What Does Saved and Lost Mean?
Pastor J. R. Wilhite, author
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The first part of this study is an analogy and I imagine most if not all will have no problem with it. But the next part some may have problems it deals with what causes people to fall away. I have asked people over and over again to explain to me what they think being saved or born again means and what lost means. And what I have found is that most are not totally sure what it is, some get it, some get close and some do not get it. So here is an analogy of lost, saved, being of the church and Christ is. Imagine a ship that has sunk in the middle of the ocean and the ship are mankind. Those lost are those drowning in the ocean, they have not drown yet, but they are drowning. The lost have lifestyles that range from being good to being bad. The following three is an outline of the lost. Saved are those in the ocean with a life preserver around them and a line to a ship that is not sinking, this ship is God. Those of the church are those at the ship starting to climb aboard out of the ocean. And those of Christ are those who just got on board the ship; they are still dripping wet. Mankind's ship sunk due to a hole in its hull and that hole was caused by disobedience. Think of it this way a person that has a task of looking out for ice burgs to warn the captain. So the captain in time can steer clear of the ice burg. But because this person was not doing their job the ship hit the ice burg and all suffered for it. And of course this person is Adam and even though everyone else on the ship may have been obediant they still suffered due to this one. What is grace? To understand grace fully you need to know there are two parts to the word of God a physical side that is we and where we are. And a Spiritual side that is God and where He is. John 4 24. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Grace in the physical is a time period, in the Bible a generation is 40 years, Jesus lived 33 years. Tribulation is 7 years, 7 + 33 = 40, so Jesus life is the first 33 years of the 40 years. Tribulation is the last 7 years of the 40 and everything in between is grace. Like a grace period on a bill, it is due on the 1st, but it is not counted late until after the 5th, that gives you a 5-day grace period. The spiritual side is just that what is spiritual of grace, a time of forgiveness. Matthew 24 This next section I have taken from our study "All Life Starts Here" to help you understand the 3 levels we grow into in the kingdom. And below this is the next part of this study what causes people to fall away. 3 Steps to Life As you understand that there are 3 elements to God - Father, Son, Spirit or Soul, Body, Spirit also understands that we have 3 elements as well, body, soul, and spirit. The number 3 in the Bible means unity. We go through 3 lives: In the womb our universe is small - about the size of a basketball. In this life it seems that the universe is huge - it is so much larger than the last, but infinitely smaller than the next. Our life spans:
|
Size of Our Universe |
Life - |
Outcome |
|
1st Womb about the size of a basketball |
9 months |
Male or female |
|
2nd Present universe seems unlimited |
120 yrs |
Born again or not |
|
3rd Next life with or without God |
Eternal |
Heaven or Hell |
Step 1 - Salvation
In this life there are 3 steps as well, that is if we are born again.
But what is born again?
John 3
3. Jesus answered and said unto him,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.4.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?5. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.7.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.8.
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10. Jesus answered and said unto him,
Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?11.
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.12.
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?13.
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.14.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:15.
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.16.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.17.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.18.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.So once you are born again you are saved, but you are not of the church or the body of Christ yet.
Before you get your tail feathers ruffled over what I just said, take a moment open your mind and read what I have to show from scripture. Then take it to God and ask Him, if ever you hear anything that God says is not true do not walk away, but run away from the source of the lie. Do not try to change them by debate, email, etc, but take it to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to handle it. He is much more capable to do this than we, plus He will not make mistakes, but we can and in making a mistake we may push a person even further the wrong way.
So before you do anything you MUST be hearing from God. Yes, that is right, YOU MUST be hearing from God. In the Old Testament there were men and women of God that the majority would go to, to learn the truth. Now we are ALL to be men and women of God.
John 2
21. But he spake of the temple of his body.
I Corinthians 3
16. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
So understand that when you are saved you have the Spirit of God in you (you are a temple of God) but you do not have the Spirit on, and through you yet.
The name Jesus in Hebrew means salvation, and through the name of Jesus you are saved.
Romans 10
9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
This is necessary for all to grow and become solid in their salvation to the point nothing can ever take it from you or confuse you or make you doubt it.
Romans 8
16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
You can only hear this when you are hearing the voice of God. That comes from your taking the time to listen and hear His voice.
