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Jesus promise: Recipients of eternal life will never perish!

There is quite obviously a debate about whether a saved person who possesses eternal life can end up in hell.


I've shown from Scripture that one must believe before they receive eternal life. Therefore, we disagree.


The Bible says contrary to this statement. John 5:24 has already been shown as proof, with NO refutation. So this claim is against what that verse says.

Further, 1 Tim 1:16 is in contrast to this statement. "believe and receive eternal life". There is no getting around these verses.


Please share any text that says God gives everyone eternal life and then each person either accepts or rejects eternal life.


Neither Jesus nor Paul were false teachers, and BOTH OF THEM were clear about having to believe BEFORE receiving eternal life.

The verses are clear and no one has even offered any kind of explanation for what they "might really mean" in order to support your view.
Your interpretation is the only thing saying a person has to do something before God saved them.

You cannot show any passages that say someone has to believe before God saved them. Not one passage. Only your interpretation of the ones you select. None of the verses you quote have the word "before".

Paul clearly states we are put into Christ, and made alive, while we are still dead in sins. This is done before we can believe. You cannot believe in something that has not happened.

Ephesians 2
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved-
6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,


Where do you see the words "before" or "after" we believe?

The 'debate' is predicated on the idea someone does something before God brings them salvation. The 'debate' revolves around the false idea something you do gives you eternal life. I'm not debating those issues because they are false.

Jesus promised eternal life to His sheep, who are His flock, who dwell in His pasture.

Leave the pasture, leave Christ, and you leave eternal life. Eternal life is in Christ alone.

1 John 5:12 (ESV) 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
 
Your interpretation is the only thing saying a person has to do something before God saved them.
I provided the verses that SAY so. The responsibility to believe the verses is up to every individual.

You cannot show any passages that say someone has to believe before God saved them. Not one passage.
I've showed a number of verses. If these verse do NOT indicate one must believe before receiving eternal life, just go ahead and explain what they ARE saying.

Only your interpretation of the ones you select. None of the verses you quote have the word "before".
It's patently obvious the order dictates that one PRECEDES the other.

But, please explain what Paul meant by the phrase "believe and receive eternal life" if he wasn't providing the ORDER of things.

What HASN'T BEEN DONE is showing any verses that teach that God has given eternal life to everyone, and THEN each person has the responsibility of either believing or rejecting it.

In fact, that goes directly against the promise Jesus made about recipients of eternal life.

So, the claim that God has given eternal life to everyone would result in universalism, or everyone is saved, because this is what Jesus said in John 10:28 - I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.

This is as clear as can be. Jesus gives 'them' eternal life, and the result is: they shall never perish. Period.

So, if God does give the gift of eternal life to everyone, then everyone is saved. Because Jesus promises that everyone given eternal life will never perish.

So the claim that God gives eternal life to everyone is directly contradicted by Jesus' promise.

Paul clearly states we are put into Christ, and made alive, while we are still dead in sins.
And Eph 2:5 equates being made alive with having been saved. And v.8 shows the ORDER; saved by grace THROUGH FAITH. The faith come BEFORE the salvation.

This is done before we can believe.
This opinion has not been shown from Scripture.

You cannot believe in something that has not happened.
Correct. We believe IN ORDER for salvation to occur. We believe and then receive eternal life. 1 Tim 1:16

Ephesians 2
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved-
6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,


Where do you see the words "before" or "after" we believe?
It is seen in the verse that has been avoided here. v.8 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God

Very plain language: we are saved by grace, through faith. That MEANS salvation follows faith. It can't mean anything else.

If it did, please explain why the order here doesn't mean anything.

The 'debate' is predicated on the idea someone does something before God brings them salvation.
For me, the debate is based on the Word of God. So far, I've seen NOTHING from Scripture that supports the claim that God gives everyone eternal life, or that salvation occurs before believing. And I've provided verses that support what I claim.

