Amen Brother.  It's not going to get better...yet.   

Brother Kevin,

Would you consider coming back to have some fellowship with us before the RAPTURE. The time might be getting short. Regardless, we'll be spending Eternity together in CHRIST.

Love In Christ,
Tom

   Of course!  I'd love to spend alot more time fellowshipping with everyone here.  Praise God for a local body I can fellowship with throughout the week, Amen?  Unfortunately, my time is limited at my current job.  But...I WILL see what I can do Brother! 

Love In Christ,

Kevin

Another Amen to that.

 

AMEN!!

Very well said in layman terms,  brother.

Thanks Brother!  How you been?

ARE YOU SAYING THAT ONCE YOU EXCEPT CHRIST AS YOU SAVIOR YOU ARE SAVED NO MATTER WHAT EVEN IF YOU STILL SIN?

Yup!  Beware, however that you "...make your calling and election sure" as Paul warns.  Security is not a license to sin.  If we treat it as such, we must look to our faith and see if it is truly real faith.  "We are saved by faith alone, but not by a faith that stands alone."  True believers have that faith.  They may not consistantly walk by that faith, and may put too much confidence in sight.  But it is God Who works in us the work He began in us.  Never rely on self, but never be idle in any area of obedience.   

[2 Corinthians 4:1-18 NASB Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, 2 but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death works in us, but life in you. 13 But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE," we also believe, therefore we also speak, 14 knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.]

Hello Kintups!

WELCOME!

I sincerely hope that you enjoy Christians Unite, and I look forward to having fellowship with you.

I understand your views, but I don't share them. This doesn't mean that we can't have sweet fellowship - we can! I would simply ask you to take another look at many of the Scriptures you are concentrating on and look at them with some additional thoughts. As an example, some of the Scriptures you are looking at pertain to the Tribulation Period, not this current Age of Grace. There is also considerable confusion between what was taught and believed by Jews, and the differences in teaching after JESUS CHRIST died on the CROSS for our sins.

I firmly believe there are many things that Christians can lose, but Salvation isn't one of them in my opinion. We can lose REWARDS that are over and beyond Salvation. Rewards are for Eternity, but many Christians don't study much about Rewards. To say that a Christian has lost Rewards or a CROWN is not the same thing as saying that a Christian has lost Salvation. The two are separate and distinct, but only a Christian can receive REWARDS. Please notice that the Bible mentions many times, "That your joy might be more full." What Christians do or don't do within the Will of GOD for us definitely impacts our JOY in this short life. The same is true for the quality of our Daily Fellowship with GOD. Christians do suffer loss when they don't obey GOD'S Will, but the loss isn't Salvation. The Apostle Paul explained this the best. Paul wanted to please GOD, regardless of the cost, and Paul showed tremendous determination in finishing what he called the race, the course, and the fight. Paul wanted to hear from GOD in the ETERNAL LIFE to come, "Well done, good and faithful servant." He wanted to hear this from GOD, and Paul was willing to die to hear this. In fact, Paul was martyred and was killed by men because of his obstinate STAND FOR CHRIST that he refused to compromise.

These things are not required for Salvation, but they are the keys for understanding portions of Scripture that appear to contradict each other. There is no contradiction in Scripture.

Love In Christ,
Tom

2 Corinthians 4:1-18 NASB  Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart,  2  but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.  3  And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,  4  in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  5  For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake.  6  For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.  7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;  8  we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;  9  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;  10  always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.  11  For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.  12  So death works in us, but life in you.  13  But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE," we also believe, therefore we also speak,  14  knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you.  15  For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.  16  Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.  17  For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,  18  while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

AMEN!!

Hello Allinall,

Brother Kevin, it's nice to see you again, and I hope this means that you will be visiting more often again. We do miss you and others. I know exactly what you mean in your post. Because I do, I consider Hebrews to be a MOST beautiful book and worthy of considerable study. Putting it into historical and Biblical context makes Hebrews a book that explains many mysteries. Hebrews is involved in many controversies that men have, but it can be the most beautiful and worthwhile Bible Study in the Bible.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Isaiah 25:8  He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

Amen Brother Tom!  Hebrews is a very sobering book.  Our Pastor is currently preaching through it on Sunday Mornings.  Feel free to listen in...

http://www.grbible.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=index&catid=&topic=9

Brothers!  It's good to drop by!  I miss the opportunities I had in the past to frequent CU.  I used to think I was busy!    But God is good.   

Brother Kintups,

It's great to see new people and ones who are studying God's word to learn His truth.  I will pray for you as you study.  Let me say, that as you

read Scripture and just let it speak for itself without little or no 'tweaking'.

...please make sure that you keep that up!  Here's why:

Most interpretations that a believer can lose their salvation come from the book of Hebrews and are read out of context.  I won't go into it deeper unless you want, but would encourage you to look deeper into this subject.  Personally, I think Calvin was closer.  But, no one's got it all figured out.  It is, as Paul stated often, a mystery.

His,

Kevin  a.k.a. Allinall

Hi all!

I actually love these discussions!  It always reminds me just how big God is.  He is bigger than me, bigger than my action or inaction.  I think we tend to forget the point of salvation: to bring glory to God.  God is the bigger picture we're talking about.  "The heavens declare the glory of God."  The universe is sooooooooooooo vast, and all for the purpose of putting the short, fat bald guy living on a rock, orbiting 1 of an unknown mass of stars into the right perspective in his own mind: it's not about what I do, have done, or will do. It's not about what I strive for, live for or fail to accomplish in life.  It's about Him and all that He is and has done for His glory in my life.  The joy is being able to know Him and see His glory.  Just a thought.

Thanks guys!  So far, still cold.  But, as a friend of mine reminded me Sunday, it's not my job to get him saved.  Just to tell him.  I'm tellin'!

I'd like to request prayer for my brother in law.  His name is Wolfgang and he is lost.  I spent last night witnessing to him, but he's still resisting.  Please pray that "logic" that's holding him back gets out of the way.  Also, that his past doesn't keep him unwilling to accept God's gift.  I'd appreciate the prayers.  I've got my home church praying, and I've been praying for him for the past year or so.

Amen and amen.   

[For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.]

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,

    "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
   and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."

Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

The older I get the more sense Paul makes in this passage from 1 Corinthians 1 and 2.  The world can't grasp it.  Those who know Him are grasped by it.  That's the point.  Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  Thanks for posting this Tom!  I needed that.   

I don't feel nothing about Green Bay.   Course I haven't since Vince Lombardi passed on............

Good point.   

Hi Sis!  It's nice to be back.  I may have more time coming up to be on.  Who knows?  It's always nice to be here.