None of these passages that people cite (I will, respectfully, show that your quoted verses also fall into one of these categories) and which some have been misapplied dispensationally; do not teach that the individual believer who has been saved by grace through faith can lose his salvation. In all of these passages (including yours), the author is dealing with something else other than individual salvation. Either he is (1) dealing with Israel as a nation, or (2) he is dealing with physical life and physical death under the Law, or (3) he is dealing with family forgiveness rather than salvation forgiveness, or (4) he is dealing with exhortations and warnings.I believe that these passages do teach that one can lose salvation, and the only way that one can believe otherwise, if one is taught a doctrine, and do everything one can do to say that these passages don't mean what they say, it is based on coming into every passage with a doctrine to explain away every verse, which is not an objective way to study doctrine. With that said, I'll take a larger look at the passages, based on your challenge.So again I respectfully disagree that none of the passages or examples which people cite neither teach nor prove that a believer can lose his salvation. On the contrary, a believer, "once saved", can never lose his salvation, because he is kept by the power of God.
Now, in reference to your specific verses which I respectfully think you just took out of context without giving much thought as to the context or actual message being conveyed. I have categorized the verses as you quoted them and place them into at least one of the categories one of the four categories mentioned above which deal with other things rather than loss of salvation. I will also briefly explain, which is very important, as to who the author is addressing his writings to and the purpose of his writings or message being conveyed.I usually give a lot of commentary on verses that I quote. This paper was different from most of the stuff I write about because I wanted to let the verses speak for themselves. Now, I put some thought into the issue, I wasn't just copying and paste to copy and paste. I did put some thought into that, but I thought I'd put very little commentary on, but since I'm challenged here, I'll do more examination of these verses to see if your analysis fits. As I did in my original essay, I break up the New Testament passages that are in question into three sections. Jesus' teaching in the gospels plus Acts of the Apostles, part one, Paul's writings in part two, and the non-Pauline writings at the end of the New Testament, part three. This is to make it a little easier if one is looking for specific passages. I am doing it in the normal order of the New Testament books. Since you did a little commentary on some of the books, I will respond to any commentary I may disagree with before we actually tackle these passages.
I. Matthew through Acts
II. Romans through Hebrews
III. James through Revelation
The book of Matthew is written by a Jew to the nation of Israel (Jews). The main reason was to teach the twelve apostles the relationship of Jesus and the Law. Jesus was preparing the way for the teaching of Grace and had nothing to do with the condemnation of believers. Some of these Jews were just beginning to learn and accept the teachings of Jesus. God had initially commanded the twelve apostles to go only to the Jewish nation and not to preach to the Gentiles (Matt. 10:5; 15:24) , but only to Jews who were still under the Law and who needed spiritual growth in order to continue living a Godly life under the teachings of Jesus. Jesus, himself, did not minister to Gentiles, with only about three exceptions of Gentiles who confronted Him. These exceptions were with a Samaritan woman at the well, a woman grabbing his clothing and a centurion soldier some who demanded to speak to him. At this time salvation through grace was not being preached. Paul was later appointed by Jesus to teach salvation through grace to both Jews and gentiles (1 Timothy 2:7; Rom. 11:13).
Jesus didn't just teach law, he taught salvation, and grace. Faith alone people say that, because Jesus clearly didn't teach faith alone, His teaching must be downgraded by them, to say he really doesn't teach on salvation. Although they do misuse a couple of verses of his to actually say He teaches faith alone, and misinterpret a few verses to say, well, 'he taught on salvation in John 3:16, and John 6 and 10, but otherwise ignore him.' In my previous paper I showed that John 3:16 does not teach faith alone, or that once one believes, that person is guaranteed salvation. Jesus taught on salvation for all that follow him, and Paul doesn't teach differently, as we will see. The idea that he only taught to the Jews law and he commissioned only Paul to teach salvation doesn't take into account his commission to all the apostles. He said in his commission '19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age. ' How do they make disciples? By waiting until he commissions somebody years later, and have them listen to the guy he commissions later? No way possible. He commissioned his apostles to teach all nations what Jesus himself taught them. All the apostles were commissioned to teach what Jesus himself taught for salvation. We saw in part 1 Jesus taught that one is judged based on works, John 5:28-29, Matthew 25:31-46. He taught in John 3:14, 16, 21, that one must continuously believe, based on him dying, and 'do' the truth. But besides this, in Matthew 5, he speaks of the beatitudes, not as some nice thing to do, but things that one must hunger and thirst for righteousness for example, 5:6, in order to achieve heaven itself, 5:12. This is exactly as Hebrews 12:14 says, one will only see the Lord if one 'pursues holiness.' Paul himself wrote that in justification, one is 'made righteous', Romans 5:19, and grace reigns through 'righteousness' v. 21, to eternal life. In this, he is speaking of what one must do to come from the heart. That is central to salvation itself. One must pursue righteousness.
He was asked how to be saved in Matthew 19. He answered if you want to enter life keep the commandments, verse 17. However, he was way beyond law. Jesus came to set people free from the bondage of sin, John 8:31-36, and it is only grace where one can appropriate that bondage from slavery. Jesus taught grace as well, saying 'apart from me you can do nothing', John 15:5. He said what was the most important thing to do was to love God with all one heart, soul, mind and strength, Mark 12:29-31, and love one's neighbor as they love themselves. That is not law, it is at the root of why one will obey, it is not strict law, but because one love's God and man, one will keep the commandments. This matches Paul writing that one will be justified who is the doer of the law, Romans 2:13, what matters is keeping the commandments 1 Cor. 7:39, one can fulfill the righteous requirement of the law of the Spirit (Romans 8:2-4), and verifies that the law can be kept, Galatians 5:14, Romans 13:8, Galatians 6:2. For example, on just one of them Paul writes the exact same thing when he says one will love God and man as Jesus himself said, one who loves his neighbor he 'fulfills the law', Romans 13:8. But the law gives one no power in and of itself, as Jesus himself attests in his critique of the Pharisees, Mark 7, Matthew 15, who don't keep the commandments, based on their lack of humility. Both Jesus and Paul deal with the root of how one can become saved. That is exactly how grace works. Now Paul did have to address a circumcision party, as did Peter in Acts 15, who God provided a vision to him in Acts 10. Jesus did not deal with that, but that had to be addressed when that issue arose after Christ's resurrection.
When someone dropped down at Jesus' feet, and turned to him, that was grace in action, for example, where Jesus said to the woman 'your faith has saved you', Luke 7:50, that represents, grace in action. Another example is Zacchaeus, Luke 19:1-10. Grace indeed led Zacchaeus to repent of his sins, Jesus accepted him, but he only said 'salvation has come to this house' when he not only stopped stealing taxes from people, but did the work of paying money back. As Robert Sungenis notes:
Zacchaeus says, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything., I will pay back four times the amount." Here is true repentance, Zacchaeus is not just believing that Jesus is his personal Savior, but he is seeking to make a work of restitution of his sins. The very law of Israel required a work of institution for his sins. The very law of Israel required such a work of repentance and Zacchaeus is going above and beyond that law by offering to give as much as half his possessions (cf., Exodus 22:1-3; Leviticus 6:4-5; Numbers 5:7; 2 Samuel 12:6) Sungenis, Not by Faith Alone, 'The Biblical Evidence for the Catholic Evidence of Justification', Queenship Publishing, 1997, pp. 194-195.
So, Jesus responds to repentance and a person acting on that faith. Faith in action, that is when salvation has come to this man. Yes, Jesus did teach for the most part the Jews, which is correct, but when asked about salvation, he never said, 'Find out later about grace, I'm going to appoint someone else, read his writings, that is how you'll be saved.' The sermon on the mount is not just on law, it is how one can enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Paul didn't teach something that would differ from what Jesus taught. Here is a short paper with my take on Jesus' teaching on salvation "Jesus' Teaching on Salvation".
Now let's look at your verses:
Ok, let's go. We are in this section going forward to see if the passages I pointed to, do actually point to one losing salvation, and do these passages include speaking to believers, I will quote the verses, then show your objection, and my response follows.
Who is Jesus speaking to here in the Sermon on the Mount, which includes the first three passages? His disciples sat and listened to him, and he taught them, the disciples. So remember, when he sent the disciples off in his great commission, Matthew 28:19-20, when he spoke of teaching everything that Jesus taught to him, for the reason of making disciples, for the purpose of their salvation, this includes Jews and Gentiles, so what he teaches here on salvation, applies to the commissioned apostles, includes the Gentiles, which thus, includes us. Paul has absolutely no priority in teaching on salvation, over his Savior. Even with that said, when I can, I will point to Jesus' oral teaching being the same as similar teaching by Paul and/or others who wrote Scripture.
Matthew 5:20-22:
20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 21 "You have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.' 22 But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of fire.
Matt. 5:20:22- falls under category (4). deals with instructing the Jewish nation.
Here, Matthew 5:2, Jesus is speaking to his disciples sitting down, as the primary listeners, Matthew 5:1. So you relegate this to exhortations and warnings. However, what exactly is Jesus warning and exhorting them? That the believer, who of course is his disciple must have righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees and scribes. One must pursue righteousness in order to achieve heaven. Paul says in justification one is detached from sin, Romans 6:7, and is made righteous, Romans 5:19. You don't, you don't make it. Then Jesus' immediate example is that everyone who is angry with is brother, in other words, stores anger, and says 'you fool' is liable to hell-fire. That is the warning. You die with anger, the lack of love towards someone, you are on the path to hell. That is the warning. If one does have such anger, they must repent and turn from that anger to get back in God's grace in order to get to heaven. The whole subject is salvation, since he is talking about 'entering the kingdom of heaven.' One must put away anger, exactly as Paul writes himself in Colossians 3:5-6 or experience the 'wrath of God', as we will see later. This matches Paul writing how if one has anger towards someone, one will grieve the Holy Spirit, Eph. 4:28, which leads to Paul's condemnation of those that fall into sins, Ephesians 5:3-7, which we'll also see later. Unrepented anger are among the list of sins condemned by Paul in Galatians 5:20-21, that you will not enter heaven if you have that on your soul.
Matthew 5:29-30:
29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell . 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell
Matt. 5:29:30 - falls under category (4) an exhortation on adultery
Sure, the background is the sin of adultery, and if one lusts one commits a major sin. Again, what is the exhortation and warning for? If you commit adultery you get less rewards in heaven? No, if you commit such a sin, either adultery itself, or one is controlled by the lust towards that person, you will get condemned to hell. BTW, it doesn't mean every time one is sexually attracted to a woman not his wife he is committing adultery. Jason Staples gives a good examination of this one So, Jesus says one must take this as life and death, metaphorically cut off your body parts if that will stop you from committing such a sin. Why would Jesus talk in such an exaggerated fashion about cutting off body parts? Only if salvation is at stake. So, this is clearly a warning to believers, to not commit a sin, or get controlled by the lust towards someone, or you will get condemned to hell. That is the warning, the difference between going to heaven, and going to hell. Again, this matches Paul's warning that if one is an adulterer, one will not inherit the kingdom of heaven, 1 Cor. 6:9-10, Ephesians 5:5, Galatians 5:20-21, Hebrews 13:4.
