Can John MacArthur - Calvinist - differentiate b/w the never saved & the out of fellowship w/Christ?

11/4/2013 | Laissez-Faire Capitalist

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

Can John F. MacArthur - or any other Calvinist - please differentiate between (or what constitutes the difference between) those who were truly never saved, and those who are saved, but are now living "out of fellowship" with Christ?

I have read in the MacArthur Bible where he seems to boil it down to... by their fruits shall ye know them.

But how much bad fruit or lack of good fruit does one have to show to give evidence that they were never saved, or that they are still saved, but have merely fallen out of fellowship with Christ?

Example: A young man goes down to the altar, several hear him accept Christ into his life. A few years later he goes off to Bible college and graduates, accepts a youth pastor position, and then a few years later falls into sin, deep sin, whatever.

Half the church where he was the youth pastor says that he was never saved to begin with, and that he somehow duped them. The other half says that he is still saved, but has fallen into - yes - deep sin, but nonetheless is just "fallen out of fellowship" with Christ.

Which half of the church can prove with absolute accuracy that they are the half that is correct?

are there some cases where Jesus said "let them [the tares and the wheat" grow up together and at ther end of the age the Lord will reveal who was and wasn't saved.

Problem is, could this all apply to your/any pastor - even to John F. MacArthur himself?

[Cronos]

Correct. And God helps us with the strength to carry on

[Cronos]

.if you believe that good works alone will deliver you.

Nobody believes that Pelagian position-- not even Pelagius himself.

[Cronos]

You may not get an answer to that

[verga]