The 'debate' revolves around the false idea something you do gives you eternal life.
It is biblical as I've shown. It's quite sad to call it a false idea. It's actually God's idea. And none of His ideas are false.

I'm not debating those issues because they are false.
It is the claims that are false. They've not been shown to be supported by Scripture.

Jesus promised eternal life to His sheep, who are His flock, who dwell in His pasture.
Who claimed that God gives eternal life to everyone, and then each person either accepts or rejects the gift???

Leave the pasture, leave Christ, and you leave eternal life. Eternal life is in Christ alone.
For the UMPTEENTH time, please provide any verse that supports this claim. Without Scriptural support, IT IS FALSE.

1 John 5:12 (ESV) 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
How does this verse support the claim?

In this very post that I am responding to, was this question:
"Where do you see the words "before" or "after" we believe"? So, a demand for specific words, yet here's a verse that clearly says NOTHING about getting out of Christ.

Can't have it both ways. Please provide any verse that SAYS a sealed believer in Christ can end up outside of Christ, losing the Holy Spirit, which breaks God's promise and guarantee of our inheritance for the day of redemption.

Eph 1:14 is a very clear promise of eternal security. As is John 10:28.

There has been NO explanation of how or why these verses aren't about eternal security.
 
The order of salvation has already been established. If you do not want to believe in it I cannot make you.

Christ died for us according to the Scriptures, He was buried and raised again - according to the Scriptures. God placed us in Christ, and in Him - and only in Him - we have eternal life. Whoever turns from God, and sins against Him in unbelief will be blotted out of His book.

Exo 32:33-34
But the LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book. But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.”


God will not accept anyone into His kingdom that comes to Him in their own way. You cannot 'choose' to believe that salvation is only given to you after you believe. God chooses when to give you salvation, and chooses when to give you the faith to believe. You either believe it, or you reject it.

Those who believe it will abide in Christ and have eternal life. Those who reject it will not abide in Christ and will not have eternal life. You cannot come to Christ based on what you think is the right way.

Mat 22:11-14
“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”


If you try to enter into the feast with your own clothes on you will be cast out. Good news is, Christ will give you the proper garment.

Rev 3:1-6
“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
 
What HASN'T BEEN DONE is showing any verses that teach that God has given eternal life to everyone, and THEN each person has the responsibility of either believing or rejecting it.

Jhn 3:16-17
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Is the "world" not everyone?
 
The order of salvation has already been established.
This is merely a claim. If salvation precedes the action of believing, which text makes this clear?

If you do not want to believe in it I cannot make you.
What I don't want to believe is false teaching of any kind. Please provide Scripture that supports the claims being made.
 
I said this:
"What HASN'T BEEN DONE is showing any verses that teach that God has given eternal life to everyone, and THEN each person has the responsibility of either believing or rejecting it."
Jhn 3:16-17
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Is the "world" not everyone?
Sure it is. But how does one get from loving the world to giving eternal life to everyone, and this verse certainly DOESN'T DO THAT.

So, again, which text from the Bible teaches that God gives eternal life to everyone.

On the occasions when a verse is provided, they don't support the claims being made. As this post demonstrates.
 
Sure it is. But how does one get from loving the world to giving eternal life to everyone, and this verse certainly DOESN'T DO THAT.

Christ is the eternal life. Christ was given to the entire world.

Jhn 1:1-4
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

1Jo 5:20
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

Jhn 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Jhn 1:29
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!


Christ takes away sin. Only He takes away sin. If you choose to deny His forgiveness then there is no other way to have sins taken away.
 
Christ is the eternal life. Christ was given to the entire world.
My point was that IF Christ gave eternal life to everyone, then everyone HAS eternal life and WILL NEVER PERISH. John 10:28.

Jhn 1:1-4
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

1Jo 5:20
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

Jhn 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Jhn 1:29
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!


