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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | can u b forgivn if you once turned away? | Luke 15:32 | boot | 43678 | ||
is is unforgivable, having once believed in god and giving your life to him, to then fall away and not belive? what if you did this and then want to come to him again, is it possible? | ||||||
2 | can u b forgivn if you once turned away? | Luke 15:32 | stjones | 43679 | ||
Cheer up; of course it's possible. Re-read the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). Every Christian I know struggles with this, if just for a moment or a day or a season. Sheep go astray; the Good Shepherd gathers them back in - when they're humble and willing to come. Dare I say "welcome back"? Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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3 | Indiana Jones, what about Heb 10:26-31? | Luke 15:32 | Searcher56 | 43734 | ||
Steve, what about Hebrews 10:26-31? Having once believed in God and giving your life to him, to then fall away and not believe. What if you did this and then want to come to him again, is it possible? Searcher |
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4 | Indiana Jones, what about Heb 10:26-31? | Luke 15:32 | Parable | 43773 | ||
It is important to remember that Hebrews was written to new Christian Jews, who were struggling to overcome centuries of Legalism. This is cited by bible scholars when explaining the contrasts between Hebrews and other NT books, which were written to a broad range of new Christians, who were not necessarily Jews. Given this, I am intrigued by the following analogies: In the study of near death experiences, e.g. the work of Dr. Gary Habermas, there are many classifications of death, with the ultimate called "biological death". The definition is "if you came back, you did not experience biological death". I mention this as a possible way to think about "falling away" as discussed in Hebrews. If you "fall away" and later want to come back, I wonder if you really did not "fall away" as much as you thought, or at least in the same sense that Hebrews is warning about. De-facto evidence of the truth of Hebrews' warning are those who fall away and do not come back, despite any theoretical possibilities we may postulate that they could have. That they DID NOT return to faith is consistent with the possibility that they COULD NOT, but it is not proof of this: they could have simply chosen to stay away. There is another similar situation in Scripture, i.e. the "unpardonable sin" of saying the devil is responsible for the work of the Holy Spirit, see Matthew 12:23. Anyone so hardened is unable to recognize the difference between God and the devil and therefore is completely lost. Its not because God won't pardon them if they repent, but rather they can't receive a pardon because they don't recognize God's authority to grant the pardon. If anyone worries about whether or not they have committed this sin, surely they have not, for if they had, they wouldn't care. Perhaps Hebrews is best understood in this context. More practically, what real difference does it make? That is, if we somehow "prove" that one can fall away and then return to faith, would it be more liberating than the freedom we received from Christ upon conversion? I think not. Alternately, if we "prove" that when one falls away, one is eternally damned, would that truth be more of a burden than our slavery to sin we suffered before we came to Christ? I think not. |
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5 | Could it be they're not true believers? | Luke 15:32 | Searcher56 | 43952 | ||
Could it be they're not true believers in Heb 10:26-31? | ||||||
6 | Could it be they're not true believers? | Luke 15:32 | Robert Nicholson | 43962 | ||
Brother Searcher: The language of Heb. 10:26-31 reminds me of 2 Peter 2: 1 "...even there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction. These people are "professing" Christians who have taken leadership of teachers and yet they deny the blood that bought them. We must remember that profession does not always mean possession. In Hebrews 10:26 -31 we are given a warning. V.26 "If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins." Sin wilfully is a state of wilful sin even though we profess that Christ died for our sins and gives us power to overcome sin in our daily lives. Such a contradiction would indicate that they have never received the new nature in Christ, their sinful desires are the same and there is no evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. This contradiction, professing to know the truth and wilfully going against it as evidenced in our sinful state, we are "treading underfoot the Son of God"V.29 In other words our live of wilful sin denies the power of Christ in the lives of those redeemed. They "have counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing" V. 29 By their actions they demonstrate that they do not consider the blood of Christ to be precious and an atonement for sin. Furthermore, they "hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace". They despise God in his grace, who has brought them to a measure of truth; which they deny. Like those in 1 Peter God's judgment is sure. I know that some will disagree, however, I do not think a person who has been born again to wilfully turn against Christ and his sacrifice for sin. Christians may fall into sin and get away from God, and yet deep within their soul they will always have an appreciation for Christ and his redemptive work on the cross. What do you think? Your brother by his grace Robert |
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