loosing salvation

[Deepblue]

So if WE can be eternally lost after having received everlasting life, then JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF will finally be lost TOO because He dwells within each truly born-again Christian believer!! Then what a lugubrious & plodding NON-eternal "everlasting" relationship it will turn out to have been, yes? Saved today, lost tomorrow, "re-saved", then "re-lost", then...........I love it, Oh, I love it, but will all this play in Peoria?

Just as we deal with our children individually, God deals with His children individually.

We teach our children with the expectation that they will learn, grow, and mature.

As they grow we expect them to take on more responsibility according to their own

level of maturity, and as they take on more responsibility they are given more privileges.

When their responsibilities are not upheld their privileges are suspended, but our love for them is not.

We discipline them appropriately, but we do not disown them and kick them out of the family.

You are absolutely right. God will never kick us out of His family. Maybe you can help me understand something that is missing here. What if the child leaves and never returns, disowning the family and their name, forsaking his birthrights as if there was no family, as in being dead to him? Will the parents then force their will on the one who says they are dead to him?

You see, every example that has been given so far points to those who have not completely turned from Christ. I have not read in any of the posts where anyone has, in their heart, completely believed that there is no God. Even in my backslidden years, I knew God was real, but I just didn't want to obey, but rather, fulfill the desires of my flesh. Yet, there are those who once were His, that have said in their heart that there is no God. People just don't want to believe that this can happen, where I do. The reason is, if it is true, then it can happen to them and they are not willing to accept this possibility.

Why do you think you didn't cross the line of not coming back to God though? Why did God allow you to come back when you were living for the flesh, yet He allows some others to slip away for good? Isn't it God who keeps drawing us back?

[kross]

So if WE can be eternally lost after having received everlasting life, then JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF will finally be lost TOO because He dwells within each truly born-again Christian believer!! Then what a lugubrious & plodding NON-eternal "everlasting" relationship it will turn out to have been, yes? Saved today, lost tomorrow, "re-saved", then "re-lost", then...........I love it, Oh, I love it, but will all this play in Peoria?

Just as we deal with our children individually, God deals with His children individually.

We teach our children with the expectation that they will learn, grow, and mature.

As they grow we expect them to take on more responsibility according to their own

level of maturity, and as they take on more responsibility they are given more privileges.

When their responsibilities are not upheld their privileges are suspended, but our love for them is not.

We discipline them appropriately, but we do not disown them and kick them out of the family.

You are absolutely right. God will never kick us out of His family. Maybe you can help me understand something that is missing here. What if the child leaves and never returns, disowning the family and their name, forsaking his birthrights as if there was no family, as in being dead to him? Will the parents then force their will on the one who says they are dead to him?

You see, every example that has been given so far points to those who have not completely turned from Christ. I have not read in any of the posts where anyone has, in their heart, completely believed that there is no God. Even in my backslidden years, I knew God was real, but I just didn't want to obey, but rather, fulfill the desires of my flesh. Yet, there are those who once were His, that have said in their heart that there is no God. People just don't want to believe that this can happen, where I do. The reason is, if it is true, then it can happen to them and they are not willing to accept this possibility.

Why do you think you didn't cross the line of not coming back to God though? Why did God allow you to come back when you were living for the flesh, yet He allows some others to slip away for good? Isn't it God who keeps drawing us back?

Ah, Deep, there is the rub. Some think GOD just kind woos us and we can just say no and that will be just too bad for us. Others, like me, believe GOD will save those whom HE is going to save. That idea offends some, and so they believe they chose GOD and they can unchoose GOD. It is alway about which came first, THE HOLY SPIRIT or the confession of faith.

[Guest man]

Why do you think you didn't cross the line of not coming back to God though? Why did God allow you to come back when you were living for the flesh, yet He allows some others to slip away for good? Isn't it God who keeps drawing us back?

I believe God will continue to try and get our attention, but it's up to us to take that step back to Him.

I believe there are people living in sin, as I was, but in the back of the mind, God is still there. I believe those are the people He doesn't give up on.

Now there are others who walk away and never look back. God to them, does not exist. Those are the ones He lets slip away.

That's kinda the way I see it.

[WolfBitn]

So if WE can be eternally lost after having received everlasting life, then JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF will finally be lost TOO because He dwells within each truly born-again Christian believer!! Then what a lugubrious & plodding NON-eternal "everlasting" relationship it will turn out to have been, yes? Saved today, lost tomorrow, "re-saved", then "re-lost", then...........I love it, Oh, I love it, but will all this play in Peoria?

