Assurance of salvation
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@throughfaith I noticed you mentioned having children, do you pray the Lord save them?
JAMES 5:11.
Behold, we count them happy which endure.=(under misfortunes and trials to hold fast
to one's Faith in Christ'.) You have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of The Lord;
that The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
11TIM. 2:3.
You therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
MATT 24:13.
But he that shall 'endure unto the end', the same shall be saved.
HEB. 4:14.
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus The Son of God,
let us 'hold fast our profession'.
15.
For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16.
Let us therefore 'come boldly' unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help in time of need.
how blessed we are to have been given a Spiritual Door that we are able to walk through,
through our obedience and desire to serve our Holy Saviour, and be partakers of
His Holy family...
Behold, we count them happy which endure.=(under misfortunes and trials to hold fast
to one's Faith in Christ'.) You have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of The Lord;
that The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
11TIM. 2:3.
You therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
MATT 24:13.
But he that shall 'endure unto the end', the same shall be saved.
HEB. 4:14.
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus The Son of God,
let us 'hold fast our profession'.
15.
For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16.
Let us therefore 'come boldly' unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help in time of need.
how blessed we are to have been given a Spiritual Door that we are able to walk through,
through our obedience and desire to serve our Holy Saviour, and be partakers of
His Holy family...
I think we can have absolute confidence in the Lord when we are told through faith we are saved. But we need to define faith. It requires:
Repentance. Matt. 4:17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Acceptance like a child. Mark 10:15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
Do the Father's will. Matt. 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Be born again. John 3:3 Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again."
Repentance. Matt. 4:17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Acceptance like a child. Mark 10:15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
Do the Father's will. Matt. 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Be born again. John 3:3 Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again."
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Is Christ being reformed now? You realize a lot of things in that are already in the Bible? (From what I've seen. I don't really know what it is.) Except your Westminster thing has trickier wording. I don't know if you even understand it. I already commented on the number 4 thing:
What is a diminished assurance? Prize for the first loser in a race?
What is a diminished assurance? Prize for the first loser in a race?
i don't know that anyone is ever destitude of God. if anyone wants to call out to Him they can. so many times in tv shows and movies you see people going to a church or suddenly deciding to pray. it is when things get bad for them they decide to pray and talk like they never pray or not that much. people have a sense of the spiritual in life or a hope, a hope inside them.
everyone it could be has it or most people whether or not a Christian. people can feel like life is unfair or depressing but if you end up ever deciding to pray (or in a tv show or movie lol) then you are not as destitute anymore are you?
people don't like to be totally lost and when down on their luck they think of praying or going to AA or stop by a Church. doesnt mean they are a Christian but they have a hope in them, in something more than where they are at in life or something like God. they want to believe in that, in something even if they never believe in the Gospel.
1 Samuel 16:14 Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him.
1 Samuel 18:12 Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had departed from Saul.
1 Samuel 28:15 Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" "I am in great distress," Saul said. "The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do."
This could happen in this lifetime. I don't know what Saul's fate will be in regard to the resurrection. Then there were Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira (Acts 5) that we discussed.
1 Samuel 18:12 Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had departed from Saul.
1 Samuel 28:15 Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" "I am in great distress," Saul said. "The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do."
This could happen in this lifetime. I don't know what Saul's fate will be in regard to the resurrection. Then there were Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira (Acts 5) that we discussed.
Hello Ogom, the WCF was speaking specifically of a true believer NOT being utterly destitute of the BLESSINGS of God (even if a believer has fallen into sin, wounded his conscience and grieved the HS, such that God withdraws the light of His countenance from him and, for a time, allows him to walk in darkness). No one (neither believer nor reprobate), at least on this side of the grave, is utterly destitute of God Himself.
For example,
It's also true that we have free will, and that if anyone "wants" to call out to Him they can (and as you pointed out, they often do .. as they say, there are no atheists in foxholes
). The problem for non-believers is that they are always interested in the benefits/blessings that God has to offer them, they just don't want Him, or the new life that He offers them in Christ (because that would mean giving up their sinful/worldly ways).
The other problem is free will. As I said above, non-believers want all of God's benefits/blessings, of course, but they have no desire to repent of their sin and surrender the reins of their lives to Him, so becoming a Christian (for them) would mean choosing to do so in direct OPPOSITION to their free will.
God bless you!
~Deut
p.s. - here is some Scripture to consider as well (about coming to God for salvation).
