Whatever happened to conviction?

It is interesting being a Christian with convictions.  I have had fellow believers tell me; "Don't push your convictions on me" or "What's a sin for you may not be a sin for me!"  I didn't realize that scripture teaches individual sin.  I think what they are referring to is the fact that they may not have the same convictions as I do because I fully believe that we all are held accountable for the same sins.  God sets the standard and if we don't meet his standards then we have fallen short.  There are not different sins for different people.  If it is a sin for me then it's a sin for you.  To follow the other idea and accept the distorted theology would mean to accept the idea that murder might be a sin for one person but not a sin for another.  I know that is an extreme example but either that theology is true or it's not.  Some people like to misinterpret 1 Corinthians 10:23 which says; "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is constructive" (NIV).  They try to say that "As a Christian I can do what I want because my sins are forgiven."  How absurd is that?  In Romans 5 Paul says that where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more. However, in Romans 6:1-2 Paul says; "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" (NIV)  I won't force my convictions on anyone but I have to ask: "Whatever happened to conviction?"  So many Christians watch the same movies, listen to the same music and live the same lifestyle as non-Christians.  It's hard to tell the two apart.  Now, I'm not in to be religious or legalistic but I fully believe that holiness means to be set apart from the world.  We might be in this world but we don't need to live like it.  We need to set our minds on things above.  If you think I'm "holier-than-thou" then so be it.  I'd rather live in obedience to the Lord than worry about fitting in with the world.

Once Saved Always Saved? - I Don't Think So!

It's been almost a month since my last post.  I have been too busy to take the time needed to write what is on my mind.  I have a great group of guys that I meet with each week for Bible study.  Probably the best that I have been with since my early 20s when I attended Hillside Wesleyan Church.  It is one of those groups that challenges you; keeps you focused on scripture and hold you accountable to God's Word.  A couple o the guys were wondering about the subject of salvation.  They believe in the assurance of salvation but were wondering how can you be secure in your faith if you have to worry about losing it.  They in turn were determined to say that once you have salvation you can't lose it; you don't even have the free will to give it up.  They referenced Romans 8 saying that nothing can take it away, not even you yourself, can take away your salvation.  They also quoted John 10:28-29 which says no once cane "snatch them out of my hand." And they noted Phillipians 1:6 which states that God will carry unto completion the good work that he has started or that if you fall away you were never a believer in the first place.  In proper context, I fully agree with all of those but the key is found in John 15, Romans 11 and other portions of scripture that tell us that we must remain in Christ.  If we don't REMAIN in him, then we will be cut off.  You can't be cut from the vine unless you at one time, belonged.  Romans 11 specifically states how we are "grafted" in but if we don't remain then we can be once again cut off!  Not to mention Hebrews 6:4-6 or 2 Peter 2:21-22.  God will never take away our salvation and no one or anything else can take it from us.  However, just as we freely received it, we can freely give it back.  Why anyone would want to is beyond me but if the angels, who were in heaven, could see God face to face and still choose to give up their place in heaven then I believe it is fully possbile for those of us who have not seen can give it up as well.  My advice, remain in Him and you never have to doubt or worry about it!