Yes, continued willful sinning can cause people to lose eternal life. The gift of eternal life is not unconditional. There are conditions. The idea of "once saved, always saved," is not taught in the Bible--although there are many who would argue that I am wrong on this point. The problem is that this view can only be held if we ignore quite a lot of Bible evidence.

It's not a question of whether the Lord is willing to forgive us. He never stops forgiving sincere and honest repentance. The problem is that if we continue willful sinning, it changes the sinner so that in time the sinner's conscience becomes insensitive and ceases to see his true condition. He can come to the place where he thinks everything is fine and that He will be saved IN his sin. He may no longer wish to leave his sin. If that continues, the Bible shows us that God leaves the person to his sin.

Continued willful sin is a sign that Christ is not our Lord. The only solution is for the person to realize his desperate situation and change who is ruling his life.

Study First John, Romans 8, and Galatians 5 and 6. Memorize Gal. 2: 19, 20 and say it to yourself over and over again every day with meaning and understanding.

Also make close contact with a brother Christian who loves Jesus and prays and who is willing to pray with you and encourage you whenever you need help. Spend at least 2 hours a day in the Word and on your knees in opening your heart to God in prayer. Don't stop. Jesus will do it. Realize that as long as you are in sincere, faith-based relationship with Jesus Christ, God sees you as righteous as Christ Himself!!!! Picture yourself seated with Jesus in heaven and do not allow your body to be used as instruments of unrighteousness.

The point wasn't about the bible verses and establishing a foundation...the point was that there was a third definition to Sin that was not addressed. [edited the paragraph for over reacting comment. My bad.]

Ok, John, for you....I will give the quick bible definitions.

Iniquity- Isaiah 53: 6
Transgression- I John 3:4
sin [please note, the lower case]- Roman 3:23

Now, you have the biblical evidence, John..

The Hebrew Old Testament has some 12 different words to define sin and the Greek New Testament about five. Together they represent seven categories of sin. To fully appreciate God’s unconditional agape love and the incredible good news of the gospel — the truth as it is in Christ — it is important that we first come to grips with these seven categories of sin. They are as follows:

1. A deliberate act against the law of God. See 1 John 3:4. (The King James Version uses the word “transgression,” but the Greek word means “lawlessness,” which is deliberately choosing to live a life of sin.)

2. A mental consent to a temptation or a sinful desire, the sin of coveting. See Rom. 7:7,8. (See also Matt. 5:27,28; James 1:14; Prov. 24:9.)

3. Unbelief, a deliberate rejection of a Biblical truth. See Rom. 14:23. (See also John 3:18; John 16:8,9.)

4. Neglect of known duties or opportunity. See James 4:17. (See also James 2:14; Matt. 23:23; Matt. 25:43-46.)

5. Doing the wrong thing out of ignorance. See Lev. 5:17-19. (See also Luke 12:48; 1 Tim. 1:13.)

6. Our sinful natures, which we inherited from Adam. See Psalm 51:5; Psalm 58:3. (See also Rom. 5:19,20; Eph. 2:3b; Phil. 3:20,21.)

7. A law, principle, or constant force, dwelling in our sinful natures (indwelling sin in the flesh). This makes us slaves to sin. Therefore, holy living, in and of ourselves, is impossible. See Rom. 7:14, 20-23. (See also Luke 11:39; John 8:31-34.)

Note: The first four definitions of sin (#1-4) involve guilt because we choose to commit these sins (guilt involves responsibility or volition). But the last two definitions of sin (#6 & 7), which we all inherit at birth because of the Fall, do not involve guilt (i.e., responsibility) but only condemnation (see Rom. 5:18). While these last two definitions of sin do not involve guilt, they nonetheless make us sinners by nature and, therefore, disqualify us from heaven (see Rom. 5:19; Eph. 2:3b; 1 Cor. 15:50).

