The issue, Blain, is ONCE SAVED, SAVED! That is the rocket science idea that when a man is saved, he is saved. It is the idea that Thou shalt all His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins -- the Savior is a Savior, not a mere chance giver.
That is no reason at all. You don't know the heart of men. Of course persons who call themselves Christians may eventually deny the facts they said they believed. Church members may leave. But your "seen" means nothing; because you don't know who really trusts Christ as Savior. Moreover, since you don't believe He is your Savior, you are spiritually blind.
1 John 2 speaks of apostasy -- men do join churches, associate with believers, get dunked, believe that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 2 explains that leaving proves they were never part of the Body of Christ, the us who trust Him with our destiny.
1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.
True believers continue; they do not depart.
Unbelievers on this forum over & over seem to want to start threads blazoning the lie that to believe that the Savior Saves is demonic. Have you been complaining at them? This is not a matter of mere "doctrinal disagreement." We are speaking of the plan of salvation, the definition of Christ as Savior, not the colors of the beast's toenails. This isn't a matter of debate on church government, sprinkling vs immersion, whether or not the millennium is literal, pre-trib, mid-trib or post-toasties. Even if you believed the error of annihilationism & soul-sleep, that would not prevent Christian fellowship. But this is the very gospel & the Savior. Galatians puts the anathema on denying the gospel.
If any reading this had dismissed the SAvior Who paid for your sins at such great cost on the cross, and has dismissed Him as Savior, making Him a mere chance-giver, you are urged to repent and depend on the only One Who can Save you.
THOU SHALT CALL HIS NAME JESUS, FOR
HE SHALL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS.
Demonic to deny that.
I marvel that ye are so quickly removing from him that called you in the grace of Christ unto a different gospel; 7 which is not another gospel: only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema. 9 As we have said before, so say I now again, If any man preacheth unto you any gospel other than that which ye received, let him be anathema.
