Paul is interested in the witness of the church. We have been saved by grace. The Corinthians had been saved by grace. But if they so chose they could neglect the full blessings and provisions of that grace and could stumble into defeat and lose as a result a triumphant witness to that grace before the world they lived in. Just like Israel did…
Paul is not saying that these Israelite's “lost their salvation.” That is not the issue here. He is saying they lost the full enjoyment of that salvation. They lost the witness of that salvation. Some people want to make this an issue of losing your salvation or not. But just remember that only two of those who came across the Red Sea actually got across the Jordan River. That was Joshua and Caleb. All the rest had their bones scattered in the wilderness because of their sins—Including Moses. The issue here before us is not saving grace… it is not the question of our position in saving grace. The issue here is the loss of entering into the full provision of that grace… and the stunning lack of witness from that grace as instead of a grace filled people entering triumphantly into the full promises of God, the people of Israel stumbled and fell and scattered their skeletons across a wilderness.
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