CalledToServe
Instead of changing colors, they should make it easier to post. Underlining doesn’t show up on a post. At least not with the method I use, composing in Microsoft Word and copying to post.
Therefore, rather than just quote Scripture and underline the pertinent parts, in my own words.
In Heb 3 it says that unbelief prevents one from entering the rest. And that is how one loses one’s salvation.
In Heb 6 it says that it’s impossible to renew such a one to repentance, seeing as they crucify to themselves the Son of God and put him to open shame.
In Heb 10 it says that if we go on sinning willfully. Which is what one who denies the faith does. If we go on sinning willfully, after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. Such has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded the blood of the covenant through which he was sanctified as unclean. And has insulted the Spirit of grace. Which could easily be equated with the one unforgivable sin.
You can call God forgiving, merciful, and loving. But so do the Jehovah’s Witnesses and deny the existence of Hell on that account. Even God is limited by his own nature and character. Beyond a certain point even he can not go. And if these verses are referring to a loss of salvation, then even he can not go beyond what has been done.
Adam sinned. God could have forgiven him and renewed what Adam lost. But he made a promise. Eating the fruit results in death. Adam died. He had to do something other than renew Adam to rectify what has been done. He had to send his Son. Once that is rejected, there’s no turning back. We can’t blame that on God. It is the fault of the one who rejects.
The one who is born into the line of Adam, pretty much every human who has ever lived, is born into death. He receives life in Christ. If that can be rejected after it has been received, there is no verse that says that God will put that individual back into Christ. Because such a person has gone beyond what God has provided.
So also 2 Peter 2. If that refers to losing one’s salvation, then the end is worse than the beginning. If one could receive forgiveness and everything is alright again, then the end and the beginning would be the same. But that isn’t the case. The end is worse than the beginning because what one had in the beginning, one can no longer have again.
NC
I don't underline and I certainly didn't in my post. I bolded the appropriate parts of scripture.
Hebrews 3 is just reiterating Israel's history in the Old Testament. It is also a warning against unbelief in God and His plan.
Nothing for God is impossible, which verses 17-20 of chapter 6 states. There is also Matthew 19:26 where Jesus teaches, "Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Both of these passages reinforce the fact that God can do anything He wants to do. There are two meanings for verse 6 which renders a different attitude and tone of the message. The second version is "if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance." In verse 5 there is an interesting part that is prophetic, "and the powers of the coming age". This means that this only applies after the second coming of Christ since it has yet come to pass. Does it reference the times of tribulation? Who knows, but it's a prophesy. The Age of Reconciliation started the moment Jesus was born and will continue until He comes back a second time.
The flaw to your argument is that you believe that once you are saved that you will stop sinning. That is not the case since we, as humans, will always sin regardless of being a Christian or not. Christians constantly gain forgiveness of their sins through continual repentance of them to Jesus Christ. The point of Hebrews 10 is the maintain the faith in Jesus Christ and the warning of eternal damnation for those that fall away will be much worse.
Strawman argument since your comparing me to a JW which I am not. God is limited only to the point where He will not abide with sin. He doesn't condone it, but condemns it.
Misunderstanding of what death is from Adam and Eve's fall. The Garden of Eden symbolizes man's perfect relationship with God that was eternal. Death specified here is not a physical death since Genesis 3:22 makes it clear that Adam and Eve were mortal since their creation.
And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”
The death that is written about in scriptures is the eternal spiritual death that is the complete and total separation of God between an individual person. Eating of the Tree of Life would have made Adam and Eve immortal just like God and the angels.
Do you sit on the Throne of Judgment to know that Adam experienced eternal damnation? No, you don't so you cannot make that determination. I cannot make that determination either. The only person that can is God.
Again you are under the impression that a Christian never sins after they are saved. That is not the case, since we are humans and we have a nature of rebellion against God. Christians have to repent always for their sins. Hebrews 3:13-14 says, "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end."
1 Corinthians 15:31 bears this out as well, "I face death every day —yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Jesus said this in Matthew 3:7-9, "But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham."
Jesus also gave us a prayer recorded in Matthew and Luke that is commonly known as The Lord's Prayer.
Matthew 6:9-15 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Luke 11:2-4 He said to them, “When you pray, say:
“‘Father,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.’”
As you can see scripturally, Christians must pray daily to be forgiven of their sins. The catch is that we have to forgive those that sinned against us in order for us to be forgiven of our sins.
This pretty much sums up that you can lose your salvation if you want to. You also have to work to keep it through constant repentance for sins you commit, whether its ones you know about or aren't aware of.
I can call God forgiving, merciful, and loving because the scriptures tells us that it is true. He forgives us daily when we repent. There is no limit to the amount of repentance that we can do nor is there a minimum. We do, however, have to repent daily.
Yes, it is much worse for those that came to the Lord and were saved, but then walked away from Him. I know this because the scripture says it. If you notice I'm not cherry picking scripture or taking it out of context. I am using it in the full context in regards to the specific chapters, books, and correlation with other books of the Bible.
