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NASB | Acts 8:13 Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Acts 8:13 Even Simon believed [Philip's message of salvation]; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he watched the attesting signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed. |
Subject: What does "perish" mean? |
Bible Note: Harold Brown: ETERNAL SECURITY, Part 1. First, let's look at Hebrews 10:16 once more. The writer says: "For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins." [All Scripture quotations in Parts 1 and 2 are from the ESV, English Standard Version]. He says "we" and is thus speaking rhetorically, because in v.39 he excludes himself and other genuine believers from this category. "sinning deliberately" carries the idea of willful intent that is habitual. The sin is deliberate rejection of Christ. These are not isolated acts; they are the kinds of deliberate, premediated sins that, under Mosaic law, required the exclusion from the congregation of Israel (cf. Numbers 15:30,31) and from its worship (cf. Exodus 21:14). "knowledge of the truth" is speaking of specific knowledge, not just general knowledge. Judas Iscariot is an excellent example of a disciple who had no lack of specific knowledge of the truth of Christ, but his use of it was certainly flawed. Lacking saving faith, Judas became the arch-apostate. There "no longer remains a sacrifice for sins" to him who continues in willful, habitual sin after having once been enlightened (see Hebrews 6:4-6). The apostate is beyond salvation, having rejected the only sacrifice that can cleanse him from sin, i.e., the atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Turning away from this sacrifice leaves him with absolutely no alternative means of salvation. A parallel is found in Matthew 12:31... Yes, the Bible does speak of falling away, of apostasy, which is a reference to the abandonment of the true Christian faith -- a denial of the truths essential to the gospel or a ceasing of one's profession to be a Christian. For the redeemed (regenerate, born-again) believer, apostasy is impossible, which I shall attempt, in Part 2, to show by an abundance of Scriptural references that speak to the topic. --Hank |