we all believe it. Things like the poor deluded which is artistic take on the lily flower often used in a corporate also your back like the Trinity wouldn't using the need pleasing to God because there are Christianity's taser.

Thank you for that. That well-thought-out question.

There is a reason in Scripture why God forbade his people from from making images from trying to represent him to do pictures and symbols even it's because we so easily slip into misrepresenting who God is. God is the one who gets to reveal himself to us and he's chosen to do that first and foremost through his word, and so went when you asked the question. You know how to how to Christian justify representing the Trinity do pictures or symbols or images wide.

I don't know that that we should try to justify that are that they can justify that. I think we always especially when it comes to worship want to think through what what are we doing and why are we doing it and is this something that God has called us to do in his word are we just making up things as we go along for making up things as we go along. That's very dangerous because there's a tendency to misrepresent God or two to quote equipment God in our own image to represent them and in the ways that we want to, not in the ways that he's revealed to us through his word and so I'm appreciative of the fact that you're sensitive to this now of course I think sometimes that I wouldn't necessarily say that you know a church that's maybe got some artwork on their bulletin or something like that and it's, it's, you know, this strike where it are or or whatnot that there intentionally borrowing from you know pagan Wiccan imagery of my think probably it's just, you know, the church secretary was looking for something pretty to put on the bulletin and that that's what they found and so and so II think you know we can read a little bit more into this than than we need to but fundamentally, I would say we do have to be very cautious about how we worship God, and we want to make sure that were letting him reveal himself to us through his word, not trying to paint pictures and and and create images if you will of God and the incomprehensible one right a mean truly ineffable, indescribable, that were trying to do that on her own because God forbade that in his word. So thank you good counsel. Thanks for that intro. This is core Christianity let's go to Wallace calling in from Nashville, Tennessee. Wallace what your question for Israel doing well. Wallace thanks for calling what your question, I'm not sure will choose not about my question new outlook on law and also you also know he all John Nolan and my question is that when we put the tree good knowledge of God, knowing good man will do no see, and that she himself would have to come into the world to redeem mankind — closely. Do you get is an excellent question. If God knows everything. Why put the tree of the knowledge of good and evil there in the garden will have any left to the freedom of their own will and gave them free will chose to rebel against God and in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil there in the garden in Genesis chapter 2 is a tree of testing it's it's there's a decision it's going to be made here is called humanity to follow him.

Will they listen will Adam listen in their Adam's is the representative head of humanity. We all born as human beings are born in Adam and falling that we inherit sin original sin, the guilt of Adam's sin, but also the corruption that's associated with it and so and so this this act, the sin of Adam led to a lot of devastation, pain, and the question is why.

Why would God allow it. Then, now the reality is I don't know that we can can just say will here's here's here's the reason. Not that there isn't a reason God always has a reason. Ultimately, I think it's the revelation of himself in and of his glory. But we don't we don't fully grasp all that. At least this side of of heaven.

I think we will understand more when we see no longer through a mirror dimly, as Paul says in first Corinthians 13, but face-to-face but but we know that God gave mankind there in the garden free will call them to follow. He didn't. But God had already purposed how he was going to redeem the world and I think that's a key point yes yes God allowed this to happen this this sin that led to death and devastation about God does not allow anything that he hasn't already purposed how to defeat if you will conquer. And that's that's what he did and that's why we get the promise of the gospel there in Genesis chapter 3 verse 15 where he says to the serpent right I'm in a put enmity between you and the woman between your seed and her seed.

He is going to crush your head, and you are to bruise his heel. There there that great prophecy of the Messiah. And so we have hope and we know that God has promised to solve all of the sin and death in the world that is already done that in Jesus and the resurrection of Jesus were looking for the consummation of that but in terms of why you know why just why God did you do it will I think were gonna I think we can understand that more fully in eternity. We know that he's in control. We know that he's good and we know these conquer evil and so we rest in that Kabbalist.

Whilst this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez one quick email question for you Israel. Chris asks this.

I believe that God is in control and that humans have free will.

This ties in with what you just said but how is this possible. That's a big email to try to tackle at the end of the broadcast. So yes, God is in control and yes we were management and Adam and Eve given freedom of choice there in the garden without while I think we we have to we have to recognize that in light of the fall and the fact that fall into sin has affected us are our entire nature. If you will, has been corrupted were not as bad as as we could be but but our desires run the way we think. Every part of us has been affected by sin so that not one of us can pull ourselves up by the bootstraps. If you will, and save ourselves, our wills even have been corrupted there in bondage and so we rely on 100% the work of the Lord in the work of the Holy Spirit to open hearts.

Is this what you see precisely throughout throughout the Scriptures.

The disciples were preaching there. Lidia's heart is opened by the Lord to hear and listen to the things that were spoken of by the disciples as highlights the fact that we desperately need the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives if we can understand the truth of the gospel and embrace thanks thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers and the menu or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together