Subject: Renewal AGAIN to repentance? |
Bible Note: Tim: "Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end..." Hebrews 3:12-14 We are partakers of Christ if we hold fast to the end (i.e. "not fall away"). By logical deduction, those who do not hold fast to the end are not partakers of Christ (and never were, according to my understanding of Scripture). I hold 2 Timothy 2:12 to use "if" in a conditional sense, since it would be illogical to tell a congregation "since we endure, we will also reign with Him; since we deny Him, He will also deny us." Endurance to the end is a hallmark of the believer in Christ. God preserves me in my faith, showing me and the world that I am truly His. That is not to say that I am perfect, but my general orientation toward sin is hatred of it (hopefully more and more each day), a la Romans 7:19. --Joe! |