Matthew 6:13-15:
13 And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. 14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; 15 but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matt. 6:13-15 - falls under category (4) exhortation on fasting
This is a part of the Sermon on the Mount, again, primarily directed towards the disciples of Christ. Verse 14, it says 'your Heavenly Father', so that confirms again, he is talking to believers. The only way we get to heaven is to be forgiven by God. Again, though you say it is a warning, exhortation, what is the warning for? The warning is that we will only be forgiven by God, if we forgive others. We can't hold grudges against someone, that leads to spiritual death, separation from God. Hebrews 12:14 says in order to see the Lord, one must strive for peace with all men. Included in this charge, is to forgive that person for any wrong experienced. This matches Paul's writing that one can not 'bite and devour each other', which means one is in an unforgiving state, Galatians 5:15, that is one of the sins of the flesh that leads to separation from God Galatians 5:15-21.
Matthew 10:28:
28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matt. 10:28 - falls under category (1) instructions for the twelve apostles
Here is Jesus' commission to the disciples to preach the gospel. Now true here, he says they are to preach to Israel, not the Gentiles, v. 6-7, so it is in a sense, a pre-commission, commission. But here is speaking to believing disciples. However, remember the commission after his resurrection was for them to preach to all the earth the exact gospel that he preached to them, Mt. 28:20. So Jesus here, speaking to believing disciples says that we must fear God because the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 9:10, Psalm 111:10). There is a healthy fear of God because we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling (see part 1), Phil 2:12-16. Nonetheless, Jesus is addressing the fact that people will put other things above God, fearing more the consequences of not sinning, than the consequence of fearing/obeying God. Then that puts it into the category of idolatry, whatever a person puts first, to please others rather than God is idolatry, as Paul specifically warns where one who does so, would experience the wrath of God, Colossians 3:6-7. Here Jesus specifically warns his disciples that if you fear others more than God, you will get destroyed, and sent to hell. Of course this applies to believers, the disciples were the first believers.
Matthew 12:32:
32 And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
Matt. 12:32 - falls under category (4) an exhortation of the unpardonable sin
Again, you say it is an exhortation. Sure, an exhortation of eternal consequences. He is addressing his opponents, the Pharisees, Matthew 12:24-25, but the key word here is when Jesus says 'whoever' speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. What does an unpardonable sin, mean, except one will not be forgiven by God. 'Whoever' means anybody, so even if one was a believer, he can turn to this sin of the Holy Spirit. Now, for sure, as of this time, Jesus is castigating the Pharisees, who are so bent against Jesus, and were utterly closed from listening to Jesus, they were of the status, unbelievers, and did not look likely to change. But when Jesus uses the word Speculation has been forever, on what exactly the sin of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is, but whatever it is, this specific sin applies to 'whoever', which by definition includes anybody, including disciples. Any Christian can thus do blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, and separate themselves from God himself, and get sent to hell. This most likely reflects someone who is so bent against Christianity, that they have no predilection to coming back to Christ. As he does not want to turn back to Christ, he will not be forgiven.
Matthew 13:20-21:
20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.
Matt. 13:20-21 - falls under category (4) exhortation of the parables of the soil
So, he receives it and endures for a while. Notice he is talking about individuals who choose different paths, not nations as a whole. If he receives it, it means he accepted. It does say he 'endures' for a while. So, he is in his grace, but falls away. Sure, he didn't last long, but he did receive it. Didn't say he faked receiving it. Then he does fall away. You have to be in grace, otherwise, you can't 'fall away.' This matches Hebrews 3:12.
Matthew 18:8-9:
8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
Matt. 18:8-9 - falls under category (4) exhortation of offenders
Here Jesus is speaking to his disciples (vv. 1-2). So, specifically he is speaking to believers. He says one must become like a child, not cause others to sin. Then he moves on to the individuals, who happen to be the disciples themselves, believers. If a hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off. Again, strong metaphor, showing that if you will commit such a sin, you are going to go to hell. An exhortation? Sure, an exhortation, that you need to watch yourself, stop yourself from committing such a sin, because if you do commit such a sin, you will go to hell. That exactly matches Paul's exhortation, that you must 'put to death the deeds of the flesh' in order to live. If you don't, exactly as Paul writes, you will die, Romans 8:13. Similar to Paul's exhortation to crucify the flesh, if you don't, you will spend eternity in hell, Gal. 5:22-24.
Matthew 18:28-35:
28 But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, 'Pay what you owe.' 29 So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' 30 He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; 33 and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' 34 And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
Matt. 18:28-35 - falls under category (4) instructions about forgiveness
Sure, instructions about forgiveness, but just as the other passage, he is talking about 'servants', who are servants of God. The Master represents God the Father. The other person did not forgive his servants, then the Master is angry about the servant not forgiving the debts of the one who owed him money. Notice, he is a wicked servant. He was a servant in good standing before. His actions made him 'wicked.' So, the Master, representing God the Father will not show forgiveness. You don't show mercy, God will not show mercy to you. This matches James warning in James 2:13. Salvation is at stake.
Matthew 24:44-51:
44 Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,' 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with the drunken, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, 51 and will punish him, and put him with the hypocrites; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.
Matt. 24:44-51 - also category (4) Jesus' exhortation of the answers to the question when?/illustrations of Noah times and of two servants
So here, the issue is Christ giving a warning on being prepared for his coming. And to be honest, when push comes to shove, this applies to everybody, because everybody will face Jesus, and most will face him before he actually comes again. On this occasion though he is talking about his second coming. Now, he is talking about servants again. If they are faithful, he commends the faithful ones. Those who act drunkenly, will be sent to hell. This matches Paul's warning that if one is a drunk, acts wickedly, they will get sent to hell, 1 Corinthans 6:10, Galatians 5:21.
Matthew 25:14-15, 19, 24-30:
14 "For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' 26 But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.'
Matt. 25:14-15 - also category (4) exhortation of the parables of the talents
But the exhortation and warning is particular to individuals and whether one goes to heaven or hell. That is the purpose of this passage. So here there is slothfulness. Again, this is about the Master, the ultimate Master is God himself, identified by Jesus, as the Master, as noted in Matthew 23:10. The person is neglectful, exactly matching Hebrews 2:3 where it says just one who neglects salvation is punished. Here he neglects his own salvation and he gets cast into the outer darkness, again pointing to the punishment of hell, where men will weep and gnash their teeth.
The book of Mark is directed to a gentile audience readers who knew little of the Old Testament theology. The purpose was mainly to emphasize Jesus' ministry as a servant and also His crucifixion and death.
Mark 4:16-18:
16 And these in like manner are the ones sown upon rocky ground, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; 17 and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.
Mark 4:16-18 - falls under category (2) deals parable of the soils
Now your category 2 says it has to do with physical life/death. Actually, He is only speaking about the kingdom of God, revealing secrets about the 'kingdom of God' via parable 4:11. Here he is speaking about how people respond to the word of God. And here is a further explanation of this to the disciples. Again, just as Matthew, it includes people who 'received' the word, not rejected, or didn't understand the word. Now, obviously they didn't grow in holiness and understanding that was necessary, but just as in Matthew they did receive it. They endure for a while, receive grace, but then they became shipwrecked. An example of that is for example, where Paul writes to Timothy about people having shipwrecked their faith, 1 Timothy 6:20. They didn't continue to abide, and are on the path to hell.
Mark 9:42-48:
42 "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 44 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 46 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
Mark 9:42-48 - falls under category (2) deals with warning about hell
You said 'physical life' or death, warning of hell. It is plain, it is a warning for hell, if you commit major sins. The background is not causing harm to the little children. Just as in Matthew 5:27-30, where the background was lust, here are other types of sin that if you commit them, you will be cut off. Cut off from eternal life. He is specifically speaking to the disciples, v. 35. And if you commit such a sin, you get thrown to hell, where the fire is not quenched. Physical life and death is nowhere in Jesus' thought, nor are the disciples receiving it this way. This applies to the disciples as well, he is talking in general, sure, but specifically to the disciples. It again points to Paul's warning that one must put to death the deeds of the flesh, Romans 8:13, Galatians 5:24. Or you will get eternal life. It is apparent, that Jesus is relaying to the disciples that they must run the race of salvation that Paul mentions, 1 Cor. 9:24-27. The disciples in effect must box like a boxer, v.26.
Mark 11:25:
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against any one; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."
Mark 11:25 - falls under category (3) necessity for forgiveness
Your argument is that this is 'family forgiveness.' However, notice the words, 'forgive' he is not talking about the importance only of lateral forgiveness. He is saying this directly to Peter, verse 21. He says that if one holds a grudge, unforgiving 'against any one', then God the Father, will not forgive you. What is Jesus talking about here, except salvation? Paul says basically the same thing when he writes that 'as the Lord forgives you, you must forgive', Colossians 3:13, right in the midst of those who hold on to the flesh will experience the wrath of God, Colossians 3:8, 24. It is basically the same as the devouring of each other in Galatians 5:15, which leads to being disinherited from the kingdom of heaven, 5:22-23.
Mark 13:20-23:
20 And if the Lord had not shortened the days, no human being would be saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. 21 And then if any one says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'Look, there he is!' do not believe it. 22 False Christs and false prophets will arise and show signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23 But take heed; I have told you all things beforehand.
Mark 13:20-23 - falls under category (2) deals with destruction/tribulation
He is speaking to the disciples, Mark 13:3-5. False prophets can lead even the elect astray. So, he is speaking of their spiritual status. He is warning his disciples of God's people possibly falling away. This obviously isn't only talking about a physical life, but a spiritual life. It is a false teacher who is preaching false prophecy, doctrine. This is exactly what Paul, rages against the circumcision party, that led to leading to fall away from grace, Galatians 5:4, brings such anger that he'd want them to mutilate themselves Galatians 5:12, rather than lead people astray from the true gospel in Jesus Christ.
The book of Luke was addressed to Theophilus (a friend of God). It seems that no one really knows who exactly this person was. The purpose of this writing is to introduce the Son of Man, the ministry of the Son of Man; the rejection of the Son of Man and the crucifixion and resurrection of the Son of Man.
Luke 8:13:
13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.
Luke 8:13 - falls under category (2) Parable of the sower and soils
With all due respect, I don't see how this deals with physical life and death. Remember, the same issue, is that the seed is the Word of God (v. 11). and how one accepts. So like Matthew & Mark one receives the Word of God, but here in Luke Jesus specifically says not only receiving the Word of God, actually uses the term 'believe' for a while. But they fall away. So this is a spiritual application, and an eternal application as well.
Luke 12:42-46:
42 And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. 44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 45 But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will punish him, and put him with the unfaithful.
Luke 12:42-46 - falls under category (1) parable of the faithful steward
The idea that he is talking about Israel as a nation doesn't match. Peter asks him if this for us (disciples) or all (Luke 12:41). Jesus focuses on those who are servants. Again, the Master is God the Father, who has stewards, or servants. One can only be a servant, if the servant is in his grace. If one is a servant, he is in the Master's family. If the person becomes drunk, and beats the other servants, he will get put in with the unfaithful, i.e., unbelievers. So, this matches John's warning that if one hates his brother, one cuts themselves from eternal life, 1 John 3:12-15.
