Is it enough to "believe"? If one falls away did they truly believe to conversion? (see Isaiah 6:10)
It is one thing to "follow Jesus" for a while and even be fed by Him. There were many who did exactly that when Jesus was here in the flesh on earth...and then when He prodded them a little, and searched their heart to see the reason for their "fellowship" the truth came out, and many stopped following Him from that day on (John chapter 6). Does that mean that they were saved, and then became "unsaved"? Then we could blame God for the fact that He let those that "got away" slip through His less than able fingers...is that what happened? Really?
The Bible gives clear indication that there are many false ones who put on like they really are converted, but the truly converted remain converted. There is no back and forth with God. When He saves you, you stay saved.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
The faith that the saved, the truly saved, have is a living and growing faith. It is not a "said faith"...
...that stagnates, and keeps turning to self-knowledge for the answers. It is one that keeps looking to God even when things are difficult and hurtful and complicated and says "I am not able but He is able" through all the trials and troubles that arise. They will say "You just don't understand MY situation". But I DO understand. It is the situation of being unsaved, of relying on the flesh, and blaming God for it being so. I was that way PRIOR TO being saved. Once the Lord indwelled me He caused me to see the things that were so difficult, no IMPOSSIBLE for me to understand before.
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
1Pe 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
Those who go through the fiery trials spoken of in 1 Peter, and hang on through God's strength which He supplies to all who TRULY look to Him, will receive the reward of the trial through being transformed by God, but those who pretend to look and only have an appearance of holiness, DO NOT HANG ON because they do not have the SPIRIT OF THE TRUTH in them, there is no truth in them, no matter how much they try to convince others that they are true. The Bible says that there is no one who is good, no one who is true, except Jesus. If we do not have HIS SPIRIT we do not have the truth, and we are not true. There's no way around it. Jesus is the only way. Try as you might to get around it you won't make it. If you say you were saved and now you are not, you lie, because Jesus does not let any of His elect go, and he does not lose any that are saved.
Do not believe the lies, those of the lie will preach a lie, the lie being that God cannot save utterly, and that He is unable to hold on to His own people to keep them from falling away. It is a lie. Those who say these things are preaching doctrines of demons. They are deceived and they look to deceive others in their deception, to gain a following for themselves. We are to turn people to Christ, not to ourselves. If what I say uplifts myself instead of Jesus, do not listen to me. But if what I say is to glorify Jesus and His word, then it would benefit you to listen.
Be strengthened in Christ and in His almighty power and strength and not in the "logic" and pleadings of men and women who would turn you aside from Christ to think that they have a better answer. Pray for them, feel sorry for them, but do not encourage them in their blasphemies.
It is one thing to "follow Jesus" for a while and even be fed by Him. There were many who did exactly that when Jesus was here in the flesh on earth...and then when He prodded them a little, and searched their heart to see the reason for their "fellowship" the truth came out, and many stopped following Him from that day on (John chapter 6). Does that mean that they were saved, and then became "unsaved"? Then we could blame God for the fact that He let those that "got away" slip through His less than able fingers...is that what happened? Really?
The Bible gives clear indication that there are many false ones who put on like they really are converted, but the truly converted remain converted. There is no back and forth with God. When He saves you, you stay saved.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
The faith that the saved, the truly saved, have is a living and growing faith. It is not a "said faith"...
...that stagnates, and keeps turning to self-knowledge for the answers. It is one that keeps looking to God even when things are difficult and hurtful and complicated and says "I am not able but He is able" through all the trials and troubles that arise. They will say "You just don't understand MY situation". But I DO understand. It is the situation of being unsaved, of relying on the flesh, and blaming God for it being so. I was that way PRIOR TO being saved. Once the Lord indwelled me He caused me to see the things that were so difficult, no IMPOSSIBLE for me to understand before.