Just as we deal with our children individually, God deals with His children individually.

We teach our children with the expectation that they will learn, grow, and mature.

As they grow we expect them to take on more responsibility according to their own

level of maturity, and as they take on more responsibility they are given more privileges.

When their responsibilities are not upheld their privileges are suspended, but our love for them is not.

We discipline them appropriately, but we do not disown them and kick them out of the family.

You are absolutely right. God will never kick us out of His family. Maybe you can help me understand something that is missing here. What if the child leaves and never returns, disowning the family and their name, forsaking his birthrights as if there was no family, as in being dead to him? Will the parents then force their will on the one who says they are dead to him?

You see, every example that has been given so far points to those who have not completely turned from Christ. I have not read in any of the posts where anyone has, in their heart, completely believed that there is no God. Even in my backslidden years, I knew God was real, but I just didn't want to obey, but rather, fulfill the desires of my flesh. Yet, there are those who once were His, that have said in their heart that there is no God. People just don't want to believe that this can happen, where I do. The reason is, if it is true, then it can happen to them and they are not willing to accept this possibility.

Why do you think you didn't cross the line of not coming back to God though? Why did God allow you to come back when you were living for the flesh, yet He allows some others to slip away for good? Isn't it God who keeps drawing us back?

Ah, Deep, there is the rub. Some think GOD just kind woos us and we can just say no and that will be just too bad for us. Others, like me, believe GOD will save those whom HE is going to save. That idea offends some, and so they believe they chose GOD and they can unchoose GOD. It is alway about which came first, THE HOLY SPIRIT or the confession of faith.

Do i take you correctly assuming then you believer we have no free will? Do you also then believe that God intentionally made some people without a chance for heaven, and decided for them before tey were even born that He chose them for hell?h

[OneLight]

You are correct in that I do not believe in free will. I believe the will of man is the weakest of three wills at work in the world. GOD's, Satan's and man's. If a man is left a captive to sin and Satan, he will not turn to GOD. If GOD, on the other hand, intervenes in the life of a captive, than that person will turn from sin and Satan to GOD. If GOD does nothing but nulify Satan's influence, than a man will serve his flesh. Thus we are given the HOLY SPIRIT to guide us so that, while we may devise our way, the LORD directs our steps.

These verses point to a free will where one is instructed to submit. If we had no free will, there would be no need to be told to submit, nor would there be any double-minded people whom they would address. Now, if Satan's will was greater then mans, why would he flee? If Satan's will was greater then mans, why are not all the unsaved possessed by his demons? You give Satan way too much power.

James 4:7-8 (New King James Version)

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Regardless of whether or not one believes in free will, it is certain that if GOD determines that one is to go left when one is intending to go right, GOD is able to give the perfect nudge or alteration in the current condition to cause that person to choose to go left.

Guess Adam and Eve was nudged by God to eat the forbidden fruit? Guess it was Gods nudge that told the Hebrew people to build a golden calf as Moses sought the will of God on Mt Sinai. You words would lead me to think this because by your standards, God determined them to go left when they were going right. Wrong!

GOD's promise in scripture is that all who call on HIM will be saved. That is a promise. It doesn't say that all who call on HIM will be put into a group that, if they are good enough, will be saved. There is more to calling on HIM than just speaking a word or two. "IF you believe in your heart that JESUS is the son of GOD, and confess HIM with your mouth, THAN you will be saved". That "believe in your heart" is a HUGE thing. Until one is "Born again", one cannot believe a spiritual truth, for they are spiritually discerned. JESUS and salvation are spiritual truths. They are not achieved from "Head Knowledge", they are Heart knowledge.

I agree. Those so seek salvation will receive it. That is never been the issue here.

We are given the HOLY SPIRIT to seal us unto the day of redemption. We have recieved the spirit of adoption by which we cry out ABA FATHER. HE will not un-adopt us and HE will not allow those HE has saved, and in whom HE dwells, to be lost. The whole point of "In my weakness HE is made strong" is that when I am too weak to "Keep myself saved", HE is too strong to loose HIS grip. I do not need to keep holding on to HIS hand. HIS hand is holding onto me.

God never forces Himself on anyone. He has given us the ability to freely choose whether or not we will follow Him. I agree. If someone who is saved does not want to turn away, there is nothing that can remove him from God. BUT ... If a person no longer wants to follow God, God will not force Himself on them. This brings us back to the scripture given to you before.

