This is how to pray for salvation.
...and is saved eternally and forever
... lose reward but never their salvation.
I have been doing a study on "once saved , always saved. Here is what the
scriptures (American Standard Version) say:
(Exo 32:32) Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin - ; and if not, blot me,
I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
(Exo 32:33) And Jehovah said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me,
him will I blot out of my book.
(Lev 20:3) I also will set my face against that man, and will cut him off
from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to
defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.
(Lev 22:3) Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed throughout your
generations, that approacheth unto the holy things, which the children of
Israel hallow unto Jehovah, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall
be cut off from before me: I am Jehovah.
(Num 19:20) But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself,
that soul shall be cut off from the midst of the assembly, because he hath
defiled the sanctuary of Jehovah: the water for impurity hath not been
sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.
(Deu 9:14) let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name
from under heaven; and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater
than they.
(Deu 29:18) lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or
tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from Jehovah our God, to go to
serve the gods of those nations; lest there should be among you a root that
beareth gall and wormwood;
(Deu 29:20) Jehovah will not pardon him, but then the anger of Jehovah and
his jealousy will smoke against that man, and all the curse that is written
in this book shall lie upon him, and Jehovah will blot out his name from
under heaven.
(1Sa 16:14) Now the Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an evil spirit
from Jehovah troubled him.
(2Ki 13:23) But Jehovah was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them,
and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as
yet.
(2Ki 17:18) Therefore Jehovah was very angry with Israel, and removed them
out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
(2Ki 17:20) And Jehovah rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them,
and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of
his sight.
(2Ki 23:27) And Jehovah said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I
have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city which I have chosen, even
Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.
(2Ki 24:20) For through the anger of Jehovah did it come to pass in
Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence. And
Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
(Psa 43:2) For thou art the God of my strength; why hast thou cast me off?
Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
(Psa 51:11) Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy spirit
from me.
(Psa 69:28) Let them be blotted out of the book of life, And not be written
with the righteous.
(Psa 71:9) Cast me not off in the time of old age; Forsake me not when my
strength faileth.
(Psa 125:5) But as for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, Jehovah
will lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel.
(Isa 1:4) Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of
evil-doers, children that deal corruptly! they have forsaken Jehovah, they
have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are estranged and gone backward.
(Isa 1:28) But the destruction of transgressors and sinners shall be
together, and they that forsake Jehovah shall be consumed.
(Jer 2:17) Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast
forsaken Jehovah thy God, when he led thee by the way?
(Jer 7:12) But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I caused
my name to dwell at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness
of my people Israel.
(Jer 7:13) And now, because ye have done all these works, saith Jehovah, and
I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I
called you, but ye answered not:
(Jer 7:14) therefore will I do unto the house which is called by my name,
wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your
fathers, as I did to Shiloh.
(Lam 2:6) And he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of
a garden; he hath destroyed his place of assembly: Jehovah hath caused
solemn assembly and sabbath to be forgotten in Zion, And hath despised in
the indignation of his anger the king and the priest.
(Lam 2:7) The Lord hath cast off his altar, he hath abhorred his sanctuary;
He hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces: They
have made a noise in the house of Jehovah, as in the day of a solemn
assembly.
(Eze 3:20) Again, when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and
commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die:
because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his
righteous deeds which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood
will I require at thy hand.
When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness - Which these
words plainly state he may do, and commit iniquity and die in his sin; and
consequently die eternally, which is also here granted; if he have not been
warned, though he die in his sin, the blood - the life and salvation, of
this person also will God require at the watchman's hand. Pastor hunc
occidit, quia eum tacendo morti tradidit. "This man the pastor kills; for in
being silent, he delivers him over to death." - Gregory. From these passages
we see that a righteous man may fall from grace, and perish everlastingly.
Should it be said that it means the self-righteous, I reply, this is absurd;
for self-righteousness is a fall itself, and the sooner a man falls from it
the better for himself. Real, genuine righteousness of heart and life is
that which is meant. Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall. (*)
(Eze 14:7) For every one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that
sojourn in Israel, that separateth himself from me, and taketh his idols
into his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his
face, and cometh to the prophet to inquire for himself of me; I Jehovah will
answer him by myself:
(Eze 14:8) and I will set my face against that man, and will make him an
astonishment, for a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the
midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.
