Falling away from the Faith (it's possible)

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mailmandan

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2014
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Let's post 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

"Now I make known to you brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received,

in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
Yes, let's look at it. 1 Corinthians 15:1,2 - Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. To believe in vain is to believe without cause or without effect, to no purpose. If, as some are saying in Corinth, there is no resurrection, then faith is vain and worthless (vs. 14). The people who fail to hold fast to the word (the gospel) that Paul preached in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, demonstrated that they "believed in vain" (did not truly believe).

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures . . . "
Yes, the gospel is the "good news" of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who BELIEVES.. (Romans 1:16).

And now a question:

I'm sure you agree that persons were also saved in the O.T. by virtue of their faith.
(Hebrews 11)

SO... IF people were saved in the O.T. ANYWAY,

WHY did Jesus have to die on the cross???
People were saved in the OT through faith. Jesus had to die on the cross to pay for our sins and rise again from the dead in order to provide for us eternal life.

Also, I hope you noticed that the scripture you posted says that the believe must HOLD FIRM the word taught.
So many verses that prove we must HOLD ON or become lost as before...

but some just don't see it.
Where does it say hold on OR BECOME LOST? To believe in vain = did not truly believe in the first place. Faith was never firmly rooted and established from the start.

Now read in Colossians 1:23 - ..if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. The word "if" here is not ean, an unfulfilled, hypothetical condition used with the subjunctive mode, presenting the possibility of a future realization, but ei with the indicative, having here the idea of "assuming that you continue in the faith."

That is, continuance would show that the person's faith is firmly established in the hope of the gospel and they really HAVE BEEN reconciled. The form of this phrase in Greek (using the Gk. particle ei and the indicative mood of the verb epimenō) indicates that Paul fully expects that the Colossian believers will continue in the faith; no doubt is expressed, yet what about "nominal" Christians whose shallow, temporary belief withers away?

It's only natural that Paul would speak this way, for he is addressing groups of people who profess to be Christians, without being able to know the actual state of every person's heart. How can Paul avoid giving them false assurance here that they will be eternally saved when in fact they may not? Paul knows that faith which is firmly grounded and established in the gospel from the start will continue. Those who continue in the faith show thereby that they are genuine believers. But those who do not continue show that their shallow faith was not grounded in the gospel to begin with.
 

Sagart

Senior Member
May 7, 2017
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I am glad that you enjoy research, including the Greek grammar and lexicography, the relevant cultures involved, and the principles of hermeneutics, so that you might come to the correct understanding of each individual passage.

Have you had an opportunity to look up the arrabōn? I’d be interested in your findings.


Arrabōn is used 3 times in Scripture:


2 Corinthians 1:21-22 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest (arrabōn) of the Spirit in our hearts.


2 Corinthians 5:5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest
(arrabōn) of the Spirit.


Ephesians 1:23-14 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest
(arrabōn) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.


My understanding of the arrabōn is that it is a down payment, a portion of our inheritance, and once the purchased possession has been fully redeemed (still future), the full inheritance (more of the same) will be received.

Putting aside the fact that you and I are not in agreement concerning whether or not a born again believer can lose his/her salvation, can you answer concerning what is the arrabōn?

I ask in all sincerity and I believe any time you spend in looking into the arrabōn will be a blessing to your soul.
ἀῤῥαβών (arrhabōn) is a Semitic word (Hebrew, עֲרָבוֹן) which likely passed from the Phoenicians to the Greeks. The Hebrew word is found three times in the Hebrew Old Testament: Gen. 38:17, 18, and 20. The Greek word is found three times in the Greek New Testament. Eph. 1:14; 2 Cor. 1:22; and 2 Cor. 5:5.

An ἀῤῥαβών is a down payment, the earnest money, paid in a contract between two entities that shows the buyer’s good faith in a transaction. In the New Testament, the Purchaser is God and the ‘seller’ is the believer (1 Cor. 6:20; 7:23). Upon believing the gospel, the believer is purchased and is given the earnest which is of the same kind as the full purchase price. In Eph. 1:14, the ἀῤῥαβών is the actual spiritual life of the Christian, which “is the same in kind as his future glorified life.” (J. B. Lightfoot, Notes of the Epistles of Paul, page 324). However, as Lightfoot continues,

But the metaphor suggests, and doubtless was intended to suggest, another idea. The recipient of the earnest-money not only secures to himself the fulfillment of the compact from the giver, but he pledges himself to accomplish his side of the contract. By the very act of accepting the payment, he has bound himself over to a certain reciprocation. The gift of the Spirit is not only a privilege, but also an obligation.​

Because there are two entities in the purchase contract, both entities must fulfill their part of the contract, or the contract will be voided. If we keep part of ourselves and do not turn all of ourselves over to the Purchaser, upon learning of our fraud, He will void the contract and the earnest will be returned to Him.

