Riff's Christian Journal

A Layman's View Of Christian Theology

Archive for the ‘Grace’ Category

Is It Time To Come Out Of The Visible Church?

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2 Corinthians 6:17 KJV

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you…

Here is the scriptural verse in context so that you can understand its full meaning.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 KJV

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? [15] And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? [16] And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. [17] Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, [18] And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

From a young age… was a member of a Methodist church, later a Layman of an Episcopal church followed by being an Elder in a Presbyterian USA Church etc. This all covered a period of about thirty years. Since then all these denominations, and a few others, have lost members instead of growing. What is the common denominator?

They have all become more like the world in that they have embraced liberal humanistic thinking. They have ignored and stopped believing in scriptural teachings concerning marriage, family, church leadership (qualifications for bishops, elders, deacons set aside and disobeyed), homosexually and politics; just for starters.

In truth instead of listening to sound scriptural teaching they started hearing and listening to preaching that became more to their liking. This preaching of embracing the things of the world and becoming more involved in the affairs of life, mixed with love, became more pleasing to them and less of an irritant as we read…

2 Timothy 4:3-4 KJV.

[3] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; [4] And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Matthew 15:8-9 KJV – Jesus speaking to religious people

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. [9] But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

In truth they believe they are doing service to God, but through their disobedience, they dishonor the Lord Jesus.

God sees this and He knows many have already left the visible church but, as God wills, many more will come our from these churches and start reading New Testament scripture for themselves as God gives them understanding. Only then will we realize how these denominations have left their first love and are teaching things of which God does not approve.

They who do come out might be able to find a church that follows scriptural teachings and give them the opportunity to have fellowship with true children of God – disciples of Jesus.

Only by reading New Testament scripture, and learning what it means to be under Grace doing the will of God, true Christians will begin to understand why God has said –

“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, [18] And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

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Written by Glenn C. Riffey

July 5, 2026 at 6:00 am

God Draws, Man Comes, Jesus Looses None


All scripture verses are from the Gospel of John 6

In all of Christendom there are two doctrines on how someone is saved; salvation by the will of God or salvation by the will of man, co-operating with God.

The two teachings on salvation are like this. In one man is given the gospel message and he must choose of his own will whether or not to accept Jesus as Savior and God rewards him by giving him a new birth called “born again”.

In the other teaching God chooses whom He wills to save, based on what Jesus did, and draws him by grace, act of regeneration ( born again), and gives man the gift of faith through which he believes in Jesus and proclaims Him to be Lord.

They who believe in free will say that anyone can come to Jesus, if they so choose, but what does scripture say?

John 6:44

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:65 KJV

And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

So unless God draws as He wills no one will ever come to Jesus of their own will. For all whom the Father draws to Jesus will come.

John 6:37 KJV

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

So the Father saves whom He wills to save, and all whom He brings to Jesus (by regeneration) will come to Him. He then gives them the gift of faith at the same time of being born again, through which man then believes in Jesus, thereby giving God the glory for what He has done in saving that person. Salvation is all of God.

Because God is responsible for man’s salvation He is also obligated to keep man saved, so that Jesus will loose none of all the Father gave to Him; the one saved is kept by God because it is His will that Jesus would not loose anyone given Him by the Father.

John 6:39-40 KJV

And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. [40] And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

I believe what Jesus says is true, that the Father draws whom He wills to be saved by Grace (regeneration) and all whom He draws will come. They will believe in Jesus to be Lord through the gift of faith given them and they will be kept saved by the will of God so that Jesus will loose none of all that were given Him.

God draws the elect, they come through regeneration and Jesus will loose none of they whom the Father gave to Him. Salvation is all of God.

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Why The Need For A New Covenant


April 28, 2026

Hebrews 8:7 KJV

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

It would be easy to say that the first (Old Covenant) was a failure because it was based on the will of man, but I believe scripture explains what happened better than my simple words would say. The sad thing is that many Christians do not know nor understand “Why” there was a need for a New Covenant. Scripture speaks about it quite well.

Read these verses from the letter to the Hebrews; author unknown.

Hebrews 8:8-13 KJV

For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith, A New Covenant, he hath made the first obsolete. Now that which Is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

The Old Covenant was written on tablets of stone and depended on the will of man in being obedient to them. However, man (Israel” failed in their obedience and God disregarded them.. The New Covenant is written into our heart and placed into our mind, and is depended on the will of God.

