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Hebrews 6 talks about apostasy or falling away from the faith. This is a rejection of Jesus and the faith after having tasted of the Spirit. Peter did not have the Holy Spirit when he denied His Lord.
James 5:19-20 talks about renewing a fellow believer back to the faith (From having backslid into sin) to the saving of their soul and the forgivenss of their sins. This passage is about helping a backslidden believer to renew their faith back in Christ again to the saving of their soul.
In other words, a believer backslides into unrepentant sin, then they need to get their heart right with the Lord again thru confession and or repentance.
James 5:19-20 talks about renewing a fellow believer back to the faith (From having backslid into sin) to the saving of their soul and the forgivenss of their sins. This passage is about helping a backslidden believer to renew their faith back in Christ again to the saving of their soul.
In other words, a believer backslides into unrepentant sin, then they need to get their heart right with the Lord again thru confession and or repentance.
What you state above, is truth. Then the question is, can you keep repeating the process over and over again.
Sometimes we misunderstand the scriptures, mostly because we just pick and choose some, that we can use to support our beliefs, and a few others that we can use to refute all opposing beliefs, then we can ignore context, flow of thought and discussion surrounding each of the passages, ignore the consistent meaning for all the words as they are used throughout the scriptures … and prove our beliefs true and hold fast to them.
This topic is involved, but let me pass along a few things to consider.
First: If we are a Christian, a true Christian, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, and it is this Holy Spirit that is the proof of our Christianity. Without it, we are indeed lost and headed for hell.
Rom 8:9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
This said, all, after hearing the gospel, and after believing, are sealed into a group of people, in this passage, the group is referred to as those “In Him”, “In the beloved”, “In Christ”. We are “sealed” “In Him” with the “Pledge” of our future inheritance.
Eph 1:13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.
The “Sealed” and the “pledge” words are VERY important. A “seal” at the time of Christ usually cost a tremendous sum. Some of the more complex ones could cost a year’s wages for a normal worker. They were used to “seal” packages, letters, boxes … everything you can think of to guarantee that the contents were from the one that sealed them, and they were sealed until they arrived at the destination which the “sealer” designated. Anyone violating a seal from a person wealthy enough to own one, was usually risking his/her life. In this case, messing with God’s seal is probably pretty serious.
A pledge was given to someone until what the pledge was given for was received, perhaps a kid goat was promised and a staff and ring might be given as a pledge to a harlot in O.T. times. Whatever the reason the pledge is given for, until the one to whom the pledge was given receives what was promised and “insured” by the pledge, the person not yet receiving what was promised keeps the pledge.
Keep in mind that there is no reason for which the “Pledger” could take back the pledge, until what was promised was delivered. If, for any reason you received this pledge of the Holy Spirit, and you do not receive your promised inheritance, you keep the pledge FOREVER. This brings us to the well what if they aren’t true Christians, what if as a Christian they sin with impunity, will God not disown them?
First off, they might not be true Christians:
1Jn 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.
That’s a possibility. But what about true Christians, those who have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit … First off, God’s kids, the real ones, do not get away with anything:
Heb 12:3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, "MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; 6 FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES." 7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. 12 Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
You have probably heard about the “Sin unto death” passage, the type of sins we are not to pray for. Here’s a listing of one of the cases where it applies:
1Co 5:1 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father's wife. 2 You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst. 3 For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Here we have a man, in the church, with everyone’s knowledge who is sleeping with his Father’s wife. AND EVERYONE KNOWS, and he’s still showing up at church. There is no repentance. There is no reproof. The man is just living in sin, and the type of sin even the heathen cringed at. So does he lose his salvation for this willful living in sin? Nope. His body is being delivered over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh that his soul might STILL BE SAVED at the coming of Christ Jesus. A sin unto death, so to speak. If you want to understand this more fully, here’s another passage that might help:
1Co 11:20 Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper, 21 for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you. 23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. 30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.
I know, kind of long, but the context is important. Here’s the situation. People were getting together to celebrate the Lord ’s Supper “Do this in remembrance of Me…” But some were showing up early and were drinking all of the Welch’s grape juice and eating all of the bread. And thus, when the rest showed up, some went hungry and others were drunk. That’s a real miracle with Welch’s grape juice, let me tell you. It takes over 8 gallons in an hour to get drunk on the stuff, and at 4 gallons your stomach would burst and you would die. So trust me, since the word of God says it, it was a miracle.
