The problem of the statement of “never saved to begin with”

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HeIsHere

Well-known member
May 21, 2022
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Yes.
Jesus said so first. :)

It is an open forum and I believe we all may respond to any post. If I am mistaken please let me know.
Amen, not heresy.

Only to those, who seek to deny the sufficiency of the work of the Saviour.

CC seems to have swung quiet a bit towards the doctrine of "saving myself" it was not always this way.
I feel like a slow slide into the dark ages is coming.

Kinda sad.
 

Kroogz

Well-known member
Dec 5, 2023
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What is a dead faith?
Honestly? A faith that has DEATH in it.

Faith in Christ has no DEATH. No CONDEMNATION.

A dead faith WILL eventually have death and condemnation.

When the object of our faith becomes something other than Christ.......We have a DEAD faith.

Revelation 1:18
And the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

Hebrews 2:14
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

John 5:24
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
 
Apr 24, 2025
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Amen, not heresy.

Only to those, who seek to deny the sufficiency of the work of the Saviour.

CC seems to have swung quiet a bit towards the doctrine of "saving myself" it was not always this way.
I feel like a slow slide into the dark ages is coming.

Kinda sad.
I can't imagine thinking to promote,corrupt,scripture so to have it defend the idea we can save ourselves.

That's not what Jesus said.

That's more in keeping with the serpent and his history in Eden.

Did God really say you'd die?

Did Jesus really say you can't choose to save yourself?

Yes,that's sad.
 
Oct 19, 2024
4,781
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USA-TX
Amen, not heresy.

Only to those, who seek to deny the sufficiency of the work of the Saviour.

CC seems to have swung quiet a bit towards the doctrine of "saving myself" it was not always this way.
I feel like a slow slide into the dark ages is coming.

Kinda sad.
When I joined in October it seemed like I encountered several Judaizers and Sabbatarians,
but is it my imagination or are they gone from CC?
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
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Is the Apostle Peter damned to Hell?
Good question because Paul accuses Peter of being condemned.

Galatians 2:11
But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.

Is Peter damned in Galatians 2?

Back to the previous quotation.

Romans 8:12-14
So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh
for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die
; but if by the Spirit you are putting
to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God,
these are sons of God.

If your a Christian and not being led by the Holy Spirit is that Christian condemned?

Is that what Paul is saying?
 
Apr 24, 2025
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Good question because Paul accuses Peter of being condemned.

Galatians 2:11
But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.

Is Peter damned in Galatians 2?

Back to the previous quotation.

Romans 8:12-14
So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh
for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die
; but if by the Spirit you are putting
to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God,
these are sons of God.

If your a Christian and not being led by the Holy Spirit is that Christian condemned?

Is that what Paul is saying?
Hard to tell.
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
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It really goes back to what is meant by "dead" when James used it, was he meaning the opposite of genuine?

That is the prevailing position but a full in depth read of the letter does not support that view.
I think James is saying what Paul is saying.

Be led by the Holy Spirit and by the deeds of the flesh.
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
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It seems straight forward to me.

Romans 8:12-14
So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh
for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die
; but if by the Spirit you are putting
to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God,
these are sons of God.

Who are the sons of God and why?

Here is another verse from Galatians that repeats what Paul said in Romans 8:12-14.

Galatians 5:4-5
You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have
fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.

See if you can read and see the same point Paul is making in both quotations?
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
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Honestly? A faith that has DEATH in it.

Faith in Christ has no DEATH. No CONDEMNATION.

A dead faith WILL eventually have death and condemnation.

When the object of our faith becomes something other than Christ.......We have a DEAD faith.

Revelation 1:18
And the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

Hebrews 2:14
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

John 5:24
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
Your post is a partial understanding of the text.

Let's ask AI to answer this question; living as Christian in the flesh leads to damnation?

Question asked.

Using the N.T. only. Does a Christian need to be led by the Holy Spirit to be saved?
Given Romans 12:8-14 and Galatians 5:4-5 as some examples but there are others?

Here is the answer Chat GPT gave.

