Christian Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

The Process Of Justification

And a demon IN THEM to damn them, right? Consistency please...

I don't know why people can't see the distinction between the parties.

Whatever any believer does, it does not eliminate the reality of having evil present within them, just as Paul had, himself. Romans 7:21

That is why "works" salvation doesn't and will never compute. We all have the contrariness of the flesh, no matter what "works" are performed.

Galatians 5:17
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

This "contrariness" can not be justified nor can it be eliminated, in our current body.
 
Whatever any believer does, it does not eliminate the reality of having evil present within them, just as Paul had, himself. Romans 7:21

Then please tear this verse out of your bible, as it must be a mistake!

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Corinthians 7:1

The evil that is present with us can not over throw or cause us to cease from being led by the Spirit.


JLB
 
You got it right.
After we are transformed into new creatures through the washing of re-birth, what Christ does from there is cleanse the outer stain of all our 'out of character' behavior. Christ cleanses the stain of our sin from the sinless and perfect person we really are inside via the new birth, and whom God sees us as (as indicated by the fact that we are now no longer under the Judgment of God).

Hebrews explains this change of nature in the way of now receiving a clear conscience, indicating a change of nature. As opposed to being forgiven your sin under the inferior way of the blood of animals where your sins were indeed forgiven on the outside (the ones that could be forgiven) but you remained the thief, or the liar, or whatever it is that you are, and did not change who you are by nature in the very core of your being (Hebrews 9:13-14). And thus your guilty conscience remained.

Not so with Christ's sacrifice. It does change the very nature of the sinner into the nature of a clean and righteous person (Titus 3:5). And so now when we sin, we are sinning contrary to what we really are within, and in the sight of God. That sinning is the outer dirtying of our feet that Christ is speaking about. We don't need a whole new bath again when that happens. We're already changed on the inside and before God in heaven. What we need is an outer cleansing. The inside of the cup is already clean. We need to learn how to act like the sanctified cups set apart for the service of God that we really are.
Excellent! I'm sure we could quibble on some aspects of what you wrote above, like when this change in nature actually happens, but why? I agree.

No, they do not remain justified. Because as I explained, a decision to continue in sin and not seek the washing of daily sin through Christ is just another way of saying the person has abandoned his faith in Christ. If he hadn't abandoned it that sin would not remain. Repenting of sin is the signature of having the forgiveness of Christ (even if that means repenting 70x7 times). Not repenting of sin signifies that the believer has stopped seeking the forgiveness of God in Christ for that sin. Instead, they have chosen to continue in it, not caring about the forgiveness of God they have received.
Again, spot on. We can not continue in sin and still remain faithful servants of Christ. By rejecting His will in our lives, we are rejecting Him, refusing to let Him "wash our feet". Remaining in sin will then lead to having "no part" in Christ, losing justification.

It is contingent on faith......a faith that drives a person to seek forgiveness and repentance. Faith alone secures the forgiveness. A change in works is the expected and obligatory result of wanting, and receiving, the forgiveness of your sins.
Well, our justification is of course contingent upon faith, but within the verses we are discussing (Jn. 13:8-10), there is no mention that being "part with" Jesus is accomplished through faith ALONE. Faith, of course, is necessary, but so is obedience and trust, allowing Jesus to "wash our feet".

Allowing Jesus to remove daily sin = Part with Jesus, justification
Not allowing Jesus to remove daily sin = No part with Him, no justification

Again, both/and...

It does mean forever....like a lifetime supply of free groceries a person has won at the local super market. And it will continue forever just as promised.....as long as the person keeps showing up to receive them. They last forever for the person who possesses them. So it is with salvation.
Well, I agree that as long as a person "keeps showing up to receive" justification it is given. I just don't see Jn. 13:8-10 addressing how long the "cleanliness" lasts.

"Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you." (Jhn 13:10 NASB)

It doesn't say or mean "and you will remain clean forever", which I think you agree with. We can lose the "cleanliness" (justification) by not "showing up to receive" it.

It's entirely possible for a person justified one time/ forever to lose that justification. I've been saying this all along. A willful abandoning of the faith that secured the forgiveness of God in Christ, as indicated in a willful return to sin, will end the ministry of Christ's justification on behalf of that person that saved him.
Agreed.