(Eze 18:24) But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and
committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the
wicked man doeth, shall he live? None of his righteous deeds that he hath
done shall be remembered: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in
his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
Here is the second case. Can a man who was once holy and pure fall away
so as to perish everlastingly? Yes. For God says, "If he turn away from his
righteousness;" not his self-righteousness, the gloss of theologians: for
God never speaks of turning away from that, for, in his eyes, that is a
nonentity. ... And he tells us, that a man may so "turn away from this,"
and so "commit iniquity," and "act as the wicked man," that his
righteousness shall be no more mentioned to his account, than the sins of
the penitent backslider should be mentioned to his condemnation; and "in the
sin that he" this once righteous man, "hath sinned, and in the trespass that
he hath trespassed, in them shall he die." O, how awful a termination of a
life once distinguished for righteousness and true holiness! So then, God
himself informs us that a righteous man may not only fall foully, but fall
finally. But to such righteous persons the devil will ever preach, "Ye shall
not surely die; ye shall be as God." Touch, taste, and handle; ye cannot
ultimately fall. (*)
(Eze 18:26) When the righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and
committeth iniquity, and dieth therein; in his iniquity that he hath done
shall he die.
(Eze 24:21) Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah:
Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of
your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your
daughters whom ye have left behind shall fall by the sword.
(Hos 9:12) Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, so
that not a man shall be left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!
(Hos 11:7) And my people are bent on backsliding from me: though they call
them to him that is on high, none at all will exalt him.
(Zep 1:4) And I will stretch out my hand upon Judah, and upon all the
inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this
place, and the name of the Chemarim with the priests;
(Zep 1:5) and them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and
them that worship, that swear to Jehovah and swear by Malcam;
(Zep 1:6) and them that are turned back from following Jehovah; and those
that have not sought Jehovah, nor inquired after him.
(Mat 24:13) But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.
(Luk 8:13) And those on the rock are they who, when they have heard, receive
the word with joy; and these have no root, who for a while believe, and in
time of temptation fall away.
(Luk 8:14) And that which fell among the thorns, these are they that have
heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares and riches and
pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
(Luk 8:15) And that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and
good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with
patience.
(Luk 22:31) Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might
sift you as wheat:
(Luk 22:32) but I made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not; and
do thou, when once thou hast turned again, establish thy brethren.
(Joh 15:2) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away: and
every branch that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, that it may bear more
fruit.
(Joh 15:10) If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I
have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
Hence we learn that it is impossible to retain a sense of God's
pardoning love, without continuing in the obedience of faith. (*)
(Rom 11:19) Thou wilt say then, Branches were broken off, that I might be
grafted in.
(Rom 11:20) Well; by their unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest
by thy faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
This statement is all true; but then, consider, why is it that they were
cast out? Was it not because of their unbelief? And you stand by faith: you
were made partakers of these blessings by faith; be not high-minded; let
this humble, not exalt you in your own estimation; for if the blessings were
received by faith, consequently not by works; and if not by works, you have
no merit; and what you have received is through the mere mercy of God. They
once stood by faith; they gave place to unbelief, and fell: you stand now by
faith; but it is as possible for you to be unfaithful as it was for them,
and consequently you may fall under the Divine displeasure, as they have
done; be not high-minded, but fear; watch over yourselves with godly
jealousy. (*)
(Rom 11:21) for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will he
spare thee.
(Rom 11:22) Behold then the goodness and severity of God: toward them that
fell, severity; but toward thee, God's goodness, if thou continue in his
goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
(1Co 10:1) For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our fathers
were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
(1Co 10:2) and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
(1Co 10:3) and did all eat the same spiritual food;
(1Co 10:4) and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a
spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ.
(1Co 10:5) Howbeit with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were
overthrown in the wilderness.
