Hmmm... kind of takes Calvinism to a new level
I never saw any need to study Calvinism.
Whenever you ask someone who believes in OSAS, what about this person doing (homosexuality, adultery, fornication, etc...)
They will say... oh that person was never saved in the first place.
As salvation won't be assured till after the final judgement, our comments on its having been awarded already are moot.
You are raising the bar here and saying if they (lie, cheat, lust, dishonor parents, steal, etc...) any sin at all, they were never saved in the first place.
We serve who we love.
Servants of sin love sin more than they love God.
If that's the case, I'm not saved. I want to be, I try to be. You say "just stop sinning". You think I haven't tried? You think I don't want to?
You say "we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us". I believe that also.... but I haven't completely stopped sinning 100%
if I am honest with myself.
What does that say about your 'claim' of "wanting to"?
Don't waste another day of your life "wanting" something that is free for the taking.
Make up your mind right now that you will never sin again...and follow through with the desire.
I suspect under your rules, you might be the only Christian on TJ.
@Christ4Ever, [USER]Fragrant Grace [/USER],
@Chad, [USER]Br Bear[/USER]... none of them
are Christians according to you.
@Dave M,
@Bendito,
@KingJ @Curtis -- none of us are Christians according to you.
If they don't line up with the words of Christ, their salvation will be in danger.
I myself have told people they aren't really Christians, when this happened, they didn't have scripture to support their beliefs.
You have been given dozens of scriptures of why we believe what we believe.
And I have replied in kind.
If my scriptures defend obedience to God and your's defend disobedience to God...which interpretation do you think is FROM God?
Now some of us have been Christians a long time. (even if you don't agree) and we take your teachings with "a grain of salt" so to speak.
We rather believe the majority of the Bible, rather than one verse. But new Christians who read this, will likely get discouraged and give up.
Give up what?
Belief that God can do all things that strengthen us? (Phil 4:13)
Belief that God will protect us from temptations that are too much for us? (1 Cor 10:13)
Belief that God's seed cannot bear evil fruit? (1 John 3:8-10)
Belief that "in Christ" we have every advantage Jesus had while on earth?
If these are NOT the things new believers want, they are not looking to serve God in the first place.
Lam 3:22; The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.
Lam 3:23; They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
Prov 24:16; For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again,
But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.
Micah 7:18; Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance—who does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in loving devotion?
Great OT scriptures, addressed to OT men.
Men who were not given the gifts of repentance, baptism in the blood of Christ for the remission of past sins, AND for the killing of the old man prior to rebirth from incorruptible, Godly seed.
Nor were they promised the gift of the Holy Ghost for a true turn from sin.
They were never promised or given the Comforter.
They walked in the flesh, while we can walk in the Spirit.
What they did have, however, were the foreshadowings of the NT.
Circumcision:...now the casting away of the flesh at baptism into Christ and into His death.
Dietary laws:...now the separation from that which is unclean.
Separation from the infidels in marriage:...now the separation of the holy from the unholy.
The Sabbath, now every day to those who love God above all else and have committed everything to God's hands.
Jesus said..."If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15)
Do you love Jesus?