Now imagine if you wanted to learn to read and write but you did not want to invest any time in it. It just would not happen. How much more is the blessing that comes from knowing God on a one on one basis. From this one on one relationship with God you will be blessed with all the fruit of God.
Galatians 5
22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Jesus even said we would be known by the our fruit>
Matthew 7
20.
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.21.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.22.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?23.
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.So many take "faith without works is dead" as meaning they have to go out and work but the actual truth is that when faith works IT goes out and works. When we do it, it is not faith, but us that is at work.
Hebrews 11
1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2. For by it the elders obtained a good report.
3. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
4.By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Both offerings in appearance would have been good, but only one was of faith, something that only God could see.
5. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
How does faith come?
Romans 10
17. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Now as you grow from the moment of your salvation to the revealed knowledge of Who Jesus is as the Christ and true Son of God your growth is into being a part of the church.
A church is not buildings, or people, but individuals with personal relationships with God. A relationship that He reveals unto all and first who we are and who Jesus is.
Romans 8
16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Step 2 - Church
Matthew 16
15.
He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
16. And Jesus answered and said unto him,
Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.17.
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.In verse 16 the name Peter in Greek is Petros. Petros means Peter, but mostly they both mean a "piece of the rock". The word rock is Petras or bedrock. In verse 15 Jesus tells Peter it was REVEALED knowledge of the Father about Who Jesus is as the Christ and Son of God that made him petros.
So when God reveals to you Who Jesus is as the Christ and The Son of God you are then a piece of the rock or church.
Now you have gone two steps in your growth here, 1st salvation through Jesus, 2nd becoming a part of the church via revealed knowledge. Remember Hosea 4:6 God said His children are destroyed due to a lack of knowledge. Are you starting to understand the importance of knowledge?
Step 3 - Body Of Christ
"Christ" is a Greek word that means "The Anointed One and His Anointing". Anointed means being rubbed in and on. Jesus told us that being anointed was having the Spirit of the Lord upon Him:
Another way to look at it is think of a dry sponge placed in a bowl of water. We would be the dry sponge and the anointing is the water.
Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the LORD {is} upon Me, Because He has
anointed Me To preach the good news (gospel) to {the} poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to {the} captives "
And in I Cor. 1:24 "but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, The Anointed One and His Anointing (Christ) the power of God and the wisdom of God." we are told that Christ, or the Anointed One and his Anointing is the power and wisdom of God.
In Is. 10:27 (KJV) we are told that the anointing removes burdens and
destroys yokes. A yoke is anything that weighs you down, like sin,
sickness, debt, etc...
All through the old testament times the Jews were told of a coming of the Anointed, and how, when the Anointing came, it would bring yoke destroying, burden removing power. Remember what
I Cor. 1:24 says, "Christ (The Anointed) the power and wisdom of
God." Who else could destroy yokes? God, of course! So the Jews were
looking for the Messiah which is Hebrew for the "Anointed One". The Jews
admit Jesus was a prophet and a teacher and that He did great works; they just don't admit He was the Christ (the Anointed One).
So what do we know so far;
Christ (Greek) and Messiah (Hebrew) in English mean The Anointed One.
To anoint is to rub on and in, so Anointed is already rubbed in and
on. The Spirit of God comes to us from and through His Spirit
(Anointing). What it brings are the power and wisdom of God. So
Jesus did what He did via the Holy Spirit because He was anointed
(rubbed in and on) with God's Spirit (power and wisdom of God).
Some call the anointing being "in-filled" with the Spirit of God, but the anointing comes after one is saved, of the church and asks for it, but they have to be hearing from God on a one on one basis to be anointed.
I John 2:20-27
20. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
21. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
22. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
23. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
24. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
25. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
26. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
27. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
John 14
26.
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.Jesus is the word become flesh John 1:14, God is the soul (mind, will and emotions) of the trinity. Christ was the manifestation of God on Jesus. If we are of Christ we are of the manifestation of God on, in, and through us.
Understand your growth in the kingdom of God is based on the time you put in. The more time now, the sooner you will be blessed in all ways.
Below I have scripture to show you just how blessed you can be.
Mark 11
22. And Jesus answering saith unto them,
Have faith in God.23.
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.24.
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.25.
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.26.
But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.Mark 5
24. And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
25. And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
26. And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
27. When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
28. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
29. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
30. And Jesus, imediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said
, Who touched my clothes?31.