Sorry, got off track for a second. The point is this: These were true Christians as well, and they knew better. When you are a Christian, a true Christian, and you refuse to “judge yourself correctly”, and act as you should as a result, God, our daddy steps in like any good daddy should, and gives us our consequences. The consequences for a Christian, a true child, are found in verse 30. “For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.” Now the weakness and sickness part most of us can understand. It ties in well with the laying on of hands, anointing of oil, if they have committed sins they will be forgiven them … passages. But the many “sleep” part confuses some people. This is physical death … sinning to the point where Daddy takes you home for being an embarrassment and a detriment to the entire family. Those in this position, we are COMMANDED BY GOD, NOT to pray for. If we judge ourselves rightly, God, Daddy, doesn’t have to step in. If we don’t, He does step in. If it’s a real problem, or we refuse to listen, Daddy takes us home. No, we aren’t sent to hell. Verse 32 tells us why: when we are judged, by God, because we refused to judge ourselves correctly, we are disciplined in the form of weakness, sickness, or, if it’s a real problem, physical death. Keep in mind that everyone dies. Everyone gets sick. This is actually a judgment from God on His kids.
I bet the last part of that Hebrews passage probably makes more sense now too:
12 Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
Don’t get put out of joint … taken home by Daddy. I ticked my earthly daddy off enough that he stopped everything and took me home … once. Whooo boy. Never did that again.
But what about Hebrews 6.
Heb 6:4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. 7 For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.
First, a lot of people get bent out of shape about the meaning of the words. Don’t. These are true Christians. There’s no getting around it. “Jesus tasted death for all.” Did He not die? Sure He did. Look up all of the places where the same word/root word is used throughout the scriptures. Tasted. Yep Christians. Do the same with the word for being made “partakers” yep. All the uses signify true Christians.
Another point. ONCE YOU DO THIS, have all the knowledge of the truth of God, know it, understand it, believe it, become a Christian, get the Spirit … and then turn from it back to what you had before, there is no way you are going to come back around to the truth. God says so. The ground, your life, that should have been bearing fruit for God and for the kingdom of heaven, will now only produce thorns, thistles, hay, and stubble … worthless things. So what’s the outcome?
You end up being cursed and you burn for all eternity in hell, right? No. That’s not what it says. Look again:
8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.
First notice the word “Close”. What does it mean? Do a word study and find every place where the word is used. You will find that it means …. Drum roll please … “Close”. So here we are, “Close” to getting the meaning of the passage with all the meaning of all of the words explained. “Close”. I was “Close” to getting in a bunch of accidents in my life. I was very close to getting killed a couple of times. I was close to getting a piano worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for $5000 once. Close. I did get in a number of accidents in my life. Some I was “Close” to avoiding … but I didn’t avoid them. CRUNCH!!!
Same here.
Remember what the scriptures said about true Christians who refuse to judge themselves? Well, later on in Hebrews, these people will be discussed again later on in Hebrews.
In the meantime, how “Close” to cursed can you get? Are you then “cursed”? If you are cursed, i.e. headed for hell, and spending an eternity in hell, how are you “close”? If only the word wasn’t in here. Then I could go with the lose your salvation crowd. It is though. These people are not burning in hell. But then, what is burned up then? Is it the field, or the person, or is it everything they built on that life, everything that grows on that life, the thorns and thistles. What ends up being burned?
Do you need some help? Well, many believe Hebrews was written by Paul or one of his close contemporaries. Let’s look at a similar passage about what we build on the foundation of Christ, and what we allow to “grow” on our field? Here’s another long passage. Guess what, back in 1 Corinthians again.
1Co 3:6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
Do you see the correlations? What are the things being built on the field, on the foundation, what happens to all of them? They are all tested by what? What is burnt up? The person? The field? Or is it what is on that foundation, what grows on that field? Those people in Hebrews, are they cursed … or close?
Hopefully this clears up a lot of things.
Sometimes we misunderstand the scriptures, mostly because we just pick and choose some, that we can use to support our beliefs, and a few others that we can use to refute all opposing beliefs, then we can ignore context, flow of thought and discussion surrounding each of the passages, ignore the consistent meaning for all the words as they are used throughout the scriptures … and prove our beliefs true and hold fast to them.