And yet All these persons were under the cloud - All passed through the
sea - All were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea - All ate the
same spiritual meat - All drank the same spiritual drink, for they were made
partakers of the spiritual Rock, Christ. Nothing can be a more decisive
proof than this that people, who have every outward ordinance, and are made
partakers of the grace of our Lord Jesus, may so abuse their privileges and
grieve the Spirit of God as to fall from their state of grace, and perish
ever lastingly. Let those who are continually asserting that this is
impossible, beware lest they themselves, if in a state of grace, become,
through their overmuch security, proofs in point of the possibility of
ending in the flesh, though they began in the Spirit. Reader, remember who
said, Ye shall not surely die; and remember the mischiefs produced by a
belief of his doctrine. (*)
(1Co 10:6) Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not
lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
The punishments which God inflicted on them furnish us with evidences of
what God will inflict upon us, if we sin after the similitude of those
transgressors. (*)
(1Co 10:7) Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written,
The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
(1Co 10:8) Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and
fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
(1Co 10:9) Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them made
trial, and perished by the serpents.
(1Co 10:10) Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the
destroyer.
(1Co 10:11) Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they
were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.
(1Co 10:12) Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he
fall.
Let him who most confidently standeth - him who has the fullest
conviction in his own conscience that his heart is right with God, and that
his mind is right in the truth, take heed lest he fall from his faith, and
from the state of holiness in which the grace of God has placed him. (*)
(1Co 15:1) Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached
unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand,
(1Co 15:2) by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I
preached unto you, except ye believed in vain.
Your future salvation, or being brought finally to glory, will now
depend on your faithfulness to the grace that ye have received. (*)
(Gal 5:4) Ye are severed from Christ, ye who would be justified by the law;
ye are fallen away from grace.
From the Gospel. They had been brought into the grace of the Gospel; and
now, by readopting the Mosaic ordinances, they had apostatized from the
Gospel as a system of religion, and had lost the grace communicated to their
souls, by which they were preserved in a state of salvation. The peace and
love of God, received by Jesus Christ, could not remain in the hearts of
those who had rejected Christ. They had, therefore, in every sense of the
word, fallen from grace; and whether some of them ever rose again is more
than we can tell. (*)
(Gal 6:9) And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall
reap, if we faint not.
(Php 3:13) Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing
I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the
things which are before,
(Php 3:14) I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of
God in Christ Jesus.
(Col 1:21) And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in
your evil works,
(Col 1:22) yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through
death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him:
(Col 1:23) if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast,
and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was
preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.
If ye continue in the faith - This will be the case if you, who have
already believed in Christ Jesus, continue in that faith, grounded in the
knowledge and love of God, and settled - made firm and perseveringly
steadfast, in that state of salvation.
And be not moved away - Not permitting yourselves to be seduced by false
teachers. (*)
(1Ti 1:19) holding faith and a good conscience; which some having thrust
from them made shipwreck concerning the faith:
(1Ti 1:20) of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I delivered unto Satan,
that they might be taught not to blaspheme.
(Heb 2:1) Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things
that were heard, lest haply we drift away from them.
(Heb 2:2) For if the word spoken through angels proved stedfast, and every
transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward;
(Heb 2:3) how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? which
having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by
them that heard;
If they who had fewer privileges than we have, to whom God spoke in
divers manners by angels and prophets, fell under the displeasure of their
Maker, and were often punished with a sore destruction; how shall we escape
wrath to the uttermost if we neglect the salvation provided for us, and
proclaimed to us by the Son of God? Their offense was high; ours,
indescribably higher. The salvation mentioned here is the whole system of
Christianity, with all the privileges it confers; properly called a
salvation, because, by bringing such an abundance of heavenly light into the
world, it saves or delivers men from the kingdom of darkness, ignorance,
error, superstition, and idolatry; and provides all the requisite means to
free them from the power, guilt, and contamination of sin. This salvation is
great when compared with that granted to the Jews: (*)
(Heb 3:6) but Christ as a son, over his house; whose house are we, if we
hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end.
Whose house are we - We Christians are his Church and family; he is our
Father, Governor, and Head.