And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?32. And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
33. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
34. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
As stated in I Cor. 1:24 the power of God is in Christ, and it states in the same verses that those of Christ is of the power and wisdom of God. Not the church, not those of Jesus (salvation) but of Christ only.
And as above Mark 5:24-34 Jesus felt power leave, and the power is that of Christ. And the same power is in, on and through those of Christ. Even though someone calls upon Jesus and is saved and does have the Spirit of God in them and connected in them to their spirit they do not have the Spirit in, on and through as in Christ.
There are many verses dealing with the power in Christ, and as Jesus name means salvation, and professing as it is stated in Romans 10:9--10. As shown in Matthew 18:15-19 we become part of the church when God the Father reveals to us who Jesus is as the Christ and the true Son of God.
1 Corinthians 1
24. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
To start understand you need to replace judging (Matthew 7:1-5) with forgiveness. If you have truly forgiven then you have also forgotten what was needed to be forgiven.
THE SHAME OF THE CHURCH TODAY
The biggest shame I see today are those who take a stand only on one of the sides of God's nature. Some only see God as angry, maybe because they had something happen to them and are not able to see that it was their fault and they needed a reason to blame someone else. God is a good whipping boy and place the blame on them.
Yes, in the old God allowed the world to see His anger, and in the end He will also, but grace is a period of a time where His anger is not released. The shame here is the people who believe in the anger of God have not read John 3:17.
John 3
17. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
In the Literal Bible instead of condemn it is judge.
17.
|3756| not
|1063| For
|0649| sent
|3588| -
|2316| God
|3588| the
|5207| Son
|0846| of Him
|1519| into
|3588| the
|2889| world
|2443| that
|2919| he judge
|3588| the
|2889| world,
|0235| but
|2443| that
|4982| may be saved
|3588| the
|2889| world
|1223| through
|0846| him.
Remember Mary who was found in the act of adultery and brought to Him. He said, "The first who is without sin cast the first stone." He was without sin, but He did not stone her.
The problem is legalism. The shame is most do not even realize, even when told, that they are too heavy handed in the law.
Remember there are those (as stated by Jesus) that He will say He does not know.
Matthew 7
20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23. And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Normally those talked about above in Matthew 7 are caught up in the work and forgot the relationship with God they are supposed to have. What fruit would matter to God the most, that of your hands or that of His spirit?
Galatians 5
22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Of course the fruit of the Spirit because anyone can do labor, but only those of God in Christ can reflect the fruit of the Spirit.
There are sites on line that are down on any site or person who mentions faith much less believes in it. I wonder how they are saved, because scripture says by faith are we saved.
Ephesians 2
I wonder how anyone can miss the fact of faith as a key part of all Christians. So since there is so much evidence to the contrary of those who are down and against those of faith, I have to ask who their God is, because it can not be the God of Abraham, our God. Maybe the god of this world - Satan will use the word to confuse and to help people fall out of grace with God.
Below are a few of the faith verses we should be living by.
Matthew 17
We are even to live by faith.
Romans 1
Romans 3
In Mark 4 we are shown 4 different groups of people and based on Mark 4 it shows only 25% are of good ground. 75% will last a day or two, maybe even a few weeks and even possible a few months, but a year is doubtful, for they do it to themselves.
Mark 4
2. And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,
3. HeMarken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
4. And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
5. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and imediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
6. But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
9. And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10. And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
11. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
12. That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
13. And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
14. The sower soweth the word.
15. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh imediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
16. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, imediately receive it with gladness;
17. And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, imediately they are offended.
18. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
19. And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
20. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
There 4 groups, 4 ways people read the Bible:
Law - those caught up in the law, and have missed grace and faith altogether. As with the next 2 groups they have a high chance of falling away.
Legalistic - this group is of grace, but they get very legalistic in the grace trying to turn all of grace into a form of law.
Interpreting the word vs. understanding - the shame is most people interpret the word of God instead of understanding it. If two men read the same book and both have a different view of what the book was about, their best bet to see who is wrong and who is right is to ask the author of the book. When they do some have found they both were wrong and when the author explained it to them they saw it, and understood. This is understanding vs. interpreting the word.
Understanding via the Spirit - We are told many times to listen to God, and here are a few:
John 14
1 John 2
We even come to understand we are saved from hearing from God.
Romans 8
16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
There are three things you can do to grow.
2-25-04 H.O.M.E.