Question about the Bible

[Vic C.]

I learned something about this passage recently too (and the letter to the Hebrews) and it ties into your "context "' statement.

Hebrews 6:4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.

The author is speaking to those believing Jews who had desired to go back to their old ways of worshiping... and living. It certainly does have practical application and some implications for us too, but it's target people were the 1st. century Jewish converts who have fallen back into their apostasy. (just as Handy has pointed out )

Read that passage in light of this one:

John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
John 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
John 6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

Is Jesus lying or is the Hebrews passage referring to something or someone else?

One has to wonder why they (the Landover gang) would resort to distorting and manipulating text as they did. Rhetorical question, of course.

This should be a lesson to all to really dig into passages and as Handy said, do not ignore context, especially the intended context.

 

[handy]

Vic, exactly!

The letter indeed is to Jews who wanted to go back to old ways of worshipping...that is the context of the entire book really. The letter is invaluable in understanding that Christ is indeed the fulfillment of the Old Testament and of the Jewish faith. Beautiful book, but one that doesn't speak to the issue of someone who backslides from one's Christian faith by engaging in sin and then returns. Not that there isn't danger in backsliding...

Eric,
I wound up having nothing better to do today... Yay! A rare free day!...so I thought I'd look over that test you were talking about.

Wow...what a hateful site. Can you even imagine the outcry if someone created a site that mocked Islam, Judaism, or any other religion in such a way?

Anyway, I did look at the test, specifically at the questions that troubled you.

These are common questions and what the mockers there have done have taken views that supposedly Christians hold...and frankly, some Christians do hold these views...and have stretched them to the extreme. Any view on any subject...religious or not...can be stretched so far to the extreme as to become ridiculous and this is exactly what "Landover" does.

You seemed to be genuinely concerned regarding questions 4, 7, and 8.

We've already dealt with 4. For further affirmation that there is help for the backslider, consider that 1 John 1:9 says that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Also, Galatians 6:1 and James 5:19-20 speak to the fact that we are to help restore those who stray from the truth...useless advice if there was no hope for them.

Question 7 deals with the idea of infant damnation. This idea that little children will be condemned to everlasting hell if they die prior to being able to "accept Jesus as their savior". I don't know if Baptists teach this...but the Bible doesn't.

One can cobble together the "doctrine" of infant damnation by looking at some texts. One can also cobble together the "doctrine" of infants going to heaven by looking at other texts. In truth, either "doctrine" will be doing the same thing as the "Jesus says to commit suicide" idea I presented earlier.

The truth of the matter is that the bible is wholly silent on eternal residence of an infant who dies. However, I believe that if we just read through on what the Bible does teach about salvation and God Himself...one will come to the conclusion that infants go to heaven if they die.

Question number 8...well, actually the Landover folks get this one right...naturally they're pretty snarky about it.

8. This intellectual just couldn’t bring himself to accept the outrageous, conflicting and bizarre stories of our faith. While he dedicated his life to helping others and personally chose not to engage in conduct the Bible deems sinful, he did so based on his personal convictions of right and wrong and not because the Lord ordered him to act that way. He died having helped thousands of individuals escape poverty, but he his intellect would not let him believe in Christ.
Correct Answer: B (Hell) Good deeds don’t cut the mustard. Either you let Jesus run the show or you burn. [Good deeds and being kind don't count for crap with Jesus if you don't flatter Him.]

I wonder if Harper and the rest at Landover ever have read the "Screwtape Letters"...

Anyway, snarky answer aside, there is nothing incorrect about what is said here. Good deeds will never get anyone into heaven...and rejecting Jesus and His offer of grace certainly will land someone in hell.

Just keep in mind that the folks over at Landover aren't at all interested in Biblical truth nor are they the least bit concerned about salvation or damnation...they exist to mock, belittle and basically hate Christianity.

My own answers to their questions...based upon what I believe the bible teaches are:

1 Heaven...isn't God a merciful God accepting the sincere repentance of a dying sinner.

2 Heaven...everyone sins and God is forgiving to all who fall occasionally. Sheesh, Peter denied the Lord three times, and Jesus didn't even bring it up after the fact.

3 The Bible truly doesn't speak to the issue of those who are born, live and die in non-Christian cultures...except that Acts 17 speaks of those who worship in ignorance and that God overlooks the time of ignorance. The fact that she heard the gospel for 5 minutes really doesn't mean anything. If the Holy Spirit opened her heart to believe in those 5 minutes and she rejected Him...she's most likely on her way to hell...however, the scenario as it's stated would leave a sincere Bible believing Christian to say "Only God knows" as far as her final destination.

4 Dealt with

5 Wow, what haters these people are...Anyway, their answer is correct...she would indeed find forgiveness, even after "whoreing" around for 50 years. If she realized that Jesus is truly the Son of God and repented...yes, she would indeed be "singing with the angels." Not sure why this is presented as such a bad thing.

6 Hell...even the demons believe in Jesus...and Jesus says we known by our fruit. We are also called to examine ourselves...anyone committing rape, child molestation and murder is not showing any fruit of the Spirit.

7 & 8 Dealt with

9 Heaven...for the same reasons for 4...their understanding of Hebrews is skewed to say the least.

10...again...what hateful people. :verysick Sheesh. (Heaven if it even need be said.)

 

[WIP]

Work, Christendom does indeed have cult denominations within it's midst. We Christians separate them from the occult for specific reasons.

Check out the book by historian Ruth Tucker called, "Another Gospel".

Amazon.com: Another Gospel: Cults, Alternative Religions, and the New Age Movement (9780310259374): Ruth A. Tucker: Books

It's a very good book (I have a copy) and it will answer many of your questions. If you don't want to buy it, check your church's library or your local library.

You can read some of it here:

Amazon.com: Another Gospel: Cults, Alternative Religions, and the New Age Movement (9780310259374): Ruth A. Tucker: Books

I understand but if one is a believer in occult ideas and traditions, can he also be a Christian? Can't worship the devil and God. Can't worship God and mana. Either one or the other but not both.