Posted on 12/04/2022 1:16:23 PM PST by metmom
—> Then why all of the warning verses?
In seminary and following years I’ve taken time to review them. They do not mean what people claim.
As Scripture advocates:
Be convinced in your own heart
Seek truth
Pray for wisdom
Find your rest in Him.
I will close with this.
I’m grateful for His Indescribable Gift
I’m grateful that His Gift never depended on me to earn or keep it.
I’m grateful He is omnipotent and that all He decrees comes to pass.
It could not be otherwise.
If there is any verse you find particularly troubling that you want to discuss, feel welcome to pm me l.
Nice to say, but if you want me to accept any of what you wrote you’ll have to identify scriptural examples by name of your first category that decided to turn from a total commitment to Jesus as Savior and Master, back to Satan and Sin as one’s masters.
I am directing this to you, Els. Your unbelief is oozng out when you claim you can break God's Seal upon the spirit.
Fiathful is He that calleth you for He will also do it; many are called but few are chosen. Of the many called, why are so few chosen?... So few will let Him do it, They think they are always in danger of becoming unbelievers so they do not fully relent and let Him do the Saving to the uttermost.
Let go, Els, let God do what He has Promised to do for you. He wouldn't Promise if He leaves it up to you to maintain it, because He knows how weak/poor of spirit we are.
So what do you propose that the "prize" is, who it is that gives it, where it is given, and how long you get to keep it. Your scenario here and its purpose is very ambiguous. Put some framework into your proposition that ,akes it economical to answer.
You lack spiritual discernment. Paul is writing of ‘crowns’, the things JESUS will reward at the Bema Seat, not the positional reality of being in Christ a new creation.
Sometimes God does give you a mind to think beyond scripture and apply his word................................
His Spirit does live in you? Doesn’t He?
The problem is you want to be right, not learn something.
There is much evidence for those 4 categories. Eyes to see and ears to hear.
Those who believe that God has put His Seal upon their spirit and have the Seal
Those that believe they have done enouygh to warrant the Seal but do not have it
Those that do not have the Seal and do not desire it
Those that have the Seal but do not realize it and are thus never going to get past the breast milk stage
Ask Yourself
What should churches do to discern and encourage those who are Christians in name only to put their faith in Christ wholeheartedly? Why do we tend to avoid dealing in touchy matters like these? And what is the result of our reticence?
1) Is this the responsibility of the churches? What is the role of the Church? Might this not be the responsibility of individuals? I have a bias against institutions, I will admit. The New Covenant is a personal relationship with God, not an institutional relationship. But there is a role for the “church”?
2) You cannot give what you do not have. Many in the “church” do have. God’s word and observation would suggest only a remnant.
3) Jesus says to speak the Truth, and if they don’t want to hear it, move on till you find some ears to hear. Then camp. Again, it is individuals, not institutions. Also back to point #2
4) What can individuals do? I call it the Ministry of Dumb Questions. Ask people what they heard in the sermon that morning, or what they learned in small group. Keep asking. Ask people what they read in their Bible this past week. Keep asking, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, ASK YOURSELF.
5) Why do we avoid? The world has taught us not to offend people. God’s Word is offensive. Chose who you will offend, God or man?
God is a mystery, but the path of a growing relationship should be exciting.
The only way now to ensure your kingdom citizenship is to repent, trust in Jesus Christ, and pursue the sanctification that new life in Him brings (cf. Mark 1:15).
Maybe a better way would be:
The evidence of the assurance of kingdom citizenship is to repent, trust in Jesus Christ, and pursue the sanctification that new life in Him brings (cf. Mark 1:15).
Are we responding in such a manner?
I would not argue with that.
Now, Jesus came to divide. What is our role in those 4 groups? Group by group. Sincere Question.
The first, justified, is the tense of a past moment when one believes God's Promise and the One He sent for their salvation from the inevitable fate of their sin-laden soul. God does the work that separates the soul and spirit (Heb 4:12) and then GOD via His Holy spirit abides therein the newborn spirit forever (1 John 3:9).
The second tense is the present tense of sanctification, as GOD changes the behavior mechanism soul to the extent the believer allows Him to identify and change in the behaviors. The changes are that of relatiionship not change of position, since the first tense has God's unbreakable Seal upon the newborn spirit of the believer.
The third is the glorified stage or tense, the future point when GOD removes ALL believers from the very presence of sin, the Man of Sin, the antiChrist, called euphemistically the Rapture.
In teaching on these three tenses of salvation, the extensive repetitions with different perspectives can effect the heart, convicting where needed, to bring confession unto salvation, or convicting to change behaviors by letting go and letting God do it. The third tense is strictly in GOD's purview. No man knows the day or hour of the instantaneous disappearance and subsequent departure into the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and see Him as He is now in His glorified body for we shall be like Him then, transformed in the twinkling of an eye (1 John 3:2 and 1 Cor 15;51-58).
So give an example that you were asked to provide. Only one. For your category #1, if you please.
HMMMmmm...
Darned good idea!
Which one?
...and still used by Bible scholars.
Which scholars?
I can only claim that you are going to need more straw.
Really?
Seems like a conclusion has been drawn where there is very little evidence being presented.
It must be my poor parsing ability at work.
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