This action of God made the Old Covenant obsolete and was allowed to vanish away, because of man’s failure of his own will in being obedient to the Covenant.

Now, as for the Israel, of whom God spoke, these verses from Romans 9 will explain who is this Israel.

Romans 9:6-8 KJV

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

So, who are the children of the promise that has become the Israel of Romans 9 and Hebrews 8? One simple verse from Galatians 4 explains quite simply.

Galatians 4:28 KJV

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

You see, the true Israel of God are us, the children (Christian’s) of God. We are the true Israel upon whose hearts are written the Law by God Himself. He saves us, teaches and guides us by working in us to will and to do of His good pleasure, and keeps us saved for eternity.

The Old Covenant, based on man’s will to be obedient, was a failure. The New Covenant, based on God’s will, succeeds in doing what man could never do.

For by the Grace of God are we saved and kept saved. If it were not for this New Covenant about the Gospel of Grace based on the will of God, not by man’s will, and established by Jesus, no one would be saved. Thank God He does.

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Written by Glenn C. Riffey

May 3, 2026 at 6:00 am

A Christian’s Salvation Stands Or Falls On His Belief in the Resurrection Of Jesus


Romans 10:9 KJV
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.


Belief in the resurrection of Jesus is central to the salvation of anyone who becomes born-again…

1 Corinthians 15:12-20 KJV
Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead…

If Jesus had not been raised from being dead, His death upon the cross would have been meaningless. There would be no forgiveness of sins, no salvation and no eternal life in heaven.


Thank God Jesus was raised from the dead, and they who will proclaim Jesus to be Lord and believe that Gad raised Him from the dead will have been saved by Grace. His death upon the cross paid for our sins and His resurrection provided for us eternal life.

Jesus is risen. He is risen indeed!

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Why Salvation By Grace “Alone” Is Not Accepted By Many Christians.


Ephesians 2:4-5 KJV

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace you have been saved)

Salvation by Grace and the theology of election gp hand and hand. Paul and Peter taught them using the teachings of Jesus. John chapter six is an example of the what Jesus said and taught.

For the first 300 plus years of the early church were these teachings believed and taught. Then a theologian named Pelagius appeared on the scene and emphasized human choice in salvation and denied original sin and especially stressed the freedom of human will. Pelagius was accused of heresy in 415 and his doctrines were harshly criticized.(From Wikipedia) However, the seed of a specific Christian church was planted.

Whereas salvation by Grace, being born-again, happens not because one is born into a Christian family or by works of flesh nor by the will of man but by the will of God.

God’s foreknowledge of who will be saved is not based on who will choose to accept or reject Jesus of their own will. God through Paul in chapter 9 of Romans makes this perfectly clear..

Romans 9:11-16 KJV (in speaking about Jacob and Esau).

(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) [12] It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. [13] As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. [14] What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. [15] For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. [16] So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Nothing more needs said than what Paul wrote in these verses,.

Moving on…

The reason many Christians reject the doctrine of Salvation by Grace “Alone” is because it eliminates completely man’s participation in his being saved by his will and through self-effort; co-operating with God.

You see, man’s pride needs to be involved. For in doing “his” part, he feels he will be worthy to receive from God forgiveness for his sins and be born-again by the Spirit of God.

In other words … man does his part and God will reward him by doing His part. The problem with this teaching is that this is a works salvation; very much like being under the Law in obedience to God doing a work that God demanded of man, as found in the Old Covenant. In order to receive a blessing or see a promise come to fruition man must do his part before God will do His part.

Anything a person thinks, says or does in order to receive salvation from God is a work of man’s will, but Grace says something else.

In Titus 3:5-7 KJ

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy God saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; [6] Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; [7] That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Note: justified by Grace is the act of being made righteous when one is born-again. Saved by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit is a description of what happens when one, who is dead in sin, is born-again. In order for man, who is dead in sin, is able to respond in believing faith he first must be made alive; bon-again. “saved by Grace”.

It is by God “Alone”, who by Grace “Alone”, saves, “Alone”, apart from any works of man, irregardless of his desire to cooperate in his salvation. For salvation is all of God.

This is why Paul can write:

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace you have been saved).

