posted by steaver:
1) Do you also tell other believers that you are one of the predestinated to the finish?
2)That you are special and cannot lose your salvation but they better beware of losing their salvation?
3)This is what I am getting out of your answers and comments brother, that you believe you are predestinated to remain faithful but other believers cannot be so sure.
4)Why isn't the predestination passage for those believers you preach to as well as for yourself?
5) What makes your salvation so special and different than theirs?
God Bless!
elo...
1) If someone asked me, I would have a discussion such as we are doing, using scripture to back up what I say.
I will take that as a "yes".
elo...
2) I have often discussed with other belivers what it takes to contend for the faith, and what happens if one does not.
I will take that as a "no".
elo...
3) All true believers know the Lord. It is important to tell new believers what is expected of them. It's called discipleship. The NT has many examples of those who fell away and I would most certainly point that out.
Insert other comments and avoid answering the point.
elo...
4) I am not a preacher. I have discussions with fellow believers and some who are wavering. There are many. I pray for them and lead them the best way I can into the truth of God's Word.
We are both preaching here, all of us are preachers. In fact we are commanded to preach the word...2Ti 4:2
Preach the word ; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
As for the question...unanswered.
elo...
5) I am not special. I almost fell away and was lost. I was part of a religious group who believed that unless you pronounce the Name of Jesus correctly you were not saved. Many of those people eventually denied the Deity of Christ because they wanted to follow the ancient path and it drew them away from Christ into deception. I was very close, my clothes were singed and smoking.
You almost fell away? Why didn't you? God's Grace, right? How about those who did fall away? Didn't they have God's Grace? Why did God give you Grace and not them?
So here is the conclusion of your position; You are saved and believe you are in no danger of ever losing your own salvation(predestinated). You teach other believers that they can be in danger of losing their salvation(they are not predestinated believers, they are a different class of believers).
Teaching that a passage of scripture is for yourself but not for other born of God Believers is hypocritical. Predestination is for ALL who call on Christ!
You gave Gal 5 for reference to those who will not inherit the kingdom of God. There is a place for hypocrites as well...
Job 15:34 For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.
Mat 24:51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Pro 11:9 An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
I reference these scriptures not to say you are going to be lost, you cannot be, Jesus already sealed your destiney. But I reference them so you can see that you are being hypocritical and pray that you will repent and allow all of God's children to be shown how God has predestianted them for remaining faithful to the end. It is for ALL born again believers and you should be thoughtful enough to give them the truth of the matter.
When you come to an understanding of "Grace" and "predestinated" you will have no trouble understanding all of those passages of scripture which you think are saying things they are not.
God Bless!
