Separation
The goats and the sheep will be separated (John 5:25-29). Few people actually believe this. They don’t now, nor did they then. So, Paul warned believers about being deceived, which means that believers can be deceived about what they believe. Not all believers believe correctly. Salvation does not make people instant winners of the orthodoxy contest. Of course, we are not saved by what we believe. Rather, we believe because we have been saved, which also means that our ultimate salvation does not come into doubt when our beliefs are wrong. So, Paul does not mean that believers can lose their faith if they believe wrongly. Though wrong belief has many unfortunate and unpleasant consequences, from which believers are not spared. And at the same time, the Lord values right or correct belief.
Similarly, there are many fortunate and pleasant consequences of right belief, many of which are also enjoyed by unbelievers. When God’s church believes and teaches the Gospel correctly, benefits accrue to both the saved and the lost. Conversely, when God’s church believes and teaches the Gospel incorrectly, liabilities accrue to both the saved and the lost. God wants people to believe and understand His gospel message correctly. It is important to Him because He uses the correct proclamation of the gospel as a means of salvation. “But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Romans 10:14).
We could think of the process of salvation as logging into the data base of the Holy Spirit. It is as if the Lord has installed a special password in the hearts of the elect. Proper preaching of the Gospel