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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Can a person push God too far?? | 1 John 1:9 | Aslans_Friend | 229662 | ||
I wasn't arguing a doctrinal position, but I will attempt to justify my position, I guess. 1) "As long as you have breath within you God is willing to forgive you." -God's love is infinite: For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38,39 Back to 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. Hebrews 9:27,28 2) The term 'fall from grace' is controversial in the respect that there are different interpretations of Luke 8:13 and Hebrews 6:4-6 Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away.(Luke) 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, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 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.(Heb) There are two opposing positions Armenianism and Calvinism Definition for arminianism: 17th century theology (named after its founder Jacobus Arminius) that opposes the absolute predestinarianism of John Calvin and holds that human free will is compatible with God's sovereignty. Here I defer to a Reformed Doctor of Theology and Philosophy, R.C Sproul: CLIP: We need to identify the nature of people who are being warned against falling away in Hebrews. Are they true believers or are they tares growing among the wheat? We must remember that there are three categories of people we are concerned with here. There are: (1) believers, (2) unbelievers in the church, and (3) unbelievers outside of the church. The Book of Hebrews draws special parallels with Old Testament Israel, especially with those in the camp who were apostates. Who are these people in Hebrews? How are they described? Let us list their attributes: 1. once enlightened 2. tasted the heavenly gift 3. partakers of the Holy Spirit. 4. tasted the good Word of God 5. cannot be renewed again to repentance At first glance this list certainly appears to describe true believers. However it may also be describing church members who are not believers, people who have made a false profession of faith. All of these attributes may be possessed by non-believers. The tares that come to church every week hear the Word of God taught and preached and thus are "enlightened." They participate in all of the means of grace. They join in the Lord's Supper. They partake of the Holy Spirit in the sense that they enjoy the nearness of his special immediate presence and his benefits. They have even made a kind of repentance, at least outwardly. The key to Hebrews 6 is found in verse 9. "But.... this manner" Here the author himself notes that he is speaking in an unusual manner. His conclusions differ from those who find here a text for falling away. He concludes with a confidence of better things from the beloved, things that accompany salvation. Obviously falling away does not accompany salvation. The author does not say that any believer actually does fall away. In fact he says the opposite, which he is confident they will not fall away. But if no one falls away, why even bother to warn people against it? t seems frivolous to exhort people to avoid the impossible. Here is where we must understand the relationship of perseverance to preservation. Perseverance is both a grace and a duty. We are to strive with all our might in our spiritual walk. Humanly speaking, it is possible to fall away. Yet as we strive we are to look to God who is preserving us. It is impossible that he should fail to keep us. Consider again the analogy of the child walking with his father. It is possible that the child will let go. If the father is God, it is not possible that he will let go. Even given the promise of the Father not to let go, it is still the duty of the child to hold on tightly. Thus the author of Hebrews warns believers against falling away. Luther called this the "evangelical use of exhortation." It reminds us of our duty to be diligent in our walk with God. :CLIP Although this is quite lengthy, I think it is to the point and reflects a sane interpretation. Thanks! |
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2 | Can a person push God too far?? | 1 John 1:9 | biblicalman | 229679 | ||
Hi, It is quite clear that Hebrews 6 refers to the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. That is the only sin for which there is no repentance. Interestingly the words in Hebrews 6 can be applied to the Scribes and Pharisees. They had been enlightened by Jesus (compare John 1.9). They had tasted of the heavenly gift, that is of Jesus. They had seen His miracles, they had heard His teaching. They had shared in the Holy Spirit, for they had experienced the Spirit-filled Jesus.(How else could they have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit?). They had tasted the good word of God spoken by the Spirit-filled Jesus. And yet they were in danger of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit by final rejection. The writer was writing to a group of Jews who had been considering the claims of Christ. Some had fully responded, others were hesitating. They too had experienced signs and wonders wrought by the Holy Spirit (Heb 2.4). They had heard the word of God spoken by those who knew Jesus (Heb 2.3). And now they were faced with a final choice. He was not speaking of born again people but of 'believers' like those in John 2.23-25. Some of them he likened to ground covered with thorns and thistles which CANNOT produce fruit (Heb 6.8). |
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