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On a flight home yesterday I was considering the OSAS arguments, both the pros and cons. I decided to jot down reason why I know I’m eternally saved and secure in this wonderful salvation. Below are 12 reasons that came to me, and I thought to share them with my brothers and sisters here on Worthy. I hope and sincerely pray these may be a help to some and that God would shine liberating light on all of us. (I you don’t see an applicable verse for any of these – please ask) 1. Nothing can separate me from the love of God – not even me! (Romans 8:38-39) 2. Christ’s ultimate sacrifice on the cross paid for ALL my sins – “removed as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12) 3. By being born-again, God’s very life has been sent into me – “Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (John 3:6, Galatians 4:6) 4. Old things have passed away and I am a new creature in Christ! (2 Corinthians 5:17, Col. 3:1-3) 5. I have been placed into Christ – joined to Him - and placed in His body by the Supreme Power in the universe, which no one can undo – “It is of God that you are in Christ Jesus” “He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit with Him” (1 Cor 1:30, 12:18, 6:17, 2 Cor 1:21, Eph 2:6) 6. I am now a child/son of God, born of my Father, and a partaker of His divine nature. (2 Peter 1:4) 7. Christ’s attributes and inheritance are mine forever, given to us by our older Brother. “in Him . . . the righteousness of God in Christ” “Joint heirs with Christ” (2 Cor 5:21, Romans 8:17) 8. God now looks at me as He does His Son and we are sealed for Him by the Spirit. (Eph 1:13, 1 John 4:17, Gal 2:20, Col 3:3-4) 9. There is now no condemnation for me whatsoever, since I have been put into Christ! (Romans 8:1) 10. I know that as His child there is accountability and discipline to help me grow and mature, but it is all for the good and therefore, my loving Father will not send me to eternal death. (1 Cor 3:12, Rev 3:19, Heb 12:11, Psalm 16:10) 11. My identification is now as a son of God with His life in me, but sin is still present in my flesh and can be manifested in my actions. However, God no longer views me as a sinner (because of the all efficacious work of Christ for me), but rather as a child of God, a saint who sometimes sins. 12. I have been set free for freedom’s sake and can come boldly ANYTIME to the throne of grace, to obtain mercy and grace to help in time of need. And this is especially true after I fail! It has been bothering and a little grieving to me to see all my brothers and sisters on here who don’t realize what a complete work Christ has done for us in giving us eternal life, which may never be taken from us! Christ’s awesome work, in His substitutionary death and resurrection, results in His very life being made available to “whosoever wills.” And through being born-again we are made God’s children, who can’t be unborn. Being God’s children is not just a legal matter of adoption, but also a matter of life – Father’s very life comes into us making us children of the Most High and Christ’s brothers! And hopefully the aspect of a believer’s accountability has been effectively presented in this post and on various recent threads (by others & myself). To reiterate, even though we are forgiven of sin because of Christ’s magnificent work on the cross, sin in a believer’s life can still cause many problems. The new life that is in us does not want to sin, however we still have the choice to live according to the sinful flesh. If we do, Romans 8:13 tells us we “are about to die.” (then goes on to say, “But if by the spirit you put to death the practices of the body you will live.”) This is not referring to eternal death here, but rather the living spirit in us will be deadened by setting our mind on the flesh, that is, until we turn back to Him. Ultimately, all believers will be judged at the Judgement (Bema) Seat of Christ, discussed in Romans 14:10 and 2 Cor 5:10. Here, the Righteous Judge will determine whether children of God have built (our works) with good materials (gold, silver, precious stone) or poor materials (wood, hay, straw). If we did well and built with the materials God desires, we will receive accommodation and praise from Him. If it’s found we lived in sin and built with a bunch of poor materials, these poor building materials will be judged accordingly and will be burnt up. Therefore, we will suffer loss and He will be ashamed of us, but since we are still sealed children of our Father, we ourselves will be saved. So that’s why I know that I know that I know that I have eternal life, which I cannot undo . . . no more that I can climb back into my mother’s womb and somehow be unborn. Yes, it is truly amazing grace! “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” “It is of God that you are in Christ Jesus.” Exodus 12:13 & 1 Corinthians 1:30

Why Trinity ? God is of 3 persons ... Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Did anyone wonder why He is of 3 persons ? God has the power to split Himself into many persons ... Why not 4 ... 5 ... ... ... 1,345,654 ... infinity ?