Revelation 3:5

He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Hebrews 6:1-8

Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits.

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

I know that we see these points of doctrine differently. I like these discussions because they bring out both points. I do not think I will ever change the mind of one who has studied and found a point of view that is different than mine. But i do know that my understanding is true, just as you know for certain that your understanding is true.

"Now unto HIM who is able to keep you from falling, and present you blameless before the throne, be allpower and glory and dominion for ever. Amen"

Why? Because it's all about JESUS. And HE IS ABLE to keep you from falling. HE is. Really. Able to keep you from falling. Back to you;

Is HE willing to keep you from falling?

To be completely honest with you, Kross, for the life of me, I will never understand why anyone who has found salvation in Christ would ever turn their back on Christ, but scripture tells us they can and do. If I seek His help, He is able and willing to keep me from falling. This has ever been a part of this debate. I will go to my death defending the fact that those who seek Him, He will never loose. Still, there are "those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come", that fall away. If this was not true, there would be no need to even include this in scripture. The IF if the key word. Those who do, do so with all their heart. Yes, there are those who have done this.

[OneLight]

So if WE can be eternally lost after having received everlasting life, then JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF will finally be lost TOO because He dwells within each truly born-again Christian believer!! Then what a lugubrious & plodding NON-eternal "everlasting" relationship it will turn out to have been, yes? Saved today, lost tomorrow, "re-saved", then "re-lost", then...........I love it, Oh, I love it, but will all this play in Peoria?

Just as we deal with our children individually, God deals with His children individually.

We teach our children with the expectation that they will learn, grow, and mature.

As they grow we expect them to take on more responsibility according to their own

level of maturity, and as they take on more responsibility they are given more privileges.

When their responsibilities are not upheld their privileges are suspended, but our love for them is not.

We discipline them appropriately, but we do not disown them and kick them out of the family.

You are absolutely right. God will never kick us out of His family. Maybe you can help me understand something that is missing here. What if the child leaves and never returns, disowning the family and their name, forsaking his birthrights as if there was no family, as in being dead to him? Will the parents then force their will on the one who says they are dead to him?

You see, every example that has been given so far points to those who have not completely turned from Christ. I have not read in any of the posts where anyone has, in their heart, completely believed that there is no God. Even in my backslidden years, I knew God was real, but I just didn't want to obey, but rather, fulfill the desires of my flesh. Yet, there are those who once were His, that have said in their heart that there is no God. People just don't want to believe that this can happen, where I do. The reason is, if it is true, then it can happen to them and they are not willing to accept this possibility.

Why do you think you didn't cross the line of not coming back to God though? Why did God allow you to come back when you were living for the flesh, yet He allows some others to slip away for good? Isn't it God who keeps drawing us back?

As I said, I never deny that God existed, but only disobeyed. Backsliding is different then denying His existence.

Because I did not deny His existence.

Yes, the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins.

Any other questions?

[nChrist]

Many get confused with portions of the Holy Bible that aren't refering to Salvation, rather to: 1) quality and quantity of Fellowship with God; 2) Exhortations for Christian living; 3) Instructions for Christian testimony before men; 4) Rewards (Crowns) for good works that are over and above Salvation.

A new Christian is saved forever - right then - immediately. This new Christian is already the recipient of God's Promises, including Eternal Life, and God never breaks a promise. This new Christian's heart is sealed with and by the Holy Spirit of God, and the Holy Spirit of God takes up residence in his or her heart right then. This is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the new birth - Born Again from Above. This is Salvation, and it isn't on the installment plan, so one is either Saved or lost with no in between. The Seal with the Holy Spirit on this new Christian's heart can't be broken by any combination of powers in the universe. The Seal of the Holy Spirit sets this new Christian apart as an Eternal Possession of Jesus Christ.

One can lose rewards and quality or quantity of Fellowship with God, but one can't lose Salvation. The only question is: have you been Saved or not? When God makes Promises and gives Eternal Life, He keeps those Promises and doesn't take them back. The only unpardonable sin is rejection of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Romans 10:8-10 KJV But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

John 3:15-18 KJV That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Romans 6:23 KJV For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Ephesians 2:4-7 KJV But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

"Quickened" is an interesting word meaning translated - done immediately. As Christians, we are already members of the Body Of Christ, the Eternal Church not made by human hands. We aren't worthy of anything, but Jesus Christ is, so Jesus Christ is our "All In All".

nChrist

[Rhonda Lou]

So if WE can be eternally lost after having received everlasting life, then JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF will finally be lost TOO because He dwells within each truly born-again Christian believer!! Then what a lugubrious & plodding NON-eternal "everlasting" relationship it will turn out to have been, yes? Saved today, lost tomorrow, "re-saved", then "re-lost", then...........I love it, Oh, I love it, but will all this play in Peoria?