Christ takes away sin. Only He takes away sin. If you choose to deny His forgiveness then there is no other way to have sins taken away.
Taking away sin and giving eternal life are 2 DIFFERENT THINGS. There is no reason to equate the 2.

One receives eternal life when they believe, per Jesus' words in John 3:15,16, and 5:24.
 
My point was that IF Christ gave eternal life to everyone, then everyone HAS eternal life and WILL NEVER PERISH. John 10:28.


Taking away sin and giving eternal life are 2 DIFFERENT THINGS. There is no reason to equate the 2.

One receives eternal life when they believe, per Jesus' words in John 3:15,16, and 5:24.

And there in lies the issue.

God has made eternal life available to all - through His Son. Those who have the Son have life. Those who deny the Son do not have life.

Eternal life is not a moment in time, it is an ongoing life that does not perish. If you are receiving this life from Christ then you will live eternally, if you deny this life from Christ you will perish.

Those who have the life will not perish - Christ was speaking the truth about that. That does not negate the ones who turn away from Him will perish because they left life.

Think about it this way. If you quit eating food and drinking any water today, will you die physically?

If you quit eating of Christ, and drinking His blood - you will die spiritually.
 
I said this:
"My point was that IF Christ gave eternal life to everyone, then everyone HAS eternal life and WILL NEVER PERISH. John 10:28.


Taking away sin and giving eternal life are 2 DIFFERENT THINGS. There is no reason to equate the 2.

One receives eternal life when they believe, per Jesus' words in John 3:15,16, and 5:24."
And there in lies the issue.
Of course.

God has made eternal life available to all - through His Son. Those who have the Son have life. Those who deny the Son do not have life.
That wasn't your claim. It was that God has given eternal life to everyone. And without any evidence from Scripture.

Eternal life is not a moment in time, it is an ongoing life that does not perish.
But it is given in a point of time. John 5:24

If you are receiving this life from Christ then you will live eternally, if you deny this life from Christ you will perish.
This isn't the discussion.

Those who have the life will not perish - Christ was speaking the truth about that. That does not negate the ones who turn away from Him will perish because they left life.
The last sentence cannot be shown from Scripture. Why would one continue to push an idea that cannot be shown from Scripture?

Think about it this way. If you quit eating food and drinking any water today, will you die physically?
Irrelevant. To equate that to spiritual life, we must continue to eat and drink to have spiritual life. But Jesus refuted that notion by using the aorist tense for both eating and drinking. So the theory is only that.

If you quit eating of Christ, and drinking His blood - you will die spiritually.
Please consume and digest the aorist tense for eating and drinking.

btw, where is your claim taught in Scripture?
 
I said this:
"My point was that IF Christ gave eternal life to everyone, then everyone HAS eternal life and WILL NEVER PERISH. John 10:28.


Taking away sin and giving eternal life are 2 DIFFERENT THINGS. There is no reason to equate the 2.

One receives eternal life when they believe, per Jesus' words in John 3:15,16, and 5:24."

Of course.


That wasn't your claim. It was that God has given eternal life to everyone. And without any evidence from Scripture.


But it is given in a point of time. John 5:24


This isn't the discussion.


The last sentence cannot be shown from Scripture. Why would one continue to push an idea that cannot be shown from Scripture?


Irrelevant. To equate that to spiritual life, we must continue to eat and drink to have spiritual life. But Jesus refuted that notion by using the aorist tense for both eating and drinking. So the theory is only that.


Please consume and digest the aorist tense for eating and drinking.

btw, where is your claim taught in Scripture?
Taking away sin and eternal life are synonymous. The two cannot coexist. Sin is what brings death. Christ's blood covers our sin, thereby giving us eternal life.

Given/available is the same thing. Has God given us all oxygen, has He made it available to all? If we choose not to breath it, then it is our choice.

1Jo 4:14
And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.


Jhn 6:32-33
Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.


You must feed and drink of Christ to have eternal life. You cannot just eat once.

Jhn 6:53-58
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.


