Just a clarification issue

[Leegal]

I don’t want to pour cold water on the whole thing, but the reality is that none of us are absolutely assured of heaven till we get there, for the simple reason we don’t know if we’ll persevere in the faith for the rest of our lives.

However that’s the reality that faces all of us, and not just Binto or anybody else.

We’ve been given the promises of Christ regarding salvation, but also His warnings judgement and possible condemnation. The church has given rulings down the centuries on these matters, but in the end we make the decisions whether we’ll obey them or not.

So it’s possible for us to lose our salvation. That’s what the parable of the farmer sowing the seed is all about - some falls on rock and doesn’t even get a start. Other’s fall on shallow ground, and soon blossom, but they have no depth. But some falls on good soil and this grows to fruition. What kind of soil we are depends on us.

However in Binto’s case, I think there’s the additional fact of this marijuana induced sense of guilt (and probably used by demons to make it worse), which is still in the back of his mind. If Binto has been to confession, and kept a clean slate since, then he’s just as likely to get to heaven as any of us.

But there is no absolute guarantee as we are able to throw away our salvation if we want. God will keep His part of the bargain, but we are quite capable of throwing it all away.

Absolutely. Demons with the marijuana use created this fear. And yes, we are not guaranteed eternal salvation as we must make confession a regular habit. However, if he confessed the whole of the marijuana incident, then he is absolved of that sin and needs to find peace with what happened. Repeated confession of this same sin is not called for but clarification is. Once confessed, in a good confession, he was absolved. Now the devil creates new doubt.

 

[Big_Ro]

I don’t think anyone is saying that salvation is guaranteed. I believe that’s a protestant concept. He is, however, in my estimation, enormously merciful and forgiving. Surely, we need to be on a constant path of renewal and rebirth in faith. However, I also believe that God is more likely to provide us sinners with a path to salvation rather than not.