The book of John is suggested that it was written to the disciples in Asia Minor but there is no certainty in this. The purpose was to bring people to spiritual life through belief in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Therefore the purpose of John's Gospel is to "confirm and secure Christians in the faith"
John 6:60-71:
60 Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, "Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you that do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was that would betray him. 65 And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." 66 After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. 67 Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." 70 Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?" 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was to betray him.
John 6:60-71 - falls under category (1) rejection by many followers/Peter's confession
The disciples had heard Jesus proclaim that he was the Savior of the world in John 4, his divinity in John 5:18-21, and says that he will judge the living and dead based on deeds (John 5:28-29), the importance of belief in him, but when he mentioned about eating his flesh and drinking his blood (John 6:48-58) the 'disciples' leave. They stayed with him for a while, but abandoned him. This matches one who will believe for a while (Luke 8:13) but falls away, as Paul mentioned one must take heed lest he fall, 1 Cor. 10:12. Besides those disciples who lost their salvation by abandoning Jesus, we have a specific example here singled out by Jesus, and got embedded on the apostle John who shared this example for us to read. Judas was chosen by Jesus. For two years, Judas was a believer, Jesus didn't choose an unbeliever. Judas was one of twelve assigned to preach the gospel, had the authority to cast out demons Mark 3:13-19, (specifically vv. 14-15) Mt. 10:1-8 (specifically verse 1). Neither Matthew nor Mark said all 'except Judas' cast demons out. Unbelievers can't cast out demons. It is in this context Jesus said it can only be done by the power of the Holy Spirit, and it is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit to say that Satan can cast out Satan, Mark 3:22-30. All twelve, including Judas, are called sheep, Mt. 10:16. But right here in John 6 Judas is identified as one who had been a believer, on the path of becoming an unbeliever. It would be better for him not to have been born, Mark 14:21.
John 12:44-48:
44 And Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And he who sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 47 If any one hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings has a judge; the word that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day.
John 12:44-48 - falls under category (1) The Messiah teaches
Hmm, you say here he is talking about Israel as a nation. He is speaking to the crowd as a whole, right, but here he is identifying those who are believers, those who 'believe in me,' verses 44-45. Those who believe are those who don't remain in darkness. Believers are responsible for keeping to those words. If one doesn't hold to those words, ends up being a rejecter of Jesus himself. A believer who doesn't keep those words are condemned along with the unbelievers, just as the unbelievers noted in verse 48. Believers are responsible for acting on his words. This goes along with obedience being necessary for salvation, as Paul himself writes, Romans 6:16, and Hebrews 5:9.
John 15:5-10 (added 4 more verses):
5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.
John 15:5-6 - falls under category (1) the relationship of believers (Jews) to Christ
I added four more verses to add a little more context. Here he is speaking to his disciples who are believers. Again, they are to preach this gospel to all believers, this message is to the whole world Matthew 28:20. The disciples are not saved through any other measure than being converted to Christ. Speaking to the apostles He says that He is the vine, they are the branches. Jesus is the source. However, if one is in the vine, and one chooses not to abide in him, he gets cast forth from the branch and withers, and gets burned. In other words, one can choose not to continue to abide in him, which shows in verses 8 and 9. We must bear fruit in order to prove to be his disciple. This applies not only to the apostles but us as well. Then one is cast forth if one chooses to no longer abide him. If one gets cut off, one is going to hell. Even though Jesus gives us the idea that Jesus is the source of everything we do, and he lets us know that we have an opportunity to prove to be his disciples, He tells us that if we choose not to abide in him, we are cast off, from the branches, and thus ultimately cast into the fire, go to hell. This is an exact parallel even in imagery where Paul said one gets cut off from the branch of the tree (Romans 11:22). Finally, Jesus says we only will abide in him if we keep the commandments, reflecting John's understanding of Jesus' own words, 1 John 2:3, 1 John 5:3-4.
John 17:12:
While I was with them, I kept them in thy name, which thou hast given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled.
John 17:12 - falls under category (1) Christ prays for His disciples
You put this as though Jesus is speaking to Jewish people as a nation. No, he is talking about individual disciples/apostles. He chose 12 just as mentioned above in my commentary on John 6, throughout Matthew as already indicated. All 12 cast out demons, which as Jesus says can only be done by him in his grace. Jesus here is praying to the Father and mentions to God the Father that that Jesus has guarded all 12. However, notice right here he says is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. So, Jesus is guarding all twelve, but because of Judas' free will, as shown in John 6, then after that time he becomes lost. It would have been better for the believing, casting out demon Judas, to not have been born, Mark 14:21, is identified right here, as lost.
The book of acts was written over the one generation transition from a primarily Jewish to a predominantly gentile membership. The purpose was to present the transition from Judaism to Christianity (religion), from law (works) to grace (divine dealing), from Jews alone to Jews and Gentiles.
No, all the good news, Jesus himself gave. He laid the condition for belief, mandated that one is baptized, (John 3:5), told the truth that he came to set us free from sin, said that he was the source of all grace John 15:5, and stressed belief from beginning to end (John 3-6), said just that Jesus came to set us free from sin, John 8:31-36, (Romans 6:7, Titus 2:11-14) said that what comes from the inside causes us to be cut off from his grace, Matthew 15:18-19, Matthew 7:17-21, Paul says the same, as I will show. He says one will be judged based on what we do Matthew 25:31-46, John 5:28-29. Jesus even said the same about eating food did not make one unclean Mark 7:19. He declared numerous times that he was going to die for us. He taught the absolute necessity of belief, John 3, 5, 6. Jesus also said he was the fulfillment of the law, not doing away with it, Matthew 5:17-19. He said one can keep the commandments, John 15:10, John 14:15, as Paul did, as John did, as mentioned in part 1. This teaching of Jesus still matches, not different from what Paul and the other apostles taught, or otherwise He wouldn't have commissioned them to teach what He taught.
Acts 20:28-30:
28 Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God which he obtained with the blood of his own Son. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
Acts 20:28-30 - falls under category (4) warning/teaching against false teachers
True, this is an exhortation and warning, but what is the warning? Wolves, false teachers will not spare the flock. Even from the church false teachers will come. Paul will write about this in his letter to the Galatians, 1:6. Ones in the flock, start off in God's grace. The devil will come to destroy, even the flock, and people within the flock can be led astray. Disciples, obviously believers, will be drawn away to false teachers, which will lead people away from God. He is telling his people to be vigilant.
Yes, it is an exhortation and warning, but what is the warning? He is writing this to believers. You can choose to be instruments of 'righteousness' or 'wickedness'. If you choose to be an instrument of sin, it leads to death. We have two choices, one is choosing sinful passions that lead to death, or obeying God that leads to righteousness. This matches Hebrews 5:9, where it says that Jesus is the source of salvation to all who 'obey' him. This is spiritual life and death, Paul lays out the choice, which would be absolutely useless if one couldn't lose salvation.
Romans 8:12-13:The book of Romans was written to the church at Rome who were predominantly Gentiles (Rom. 1:13; 11:13; 28:31; 15:15; 16), but there were also Jewish believers (2:17 - 3:8; 3:21- 4:1; 7:1 - 14; 14:1 - 15:12). The purpose of this writing was God's offering the gift of His righteousness to everyone who comes to Christ by faith.
Romans 6:12-13, 16:
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. 13 Do not yield your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but yield yourselves to God as men who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments of righteousness. 16 Do you not know that if you yield yourselves to any one as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
Rom. 6:12-13, 16 - category (4) an exhortation of a principle of a believers death to sin 12 So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- 13 for if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live.
Rom. 8:12-13 - category (4) an exhortation that the Spirit gives eternal life.
He is talking to brethren, so we know this is to believers. Yes, exhortation, correct, but the warning is in reference to eternal life or eternal death. We must rely on the Spirit, to put to death the deeds of the flesh. We have the choice of living according to the flesh. Living according to the flesh leads to spiritual death, as echoed in 1 Cor. 6:10, Ephesians 5:5, Gal. 5:19-21, confirmed also in Revelation 21:8, the end is eternal death.
Romans 11:20-22:
20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast only through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off.
Rom. 11:20-22 - category (4) exhortation as to the purpose of Israel's rejection
Yes, he refers to Israel how they as a whole rejected Jesus, 11:14-20, but this address is to the Gentiles, v. 13. The natural branches are Israel, but the new tree, or new vine, are Gentile believers. You stand because of faith, v. 20. Paul says the believers have a choice. Paul's exhortation is that they continue in kindness, but if they fall, they get severity. If not, you too will be cut off of God's grace. What you said applied to the Jewish disciples in John 15:6, and warns that the Jewish nation overall rejected Jesus (11:15, 17) and got cut off because of their rejection, now applies to the Gentile believers. The exact same thing can happen to one who does not continue in God's kindness. This is an explicit warning of possible condemnation.
The Book of 1 Corinthians is address "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth". The purpose of this message was to transform the lives of people into believers and make them different as people and as a corporate body from the surrounding world. However, they were destroying their Christian testimony because of immorality and disunity.
1 Corinthians 3:13-17:
13 each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 17
If any one destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and that temple you are.
1 Cor. 3:13-17 - category (4) deals with whether the earthly works of men will be worthy of rewards at the Bema Seat of Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:10)
Your interpretation doesn't take into account the background to these passages. He is criticizing them here over their factionalism, and how they are not growing into Christian maturity. In this chapter he says they are acting as 'men of flesh', v. 1, fighting with 'envy and strife', v. 3. Then he goes on to people siding with different Christian leaders, Paul, Peter, and Apollos, and striving against each other, 1 Corinthians 3:4-7. So, these works are sins. Here is
an article that gives the biblical basis for purgatory. If you go down a bit, you can see analysis of 1 Cor. 3:15, the specific term that Paul uses there in v. 15. That is another issue not under discussion here. However, when Paul gives out the different works that one will do, he is definitely including in the analysis of all works. We all have to give an account for everything we do, which matches Mt. 12:31-36, 1 Pet. 1:17. God gives three different results for three different types of people who've been believers. First those who built with precious metals, they go directly to heaven, the works are very good, matching Jesus words of 'be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect' (Mt. 5:48), or Paul encouraging them to be cleansed of every defilement as referred to in 2 Corinthians 7:1, that he was confident in, 7:4. The middle group who've committed sins, as mentioned in the first couple of verses in this very chapter, still go to heaven, but they go through fire for cleansing purposes, they still need to be expiated for, and still reach their ultimate destination. It is not talking about only getting less or greater rewards, because bad works are sins, there is a judgment for these bad works that were not so bad as to cut off their relationship with God. But then it goes to verse 17, he goes on to describe how God will 'destroy' those who destroy God's temple, he is clearly speaking about eternal death. We see in v. 17 that a believer who commits so grievous a sin, that he destroys God's temple (which is his own body), he does not repent of such sin before he dies, he will be destroyed by God. Thus, the sins here are mortal. In this very same letter, he gives an example of those sins that destroy the body (1 Cor. 6:11, 13-18) and soul as being, sexual immorality. That is the next Scripture I will look at. If someone has those type of sins on their soul, they will be destroyed. This leads to them being cut off from God. If we are in Christ and so grievously sin against God, God will eternally punish us. That is the concept of mortal sin, which Paul explicitly teaches in v. 17 (See also 1 John 5:16-17).
