Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Wednesday, February 1 - Kathryn

Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Exodus 7-9
Today's scripture focus is: Hebrews 8:7-9


7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. 8 But God found fault with the people and said[a]:
   “The time is coming, declares the Lord,
   when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel
   and with the house of Judah.
9 It will not be like the covenant
   I made with their forefathers
when I took them by the hand
   to lead them out of Egypt,
because they did not remain faithful to my covenant,
   and I turned away from them,
            declares the Lord.


It's interesting to be on the other side of the new covenant.  We have the benefit of the New Testament with the backdrop of the Old Testament for understanding.  Which is why I get irritated when I see 'bibles' with only the New Testament.  The New doesn't make much sense without the Old!  Anyway.

The last portion of this reading makes me wonder and think if there is anything we could do to make God turn away from us.  I mean, God did a lot of forgiving and taking back of the Israelites.  They did a lot of prostituting themselves away from God.   I guess this brings to mind the question: Can one lose their salvation?  If we do not remain faithful to the covenant, even the New where we are under grace, can we lose our salvation?  What do you think?

Tomorrow's scripture focus: Hebrews 8:10-13
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Exodus 10-12

2 comments:

Miriam said...

I think we can turn away from Him, even if He doesn't turn away from us. If someone rejects God and salvation, regardless of whether they have accepted it in the past, I believe that person will not be in Heaven. But I don't think that's really what you're getting at, is it?

I struggle with the "once saved, always saved" philosophy because I feel that it leads too many people to believe that they don't have to live out their faith. They've said they believe, asked for forgiveness, and that's enough to get them in the door. I believe there has to be more to it than that. I don't know how or where such a line would be drawn, but I suppose in the end, it comes down to the fact that God knows our innermost heart. I don't think God could or would ever turn away from us if He knows we do love Him and seek Him but messed up or drifted away for a while. However, if someone is living as they please, not pursuing a relationship with Him, and relying on their previous confession of faith to save them... I don't know.

Tammy said...

More and more I'm realizing the incredible importance of understanding the Old Testament.

We can definitely not lose our salvation. I think it's more a matter of proving how genuine our salvation is.

Those who believe in "once saved, always saved" certainly shouldn't be counting on some repeated prayer to get them into heaven no matter how they live their lives. An attitude like that reflects the fact that the prayer was insincere, or at best, misunderstood.