This is a good question.
"Struggle" is the operative word here. To me IMHO, there is a difference between struggling to live for God and true back-SLIDING. Based on my 24 years of observation and my own strugglings, the latter leads to a reprobate/Apostate mind.
We are all guilty of wanting to follow our own path(Isa53:6). But God shows us that if we are tested and pass(Ps66:9) if we have awe of God(Jer.2:19), if we have faith (Jer3:22), if we turn from sinning when born again(Jer5:6), if we do not reject the Lord(Jer15:6), if we turn from idols and images (
Eze 37:23), if we do not look at the side shows to our left and right (dt5:32), if we have a willing spirit (Ps51:13), if we do not turn from the battle and fight for our right to praise and worship and live for him (
Isa 28:6), if we continue to seek to understand him (Ps14:3), if we fear the Lord(Pr14:27), ...then God will continue to help us, to strenghtin us (Job33:28-30).
Back-sliding is a SLOW turning away (
2Pet 2:20,21) and at some point, even God will stop dealing with you.
This was and is a hard thing for me to grasp. The OSAS mentality, I do not agree with. But as long as you are struggling to live for God... I am reminded of a scripture that helps me, and I hope it helps your/our teenagers....(the whole is Rom8:28-39)
Ro8:37-39-
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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Rom.8:38,39-For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither heigth nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to seperate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I AM the VOICE of REASON and SANITY around here!
I am now on FB and on the AFF's on FB!