For example,
Matthew 5
45 God causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
It's also true that we have free will, and that if anyone "wants" to call out to Him they can (and as you pointed out, they often do .. as they say, there are no atheists in foxholes
). The problem for non-believers is that they are always interested in the benefits/blessings that God has to offer them, they just don't want Him, or the new life that He offers them in Christ (because that would mean giving up their sinful/worldly ways).The other problem is free will. As I said above, non-believers want all of God's benefits/blessings, of course, but they have no desire to repent of their sin and surrender the reins of their lives to Him, so becoming a Christian (for them) would mean choosing to do so in direct OPPOSITION to their free will.
God bless you!
~Deut
p.s. - here is some Scripture to consider as well (about coming to God for salvation).
John 6
44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”
65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”
Romans 3
9 We have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;
10 as it is written,
“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD.”
Hello Ogom, the WCF was speaking specifically of a true believer NOT being utterly destitute of the BLESSINGS of God (even if a believer has fallen into sin, wounded his conscience and grieved the HS, such that God withdraws the light of His countenance from him and, for a time, allows him to walk in darkness). No one (neither believer nor reprobate), at least on this side of the grave, is utterly destitute of God Himself.
For example,
It's also true that we have free will, and that if anyone "wants" to call out to Him they can (and as you pointed out, they often do .. as they say, there are no atheists in foxholes). The problem for non-believers is that they are always interested in the benefits/blessings that God has to offer them, they just don't want Him, or the new life that He offers them in Christ (because that would mean giving up their sinful/worldly ways).
The other problem is free will. As I said above, non-believers want all of God's benefits/blessings, of course, but they have no desire to repent of their sin and surrender the reins of their lives to Him, so becoming a Christian (for them) would mean choosing to do so in direct OPPOSITION to their free will.
God bless you!
~Deut
p.s. - here is some Scripture to consider as well (about coming to God for salvation).
For example,
Matthew 5
45 God causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
It's also true that we have free will, and that if anyone "wants" to call out to Him they can (and as you pointed out, they often do .. as they say, there are no atheists in foxholes
). The problem for non-believers is that they are always interested in the benefits/blessings that God has to offer them, they just don't want Him, or the new life that He offers them in Christ (because that would mean giving up their sinful/worldly ways).The other problem is free will. As I said above, non-believers want all of God's benefits/blessings, of course, but they have no desire to repent of their sin and surrender the reins of their lives to Him, so becoming a Christian (for them) would mean choosing to do so in direct OPPOSITION to their free will.
God bless you!
~Deut
p.s. - here is some Scripture to consider as well (about coming to God for salvation).
John 6
44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”
65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”
Romans 3
9 We have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;
10 as it is written,
“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD.”
But besides, its not true .
John 6 simply says at that time ,they could come not that all who came believed, evidenced by most of them leaving Jesus .
Hello again throughfaith, I've been trying to figure out exactly what you believe and why (you seem to hold to a combination of both Pelagianism and free grace, which is an odd mixture indeed ), and also why "Calvinism" is always your target of choice. Quite frankly, many/(most?) of your soteriological teachings here at CChat stand in opposition to Christianity, in general, not to Calvinism, in particular. And while it is certainly true to say that many of your beliefs disagree with Calvinism, it is equally true to say that most of what you believe and teach disagrees with every other accepted systematic theology within the pale of Christian orthodoxy, as well many of the historic beliefs of our Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant denominations/churches too.
This was again the case in my last reply above (to Ogom) concerning the nature and definition of free will. While it's certainly true that Calvinism teaches that our will is "free" whenever we are able to choose what we want most at a given moment in time, that teaching is hardly unique to Calvinism. Nevertheless you, once again, mentioned "Calvinism", when the whole of orthodox Christendom teaches the very same thing.
The question is why? Why is "Calvinism" always your in your cross hairs when what you believe/teach stands is opposition to the rest of Christianity too
NONE .. "at that time" .. had been drawn and given to Jesus by His Father because the work that He needed to finish on the Cross (to be our Savior) was still a future event.
The Bible tells us that NONE can come to Jesus apart from His Father "drawing". It also teaches us that ALL who are so drawn WILL come to Him and be saved by Him.
MANY chose to "follow" Jesus while He walked on this earth, not for salvation, but to fill their bellies with the food that He offered them. These were also the ones who left Him when they heard Him some of the radical sounding things He taught.
Finally, NONE were Christians at that time. In fact, the Apostle John appears to be the first Christian believer .. John 20:8.