Jesus clearly states it is ongoing. He specifically calls out how the 'fathers', which would be referring back to the children of Israel, at of the manna(which was Christ) - and they died. Why? Because they did not continue to eat of Him.

Jhn 6:48-51
I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh
 
Taking away sin and eternal life are synonymous.
This statement requires evidence from Scripture, not just a guess, or speculation, or a favorite theory.

Christ died for everyone, yet wide is the road to destruction. So in spite of everyone having their sins paid for, many will be cast into the lake of fire for not having eternal life. Rev 20:15

The two cannot coexist.
I don't see how this relates to the difference.

Sin is what brings death.
With the exception of Adam and Eve, everyone born was born with Adam's imputed sin. iow, we are all born spiritually dead. Rom 5

Christ's blood covers our sin, thereby giving us eternal life.
That doesn't give us eternal life, or everyone would have it. Which isn't taught in Scripture.

In fact, receiving eternal life is directly related to believing in Christ for it. John 3:15,16, 5:24, 6:40, 47, 11:25-26, 20:31.

Given/available is the same thing. Has God given us all oxygen, has He made it available to all? If we choose not to breath it, then it is our choice.
This analogy is woefully lacking in any kind of relevance.

You must feed and drink of Christ to have eternal life. You cannot just eat once.
Jesus used the aorist tense in John 4 with the Samaritan woman at the well and in ch 6. The aorist tense is a moment in time action. Not continuing action.

So the claim is in error.
 
This statement requires evidence from Scripture, not just a guess, or speculation, or a favorite theory.

Christ died for everyone, yet wide is the road to destruction. So in spite of everyone having their sins paid for, many will be cast into the lake of fire for not having eternal life. Rev 20:15


I don't see how this relates to the difference.


With the exception of Adam and Eve, everyone born was born with Adam's imputed sin. iow, we are all born spiritually dead. Rom 5


That doesn't give us eternal life, or everyone would have it. Which isn't taught in Scripture.

In fact, receiving eternal life is directly related to believing in Christ for it. John 3:15,16, 5:24, 6:40, 47, 11:25-26, 20:31.


This analogy is woefully lacking in any kind of relevance.


Jesus used the aorist tense in John 4 with the Samaritan woman at the well and in ch 6. The aorist tense is a moment in time action. Not continuing action.

So the claim is in error.
You can say my claim is in error, but you have zero grounds to prove it. It is your own opinion against what the Bible says.

Feeds and drinks is plural. That alone is proof that it is not a one time event.

If you do not believe that Christ blood is what gives you life, I'm not sure what to tell you.

I'll just step back and let you go on with yourself I suppose.

Jesus gives eternal life, and apart from Him you will perish.
 
FreeGrace

Do you believe the following statement is true or false?

John 6:54 (ESV) Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
 
You can say my claim is in error, but you have zero grounds to prove it. It is your own opinion against what the Bible says.
Except this is what I said:
"This statement requires evidence from Scripture, not just a guess, or speculation, or a favorite theory.

Christ died for everyone, yet wide is the road to destruction. So in spite of everyone having their sins paid for, many will be cast into the lake of fire for not having eternal life. Rev 20:15"

You've provided NO SCRIPTURE to support your claim. And if your claim were true, then everyone would go to heaven, which Rev 20:15 shows is false.

Feeds and drinks is plural. That alone is proof that it is not a one time event.
Is that the "proof"?? Please explain why Jesus used the aorist tense with the woman t the well in regard to drinking the water He gives.

If you do not believe that Christ blood is what gives you life, I'm not sure what to tell you.
Is there any Scripture that supports this claim?

in fact, Jesus Christ Himself gives us life. John 10:28 says so clearly.

Jesus gives eternal life, and apart from Him you will perish.
Yes, Jesus gives life, not His blood.

The term "blood of Christ" is technical for His sacrifice on the cross. His sacrifice did NOT save anyone. His sacrifice PAID the sin penalty, and purchased the free gift of eternal life for everyone. But only those who have believed receive this gift.
 