This topic is involved, but let me pass along a few things to consider.
First: If we are a Christian, a true Christian, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, and it is this Holy Spirit that is the proof of our Christianity. Without it, we are indeed lost and headed for hell.
Rom 8:9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
This said, all, after hearing the gospel, and after believing, are sealed into a group of people, in this passage, the group is referred to as those “In Him”, “In the beloved”, “In Christ”. We are “sealed” “In Him” with the “Pledge” of our future inheritance.
Eph 1:13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.
The “Sealed” and the “pledge” words are VERY important. A “seal” at the time of Christ usually cost a tremendous sum. Some of the more complex ones could cost a year’s wages for a normal worker. They were used to “seal” packages, letters, boxes … everything you can think of to guarantee that the contents were from the one that sealed them, and they were sealed until they arrived at the destination which the “sealer” designated. Anyone violating a seal from a person wealthy enough to own one, was usually risking his/her life. In this case, messing with God’s seal is probably pretty serious.
A pledge was given to someone until what the pledge was given for was received, perhaps a kid goat was promised and a staff and ring might be given as a pledge to a harlot in O.T. times. Whatever the reason the pledge is given for, until the one to whom the pledge was given receives what was promised and “insured” by the pledge, the person not yet receiving what was promised keeps the pledge.
Keep in mind that there is no reason for which the “Pledger” could take back the pledge, until what was promised was delivered. If, for any reason you received this pledge of the Holy Spirit, and you do not receive your promised inheritance, you keep the pledge FOREVER. This brings us to the well what if they aren’t true Christians, what if as a Christian they sin with impunity, will God not disown them?
First off, they might not be true Christians:
1Jn 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.
That’s a possibility. But what about true Christians, those who have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit … First off, God’s kids, the real ones, do not get away with anything:
Heb 12:3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, "MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; 6 FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES." 7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. 12 Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
You have probably heard about the “Sin unto death” passage, the type of sins we are not to pray for. Here’s a listing of one of the cases where it applies:
1Co 5:1 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father's wife. 2 You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst. 3 For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Here we have a man, in the church, with everyone’s knowledge who is sleeping with his Father’s wife. AND EVERYONE KNOWS, and he’s still showing up at church. There is no repentance. There is no reproof. The man is just living in sin, and the type of sin even the heathen cringed at. So does he lose his salvation for this willful living in sin? Nope. His body is being delivered over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh that his soul might STILL BE SAVED at the coming of Christ Jesus. A sin unto death, so to speak. If you want to understand this more fully, here’s another passage that might help:
1Co 11:20 Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper, 21 for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you. 23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. 30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.
I know, kind of long, but the context is important. Here’s the situation. People were getting together to celebrate the Lord ’s Supper “Do this in remembrance of Me…” But some were showing up early and were drinking all of the Welch’s grape juice and eating all of the bread. And thus, when the rest showed up, some went hungry and others were drunk. That’s a real miracle with Welch’s grape juice, let me tell you. It takes over 8 gallons in an hour to get drunk on the stuff, and at 4 gallons your stomach would burst and you would die. So trust me, since the word of God says it, it was a miracle.
Sorry, got off track for a second. The point is this: These were true Christians as well, and they knew better. When you are a Christian, a true Christian, and you refuse to “judge yourself correctly”, and act as you should as a result, God, our daddy steps in like any good daddy should, and gives us our consequences. The consequences for a Christian, a true child, are found in verse 30. “For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.” Now the weakness and sickness part most of us can understand. It ties in well with the laying on of hands, anointing of oil, if they have committed sins they will be forgiven them … passages. But the many “sleep” part confuses some people. This is physical death … sinning to the point where Daddy takes you home for being an embarrassment and a detriment to the entire family. Those in this position, we are COMMANDED BY GOD, NOT to pray for. If we judge ourselves rightly, God, Daddy, doesn’t have to step in. If we don’t, He does step in. If it’s a real problem, or we refuse to listen, Daddy takes us home. No, we aren’t sent to hell. Verse 32 tells us why: when we are judged, by God, because we refused to judge ourselves correctly, we are disciplined in the form of weakness, sickness, or, if it’s a real problem, physical death. Keep in mind that everyone dies. Everyone gets sick. This is actually a judgment from God on His kids.