Matt. 10:39. “He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.”

Matt. 16:25. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”

Mark 8:35. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.”

Luke 9:24. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.”

Luke 17:33. “Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.”

John 12:25. “He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.”



Rom. 6:3. Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4. Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
5. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,
6. knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
7. for he who has died is freed from sin.
8. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
9. knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.


We can count on God to fulfill His part of the purchase contract, but can He count on us to fulfill our part of the contract?

(All Scriptures are from the NASB, 1995)
 
Jun 1, 2016
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Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Maybe I am thick or naive or too soft with people.

Does the Jude verse above relate back to what Paul was addressing at the end of Romans 5 to the beginning of Romans 6?

Or is it people just using grace to sin full stop with no regard to Jesus but using Jesus as an easy meal ticket and have not really placed saving faith in Jesus.

Were the people Paul addressed in Romans such people as in Jude or people who believed but did not understand what grace meant?

How on earth can one omit the word of God full stop?

all of pauls letters relate to the other :) thats the point, pauls epistles begin explaining Grace, but He doesnt omit the truth of righteousness and sin either. if you look closely his epistles are very much constructed the same way. consider ephesians and galatians. they both have much to say about being saved by Grace, and they both later on have much to say about How christians are to Live. its the same patter of the gospel, Jesus spoke many things about belief in Him saving us, and many things about How we are to Live. some who preach about "Grace" Omit anything like say for instance these things clearly written in the same epistles of paul who has began His epistle teaching about Grace.

Galatians 5:19-21 "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

or say this

Galatians 6:7-9 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

things like this in pauls epistles arent meant to take alone, nor is the saved by Grace things he teaches meant to take alone, these things work together to produce this effect concerning Grace

titus 2:11-14 "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

were not meant to take only the things that make it seem conditionless, but to take those fully in, as well as all the things teaching us how to Live, what the result of living contrary is ect.

see how closely ephesians is constructed as to galatians, and its pretty evident that paul is not only saying grace grace, but obedience obedience as well. when the 2 are taken together we have Grace that teaches us to deny our lusts and sinful ways, and to live upright godly Lives in this present world. some who people refer to as " hyper grace" actually will teach that anything that is an instruction of what to actually do, is not grace and doesnt apply. its why so many grace alone pastors teach things Like " what is said by Jesus before the cross, doesnt apply if its a clear instruction or warning, or call to repentance, they will label those things " the Law of Moses" so that they can then show you paul saying " were dead to the Law" and then omit the teaching part, the truth of the warnings and things that teach us to repent and Live right. its very sublte, but ......it always has been sublte.

the truth of it is, if Jesus explains something, directs His disciples what to do, that is eternally the gospel as much as His death and resurrection. the confusion is tryoing to either take all the obedience stuff alone, or all the grace stuff alone. so it cuases contention, its actually meant to take together. Because thats what accomplishes Gods will. when we see things that we Know we are doing wrong, and we will, Grace is there to Keep us from being condemned, and the truth is there to fill us with the spirit of life that enables us to do those things taught by Jesus.

there shouldnt be any believer that will accept "Jesus words arent meant for Christians" nor should there be anyone willing to discount grace and belief in Our Savior. the 2 principles produce Gods Children.
 
Feb 24, 2015
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I wonder at this on going discussion.

If in truth to break through to redemption you have to go through 4 or 5 major realisations,
both sides are probably right and wrong. I have met people from different groups, some who
see the Lord and some who do not.

Knowing the mystical aspect of being born again, is as important as knowing we are loved,
as having a deep sense of failure and conviction and a desire to change and follow Jesus.
Some see their special place in Christ, while others are overwhelmed by the debt they have
towards Him. Taken too far all these positions can be wrong.

That is why I wonder why condemning words are spoken about being set on going to hell etc.
when we do not know each other that well and the words are superficial approximations at
best. If you think you can judge someones worthiness of salvation based on this, I fear for
how God will judge you by the standards you judge others.