Both. But not in the way you understand that and the way many Protestants 'protest' against.
The removal of daily sin being a contingency upon which we remain a part of Jesus is only that in the sense that the removal of our daily sin is the evidence of our continuing faith in Christ. A willful return to sin happens when a person stops seeking God's forgiveness, not when they do seek God's forgiveness.
OK. I can accept this.

If they sought it, they would be forgiven, not condemned for that willful sin, as Hebrews 10:26-29 explains happens to the willful--now unbelieving--sinner/former believer.

I agree. And the reason he will lose his place in Christ is because a decision to remain in sin (aka, willful sin) is a decision to reject the rebirth he has received through the cleansing forgiveness of Christ. Think about it.


Which I don't believe. So this is not a point of contention between us that we need to even discuss it. And a point where I depart from the belief of the majority of Protestant believers.

Yes. Hebrews says it is 'impossible' for those who "have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit", who then fall away, to be brought back to repentance.

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" (Hebrews 6:4-6 NASB)

The repentance that a person can be brought back to is the washing away of sin that stains the new righteous creation that the one-time, forever cleansed believer has become. But the person who rejects this forgiveness for the outer stain of sin is signifying his abandonment of the faith that transformed his inner man into what it was. The person who persists in that unbelief will be subject to the damnation of the enemies of God, not saved with the people of God (Hebrews 10:26-29).
I started to disagree with this, but I need clarification first. I see a HUGE DIFFERENCE between the sin being described in Jn. 13 (daily sins) and the sin being described in Heb. 10 (total rejection of Christianity). I think there is daily sin, but then there is a hardness of heart that will not allow repentance, a total rejection of Christ for something else. This is what the author of Hebrews is describing. You have said previously (I think) that you see a difference too, but here (in the red above), you seem to be making no distinction. You are applying the "damnation of the enemies of God" to the "dirty footed" who wish to remain that way, but may repent sometime in the future. So, let me ask you a clarifying question:

Do you think Heb. 10:26-29 refers to those who refuse to allow Christ to wash their daily sins, or only to those who flat out apostatize? This seems to be our (only?) sticking point.
 
We are responsible to keep ourselves unspotted and undefiled, as well as to cleanse ourselves of all filthiness of flesh and spirit.... as Paul says -

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Corinthians 7:1

8 For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. 9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation,what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. 2 Corinthians 7:8-11





The "inside of the cup", a reference to the inner man,

19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. 2 Timothy 2:20-21

If we cleanse ourselves... we will be a vessel of honor, sanctified...


We must not assume that we have no responsibility to cleanse our inner man from the things that may defile us within.



JLB

:thumbsup
 
I don't know why people can't see the distinction between the parties.

Whatever any believer does, it does not eliminate the reality of having evil present within them, just as Paul had, himself. Romans 7:21

That is why "works" salvation doesn't and will never compute. We all have the contrariness of the flesh, no matter what "works" are performed.

Galatians 5:17
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

This "contrariness" can not be justified nor can it be eliminated, in our current body.
So, that's a "yes"? There is a "tempter" within, along with the "Spirit of Christ"? Then your only argument (that it's impossible to lose justification because we have the Spirit of Christ within us) is destroyed. We have a tempter within us too.

Spirit of Christ within = impossible to lose justification
Tempter within = impossible to keep justification

You're going to have to come up with a new argument.
 
Please see JLB's post above. Abram was NOT "created with a believing heart" nor "given a measure of faith". He was called by God AFTER "serving other Gods" (Joshua 24:2). He repented and followed the true God in Gen. 12 and was justified then, when he had faith in God.

I disagree. Joshua 24:2 only says the fathers who came before Abraham served other gods.

Abraham was definitely created by God. Isn't God our Maker?
 
Last edited:
I disagree. Joshua 24:2 only says the fathers who came before Abraham served other gods.