ChatGPT said:
Yes, according to the New Testament, a Christian must be led by the Holy Spirit to be truly saved. This is not merely an optional or secondary part of Christian life—being led by the Spirit is foundational to both the identity and the experience of salvation in Christ. Let's examine this more closely with Scripture.
1. Romans 8:14 — The Key Statement
"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God."
(Romans 8:14, ESV)
This verse directly states that the people who are led by the Holy Spirit are those who truly belong to God as His children. The inverse implication is sobering: if one is not led by the Spirit, one is not a child of God. This aligns salvation and sonship with the Spirit’s leading.
2. Romans 8:9 — The Spirit as the Mark of Belonging to Christ
"Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him."
This again stresses that possession of and participation with the Holy Spirit is essential. It's not merely a theological idea—Paul is declaring that without the Spirit, one is not Christ’s. No Spirit = no salvation.
3. Galatians 5:4–5 — Falling from Grace by Rejecting the Spirit
"You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness."
This passage contrasts two opposing paths:
  • Seeking justification through law (which severs one from Christ),
  • Waiting in faith, through the Spirit, for righteousness.
This implies that salvation is not a matter of merely believing the right things intellectually or behaving ethically—it is a life of waiting in the Spirit by faith. Without this posture, one has “fallen away from grace.”
4. Galatians 5:16–18 — The Spirit vs. the Flesh
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ... But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
The Christian life is one of being led—not just forgiven once, but actively, continually led. The Spirit enables us to overcome the flesh and live freely under grace. This is not an optional upgrade; it's the engine of salvation.
5. John 3:5–6 — Born of the Spirit
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."
Jesus affirms that entrance into the kingdom (i.e., salvation) is impossible apart from the new birth by the Spirit.
Romans 12:8–14 — Evidence of a Spirit-Led Life
While Romans 12 doesn’t directly state the need to be led by the Spirit, the behaviors described there—like showing genuine love, blessing persecutors, and living in harmony—are fruits of a Spirit-filled life. Such love is the fruit (Gal. 5:22) that confirms the Spirit's presence.
Conclusion
In summary:
  • Yes, a Christian must be led by the Holy Spirit to be saved.
  • Salvation is not just a moment of belief but a Spirit-born, Spirit-sustained life of faith and love.
  • Those not led by the Spirit are not sons of God (Rom. 8:14).
  • Being “in Christ” is inseparable from having and being led by the Spirit (Rom. 8:9).
 
Apr 24, 2025
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When I joined in October it seemed like I encountered several Judaizers and Sabbatarians,
but is it my imagination or are they gone from CC?
I don't know what constitutes the charge of Judaizer.

As for Sabbatarianism, I see nothing at all wrong with observing the Sabbath God made for us.
Especially when there cannot be the argument it was made only for the Jews. There was no such thing when God gave us his Sabbath gift. And before he reminded Moses to remind people of it.

We are all one in Christ. Therefore, I don't believe we can divide ourselves in such a way. Especially when Jesus reminded us of his moral and religious commands.

Jesus was suppose to set us free and unite people through his sacred and holy spirit.

It is a travesty in his sight as far as I'm concerned when we today divide ourselves over doctrine we presume to state is absolute. And then condemn those among us who are not in accord.

Something I can't miss here? How aggressive some are in trying to defend their opinions to others. That's new to me.
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
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I don't know what constitutes the charge of Judaizer.

As for Sabbatarianism, I see nothing at all wrong with observing the Sabbath God made for us.
Especially when there cannot be the argument it was made only for the Jews. There was no such thing when God gave us his Sabbath gift. And before he reminded Moses to remind people of it.

We are all one in Christ. Therefore, I don't believe we can divide ourselves in such a way. Especially when Jesus reminded us of his moral and religious commands.

Jesus was suppose to set us free and unite people through his sacred and holy spirit.

It is a travesty in his sight as far as I'm concerned when we today divide ourselves over doctrine we presume to state is absolute. And then condemn those among us who are not in accord.

Something I can't miss here? How aggressive some are in trying to defend their opinions to others. That's new to me.
Read Acts 15 and Galatians 5 carefully.

Any attempt to obey the law is simply a work of the flesh.

A person who is led by the Spirit cannot follow the works of the flesh.

A person trying to obey the law of Moses is thinking that they are attaining righteousness
through the law. When Paul stated very strongly in Romans that the law only grants an
awareness of sin and the resulting condemnation.

You must be led by the Holy Spirit.

Whereas in the law the person shouts "I will obey". No one can achieve righteousness through the law.
As perfect, divine righteousness, is a gift given to us who believe.

Do you deny that one must be led by the Holy Spirit?

Will anyone else deny the point that only those led by the Holy Spirit are the sons of God?
 
Apr 24, 2025
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Read Acts 15 and Galatians 5 carefully.

Any attempt to obey the law is simply a work of the flesh.

A person who is led by the Spirit cannot follow the works of the flesh.

A person trying to obey the law of Moses is thinking that they are attaining righteousness
through the law. When Paul stated very strongly in Romans that the law only grants an
awareness of sin and the resulting condemnation.

