Saved by faith alone?
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My son and his wife had difficulty conceiving, but eventually his wife became pregnant. Arguably she was saved from barrenness at that point, and could have claimed that they were saved from the problem of not having an heir, but the baby miscarried.
I would suggest that beginning to believe the gospel is not becoming a spiritual child or son, but a spiritual foetus. There is a process of growing understanding of the cost of following Christ as a disciple that precedes a decision to be baptised and become born of water into the kingdom, rather than only conceived by the Spirit into faith in Christ. Paul warned that believers can be still-born
1Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Co 15:2 By which also ye are being saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
Gal 4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
But the end of the path from conception to adoption as sons, which happens biblically when one is old enough to become a joint partner with one's father in his business, is not completed by all who were conceived or became foetuses or even became birthed babies.
Yes. If someone is slandering the Holy Spirit by denying publicly what He is revealing to their heart to be true, they will not be forgiven while doing that, either in this age or the age to come. But if they stops doing that, they can be forgiven.
Do you understand the difference between justification and ongoing sanctification?
In John 3:5, Jesus said born of water and the Spirit. He did not say born of baptism and the Spirit. In John chapter 4, Jesus connects living water with eternal life (John 4:10,14) and in John chapter 7, Jesus further connects it with the Holy Spirit. (John 7:37-39) So, to automatically read "baptism" into John 3:5 simply because it mentions "water" is unwarranted.
In regard to 1 Corinthians 15:1-2, to believe in vain is to believe without cause or without effect, to no purpose.
In regard to the unforgivable sin, the "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit" is mentioned in Mark 3:22-30 and Matthew 12:22-32. This case of blasphemy is called "the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit." In Matthew 12:31-32, the Pharisees (who were not Christians), having witnessed irrefutable proof that Jesus was working miracles in the power of the Holy Spirit, claimed instead that the Lord was possessed by the demon "Beelzebub" (Matthew 12:24). Notice in Mark 3:30 that Jesus is very specific about what they did to commit "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit." These Pharisees were obviously not believers to commit such a sin which is unforgivable.
Where do you find that in scripture?
And if it can be forgiven, how is it that it cannot be forgiven?
Appreciate it, but I'm well aware of what is often termed the "unforgivable" sin. It seemed a poster was saying there was something in addition to that.
Yes. Justification is being forgiven for all our sins.
Sanctification is the process of being set apart: appointed to, and developed and equipped for, specialised roles within the body of Christ.
How do you understand the parable of the unforgiving servant? Matt. 18:21-35
Was he forgiven/justified when he plead for mercy?
Was his forgiveness/justification rescinded later when he refused to forgive his brother?
I just told you that. It will not be forgiven while one is continuing to doing it, but it can be forgiven, if one stops doing it.
Jesus does not say, "... cannot be forgiven...."
He said, "... will not be forgiven...."
We are saved by love and everything stems from love.
The Bible says love works no ill towards their neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
The Bible says charity, love in action, is greater than faith.
And faith works by love.
And grace is given through faith.
No love, then no faith, then no grace.
Paul said he could have all faith so he could remove mountains, but if he did not have charity he is nothing.
James said if they do not have charity their faith is dead.
And said Abraham was justified by works.
For a person is justified by works, and not faith alone.
John said if they do not have charity the love of God does not dwell in them.
So do not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed, works, and in truth.
For love is only valid if it is done in action.
The Bible says that a Spirit led person that does not want to sin will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh which they can abstain from sin so there is no excuse.
Charity does not think an evil thought, and does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth to abstain from sin led by the Spirit.
The Lord knows them that are His having this seal that everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
Some people have a form of godliness but they deny the Spirit leading them, and love sin more than God, and do not come to the truth.
But Jesus will say to them depart from me you workers of iniquity.
The Bible says turn away from these people.
They say they cannot cease from sinning so they hold on to sin believing they are saved.
But a person that holds on to sin there is no more sacrifice for sin so the blood of Christ cannot wash it away.
If a person holds on to sin that is not love then their faith is void.
Paul said that if anyone teaches that godliness is gain, prosperity Gospel, withdraw yourselves from them.
Having food and clothing be content for God only blesses us with our needs, not our wants.
For the love of money is the root of all evil for it neglects the poor and needy, and love is the fulfilling of the law, which if they covet money they have erred from the faith.
If a person goes by their wants that is not love then their faith is void.
Millions of people lacking love by saying they cannot abstain from sin, and enjoying money for their wants, but believe they are saved.
If we sin we have to get rid of it and not want it again and allow the Spirit to lead us.
But many people do not do that and hold on to sin so of course they are holding on to sin and think they are alright.