Abraham was definitely created by God. Isn't God our Maker?
Well, of course He's our maker. He's also the maker of every apostate who ever lived, including the "fathers [who] dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time", Pharaoh, Judas, Hitler etc. What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? There was a time in Abram's life when he wasn't a believer in the Triune God. He then became a believer, and at that time (in Gen. 12) he was justified. If you disagree, then you must believe that he was justified while still believing in "other Gods". Is this how we are justified also, before belief?
 
In Abraham's Day the good news was that he would become the father of many nations and his descendants would inherit a land. At that time the covenant was veiled. But now it has been unveiled through our Lord Jesus Christ.

But their minds were hardened; for to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 2 Cor. 3:14
 
In Abraham's Day the good news was that he would become the father of many nations and his descendants would inherit a land. At that time the covenant was veiled. But now it has been unveiled through our Lord Jesus Christ.

But their minds were hardened; for to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 2 Cor. 3:14
I don't know what you're getting at here. Are you saying that Abraham was justified when he was created and his faith in Gen. 12 just "shows" that justification?
 
So, that's a "yes"? There is a "tempter" within, along with the "Spirit of Christ"?

Honesty provides each believer the answer to that fact.

Most believers understand we ARE tempted internally by the tempter.

Spirit of Christ within = impossible to lose justification
Tempter within = impossible to keep justification

It's a fairly simple sight:

Romans 8:10
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
 
I don't know what you're getting at here. Are you saying that Abraham was justified when he was created and his faith in Gen. 12 just "shows" that justification?

I'm not saying he was justified when he was created. I'm saying when God created Abraham, he gave him a measure of faith.

In Gen. 12 God made Abraham a promise. The promise met with Abraham's faith. So Abraham did as the LORD commanded him to do. So Abraham was justified by faith.
 
I'm not saying he was justified when he was created. I'm saying when God created Abraham, he gave him a measure of faith.

In Gen. 12 God made Abraham a promise. The promise met with Abraham's faith. So Abraham did as the LORD commanded him to do. So Abraham was justified by faith.
OK, I agree. Do you think he was also justified in Gen. 15:6 when he "believed God"?
 
I disagree. Joshua 24:2 only says the fathers who came before Abraham served other gods.

Abraham was definitely created by God. Isn't God our Maker?

2 And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods. Joshua 24:2

Your fathers, "including" which indicates "in addition to" your fathers... Terah and Nahor.

On the other hand, according to Jasher, Nimrod had wanted to kill Abram, the son of Terah because of the sign in the heaven on the night he was born. Very enlightening read!



This statement from Jasher 9 -

5 And when Abram came out from the cave, he went to Noah and his son Shem, and he remained with them to learn the instruction of the Lord and his ways, and no man knew where Abram was, and Abram served Noah and Shem his son for a long time.
6 And Abram was in Noah's house thirty-nine years, and Abram knew the Lord from three years old, and he went in the ways of the Lord until the day of his death,

7 And the king and all his servants, and Terah with all his household were then the first of those that served gods of wood and stone.


Then we read a little further...

13 And Abram saw the sun shining upon the earth, and Abram said unto himself Surely now this sun that shines upon the earth is God, and him will I serve.
14 And Abram served the sun in that day and he prayed to him, and when evening came the sun set as usual, and Abram said within himself, Surely this cannot be God?


The verse from Joshua would seem to include Abram, but the statement from Jasher is very clear.


Joshua refers to Jasher and would have been familiar with it.

So the sun stood still, And the moon stopped, Till the people had revenge Upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. Joshua 10:13


This would seemingly change the "status" of Abraham's justification, [if we choose to use the definition's of the Lexicon], from "made righteous" to "shown to be righteous", in Genesis 12.

I prefer to stay with the "Justified"...
Abraham was "justified" in Genesis 12, 15 and 22, that fact does not change.






JLB
 
Last edited:
You are applying the "damnation of the enemies of God" to the "dirty footed" who wish to remain that way, but may repent sometime in the future.
If a willful sinner could repent sometime in the future they would not be counted among those who will be destroyed along with the enemies of God. Hebrews 10:26-29 is a warning for willful sinners to get off the path they are on....that is, for those for which it is not too late to do so.