Running Away Based on the story of the lost sons and loving father from Luke 15:11-32. Adapted from “The Jesus Storybook Bible” by Sally-Lloyd-Jones. I didn’t think the story was quite complete so the text in { bold } are my edits and additions. --------- Jesus Told this story about {the younger son } who ran away: Once upon a time, there {were two sons and their} dad. Now one day, the boy gets to thinking, “Maybe if I didn’t have my dad around telling me what is good for me all the time, I’d be happier. He’s spoiling my fun,” he thinks. “Does my dad really want me to be happy? Does my dad really love me?” This {younger} son never thought of that before. But suddenly he doesn’t know anymore. So the {younger} son goes to his father and says, “Dad, I’m better off without you. I can look after myself. Just give me my share of your money.” His father is sad but he won’t force his {younger} boy to stay. So he gives his son what he wants. The {younger} son takes the money and goes on a long, long journey to a far off country. And everything’s wonderful and perfect – for a while. He can go wherever he wants, do whatever he wants, be whoever he wants. He is the boss, he is free! Sometimes he gets a strange, hungry, homesick feeling inside his heart, but then he just eats more, or drinks more, or buys more clothes, or goes to more parties until it goes away. But soon his money runs out – and so do his friends. He ends up getting the only job he can find: Feeding pigs. One day he is so hungry and so desperate he even tries some piggy food – “What am I doing” he says suddenly, as if he has woken from a nightmare. He spits – YUCK! – all of it – ICK! – out of his mouth. “My father is rich and here I am – in a pig sty, eating pig food!” He wipes his mouth and dusts himself off. “I’m going home!” And he starts for home, he begins to worry. “Dad won’t love me anymore. I’ve been to bad. He won’t want me for his son anymore.” So he practices his I’m-Sorry-Speech-I’ll-Pay-You-Back. {He thought “I’ll simply work for my dad until I pay him back. Maybe I can live with the neighbors.}” All this time, what he doesn’t know is that, day after day, his dad has been standing on his porch, straining his eyes, looking into the distance, waiting for his son to come home. He just can’t stop loving him. He longs for the sound of his boy’s voice. He can’t be happy until he gets him back. The {younger} son is still a long way off, but his dad sees him coming. What will the dad do? Fold his arms and frown? Shout, “That’ll teach you!” and “Just you wait, young man!” No. That’s not how this story goes. {The dad was waiting!} The dad leaps off the porch, races down the hill, through the gap in the hedge, up the rod. Before his {younger} son can even {finish} his I’m-Sorry-Speech-I’ll-Pay-You-Back-Speech, his dad runs to him, throws his arms around him, and can’t stop kissing him. {The dad hugged him tight and said very loudly “I love you my son!” Then he told people to help get him ready.} “Let’s have a party!” his dad shouts. “My {younger} boy’s home. He ran away. I lost him – but now I have him back! {Here is a ring of the family that I place on his finger so nobody has any doubts! This is my son!}” Jesus told them, “God is like the dad who couldn’t stop loving his boy. And people are like the son who said, “Does my dad really want to be happy?” Jesus told people this story to show them what God is like. And to show people what they are like. So they could know, however far they ran, however well they hid, however lost they were – it wouldn’t matter. Because God’s children could never run too far, or be too lost, for God to find them. {God’s love would save them!} {Then Jesus spoke about the older son. While all the celebrating of the younger son was going on the older son came home. This dad also had an older son who did good things – he worked the fields of his father and did what his father told him to do. The older son came to the house and asked one of his father’s servants “What is going on? What’s all the fuss about?” The servant said “Your younger brother is safe and has come home! Your dad is throwing a huge party!” This made the older brother very mad. He would not come in. This saddened his dad a lot. So the dad came out to talk to the older son and said: “Come in and see your brother! He’s come home!” The older son yelled at his dad saying “All these years I’ve served you. I never dishonored you and you didn’t ever throw ME a party this big! As soon as this rebellious son who has wasted what you gave him comes home you not only receive him back with a big hug but throw him the biggest party this town has ever seen! Haven’t I earned a big party too?” The dad calmly said: “You have been with me all these years. I love you. You can’t earn my love I simply choose to love you. What I have is yours. It is good for us to celebrate your brother returning home and the reunion of our family. Your brother left and was lost to us – he chose his own path.” And then in an excited voice the dad continued: “But now he’s back and so I threw a party.” So Jesus told this second part of the story to help the people see they couldn’t earn God’s love by simply doing good things. } ------ What are your thoughts?

There used to be a somewhat well known preacher named Kenneth Hagin Sr. He passed on in 2004 I think. I don't mean his son now, I mean the older man. I'd like to know how many of you liked him or respected him. That doesn't mean you have to agree with every word he said. I don't but I did like him. I found more truth in what he said than most preachers. Of course he was from another time era. Still, do anyone of you have anything to say about him? I'd like to know.

First the definition: prod·i·gal adjective 1. wastefully or recklessly extravagant: prodigal expenditure. 2. giving or yielding profusely; lavish (usually followed by of or with ): prodigal of smiles; prodigal with money. Second, what are your thoughts on this passage? Who do you relate to more? Luke 15:11-32 11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. 13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ 20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry. 25 “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ 28 “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. 30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ 31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’” Edit: Reference is to Luke 15 not Matthew 15. I apologize.

Listened to this with my wife tonight. I remembered how good, loving, and sacrificial my God's love is. I hope this encourages, blesses, and challenges you. Phillips Craig And Dean " When God Ran " Verse 1: Almighty God, The Great I Am, Immovable Rock, Omnipotent, Powerful, Awesome Lord. Victorious Warrior, Commanding King of Kings, Mighty Conqueror and the only time, The only time I ever saw him run, Was when... Chorus: He ran to me, He took me in His arms, Held my head to His chest, Said "My son's come home again!" Lifted my face, Wiped the tears from my eyes, With forgiveness in His voice He said "Son, do you know I still love You?" (End Chorus) He caught me By surprise, When God ran... Verse 2: The day I left home, I knew I'd broken His heart. And I wondered then, if things could ever be the same. Then one night, I remembered His love for me. And down that dusty road, ahead I could see, It was the only time, It was the only time I ever saw Him run. And then... Repeat Chorus He caught me by surprise. And He brought me to my knees. When God ran... I saw Him run to me. Bridge: I was so ashamed, all alone, and so far away. But now I know, that He's been waiting for this day... I saw Him run to me, He took me in His arms, Held my head to his chest, Said "My son's come home again!" Lifted my face, Wiped the tears from my eyes, With forgiveness in His voice I felt his love for me again. He ran to me, He took me in His arms, Held my head to his chest, Said "My son's come home again!" Lifted my face, Wiped the tears from my eyes, With forgiveness in His voice He said "Son" He called me Son. He said "Son, do you know I still love You?" He ran to me (When God Ran) (I saw Him run to me) And then I ran to Him (When God ran) When God ran