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Jesus Came To Do The Impossible


Matthew 5:17

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

In the sermon on the mount in Matthew 5, Jesus was pointing out all the good things people should do in order to show their righteousness. Then He says,

Matthew 5:16

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Following this comment Jesus made the statement of fulfilling the Law. In other words, He was pointing out to the people their sinfulness in not being able to be obedient to God’s commands, for who could do all these works that Jesus had proclaimed? He even pointed out just how much righteousness they should have by saying this,

Matthew 5:20

“For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

I can just imagine many of the followers thinking something along the line of, “If that is the case, I will never be able to enter into Heaven.” and they would be speaking the truth.

I wonder how many people caught His little statement of, “But to fulfill,” which actually means – make an end of the Law. How could this be done? He would do so by His obedience.

In Romans 5:19 we read,

“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”

Jesus made this possible through His obedience to the Law, accomplishing what we could never do. As stated in Romans 8.

Romans 8:3-4

“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: [4] That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

In doing for us , what we could never do for ourselves, Jesus made an end of the Law,

Roman’s 10: 4

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

As Jesus stated He would, He did not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it; that is, to make an end of the Law for righteousness, and He did.

A New Covenant was established, one that no longer depended on man’s self-effort in obedience to the Law, for we can never be fully obedient, but on God’s Grace in saving whom He chooses to save, and to have the righteousness of Jesus imputed to them to provide entrance into Heaven.

In the end, what Jesus promised, Jesus fulfilled.

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One Verse That Can Show The Difference Between Being Under The Law And Under Grace,.


Pro 3:5 – 6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and He will direct your paths.

These verses, taken from the Old Testament, can easily show the difference between the Jews living under the Law and the Christians living under Grace.

The Law was a works based system of willing obedience to the Law and all of the promises, blessings and curses that it entailed. Needless to say it was a failure.

In the above scripture, having God direct your life, stated in the last clause, was based on all that was commanded to do by the Hebrews in the beginning. It was a work based command of obedience. In other words, if man did what was commanded of him then God would direct his life. Here man works and God responds with blessings or curses. Because of sin in man, he could not always do what God commanded of him. He failed.”’

What if these scriptures were written in the New Testament to the Christians under Grace. Now living under Grace is a faith based system dependent on God’s will, the person and works of Jesus in His perfect obedience to the Father and the application by the Holy Spirit the results of what Jesus accomplished to the saved; everything Israel could not do on their own.

This might be one way it could be written.

“I trust in the Lord with all my heart and I do not look to my own understanding and in all my ways I acknowledge God, for He directs all my ways as He wills and has blessed me greatly.”

Here God works His will in man and man responds accordingly. Just the opposite of man under Law.

Under the Law, based on the will of man to be obedient, man always fails. Under Grace, based on the will of God, God never fails. In the “faith based” system of being under Grace God works in man both to will and to do of His good pleasure. So what God has willed for man to do man obeys willingly.

How about you. Is your life a works based system trusting in your will of obedience (grudgingly or not) to the Law or a faith based system of being under Grace trusting in the will of God in what He is doing in your life?

One scripture with a view of it under the Law and one view of the same scripture under Grace. Which one describes you?

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I Am Not An Evangelical – I Am A Christian


And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. Acts 11: 26

As a Christian, by the Grace of God, I am a disciple of Jesus and a servant of God. I believe in the basic tenants of Reformed theology of election and predestination. However, evangelicals, of which I am not, believe in a “save yourself” style of salvation.

On christianity.com, a leading evangelical website, in an article titled, “What Is Evangelical Christianity?”, the first paragraph says this…

“A prominent picture in Christianity is Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection. Evangelical Christians believe that by accepting Jesus and his sacrifice for us, we save our souls and go to Heaven once we die.”

This is a “work of righteousness” type of salvation based on the will of man by a work of faith in choosing for ourselves to accept Jesus as our personal savior. This is plainly not scriptural as scripture teaches that we are born-again by the will of God who saves they whom He elected to be saved and predestined their time of salvation.

Ephesians 1:3-6 KJV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: [4] According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: [5] Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, [6] To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

These are just a few of the many verses about election and predestination that are found throughout the New Testament, and anyone willing to read and study these scriptures will see the truth as God gives them understanding.

This does not say that I do not believe in sharing the Gospel. All Christians are given works that God has ordained for us to do when we are saved by Grace.

Ephesians 2:8-11 KJV

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast. [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

God has given some to be evangelist some pastors and teachers, elders, bishops and deacons, etc, all who will have different abilities that in their service they will be given moments, as God chooses, to speak of Jesus; most of the time in private or small group settings.

Jesus said, “I know my sheep and they will hear my voice and will follow me.” God uses individual disciples to do His will as He chooses in bringing the elect into His fold; they do so quietly.

