There is no “in between” when it comes to salvation. You are either “lost” or “saved.” However, there are some ideas that I think are extreme or dangerous. I will attempt to shed some light on those areas. Now, I don’t mind someone having a personal conviction on what I’m about to share. Everyone has an opinion — including me. What I’m most concerned about is the way these things are presented to new believers.
The two extremes I’ll be addressing here are “once saved, always saved” versus “you can lose your salvation at the drop of a hat.” On one hand you have people who believe you can never lose your salvation, no matter what. On the other hand, you have those who feel like your next mistake is going to take you down, and God can’t wait to blot your name out of the Book of Life.
I’ve seen people living dangerously close to both sides of this issue. If you have a belief system that says, “I’m saved, I’ll be okay no matter what kind of sin I get into,” then you’ll probably get into all kinds of sin. Can God forgive you? Sure, but who wants to live like that? Why would a person want to live on the edge of God’s grace? Most likely because they aren’t willing to give up their sinful ways or lifestyle. If you tell people they are safe no matter what, some will take it to the extreme. Instead of working on their issues and eliminating their sins, they look for loop-holes in the system. They end up in a bad situation, and then say things like, “Oh well, God knew it was coming”… “He allowed it to happen”… “It must have been His plan because He didn’t stop it,” and so on. This mindset is the reason many people blame God for their circumstances, when in reality their own actions and decisions are responsible for the outcome.
As always, there is the other extreme. Some people feel like you are doomed if you’ve ever had a bad day. The thought is, if you are struggling in any way, shape or form, your salvation must not be legitimate. You must not be the real deal. Those who operate in this extreme usually major in religious activities and outward appearance, while ignoring their own faults. Some poor soul could be giving it their best effort, but making major mistakes, (their pain causing them to make bad choices) and here comes someone saying, “You are awful. You are unacceptable. You know nothing about God and you need to be saved.” So this person says the sinner’s prayer for the thirty-ninth time, but still doesn’t feel any different (because salvation isn’t the issue in this case).
Folks, we are in a spiritual war. There are many battles in a war. We will take some hits, and maybe even lose a battle here and there. But if we’ll get back on our feet, we will win the war guaranteed, because God is on our side. Actually, it’s more accurate to say we are on His side, and if you’ve read the “back of the Book,” (Revelation) you already know that God wins in the end. Sometimes what we consider victory, and what God considers victory are two different things. The disciples were pretty depressed after the crucifixion, because Jesus wasn’t looking too victorious. But they slept on it for three days and then felt much better. Not! They didn’t sleep well at all, but after Jesus appeared to them, things started to add up. They saw the purpose in His death, and so it is with us. Our struggles and problems all make sense when God takes what Satan meant for evil, and turns it into good.
It’s so important to understand that we can be saved but still have deep-rooted issues. If we say we are Spirit-filled and without sin, how are we going to deal with our next “bad” day? We will either get down on ourselves, or hurt someone else. This leads to self-hatred and other ill feelings, and a downward spiral begins. It also opens the door to all kinds of negativity. I believe the right approach is.… “Lord, I’ve got a situation here. What do I need to see? Where do I need to make some changes? Where am I missing the mark?” (the word sin simply means “to miss the mark.” It isn’t just the big ugly stuff). God is always looking to take us to a higher level, but it won’t happen if we think we’re already there.