You must be led by the Holy Spirit.

Whereas in the law the person shouts "I will obey". No one can achieve righteousness through the law.
As perfect, divine righteousness, is a gift given to us who believe.

Do you deny that one must be led by the Holy Spirit?

Will anyone else deny the point that only those led by the Holy Spirit are the sons of God?
Fortunately, I do not have to answer to you.

I realize you take your name seriously. However, the inquisitions in our faith history and the inquisitors were a bloody insult and travesty that marred the actual teachings of Jesus. And our history as a people forever.

Maybe learn to be more gentle in your attempt at communications here.
Thanks. And God Bless.
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
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Fortunately, I do not have to answer to you.

I realize you take your name seriously. However, the inquisitions in our faith history and the inquisitors were a bloody insult and travesty that marred the actual teachings of Jesus. And our history as a people forever.

Maybe learn to be more gentle in your attempt at communications here.
Thanks. And God Bless.
You cannot escape the grasp of an inquisitor that easily.

Here is the question I asked AI.

Why is sabbath obedience, i.e., the ten commandments, so wrong when one understands the N.T.
correction of Judaizing. For example, Acts 15, Galatians, Romans, why is legalism so dangerous
for a Gentile Christian?


ChatGPT said:
That's an important and deeply theological question. The danger of legalism—particularly the kind associated with Judaizing, or requiring Gentile believers to follow the Mosaic Law (such as Sabbath observance, circumcision, dietary laws)—is addressed extensively in the New Testament, especially in Acts 15, Galatians, and Romans, because it undermines the sufficiency of Christ and the nature of grace.
Why is Sabbath obedience (as legal requirement) wrong for Gentile Christians?
1. The Jerusalem Council settled the issue (Acts 15)
The early church, guided by the Holy Spirit, concluded that Gentile believers are not under the Mosaic Law. They were not required to be circumcised or to keep the Sabbath as Jews did. The apostles affirmed that salvation is by grace through faith, not law-keeping.
“We believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” – Acts 15:11
They only gave minimal requirements (Acts 15:28–29) for the sake of unity and love, not as a path to righteousness.
2. Paul’s rebuke of legalism in Galatians
Paul calls out the Galatians for turning back to observing "days and months and seasons and years" (Gal. 4:10), which is likely a reference to Jewish calendar observance including Sabbath. He sees this as a regression to spiritual slavery:
“You observe days... I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.” – Galatians 4:10–11
He even says those who rely on the law are under a curse (Gal. 3:10), because no one can fulfill it perfectly—only Christ has done that.
3. The Law was a guardian until Christ came (Galatians 3:24)
The Mosaic Law—including Sabbath laws—was temporary and fulfilled in Christ. It served to prepare people for Jesus, who brings the new covenant where love, not law, is the mark of maturity.
“But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.” – Galatians 3:25
4. Romans: Justification is by faith, not law
In Romans, Paul labors to show that both Jews and Gentiles are justified not by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. The law reveals sin but cannot save (Rom. 3:20). Trying to obey the law as a means of being right with God is futile and prideful.
“Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” – Romans 10:4
Why is legalism spiritually dangerous?
  1. It replaces Christ with self-effort – Legalism turns the gospel upside down by making us think our performance earns God’s favor.
  2. It leads to pride or despair – Either you feel superior because you "keep the law," or you're crushed by your failure to do so.
  3. It divides the church – Judaizers in the early church wanted two classes of Christians—those who kept the law and those who didn’t.
  4. It denies the Spirit – Life in Christ is not about external regulations but about walking by the Spirit and producing love (Gal. 5:22–23).
Sabbath in the New Covenant
In Colossians 2:16–17, Paul explicitly says not to let anyone judge you regarding Sabbath days:
“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you... with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.”​
Sabbath was a shadow. Jesus is the true rest (Hebrews 4:9–10). We now rest in Him daily, not by following a day, but by abiding in His finished work.
Summary:
Legalism is dangerous for Gentile Christians because it rejects the grace of God, minimizes the sufficiency of the cross, and brings people back under bondage to a system that Christ fulfilled. The gospel is not law + Jesus; it is Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone, resulting in love.
 
Apr 24, 2025
85
33
18
You cannot escape the grasp of an inquisitor that easily.

Here is the question I asked AI.

Why is sabbath obedience, i.e., the ten commandments, so wrong when one understands the N.T.
correction of Judaizing. For example, Acts 15, Galatians, Romans, why is legalism so dangerous
for a Gentile Christian?


