Pete, I agree with your doctrinal statement except for your ‘kept saved forever’ statement. I believe scripture teaches us we CAN be kept saved forever, but just as God does not force himself on man to become saved, in the same manner, he does not force man to remain saved.
Paul writes to Timothy this;
1 Timothy 4:1 (KJV) Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Man can choose to depart from the faith (which I see no other explanation other than they are/were saved) or choose to remain faithful. In summary, Scriptures teach us both eternal security (God keeps us so no outside entity can take our faith away) AND free will (we choose to accept and cling to Christ, and also to forsake and let him go). We are wise to understand both.
It’s not about forcing anyone to remain saved, it’s about fundamentally transforming one’s nature from spiritually dead, to spiritually alive. It’s about becoming a new creation, the old is gone away. And just as one cannot earn salvation by works, one cannot un-earn it by works either. There are only two paths for those who are truly born again and turn away- either they are brought back (prodigal son style) or they’re taken home. Lastly though, just because someone walks an aisle or makes a profession of faith doesn’t make them born again. That is ultimately between that person and God. All I know is that once you’re born again, you are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of Redemption.
Agreed, however, if we are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption as Paul sated in Ephesians 4:30 (I too believe this is true for the born again), in that same verse we are warned to not grieve the Holy Spirit. I guess the real question is, how does one do that? We do know what Jesus himself said in Matthew 12:31.
“Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” 1 Corinthians 3:8,14-15 NKJV Fair to say, there will be many Christians standing there on that day (at the Bema Judgment) ash-stained and empty handed.