If we hold fast the confidence - We are now his Church, and shall
continue to be such, and be acknowledged by him If we maintain our Christian
profession, ??? ??????????, that liberty of access to God, which we now
have, and the rejoicing of the hope, i.e. of eternal life, which we shall
receive at the resurrection of the dead. ... But If we retain not the
grace, we shall not inherit the glory. (*)
(Heb 3:12) Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you
an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God:
Take warning by those disobedient Israelites; they were brought out of
the house of bondage, and had the fullest promise of a land of prosperity
and rest. By their disobedience they came short of it, and fell in the
wilderness. Ye have been brought from the bondage of sin, and have a most
gracious promise of an everlasting inheritance among the saints in light;
through unbelief and disobedience they lost their rest, through the same ye
may lose yours. An evil heart of unbelief will head away from the living
God. What was possible in their case, is possible in yours. (*)
(Heb 3:13) but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called
To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin:
(Heb 3:14) for we are become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the
beginning of our confidence firm unto the end:
Having believed in Christ as the promised Messiah, and embraced the
whole Christian system, they were consequently made partakers of all its
benefits in this life, and entitled to the fulfillment of all its exceeding
great and precious promises relative to the glories of the eternal world.
The former they actually possessed, the latter they could have only in case
of their perseverance; therefore the apostle says, If we hold fast the
beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end, i.e. of our life. For
our participation of glory depends on our continuing steadfast in the faith,
to the end of our Christian race.
The word ??????????, which we here translate confidence, from ????, under,
and ???????, to place or stand, signifies properly a basis or foundation;
that on which something else is builded, and by which it is supported. Their
faith in Christ Jesus was this hypostasis or foundation; on that all their
peace, comfort, and salvation were builded. If this were not held fast to
the end, Christ, in his saving influences, could not be held fast; and no
Christ, no heaven. (*)
(Heb 4:5) and in this place again, They shall not enter into my rest.
(Heb 4:6) Seeing therefore it remaineth that some should enter thereinto,
and they to whom the good tidings were before preached failed to enter in
because of disobedience,
(Heb 4:11) Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, that no
man fall after the same example of disobedience.
Lest he fall off from the grace of God, from the Gospel and its
blessings, and perish everlastingly. This is the meaning of the apostle, who
never supposed that a man might not make final shipwreck of faith and of a
good conscience, as long as he was in a state of probation. (*)
(Heb 6:4) For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the
heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
The design of these solemn words is evidently, First, to show the
Hebrews that apostasy from the highest degrees of grace was possible; and
that those who were highest in the favor of God might sin against him, lose
it, and perish everlastingly. ...
Once enlightened - Thoroughly instructed in the nature and design of the
Christian religion, having received the knowledge of the truth, Heb_10:32;
and being convinced of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and led to Jesus
the Savior of sinners.
Tasted of the heavenly gift - Having received the knowledge of salvation
by the remission of sins, through the Day Spring which from on high had
visited them; such having received Christ, the heavenly gift of God's
infinite love, Joh_3:16; the living bread that came down from heaven,
Joh_6:51; and thus tasting that the Lord is gracious; 1Pe_2:3, and
witnessing the full effects of the Christian religion. (*)
(Heb 6:5) and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to
come,
(Heb 6:6) and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto
repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put
him to an open shame.
It appears from this, whatever sentiment may gain or lose by it, that
there is a fearful possibility of falling away from the grace of God; and if
this scripture did not say so, there are many that do say so. And were there
no scripture express on this subject, the nature of the present state of
man, which is a state of probation or trial, must necessarily imply it. Let
him who most assuredly standeth, take heed lest he fall. (*)
(Heb 10:26) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge
of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins,
If we deliberately, for fear of persecution or from any other motive,
renounce the profession of the Gospel and the Author of that Gospel, after
having received the knowledge of the truth so as to be convinced that Jesus
is the promised Messiah, and that he had sprinkled our hearts from an evil
conscience; for such there remaineth no sacrifice for sins; ... , and
Jesus being now the only sacrifice which God will accept, those who reject
him have none other; therefore their case must be utterly without remedy.