ChatGPT said:
That's an important and deeply theological question. The danger of legalism—particularly the kind associated with Judaizing, or requiring Gentile believers to follow the Mosaic Law (such as Sabbath observance, circumcision, dietary laws)—is addressed extensively in the New Testament, especially in Acts 15, Galatians, and Romans, because it undermines the sufficiency of Christ and the nature of grace.
Why is Sabbath obedience (as legal requirement) wrong for Gentile Christians?
1. The Jerusalem Council settled the issue (Acts 15)
The early church, guided by the Holy Spirit, concluded that Gentile believers are not under the Mosaic Law. They were not required to be circumcised or to keep the Sabbath as Jews did. The apostles affirmed that salvation is by grace through faith, not law-keeping.
“We believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” – Acts 15:11
They only gave minimal requirements (Acts 15:28–29) for the sake of unity and love, not as a path to righteousness.
2. Paul’s rebuke of legalism in Galatians
Paul calls out the Galatians for turning back to observing "days and months and seasons and years" (Gal. 4:10), which is likely a reference to Jewish calendar observance including Sabbath. He sees this as a regression to spiritual slavery:
“You observe days... I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.” – Galatians 4:10–11
He even says those who rely on the law are under a curse (Gal. 3:10), because no one can fulfill it perfectly—only Christ has done that.
3. The Law was a guardian until Christ came (Galatians 3:24)
The Mosaic Law—including Sabbath laws—was temporary and fulfilled in Christ. It served to prepare people for Jesus, who brings the new covenant where love, not law, is the mark of maturity.
“But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.” – Galatians 3:25
4. Romans: Justification is by faith, not law
In Romans, Paul labors to show that both Jews and Gentiles are justified not by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. The law reveals sin but cannot save (Rom. 3:20). Trying to obey the law as a means of being right with God is futile and prideful.
“Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” – Romans 10:4
Why is legalism spiritually dangerous?
  1. It replaces Christ with self-effort – Legalism turns the gospel upside down by making us think our performance earns God’s favor.
  2. It leads to pride or despair – Either you feel superior because you "keep the law," or you're crushed by your failure to do so.
  3. It divides the church – Judaizers in the early church wanted two classes of Christians—those who kept the law and those who didn’t.
  4. It denies the Spirit – Life in Christ is not about external regulations but about walking by the Spirit and producing love (Gal. 5:22–23).
Sabbath in the New Covenant
In Colossians 2:16–17, Paul explicitly says not to let anyone judge you regarding Sabbath days:
“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you... with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.”​
Sabbath was a shadow. Jesus is the true rest (Hebrews 4:9–10). We now rest in Him daily, not by following a day, but by abiding in His finished work.
Summary:
Legalism is dangerous for Gentile Christians because it rejects the grace of God, minimizes the sufficiency of the cross, and brings people back under bondage to a system that Christ fulfilled. The gospel is not law + Jesus; it is Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone, resulting in love.
AI?

"Let no one pass judgement..." And yet,it is judged if a Christian avails themselves of Gods Sabbath gift.

Those who are in Christ do not make a habit of sinning.
Those who do habitually sin have never known him.

What are some of the sins we can list?

Stealing,murder,adultery,lying, polytheism, disrespecting our parents, and so forth.


If we are not to let anyone judge us,why do we judge ourselves?
 

PaulThomson

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Oct 29, 2023
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So how do you see the entrance into Christ? God gives the Spirit, Life from death, Salvation by grace through Faith, etc. Who determines when a man believes and Who births him to become a sibling of Jesus Christ?
Jhn 20:20
And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
Jhn 20:21
Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
Jhn 20:22
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
Jhn 20:23
Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Rom 10:9
that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Rom 10:10
For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11
For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”
 

PaulThomson

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Oct 29, 2023
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I think Rom12 and the measure of faith pertains to spiritual gifts and maintaining one's place in the Body with sound thinking and without haughtiness as the measure of grace is dealing with in Eph4. Also see the tie in context re: grace Rom12:6.
Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt (aorist active indicative: gnomic, apportions) to each one a measure of faith.
Λέγω γὰρ διὰ τῆς χάριτος τῆς δοθείσης μοι παντὶ τῷ ὄντι ἐν ὑμῖν μὴ ὑπερφρονεῖν παρ᾽ ὃ δεῖ φρονεῖν ἀλλὰ φρονεῖν εἰς τὸ σωφρονεῖν ἑκάστῳ ὡς ὁ θεὸς ἐμέρισεν μέτρον πίστεως

Rom 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
ἔχοντες δὲ χαρίσματα κατὰ τὴν χάριν τὴν δοθεῖσαν ἡμῖν διάφορα εἴτε προφητείαν κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῆς πίστεως

I would suggest that the expression "as God apportions to each one a measure of faith" (ὡς ὁ θεὸς ἐμέρισεν μέτρον πίστεως) is expressed in different words by "according to the proportion of faith" (κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῆς πίστεως).