Unfortunately you can see the provocation has come from one group, which is odd as they
claim others are provoking them, which is actually the response to the total condemnation
coming the other way. And in a truly christian sense to be condemned by a brother untruthfully
to hell, is a sinful behaviour. As Jesus said, to get angry with a brother and call them a fool is
making oneself liable to hell. So we must be very careful, if you actually want to follow Jesus
as your Lord and Saviour.
 
Jun 1, 2016
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very insightful thoughts there peter, i think i understand most of what you say, and have alot of the same thoughts

ive come to believe that the devil has caused confusion and created divides, when God created us to come together, not worrying about who is making a good point, but rather to always make sure the point is being made to unite us in faith, bringing us to a more complete understanding of Gods Word.

i truly believe satan does this out of fear, because a unified church, ( though there may always be small differences in our thinking because were all at different stages of this and all imperfect yet) scares Him.... but if we could all someday get on the same page with the humility to accept the gospel as Jesus put it forth, He would have a much harder time destroying our Lives.
 
Nov 22, 2015
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Satan and his horde do not come to the believer in Christ and say "Sin all you want" because no one would for fall for such a lie.

Instead they come
as "ministers of righteousness".

They want us to live by our own D.I.Y. self-righteousness/holiness so that we will be not be depending on what Christ has done for us by grace through faith alone for salvation.

This cuts us off from receiving the grace of God in our lives.

2 Corinthians 11:14-15 (KJV)
[SUP]14[/SUP] And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

[SUP]15[/SUP] Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. ( notice that is "their" works )

This below in 1 Peter 1:13 is what satan is really after...this is why he has false prophets/teachers in our midst.

He wants us to fall away from grace and depend on our own performance and human will-power instead of what Christ has done in His finished work on the cross and resurrection.

1 Peter 1:13
[SUP]13 [/SUP] Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit,fix your hope completely on the grace being brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
 
Mar 23, 2016
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Sagart said:
Upon believing the gospel, the believer is purchased and is given the earnest which is of the same kind as the full purchase price.
Thank you so much for looking into the ἀῤῥαβών (arrhabōn), Sagart.


The above statement was what I wondered about. Is the earnest (arrhabōn) of the "same kind" like when we put a down payment on a purchase?


Or because it relates to an inheritance, there could be more that is not of the "same kind". In an inheritance, one might receive money, or real property, or personal property, or a combination of those things.


So i just wondered about that aspect of the earnest (arrhabōn).


I appreciate you taking the time to look at that for me and hope/pray you are blessed to know that the holy Spirit of promise with which you have been sealed and which is the earnest (arrhabōn) of your inheritance is only a portion of that which you will receive in full at the time of the redemption of the purchased possession.


That just blesses the socks off me, because what we have received thus far is such a wonderful gift!!!


Again, much thanks, Sagart!
 
Feb 24, 2015
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And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness.
2 cor 11:14-15
:eek: I have got to laugh. If you are a good follower of Christ you are a servant of righteousness
ie you walk righteously, in purity, holiness and grace before the King.

If you are a work with Satan you may appear to serve righteousness but are serving sin.

So those who are blessed preach and serve righteousness, and those who work of Satan
fake righteousness and serve sin.

I think that is pretty clear, and the what the strangly twisted message about a righteous
preacher is leading people astray. You have to have one distorted understanding of language
and the truth to end up with this conclusion. I think you would call this an own goal, so hard
they are to prove hunger and thirsting for righteousness is evil, though Jesus praised it.
 
Jun 1, 2016
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Satan and his horde do not come to the believer in Christ and say "Sin all you want" because no one would for fall for such a lie.

Instead they come
as "ministers of righteousness".

They want us to live by our own D.I.Y. self-righteousness/holiness so that we will be not be depending on what Christ has done for us by grace through faith alone for salvation.

This cuts us off from receiving the grace of God in our lives.

2 Corinthians 11:14-15 (KJV)
[SUP]14[/SUP] And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

[SUP]15[/SUP] Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. ( notice that is "their" works )

This below in 1 Peter 1:13 is what satan is really after...this is why he has false prophets/teachers in our midst.

He wants us to fall away from grace and depend on our own performance and human will-power instead of what Christ has done in His finished work on the cross and resurrection.