So, if someone were to ask me if I was an evangelical, knowing only what they see and hear in the news, especially in connection with “Christian Nationalism”, my answer would simply be this, “By God’s Grace, I am a Christian, a disciple of Jesus and a servant of God. If you would like to know something about Jesus, I will be glad to share with you what I know from New Testament scripture.”

How well do you know what is the New Covenant written about in the New Testament scriptures?

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Children Of The Promise: Are You One?


Romans 9:8 KJV

That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

The first thing we must understand is this, who are the children of the flesh.

In Romans chapter 9 Paul brags about his kinsmen, his fellow Israelites, then makes a remarkable comment. Read this;

Romans 9:2-7 KJV

That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. [3] For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: [4] Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; [5] Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. [6] Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: [7] Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

They are not all Israel which are of Israel. Nor because they are of the seed of Abraham. In other words, the Jewish people, according to Paul in his writings, are not the children of God. Why is that?

Read this:

Romans 9:31-32 KJV

But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. [32] Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

You see, Judaism, under the Law, is a works based system dependent on man’s willingness to be obedient to the Law. Israel failed and, well, read this for yourself:

Hebrews 8:7-9 KJV

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. [8] For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: [9] Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

However, God does promise that even though the number of Jews be many, not all will be lost. Read this:

Romans 9:22-27 KJV

What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: [23] And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, [24] Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? [25] As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. [26] And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. [27] Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:

To truly understand these verses you need to read all of Romans 9 for yourself.

Now we know why in verse “8” above why God said that the Israelites, children of the flesh are not the children of God. The children of promise are God’s children. So who are the children of the promise?

To find out read these three verses.

Romans 9:6-8 KJV

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: [7] Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. [8] That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Why Issac? Remember, God promised a son to Abraham and Issac was the fulfillment of that promise.

From Galatians we read this:

Galatians 4:21-23,28 KJV

Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? [22] For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. [23] But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. [28] Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

Paul was speaking to his brethren, disciples of Jesus, and said, “We”, brethren, are the children of the promise. They that have been born-again by the Grace of God are the children of the promise. That is you, I and everyone else, Jew and Gentile, born-again are God’s children of promise.

So, are you a child of promise? I pray that you are, living by the faith of Jesus and not by the works of the Law. For only the justified, made righteous by the works of Jesus on our behalf having done for us what we could never do – live in obedience to the Law – imputing His righteousness to the children of promise. Even us, disciples of Jesus.

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Written by Glenn C. Riffey

October 5, 2025 at 6:00 am

Kept By The Power Of God


1 Peter 1: 5… Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

I once belonged to a certain Christian religion that believed that one could be saved and born-again by an act of their will in choosing to accept Jesus as Savior. This teaching also taught that by an act of their will they could also loose their salvation. Almost everyone to whom I spoke admitted they worried on a daily basis about doing something that would result in loosing their salvation. They had no real assurance of keeping their salvation and of going to heaven when they died. How sad.

In studying scripture I could see that this was not backed up by what the New Testament, especially Jesus, taught. Soon I left and found a church that believed in and taught the opposite.

Instead of me giving my opinion I have decided to let scripture, and Jesus, speak about this and pray that the Holy Spirit will open your heart and give understanding to the reader.

The scripture verse, in context, upon which this essay stands is this.

1 Peter 1:1-5

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, [2] Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. [3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, [5] Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Their are a number of scriptures by Jesus that could be used to more than support verse 5 above. Here are only two examples that has been chosen for you to read.

John 6:35-40

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me shall never hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst. [36] But I told you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. [37] All whom the Father gives Me will come to Me, and he who comes to Me I will never cast out. [38] For I came down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. [39] This is the will of the Father who has sent Me, that of all whom He has given Me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. [40] This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

John 10:25-30

Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you did not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name bear witness of Me. [26] But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. [27] My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. [28] I give them eternal life. They shall never perish, nor shall anyone snatch them from My hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them from My Father’s hand. [30] My Father and I are one.”

It should be noted that no one is saved (born-again), and staying saved, by an act (work) of one’s own will of the flesh, or mind. Salvation (regeneration) comes only by the will and Grace of God alone, because of the work and obedience of Jesus on behalf of “all” whom the Father has given to Jesus.

In short, salvation and the assurance of still being saved when one dies is given to they…

“Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

How reassuring and humbling that should be to all who are saved and kept saved by the power of of God.

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