FreeGrace

Do you believe the following statement is true or false?

John 6:54 (ESV) Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
Everything Jesus said is true, of course.

The challenge is to understand what He meant by what He said. That's the sticking point.

In the Greek, both "eats" and "drinks" are participles, which are verbal adjectives. It's used as a description of people. And previous to 6:54 Jesus also said in 5:24 that those who hear and believe (these ARE verbs) HAVE eternal life, and will NOT come into judgment.

So 6:54 is NOT even about the requirement for receiving eternal life. Jesus covered that very clearly in 3:15,16, 5:24, 6:40, 47. Eternal life is received on the basis of believing in Him for it.

Now, about the question about Jesus' statement being true or false, let's re-visit John 10:28, which was also stated by Jesus.

"I give them eternal life and they will never perish."

Is this statement true or false?

The answer is obvious; it is TRUE. Therefore, He established eternal security for everyone who has received eternal life.

That means everyone who has received eternal life will never perish.

That statement eliminates the claim that one can become separated from being IN HIM.

There is no wriggle room in Jesus' promise.

John 10:28 guarantees that recipients of etenral life will never perish.

So, the ONLY REQUIREMENT for avoiding the lake of fire is to have received eternal life.

That means that eternal life cannot be lost, revoked, refunded, removed, given away.
 
Yes, Jesus gives life, not His blood.

The term "blood of Christ" is technical for His sacrifice on the cross. His sacrifice did NOT save anyone. His sacrifice PAID the sin penalty, and purchased the free gift of eternal life for everyone. But only those who have believed receive this gift.

Rom 3:21-26
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.


If you reject the blood of Christ, you reject His life - and His life is the only eternal life.

Rom 5:9-10
Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.


The same way our physical body cannot survive without continuing to eat and drink, so to it is the one who feeds on Christ's body, and drinks His blood, who has Christ's life. It is those people who do so for true food and true drink, who will never perish because they will be saved by His life.

Whoever does not eat of His body and drink His blood does not have life.

1Jo 5:11-12
And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
 
If you reject the blood of Christ, you reject His life - and His life is the only eternal life.
True for every unbeliever.

But, once a person has believed in Christ, they become recipients of eternal life, according to Jesus:
John 5:24 - “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

Then, Jesus promises that recipients of eternal life will never perish:
John 10:28 - I give them (recipients) eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.

This proves eternal security of the believer.

Regardless of any argument that a person in union with Christ can be removed or not, Jesus says recipients of eternal life will never perish. That is a guarantee.
 
True for every unbeliever.

But, once a person has believed in Christ, they become recipients of eternal life, according to Jesus:
John 5:24 - “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

Then, Jesus promises that recipients of eternal life will never perish:
John 10:28 - I give them (recipients) eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.

This proves eternal security of the believer.

Regardless of any argument that a person in union with Christ can be removed or not, Jesus says recipients of eternal life will never perish. That is a guarantee.

Right, and only those who are His sheep, the ones who abide in Him, and the ones who feed on His flesh and drink His blood - are the recipients of eternal life. It is those who will never perish, not the ones who did something one time - or think that what they do is what keeps them in Him.

Eternal life continues in us because He lives in us - not because of something we did or do. God made us alive in Christ, and that is where we abide to have eternal life. We cannot have eternal life if we are not in union with Christ.

1Jo 5:11-13
And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.
 
I say this from time to time.

No beating today. Humbling myself will only yield temporary help. II Chronicles 7:14

There are several ways knowledge comes. I was not taught this in my associations.

Creation Romans 1:19-20
Prophets Hebrews 1:1
Jesus Hebrews 1:2
The quickening spirit Jesus became
I Corinthians 15:45
The Holy Spirit Galatians 5:17
Examples of Jesus

The context of the ox sure is lost without NT comments. The word of God is living and active.

eddif
 
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