1 Corinthians 6:8-11:
8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud, and that even your own brethren. 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
1 Cor. 6:8-11 - category (4) warnings against, fornicators, idolaters, evil things etc
Yes, he warns against fornicators, etc., but what is the warning? That you get less rewards in heaven? No, the warning is that 'do not be deceived', if you practice those things, you will not inherit the kingdom of God. There apparently were deceivers who thought that such sins, won't separate you from God, he corrects them. Also, he is addressing this to Christians, you were 'washed', 'sanctified' 'justified', notice that sanctification came at the same time they were justified. This matches Titus 3:5. When one is washed, one is both justified and sanctified. It is incumbent to maintain that holiness, as Paul explicitly writes, also reflected in Titus 2:11-14. He cleansed us, but unrepented disobedience in such sins, separate one from God.
1 Corinthians 6:15-18: -
15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two shall become one flesh." 17 But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body.
1 Cor. 6:15-18 - category (4) warnings against sexual immorality
Yes, it is a warning for sure, but he had just warned us just a few verses before that the warning was that you will not inherit the kingdom of God if you practice such sins. Here he explains why you are disinherited with sexual sins. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. We can only be joined in holy matrimony, outside of that we are sinning against not only our spouse, but also the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can not reside with such sin. Such grievous sin against the Holy Spirit, God can no longer reside with us, unless we repent from such sin. That explains why a few verses earlier, Paul wrote that those who commit such sins can not inherit the kingdom of God. The warning is of disinheritance from God's kingdom and here Paul explains why.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27:
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Well, I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air; 27 but I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
1 Cor. 9:24-27 - category (4) exhortation of Paul's "limiting his rights for ministry"
I have written extensively on this passage here: Two passages that disprove eternal security. For a fuller explication,n go there. The whole context of this passage is about Paul wanting to win people to Christ for their salvation (verses 19-27). He talks about what he must do, he becomes everything to everybody so that he can win their soul to Christ. Then he specifically calls salvation a race, and then uses athletic terms to term salvation a race. He wants to take a hold of eternal life, he actually writes exactly that in 1 Timothy 6:12. Then he uses the term run, box, using athletic terms to achieve the prize, which is eternal life.
The next word, speaking of himself, he is worried, he himself might be disqualified is adokimos, which also is translated in the King James version as castaway. In other passages this term adokimos, is translated as rejected, or, or reprobate. In every other context in the New Testament talks of either unregenerate people or those whose sins have separated them from Christ. So, as he is speaking of himself, so he can't be speaking about unbelievers, he is talking about himself!!! Look at the instances where this word, adokimos is used: (Rom. 1:28, Tit. 1:16, 2 Tim. 3:8, Heb. 6:8, 2 Cor. 13:5-7). In my paper I referred to above, there is documentation showing Paul usage of this term of unsaved people in these specific passages. He is not talking about less rewards, the people that he specifically uses this word for, is talking about unbelievers, and unbelievers do not get less rewards, they get hell. This passage, in and of itself, puts a death knell to once saved, always saved theology.
1 Corinthians 10:2-9:
2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same supernatural food 4 and all drank the same supernatural drink. For they drank from the supernatural Rock which followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless with most of them God was not pleased; for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6 Now these things are warnings for us, not to desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to dance." 8 We must not indulge in immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.
1 Cor. 10:2-9 - category (4) warning against forfeiting liberty unlike the ones who were under the Law did. They are free from the yoke which was the Law.
Yes, again it is a warning, but what is the warning? The Israelites got supernatural help from God, gave a glorious song of praise to God, got a supernatural drink, and Paul makes a parallel to baptism in the New Covenant. Most were overthrown in the wilderness. They went into immorality and idolatry. The key part is that this is a warning for us, verse 6, believers are reading this. The exhortation is stay faithful to God, the warning is that you can indulge in immorality and idolatry which Paul wrote that prohibits you from inheriting the kingdom of God, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. You were washed but sin separates you from God. The 'forfeiting' is salvation. This is the exhortation is to run the race that Paul just wrote of.
1 Corinthians 10:11-12:
11
Now these things happened to them as a warning, but they were written down for our instruction, upon whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
1 Cor. 10:11-12 - category (4) exhortation that God has set examples for us to learn from Old Testament and a warning to learn from the past.
Yes, a warning for sure, against the once saved always saved doctrine. This is a warning to us, thus including Paul himself. From 1 Cor. 9:19 forward to this passage, salvation is at stake, it is possible any of us can fall. But v. 13 Paul does say God provides the escape that we must turn to.
1 Corinthians 11:28-30:
28 Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.
1 Cor. 11:28-30 - category (4) an exhortation of rebuking disorders at the Lords' Supper
Sure, it is an exhortation or warning, but the warning is that if you commit this grievous sin, you drink judgment. Judgment is condemnation, that he earlier warned of. Judgment is not 'less rewards'.
1 Corinthians 15:1-2:
1 Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, 2 by which you are saved, if you hold it fast--unless you believed in vain.
1 Cor. 15:1-2 - category (4) an exhortation of faith in Christ's resurrection
Sure, it is an exhortation of faith in Christ's resurrection, but you are only saved if you hold fast, if you don't, you would believe in vain, totally contradicting OSAS.
The book of 2 Corinthians was written to Titus to carry this letter to the Corinthians. The purpose was because false apostles had mounted an effective campaign against Paul in the church of Corinth and Paul was forced to take a number of steps to overcome the opposition.
2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2: -
20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 6 1 Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says, "At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation." Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
2 Cor. 5:20-6:2 - category (4) exhortation of motivation of message to unite
This passage shows justification is ongoing, writing to believers he says, 'be reconciled to God.' If one already is, and it is only past tense this warning makes no sense. He begs his Christian readers to not accept the grace of God in vain, exactly as Jesus warned in his parable, Luke 8:13. Now is the day of salvation, salvation is not just in the past, it is also present and one must endure to make final salvation in the future, or you will have, as Paul writes here 'accepted the grace of God in vain.'
2 Corinthians 11:2-3:
2 I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I betrothed you to Christ to present you as a pure bride to her one husband. 3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
2 Cor. 11:2-3 - category (4) Pauls' declaration of his apostleship
Yes, he declares his apostleship for sure, but his readers he betrothed to Christ, he is afraid that he would be led astray to fall into the sins that he has warned against that leads to their condemnation. If there was a 'guarantee' of salvation because of OSAS, there'd be no reason to fret. One who is identified as having a sincere and pure devotion in Christ, can fall exactly like Eve was, of course, she got the process started on the fall of mankind. If one can fall like Eve, one can lose their salvation, or else this analogy makes absolutely no sense.
2 Corinthians 13:5-7:
5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are holding to your faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? --unless indeed you fail to meet the test! 6 I hope you will find out that we have not failed. 7 But we pray God that you may not do wrong--not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed.
2 Cor. 13:5 - (4) Paul's warning to examine yourselves in the faith
Fail to meet test is again using the term 'adokimas', which I examined and documented in 1 Cor. 9:27 with several equivalent verses showing he is talking about unsaved people. If they fail to meet the test, Jesus is no longer in you. Thus, a clear possibility, that one can lose Jesus Christ, because it is possible to 'fail to meet the test'. The warning is made, only if is possible it can happen. Self-examination of ourselves is necessary to run the race successfully.
This book was written to the Galatians. The Galatians having launched their Christian experience by faith seemed to content to leave their voyage of faith and chart a new course of works - a course that Paul finds disturbing. This letter is a vigorous attack against the gospel of "works" and a defense of the gospel of "faith."
Galatians 1:6-9:
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and turning to a different gospel-- 7 not that there is another gospel, but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed.
Gal. 1:6-9 - (4) exhortation/warning on the departure from grace
Paul notes that some have deserted the gospel. He posits the possibility of himself teaching a false gospel, he would be accursed. Just that possibility destroys the OSAS concept, plus those he mentioned who turned to the false gospel. Obviously, at the time of this writing, Paul put the possibility as a believer who can be accursed, unlike OSAS theology.
Galatians 4:8-9:
8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were in bondage to beings that by nature are no gods; 9 but now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits, whose slaves you want to be once more?
Gal. 4:8-9 - (4) exhortation that believers are now free from bondage (the law) but yet they want to go back to the law that bonded them in the first place
The law provided no grace, but Jesus himself provided grace for people who are believers, but these people are abandoning grace for the old ways, which would only lead to their condemnation. It is like people returning to their own vomit as Peter writes of, 2 Peter 2:22.
Galatians 5:1-4:
1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Now I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is bound to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love.
Gal. 5:1-4 - (4) exhortation on the position of liberty from the Law: "stand fast"
Here I added vs. 5 & 6 to the original citation. This passage is another death knell to OSAS. He is writing directly to believers. 'Stand fast', you see, this shows justification is not merely a past event. He is telling Gentile believers not to accept circumcision as a means of salvation because it points them to go back to slavery again. Jesus came to set us free from the bondage of sin (John 8:31-36, Romans 6:6-7), the law provides no grace to combat sin. Strict law without grace gets them back to the bondage of the law. You who would be 'justified' by law are 'severed' from grace. You have fallen away from grace, v. 4 means you have fallen away from grace. No explaining away this clear passage does away with those exact words. How does one persevere in his grace? The Spirit, which is faith that works in love. Paul specifically says it is not faith alone that saves, it is faith that works in love, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:19-21:
But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Gal. 5:19-21 - (4) warning of condemnation to those evil workers of the flesh
Just as in 1 Corinthians 6, which itemizes sins that separate you from God, Paul gives a similar list of sins. He can say 'I warn you', because he is aware that they can fall into such sins. You are not under law, the law provides no power at all. As he mentioned one had to get to the faith working in love by the Holy Spirit. Envy, drunkenness, impurity, enmity, he warns, sends you to hell. He rounds up this section on what one must do to stay in God's grace, in verse 24-25: 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. This is a reliving of Paul's saying that we must put to death the deeds of the flesh, or we spiritually die, (Romans 8:13). Only by the power of the Holy Spirit can we crucify the flesh, but we have to make the effort to do so, or else we can fall into those actions that cause you to be disinherited from God's kingdom.
Galatians 6:7-9:
7 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption; but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart.
Gal. 6:7-9 - (4) do not be weary in well doing
Yes, it is a positive exhortation for sure, but this passage shows faith alone is false, one must sow to the Spirit. But since this examination is on eternal security, Paul shows here if anybody sows to his own flesh, instead of the Spirit and eternal life, he will sow corruption, and eternal death.
The book of Ephesians was addressed to believers who were rich beyond measure in Jesus Christ but yet living as spiritual beggars. The purpose was that they lacked the awareness of their responsibility to conduct themselves as such that will be manifested to others as living a Godly life. To set examples for others to follow.
Ephesians 5:2-6:
1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But fornication and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is fitting among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness, nor silly talk, nor levity, which are not fitting; but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure man, or one who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not associate with them.
