Originally Posted by Angela53510
"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5.
Simple logic. There is a counting between the sheep and the goats. The sheep have the shepherds heart, the goats do not. The fruit of both will be shown through their lives, either entering into the kingdom or just pretending.
The seed and the sower. Some seed was smothered by the worries of this world and died.
Either you survive and stay in the kingdom or you do not. Those who did not accept the mark of the beast or worship his image, they will be saved.
If we are faithful to God, He will be faithful to us. If we deny Jesus before man, Jesus will deny us before God.
People read in what they want to hear. It is sad so many aspire to the gospel but fall away or never make it. But this is the reality, many are called few are chosen.
Where do you want to be on this scale? Jesus is faithful always, we are not, so guess who has the problem.
So you completely ignored my Scripture?
I thought you might come up with something imaginative to counter it, but some parables? And some weak and unreferenced verses about denying Christ?
Who in this forum is denying Christ? I don't see anyone, even if I disagree with them on the issue of soteriology, denying Christ. Well, except for the occasional troll, but I don't count them.
What a works based gospel! And judging everyone as to whether they are a Christian, too.
I think parables are great, but maybe next time, quote the references, so I don't have to look them all up.
"For many are called, but few are chosen." Matt 22:14
The PARABLE of the wedding feast. The man who was cast into darkness had NO wedding garment. In other words, he was never saved!
You keep railing about people who walk away from Christ, never make it, "aspire to the gospel" (whatever that means!) but you have no examples except some parables in Matthew, before Jesus was crucified and resurrected. And before the Holy Spirit came to indwell believers.
I am not a Calvinist, I am a Baptist. I believe in eternal security, because salvation makes no sense if we can earn it by our outward behaviour. Jesus talked to Nicodemus about being "born of the Spirit." That is the new birth! It is when we become new creatures in Christ.
"Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” [SUP]4 [/SUP]Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” [SUP]5 [/SUP]Jesus answered,“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. [SUP]6 [/SUP]That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. [SUP]7 [/SUP]Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’[SUP]8 [/SUP]The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:3-8
So from your viewpoint, a person who is "born again" can then die? In his Spirit? Does this mean the person kills themselves or their spirit, and the new creation God has began, or does the Spirit kill them? Does the Spirit stand around waiting to squash those he has given new life to? Did the Spirit suddenly unreconcile us to God? Where does it say in the Bible that someone can lose their salvation if they sin, or walk away from God? Lots of unresolved soteriological issues in this untenable position that these "imaginary" people are losing their salvation.
"From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. [SUP]17 [/SUP]Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. [SUP]18 [/SUP]All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; [SUP]19 [/SUP]that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself,not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation." 2 Cor. 5:16-19
I want to sincerely ask you, Peter, are you born again by the Spirit? I am not judging, I just want to reference your POV. If you are born again (I am not saying you are not!) then do you think you can become unborn again, should you walk away from God? And if you are truly born again, why would you walk away from God?
If you are a new creature in Christ, do you suddenly go back to being just a fleshly creature, should you decide to walk away from God? But again, why would someone genuinely born of the Spirit walk away from God?
Very confusing doctrine you keep on trying to present. I am just glad to know I am secure in God and that he will NEVER LEAVE ME OR FORSAKE ME! After 35 years of following Christ, I know that he has never let me go once during that time. I was born again, he made me his child, he did not cast me away, in spite of my failings. And he has led me into a deeper and more mature relationship with him, the more I walk with him.
So sorry for you, and your uncertainty as to whether you can maintain your salvation, as opposed to God being the one who supports, guides and leads us through thick and thin!
