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  1. Chester

    Why I now believe that salvation can be lost.

    This whole business of salvation, eternal security, Calvinism, and Arminianism, can get quite complex and argumentive. There is one thing I know from Scripture: (1) Only those who believe in Jesus will get to heaven (2) Those who do not believe in Jesus will not get to heaven
  2. Chester

    For the believer, when does God forgive sins?

    I John 1:7 says that for those who are walking in the light (believers), the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses (Greek present tense = ongoingly, continually) them from all sin (sin is actually singular here in the Greek = each and every sin). I grew up thinking that I needed to verbally confess...
  3. Chester

    I’m in this ridiculous discussion online and need some help with how to respond to this person- thanks!

    Part of what is going on here is the core differences between God and man. One must first understand who God is: if you are arguing from different beginning points on a view of God, you will get different results.
  4. Chester

    Stars, Dust & Sand

    John 1:1 does not give the entire picture of the Trinity: It just tells us clearly that Jesus (the Word) was in the beginning and was God.
  5. Chester

    Stars, Dust & Sand

    The absence of the Greek article is not equivalent to the English word "a." Sorry!
  6. Chester

    Stars, Dust & Sand

    John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God
  7. Chester

    Suicide and overdoses DON'T mean you will go to hell!

    The entrance into heaven is not based firstly and only on one's actions. It is based on whether one has faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ And of course one's faith will have implications in the actions and deeds of the person. When a person has faith in Jesus Christ, his...
  8. Chester

    Do we have a complete, perfect, and sufficient Bible?

    Very informative and helpful post!
  9. Chester

    Do we have a complete, perfect, and sufficient Bible?

    The question on the inclusion of Matthew 12:47 needs to be approached from the standpoint of: what that verse in the original manuscript that Matthew wrote? You are seeming to argue that it should be included because leaving it out give incomplete thought and interpretation. I am not here...
  10. Chester

    Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord

    I don't think this verse addresses whether these people are "believers" or "unbelievers." What it does say is that the person who only talks and says he has Jesus as his master, but does not actually live it out, will not enter the kingdom of heaven. It is only the one who actually and really...
  11. Chester

    The Bible Verse By Verse Continued...

    Matthew 8:23 KJV And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
  12. Chester

    Revelation 16:16 and its interpretation.

    It says Armageddon - I think it is the literal place. Yes, it is possible for places to have figurative significance. In Revelation 17,18 the term Babylon seems to me to likely be figurative.
  13. Chester

    What if you die before water baptism?

    Perhaps you are right that no where is Scripture is it explicitly said that a person receives the Spirit the moment they believe. But what we do know is that as Romans 8:9 says, "now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."
  14. Chester

    The Great Blessing Of Election Unto Salvation

    My best sarcasm!! ;)
  15. Chester

    The Great Blessing Of Election Unto Salvation

    Why should a sinner worry about coming to Jesus? It won't do him any good anyway! What he does has absolutely nothing to do with his being saved! Those that are elect are saved from the foundation of the world - God and God alone determines eternal destiny, and his choice is sovereign and...
  16. Chester

    3 Reasons Jesus Did Not Go To Hell

    You said: Some believe this was between His death and HIs resurrection. Some believe the "spirits in prison" were fallen angels mentioned in 2 Peter 2:4, Jude 6 Yes, that is what I believe. It is the theory that I think the most sense of the texts - and I admit it is just that - a theory...
  17. Chester

    Saved by faith alone. A surmised understanding?

    We are not saved by faith alone. You are right that no Scripture says this. If it faith alone, one could ask "whose faith?" "my faith" of course! (So then I save myself . . .????) We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8,9). Though there are other texts that say that we are to...
  18. Chester

    Saved by faith alone. A surmised understanding?

    Yes, Ephesians 2:8,9 clearly says that we are saved by grace. All five of the points you gave are what the text says! Yes, and amen. But what the passage does not say is that there is nothing else involved or required. And we know clearly from other Scriptures that no one could be saved...
  19. Chester

    Salvation is a Free Gift.

    I agree that salvation is a free gift! Absolutely - see Ephesians 2:8 I think, though, that the last sentence would be better better stated as something like this: We are privileged to believe in Jesus and his death and resurrection and then to live a life of realness and relationship with...
  20. Chester

    There will be no Rapture!!!

    Properly understood pretrib premillenialism is not some sort of "fantasy escapism." I realize some pretrib people may display it this way, but that is not a majority position. I personally think that the battle of Ezekiel 38,39 may likely happen before the Rapture. It is quite likely that...