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I've presented this material, which concerns our eternal assurance, not to refute opositional concepts to its ideals, but because I thought it should be seen. I don't believe the Truth needs defended, anymore than a lion needs defended!



Ephesians 1:4, ". . . He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world . . . ."


"The knowledge of the truth" (Heb 10:26). Knowledge of the truth, which is salvation by Christ; of which there may be a notional knowledge, when there is no experimental knowledge; and which is received not into the heart, but into the head. Gill

Before Christ saves us, we willfully sinned and those that continue in this manner, even after having knowledge of the truth (which only leads to salvation but doesn't save, Christ saves), will not come to salvation in Christ. These are the same as those who "draw back" (Heb 10:38, 39) or withdraw (1 Jhn 2:19) before entering into salvation.

"The blood of the covenant that sanctified him" (Heb 10:29) must refere to Christ being sacntified by "the blood of His covenant" (Mat 26:28). As Aron and his sons and grandsons were sanctified by blood for the priesthood (Lev 8:30), so is Christ also sanctified, for His "unchangeable priesthood" (Heb 7:24).

The reason why the phrase "the blood of the covenant that sanctified him" cannot refer to an apostate is because all who are sanctified by Christ are "perfected (complete) forever" (Hbr 10:14). Once being sanctified by Christ and saved, it is eternal, "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable" (Rom 11:29).

"For [it is] impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put [Him] to an open shame" (Heb 6:4-6).

"Enlightened, as to see the evil effects of sin, but not the evil that is in sin; to see the good things which come by Christ, but not the goodness that is in Christ; so as to reform externally, but not to be sanctified internally; to have knowledge of the Gospel doctrinally, but not experimentally; yea, to have such light into it, as to be able to preach it to others, and yet be destitute of the grace of God." Gill

"Tasted: There are those who taste, but dislike what they taste; have no true love to Christ, and faith in him; or have only a carnal taste of him, know him only after the flesh, or externally, not inwardly and experimentally; or they have only a superficial taste, such as is opposed to eating the flesh, and drinking the blood of Christ, by faith, which is proper to true believers; the gust they have is but temporary, and arises from selfish principles." Gill

"Partakers of the Holy Spirit: is sometimes meant the gifts of the Spirit, ordinary or extraordinary, 1 Corinthians 12:4 and so here; and men may be said to be partakers of the Holy Ghost, to whom he gives wisdom and prudence in things natural and civil; the knowledge of things divine and evangelical, in an external way; the power of working miracles, of prophesying, of speaking with tongues, and of the interpretation of tongues; for the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost seem chiefly designed here, which some, in the first times of the Gospel, were partakers of, who had no share in special grace. "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness' " (Mat 7:22, 23).