I bet the last part of that Hebrews passage probably makes more sense now too:
12 Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
Don’t get put out of joint … taken home by Daddy. I ticked my earthly daddy off enough that he stopped everything and took me home … once. Whooo boy. Never did that again.
But what about Hebrews 6.
Heb 6:4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. 7 For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.
First, a lot of people get bent out of shape about the meaning of the words. Don’t. These are true Christians. There’s no getting around it. “Jesus tasted death for all.” Did He not die? Sure He did. Look up all of the places where the same word/root word is used throughout the scriptures. Tasted. Yep Christians. Do the same with the word for being made “partakers” yep. All the uses signify true Christians.
Another point. ONCE YOU DO THIS, have all the knowledge of the truth of God, know it, understand it, believe it, become a Christian, get the Spirit … and then turn from it back to what you had before, there is no way you are going to come back around to the truth. God says so. The ground, your life, that should have been bearing fruit for God and for the kingdom of heaven, will now only produce thorns, thistles, hay, and stubble … worthless things. So what’s the outcome?
You end up being cursed and you burn for all eternity in hell, right? No. That’s not what it says. Look again:
8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.
First notice the word “Close”. What does it mean? Do a word study and find every place where the word is used. You will find that it means …. Drum roll please … “Close”. So here we are, “Close” to getting the meaning of the passage with all the meaning of all of the words explained. “Close”. I was “Close” to getting in a bunch of accidents in my life. I was very close to getting killed a couple of times. I was close to getting a piano worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for $5000 once. Close. I did get in a number of accidents in my life. Some I was “Close” to avoiding … but I didn’t avoid them. CRUNCH!!!
Same here.
Remember what the scriptures said about true Christians who refuse to judge themselves? Well, later on in Hebrews, these people will be discussed again later on in Hebrews.
In the meantime, how “Close” to cursed can you get? Are you then “cursed”? If you are cursed, i.e. headed for hell, and spending an eternity in hell, how are you “close”? If only the word wasn’t in here. Then I could go with the lose your salvation crowd. It is though. These people are not burning in hell. But then, what is burned up then? Is it the field, or the person, or is it everything they built on that life, everything that grows on that life, the thorns and thistles. What ends up being burned?
Do you need some help? Well, many believe Hebrews was written by Paul or one of his close contemporaries. Let’s look at a similar passage about what we build on the foundation of Christ, and what we allow to “grow” on our field? Here’s another long passage. Guess what, back in 1 Corinthians again.
1Co 3:6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
Do you see the correlations? What are the things being built on the field, on the foundation, what happens to all of them? They are all tested by what? What is burnt up? The person? The field? Or is it what is on that foundation, what grows on that field? Those people in Hebrews, are they cursed … or close?
Hopefully this clears up a lot of things.
C
17 These are fountains without water, and mists driven by a violent storm, and for them the blackness of darkness has been reserved. 18 For they utter swelling expressions of no profit, and by the desires of the flesh and by loose habits they entice those who are just escaping from people who conduct themselves in error. 19 While they are promising them freedom, they themselves are existing as slaves of corruption. For whoever is overcome by another is enslaved by this one. 20 Certainly if, after having escaped from the defilements of the world by an accurate knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they get involved again with these very things and are overcome, the final conditions have become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have accurately known the path of righteousness than after knowing it accurately to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 The saying of the true proverb has happened to them: “The dog has returned to its own vomit, and the sow that was bathed to rolling in the mire.”(2Peter 2:17-22)
God is not to be mocked! If you snooze you lose! We must keep awake! We must fight the fine fight! Keep awake with supplication!!
God is not to be mocked! If you snooze you lose! We must keep awake! We must fight the fine fight! Keep awake with supplication!!
To use your heretical philosophy and card when it comes to the thief on the cross...Your O.T. examples have no bearing on New Testament salvation and apply to judgment and or life found under the Old Covenant which was applied unto adherence to the law. Your point in James is moot and has nothing at all to do with loosing salvation.....again the poster boy of spiritual ignorance comes out.....and you prove your blindness to truth!
Dude....the bolded above is heretical.....
Peter, cast out demons, healed the sick, raised the dead, preformed miracles and even the demons were subject to them in the name of Jesus and was all accomplished by the HOLY SPIRIT dwelling in him......Peter was a saved child of God and had the Holy Spirit dwelling in him from the moment of faith......that has got to be one of the most foolish statements I have seen in a long time.......!