~Deut
), and also why "Calvinism" is always your target of choice. Quite frankly, many/(most?) of your soteriological teachings here at CChat stand in opposition to Christianity, in general, not to Calvinism, in particular. And while it is certainly true to say that many of your beliefs disagree with Calvinism, it is equally true to say that most of what you believe and teach disagrees with every other accepted systematic theology within the pale of Christian orthodoxy, as well many of the historic beliefs of our Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant denominations/churches too.This was again the case in my last reply above (to Ogom) concerning the nature and definition of free will. While it's certainly true that Calvinism teaches that our will is "free" whenever we are able to choose what we want most at a given moment in time, that teaching is hardly unique to Calvinism. Nevertheless you, once again, mentioned "Calvinism", when the whole of orthodox Christendom teaches the very same thing.
The question is why? Why is "Calvinism" always your in your cross hairs when what you believe/teach stands is opposition to the rest of Christianity too
NONE .. "at that time" .. had been drawn and given to Jesus by His Father because the work that He needed to finish on the Cross (to be our Savior) was still a future event.
The Bible tells us that NONE can come to Jesus apart from His Father "drawing". It also teaches us that ALL who are so drawn WILL come to Him and be saved by Him.
John 6
37 ALL that the Father gives Me WILL come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
39 This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.
40 For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.
44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.
MANY chose to "follow" Jesus while He walked on this earth, not for salvation, but to fill their bellies with the food that He offered them. These were also the ones who left Him when they heard Him some of the radical sounding things He taught.
Finally, NONE were Christians at that time. In fact, the Apostle John appears to be the first Christian believer .. John 20:8.
~Deut
Hello again throughfaith, I've been trying to figure out exactly what you believe and why (you seem to hold to a combination of both Pelagianism and free grace, which is an odd mixture indeed ), and also why "Calvinism" is always your target of choice. Quite frankly, many/(most?) of your soteriological teachings here at CChat stand in opposition to Christianity, in general, not to Calvinism, in particular. And while it is certainly true to say that many of your beliefs disagree with Calvinism, it is equally true to say that most of what you believe and teach disagrees with every other accepted systematic theology within the pale of Christian orthodoxy, as well many of the historic beliefs of our Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant denominations/churches too.
This was again the case in my last reply above (to Ogom) concerning the nature and definition of free will. While it's certainly true that Calvinism teaches that our will is "free" whenever we are able to choose what we want most at a given moment in time, that teaching is hardly unique to Calvinism. Nevertheless you, once again, mentioned "Calvinism", when the whole of orthodox Christendom teaches the very same thing.
The question is why? Why is "Calvinism" always your in your cross hairs when what you believe/teach stands is opposition to the rest of Christianity too
NONE .. "at that time" .. had been drawn and given to Jesus by His Father because the work that He needed to finish on the Cross (to be our Savior) was still a future event.
The Bible tells us that NONE can come to Jesus apart from His Father "drawing". It also teaches us that ALL who are so drawn WILL come to Him and be saved by Him.
MANY chose to "follow" Jesus while He walked on this earth, not for salvation, but to fill their bellies with the food that He offered them. These were also the ones who left Him when they heard Him some of the radical sounding things He taught.
Finally, NONE were Christians at that time. In fact, the Apostle John appears to be the first Christian believer .. John 20:8.
~Deut
), and also why "Calvinism" is always your target of choice. Quite frankly, many/(most?) of your soteriological teachings here at CChat stand in opposition to Christianity, in general, not to Calvinism, in particular. And while it is certainly true to say that many of your beliefs disagree with Calvinism, it is equally true to say that most of what you believe and teach disagrees with every other accepted systematic theology within the pale of Christian orthodoxy, as well many of the historic beliefs of our Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant denominations/churches too.This was again the case in my last reply above (to Ogom) concerning the nature and definition of free will. While it's certainly true that Calvinism teaches that our will is "free" whenever we are able to choose what we want most at a given moment in time, that teaching is hardly unique to Calvinism. Nevertheless you, once again, mentioned "Calvinism", when the whole of orthodox Christendom teaches the very same thing.
The question is why? Why is "Calvinism" always your in your cross hairs when what you believe/teach stands is opposition to the rest of Christianity too
NONE .. "at that time" .. had been drawn and given to Jesus by His Father because the work that He needed to finish on the Cross (to be our Savior) was still a future event.
The Bible tells us that NONE can come to Jesus apart from His Father "drawing". It also teaches us that ALL who are so drawn WILL come to Him and be saved by Him.
John 6
37 ALL that the Father gives Me WILL come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
39 This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.
40 For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.
44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.
MANY chose to "follow" Jesus while He walked on this earth, not for salvation, but to fill their bellies with the food that He offered them. These were also the ones who left Him when they heard Him some of the radical sounding things He taught.
Finally, NONE were Christians at that time. In fact, the Apostle John appears to be the first Christian believer .. John 20:8.
~Deut