I'm just curious how you explain verses like these:

Romans 11:11-24

So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!

Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God

[pokemaughan]

This thread seems to have drifted from the question of once saved, always sayved into predestination versus free will. I'd like to address both issues here because they have been connected. Now, as I see it in Romans 11, the whole point is that God did NOT abandon the nation of Isreal completely. In face, in verse 1-3, it says, "I say than, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has NOT cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, sayin,g, "Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down You altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life? But what does the divine response say to him? 'I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.' Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace." The whole point is that those chosen by God for salvation are saved, and reserved. This is where it relates to election, as it continues in verse 7: "What then? "Israel has not obtained what it seeks BUT THE ELECT have obtained it, and the rest were blinded." NOW, we come to the text you asked about. Paul is telling the Gentiles to not get arrogant or holier-than-thou because God chose them. He says that God, who broke off branches of unbelief (and the way of salvation is through faith so those who do not believe are not saved), then he can do the same with the branches of unbelief from those grafted in (Gentiles/church goers). Matthew 7:21-24 points out all of those who try to earn their way to heaven, and are surprised when Jesus tells them He never knew them. They thought their works would save them. They were wrong. They thought they were saved. They were wrong. The Pharisees and Sadduces who blasphemed the Holy Spirit by attributing Jesus' miracles to Satan were regular church goers. They practically LIVED in the temple, but they missed faith; they missed Christ as the Messiah. They obeyed God's law but missed faith, and thus were not saved. But they thought they were saved. They would be disappointed upon death. Salvation comes through redemption and faith.

As for Hebrews 10, the passage actually begins with verse 26: For if we sin WILLFULLY after we have received the KNOWLEDGE of the truth (not the truth itself -- but have been TOLD the Gospel), there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. To willfully sin is to say, "I know that this is a sin and I don't care, I'm just going to go and sin. After all, nobody is perfect, that is why Jesus came to die for my penalty for sin; so that I can go to heaven. So, I am just going to go out and sin." I have mentioned that I believe that a Christian has the Holy Spirit inside him or her. The Holy Spirit would NEVER say, "Oh, go on, sin, it's OK, that's why Jesus died." There should be a check in the person's heart which says, "Whoa, stop, this is not who you are in Christ." Or, it should not come up at all. If it comes up as a cavalier attitude towards sin, then the Holy spirit does not reside in the person, and the person without the Holy Spirit residing in him/her, is not saved. He may have heard the truth, but he or she has never accepted and repented. For those who have heard the gospel, and not acted on it, but rejected it, they DO trample Jesus underfoot, because what else can Jesus do for them? He's already given His life. If they hear that, and it has no impact on them, then there is nothing else He can do for them. This is the "free will" side of things.

That is my answer to the specific passages you mention. In later posts you mention a belief in free will as opposed to predestination. The passage you cited from Romans 11 is part of a long treatise on predestination. So many times, this thread included, those who believe in predestination cite their passages, and those who believe in free will cite their passages, as though one is right and the other is wrong. However, both groups of passages are in the Bible. Both are valid. How can there be predestination and free will? They contradict each other. BUT, they are BOTH in the Bible and the Bible does not contradict itself. So, people try to jive them in different ways. Most who believe in predestination believe that God is sovereign and does what He wants. Those who believe in fre will say that God is sovereign, but he will not act against our natures. They say that God is not willing that any should suffer. Yet the very passage you cited says, "Just as it is written: God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear to this very day." And David says, "Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a recompense to them. Let their eys be darkened so that they do not see, and bow down their back always." (verses 98-10) Verse 11 says, "I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles." In essence, God is saying, through Paul, "Although I hardened their hearts, I did not harden their hearts to be mean, I wanted to bring salvation to the Gentiles." God is not willing that any should suffer, but God is God, and at times He goes against one wish for a greater wish. We do the same thing on earth. I wanted to retire, but to do so, I'd need to pay down on a pre-paid funeral $500 per month for my last year and a half at work. There were times I also wanted to buy something else, but my greater goal was to retire, and so I did not give into the lesser desire for the greater desire. I think it works the same way with God.

