Hi Barry

I think you have made a great case on law and grace. I am like you in that I believe a lot of people who think that they are saved because they are "keeping the law" or "trying to keep the law" are going to be very shocked at the time of the rapture or at time of death.They never really trusted Christ alone.

 

BUT I do differ somewhat on saying a person can lose their salvation even if they start believing in works. As long as they trusted Christ and him alone then they are "sealed" with the Holy Spirit.I want to show you a couple of things that happened.

 

Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Paul is telling the people in Galatians that they ARE children of God by faith. These are the same ones he called "foolish Galatians".

 

Look at this verse. It tells us not to follow the false doctrine of "faith plus works" Of course the answer he is looking for is NO we are not made perfect by the flesh!!

Galatians 3:3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

 

I think Paul is getting on the "false teachers" who are confusing the children of God.First Paul tells us that neither circumsion or uncircumsion means NOTHING to those who "are in Christ Jesus" He could have said neither works of law because that is what he is talking about.If you are IN CHRIST JESUS you are saved.

 

Galatians 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

So in the verse above he is letting them know that it is faith that saves. When he mentions anything about the law, I think he is telling them not to be like the false teachers as they have no part of the Kingdom of God

 

Now look at what he says to the "false teacher" A lot of teachers today has allowed satan to creep into their teaching and want the people to be under bondage. If this is what they are taught they never trusted Jesus alone.

Galatians 5:10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.

 

Ephesians 1 says whoever believes is SEALED.

Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

 

So if a true born again believer gets confused by false teaching he is still saved by his faith.

2Timothy 2:13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. For a believer to "believe not" or possibly go back to the law, Christ has already sealed him and he cannot lose it.

 

So what I think is happening is that satan has confused the church into thinking they need to be good enough to be saved. The false teachers are saying today that yes you need to believe in Jesus but you also need to be a good person and follow the law. Well that is definetly a different gospel than what Paul preached but it is one that most people believe today,sadly.It is pretty ironic how satan has made people believe the wisdom of the world that a person cannot be saved without following the law but GOD said we cannot follow the law and that is why Jesus did it for us.

 

thanks

Mike W