1 Peter 1:13
[SUP]13 [/SUP] Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit,fix your hope completely on the grace being brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit,fix your hope completely on the grace being brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

or the perception can be created by the context all around the verses used singularly to explain our own conceptions

Gods word is like it is because sometimes we need Grace when were not living right, to keep us from thinking " well were lost now" we have to know that Grace is there in Jesus, that what He said, and Has done for us is sufficient.

at the same time, there is all the word says of repentance, right living, to teach us to move on from living in those things that Jesus suffered so greatly and died for. who would Love Jesus and continue on in those things? who would be willing to not take His word after what He has given for us? yet, we still cant overcome anything without Gods words in us is the thing.

Grace and truth, " neither do i condemn you....Now go and sin no more." there is not condemnation in that, its life to a condemned sinner. theres no reason for us to withhold the instruction, the warnings, the teachings of right Living and repentance...unless we care more about our sinful desires, than the one who died to give us Life. its all Gods word, designed perfectly, spoken perfectly by Jesus Christ, who then died to remove our death sentance.

theres just simply no flaw in the gospel, its life for the dead, eternal Life it will bring conviction of our sins, and it will lead us to let go of things Like greed, lust, selfishness, pride.....but the word itself leads us because we believe. sometimes the word is saying " you are forgiven" and it goes on to say " repent of those things because you truly Know im not leading you astray and im explaining to you the truth that sin is death. the two principles of Grace and truth go hand in hand. if we reject either were in need of repentance and acceptance of the Word of God.

satans will is and will ever be to omit the righteousness of Gods word, the truth of it. He will always will us to not obey, God will always will us to Obey Him and Live, its our own choice who to follow Just Like adam. we now have the spirit of truth to follow, and the flesh to deny. choose the Life of the spirit

john 6:63 "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."

Galatians 5:18-24 "But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."

romans 8:13 "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live."


in simpler terms

matthew 7:24-27 "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."
 
Nov 22, 2015
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There are 2 aspects to grace and it can be seen in Jesus dealings with a woman caught in adultery.

The very first thing that Jesus does with the woman caught in adultery is that He gets rid of her accusers - the religious Pharisees that wanted to condemn her because the "bible" said so in the Old Covenant...she was to be stoned. (
the law condemns us )

Jesus was the only one qualified to condemn her but He didn't.


1) acceptance grace - which has nothing to do with our behavior -
as seen with the woman caught in adultery. Our Lord beautifully says " I do not condemn you".

It is in knowing you are not condemned that releases the other aspect of grace.

2) now, go and sin no more - this is empowering grace.

Empowering grace enables you to be who the Father sees you are in Christ now because you are a new creation in Him.


The religious mindset says to the woman caught in adultery - 'Do not sin and we will not condemn you."

The grace of God and the blood of Jesus speaks of better things in this New Covenant of grace!

"Knowing" that we are not condemned in Christ "releases" the life of the empowering grace to transform us. It's all about Christ! It's His fruit being manifested in us!

Acceptance grace which is not based on our behavior needs to be cemented in our hearts before empowering grace is able to be manifested.


What believers in a self-effort/self-performance D.I.Y. holiness/righteousness based mindset and the self-appointed "fruit inspectors" have a very hard time with is the "acceptance grace" part.

This just drives them nuts and I understand why because it is scandalous and it "conflicts" with our religious man-made traditions and some church teachings from our denomination or "group".
 
Jun 1, 2016
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"Satan and his horde do not come to the believer in Christ and say "Sin all you want" because no one would for fall for such a lie. "

1 peter 5:6-9 "
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world."


ephesians 6:10-17 "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God"


 
Nov 22, 2015
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Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 2:1 (NASB)
[SUP]1 [/SUP]
You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

Paul says that it is God and "the word of His grace" that builds us up and is able to give us our inheritance that is ours in Christ.

Acts 20:32 (NASB)
[SUP]32 [/SUP] "And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
 
Jun 1, 2016
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Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 2:1 (NASB)
[SUP]1 [/SUP]
You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

Paul says that it is God and "the word of His grace" that builds us up and is able to give us our inheritance that is ours in Christ.

Acts 20:32 (NASB)
[SUP]32 [/SUP] "And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

lol :) no progress i guess , bless you buddy
 
Feb 24, 2015
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for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
1 Thess 5:2

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
1 John 1:7

Remember the gospel is a gospel of light, illuminating ones very heart and soul.
So as we walk in the light there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.

If rather condemnation does weigh heavy on you, repent and believe on the cross
for the forgiveness of sins, and you will be saved, for the King is coming, and the
time draws near. Halleluyah, Praise to the King
 
Jun 1, 2016
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for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
1 Thess 5:2

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
1 John 1:7

Remember the gospel is a gospel of light, illuminating ones very heart and soul.
So as we walk in the light there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.

