It’s one of the most debated questions by Christians in our day and age: is the concept of ‘once saved always saved’ true?
In a recent podcast of “Conversations with John and Lisa Bevere,” the couple discussed how Christians can navigate the Scriptures to look at this topic which has the utmost consequences for our eternal salvation.
To put things in perspective, John Bevere took things from a different angle. Instead of wondering whether or not someone can lose their salvation, the real concern should be whether or not that person was saved at all. It’s important to understand that some will run away from God, and from that group, some may return again.
“I look at John the Baptist. He was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” John says. “I think there’s going to be an Elijah anointing coming forth, and I believe it’s going to be a multitude. It’s not going to be one guy. I think it’s going to be sons and daughters.”
Bevere further says it is this group, millennials and Gen Z, who will be dramatically used by God.
“If you look at Malachi, he says, ‘I’m going to send you this spirit of Elijah before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. I believe these people are going to be sent to the lost sheep of the church.”
One of the key elements to understand why there could potentially be so many people who grew up in Christianity rejecting it today is a lack of clear teaching by the church about what a true heart of repentance looks like. By simply telling people they can accept Jesus to avoid the power of hell, many have not received a clear vision of what repentance is—turning away from the old to pursue a life of relationship with Christ.
Holding onto the idols of this world can make true repentance seem difficult. Some things are objectively good while others are not, but the key here is placing anything above Jesus makes it impossible to completely pursue God’s heavenly things above.
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“Idols can be good things with misplaced value attached to it, or too much value or they can be sin,” Lisa shares.
Until true repentance and turning away from these things occurs, it is impossible to have whole-hearted devotion to Jesus.
“So now, what happens is, I have developed really, not a real relationship with Him. So now, that fake Jesus doesn’t change my nature,” John says.
Another area to be wary of is when we do not see those who confess Christ as their Lord and Savior participate in discipleship or bear good fruit that resembles His nature and characteristics.
“The greatest blessing of the new birth is our old man dies, our old spirit dies and a brand-new person created in the exact image and likeness of Jesus is born,” John says.
While Scripture is clear that there will be a great falling away during the last days, there is hope for those who have run from God to still experience a prodigal moment before the return of our Lord and Savior. {eoa}
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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.
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