[MHGinTN]

"God has told us that He would forgive seven times seventy times, so IF a man fell away, became atheist, and then later in life, returned and repented, what proof do you have that God would not forgive this man?" Perhaps the confusion revolves around whether the man in question 'lost his salvation' and then God restored it later. The scriptures teach that once a person is born again, if it were possible to lose that new family membership it would be impossible to renew that one because it would require Christ be crucified again. Your hypothetical man could fall away from a close relationship but not lose his family membership, then later in life have the relationship in the family restored without having lost his membership in the family.

[jo kus]

Perhaps the confusion revolves around whether the man in question 'lost his salvation' and then God restored it later.

There seems to be a lot of confusion on WHEN a person is actually saved in the Protestant camp. Is it when a person first receives Jesus into their life or not? If so, why do people later deny that one who fell away were never saved to begin with? Apparently, there is something OTHER than making an altar call...

Regards