Eph. 5:2-6 - (4) exhortation on Godly living, so as not to grieve the Holy Spirit
Yes, it is an exhortation for Godly living, but what are the ends if you don't live Godly? At the end of chapter 4 he told people to not be bitter and angry & speak negatively, vv. 29-31. This negative talk, and talk of sexual things (vv. 3-4), which leads to fornication and impurity, leads to separation from God, and deprives one from inheritance in the kingdom of God. Again, he mentions that one deceives you if you think that people who act as such will inherit the kingdom of God. God's wrath comes upon those who disobey. Apparently, there were people who infiltrated the church that thought one can act like this and still get to heaven. His grace came to not look away from such sins, but to transform us to holy people who pursue holiness without which no one will see the Lord, Hebrews 12:14.
This book is addressed to the church of Philippi. The purpose is to thank them for all the support Paul is getting, and also to remain steadfast in the face of opposition and the coming persecution. Be aware and stay firm in your position.
Philippians 2:12-16:
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without grumbling or questioning, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
Phi.2:12-16 - (4) exhorting Christ's example of humility
This teaches that works are essential for salvation, but I want to concentrate on vv. 15-16, which talk about how one actually works out the salvation that he speaks of. We must be blameless in the midst of this perverse generation, and the believers must hold fast the word of life so Paul would not have labored in vain. In other words, if the believers don't hold fast, Paul would have labored in vain, thus believers would lose salvation. If for example, this is just less rewards, they still would have achieved salvation, and Paul wouldn't have labored in vain. So any objective reading of the whole passage shows Paul's disciples that he is writing to, and us, can lose salvation.
Philippians 3:10-13:
10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11
that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
Phi.3:10-13 - (4) warning against confidence in the flesh (works)
This is not about having confidence in the flesh. The first thing, is final salvation has not been assured. It is only if possible, one may attain the resurrection of the dead. That speaks against OSAS, right on the top. He hasn't made it yet. He must press on, and strain forward. In other words, he must run the race, stay faithful so he doesn't become adokimas (castaway), or rejected as he himself noted in 1 Cor. 9:27.
This book is addressed to the Colossians in Colosse who were still practicing legalistic teachings under the Old Testament. The purpose of the writing was to explicitly defeat the heresy that had arisen in Colosse, which endangered the existence of the church.
Colossians 1:21-23:
21 And you, who once were estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him, 23 provided that you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Col. 1:21-23 - (4) exhortation of Christ's preeminent in redemption of believer
Notice that he reconciled in his body the flesh in order to present us blameless before God here. He doesn't want us to pretend to be blameless by looking only at Christ's righteousness instead of ours. He wants us to be actually holy. He wants us detached from sin, as Paul wrote in Romans 6, and Jesus declared his goal is to free us from sin in John 8:31-36. But we can only be as such if we continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, stay true to the hope that Paul as a minister, provided. It is conditional, not guaranteed. We have to maintain the work, of course implied, it is only through the work of the Holy Spirit, Romans 8:1-17, Galatians 5:24.
Colossians 3:5-9, 24-25:
23 Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality. 5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you once walked, when you lived in them. 8 But now put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices.
Col. 3:5-9, 24-25 - (4) exhortation on putting off the old man (old self prior to regeneration) and do works of holiness to receive rewards (not salvation)
Colossians 3:5-9, is a reiteration of Romans 8:13, Galatians 5:24. Christ's grace shown in Ephesians 2:1-10, shows the whole purpose of Christ's grace, see part 1 of my response, is to eternally detach us from sin, also Romans 6:7. By definition if we are on the path to salvation, we can't go back to those sins, otherwise that defeats the purpose of Christ dying for us. The wrath of God comes back to us if we go back to them.
You said the passages 24-25 doesn't have to do with salvation. He said work heartily in verse 23, one will receive the inheritance of the Lord, if you are serving the Lord. If he goes back to the wrong doing such as mentioned in 3:7, the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong. This totally destroys the idea that a believer is not judged for his sins. The wrongdoer is paid back for his sins, as just mentioned in verse 7, also see Romans 2:8-9. There is no partiality is also key. Jesus doesn't say, well this guy commits sins, but since he once believed in me, he is covered over in my righteousness, this other guy who does such sins, well I'll condemn him. The no partiality aspect, exactly does away with the OSAS position.
This book of Thessalonians was written to the believers in Thessalonica due to persecution they were receiving from their own countrymen. The purpose was to clear up some misunderstanding about the return of Christ and give them directions for spiritual growth.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-8:
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from unchastity; 4 that each one of you know how to take a wife for himself in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like heathen who do not know God; 6 that no man transgress, and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we solemnly forewarned you. 7 For God has not called us for uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
1 Thess. 4:3-8 - (4) exhortations for spiritual growth
This is again talking about his goal for our life is grace, about our sanctification. Take a wife in holiness, don't act in lust. The Lord is an avenger. He judges people for sins, and will have the same ends of the unbelieving heathen, if we revert back to acting on lusts. We must pursue holiness without which we will not see the Lord, Hebrews 12:14. We must as Paul mentioned in 2 Cor. 7:1, cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect in the fear of God. This exhortation is salvific.
The book of 2 Thessalonians as was with the 1 Thessalonians; the church was still being persecuted because of their belief. Paul's purpose to writing 2 Thessalonians was to encourage them to stand firm and keep away from idle men who don't live by the gospel.
2 Thessalonias 3:6, 11-14:
6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.11 For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work in quietness and to earn their own living. 13 Brethren, do not be weary in well-doing. 14 If any one refuses to obey what we say in this letter, note that man, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed.
2 Thess. 3:6, 11-14 - (4) exhortation to withdraw from disorderly brethren
Remember Galatians 6:8-9 said one will only get to heaven when we don't weary in well-doing. If one stops, one will not get to heaven, as specifically mentioned there. Laziness and sloth mentioned of here leads to separation from God, as mentioned in Hebrews 2:3. The tradition that one must hold fast to, as mentioned in 2 Thes. 2:15, as these people are departing from, has to do with salvation. Paul mentioned that holding to doctrine is salvific as mentioned here, also in 1 Timothy 4:16:
Take heed to yourself and to your teaching (in other translations doctrine); hold to that, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.
These Thessalonians were not only lazy which leads to separation from God, but not holding to doctrine, teaching that Paul himself proclaims is salvific. You do not hold to doctrine/teaching, you can lose your salvation.
1 Timothy was written to Timothy, a young inexperience Pastor, who is facing a heavy burden of responsibility in the church of Ephesus. The purpose or the task is challenging: false doctrine must be erased, public worship must be safe-guarded and mature leadership must be developed; in addition to the conduct of the church.
1 Timothy 1:18-20:
18 This charge I commit to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophetic utterances which pointed to you, that inspired by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting conscience, certain persons have made shipwreck of their faith, 20 among them Hymenae'us and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
1 Tim. 1:18-20 - (4) exhortation to fight a good warfare
Their faith was shipwrecked. So they had faith, it was shipwrecked, thus they have abandoned Jesus. Jesus himself said that they who deny him before men, he will deny them, Mark 13:32-33. Paul is hoping that they will turn around from their sins, and come back to their faith, otherwise they are on their way to hell, by letting their faith get shipwrecked.
1 Timothy 4:1-2:
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 through the pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared,
1 Tim. 4:1-2 - (4) warning and description of false teachers
Departing from faith, means they had but no longer have it. That means they no longer are in a state of grace, and if they stay 'departed from the faith', they will not have final salvation.
1 Timothy 5:8:
8 If any one does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his own family, he has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
1 Tim. 5:8 - (4) exhortation on how to treat widows
Widows are in verse 9 and following. However, this specific exhortation is on providing for relatives, perhaps include widows, but if the person has the capability and can provide for his family, but ignored their needs, this action is the equivalent of disowning the faith, even if they still go to church and believe in Jesus. He is talking right now about believers. Not an unbeliever. He says if they don't provide for his family he is worse than an unbeliever. Now, the theory that he is only getting less rewards here does not hold. An unbeliever is sent to hell. How can he be worse than an unbeliever if he just get minimal rewards in heaven, he still gets to heaven. It is obvious the believer, by his uncaring, gets sent to hell, and gets further punishment than the unbelievers who go to hell. This exactly matches Jesus' separation of the sheep and goats, this reflecting the goats in Matthew 25:41-46.
1 Timothy 5:14-15:
14 So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, rule their households, and give the enemy no occasion to revile us. 15 For some have already strayed after Satan.
1 Tim. 5:14-15 - 4) still an exhortation on to great widows
Believing widows have gone to Satan. If they've been believers, gone to Satan, they are not going to heaven, any way it is assessed. Preventive measures taken, with the purpose of having souls saved. You don't follow Satan and go to heaven.
1 Timothy 6:9-10:
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs.
1 Tim. 6:9-10 - (4) -an exhortation to Godliness with contentment
Jesus ran into this with the rich young man who had his god to be the love of money, he was too attached to his possessions, Matthew 19:22. Jesus saw that was his weakness, and the young man chose not to follow Jesus because of that attachment. Paul sees this same issue arising here among believers. Paul talks of many who have 'wandered from the faith'. You can only wander from, if you start off in the faith. Paul keyly does not say 'they never came to the faith' because of riches, like the rich young man in Matthew 19. Believers thus, can plunge into ruin and destruction, when they wander away from the faith because of the love of money. The Rich man can still be in the faith because they are told to hold on, do good, and they then can attain eternal life, (1 Tim. 6:18-19), but others have plunged from faith to damnation.
1 Timothy 6:20-21:
20 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the godless chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge, 21 for by professing it some have missed the mark (other translations 'wandered') as regards the faith.
1 Tim. 6:20-21 - (4) an exhortation to keep that which is committed
Godless chatter has led some to wander from the faith. Paul warns Timothy himself, the reader of this letter, to avoid godless chatter exactly because it is possible to lose the faith. Timothy, and the Christian readers, are encouraged to guard and keep the faith, exactly because they can get disinherited.
The book of 2 Timothy is Paul's final epistle in which he knows that his days on earth are quickly drawing to a close and is concerned about his young associate who is still facing the burdens of a timid, but yet; faithful young Pastor. In spite of Paul's bleak circumstances, his purpose of this epistle is to offer encouragement that urges Timothy on to steadfastness in the fulfilment of his divinely appointed task.
2 Timothy 2:11-12:
11 The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we shall also live with him; 12 if we endure, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;
2 Tim. 2:11-12 - (4) exhortation to endure husbandman (master of the family)
So here he again is speaking directly to believers. We live with him by dying with him. However, if we stop dying with him, and we get to the point of denying him, God himself will deny us. That is a believer who ends up denying Christ will go to hell. This is a reiteration of what Jesus himself said, Matthew 10:33:
but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Paul reiterates exactly what Jesus says, if you are a believer and deny me, you will be denied by Jesus himself, you lost your salvation.
2 Timothy 2:16-20:
16 Avoid such godless chatter, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will eat its way like gangrene. Among them are Hymenae'us and Phile'tus, 18 who have swerved from the truth by holding that the resurrection is past already. They are upsetting the faith of some. 19 But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity."
