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To: MAAG; whitney69

“Church age believers have the Holy Spirit sealed within, it’s impossible for us to commit this sin, consciously or unconsciously.”

That depends on one’s views on “eternal security”. I think Hebrews 6 makes it clear a believer CAN choose to reject God and salvation:

“4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. 7 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.”

That looks like it is written specifically to show believers CAN fall away. Maybe not often, but I knew a guy who sure SEEMED like a Christian who then utterly rejected Jesus.

God alone knows a man’s heart. We don’t even truly know our own. I prefer to trust in eternal security while acting as if it doesn’t exist.


12 posted on 05/15/2021 11:11:04 AM PDT by Mr Rogers
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To: Mr Rogers
I think Hebrews 6 makes it clear a believer CAN choose to reject God and salvation:

It was written to Jews who had converted to Christianity and were under intense pressure to go back under the Law. Everything in the letter has to be read from that perspective.

Those who relied on the daily sacrifice instead of invoking 1 John 1:9 (confessing directly to God) were in effect crucifying the Lord all over again, since He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The daily sacrifice was a foreshadowing of Him, and when He came the shadow gave way to the reality. The old way was no longer sufficient to restore them to fellowship (Hebr. 10:1-18).

14 posted on 05/15/2021 3:23:13 PM PDT by MAAG (Surely the Lord God does nothing Unless He reveals His secret counsel To His servants the prophets.)
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