Many Christians have wondered if they could loose the Holy Spirit or their salvation. I believe that the answer to both of these questions lies within our understanding of the grace of God. Ephesians 2:8-9 reads: "8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast." If we can do something to loose either our salvation or the Holy Spirit then our possession of these gifts is dependent upon our merit and not God's grace.
The Bible teaches in Galatians 4:3-7 that we are sons of God: "4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."
Just as you were born physically into an earthly family, all children of God have been born into a spiritual family. You may not like some members of your earthly family, but they are still your family. Your earthly father will always be biologically your earthly father. You may disown him or refuse to claim him, but that will not change the fact the he is your father. So it is with the children of God. We may disobey God at times. We may even do things to break God's heart, but once we are born into the family of God we are always a part of the family of God.
Therefore, if you have been born again (John 3), then you have been given the Spirit of God and have been adopted into the family of God. Nothing can take that away from you, because God has given it to you. He gave it because of His love for you, not because you deserved it. Can a child of God loose the Holy Spirit? Absolutely not!
Kevin Maples
About Me
Kevin Maples is the pastor of First Baptist Church Madisonville, KY. His sermons may be heard each week at www.LivingWithTheCross.org.
He holds a Doctor of Theology in Preaching from the University of South Africa in Pretoria, South Africa; a Master of Theology in Biblical Theology from the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C.; a Master of Divinity from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky; and a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Languages and Religion from Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tn.
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While some of the posts here are independent articles, many of these discussions arise from texts in which I am preaching. Notice the sermon designated in the title. For example: (sermon Acts 1:12-26) refers to a sermon preached on this passage which can be heard at http://www.LivingWithTheCross.org. The discussion here supplements the sermon. Let me encourage you to visit the website and listen to some of the sermons.
1 comment:
i was truly born again and for over 22 years i had the holy spirit, but because i had done something so greivious so without forgivness by not praying for my daughter and warning her to never turn from God when God is bringing us to himself, my daugther fell away, as HEbrews warns never to do in ch 6 and 10.. IT was because i took very lightyly the responsibility to my daughter to warn her of never falling away she did, i didnt even pray for her. i believe that is why about a month later, i felt everything was gone, i also heard this. the holy spirit has left you .. i think that is what i heard after i felt everything leave me and since then i live like an unbeliever. no presence of GOD, its all gone. and i tel yu this because i am now living in great dispair and hopelessness , without Gods presence it seems, as if I am now no longer saved, and i can tel you IT IS POSSIBLE to lose our salvation because i thinkthis is what has happpened to me because i am totally responsible for my daughter turning from GOD before she was saved and knowing the horrible consequence she faces in eternity as the warnings in Hebrews tells us..Here we are my daughter lost, and as her mother i too have lost everything my eternal life , my salvation. and i shared this with you because thisis the nightmare tht hs happened to me.. I try also to numb my guilt and emptiness evrydy by taking antidrepresent pills prescribed by the doctor, and i live without GOD or his presence, when this happened to me on Aug 13, 2008 i didnt at first knew wht happened but months later i suddenly reaized what i did and did not do to have my daughter enter in when God was calling her so i live with the guilt and grief of wht i ws responsible for
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