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NASB | 1 Timothy 4:1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Timothy 4:1 But the [Holy] Spirit explicitly and unmistakably declares that in later times some will turn away from the faith, paying attention instead to deceitful and seductive spirits and doctrines of demons, |
Subject: Some will depart from the faith |
Bible Note: Zach: Thank you for your response. I will attempt to address the scriptures which you have provided. I am experiencing trouble with the preview function on the forum, hence, I am sending this response in 3 parts. Part One: The first example: On the one hand we have those who are promised by Jesus that “they will never perish” John 10:28 and on the other hand he speaks of those “who will seek to enter in but will not be able”Luke 13:23 On the surface my question would be “Is God’s grace in salvation limited? In the same verse you have quoted Jesus words “Strive to enter in at the narrow door” In John 10 the Lord Jesus is using the metaphors of the sheep fold, the shepherd and the sheep to represent; the place of safety, Christ himself and people of this world. In v.5 “Jesus states, “ I am the door, by me if any man enter in he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture” What does Jesus mean? He explains: The sheep fold in Jesus time was a walled structure which has only one opening. The door to the opening when the sheep were inside was the shepherd himself who would lay across the opening during the night. Anything or one who tried to get into the fold had to go through the door which was the shepherd. The safety of the sheep was dependent on the care of the shepherd. Secondly, not only does the shepherd keep us in the fold, he leads us out into good pasture which would suggest that this shepherd looks after all our needs both day and night. In light of this metaphor, the Lord Jesus tells them plainly v. 7 “I am the good Shepherd, the good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” and because of his death for the sheep he tells us “I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish” He goes on to tells that those who are in his fold are kept in his hand and in his Father’s hand. I believe that we see the eternal security of those who belong to Christ from the God-ward side. What does Jesus mean “some will seek to enter and will not be able?” In Luke 13:23 Jesus makes it clear that humans who have heard the word must “Strive or agonize to enter in at the narrow door” Paul quotes from Isaiah “Behold now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation” In the message of Jesus and of Paul we find that there is an urgency and responsibility on the part of humans to put everything they have into finding Christ before their day of visitation is past. God speaks to sinners by his spirit and would convict them of their need of Christ, however if they choose to ignore his call, they may find themselves outside of Christ or the door forever. The security of those who have entered the door by faith are dependent on the Shepherd for safety. On the other hand, as humans we cannot trifle with the Grace of God when he calls us by his Spirit, if we desire to be safe for eternity, we must listen to his voice and enter by the door which is Christ himself. In Christ Robert |