I see a HUGE DIFFERENCE between the sin being described in Jn. 13 (daily sins) and the sin being described in Heb. 10 (total rejection of Christianity).
The outward sin is the same. It's the attitude of the heart that determines whether Hebrews 10:26-29 applies to them, or not. The person who is still believing in the forgiveness of God seeks for and relies on that forgiveness and his feet are washed (his whole body remained clean). The person who really doesn't give a flip about the forgiveness of God he has in Christ doesn't seek to be clean and his feet remain dirty, and worse, his whole body is in danger of becoming unclean again through that abandoning of the blood of Christ.

I think there is daily sin, but then there is a hardness of heart that will not allow repentance, a total rejection of Christ for something else.
Yes, there is that sin--the sin of rejecting Christ. But as far as the outward sin itself, it looks little different between the two. It's the reason that the two are sinning that makes the difference between them and which makes the warning of Hebrews 10:26-29 applicable to them or not.

Do you think Heb. 10:26-29 refers to those who refuse to allow Christ to wash their daily sins, or only to those who flat out apostatize? This seems to be our (only?) sticking point.
It's a warning to, both, those who neglect the washing of their feet because of a shrinking away of faith in Christ, and those who have already lost that faith. God determines at which point exactly the person has gone beyond the point of being able to repent. That's the unknown that nobody should toy with. And I think that's the message God wants us to get. Don't play games, he says. Later in the letter the author speaks of Esau who wanted to get back what he lost but couldn't, even though he sought it with tears. Pretty sobering.
 
2 And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods. Joshua 24:2

Your fathers, "including" which indicates "in addition to" your fathers... Terah and Nahor.

On the other hand, according to Jasher, Nimrod had wanted to kill Abram, the son of Terah because of the sign in the heaven on the night he was born. Very enlightening read!



This statement from Jasher 9 -

5 And when Abram came out from the cave, he went to Noah and his son Shem, and he remained with them to learn the instruction of the Lord and his ways, and no man knew where Abram was, and Abram served Noah and Shem his son for a long time.
6 And Abram was in Noah's house thirty-nine years, and Abram knew the Lord from three years old, and he went in the ways of the Lord until the day of his death,

7 And the king and all his servants, and Terah with all his household were then the first of those that served gods of wood and stone.


Then we read a little further...

13 And Abram saw the sun shining upon the earth, and Abram said unto himself Surely now this sun that shines upon the earth is God, and him will I serve.
14 And Abram served the sun in that day and he prayed to him, and when evening came the sun set as usual, and Abram said within himself, Surely this cannot be God?


The verse from Joshua would seem to include Abram, but the statement from Jasher is very clear.


Joshua refers to Jasher and would have been familiar with it.

So the sun stood still, And the moon stopped, Till the people had revenge Upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. Joshua 10:13


This would seemingly change the "status" of Abraham's justification, [if we choose to use the definition's of the Lexicon], from "made righteous" to "shown to be righteous", in Genesis 12.

I prefer to stay with the "Justified"...
Abraham was "justified" in Genesis 12, 15 and 22, that fact does not change.






JLB

Sorry JLB. The book of Jasher is not in the Bible.

Joshua 24:2Revised Standard Version (RSV)

2 And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Your fathers lived of old beyond the Euphra′tes, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods.

The RSV doesn't say Abram served other gods. It singles out Terah who happened to be Abram's father.
 
Sorry JLB. The book of Jasher is not in the Bible.

Joshua 24:2Revised Standard Version (RSV)

2 And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Your fathers lived of old beyond the Euphra′tes, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods.

The RSV doesn't say Abram served other gods. It singles out Terah who happened to be Abram's father.

Sorry Mark,

You misunderstand my post.

The book of Jasher is in the bible.

So the sun stood still, And the moon stopped, Till the people had revenge Upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.
Joshua 10:13

Joshua 10:13 does contain the words "book of Jasher".

So the "book of Jasher" is indeed in the Bible.

After reading about Abraham's life before he "left his fathers house", I would have to agree with the "spirit" of what you say, and change my position about Abraham as serving the gods of his father, based on Joshua 24:2

You are right, and I am wrong.