2 Tim. 2:16-20 - (4) an exhortation of a diligent workman and sanctified vessel
Sure it is an exhortation but also a warning of eternal consequences. Godless chatter had led people to ungodliness, away from Christ. Like gangrene that destroys a body. It is not about 'less rewards.' He gives names of two specific people who departed from the faith. The exhortation is to stand firm, depart from iniquity, so we don't end up like those also.
The book of Titus is known as one of the Pastoral Epistles as are the two letters to Timothy. The purpose to instruct Titus in what to look for in a leader of the church
Titus 3:7-11:
7 so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is sure. I desire you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to apply themselves to good deeds; these are excellent and profitable to men. 9 But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels over the law, for they are unprofitable and futile. 10 As for a man who is factious, after admonishing him once or twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is perverted and sinful; he is self-condemned.
Titus 3:8-11 - (4) exhortation of maintaining good works
I added verse 7 here to show a little more background. We are justified by grace, and we have hope, Notice, it is only a hope of eternal life, not a guarantee, that shows OSAS doesn't match this background. Then we go starting in verse 8. A believer who becomes factious will become self-condemned. Just as in Matthew 18:15-18, you make the correction to fellow believers, if he rejects the correction, someone who is in the faith argues about laws, he becomes perverted and sinful, thus is self-condemned.
The book of Hebrews was written by a Hebrew to other Hebrews to exhort them to stop acting like Hebrews of clinging to the Mosaic Law. The reason being that these newly converted Jewish "believers" were beginning to revert back to Judaism beliefs under the Law (works) rather than complete faith in Christ.
Now the one thing before we approach the Hebrews, of course elsewhere as well, is that OSAS teachers are speaking about people who come to Church and are not actual Christians, that Hebrews is speaking of. No, the Hebrews author is speaking to real Christians, and these warnings apply to Christians, not fake Christians, not Christians in quotes. Not quotation Christians. I believe Paul wrote this book, however, it is not undisputed, I will refer in my commentary to Paul as the author of Hebrews, though many don't agree.
Hebrews 2:1-3:
1 Therefore we must pay the closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him.
Heb. 2:1-3 - (4) deals with the first warning of "danger of neglect"
Yes, it is a warning. It says Lest we drift from it, and the thrust of the issue is salvation, verse 3. There was just retribution of those who committed disobedience in the past, now that Jesus came, we are more responsible. Just neglecting has eternal consequences, salvation is at stake. Paul uses the term 'we'. This neglecting can lead to hell. We must strive for holiness, Heb. 12:14.
Hebrews 3:12-14:
12 Take care, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we share in Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end.
Heb. 3:12-14 - (4) warning of hardening the heart (separation from God)
Yes, Paul is warning of the hardness of their heart. But he also warns brethren, i.e. not fake brethren, actual believers, against the deceitfulness of sin, which Paul has reiterated in many places, leads to the condemnation to hell, Eph. 5:3-7, Galatians 5:19-21, 1 Cor. 6:9-11. The brethren obviously are Christian, they can get an unbelieving heart, and he puts that real possibility of them falling away to the living God, but most importantly shares that we will ultimately only share in Christ if we hold our confidence to the end. You can only fall away if you are in Him in the first place.
Hebrews 3:18-4:1:
18 And to whom did he swear that they should never enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. Hebrews 4 1 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest remains, let us fear lest any of you be judged to have failed to reach it.
Heb. 3:18-4:1 - (4) warning of non-belief due to them lacking faith (not works)
Here is exactly like 1 Cor. 10:1-12, which we saw earlier and talked about those who came with Moses, of those who disobeyed are examples for us. If one is disobedient, one will not enter the rest, as the Jews did not enter the promised land (except Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 32:11-12). He points to the Israelis unbelief not entering the promised land, to make a specific warning to believers, termed 'brethren' to not fall into such unbelief, because unbelievers will not inherit the kingdom of heaven.
Hebrews 4:6, 11:
6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, that no one fall by the same sort of disobedience.
Heb. 4:6, 11 - (4) warning - some (believers) will return, unbelievers will not
Well, Paul warned in chapter 3, that a believer can get an unbelieving heart, and not get eternal life. But besides, that, even for believers who stay believers, Paul warns that in order to enter that rest, one must 'strive' to enter that eternal rest, which ultimately is rest in heaven. This contradicts faith alone theology. He says 'Let us', so again this is warning to believers, it includes he himself, so he can't be talking about theoretical, fake it Christians. As Jesus himself says, it is not easy to get eternal life because he calls the path 'hard', Matthew 7:13-14.
Hebrews 6:4-6:
4 For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they then commit apostasy, since they crucify the Son of God on their own account and hold him up to contempt.
Heb. 6:4-6 - (4) an exhortation that shameful unbelievers reject gift of salvation
Elsewhere in your paper you gave a commentary on Hebrews 6, I will give your full commentary on this and comment on this passage to see if your analysis fits.
Paul is not talking about people who were originally unbelievers here. Of course, we all bring our theology into everything, but I ask anybody who reads this passage can in any way read this passage, and in any way think that this passage is consistent with OSAS. Here is the beginning of your take on this:
Enlightened is not necessarily synonymous with being saved. The Greek word for "enlightenment", photizo, refers to doctrinal knowledge. While we need doctrine, God's Doctrine, for salvation (we can't have faith in just anything, can't we?), we aren't saved by a religious doctrinal understanding.
I would argue, that has long been a reference to baptism, a justified person. However, not to get to a side topic, the way Paul definitely shows that these were believers in the faith. For example in Hebrews 10:32, the same word photizo is used, he says But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened,(photizo) you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. So this shows that enlightened people are those who suffered for Christ, exactly as Paul mentions they must suffer in order to inherit eternal life, Rom. 8:17. Only believers would suffer for Christ or take abuse for Christ. Fake Christians do not.
Then going on, you say:
How can one be enlightened and fall away? It does seem to be speaking of a saved person losing his salvation. However: who is the "those" and from what have "those" fallen away from? To begin with, it is important to know that this section of Hebrews is about apostates/heretics - those who may to some degree, embraced the truth, but have now abandoned it (hold a different position now). Also the word "those" implicates at least two categories of people in the church (true believers and unbelievers).
In this verse in question, it is speaking of people who were involved, perhaps heavily involved, in a church. It is likely they would have joined a congregation, heard the Gospel, and saw the Spirit working in the life of Believers. They may have received some of the blessings of being part of a covenant community and they may have even publicly confessed Christ and have been baptized (in the early Christian writings, conversion and baptism were sometimes termed "enlightenment"). But they never had a saving knowledge of Christ. They may have been "in the Church" but never "of the body of the Church."
Now the question is, If the "those" is someone who has only "tasted" the heavenly gift in the church, has seen what has been going on and seen God at work, been in the church, what exactly have they fallen away from that they can't be renewed again to repentance? Isn't confession a form of repentance of sins and doesn't that imply that they were originally brought to repentance? They only "tasted" or "sampled" Christ. They were never truly converted to faith in Him.
Before I address this response, we must see the other things that Paul says that these people experienced, much more than enlightened, also the other terms used besides enlightened:
b)-Have tasted of the heavenly gift v. 4
c)-Have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit v. 4
d)- Have tasted the good word of God v. 5
e)-Tasted the powers of the age to come, v. 5
Tasted both b & c above, the word in Greek is geuomai. Tasted the heavenly gift, many see as the Eucharist, but others see talking about grace that God has given. The gift of salvation. Ephesians 2 said in v. 8, it is the gift of God. In Strongs concordance, geuomai, is 1089. It defines geuomai as to experience, good or ill. But the way that taste is used himself is very relevant. 2 other passages notate about tasting, using the same word geuomai.
Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste geuomai death for every one.
Jesus actually tasted death as the specific language, he didn't fake it, he experienced it, he didn't put on a show or go around the edges of it. Also, Peter notates that for newborn babes, that have come into the faith, these babes have tasted, actually experienced the kindness of the Lord. So, with this usage, it absolutely shows, that your idea that these people were only on the periphery, and have not experienced the Lord, and just turned away only when they 'heard' about it, just does not fit. Thus, when Paul writes that they 'tasted' the heavenly gift, the word of God, the powers of the age to come, these people had for sure entered God's grace.
1 Peter 2:3: 2 Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation; 3 for you have tasted geuomai the kindness of the Lord.
What about being partakers of the Holy Spirit, is that peripheral? It sure doesn't sound like it, but what is the meaning of 'partaker'. In Strong's concordance the word is 3353,metoche as noun; a sharer by implication an associate - fellow, partaker, partner. Now let us look at thiss usage in Hebrews itself. Now up to now I've used the RSV, but since I'm referring to the Strongs Concordance that uses the translation, and the RSV doesn't translate it as partakers, but since it is the same Greek word used in Hebrews 6:4, and Strongs Concordance is based on the King James Version, I'll use the KJV translation of this word in other passages:
Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers metoche of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end
Now this was another passage that proves you can lose salvation for now, it shows here Paul is talking about people who partake of Christ himself, and continue steadfast to the end. Also, we need to be partakers of discipline, or chastisement, if we are sons. So again, the word partake, really means partake for the other items used in the language. So back in Hebrews, Paul really shows that one is partaker of the Holy Spirit. Jesus himself said one must be born of water and Spirit, John 3:5. Paul mention how through the Holy Spirit God's love is poured into our heats, Romans 5:5.
Hebrews 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers metoche, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
With all of the above, it is absolutely incontrovertible that those spoken of in Hebrews 6, were ones who were really in Christ, that is the only way that they could taste all those gifts, and could really partake of the Holy Spirit.
Now, back to the actual text it says that those ones who apostatize are put out of God's grace, Hebrews 6:6. Now, it does say that it is impossible to come back to repentance, verse 4. Although it is not spelled out exactly why these people can not come back to repentance, it is impossible for those who are obstinately now blocked off from God, and have no care for coming back to grace. Now, most likely due to the use of the first verses, it is talking about old Jewish things, they had their own baptisms, etc. These Hebrew Christians were going back to the old things and rites, and turning their back on the New Covenant Jesus, who they had previously placed their faith in and partaken of Him. They reach such a state of departing the faith and go back to the old covenant, they will not come back to repentance. Of course, everybody who sins, even mortally, has the opportunity to come back, but these people spoken of here, are in the status of not wanting to come back. In any sense though, this is a huge proof text against the OSAS theology.
Hebrews 10:23-29:
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 26 For if we sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful prospect of judgment, and a fury of fire which will consume the adversaries. 28 A man who has violated the law of Moses dies without mercy at the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by the man who has spurned the Son of God, and profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and outraged the Spirit of grace?
Heb. 10:23-29 - (4) exhortation to hold fast the profession of faith
Here we see that believers are turning away from the worship with fellow believers, 'neglecting to meet together.' People who have been worshipping deliberately then apparently have been influenced by those Judaizers, discouraged from continuing to worship Jesus. No longer is there a sacrifice for sins any more, in other words the sacrifice had been available to them previously. A person here had been sanctified by the Holy Spirit, so we know this is a redeemed, born again, and sanctified person. But if we do, we includes the writer, most likely Paul. Believers can face a fury of fire, which consumes the enemy of God, v. 27. The comparison of those died with testimony of witnesses, is how much more worse it is that these people who are sanctified, when they now spurn the Son of God. This outrages the Spirit of grace. The punishment is much worse for those who continue to spurn the Son of God. Obviously, the only way it could be 'worse' is if these people, are eternally condemned, doing away with any thought of OSAS.