Every time we sin we forfeit repentance because we are not turning away from sin.
We are not saved by works, but by faith when we first come to Christ for that is all we can do.
But when we receive the Spirit we have to have works of love for faith to be active in our life.
The Bible says love works no ill towards their neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
The Bible says charity, love in action, is greater than faith.
And faith works by love.
And grace is given through faith.
No love, then no faith, then no grace.
Paul said he could have all faith so he could remove mountains, but if he did not have charity he is nothing.
James said if they do not have charity their faith is dead.
And said Abraham was justified by works.
For a person is justified by works, and not faith alone.
John said if they do not have charity the love of God does not dwell in them.
So do not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed, works, and in truth.
For love is only valid if it is done in action.
The Bible says that a Spirit led person that does not want to sin will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh which they can abstain from sin so there is no excuse.
Charity does not think an evil thought, and does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth to abstain from sin led by the Spirit.
The Lord knows them that are His having this seal that everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
Some people have a form of godliness but they deny the Spirit leading them, and love sin more than God, and do not come to the truth.
But Jesus will say to them depart from me you workers of iniquity.
The Bible says turn away from these people.
They say they cannot cease from sinning so they hold on to sin believing they are saved.
But a person that holds on to sin there is no more sacrifice for sin so the blood of Christ cannot wash it away.
If a person holds on to sin that is not love then their faith is void.
Paul said that if anyone teaches that godliness is gain, prosperity Gospel, withdraw yourselves from them.
Having food and clothing be content for God only blesses us with our needs, not our wants.
For the love of money is the root of all evil for it neglects the poor and needy, and love is the fulfilling of the law, which if they covet money they have erred from the faith.
If a person goes by their wants that is not love then their faith is void.
Millions of people lacking love by saying they cannot abstain from sin, and enjoying money for their wants, but believe they are saved.
If we sin we have to get rid of it and not want it again and allow the Spirit to lead us.
But many people do not do that and hold on to sin so of course they are holding on to sin and think they are alright.
Every time we sin we forfeit repentance because we are not turning away from sin.
We are not saved by works, but by faith when we first come to Christ for that is all we can do.
But when we receive the Spirit we have to have works of love for faith to be active in our life.
In regard to the parable of the unforgiving servant, the picture illustrates God's total forgiveness when dealing with our sins at the cross. Our debt has been paid in full by Jesus. In Matthew 18:28, where the same servant is unwilling to forgive his fellow servant such a small debt of a hundred denarii is presented as a repulsive hypothetical situation. As unbelievable as this action would be, that is how unbelievable it would be for a genuine born-again Christian, who has been forgiven such a huge debt, to be unforgiving of others with such a small debt. Notice that this "unforgiving servant" is called a "wicked" servant because no genuine born-again Christian would have such an unforgiving heart.
So Christian in name only; who professed belief in Jesus, but didn't do the will of God, which is to forgive.
A Christian’s forgiveness of others is based on an understanding that we have been forgiven by God. Jesus warned that God cannot forgive us if we do not have humble and repentant hearts, which reveals the condition of our hearts by the way we treat others. Hearts that are humble and have received God’s grace forgive others from a heart that is saved, but proud and vengeful hearts which do not forgive in such small matters reveal a heart that is unsaved and does not ultimately receive God's forgiveness.
People are capable of having humble hearts that forgive, yet become bitter and vengeful with time. That is why Jesus gave that warning to be on guard against letting that happen.
Interesting point to ponder, Cameron. If it was truly unforgivable, would that mean a sin can exist of greater magnitude and import than the redemption power of/in Christ? And if so, would it also mean the elect because they must be saved can't commit it? Or, if they can, because they will be in Christ, would it be forgiven them regardless? After all, the Holy Spirit through Saul/Paul tells us in no uncertain terms, that Saul was the chief sinner. That may be difficult to fathom, but I take it on its face, that Paul when Saul, was indeed the greatest of all sinners to ever live; that is, no one else committed sins of greater seriousness or frequency than he did. So, given we know that others definitely commit(ed) the "unforgivable sin", then Saul, being the greatest sinner of all, can be assumed to have committed it too, yet we also know that nevertheless, he was saved and forgiven of all of his sins by God, and went on to become one of the greatest writers of the New Testament - Paul's spiritual wisdom given by God, and attested to by the other Apostles.
[1Ti 1:15 KJV] 15 This [is] a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
Therefore I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. Matt. 12:31
Sounds like while you are in that sin and dying in that sin. I tend to think people who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will most likely stay in that sin as it is the Holy Spirit who draws people to Christ. God is still able though. Who is praying for these people?