Faith Is A Constant

[WordSword]

One can truly believe there is a God, but lack the desire to believe in Him. Romans-One teaches that one can believe about God, that He is real, and at the same time not put trust in Him. Scripture says that He has proved to all that He is real by showing them all of what may be known about Himself (Rom 1:19). This revelation of Himself first comes by the “light” of nature, by us seeing the existence of what He has created. Creation itself is enough evidence for one to believe in God! 

Therefore the Word declares none are “excused” from judgement for not wanting to believe in Him (v20). There are no genuine atheists, only those who falsely claim to disbelieve in His existence! In my opinion, the primary issue is that unbelief manifests one would rather continue in wrongful pleasures, instead of trusting and having faith in God (2Ti 3:4). 

One of the greatest oxymoron concepts has to be the acceptance that one can claim to believe in God, then eventually claim not to believe in Him!  To genuinely have faith in God is not something one can eventually apostatize from, because faith always produces. Faith can be diminished but never deleted once obtained. Thus, salvation is a constant like faith!

One professing Christianity can eventually claim to disbelieve, and if this is truly a permanent state of mind, it only manifests there was never any belief! One cannot claim to believe then claim to disbelieve—this wouldn’t make any type of sense at all. Genuine faith cannot become unbelief, and there’s nowhere in Scripture that declares this error, only misunderstanding of the way this issue is worded.

To believe is to be permanently convinced of something; otherwise it wasn’t belief, but just something you thought you believed in. One can think they believe in God and eventually discover that they don’t truly believe in Him; but one cannot truly believe in Him and then later truly disbelieve in Him. Therefore, we either believe, or still have yet to believe (1Jo 2:19).
NC
 

[Michael37]

2 hours ago, WordSword said:

One can truly believe there is a God, but lack the desire to believe in Him. Romans-One teaches that one can believe about God, that He is real, and at the same time not put trust in Him. Scripture says that He has proved to all that He is real by showing them all of what may be known about Himself (Rom 1:19). This revelation of Himself first comes by the “light” of nature, by us seeing the existence of what He has created. Creation itself is enough evidence for one to believe in God! 

Therefore the Word declares none are “excused” from judgement for not wanting to believe in Him (v20). There are no genuine atheists, only those who falsely claim to disbelieve in His existence! In my opinion, the primary issue is that unbelief manifests one would rather continue in wrongful pleasures, instead of trusting and having faith in God (2Ti 3:4). 

One of the greatest oxymoron concepts has to be the acceptance that one can claim to believe in God, then eventually claim not to believe in Him!  To genuinely have faith in God is not something one can eventually apostatize from, because faith always produces. Faith can be diminished but never deleted once obtained. Thus, salvation is a constant like faith!

One professing Christianity can eventually claim to disbelieve, and if this is truly a permanent state of mind, it only manifests there was never any belief! One cannot claim to believe then claim to disbelieve—this wouldn’t make any type of sense at all. Genuine faith cannot become unbelief, and there’s nowhere in Scripture that declares this error, only misunderstanding of the way this issue is worded.

To believe is to be permanently convinced of something; otherwise it wasn’t belief, but just something you thought you believed in. One can think they believe in God and eventually discover that they don’t truly believe in Him; but one cannot truly believe in Him and then later truly disbelieve in Him. Therefore, we either believe, or still have yet to believe (1Jo 2:19).
NC
 

Continuing in the faith is prescribed:

Col 1:21-23  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has he reconciled  (22)  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:  (23)  If you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
 

[WordSword]

13 hours ago, Michael37 said:

Continuing in the faith is prescribed:

Col 1:21-23  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has he reconciled  (22)  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:  (23)  If you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
 

Hi, and thanks for the reply and comments! This is one of many admonitions that let people know if they're saved or not. If we do not continue in the faith it will manifest that we are not really in the faith, or we would continue. This also identifies those who falsely claim to be in the faith, for they eventually give up the hypocrisy.

[Neighbor]

23 hours ago, WordSword said:

There are no genuine atheists, only those who falsely claim to disbelieve in His existence!

Hi, I will share that I was a genuinely happy atheist. I made no claims about it, for what would be the point in stating I do not believe in that which does not exist?

Did I care that someone else believed, or even what they believed? No.

 

[Michael37]

9 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

Hi, I will share that I was a genuinely happy atheist. I made no claims about it, for what would be the point in stating I do not believe in that which does not exist?

Did I care that someone else believed, or even what they believed? No.

 

Yeah, good thing the Book of Opinions was left out of the Bible.

[Neighbor]

2 minutes ago, Michael37 said:

Yeah, good thing the Book of Opinions was left out of the Bible.

Left out of yours?  Might look yet again, it follows the Book of Probes.

[WordSword]

33 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

Hi, I will share that I was a genuinely happy atheist. I made no claims about it, for what would be the point in stating I do not believe in that which does not exist?

Did I care that someone else believed, or even what they believed? No.

 

Romans 1:18-21 teaches that all (adults of course) know there is a God, "for God hath shewed it unto them" (v19). What did He show the unbelievers ("ungodly men" v18)? That creation itself is enough evidence for anyone to know there is a God (v20); then to seek Him out. "they knew God" (v21).

Regardless of what generation this passage addresses, it's the same issue throughout this life with mankind.

[Michael37]

1 hour ago, WordSword said:

Romans 1:18-21 teaches that all (adults of course) know there is a God, "for God hath shewed it unto them" (v19). What did He show the unbelievers ("ungodly men" v18)? That creation itself is enough evidence for anyone to know there is a God (v20); then to seek Him out. "they knew God" (v21).

Regardless of what generation this passage addresses, it's the same issue throughout this life with mankind.

For those living in the State of Unbelief:

2Co 4:3-4  But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:  (4)  In whom the god of this world has 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.
 

[WordSword]

32 minutes ago, Michael37 said:

For those living in the State of Unbelief:

2Co 4:3-4  But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:  (4)  In whom the god of this world has 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.
 

It's not unbelief that God is real, but unbelief in trusting and loving God. Romans One already established that all believe there is a God by seeing creation. But those who do not trust in God have no faith in Him.

[Michael37]

5 hours ago, WordSword said:

It's not unbelief that God is real, but unbelief in trusting and loving God. Romans One already established that all believe there is a God by seeing creation. But those who do not trust in God have no faith in Him.

Sorry, you've lost me with your sophistry. Atheism is what it says on the label. Just talk to one and they will tell you they don't believe in God.