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NASB | 1 John 5:13 ¶ These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 John 5:13 ¶ These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God [which represents all that Jesus Christ is and does], so that you will know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that you [already] have eternal life. |
Bible Question: Is it impossible for a Christian who has fallen away from God to renew themselves again to a relationship with Him after they have known his power and turned from Him? What do the Scriptures mean to each of you who care to answer. Support your answers with other Scriptures for me to review please. |
Bible Answer: Let me begin by acknowledging the previous answers. They certainly know how to receive forgiveness from the epistle’s point of view, good for them. I have tried without much success to bring Hebrews 6 before a few friends. It amazes me how some people can read and not hear what the read. One of the answer givers did acknowledge the statement that was clearly made by the author of Hebrews, For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened;…. If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance. He side stepped it by asserting that these people could not have been TRULLY born again, else they would not have fallen away. I admit that this is a difficult scripture, mostly because of the extreme responsibility that it implies. This, I believe causes our minds to go “TILT” when approaching it. If a person would honestly look at who this scripture is referring to we could not help but realize that “ those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,” could not possibly be non-regenerate people. Likewise they could not be mere babes pertaining to their growth spiritually speaking. What heavenly gift does a non-Christian or babe in Christ experience in a fully cognitive manor, or what powers of the world to come have they purposely and continually employed in their lives. I realize though that our non-Pentecostal friends (fellow beloved in the Lord) have few clues as to what we are referring to. Our growth is a definite condition. We are not born perfect (mature) either by our natural birth or by our spiritual birth. See Romans 12;1.2 Seeing that Paul exhorts us to have our minds renewed I perceive that at any given time in our Christian walk we are in need of further transformation. Remember even Paul said 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Even though he used the word perfect in the following verse the word would mean mature. If you are concerned for your self in light of the Hebrews 6 passage, I believe that a simple test can be applied. If you still care whether your are sinning of have sinned then the Holy Spirit is still with you. John 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: In the line of testimonies one could investigate this report of Voltaire on His death bed. He has been quoted by saying that he would stamp out the bible in his life time. When he lay dying , Christian friends where begging him to accept Jesus as his savior to no avail. Even while his eyes where opened to see the hellish pits open beneath his bed he could only curse Jesus and die. This of coarse helps to demonstrate what Jesus said about blaspheming the Holy Spirit. See also Ephesians 4:30 If you or anyone can still call on the name of the Lord for forgiveness then he or she is eligible for I John 1:9. I shutter to think about the possibility of fulfilling Hebrews 6:4 to 6. When praying for others, continue to intercede for them until Father tells you to stop or when the person is restored, don’t ever take it upon your self to write someone off for any reason. He that shows mercy shall also receive mercy. |