:salute


JLB
 
If a willful sinner could repent sometime in the future they would not be counted among those who will be destroyed along with the enemies of God. Hebrews 10:26-29 is a warning for willful sinners to get off the path they are on....that is, for those for which it is not too late to do so.


The outward sin is the same. It's the attitude of the heart that determines whether Hebrews 10:26-29 applies to them, or not. The person who is still believing in the forgiveness of God seeks for and relies on that forgiveness and his feet are washed (his whole body remained clean). The person who really doesn't give a flip about the forgiveness of God he has in Christ doesn't seek to be clean and his feet remain dirty, and worse, his whole body is in danger of becoming unclean again through that abandoning of the blood of Christ.


Yes, there is that sin--the sin of rejecting Christ. But as far as the outward sin itself, it looks little different between the two. It's the reason that the two are sinning that makes the difference between them and which makes the warning of Hebrews 10:26-29 applicable to them or not.


It's a warning to, both, those who neglect the washing of their feet because of a shrinking away of faith in Christ, and those who have already lost that faith. God determines at which point exactly the person has gone beyond the point of being able to repent. That's the unknown that nobody should toy with. And I think that's the message God wants us to get. Don't play games, he says. Later in the letter the author speaks of Esau who wanted to get back what he lost but couldn't, even though he sought it with tears. Pretty sobering.
Your answer seems vague, probably because you don't know exactly where the "impossible to repent" line is drawn. Kinda like when you asked me a while back, which laws were included in the word "works". I had no clue which specific "works of the law" were included, I just knew the commandments weren't. Let's keep going here and see where it leads. We know from Scripture that all sins are forgivable, except the "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit".

"Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. (Mat 12:31 NASB)

Now, let's compare this to Heb. 10:26

For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, (Heb 10:26 NASB)

It's obviously the forgiveness of sin which is being spoken of in both these verses. The author of Hebrews can't be talking about just ANY sin, he has to be talking specifically about blaspheming the Holy Spirit because that's the only sin that can't be forgiven. That's in context of Heb. 10, also.

How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? (Heb 10:29 NASB)

This goes far beyond willfully refusing to repent of daily sins. What's being described here, the "unforgivable sin", the sin that is so bad "that there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins" is sinning against the Holy Spirit. Now, let's take a look at Jn. 13 again in this light.

Peter said to Him, "Never shall You wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." (Jhn 13:8 NASB)

The daily sins of the apostles, does not even come close to blaspheming the Holy Spirit, yet unless they let Jesus remove these sins, they "have no part" with Jesus, they lose justification. Heb. 10 is speaking specifically about the sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit, not any other sin. This has to be the case because Jesus says that's the only "unforgivable sin", the only sin the warning in Hebrews 10 applies to.

What this means is that unless we allow Jesus to remove daily sin, we lose justification. Because this refusal to refrain from sin doesn't rise to the level of "blaspheming the Holy Spirit", we can turn from this rejection of Christ's "foot washing" and be forgiven again, thereby being justified again, returning to "having a part" with Jesus.

Jesus says the "unforgivable sin" line is drawn only at one sin. All others can and are forgiven through repentance.
 
Last edited:
Your answer seems vague, probably because you don't know exactly where the "impossible to repent" line is drawn.
Hebrews 10:26-29 is not talking about just one specific sin that tramples on the blood of Christ. I see it often enough among Christians to know what the passage is addressing. It's about people who have this flippant, careless attitude about their sin because they think that grace means Christ will always be there ready to forgive it and fall all over himself to keep them safe when they need to have that forgiveness. It makes me so angry to see Christians do this. They think God is this wimpy milk toast kind of parent who picks up everything after their kids without requiring the disciplines of the faith from them. But God is not mocked. The person who tramples on the grace of God that way has started the clock ticking toward the time God says, 'enough!', and he shuts the door in their faces.

I'm not talking about the weak sinner who seems to live in constant defeat, continually coming back to Christ for forgiveness. I'm talking about the person who has accepted his sin as a way of life and does not seek God about it because he thinks grace means God is winking at it. I mean if he is even thinking about grace at all.