Hebrews 10:35-36:
35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that you may do the will of God and receive what is promised.
Heb. 10:35-36 - (4) warning of danger of drawing back
The only way that one will receive God's is if we stay confident and endure. The obvious implication is if you lose your confidence, and don't endure, you will not receive God's promise, which is eternal life.
Hebrews 12:12-17:
12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fail to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" spring up and cause trouble, and by it the many become defiled; 16 that no one be immoral or irreligious like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
Heb. 12:12-17 - (4) exhortation to endure God's chastening
I did an examination of all of Hebrews 12:1-17, in part 1, so I'll do it in abbreviated form here. The chastening/discipline only points to the first part of Hebrews 12:5-11, where God disciplines us as a father for the purpose of holiness. Paul is going beyond that here in this part I highlight, he is speaking to how through God's grace, one achieves salvation, by the pursuit of holiness, (v. 14), but warns specifically how Christian believing readers that they can become like Esau. Esau didn't get the blessing, if we act like him, we will not receive our blessing of eternal life.
Hebrews 12:25:
See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less shall we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
Heb. 12:25 - (4) warning of danger of refusing God
Sure he is warning, but what is the warning? First, Paul uses the word 'we' so he is even including himself in this warning. Now he is contrasting the Old Covenant where God threatened punishment of those in the Old Covenant (Heb. 12:18-22), where in the New Covenant, including Paul, again the punishment will be much worse if they end up rejecting him. Paul radically includes himself as one possible to reject him, similar to his theorizing in Galatians 1:6-8. Paul specifically says it will be much worse for the New Covenant believers if they end up rejecting him, thus he is talking about losing eternal salvation. There is a possibility for believers that they can end up rejecting God, and as Jesus himself said, if you deny me I will deny you, Matthew 10:32-33, Paul wrote the same thing in 2 Tim. 2:11-12.
The book of James seems to be one of controversy to the Paul's teaching regarding faith. This extreme view, called antinomianism, held that through faith in Christ one is completely free from all Old Testament law, all legalism all secular law and all the morality of a society. The book of James is directed to Jewish Christians scattered among all the nations (James 1:1). Some people fail to recognize that James teachings on works complemented - not contradicted - Paul's teaching of faith. Having said that; the Pauline teachings concentrate on our justification with God, James teachings concentrate on the works that exemplify that justification. James was writing to Jews to encourage them to continue growing in this new Christian faith. James emphasizes that good actions will naturally flow from those who are filled with the Spirit and questions whether someone may or may not have a saving faith if the fruits of the spirit cannot be seen, much as Paul describes in Galatians 5:22-23.
I dealt with the above comments in in part 1, the last part of that paper. Please scroll to the bottom of that paper, in response to the above comments.
James 1:14-16:
14 but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
James 1:14-16 - (4) an exhortation on the source of temptations
Here James is writing to Jewish Christian believers (those in the Dispersia, called Brethren, vv. 1-2), he encourages them in the faith (vv. 3-12). But here he specifically mentions where sin comes from, it comes from one's own desire. Though believers, we still have concupiscence that can lead to desires which can lead to sin. One's fleshly desires gives birth to sin, and if one acts on it, if it can be a sin that leads to death, as mentioned specifically here. A sin that leads to death, thus, mortal sin. Also, Romans 6:23, Hebrews 12:15-17, 1 John 5:16-17, Gal. 5:19-21. James is of course talking spiritually, so this is spiritual death, which means a believer loses his state of grace.
James 2:12-13:
12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy; yet mercy triumphs over judgment.
James 2:12-13 - (4) an exhortation that faith removes discrimination
If we do not show mercy we will not get it. This issue is not fellowship, in James 2:14-26, which I went over in part 1, the issue is justification, salvation. Now, we are under the law of liberty. So it matches in Hebrews 12:5-11, small sins, do not condemn us, we get pruned. However, we must show mercy. Here James shows that if we show no mercy, we face God's judgment, which is hell. This exactly matches Jesus saying, Matthew 6:13 Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Then he goes on to document that one is not justified by faith alone, vv. 14-26, which shows if you are in grace, he is writing to 'brethren', if you don't provide help to people who need it, you are no longer justified.
James 4:4:
4 Unfaithful creatures! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
James 4:4 - (4) an exhortation that faith produces humility
Remember, this passage he is writing to 'brethren', so believers. The exhortation is not to go into life with the world's ideas. You go into the world, you are separating yourself from God. Friendship with the world makes us an enemy of God. An enemy of God does not achieve salvation.
James 5:8-9:
8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble, brethren, against one another, that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the doors.
James 5:8-9 (4) an exhortation that faith endures awaiting Christ's return
Our actions have eternal consequences. Do not be angry, cause division in the Body of Christ. If you hate your brethren, you have no eternal life, 1 John 3:14. Now this passage is close to the end of Ephesians 4, where he says we must be uplifting with our talk, and if not, if we start talking silly talk, hold enmity against brethren, we can fall into sins that separate us from God, and cause disinheritance, as Paul specifically writes in Ephesians 5:3-7. We must establish our hearts, in God's goodness so we can be in good standing to be able to face God the judge.
James 5:19-20:
19 My brethren, if any one among you wanders from the truth and some one brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
James 5:19-20 - (4) an exhortation that faith confronts the erring brother
Yes, it is an exhortation to confront the erring brother. The brother is a brother, so he starts off in grace. But he wanders from the truth. It is incumbent on the faithful brother to encourage him to stop that sin, and bring him back to the faith. The reader, is encouraged to bring that erring brother back, because his soul is at stake. Save soul from death, means saving from eternal death. Some can wander from the truth and from God though if they are open they can come back to God and get back into His grace, and thus salvation.
The Book of 1 Peter is a letter to the believers who had been dispersed though out the ancient world and were under intense persecution. He understood what it took to endure without bitterness, without losing hope and in great faith in living an obedient, victorious life. This knowledge of living hope in Jesus was the message and Christ's example was the one to follow.
1 Peter 1:14-17:
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; 16 since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." 17 And if you invoke as Father him who judges each one impartially according to his deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile.
1 Peter 1:14-17 - (4) an exhortation to be holy
Yes, it is an exhortation to be holy. Why? Because we will be judged based on all our deeds. Good deeds, bad deeds, but most importantly what is our status at the time of our death. It is again like Phillippians 2:12-16, we must work it out, and as Phillippians 2:15 says pursue holiness, we must pursue holiness without which no one will see the Lord, Hebrews 12:14. If go back and act according to our passions, we must suffer God's wrath in judgment. Our salvation is dependent on how we acted in our life, not based on well, you get in because of an imputed righteousness. If we do not act holy, we will not be saved.
1 Peter 3:9-12:
9 Do not return evil for evil or reviling for reviling; but on the contrary bless, for to this you have been called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For "He that would love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile; 11 let him turn away from evil and do right; let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those that do evil."
1 Peter 3:9-12 - (4) an exhortation to be submissive in all of life
Again, Peter is writing to believers, those sanctified by the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:2), that you are not to fight evil with evil. Return evil with love. This is a reiteration of Luke 6;27-29 where Jesus said this. Peter is saying that we can not return evil with evil, because if we act evil, we are like those who did evil against us, and God will condemn us. Those with anger and hatred do get condemned, as Peter notes right here, and as Paul affirms in Colossians 3:7-8, as we have already looked at.
1 Peter 5:8-9:
8 Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world.
1 Peter 5:8-9 - (4) an exhortation to all saints (believers) to be humble
Peter is not only talking about humility. The devil seeks to devour us. He can not devour us, if we still get to heaven regardless and Peter does not assure them they still get in anyway. Peter says that one must resist him, fight against him, exactly for the sake of salvation. We must fight, resist him, because salvation is at stake. Verse 12 Peter writes that this is the true grace of God, which includes fighting him. We must suffer, v. 8, exactly as Paul wrote in Romans 8:17. Exactly as Paul wrote in Ephesians 6, put on the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:12-18), right after warning that if one goes by the flesh they will go to hell, Eph. 5:3-7.
The book of 2 Peter deals with problems from the inside rather than problems from the outside like 1 Peter. Peter writes to warn believers about the false teachers who are peddling damaging doctrine.
2 Peter 1:3-4:
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature.
This is not technically a passage which shows one can lose salvation, however this lays the groundwork for some later passages which shows the OSAS interpretation is absolutely impossible. The beginning of 2nd Peter shows who he is writing this to, here is v. 1: To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours in the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. This is directed to believers for sure. Later Peter writes that someone who turns away from the faith are those who have escaped the corruption of the world, and are truly in his grace. This shows that 2 Peter 2:1-2, 2:14 and 2:20-22 truly apply to those who were once truly in his grace.
2 Peter 1:3-4 - (4) an exhortation to grow in Christ
That is correct, the subjects are people who are believers.
2 Peter 2:1-2:
1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their licentiousness, and because of them the way of truth will be reviled.
2 Peter 2:1-2 - (4) a warning of the danger of false teachers
Notice false prophets arose among the people. Remember who Peter is writing to, people who have a faith with equal standing and with righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. From among them, false prophets and teachers arise from this congregation of people who have the same faith as Peter. They bring in destructive heresies, exactly like Paul warned bringing another gospel in Galatians 1:6-8, let them be accursed. This destructive heresy brings damnation to those people who had equal standing in righteousness with the apostle Peter.
2 Peter 2:14-15:
14 They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! 15 Forsaking the right way they have gone astray; they have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Be'or, who loved gain from wrongdoing,
2 Peter 2:14-15 - (4) a warning and description of false teachers
So, these people had been on the right way, as specifically mentioned in the beginning of 2nd Peter, and shown right here in v. 15. They were following the right way, but they and went astray. No longer in equal standing with Peter. They went back to adultery and passions for sins. They are going back to how they were before. Ephesians 2:1-10 as we saw in part shows that God took us from bondage to sin, by his grace, he detached us, freed us from that bondage, v. 5, Romans 6:7. However, these people had the free will to go back to that bondage (Ephesians 2:3), and fall back into the sins as mentioned in Ephesians 5:3-7, Galatians 5:19-21, also shows in 1 Cor. 6:9-10, Colossians 3:6-8, and affirmed in Revelation 21:8.
2 Peter 2:20-22:
20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, The dog turns back to his own vomit, and the sow is washed only to wallow in the mire.
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2 Peter 2:20-22 - (4) a warning and description of false teachers
But the false teachers are those that had equal standing in righteousness with Peter, 2 Peter 1:2. Also, as shown, in 2 Peter 1:3 as the background when he talks about escaping the defilement of the world, and actually have a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ himself, it shows that these people were true believers. These aren't people who just observed, saw from the outside, or even went to church, and never truly accepted Christ. They actually truly escaped the defilement of the world, and truly knew Christ. It is again worse if they had never known, not escaped the defilement of the world. If one is guaranteed saved, this passage makes absolutely no sense because you are obviously better off than unbelievers if you still get final salvation, but just less rewards. It is only worse, because the punishment of hell is much worse for those who experienced Christ himself and turned his back on Him, than those who did not.