And I would also suggest that Paul intends us to add those to all of the elliptical injunctions that follow, starting with v. 7 εἴτε διακονίαν ἐν τῇ διακονίᾳ εἴτε ὁ διδάσκων ἐν τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ
Rom 12:7 if having gifts of ministry differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us minister according to the proportion of faith; he who teaches according to the grace that is given to him, in teaching according to the proportion of faith; etc. etc.

What I see is that we are given a sufficient measure of grace and faith, through Jesus revealing Himself through the word and the Holy Spirit and the church, that we can act upon within ourselves to become children of God and to mature in Christ (Rom. 1-11); and once regenerated, we are given a measure of grace and faith, through the Word and the Church and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, to administer spiritual gifts that edify others. The ministry gift of faith is exercising a faith that is effective to bring about a miracle for someone else, as opposed to a faith that brings about a miracle for oneself.

What I see is that we gain a measure of faith through what Jesus is saying and doing around us, and that measure of faith differs among believers, depending on how convincing we find the evidence given us by Jesus to inspire that faith. Some believe tentatively, and some believe extremely confidently.

Jesus taught that we wrestle with our degree of unbelief counteracting our degree of faith. So we do have a proportion of trust in Jesus vs. unbelief (trust in other things that conflict with our faith in Jesus).

Mat 14:30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
Mat 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Peter had faith in Jesus, but his faith in his fisherman's experience of how buoyancy works waxed as His faith in Jesus ability to keep him afloat waned until his belief in hydraulic displacement overwhelmed his faith in Jesus

Mat 21:21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.
Faith without doubt can produce miracles.

Luk 17:6 So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.
Even a mustard seed of faith, if it is not counteracted with any doubt, or any faith in some conflicting principle, is sufficient to perform miracles. We don't need more faith, but we need less unbelief: less trust in ideas that conflict with God's truth.

This counteraction of faith in Christ with unbelief is also acknowledged in Mark 23-24

Mar 9:23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
Mar 9:24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

In 1 Cor. 10:15 we see that faith can increase, but given that a mustard-seed is sufficient for a miracle, this growth in faith seems more a growth in the proportion of faith vs. doubt, by dievsting ourself of unbiblical beliefs, that an accumulation of some commodity called faith.
2Co 10:15
not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere.

Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
Jas 1:7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
Jas 1:8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Jas 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

The disciples has a mistaken idea that faith was some commodity that could be grown, rather than a faculty that could be hobbled by a counterbalancing proportion of doubt. Jesus told a parable correcting this false notion.

Luk 17:5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
Luk 17:6 So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
Luk 17:7 “And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’?
Luk 17:8 “But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’?
Luk 17:9 “Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.[fn]
Luk 17:10 “So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ ”

Jesus seems to me to be teaching here, that God does not increase our faith like a master could increase his servant's power to do his next task by loading him up with more food.
How does a master increase his servants faith/confidence successfully to perform his future tasks. By giving the servant more tasks to perform. God puts faith in His servants by giving them tasks to do and they need to go and do them, trusting in His having put trust in them. So when the Christian asks to have his faith increased, what he is really asking is for God to give him some more tasks to do. And when He successfully does them trusting Jesus to work with him, His confidence in God grows. And even if He stumbles and messes up the task, God's grace and mercy when he is humble and sorry, also encourages greater faith, when God says,
"I'm not throwing you into the rubbish. Let's try something else I have for you to do. Keep trusting Me and trying and you will get better at this. David messed up. Moses messed up. I am the God of infinite chances."
 

PaulThomson

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2023
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Heresy being defined as teaching that contradicts the Christian creed: Believe in Jesus as Messiah and Lord to be saved.
That's not what hairesis actually means. It means the act of selecting and taking for oneself others, away from their church into a faction that follows you or someone of whom you are a fan. From haireO to choose or take for oneself.

One can be quite orthodox and still be a heretic (biblically), if one seeks to set oneself up as a to-be-preferred teacher, and tries to peel off Christians from some other orthodox group to follow your podcasts or sit under your pulpit by slander or innuendo aginst other pastor/teachers. "I prefer Peter." "I prefer Apollos." I prefer Paul." "I prefer Thieme." These are carnal heretical attitudes, if Paul, Apollos and Peter and Thieme are all preaching and leading others to Christ.