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NASB | John 17:17 "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 17:17 "Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth. |
Bible Question:
Can doctrine make us lausy christians? I think Once Saved Always Saved doctrine can make us mediocre christians. Do you think our commodity christianity is the worst thing Satan had done? Early christians where very close to God because of the persecutions, etc. In Christ, Lorenzo |
Bible Answer: Lorenzo: You mention several things in just a few short statements. I gather, you don'r like Doctrine, especially the Doctrine of Eternal Security. Are you implying that Christians today buy into Christianity as one would buy a car? I think you are saying in order for Christians to be close to God they need to be persecuted,etc. Have I understood what you are attempting to say? Because of my respect for the Forum rules, I will not attempt to persuade you one way or the other about Eternal Security. I find both sides of the coin have merit. What I have observed is some get so locked jawed over this Doctrine that both sides become blinded to the truth. We can not take one verse and make a doctrine out of that, it must be taken in full context. In John 10:27-30, Jesus says MY several times, which is of key importance. "MY sheep" "MY voice" "they follow me" "I give eternal life to them" "no one will snatch them out of MY and" "My Father, who has given them to me" "no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand" finally Jesus said "I and the Father are one" These verses are open for you to draw your own conclusion. Are these verses responsible the cause for "mediocre christians"? There are certian requirements Jesus attached to all these verses. First there is the requirement we have to be His. We must not only be genuinely His, but we must not only be able to hear his voice but to listen carefully to make sure it is His Voice we hear. We have to be close enough to recognize His voice from that of the evil one who can sound a lot like His voice. Most important we have to be a follower. We don't wander, we stay with Jesus, and where He leads we follow. When we consider what all this means, as far as our responsibility in a secure relationship with Jesus, is anything but being mediocre! I once heard "faith that falters, had a flaw in it from the first." I have heard every side of "Eternal Security" dialogued from every side there is. For those who ask "what is the least I have to do to assure my salvation" and for those who say " you mean to say I can go and sin any old way and still be saved?" Bothe of these sides have missed out totally as to what Jesus was saying. May I encourage you Lorenzo, to re-read these verses and ask the Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes to the true meaning of this most significant statement by Jesus Himself. Christians are individuals, but we are also a part of a larger body, which we call the Church. The Church is the Bride of Christ. No more than a husband or wife is a commodity to purchase or sell, is one single Christian a commodity. Jesus Christ invites us as a person He died and shed His blood for, a very personal price to pay for us as one person. Yes, one person at a time receives Christ. That is not by any means commodity Christianity. As for persecutions, many of us might not agree that there are not persecutions going on today. Many suffer today, with poor health, having a son or daughter, husband or wife who reject Jesus Christ and fall into a most evil life style. What about Christians in Iraq, or even in the USA? If you have never endured persecution is some form, if you are a genuine Christian, most likely, you eventually will. I sincerely hope this gives you some food for thought, blessings. justme |