grahame said:
We read of course that David repented of his sin. But his sin had forever changed the course of Israel's history.
FTR, I agreee with the last part of this, but do not agree with the first sentence. Nowhere does Scripture ever declare "that David 'repented of his sin'". I challenge anyone to show me where Scripture declares that. In fact, I challenge anyone to show me one Scripture where Scripture (as opposed to many self-procalimed, self-styled Bible students), says David 'repented' in any manner, whatsoever. Scripture does declare that "
But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD." (II Sam. 6:27b - NKJV) and the LORD sent Nathan to David. (II Sam. 7:1a - NKJV) Scripture
does declare that David asked the Lord to restore thte joy of his salvation-
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise. (Ps.51:7-17 - NKJV)
, not his salvation itself, and also declares that this confession and renewed 'attitude', was what the Lord desired, not an animal sacrifice and burnt offering for this fellowship to be renewed, and does declare that David 'confessed' his sin before the Lord, (
op. cit.) and also before Nathan in II Sam. 7:13 which reads:
13And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. (NKJV)
Didja' also notice that David's sin had been put away, even before he 'confessed' it, for Nathan had already been told of the LORD what to say to David? Or does that not set well with some, here? If not, take it up with the LORD, not me!
grahame is basically correct in his post, save for two things, and I have mentioned one of them, already. He has allowed typical eisegesis to read "of one's sins" into the word " repent"; and I have noted that, and secondly, the said that David 'repented', which claim Scripture never makes. And for now the fifth time, at least,
would someone - ANYONE - tell me what sins the LORD repented or did not repent of, since Scripture declares that God or The LORD, depending on the context and word used either did or did not repent thirty times? My question is certainly fair, since Scripture declares this! Or might it require that some might just have to look again at what they see as "repent" and hurt their theology, and prevent someone from ;judging' another's motives or salvation? Now that is something we
surely would not want, is it,
to have to change some of our ideas in light of Scripture? 
Someone here (I'm not checking who) is also correct to note that Paul's account of David's pronouncement in Romans 4: 7-8 acknowledges that the righteousness was imouted apart form works, as Paul announces, and equates and compares this with Abraham's faith.
A second thing I detest, personally, is use of the phrase(s) "'truly' saved", 'genuinely' saved. and such like, and the worst of all, "'reall and truly' saved"..Scripture knows of only "saved" and 'not saved'. There is not one place in Scripture that uses such abominable language, to my knowledge, at least, for I have checked this out.
It really is a slap in the face to God the Father, Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit, IMO. Scripture declares " (Jesus) is able to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by Him." In fact, let's look at that passage.
14 For
it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.[
a] 15 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16 who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 17 For He testifies:[
b]
“ You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.”[
c]
18
For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, 19 for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is thebringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
Greatness of the New Priest
20 And inasmuch as
He was not
made priest without an oath 21 (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him:
“ The LORD has sworn
And will not relent,
‘ You are a priest forever[
d]
According to the order of Melchizedek’”),[
e]
22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.
23 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. 24
But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25
Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law,
appoints the Son who has been perfected forever. (Heb. 7: 14- 27 - NKJV)
But the point I want to emphasise here is that God did not prevent David from falling into sin. In fact everyone who reads their Bibles will have to acknowledge that God worked that terrible sin of David's into His own plan for the salvation of mankind. For from the union of Bathsheba and David came Solomon and he is in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. So of course is David for that matter.
So in the light of stories like that of David's sin is it Biblical to imagine that God will prevent anyone from falling into sin? I'm not suggesting that he will prevent people from falling. But what I am saying is, in the light of these things is it an absolute guarantee that God will not allow a Christian who is saved by the grace of God from falling into grievous sin?
And of course that begs the other question doesn't it? Is a person truly saved if they fall into grievous sin? Or is he lost the moment he sins.Then of course that begs yet another question doesn't it? If a person repents is he saved again? and of course that begs yet another question. Is a person lost again if he happens to sin again. What I am saying as well is can a man be saved one day and lost the next, just because he sins? Bearing in mind that sin does not only mean outward sins. But also those sins that we hold secretly in our hearts. For our Lord certainly saw these to be just as grievous as the outward sins. Perhaps even more so, for those secret sins of the heart include pride and envy and covetousness. In fact the sin of pride is generally thought to have been the cause of the downfall of Satan himself.
One can be 'saved' one time, and one time only! There is no return trip, and there is no 'second salvation', or 'third salvation', or 'any other number'salvation, for there remains
no other offering for sin! Preach on, grahame!
Ed
