>>> What is Jesus’ promise to Peter?
Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Clearly, in contrast to my previous statements, “falling away” IS a reference to apostacy... but apostacy by who?
Apostasia also means rebellion, and may be referring to the ungodly... not necessarily the Christians.
The NLT translates this way:
“Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness* is revealed”
THIS I can fit with the context of scripture, and I do not find it in conflict with Matt 16:18.
It also means that 2Thes 2:3 is NOT a reference to the rapture. I can concede this point if you can concede that the apostacy is not necessarily a reference to born again christians.
Apostasy is never about regenerated believer-disciples who persistently commit theirselves and their lives to The Christ Who saved them with His Blood and Righteousness. Neither does it refer to the souls who never took up the offer by The God of salvation by His grace. Apostasy is the act of unregenerated "believers" voluntarily participating in the affairs and activity, often having moments of great enthusiasm, but who in the end cannot sustain and persist in their own perseverance and determined will of the flesh.
An example of this is the 20th Century Charles Templeton, who started in the work of evangelism as a young man; but the more seminary he took, the more he fell away. Look him up.
The passage in Hebrews describes such people:
"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame" (Heb. 6:4-6 AV)
What this says, very somberly, if one gets involved enthusiastically through being enamored, but walks away, never was "saved" to begin with; and perhaps can never go back. Christianity is not something to dabble in.
Ah, what did Jesus mean "this rock" when he was talking with Simon BarJonah? Tell me about this, eh?