This is the meaning of the apostle, and the case is that of a deliberate
apostate - one who has utterly rejected Jesus Christ and his atonement, and
renounced the whole Gospel system. ... A man may be overtaken in a
fault, ... , and yet neither renounce the Gospel, nor deny the Lord that
bought him. His case is dreary and dangerous, but it is not hopeless; no
case is hopeless but that of the deliberate apostate, who rejects the whole
Gospel system, after having been saved by grace, or convinced of the truth
of the Gospel. To him there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin; for there
was but the One, Jesus, and this he has utterly rejected. (*)
(Heb 10:27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness
of fire which shall devour the adversaries.
(Heb 10:28) A man that hath set at nought Moses law dieth without compassion
on the word of two or three witnesses:
(Heb 10:29) of how much sorer punishment, think ye, shall he be judged
worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the
blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath
done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Of how much sorer punishment - Such offenses were trifling in comparison
of this, and in justice the punishment should be proportioned to the
offense.
Trodden under foot the Son of God - Treated him with the utmost contempt
and blasphemy.
The blood of the covenant - an unholy thing - The blood of the covenant
means here the sacrificial death of Christ, by which the new covenant
between God and man was ratified, sealed, and confirmed. And counting this
unholy, or common, ??????, intimates that they expected nothing from it in a
sacrificial or atoning way. How near to those persons, and how near to their
destruction, do they come in the present day who reject the atoning blood,
and say, "that they expect no more benefit from the blood of Christ than
they do from that of a cow or a sheep!" Is not this precisely the crime of
which the apostle speaks here, and to which he tells us God would show no
mercy? (*)
(Heb 10:38) But my righteous one shall live by faith: And if he shrink back,
my soul hath no pleasure in him.
(Heb 10:39) But we are not of them that shrink back unto perdition; but of
them that have faith unto the saving of the soul.
(Heb 12:15) looking carefully lest there be any man that falleth short of
the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and
thereby the many be defiled;
Lest any man fail of the grace of God - ?? ??? ???????? ??? ??? ???????
??? ????? Lest any person should come behind, or fall off from, this grace
or Gift of God; this state of salvation, viz. the Gospel system or
Christianity; for this is most evidently the meaning of the apostle. It is
not the falling from a work of grace in their own souls, but from the
Gospel, to apostatize from which they had now many temptations; and to guard
them against this, the whole epistle was written.(*)
(Heb 12:17) For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the
blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for a change of mind in his
father, though he sought is diligently with tears.
(Heb 12:25) See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped
not when they refused him that warned them on earth, much more shall not we
escape who turn away from him that warneth from heaven:
(Jas 2:26) For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith
apart from works is dead.
(2Pe 2:4) For if God spared not angels when they sinned, but cast them down
to hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved unto
judgment;
(2Pe 2:15) forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the
way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the hire of wrong-doing;
(2Pe 2:20) For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world
through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again
entangled therein and overcome, the last state is become worse with them
than the first.
(2Pe 2:21) For it were better for them not to have known the way of
righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy
commandment delivered unto them.
For the reasons assigned above; because they have sinned against more
mercy, are capable of more sin, and are liable to greater punishment. (*)
(2Pe 2:22) It has happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog
turning to his own vomit again, and the sow that had washed to wallowing in
the mire.
Here is a sad proof of the possibility of falling from grace, and from
very high degrees of it too. These had escaped from the contagion that was
in the world; they had had true repentance, and cast up "their soursweet
morsel of sin;" they had been washed from all their filthiness, and this
must have been through the blood of the Lamb; yet, after all, they went
back, got entangled with their old sins, swallowed down their formerly
rejected lusts, and rewallowed in the mire of corruption. It is no wonder
that God should say, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning:
reason and nature say it must be so; and Divine justice says it ought to be
so; and the person himself must confess that it is right that it should be
so. (*)
(Rev 2:10) Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer: behold, the
devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye
shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will
give thee the crown of life.
(Rev 3:5) He that overcometh shall thus be arrayed in white garments; and I
will in no wise blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess
his name before my Father, and before his angels.
(Rev 22:19) and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of
this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out
of the holy city, which are written in this book.
* (Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible)
Quotations from American Standard Version Bible and Adam Clarke's Commentary
on the Bible are taken from:
e-Sword - the Sword of the LORD with an electronic edge.
http://www.e-sword.net/