Hi Mike,

Our salvation and drowning in a lake are nothing a like.

You see, I wasn't drowning, kicking and gurgling, and struggling for
air when Christ saved me.  I was dead.  I was lying at the bottom of
the lake with fish eating my eyeballs.  There wasn't even a glimmer of
hope.  I couldn't even reach out my hand to take the offer of help
that was offered to me.

But like Lazarus, Christ said "Come out!" and I did.  He gave me life.
 He opened my eyes.  He gave me faith to believe.  And He keeps me
alive.

If Christ just threw out a lifeline.  I and struggled and swam over to
grab it and pulled myself in.  Well, that's great.   I'd thank him.
But he only aided in my salvation.  Some of it I had to do myself.

But if Christ truly raised me from the dead.  Then he gets all the
glory.  And I did nothing to contribute to my salvation.

On 8/23/06, michael ray tittle, dds <drmike1@...> wrote:
>
> Does that mean if you go back to the lake
> and fall in again, that you will automatically
> be saved?
>

Mike,  compare what you wrote above with this passage from Hebrews:

For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have
once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have
shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of
God and the powers of the age to come, if they then fall away, since
they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and
holding him up to contempt.
(Heb 6:4-6)

It sounds like, if what you are saying is true, that you only get one
chance.  If you fall out of the boat twice you're done.  You only get
one chance according to Heb 6:4-6.  So, I'm glad that Christ is
keeping me in the boat and that He's got a very strong grip.

-- 


Grace and peace,
Kevin Sigafoos
---------------------
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be
glory forever. Amen. (Rom 11:36)