The link below is for “Our Daily Bread”…   http://odb.org/2012/06/16/wonderfully-made-2/

The link below is for the Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie …            http://www.harvest.org/devotional/daily-devotions/home.ht

John 13:10… Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.”  (NKJV)

This opening scripture has Jesus speaking to the apostle Peter, trying to teach him and all of His 12 disciples that had gathered at what is now called “The Last Supper”, how to be humble by washing all of their feet… Peter (the outspoken apostle), told Jesus that He wasn’t going to wash his feet, because it was unheard of and embarrassing to see any man, much less their Lord and Master, stooping to such a degrading task normally done by women servants…

Jesus had just told Peter, that if he wouldn’t let Jesus wash his feet, he would have not part with Jesus; and Peter then told Jesus to wash not only his feet…but also his hands and his head (John 13:9)…  By being clean in the opening scripture, Jesus meant that Peter was already saved from his sins… There was no need to be washed completely clean over and over again, to be saved more than once…

There are two concepts of salvation that people have… I believe once saved, always saved… Some believe that salvation can be lost, if the saved Christian then proceeds to backslide and sin… This would make sense if the sinner were saved by doing good works to begin with… There are some religions that falsely believe just that…  They believe that all their self-righteous works done in the name of the Lord, are what allows God to forgive their sins…  The same religion also falsely believes that when they sin, they must continually confess their sins to regain their salvation…

The Bible is clear that salvation is a gift from God, by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ; and has nothing to do with works done by us for the Lord, like going to church every week…Ephesians 2:8-9… For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast.  (NKJV)

I would direct anyone who still falsely believes that their works done for the Lord, will allow God to forgive their sins, to read my thoughts from 3/12/12, titled…“Grace not Works”…    https://www.facebook.com/notes/gods-group/gods-group-thoughts-for-3122012-grace-not-works/1015059194467143

When Jesus speaks of just having to wash Peter’s feet to become clean…I believe Jesus is referring to what I have been constantly saying; that to remain Spirit filled, Christians have to confess and repent of their sins every time they are guilty of sinning, to again become righteous in God’s eyes…1 John 1:9…

Once the sinner becomes a Christian (the moment they are gifted with God’s free gift of salvation), they are filled with the Holy Spirit… The life long Helper God has indwelled the Christian with (John 14:26), will never leave the Christian…Hebrews 13:5… Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  (NKJV)

Here is another piece of scripture speaking about works done after a Christian is saved… If good works done as proof a Christian is really saved (James 2:14-26), are done to glorify the Lord and build His church, they will withstand the fire of God’s discerning judgment at the Judgment Seat of Christ; and like gold or silver, they will not be burned up… But if works done for the Lord are done for the wrong selfish motives; they will be burned up, as this following scripture reveals… But, as it also clearly reveals…the Christian will never loose their salvation…1 Corinthians 3:15… If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.  (NKJV)

Here is a link to some extensive writing on “Once Saved, always Saved”, I have been given permission to publish; with much scripture to support it…    http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Basics/saved_certain.htm

Heavenly Father, help all of us through Your Word, to understand that salvation can never be lost… But Lord…help us to also realize that all Christian’s should be producing some kind of good fruits, or Your Word tells us we might not be Christian’s in Your eyes (John 15:1-8)…  Help all of us Lord, in whatever spiritual state we are in…to look to You and Your Word alone, to give us the truth all Christian’s need to know…so that we can grow in our spiritual wisdom and knowledge about You… I pray for Your urging, for all of us to become and remain righteous in Your sight…in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen…

written by bruce r mills