Your definition of 'easy believism'

Yes, I suppose then the next question would be - what then about the "backslider"?

Can a mature child of God become "carnal"?

I believe there are several Scripture which indicate that possibility.

HankD

 

Usually not- but sometimes it is.

Faith, spiritual belief, most often grows over time. "Help my unbelief".

Sounds like God used you in a wonderful work of grace.

Hopefully as well as you. Sounds like you said the right things without discouraging the couple. I would even say that the results in your case were pretty fast.

Two people living in sin then six months later they are saved, married, baptised, and obviously open to discipleship.

Praise God!

 

What about those who are saved with no rewards so as by fire in I Cor 3? Does not sound like they got their relationship straighten out before they died? What about those who took communion in unworthy way? They died out of fellowship with the Lord but Paul does not say they lost their salvation - he does not he question their salvation.

However sad it is, it is possible for a believer to die in a out of fellowship with God state.

IFBReformer

 

Hi everyone;
Easy believism can be no other than Calvinism. You don't do anything, not even believe to be saved. You either are, or aren't. If your lucky you are. Saved by chance what a doctrine. Not only that no matter how much you sin later, it doesn't matter because you wouldn't have done it unless you predestined to do it. Your not even responsible for your own sins. It's all God's fault. How easy is that? I call it the broad way not the straight and narrow.
May Christ Shine His Light On Us all;
Mike

 

I LuV Light...
you can preach in my church any time man!!
nice diatribe and true to the point.

tim

 

Yes, I suppose then the next question would be - what then about the "backslider"?

Can a mature child of God become "carnal"?

I believe there are several Scripture which indicate that possibility.

HankD </font>[/QUOTE]So do I. The believer can fall into sin, but the true believer will always respond to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and return to a right relationship with the Lord. </font>[/QUOTE]Ananias and Sapphira didn't return to a right relationship, they were taken in their sin.

 

The point is not that they died unexpectedly (like anyone expects to die) but that God did not allow them a chance to repent. God is merciful, but you should not presume upon His mercy. There is no guarantee that a believer will repent once having fallen into sin, nor that they will even desire to.

1Jo 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

Obviously a man that has sinned unto death will not be able to repent of his sin. It is foolish to think that you can sin today and get right with the Lord tomorrow or later on down the road, we are not guaranteed another minute on this earth!

Matthew 24:48-51
48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The idea that a believer will automatically get right is inconsistent with scripture.

 

All this to say that works can be no proof of salvation. Works may sometimes be evidence of faith, but absence of works is not necessarily evidence of absence of faith. As Hank said, there is such a thing as a carnal Christian. The Corinthians were an example:
1Corinthians 1
2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

They were saved according to any reasonable definition (sanctified in Christ Jesus?) but what did Paul have to say of them?

1Corinthians 3
1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

They were carnal, like babes in Christ. And just like every new Christian, if they are not discipled and nurtured in the fear of the Lord, they do not grow, they stay carnal. They are saved, but they are carnal.

1Corinthians 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

One of them was fornicating with his fathers wife.

1Corinthians 6
6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.
7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.

They were suing each other and defrauding one another. These were some worldly Christians! But they were Christians, Paul repeatedly affirms this.

1Corinthians 6
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

 

Perhaps you could clarify what you said, this is what I read:

The distinction between a believer and a true believer is a little fuzzy to me. I would almost agree with you, but I can't. There is a difference between a believer that does not follow Christ and a believer that does, but it is not the difference between true and ?false? belief.

 

I would like to discuss on this more. But time is not permit. I have to work tonight 3rd shift job. On Monday, I will discuss more about this, and discuss about the method of witness to people. I consider, 'Easy Believism' is a dangerous to people. Many baptist churches use 'Easy Believism' for soul winning method like as 'A-B-C-'s . Most baptists do not stress or emphasis to people warning about sins. They only telling them, just to 'believe on' Jesus Christ, that's it.

On Monday, I will discuss more about this.

In Christ
Rev. 22:20 -Amen!