|
Post by watchful on May 7, 2020 6:39:20 GMT -5
I think you might have misunderstand something here brother....I can't connect your responses with the post. And there is certainly no thought or intention to try and sway you from anything....I'm confused as to why you would think that, or why you think it was aimed at you or anybody, or how it is in contradiction to your approach..? I received an unction and found it truly edifying and strengthening and thought it was something very good to share, that's all. Well, whoever will may receive it. As for me I'm grateful to the Lord. Bless you. There are people who feel like since they backslid, they can never be forgiven, and I do not think that is what Hebrews 6 is saying either, so it is definitely worth sharing this to straighten that out.
Amen, yes. In particular it's a word that is meant to strengthen the believer against falling away under trial. We have not yet resisted unto blood...and if we were to think we don't need God's help, His strength and armour, we will not be able to stand, which is why it says, Take heed who thinks he stands lest he fall. But yes, if someone is penitent then they can be restored from backsliding and from false doctrines or sin. This word says it is impossible for someone to repent if they have actually fallen away, so by definition if someone has repented then it means they had not fallen away in the sense that Hebrews 6 is talking about....and I believe this is the same kind of falling away that 2 Thess. 2 is referring to, in the sense of being irrevocable. Many are going to give up on their faith, not just backslide, in the testing that is coming, so we do need to be strengthened and prepared by the Lord. For us in the west, the pressure is going to be unlike anything we have yet experienced. (False doctrine and explaining away or diluting the warnings of scripture does nothing to strengthen anyone, it does the opposite, it weakens the church.)
|
|
|
Post by watchful on May 7, 2020 6:46:17 GMT -5
Just thought the following would be edifying to others here as well....it was a response to someone on another forum who was saying that no sheep can be lost because they are in the loving arms of the Shepherd, and unfortunately they were giving a wrong explanation which diluted and limited the Hebrews 6 warning against falling away, as well as misunderstanding the foreknowledge of God. _____________________ God knows the END from the beginning......everything in between is a variable, so to speak, as far as we are concerned. Otherwise nobody could exercise their free will, and we would all put our feet up and adopt a fatalistic mindset thinking that there would be no need to even pray that souls would be saved or preach the gospel, or teach the word of God. In spite of the loving arms of the Shepherd, sheep still have a free will and can wander away from the sheepfold....remember Jesus talking about leaving the ninety nine to go rescue the one that got lost. We are in a war with a very real enemy (most often subtle and camouflaged) who keeps trying to get believers to wander, get deceived, or fall away entirely. The devil is prowling around like a roaring lion seeking who he may devour. This isn't over until it's over. That passage in Hebrews is talking about those who fall away from the faith to the point of denying the one who saved them in their mind and heart....it's not talking about backsliding, it's talking about something worse and irrevocable.....changing one's mind and heart to the point of denying Christ and denying the faith. The Jews were under great pressure and persecution and apparently they were in danger of giving up the good fight entirely and changing their minds about following Christ to go back to Judaism. The same warning applies to any believer who might change their mind and heart about the faith and revert back to whatever they had believed and were doing before they knew the Lord. It IS possible to fall away, and we need to keep that warning upon our hearts....especially in time of tribulation....else we be tempted the same way those Hebrews were being tempted. Since we are told that there WILL be a falling away in the last days and no doubt for much the same reasons of pressure and persecution....our faith will be tested greatly in the same manner as those Jews during the time of tribulation....so please I beg us all, let us not try to reason away the warnings in God's word, but take them to heart....they are a spiritual weapon and armour for our GOOD. Not an intellectual weapon, but a powerful and effective SPIRITUAL one, mighty in God, IF we would but take them to heart. The Lord is not being a big meanie and trying to threaten us......He is giving us AMMUNITION for the fight. So let's just humbly receive those warnings instead of resisting and fighting against our own side. Time to grow up and face the harsh realities of life, so to speak, because we are in very real war, and it's about to heat up. Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Rev 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Watchful!! : D It's good to see you. I agree weust endure to the end. Amen.....the Lord is faithful, He will help us and is helping us. He does not leave us as orphans, whatever we go through in this life. Bless you Naomi.
|
|
|
Post by frienduff on May 7, 2020 6:48:01 GMT -5
I think you might have misunderstand something here brother....I can't connect your responses with the post. And there is certainly no thought or intention to try and sway you from anything....I'm confused as to why you would think that, or why you think it was aimed at you or anybody, or how it is in contradiction to your approach..? I received an unction and found it truly edifying and strengthening and thought it was something very good to share, that's all. Well, whoever will may receive it. As for me I'm grateful to the Lord. Bless you. There are people who feel like since they backslid, they can never be forgiven, and I do not think that is what Hebrews 6 is saying either, so it is definitely worth sharing this to straighten that out.
That is why peter also makes it so clear . IF they return to the PIT and are OVERCOME . they were overcome in the sin and never repented , never came back , THEN their end is worse . Its why the early church , when they spotted sin or error , TOOK NO CHANCES , they KNEW that sin WILL harden a heart . SO they were always reminding to NOT SIN , to NOT ERR and if one does , CORRECT Them , DO the pattern JESUS set up . They were far more serious . They beheld and knew both the Goodness and severity of GOD . And they knew if one did not continue IN the goodness of GOD , which if we read was CHRIST , then they WOULD be cast out . not a maybe , but they would be cast out . They knew and they also had Real HOPE . they knew REAL faith , and its why i beg , plead that so many would just go and return back to those bibles and learn this very well . The words and pattern of OUR KING and those apostels KNEW the KING , are words that can build us up , our faith up .
|
|
|
Post by frienduff on May 7, 2020 6:49:04 GMT -5
There are people who feel like since they backslid, they can never be forgiven, and I do not think that is what Hebrews 6 is saying either, so it is definitely worth sharing this to straighten that out.
Amen, yes. In particular it's a word that is meant to strengthen the believer against falling away under trial. We have not yet resisted unto blood...and if we were to think we don't need God's help, His strength and armour, we will not be able to stand, which is why it says, Take heed who thinks he stands lest he fall. But yes, if someone is penitent then they can be restored from backsliding and from false doctrines or sin. This word says it is impossible for someone to repent if they have actually fallen away, so by definition if someone has repented then it means they had not fallen away in the sense that Hebrews 6 is talking about....and I believe this is the same kind of falling away that 2 Thess. 2 is referring to, in the sense of being irrevocable. Many are going to give up on their faith, not just backslide, in the testing that is coming, so we do need to be strengthened and prepared by the Lord. For us in the west, the pressure is going to be unlike anything we have yet experienced. (False doctrine and explaining away or diluting the warnings of scripture does nothing to strengthen anyone, it does the opposite, it weakens the church.) SOR . SPOT ON RIGHT SISTER . LET US CLING TO THE KING .
|
|
|
Post by watchful on May 7, 2020 7:03:59 GMT -5
Something else came to mind....how the love of many will grow cold also because lawlessness will abound. We seem to be entering those days....we must not grow discouraged or unbelieving when it appears that God is nowhere to be found in all the violence and chaos and unravelling that will take place and even has begun. Remember that the Lord has to tear down before He can rebuild and plant....and He is even the one who created the destroyer to wreak havoc. Stay near to Jesus, hunkered down with Him, and He will keep us through the storms.
|
|