Kinda like when you asked me a while back, which laws were included in the word "works". I had no clue which specific "works of the law" were included, I just knew the commandments weren't.
I don't recall being the one that asked you that. But your point is received.

We know from Scripture that all sins are forgivable, except the "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit".

"Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. (Mat 12:31 NASB)

Now, let's compare this to Heb. 10:26

For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, (Heb 10:26 NASB)
The sin being spoken of certainly includes the sin of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit in it's most obvious form (openly denouncing and denying the Holy Spirit's ministry of testifying to the Christ). But when you understand that blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is nothing more than the sin of unbelief (deciding not to believe the Holy Spirit's testimony, thus calling the Holy Spirit a liar--1 John 5:10) you can see how the sin that tramples on and mocks the grace of God in the blood of Christ is any sin that is flagrantly and willingly done because of unbelief in the blood of Christ for the forgiveness of sins. Paul speaks of this denial of the power of God here:

5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power" (2 Timothy 3:5 NASB)

It isn't covered by the blood because there is no sacrifice given by God to cover the sin of rejecting the forgiveness of God. Persist in it and you will die with no remedy for that sin. Because there isn't one. The sacrifice of Christ doesn't remain for the 'believer' who sins because of a trampling of the blood of Christ in unbelief.


This goes far beyond willfully refusing to repent of daily sins. What's being described here, the "unforgivable sin"
But the sin that is not brought to Christ can't be forgiven either. What sacrifice is there to forgive the sin that a person knows is sin but won't bring to Christ? I only know of Christ's sacrifice existing and remaining to cover sins that people bring to him to be forgiven. And what I mean by 'bring to him' is they have every intention of being rid of it through a relationship with God by the Holy Spirit, not coexisting with it.

Peter said to Him, "Never shall You wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." (Jhn 13:8 NASB)
The daily sins of the apostles, does not even come close to blaspheming the Holy Spirit
They do if those daily sins represent an unbelief and a turning away from the forgiveness that they know about through the ministry and testimony of the Holy Spirit. The unrepentant person who sins defiantly and willfully is in effect rejecting God's call through the Holy Spirit to forgiveness and repentance through the blood of Christ and choosing to trample it underfoot in a careless and/or contemptuous rejection of that blood. IOW, he is unbelief.

If they keep doing that God will not wring his hands in anguish over their refusal to come to him forever. He's not a wimp. God is not like some parents who will do anything forever to baby their kids and pick up the pieces of their careless, irresponsible lives. God does not allow that to happen to his grace.

yet unless they let Jesus remove these sins, they "have no part" with Jesus, they lose justification.
And I agree. But where we disagree is I say you only lose the one-time justification you received in the cleansing of your whole body eventually after you resist and resist in unbeief God's call to forgiveness and repentance for daily sin. That is when you lose the justification--the cleanliness of the whole body---but which God says is impossible to have done again.

In the passage we see daily sin is not talking about the issue of having been made clean in Christ itself, but only the dirtying of the feet. That is, until you reject Christ and don't allow him to cleanse the daily sin, which I'm saying means you are, or have, departed the faith. Then it does become a matter of losing the one-time body cleansing justification you received, which we agree Jesus refers to as 'having no part of him'.

Because this refusal to refrain from sin doesn't rise to the level of "blaspheming the Holy Spirit", we can turn from this rejection of Christ's "foot washing" and be forgiven again, thereby being justified again, returning to "having a part" with Jesus.
But I'm saying
you never lose your justification in this scenario unless you persist in it. As Jesus says, the body remains wholly clean despite the dirty feet. So it isn't' the dirty feet that rob one of justification. It's when you raise daily sin to the level of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (unbelief) that you can then lose justification. And you lose it forever with no chance given to get it back.

Jesus says the "unforgivable sin" line is drawn only at one sin. All others can and are forgiven through repentance.
Yes, 'through repentance'. But if you don't repent asking forgiveness you are guilty of sin that can not be forgiven. Both, the sin of your unbelief, and the sin displayed as a result of that unbelief. Remain in that unrepentant, willfully sinning state and you have nothing to look forward to but the damnation of the enemies of God. Remain in it long enough and God will make it so you can not come back.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top