2 Peter 3:17:
17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, beware lest you be carried away with the error of lawless men and lose your own stability.
2 Peter 3:17 - (4) an exhortation to grow in grace until Christ's return
Writing to believers he says to not be carried away by the lawless men who are teaching falsity. We must stay to the truth of Christ and his grace, or else we can end up like the others who end up worse than the unbelievers.
The book of 1 John is unknown as to who he address the letter to, but it is believed that this epistle was address to the Asian churches that were within the realm of his oversight. His message is to refute erroneous doctrine and encourages his readership to walk in the knowledge of the truth. It is important to remember that some of these believers were still practicing the Law (works).
1 John 2: 3-4:
3 And by this we may be sure that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He who says "I know him" but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him;
1 John 2: 3-4 - (4) an exhortations to obey God's commandments
Of course it is an exhortation to keep the commandments, but he says our dependency on knowing him, is dependent upon us keeping the commandments. If we don't keep the commandments, we are not in communion with him. John heard Jesus teach that if you want to enter life, you must 'keep the commandments', Mt. 19:17. Also in John's gospel himself, John 14:15, 15:10 Jesus says that we are only with him if we keep the commandments. Of course Paul said what is important is keeping the commandments (1 Cor. 7:19), and we meet the righteous requirement of the law of the Spirit, Romans 8:2-4, and through grace we can be the doer of the law, Romans 2:13, 13:8, though technically it is not the law in and of itself that saves us, Romans 6:14.
1 John 3:11-12:
11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 and not be like Cain who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous.
1 John 3:11-12 - (4) an exhortation to practice righteousness
If we hate and are angry, we are condemned. John specifically warns that we can even become like Cain, who murdered his brother, and separated himself from God, the same can happen to us.
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. 15 Any one who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But if any one has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth.
1 John 3:14-18 - (4) an exhortation of an act of love and truth
Remember Jesus said in John 5:24, that we have passed from death to life when one believes in him. However, John understands this that attached to believing in Jesus is someone who loves his brother, so again, it is not belief alone. Someone in Christ, who hates his brother does not have eternal life. So then if one goes from hate to love, then that person, by his action, has gone from eternal life to eternal death. The way to stay in the path of life is by love in deed and truth, exactly as Paul had written in Romans 5:5, Galatians 5:6.
1 John 5:16-17:
16 If any one sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal.
1 John 5:17- (4) an exhortation to guidance in prayer
Much more than guidance in prayer. The whole chapter in 1 John 5, is dealing with eternal life. He wrote that the commandments are not burdensome, and can be done, 5:3-4, and the only way we know God is keeping those commandments. He does say that we know that we can have eternal life, but not before saying that we have to keep those commandments. But then he tells us in this context, there are sins that are mortal, and non-mortal, Catholics term this sin in verse 17 as venial. So even though keeping the commandments as Jesus himself, and John notes here, John notes that not all sin is mortal. So, this all sin is the same theory is shown to be wrong. It is not about physical life and death, since the whole context is eternal life, even verse 20 speaks of eternal life. But a believer can commit mortal sin, and if one dies with that sin on one's soul, that person will spend eternity apart from God.
The book of 2 John was written as reminder to continue walking in obedience to God's commandment to love one another, although his primary purpose was to deliver a warning not to associate with or assist false teachers who do not acknowledge the truth about Jesus Christ.
2 John 8-9:
8 Look to yourselves, that you may not lose what you have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 Any one who goes ahead and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God; he who abides in the doctrine has both the Father and the Son.
2 John 8-9 - (4) a warning of doctrine of false teachers
It is possible to lose what one worked for (of course only through grace), the full reward is eternal life. So, one must strive through God's grace to stay on the path to salvation. If one turns away from the true doctrine, one does not have God, and obviously by inference, does not have eternal life.
The book of 3 John is the shortest book in the Bible. This offers a stark contrast between two men. Faithful Gaius responds with generosity and hospitality, but faithless Diotrephes responds with arrogance and opposition. Thus John writes the letter to commend Gaius for walking in the truth and to condemn Diotrephes for walking in error.
3 John 11:
11 Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. He who does good is of God; he who does evil has not seen God.
3 John 11 - (4) an exhortation on the pride of Diotrephes
If one practices evil, he does not have God. Exactly reflecting Jesus' teaching in John 3:21, that one must practice truth, or else that belief in John 3:16 profits nothing. You practice evil, John explains in 3 John 11, you cut yourself off from God.
The book of Jude is an important book for us today because it is written for the end of the church age. The church age began at the Day of Pentecost. Jude is the only book given entirely to the great apostasy. Jude writes that evil works are the evidence apostasy. He admonishes us to contend for the faith, for there are tares among wheat. False prophets are in the church and the saints are in danger. Jude is small but important book worthy of study, written for the Christians of today.
Jude 5-6:
5 Now I desire to remind you, though you were once for all fully informed, that he who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels that did not keep their own position but left their proper dwelling have been kept by him in eternal chains in the nether gloom until the judgment of the great day.
Jude 5-6 - (4) an exhortation of past judgment of false teachers
Jude is addressing to those who called beloved of God, v. 1. Jude is showing that God saved people when they left slavery in Egypt. This is the same as 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. Those who did not believe got destroyed. It is the same thing here, those will be eternally punished are those who follow the example of those who did not stay faithful. Those are encouraged to keep the faith. Sodom and Gomorrah, is an example of those who follow those who fall into unbelief and sin, will get eternal fire, Jude 7. The solution is Jude tells them to keep themselves, v. 22, so God can preserve him so he can stand in faithfulness.
The book of revelation is the only New Testament that focuses primarily on prophetic events. Its title means "unveiling" or "disclosure". Thus the book is the unveiling of the character and program of God. It presents futuristic events of things to come.
Sure, it speaks to end times, but not only end times, as John says he will come 'soon.' However one interprets this book, the teachings on salvation are true here, and must be understood and adhered to. For sure, however this book is understood, the teaching on salvation applies whether believers are reading this at the end of the first century when John writes this, or now, more than 20 centuries later.
Revelation 2:4-5 (adding verses 2-3)
:
2 "I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear evil men but have tested those who call themselves apostles but are not, and found them to be false; 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember then from what you have fallen, repent and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
Revelation 2:4-5 - (4) an exhortation of warning/message to the church of Ephesus
Yes, this is addressed to the Church of Ephesus. Yes, it is a warning but warning for what. We see through the first couple of verses, that they have defended and fought for the faith, and even currently fought off evil men. They had been faithful and did works reflecting the love for faith. They had done good works. They fell, only in the sense of not doing good works. But they are no longer just doing the good works they had been doing. Just neglecting the faith, as Hebrews 2:3 shows. They have fallen from grace. Unless they repent of their neglect, they will be removed from God's grace. The church and the individuals within the church will so be removed unless they return to works. They must repent from their lack of good works to get back in His grace. You have the lampstand, you are in the light. The removal of the lampstand signifies God's judgment. You are in darkness, you are not in heaven.
Revelation 2:13-16:
13 "'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; you hold fast my name and you did not deny my faith even in the days of An'tipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice immorality. 15 So you also have some who hold the teaching of the Nicola'itans. 16 Repent then. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.
Revelation 2:13-16 - (4) an exhortation of warning/message to the church of Pergamos
In Pergamum, verse 13, they have not denied the faith, and have suffered for the faith, only something that can be done by believers. Unfortunately some of them have gone to a bad teaching. But having been in the faith. some have gone over into sexual immorality. Those who go into that are to be punished and will get everlasting punishment as shown in Revelation 21:8, and Paul in Galatians, Ephesians, and 1 Corinthians as already detailed.
Revelation 3:2-3:
2 Awake, and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death, for I have not found your works perfect in the sight of my God. 3 Remember then what you received and heard; keep that, and repent. If you will not awake, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you.
Rev. 3:2-3 - (4) an exhortation of warning/message to the church of Sardis
This church, the Sardis Church have had 7 spirits, representing the Holy Spirit & stars, but have not kept the faith. What is important is the works are insufficient. The works are insufficient for God, and they have to repent from bad works or they will not be of sufficient grace, unless they truly repent and have actions commensurate with good works. So bad works can cause a disinheritance, and not in a state of grace, and not be ready to meet Jesus.
Revelation 3:11:
I am coming soon; hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.
Rev. 3:11 - (4) an exhortation of warning/message to the church of Philadelphia
The crown will be lost if one does not hold fast. This Philadelphia church, has lots of privileges, but believers are told they will only get that crown if they stay faithful. The Philadelphia church holds the keys and has the power to shut and open, and they have kept His word, and have not denied Christ's name, verses 7-8. But the warning is that it is possible they don't hold fast.
Revelation 16:15:
"Lo, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is he who is awake, keeping his garments that he may not go naked and be seen exposed!"
Rev. 16:15 - (4) an exhortation of warning based on the sixth vial being pour out
One must be an active obedient, and ready person who is ready for Christ to come. If one is not, he will not achieve salvation.
Revelation 21:7-8:
7 He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be his God and he shall be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death."
Rev. 21:7-8 - (4) an exhortation of warning as the new heaven/earth descends
Here is the final judgment. Only those who conquer, v. 7 will get eternal glory. Remember, John himself had written that only those who believe in Christ and keep the commandments are the ones who overcome, 1 John 5:2-5. This passage obviously includes people who have followed Christ, as Jesus terms including those cast into hell, 'faithless'. The faithful will inherit the kingdom, those who turn faithless, murderers (those who hate, 1 John 3:14-15, Matthew 5:21), fornicators, etc. will go to eternal punishment. It is these sins that are mortal, that sends them to eternal punishment. Those who don't conquer, those include those who had faith but did not overcome, are sent to the lake of fire.
Revelation 22:19:
and if any one takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
Rev. 22:19 - (4) a warning of condemnation to all individuals/churches who add their own false doctrines which are not Scriptural or adding words or false interpretations, or subtracting from the word of God to serve their own doctrines.
Agreed, but since it is people who have had a share in the tree of life, these people started off as believers. The people who both added words that were not supposed to be added, v. 18, will get plagues, eternal punishment. These people would join those who practice falsehood, idolatry, fornication, etc., which ultimately is the lake of fire.
Conclusion: Again I respectfully do not give any credence to the verses you quoted that a believer can lose his salvation.
On the contrary with this examination, it shows that it is possible that one can lose salvation. Now, if I thought Scriptures taught this, it would bring comfort, but this OSAS theory, is patently unbiblical. It is a false comfort. But we are all called, as Paul himself wrote, to run the race of salvation, 1 Cor.9:24-27, and running that race, is the true grace of God that we must stand by, 1 Peter 5:12.
Matt's Response to a Critique of My Interpretation of Verses Which Teach That One Can Lose Salvation...by Matt1618... This text may be downloaded or printed out for private reading, but it may not be uploaded to another Internet site or published, electronically or otherwise, without express written permission from the author.