Results 1 - 3 of 3
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | What is "persevering to the end?" | Matt 22:37 | Eagle One | 30198 | ||
Greetings Emmaus, In your post you ask, "what does it mean to persevere to the end?" If you refer to Rev. 3:10, please consider the following: James E. Rosscup in "The Overcomers of the Apocalypse," GTJ 3 (Fall 1982): 261-86, commits the error of the illegitimate identitiy transfer, ie. the practice of noting usage in various contexts, adding all the usages up, reading them into the semantic value of the word and carrying that freighted new meaning into other contexts." Barr, pp 206-62. His attempt to define the meaning of "overcomer", in Rev. 2-3 is a prime example. In I Jn 5:4 it seems clear that the overcomer is a Christian and that all who are Christians are, in a particular sense, overcomers. Those who know the Lord have, according to John, overcome by virtue of the fact that they have believed and for no other reason." In Revelation, however, the overcomer is one who has "kept the word of My perseverance" (Rev. 3:10) and who "keeps My deeds until the end" (Rev. 2:26) As a result of this faithful behavior, the overcomer receives various rewards. Rosscup, in the interests of the Reformed doctrine of perseverance, wants the overcomer in I John (all Christians) to mean the same thing as the overcomer in Revelation. He seems to misunderstand the context of I John and feels it refers to tests of whether or not one is a Christian, when in fact it refers to tests of our walk and fellowship with God. This can be twisted, but the natural sense is to be found in the purpose statements in the opening verses. All who are overcomers in I John, therefore, may or may not be walking in fellowship; all who are overcomers in Revelation are. An overcomer in I John is simply a Christian; an overcomer in Revelation is a persevering Christian. Dillow, "The Reign of the Servant Kings" pp 36-37. All of the above gives me reason to believe that one doesn't lose his salvation because he isn't the Christian who perseveres to the end in walking closely with our Lord, staying in constant fellowship, faithfully resisting temptation, and being abundant in good works "to the end." Thanks for reading my post. In Him, Eagle One |
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2 | What is "persevering to the end?" | Matt 22:37 | Robert Nicholson | 30204 | ||
Brother Eagle One: I agree that we are overcomers in Christ. "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am pursuaded, that neither principlalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shal be able to separate us from the love of Godwhich is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8 37-39) God bless you Robert |
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3 | What is "persevering to the end?" | Matt 22:37 | Emmaus | 30215 | ||
Dear Robert, I note that Paul does not list sin among the things that cannot separate us from God. We are overcomers so long as we remain in Christ, but if we separate ourselves from him we are lost. At least that is how I see it. I think this will always be a point of differnce among various parties on this forum regarding "once saved, always saved." Emmaus |
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