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NASB | Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is able also to save forever (completely, perfectly, for eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede and intervene on their behalf [with God]. |
Subject: Is Salvation lump sum? |
Bible Note: Hi, Dodoy... What you are espousing is called synergistic soterism: universal atonement and libertarian free will. It was first espoused in Christendom by a monk named Pelagius Bretto -- hence it is often called Pelagianism. The theological view of libertarians are held by Socinians, Molinists, Arminians, and Open Theists. (The Romanists hold a view very similar to yours called Semi-pelagianism, denying any real effect of original sin on human nature.) In Pelagianism, human nature is neither good nor bad, but simply ignorant -- given the facts, man is able to choose salvation. Hence, man is in need of a tutor. In Semipelagianism, human nature is neither good nor bad, but simply injured -- given healing, man is able to choose salvation. Hence, man is in need of a physician. By contrast, orthodox Monergism asserts the Biblical perspective that man is dead (Ephesians 2:1, Colossians 2:13), lacking the moral ability to change his nature (Jeremiah 13:23) -- given regeneration (2 Corinthians 5:17) man is able to walk in righteousness (1 John 3:7, 10). Hence, man is in need of a Savior (John 1:13; 6:44). I now understand your reticence to respond to my questions, or tell us with whom you are studying. The presupposition that allows you to build your philosophical structure, is a heterodoxical definition of sin. Milliard Erickson renders a very good summation of the orthodox Christian definition: "Sin is any lack of conformity, active or passive, to the moral law of God. This may be a matter of act, of thought, or of inner disposition or state." You see, man is born in sin with an evil and wicked nature (Matthew 7:11, Ephesians 2:3), sharing the same evil nature as Satan (John 8:44). Man sins by choice and by the motivation of his very nature. Sin fills every aspect of his being from head to toe (Isaiah 1:5-6). His heart and mind is filled with it (Ecclesiastes 9:3, Ephesians 4:17-19, Titus 1:15, 1 Timothy 3:8, 6:5). There remains no good in men (Romans 7:18). Man is basically evil, not good. His heart is as hard as stone (Ezekiel 11:19, Jeremiah 23:29). Man imagines that he is only sick, but the Bible says he is dead (Ephesians 2:1, Colossians 2:13). Man feels he is, at worst, near-sighted, but Scripture says he is blind (2 Corinthians 3:14). Man shrugs off his vices as minor, but the Word says he is a slave (John 8:44, Ephesians 2:2, 2 Timothy 2:26). As I pointed out before, man lacks the moral ability to change his nature (Jeremiah 13:23). He can't stop sinning or even want to stop sinning (2 Peter 2:14). Everything he does has a sinful motive behind it, even when his actions outwardly appear good (Genesis 6:5). Man is unable to obey God (Matthew 7:18, Romans 8:7-8). He never seeks God (Romans 3:11). He is unwilling and unable to come to God for help (John 3:19-20, John 5:40, John 6:44, 65). Man is always set against God. His will is not neutral or self-determining. He always wills in accordance with his nature. Since his nature is evil, his thoughts and motives are always evil. But this moral inability does not annul his responsibility. Quite the contrary it compounds his guilt. Remember, this sinfulness is self-inflicted. God does not cancel Man's debt simply because Man has squandered the loan and is unable to pay God back. Man is guilty and deserves to go to Hell (Romans 6:23). This is the doctrine traditionally called total depravity. It is a question of extent and degree. Tim Challies writes, "We can put one drop of deadly poison in that glass and it renders that entire glass poisonous so that if you were to drink it, you would quickly drop dead. That one drop extended to every part of the glass even though the entire vessel is not filled with poison. This represents humans after the Fall. While they are not wholly corrupt, the corruption they do have extends to every part. And finally consider a third glass which is filled entirely with poison. From top to bottom there is nothing but deadly poison. This represents Satan, who the Bible portrays as being absolutely corrupt so there is no good left whatsoever, but this does not represent humans here on earth. Humans are not as depraved as they could possibly be." In Him, Dco |