Saved forever

I have this friend. And I love talking to him because he always tells it like it is, and often gives me another perspective on things. When I feel like I need to blow up, be too dramatic, or act stressed, he just goes with it. He questions my theology which brings me to this blog.

Once you accept Jesus as your savior, are you saved forever?

I have always believed that once you accept Jesus free gift of grace, it covers you for the rest of your life, even if you screw up. Christ can only die for you once, right? Once you accept his gift, you have it for life?

But this friend brought up some valid arguments.
Case #1: Joe (I just made up a name) accepts Christ, but later decides he doesn't believe in God and let's Satan win. He stops living for God and starts living for the world. Is he still saved? If he died would he go to heaven?

Case #2: Jim accepts Christ. He knows full well that he is real but decides he does not want to live a life as a follower of Christ. So, he begins to live for the world and its pleasures. Is he still saved? If he died would he go to heaven?

Case #3: Phillip accepts Christ but doesn't change anything about his worldly lifestyle...meaning he doesn't really surrender his life to God. Is he saved?

Does being saved require repentance? If you accept the free gift from God, can you set it down? Or is it like a tattoo... you have it for life?

Does it take a malicious intentional sin to lose grace or your ticket to eternity?

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not sen his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." John 3:16-21

My first reaction.
BELIEVES. It doesn't say repent, be perfect, obey, or any of the above. It says believe. BUT if this believe is the same I learned about in Greek, it is Pisteuo, which encompasses much more than belief. It also eludes to belief, faith and trust. And faith without works is dead according to James... so if our lives aren't following Christ in our works, then our faith is dead, so do we have eternal life? Doesn't really seem like it. Also, sin is unwillingness to trust Christ. So if we aren't trusting God, then we are sinning.

Second reaction.
Men who love darkness because of their evil deeds hate the light. Can we have grace and eternal life without being in the light? Isn't Jesus the light? "Whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." So, if they believe in God (truth), but don't act like it, are they still in the light? Are they darkness in the light?

Belief: noun. 1. an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists 2.something one accepts as true or real; a firmly held opinion or conviction 3. trust, faith, or confidence in someone or something

 "And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace." Romans 11:6
Romans 6:5-14
Romans 11:32

I was talking to Chap Clark. He's pretty much awesome. I got to spend a piece of my summer in California with him and a group of 30 other kids the same age from all over the U.S. and a bunch of other rad leaders. Chap works at fuller seminary and is a theologian. I e-mailed him with some of my questions. This was his response.

"the Lord looks at the heart and knows that life is a long journey. its less about when we say we're saved, or when we "fall away," but what happens throughout our life that reveals Jesus' access to us as Lord. Trust that; trust him, and follow him. Let the rest sort itself out."

 I don't know if I'm any better off now than I was before I started writing this...I'm not sure if I have any new answers, or if I could really tell you if Joe, Jim or Phillip would go to heaven or not. But I do know that within a relationship, if it is rooted in love, you will be compelled to obey. So maybe it's more a matter of the state of your heart.

I don't think it's even my job to decide if someone is going to heaven. I guess my job is love. Share with them about my God, tell them about how great he is, about life after the grave, about freedom in Jesus. And it's between them and God where there heart is at.