I was responding to the original headline that caused me to think of Matthew 10:23 as has been stated many times on this thread.
My post #6 was a statement of what I believe to be true based on this scripture. My apologies if you think that observation is "arrogant" and "self-righteous."
I will take your words under advisement. 'Pod.
In Matthew 10:33 Christ is not talking about denying that you are a Christian when anti-Christian gunmen are pointing guns at your head. The word "deny" in that verse is properly rendered as disavow or reject. Denying you are a Christian when someone has a gun at your head is not a rejection of Christ. Denying Christ in the way spoken of in Matthew 10:33 must be something you do on your own accord, not under extreme duress at the threat of death. Denial in Matthew 10:33 is an expression of the heart, not the mouth.
Now how should this man be judged? If he was expressing his heart when he denied being a Christian, then perhaps you are right about him losing his eternal life. But if his heart was not in it, then it was nothing more than a lie. And if lies keep us out of heaven, then none of us will be there.