Can you lose your place in heaven?

[Guest Skeet Skeet Skeet]

I was leafing through a passage one night, and I remember a verse that went something like:

No idolater, fornicator, murderer, etc. will enter the kingdom of heaven. If a person is saved and screws up, will he go to hell?

[ayin jade]

No.

If we could be perfect and without sin, Jesus would not have needed to die on the cross.

Fact is, we are all still sinners and still mess up. Daily. Praise Him He saves us despite that. Now does that mean we are to blow off our sins? Nope. We are to be repentent for them, to turn our backs on sin in our lives and live for Him. Keep your focus on the Lord. Pray for His help in areas you struggle in.

Ephesians 1:13 in whom also you, hearing the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation, in whom also believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

14 who is the earnest of our inheritance, to the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

We are sealed in Him. Just work on growing in the Lord.

[RGR]

I certainly don't want to muddy the waters here but I do have to point out that there are several schools of thought on the issue, but that being said, I tend to come nearer what Jade said.

All Christians should be open to the convicting power of the Spirit at all times. However I do believe that if one set their heart towards outright rebellion and totally ignored the conviction that the Spirit brings then, yes, totally defying God's love for them, they would be lost. In the case that someone is struggling with sin, even if it a habitual sin, I don't believe you are in danger of "losing your place in Heaven" as long as you are open to the conviction of the Spirit. What we see as struggles are really nothing more than steps on the ladder bringing us higher in maturity spiritually.

And Jade, kudos:

Just work on growing in the Lord.

That should be our everyday focus-growing in Him!

[RustyAngeL]

I agree with my sister Jade. If we could be perfect then the cross would have never been necessary. Our place in Heaven is not about what we do but about what has been already been done for us. It all about the finished work of the cross.

[Gerioke]

Here is my message of hope.

Psa 31:7

"I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;"

[Adarian]

If you are able, after receiving salvation, to sin enough to be thrown into hell, then the blood of Christ is insufficient unto sin.

Those who leave the faith were never in it. Never. God said that no murderers, idolaters, etc. would enter into heaven. Yet the first man to be spared by the life of Christ was a murderer. (Barrabas). A man who is born of God will confess and be forgiven, being convicted of sin by the Holy spirit of God.

[branchesofHim]

Good words here. I do have an inquiry though. Where does Matthew 25 fit in?

Jesus said the kingdom of heaven could be likened unto ten virgins who all took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. Five were wise and five were foolish. But they were all virgins, they all had lamps, and they were all invited to the wedding. Five prepared for the day the bridegroom would come and five did not. When the five foolish went to get oil for their lamps after they "all" heard the bridegroom was coming they of course missed it when the bridegroom came. Therefore obviously they arrived at the marriage supper late and began knocking on the closed door of the marriage that was already taking place. What happened? The five foolish didn't get in.

Jesus additionally says, "Watch therefore because you don't know the spedific time when the Son of man comes."

(This was obviously a warning.)

Then Jesus goes on to liken the kingdom of heaven to a man who travelled to a far country and gave each of his servants certain amounts of money to work with until he returned. They were all servants and they all were given a portion of money. And obviously some of the servants used their money wisely and one did not. The one that didn't use it was cast into outer darkness where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus goes on to say, "When the Son of man comes in all His glory with His angels, then He shall sit upon the throne of His glory and execute judgement."

(This was obviously a warning.)

Now to acknowledge the ability for us to receive forgiveness as has been very properly posted here we can see in Revelation 2 that the Lord is telling a church that they need to repent or he'll remove their candlestick from it's place. They all had candlesticks, but one of them was in jeopardy of having it removed unless they repented.

(This was obviously a warning.)

I think that you all have valid points regarding the topic. Let's ask the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to us in grace and wisdom with revelation about it. The main point we all know is that "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God". Be blessed my friends. I thank God for you all.

I'm only wanting each of us to consider with great care the admonishment of scripture for each of us. I need you all. We are all members of His Body and we all need each other. Be blessed in grace. Peace.

[Gerioke]

I was leafing through a passage one night, and I remember a verse that went something like:

No idolater, fornicator, murderer, etc. will enter the kingdom of heaven. If a person is saved and screws up, will he go to hell?

I would think the wise course of action would be to assume your salvation is not guaranteed and pray that it is.