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NASB | Luke 8:13 "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. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Luke 8:13 "Those on the rocky soil are the people who, when they hear, receive and welcome the word with joy; but these have no firmly grounded root. They believe for a while, and in time of trial and temptation they fall away [from Me and abandon their faith]. |
Bible Question:
NC, You won't be surprised that I totally disagree with Adam Clarke's exposition of John 15:6. It is clear Clarke interprets this judgement (casting into the fire) as the judgement for the sins of non-believers and those who could not muster up enough faith of their own. This is an unbiblical view and I totally disagree with this interpretation. As you are already aware, I believe this is the judgement of believers. It is not the judgement for their sins, but for their works. I think it is unfortunate that you feel that within yourself you had to do something to gain eternal life. You must believe this, if you feel you can do something to lose it. But eternal life is not YOUR work. It is the Work of God, within you. I have some challenges for you: I would like you to give me your perspective on the following verses which strongly support eternal security. Jer 32:40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. NOTICE: ...so they will never turn away from me. What's your view on this verse? Here is another one for you: John 6:35-40 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." WHAT DID JESUS MEAN WHEN HE SAID, "I shall not lose none of them that he has given me"? Here is another verse that I would like to hear your views on: Jude 1:24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy-- NOTE: To say that we can fall from grace is to say that God is not able to keep us from falling… That is unbiblical. It contradicts Jude 1:24. I look forward to your responses for the verses provided above. Thanks…. In Christ….Doug |
Bible Answer: Doug First of all in John Chapter 15 it is said that people not works are cast into the fire to be burned. No where does John 15 indicate that this is works judgment. John 15:1-6 is plainly about those who do not abide (remain) in Christ the vine. To read anything else into that text is to alter the clear and plain meaning of Scripture. I suggest you take a closer look. Next you stated; "I think it is unfortunate that you feel that within yourself you had to do something to gain eternal life. You must believe this, if you feel you can do something to lose it. But eternal life is not YOUR work. It is the Work of God, within you." My work in salvation was once God turned the light on in my soul and spirit to follow through with the Bibical commands to repent and believe. God does not do our repenting or believing for us. repent ye, and believe the gospel. Mark 1:15 except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 13:3 Repent ye therefore, and be converted Acts 3:19 God ... now commandeth all men every where to repent: Acts 17:30 So you see repenting is commanded of God. If you call doing what God asks us to do a work then you will have to discuss that with God since that is what His word says. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. We must believe also. God draws us to Himself, and enables to respond, but He neither repents or believes for us. And yes I also am aware that it is God's goodness that leads us to repentance, however there is not a single verse in Scripture that implicitly states that God does our repenting for us. Those who repent have their sins remitted, because of their faith in the shed blood of our Savior. Not because of what we can or might do, but because of what Christ did on the cross on our behalf. We merely believe the Biblical commands to repent and believe. Next you said: " have some challenges for you: I would like you to give me your perspective on the following verses which strongly support eternal security. Jer 32:40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me." If you want to get into the Old Testament as well then you will have to reconcile that single verse with these other verses from the New testament 1 Sam.16:14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul Saul said ... God is departed from me , and answereth me no more, (1 Sam. 28:15) Then said Samuel, Why then, dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy. (1 Sam. 28:16) The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you 2 Chr. 15:2 because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you 2 Chr. 24:20 Ezek. 18:24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever. (1 Chr. 28:9) I will even forsake you saith the Lord. (Jer. 23:33) And there are many others as well. Next you used John 6:35-40 this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. How then do you explain the fact that Judas who was numbered with the other 11 apostles was lost. In what sense is this verse true? Then you posted from Jude 24 says "He is able to keep us from falling" This only says that He is able to keep from falling those who continually believe and trust in Him by faith. Faith is a verb which denotes continuous action and believe. So does the Bible contradict itself. Not in my opinion it doesn't. Scripture must be interpreted with Scripture. Thats why "once saved, always saved" does not agree with the Bible. It just isn't Bibical in the way many denominations teach it these days. So will you believe clever theologians, or trust that God's word is the only true and accurate standard. In His service New Creature |