Once Saved, Always Saved?

By Vicente Rangel

Once saved, always saved? Many Christians believe that you cant lose your salvation, while another group believes that there is a possibility that it can be lost. In the evangelic groups, this topic has cause a lot of controversy. But above all things, the most important is what the Bible says because it is Gods Holy Word. But if all of these groups quote the scriptures to prove the truth, who should we believe then? Pastor Vicente Rangel explains this topic with clarity, quoting the scriptures that both of these groups support. He also explains how through the years, the scriptures of the Bible that are related to this topic have been wrongly interpreted not because of their ignorance but because of their disbelief. They have ignored the warnings and conditions that God gave us through his Holy Bible. He wrote them to call our attention; but nowadays, many Christians have made freedom in Christ, living a sinful and immoral life, abusing the goodness of God, and believing that we can live our lives however we want to without losing our salvation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Palibrio
• Release date: Jun 19, 2017
• ISBN: 9781506520803

Vicente Rangel

Una vez que entregué mi vida al Señor Jesucristo y fui salvo, volví a enredarme en el pecado como nunca antes, siendo así “cortado” (como dice la Escritura en Romanos 11:22). Mas después de trece años Dios volvió a “injertarme” en el buen olivo (según Romanos 11:23), experimentando en mi vida personal de una manera muy real con respecto a lo que dice la Palabra de Dios, pues fui poseído por malos espíritus que me hicieron cometer graves errores. Estando casi a un paso de poner una cantina en mi pueblo y después otra en ciudad Juárez, México, Dios tuvo misericordia de mí y ahora por su gracia tengo ya cuarenta años sirviéndole como Pastor misionero, evangelista y conferencista por distintos lugares del mundo.

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Copyright © 2017 by Vicente Rangel.

Editor and translator: Vicente Rangel

Library of Congress Control Number:                                     2017909535

ISBN:                         Hardcover                                 978-1-5065-2082-7

                                  Softcover                                   978-1-5065-2081-0

                                  eBook                                       978-1-5065-2080-3

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Rev. date: 16/06/2017

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CONTENTS

Words from the author

Preface

Chapter 1 Once saved, always saved?

Chapter 2 Wanderers in life

Chapter 3 My youth

Chapter 4 Our Wedding Day

Chapter 5 My surrender to Christ

Chapter 6 My backsliding from God for thirteen years

Chapter 7 The Consequences of my backsliding

Chapter 8 More suffering awaits me

Chapter 9 Possessed by the demon

Chapter 10 Grafted in Christ after being cut off

Chapter 11 A manifestation of the Holy Spirit

Chapter 12 Experiences in Healings and Liberations

Chapter 13 Leaving everything and responding to God’s calling

Chapter 14 Diabolic influence in a person’s subconscious

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to my beautiful wife Oralia, for her great love and understanding and for tolerating me in all those years that I was lost in sin and pleasures of the world. For a long life of living together and for being an ideal help in my Ministry.

To my four children, Joel, Josué, Adrian Lee and Miguel, for the love and respect that they have for me, in spite of the life I lived. To my beloved daughter, Eva, for her great love and affection in caring for me and my wife.

And to my brother Silbiano, who never forgotten me, and never lost his faith in God that someday He would transform my life.

My prayer is that all my children would live for God and teach their children too, so that their children can also teach their children. In this manner, each Rangel’s generation will get to know Jesus Christ as their personal savior and be a faithful witness of Christ. So that through their testimonies, others would also believe in Him as it is illustrated in Psalm 78:5-8 For he gave his laws to Israel, and commended our fathers to teach them to their children, so that they in turn could teach their children too. Thus, his laws will be passed down from generation to generation. In this manner each generation will be able to obey his laws and to set its hope anew on God and will not forget his glorious miracles. Thus, they do not need to be as their fathers were—stubborn, rebellious, unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.

GRATITUDE

My first and greatest gratitude is towards God, for he has given me a second opportunity by having compassion on me.

I thank Jesus Christ, for being patient with me when I was lost and despite of rejecting him so many times, he endured it all because he loves me.

I thank the Holy Spirit, who comforted me, strengthened me and guided me during my journey in this life.

And last, I praise God for giving me the wisdom and knowledge for the translation of the book in English.

WORDS FROM THE AUTHOR

I would like to take advantage of this opportunity that the Lord has given me to share my testimony with my readers, which is based on my personal life in drugs at an early age. And when I had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, back then I had a desire to become a missionary. But for thirteen years, I backslide again to the world of sins, having a firm conviction that there was no hope for me, yet God was merciful because he freed me from a life lost in sin and he grafted me again in Christ. He also restored my marriage that was on the verge of divorce, giving me the undeserved enjoyment to have a wife and family when I was about to lose them. Up to this date, 2017, me and my wife have been serving God for forty-six years. One of my greatest desire is that through this book, all can understand how spirits from hell are still on the loose to destroy the Christian and God’s church. The Bible says that one third of the angels were dethroned from heaven along with Satan. They became the demons that exist, and they are here on earth not for vacation but to steal, kill, and destroy.

PREFACE

Once saved, always saved? Many Christians believe that you cannot lose your salvation. Another notable group believes that there is a possibility that it can be lost. Within the evangelical’s this issue has caused a great controversy, although the most important thing is what the Bible, the Holy Word of God, says. But if both groups quote the same scriptures to prove the truth, who then should we believe? I explain with all clarity, citing scriptures that both groups support, and I explain how through the years many have wrongly understood the Bible concerning this subject. This is not because of their ignorance, but because of their disbelief.

If a person have Biblical theological titles, people may actually believe everything they say without considering or investigating if it’s in accordance with what the Bible says. Acts 17:11, says: But the people of Berea, were more open minded than those in Thessalonica, and gladly listened to the message. They search the scriptures day by day to check up on Paul and Silas’ statements to see if they were really so That is why we should study God’s Word carefully to confirm if what we have been taught is true.

When I was pastoring a church in Mount Olive, NC, I had a bible study with a certain Pastor, who had a doctorate in Bible and a copy of the Bible in Hebrew, the same one that he would use to give us studies.

One day I asked him, Brother, what does this scripture means? and I showed him, Romans 11:18-22 where it says: But you must be careful not to brag about being put in to replace the branches (Jews) that were broken off. Remember that you are important only because you are now a part of God’s tree; you are just a branch, not a root. Well you must be saying those branches were broken off to make room for me so I must be real nice. Watch out! Remember that those branches, the Jews, were broken off because they didn’t believe God, and you are there only because you do. Do not be proud; be humble and grateful–and careful. For if God, did not spare the branches he put in the first place, he won’t spare you either. Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is very hard on those who disobey, but very good to you if you continue to love and trust him. But if you don’t you too will be cut off. He answered me, Brother, the fact is that God will cut us out on certain things!"

Derived from the previous comment, let’s take note of two things — # 1: it says: If you remain