Will God ever deny a believer?
Once we are saved, God never denies a believer of their eternal salvation or even of their spiritual blessings in Christ. As we have talked about in previous studies in this series, a believer is
• Justified and Completely forgiven of all our sins (Romans 5:1: Col 2:13-15)
• Given (imputed to us) the very righteousness OF God in Christ. (Romans 4:22-25, 2 Corinthians 5:21)
• Made a new creature in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 5:17)
• Eternally secure in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:23)
• Sealed with that holy Spirit of promise (Eph 1:13)
• Complete in Christ (Col 2:10)
• Given all spiritual blessings in Christ (Eph 1:3)
To understand the basics of salvation, you HAVE to start by reading and studying Romans chapters 1-8. Read it several times and then study it out, verse by verse with a King James Bible. This is for our being established in the grace faith. Established means to NOT be moved away from the grace message. The whole book of Romans establishes us in the grace doctrines, but Romans 1-5 specifically teaches us about our JUSTIFICATION, and then Romans 6-8 teaches about our IDENTITY in Christ and how to walk in the Spirit instead of after the flesh. You have to start with understanding justification before you can learn about walking in the Spirit and other grace doctrines.
The word "Established" in the 1828 Websters dictionary says,
ESTAB'LISHED, participle passive Set; fixed firmly; founded; ordained; enacted; ratified; confirmed.
If you do NOT understand justification you simply will not understand walking in the Spirit. If you don't walk in the Spirit, then you are walking after the flesh, even if it appears like you are living godly. If a person doesn't even understand that we are saved by grace through faith alone PLUS NOTHING, they are still lost! If you are still lost, you don't have God's Spirit in you to teach you God's word. This is why we, as believers, need to always make sure when teaching and giving the gospel to others that they first understand justification. An unbeliever would never understand the rest of scripture without God's Spirit in them to teach them. Always begin by giving a clear gospel message, and then teaching them specifically about justification. The moment that they believe the gospel, they are saved and can then come to understand more about justification by reading and studying Romans 1-5. Once they understand this, they can move on to other doctrines taught in Romans. After studying Romans they can just continue to read and study all of Paul's Epistles to be more edified in sound grace doctrine.
Understanding justification is followed immediately with understanding our new identity in Christ. Without really knowing who you are in Christ will make it impossible to really walk in the Spirit and your Christian walk will suffer.
That being said, a believer is never denied by God of their salvation or their spiritual blessings in Christ, however a believer can be denied rewards in heaven at the believers judgment seat of Christ. Let me explain.
2 Timothy 2:12 says
12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
If we deny Christ later on as believers after we have been saved (this denying includes either no longer believing the gospel at some point in the future after we have believed and been saved, or denying him in the form of not allowing Christ to live in and through us as believers which includes times when we simply don't believe or obey certain verses in scripture) this equals loss of rewards in heaven and denial of higher positions in Gods government in the heavenly places. But if, as believers, we "suffer with Christ " for the sake of the gospel, believe His word and allow Christ to live in and through us, we earn rewards in heaven and higher positions in our new heavenly careers. Either way, believers who, after salvation, suffer for the sake of the gospel or who simply choose to live for themselves will BOTH be in heaven, eternally secure in Christ, but will have different results at our believers judgment for rewards. This is why it then goes on to say in 2 Timothy 2:13 , "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.”
We are not saved to just float around on puffy white clouds forever in heaven. We will be busy DOING THINGS in the heavenly places. God has a governmental structure in the heavenly places. Right now, those positions in the heavenly government are governed by "principalities, powers, mights and dominions". The WORK that we do here on earth (Christ and His word living in and through us as believers) will equal our rewards in heaven and that will include our placement, or careers, in God's heavenly government. We will be REPLACING the fallen angels positions in those heavenly places!
Job 15:15b says,
"yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.”
You don't hear about this in most churches because Satan is ashamed of it and tries to keep it hid! He was utterly defeated at the cross! He knows that the more that a believer is edified in sound grace doctrine, the higher positions they will take! Once enough people are properly edified in sound grace doctrine, then the rapture will take place! Then, Satan and his angels are cast out of heaven forever! So, we have a lot of IGNORANT BRETHREN because Satan is blinding them from the gospel truth! This is why the dispensation of grace has gone on for over 2,000 years now. God needs to fill the heavenly places!
1 cor 2:7-8
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
Eph 6:10-12
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
If we are sharing a false gospel, or are mixing and blenderizing the kingdom gospel with the gospel of the grace of God, etc it will equal LOSS of rewards. If we spend all of our time here living after the flesh, instead of walking in the Spirit, it equals loss of rewards.
1 Corinthians 3:12-15 says
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
As believers we should always keep the judgment seat of Christ in mind! Not only for ourselves, but for fellow believers as well!
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