If rather condemnation does weigh heavy on you, repent and believe on the cross
for the forgiveness of sins, and you will be saved, for the King is coming, and the
time draws near. Halleluyah, Praise to the King
amen i meant to comment on an older post of yours concerning " the testing of our Hearts by the word of God"<<< that was a great post i thought, but lost track of it and got distracted by another post. Praise indeed to the Lord Jesus, what an amazing Lord we have to provide everything, along with patience, kindness to the undeserving, and all the instructions we will ever need to refine our minds and Hearts to God. jehovah -jireh is so perfectly expressive of His way
 
Mar 23, 2016
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followjesus said:
1 peter 5:6-9 "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”
You know what God is doing in our lives as we resist steadfast in the faith? Keep reading 1 Peter 5:10

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.



Yep. God doesn’t just tell us to resist on our own strength and power. God perfects, establishes, strengthens and settles us to that we have what we need to resist. Very cool!
 

Katy-follower

Senior Member
Jun 25, 2011
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I'm sure this will be rejected, but here goes anyway.


Galatians 3:1-9:
"O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit (believers), are you now being made perfect (sanctified) by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham"


Galatians 5:1-6: "(Believers) Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.

You
(non believers) have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we (because we) through the Spirit (believers) eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love"


Do you see the distinction made between believers and non believers here? Let's break it up (rightly dividing the word of truth?)

Galatians 3 - believers who are trying to be sanctified by the flesh

Galatians 5 - non believers trying to be justified by the flesh


In Galatians 3 the Galatians have begun in the Spirit (so they are born again believers) but they were listening to others telling them they had to maintain their salvation themselves.

In Galatians 5 clearly being addressed are non believers, because they are trying to be justified by the flesh. Then the distinction is made "FOR WE (because we) through the Spirit" which speaks of believers, so comparing believers with non believers here. Distinction is made.

"Fallen from grace" does not suggest losing salvation, since the context here is non believers who are trying to be justified by the law, so they are not saved to begin with, they are "attempting" to be saved by the law, so are not saved. They are clearly non believers.

An example - if someone keeps giving me their personal opinion on something, I could easily state to that person that they have fallen away from the bible, because they are not focusing on what the bible says. Someone who has fallen from grace in the context of the above is someone who has ignored the gospel of grace through faith in Christ alone. They have fallen from grace and instead embraced law. This is the context. This is why we should read the scriptures and not cut and paste bits we choose.


Simply put....

*Believers who are trying to maintain their salvation (claiming that salvation is conditional, that it can be lost, and that we must maintain it ourselves). The message given is to not become entangled again with the yoke of bondage which you have been freed from. You will lose your joy because you're not resting in what Christ has done for you. You are becoming entangled in the burdens that the lost are burdened with. Why become entangled again?!

*Non believers who reject grace and instead are trying to be saved by their works. These non believers have fallen away from grace and embraced the law.

Nothing about losing salvation here. You have to read it all to understand the messages being given here.
 
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You know what God is doing in our lives as we resist steadfast in the faith? Keep reading 1 Peter 5:10

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.



Yep. God doesn’t just tell us to resist on our own strength and power. God perfects, establishes, strengthens and settles us to that we have what we need to resist. Very cool!

Glory to God, who gives power through His word. that we may do....

2 peter 1:3-11 "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that
pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

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Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

romans 10:17 "
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
 
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The message given is to not become entangled again with the yoke of bondage which you have been freed from.

romans 6:16:18 "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness."

romans 6:20-23 "
For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."


the "Law" of moses has nothing to do with the gospel. 2 different things.

the Law paul is talking about freedom from

romans 7:23 "
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members"

romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death"

John 6:63 "
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."

Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,"

John 8:31-32 "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. "

seems im missing the scriptures where Gods condemning people that actually put diligence into obeying Him, according to the word of Jesus, the gospel. after all He did suffer and die for us...Thats a Lord ill follow with every bit i have in me :) and lay down anything He calls for in order to please the one who was spit on, beaten, flogged, Mocked, humiliated, beaten again, and nailed to a cross on my behalf.

Obeying God will never be wrong in any aspect, a born again person is free to walk in obedience, free from slavery to sin and created to do good works <<< thats the whole point. if people would believe Jesus and what He says, it would then make them free for real :)