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QUESTION 129
What about people who say they are Christians, live it for a time, and then they drift away. Are they still saved?

ANSWER:
That is a question I cannot answer, because I don't know the person and their hearts. It is highly probably that they are not, but they could be.

The only way we can know a persons faith is by their deeds. James says, "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." James 2:18. It is impossible to show your faith apart from works or a verbal expression. There are many people who are sincere and try to become Christians by living a better life. Then, when they fall, they realize they were never saved. You cannot be saved by "trying." On the other hand, there are those who do trust in Christ as their Saviour and then fall away. These are saved, because the Saviour says "...they shall NEVER PERISH." John 10:28. God will chastise them for their disobedience, but those who trust Him, will have eternal life.

To believe otherwise, is to believe that our works keeps us saved. In essence, this is saying that Christ's ability to save is not enough. "He is ABLE to save to the uttermost (forevermore).. Hebrews 7:25. A little boy once said, " I always believe on Jesus but I never knew that it was enough." It is enough. This is what it means to "trust Him."

Are you doing that?

All comments and questions to: Harold Smith

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Updated July 2009, by Shelly Allen