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
1Pe 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
Those who go through the fiery trials spoken of in 1 Peter, and hang on through God's strength which He supplies to all who TRULY look to Him, will receive the reward of the trial through being transformed by God, but those who pretend to look and only have an appearance of holiness, DO NOT HANG ON because they do not have the SPIRIT OF THE TRUTH in them, there is no truth in them, no matter how much they try to convince others that they are true. The Bible says that there is no one who is good, no one who is true, except Jesus. If we do not have HIS SPIRIT we do not have the truth, and we are not true. There's no way around it. Jesus is the only way. Try as you might to get around it you won't make it. If you say you were saved and now you are not, you lie, because Jesus does not let any of His elect go, and he does not lose any that are saved.
Do not believe the lies, those of the lie will preach a lie, the lie being that God cannot save utterly, and that He is unable to hold on to His own people to keep them from falling away. It is a lie. Those who say these things are preaching doctrines of demons. They are deceived and they look to deceive others in their deception, to gain a following for themselves. We are to turn people to Christ, not to ourselves. If what I say uplifts myself instead of Jesus, do not listen to me. But if what I say is to glorify Jesus and His word, then it would benefit you to listen.
Be strengthened in Christ and in His almighty power and strength and not in the "logic" and pleadings of men and women who would turn you aside from Christ to think that they have a better answer. Pray for them, feel sorry for them, but do not encourage them in their blasphemies.
Hi Susan,
ReplyDeleteIf a person is willing then God will lead them, but it must be a willing spirit. Willing to look foolish, willing to believe in something that is difficult because it is spiritual and not in the natural.
Winnowing. God allows the wheat and the weeds to grow up together. He allows the sheep and goats to graze together so as to not harm those who are His. So those who are His will be well nourished. The time is coming soon when, if He hasn't already, start to divide those who are His and those who are not. The line is being drawn. Jesus Come!!
Blessings,
<><
There is a "letting go" that really does happen...that HAS TO happen, like the person on a burning building has to jump out into the fireman's equipment that saves them, and there is a fear that says "I'm afraid of heights and what if they miss and I fall? Maybe this building won't burn all the way, and I'll be ok? Maybe I don't have to jump"...the trusting of self over trusting God is a big hurdle. The Lord brought me to the end of myself, and I saw the foolishness of continuing that way, and the wisdom of God's way, but my husband says it is only because the Lord revealed it to me...so how much was me "wanting it" and how much was Jesus "revealing it to me, because of His election"? Only the Lord truly knows the answer to that, but I didn't deserve it any more than anyone else does, so God in His mercy did what He didn't have to do. If I somehow deserved it by choosing Him, it isn't grace anymore. He picked up a piece of garbage and turned it into a gem. :)
DeleteGod softened Pharaoh's heart many times yet he kept returning to what he wanted not God's will. Pharaoh was not willing so I believe, even though it is up to God to change and soften our hearts and reveal the Truth to us, we need to be willing to seek it and accept it.
ReplyDeleteIf I somehow deserved it by choosing Him, it isn't grace anymore.
Grace: the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings. Grace is free and unmerited given to all men. We are still not deserving because we are sinful and deserving the full fury of His anger but because we are willing to seek Him and take the leap of faith into the spiritual unknown, He give His grace of salvation to us if we keep walking in His Spirit and are obedient to His Word.
I hope that makes sense. :)
<><
I know it is available to all men or else there wouldn't have been any pharisees who loved Jesus, and yet there was Joseph of Arimethea and the Apostle Paul. Joseph was on the Sanhedrin, which made him another "ultra" pharisee...however if we think God chooses because we choose it goes against what is said about His election. It is too much to understand, however it does again show that it is all Him, and we are just to stand in awe. :)
DeleteYea, it is pretty difficult in our earthly bodies to understand God.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
<><
It's sorta like the age-old question of which came first the chicken or the egg...and what it boils down to for me is that before I was created I was nothing, not even dirt...so then even the ability to choose came from God's creating me, I cannot offer up ANYTHING that He hasn't given me. And to me that is awesome... ;-)
Deleteboils down to, eggs, boiled eggs, lol...anyway, :)
Delete