In every case were I find a "free will" in the Bible, the person who is dead in their sins with no will toward God, is offered the truth of God. In the Old Testament, people had God with them in miracles, by prophets, in visions, whatever -- they had the Shekinah glory in their temple. In the New Testament, Jesus is right there in the midst of the people. In such cases, when people are told the gospel, and SEE God at work, then they have a choice -- not before. And IN that chose, Jesus said: "All that the Father GIVE ME WILL COME to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out...This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all HE HAS GIVEN ME I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day...No one can come to Me UNLESS THE FATHER who sent Me DRAWSHIM and I will raise Him up at the last day...Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me, UNLESS IT HAS BEEN GRANTED TO HIM by My Father." (excerpts from John 6:35-65 Both are there, God draws us and grants us salvation, and we come to Jesus. Yet we could not come to Him unless we were first drawn. God works in our life, and we make a choice and act on it. Everybody has a different idea of how that works, but there is no way that I can take, ""No one can come to Me unless it has been GRANTED Him" to mean anything other than what it says. There is no way I can take, "For those He foreknew, he also predestined" -- foreknowledge is acting ahead of time, predestined is acting to make it happen". Therefore, predestination is God's actions in our lives, drawing us to Him, making sure that when we are told the Gospel, including the offensive parts about dying to self, repenting, and depending totally on God, that we accept it. And we MUST accept it. So, those passages about free will in the Bible -- they are accurate also.

When I get to heaven, maybe I'll figure out how it works. For now, all I can do is the best I can to get my brain around it. THe best solution I can come up with is that there are two perspectives: the heavenly perspective and the earthly perspective. For God it is ALL predestined. He lives by the laws of the spiritual realm, of heaven. We live by the physical laws of earth. He has all the answers; we don't. I will never know how narrowly I avoided not becoming a Christian -- what conversations He allowed, which ones He diverted, or how He prepared me so that when the time was right, I finally "got it" (I'm extremely slow and it took many stages.) But I DO know that I am a Christian today because of His work in my life. And I DO know that until I said, "yes", I was not a Christian. So, I'm grateful for His heavenly perspective, because left with the earthly one, I'd blow it. I know me too well. I'm too independent, nobody is going to tell me what I have to do, and I resent anybody who tries. God HAD to work because I was incapable of it. And I think that is what is meant by being "dead in our trespasses." Dead people need life. God provided.

Thank you Rhonda for your loving consideration and time in responding to me. Indeed, our God is a mysterious God, and at times I believe it's best left that way. I will chew on what you've said for awhile and see what I get out of it in a broader sense.

[nChrist]

I give thanks that a new Christian doesn't have to get involved with or understand all of these deep theological arguments and debates. Salvation is simple enough for a child to understand, and the best way to come to God is in simple, childlike faith.

Mature Christians should know there are no contradictions in the Holy Bible - not one. Coming to this realization means learning how to study God's Word - rightly dividing the Word of Truth. This isn't simple, but it isn't required for Salvation. Most of the methods of Bible Study do involve common sense: 1) The writer; 2) The intended audience; 3) The purpose; 4) The content in context. I realize this is a gross simplification, but it's a start. The easiest way to misunderstand something is to take a portion of Scripture out of context and form some sort of doctrine with it.

If two portions of Scripture appear to contradict each other, the first thing to know is they don't. Finding out why they don't contradict each other involves Bible Study, lots of effort, and rightly dividing the Word of Truth. Again, I give thanks that the lost don't have to understand all of this. I'm certain that the lost get confused in hearing or seeing the deeper discussions of God's Word. The answers to the complex theological debates aren't nearly as important as how to be Saved, and why one would want to be Saved. That lost person might have a lifetime to try and understand some of the deeper things of God, but they might also be living in their last hours or minutes of this short life. One of the most important things a lost person can learn first is God Loves them, God wants to save them, God never lies, and God always keeps His Promises. For the mature Christian, these basic facts should always be kept in mind, regardless of how mature and knowledgeable they think they might be. There are only two conditions that matter the most, and there are no in betweens: 1) In Christ (Saved); 2) Not In Christ (lost). The following portion of Scripture speaks volumes about the most important issues of this short life:

2 Corinthians 4:1-18 KJV 1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you. 13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; 14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. 16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

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