To: Doctorj:
Well, since I didn't answer you kindly on the Olympics post, I will try to be kinder here.
A pastor in the N. American Div, Potomac conf once said, "We close our eyes and pray for guidance, then open them up and do our own thing."
That's hard. I've struggled the same as you for many years over many differnt things. I noticed in your other post, you are a bit harsh on yourself. Try this prayer, if you can:
Lord, give me the courage to help someone You love today and just once make it me.
That prayer is so powerful and it takes courage to pray, because believe me, it will be answered and it will make you positive and things will happen. Maybe not exactly like you want them to happen, but things will happen in your life. You will see a difference, I guarantee you.
When stuff starts happening to me like what is happening to you, and it really does, this is what I do...but I have to work up the courage to do it. Sometimes I have to pray to have the courage to pray the prayer.

Thanks for that, Neil D. I appreciate it more than you know. Really.

I'll come back after a while and write something on this.

These are some of the verses and remarks that I want to concentrate on. I think you've said some really important things.

To: robert and John317:
Do you 2 know how to speak to the heart felt need or are you just academics who like to hash over philosophies? I thought the original questions was a heart felt quetion which required a real answer. I've read all three pages, and have failed to find an answer. Are you going to attempt to give the man one?

Continued willful sin is a sign that Christ is not our Lord. The only solution is for the person to realize his desperate situation and change who is ruling his life.

Study First John, Romans 8, and Galatians 5 and 6. Memorize Gal. 2: 19, 20 and say it to yourself over and over again every day with meaning and understanding.

Also make close contact with a brother Christian who loves Jesus and prays and who is willing to pray with you and encourage you whenever you need help. Spend at least 2 hours a day in the Word and on your knees in opening your heart to God in prayer. Don't stop. Jesus will do it. Realize that as long as you are in sincere, faith-based relationship with Jesus Christ, God sees you as righteous as Christ Himself!!!! Picture yourself seated with Jesus in heaven and do not allow your body to be used as instruments of unrighteousness.

I struggled with some sins like that. I struggled and lost every time for about 35 years. I came so close about 3 years ago to giving up. The Lord only gave me the victory when I decided that Jesus was my only hope and my only real life. I had to come to the point where I saw my body and my own life as good as dead and see Him as my only real life.

Also I had to exchange Lords-- myself and my desires (my old lord and master) dies, really DIES, and Jesus now becomes my owner.

I see my body and its members no longer to be used for Satan's purposes but for Christ's only. I do not want to take my body and use it to glorify Satan and let him use me to slap Jesus in the face.

I had to get to the point where I would rather die than commit those sins again. We sin because we love to sin. At least I did.

When we really hate sin we will stop it. That means praying that God will give you a deep hatred for sin-- for what it did to Christ and to God. For the way it makes God look bad.

What if your sin caused the death of your child? Would you do it? For instance, if you knew that when you sin, someone was going to march your wife or son or daughter out in the front yard and cut their throats like a sheep, would you commit that sin?

I really believe we sin because we don't see what it actually did to Jesus Christ. Once we get a good look at that and understand it fully-- have the blinders taken off our eyes-- we won't sin deliberately and intentionally.

We do it rather nonchalantly because we think, "Oh well, Jesus paid the price and he will forgive me like he has thousands of times already. What's one or two more sins?" Maybe you don't think quite that way, but many people do-- if they think of it at all.

I know because that is where I was for most of my life, and that is after I struggled and studied and even prayed.

Why did I keep sinning? Because in my heart and mind, I really loved it. I didn't hate it. I always kept something in reserve. I didn't give Jesus ALL of me.

And Jesus must have ALL of us or nothing. He won't accept only a part of us.

Does he always forgive when we ask him? Of course. But the problem is not God's forgiveness. The problem is the sin. Every time we commit sin, it changes us and does something to our relationship with Him, just like a man's relationship to his wife is changed by his going to another woman even if the wife does not know about it.

Sometimes sins can be such that it takes much prayer by whole congregations before members can get free of them. So I would suggest that you appeal for special prayer. No need to say what about-- only that you need prayer about a special, personal problem that only God must know.

I'll be praying for you, my brother.

Are the responses given in the above two posts anything like what you had in mind?