Peter, cast out demons, healed the sick, raised the dead, preformed miracles and even the demons were subject to them in the name of Jesus and was all accomplished by the HOLY SPIRIT dwelling in him......Peter was a saved child of God and had the Holy Spirit dwelling in him from the moment of faith......that has got to be one of the most foolish statements I have seen in a long time.......!
P
Eph 1:4-6
...just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love
He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
God's loved you for a long time, right?
...just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love
He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
God's loved you for a long time, right?
rev ch2
[SUP]4[/SUP] Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
[SUP]5[/SUP] Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
[SUP]4[/SUP] Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
[SUP]5[/SUP] Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Peter wasn't talking to Job, there are far to many verses for anyone to refute the ability for a saved person to be able to become lost, God will not let satan take someone like He did not let him take Job, but God did not keep Job from leaving God.
Another warning from Peter to the saints.
2 Peter 2:21 (NKJV) For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
Another warning from Peter to the saints.
2 Peter 2:21 (NKJV) For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
This comment posted goes to the heart of the matter that once a person reduces faith to simply belief rather than truth then reason and prudence are replaced by fanaticism and imagination
The believer imagines they can be born again since it is written in, Mark 9:23, “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” so they have missed the principle of the passage to begin with.
However, I recall hearing the account of how the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and blew into the nostrils of the man the breathe of life and man became a living soul and I couldn’t help but wonder how many times he said “poof” before he got out his magic wand and waved it around in the waters of heaven before placing the light in the dust.
In Genesis 2, those who represent that the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground, which in Genesis 1:10 it is written that God called the dry land Earth, that the LORD God put the breath of life into the nostrils of man whom he had formed and man became a living soul.
Thus, how would the lie of evolution be any worse that the false doctrine that man is formed by dust [solid] and breathe [gas] since it is written that Jesus taught in John 3:5 "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Of course, it doesn't have anything to do the worldly things of reality but rather it is about the spirituality of imagination.
So as Jesus was teaching the principle of being born again, it is written in John 3:12,” If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?” So exactly what did Jesus created in Genesis 1:1? the heaven and the earth?
It appears the member who posted this comment has a couple of nice points that complement each other nicely.
“A fact is a fact.” If a person is already born, then” you can’t change what has been and done already.”
So why can't one ask what is the point of being reborn? Since it is written in James 2:26, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." So if one is not born of the Spirit initially, then could not be spirit, and if you do not have a spirit until you are reborn, then one might consider 1 Tim 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
So if by faith one is justified, those who believe they can be unborn would be justified, but not sanctified- by faith
The believer imagines they can be born again since it is written in, Mark 9:23, “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” so they have missed the principle of the passage to begin with.
However, I recall hearing the account of how the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and blew into the nostrils of the man the breathe of life and man became a living soul and I couldn’t help but wonder how many times he said “poof” before he got out his magic wand and waved it around in the waters of heaven before placing the light in the dust.
In Genesis 2, those who represent that the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground, which in Genesis 1:10 it is written that God called the dry land Earth, that the LORD God put the breath of life into the nostrils of man whom he had formed and man became a living soul.
Thus, how would the lie of evolution be any worse that the false doctrine that man is formed by dust [solid] and breathe [gas] since it is written that Jesus taught in John 3:5 "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Of course, it doesn't have anything to do the worldly things of reality but rather it is about the spirituality of imagination.
So as Jesus was teaching the principle of being born again, it is written in John 3:12,” If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?” So exactly what did Jesus created in Genesis 1:1? the heaven and the earth?
It appears the member who posted this comment has a couple of nice points that complement each other nicely.
“A fact is a fact.” If a person is already born, then” you can’t change what has been and done already.”
So why can't one ask what is the point of being reborn? Since it is written in James 2:26, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." So if one is not born of the Spirit initially, then could not be spirit, and if you do not have a spirit until you are reborn, then one might consider 1 Tim 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
So if by faith one is justified, those who believe they can be unborn would be justified, but not sanctified- by faith
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To say they were never born again in the first place is you placing your opinion on the subject, "fact is" the bible is packed full of these kinds of warnings :
2 Peter 2:21 (NKJV) For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
this would all be a waist of space if one could not lose their salvation...
2 Peter 2:21 (NKJV) For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
this would all be a waist of space if one could not lose their salvation...