Once saved always saved?

Exactly, hence you’re not lost if you’re not fully submitted. Thanks for proving what I already know, that God’s grace is sufficient.

Yes, Paul is writing to believers, however, forgiving others is not a part of our forgiveness as we read in Matthew to the Jews. Matthew is not being written to Christians. The d,b,r hasn't even happened yet.

You have assumed he was a "devout Christian". But all we know is that he was "raised Southern Baptist". And then he rejected Christian beliefs and became an atheist (which is also self-deception).

So it would seem he was never converted to begin with. Children raised in Christian homes are not automatically genuine believers. They need to repent and be converted and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and receive Him as Lord and Savior. Therefore such incidents have no relevance to the eternal security of the believer.

I understood what you meant snack. But if you don't fully submit yourself to Christ you are not his. Don't make the mistake of thinking that fully submitted is full perfection. Which you seem to equate.

Either Jesus is your Lord and saviour or he is not. You can't pick and choose. If he is your saviour then he is your Lord.

The 'No' Lordship gospel is a false hope to the lost. I mean who wouldn't want that.. I can just say yes I believe and then continue in carnal life. Thats a false hope. And it will send directly to hell. That should be a sobering thought to anyone teaching this stuff.

I've heard it said we'll find that everything we've said and done is given to us from above, and I can see the truth in that even with the wrong that we do. Life, and the freewill that goes along with it, is a gift. So, we should give thanks for everything and give it back to Him, for safe keeping.

I continue to meditate on the parable of the talents in trying to understand the exact lesson I should learn from it.

When asked about paying taxes, Jesus answered, "Whose image is on the coin? Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's but give God what is God's." How do we know what is His? We were created in His image, and He gives us the freedom to bury that truth and falsely claim He's the sort that reaps what is not His. Isn't that stealing? On the other hand, if we take it to the bank (a vault for safekeeping), interest accrues.

I noticed the parable of the talents doesn't give account to anyone taking one talent to the bank and burying the other or putting three talents in and keeping two talents.

The stewards were either all in or all out and it didn't seem to be so much about the talents as it is about their regard for the master. The faithful servants entered into the joy of the master by knowing they were entrusted with what was the master's possession and the unrighteous steward, though knowing the talent was the master's encountered his sternness.

I don't know anyone who has fully summited themselves to Christ in all things. That would make one sinless and perfect, not lacking anything.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in … 5:22ff

Fully submitting yourself to God is not the same as sinlesness perfectionism.

I want to start by asking:- Have you seen and heard much of his footage - on the Atheist Experience, etc.? From what I've gleaned from him, there's almost no doubt in my mind that he's sincere in his position. Ray Comfort has accused him of never believing and I sympathetically share some of his (Dillahunty's) indignation at this. He's not "a child who was born in a Christian home and never believed." I explained earlier about his background (commitment to Jesus, service, preparing to study about the background of the Bible, to enabling him to better his ability to evangelise to people, in accordance with 1Pet3:15).
Strictly speaking, he could be a "wolf in sheep's clothing", but I can't see it.
When I arrived at the library, I saw I'd been inundated with responses (which is good and I appreciate it) and I'm just starting to respond. Because of the size of the material, etc., I may miss something or repeat material or miss an issue that been brought up by someone. I'll try not to do this.
In this light, may I ask - What do you make of Paul's passage in Heb6:4-6, where he says "It is impossible for those were once enlightened...if they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance, as they crucify the Lord afresh and expose Him to an open shame."? There also another verse which says about the wilful sinning of a person, saying there's no sacrifice for sin left and there follows an expectation of wrath. These seem, at least at first sight, to imply it's possible to lose one's salvation.
Would you like to explain where I'm wrong on this point?

When you say "spiritually lost condition", do you mean you can lose your salvation, or have I misunderstood?

Thanks Phil for clarifying this. I was confused thinking you meant being fully submitted equals full perfection. I’ve seen you champion God’s grace that’s what caused my confusion.

As for me I am fully submitted to Christ as my Lord and Savior, and am eternally grateful for His saving grace while I live very imperfectly.

I understand the idea that almost all sins can be forgiven. But getting to believe that God/ Jesus doesn't exist? That seems like it might be stepping over the edge.

Thanks for replying.
The unforgivable sin is another big issue - which I've been terrified of at times.

To the twelve tribes scattered abroad...

Thank you for your input.

Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. Commands that only apply to Jews in Matthew 6 must also apply to Gentiles in Ephesians 4. We must maintain a sense of consistency.

IF all they ever had was "Belief", then losing that when somebody comes up with a "better arguement" is easy. WHen one has FAITH based on God's WORD, then LOSING that is a whole lot harder, since FAITH Holds on to YOU.

Why? Jews under the law do not have the same instructions as one under the blood of Christ.

Isn't that greatness of Jesus' teaching he was setting them straight. It's an issue of the heart. It's not what goes into a man that defiles him.. But what comes from the heart.

Jesus was teaching the people, who where like sheep without a shephard, like the blind being led by the blind and that "even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mat 22:18).

Just as Paul wrote to Timothy "who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time" (1 Tim 2:6).


Jesus was taking his disciple by the hand and slowly revealing to them who he is and what he came to do.

This was the beginnings of the new exodus, the kingdom of God was defeating the kingdom of darkness. Jesus' miracles were powerful demonstrations of who is is and what he was accomplishing.. Over power the kingdom of darkness. And through the cup he was to bear at the cross, lead the captives out of Egypt (this dark world and principalities) and into the promised land (the kingdom of God).

Christ's advent, sinless life, death and resurrection and ascension inaugurate the Kingdom of God and will return to consummate.

If you know the Gospel accounts you can see this. Mark is the easiest as it's the shortest.

Ch 1-8 the Messiah comes in power (but not the political king expected by the people)

Ch 8-16 The Messiah is the Messiah who serves through suffering. Jesus, slowly teaches his disciples that the Messiah will suffer at the hands of man and be killed and rise again. Then after each of these 3 announcements teaches them about discipleship.. The first must be last, deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow me. Discipleship is service etc etc.

Even though they (disciples) didn't quite get it, Jesus brought it all back to mind to them his teaching and further taught them for 40 days before his ascension Acts 2.

What did they discuss for 40 days, well I am sure it wasn't about the weather. But we can assured its the gospel cf Luke 24.

The Apostles starting in Jerusalem, took the message out to samaria and then to the world (Gentiles/all nations).

As the Apostle Paul says 1 Cor 15:

Whether then it is I or they, so we preach and so you believed (v11), what did they all preach.. Paul has already told us "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures (v3).

Paul states that what he taught was never made known before since the beginning of the world. Here's one of many examples.

Ephesians 3
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

What was the mystery?