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A white stone.

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rick:
First I would like to say hello to all and may the grace of God be in all of you.

New International Version

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.

What a marvelous thing to receive this stone ! I understand this white stone is symbolic it's not a  literal stone but it's an acquittal. No condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Now in Heb 10: 26-27 it says for if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins. But a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversary.

I'm asking myself what would be considered the greatest sin on planet earth ? As I think of my personal sins I think what are they compared to Paul the apostle who was the chief sinner of all .

In Heb 10: 26- 27 I'm seeing the greatest sin on earth that could be committed where than can be no more sacrifice ( this aged only ) would be having the knowledge of the true gospel of Christ and departing from it going back to the Old Testament if you would thinking by obeying the law of God And keeping it one could save themselves .

But what is tripping me up somewhat is 2 Peter 2: 20 -21 for if after they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein , and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have know it to turn from the holy commandments delivered unto them.

Now I see in 2 Peter 20-21 the same thing as in Heb 10: 26-27 which has to do with the knowledge of the truth and if that is so then I understand Heb 10: 26--27 very well.

Any comments would be appreciated and also may God bless you all .

John from Kentucky:
In this present age God is only saving a very few relative to the mass of mankind.

The Scriptures tell us the few saved in this Pentecost age, the Elect, were selected by God before creation.  There is no free will.  The Elect did not select themselves.  God selected the Elect.  If God selected you to be saved now, then you will be saved now.  You cannot decide not to be saved. We do not have power to change God's will.

On the other hand, if God does not want you saved now, then there is nothing you can do to save yourself.  You will be saved in one of the ages to come.  Only Jesus saves.

The good news is God will save everyone.  That is why God tells us not to worry about anything.  God will take care of it.

However, the great false church teaches otherwise and deceives the many spiritual simple minded.

Kat:

No our salvation is not up to us, we do not have any means of ourselves to obtain salvation. But the warnings in Scripture are very real and of course we have to take Christ's warning seriously to "hold fast."

Rev 3:11  Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

Rick, there is the parable of the Sower and the seed that I think Christ lays it out just how there are those who are among the chosen believers, at least for awhile, but do not endure to the end

Luke 8:11  "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
v. 12  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
v. 13  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.
v. 14  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
v. 15  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

You see that these all listen/hear this truth, but none of these over time can endure (impossible without the Spirit), so for one reason or the other they depart or just drift away. There is another parable that carries this idea even further, the Wheat and the tares. So there are some that seem to endure to the end, but it turns out they were never chosen at all.

Mat 13:24  Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;
v. 25  but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.
v. 26  But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.
v. 27  So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?'
v. 28  He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?'
v. 29  But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.
v. 30  Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn." ' "

mercy, peace and love
Kat

rick:
Hi John and Kat,

Yes, I agree with what both of you said , I understand all our choices we make from birth to death are caused. This is most certainly how God directs everyone's footsteps.

I'm thinking if God says anything then it's going to happen such as Heb 10:26-27 for instance, it's God who removes the blindness from our eyes and leads us to the truth but then God also said to Mosses He was going to hardened pharaoh heart.

Was trying to understand what purpose in coming into the truth only to harden ones heart afterwards but in any event what ever happens is Gods intention according to His counsel.

I do understand that every human being is box in fully and completely as Gods sovereignty demands it.

I trust in All that God does and also believe He shall bring all to salvation. Like Ray said, God converted Saul to Paul in about two seconds and if God wills He could convert the whole world in less time .

May God keep shedding His truths to us but then I must conclude by saying let Gods will be done.

May God keep gracing us no matter how much pain we go through. God bless everyone.

I'm very thankful to God that my understanding in His plan grows further apart from Christendon and matures on a daily basis which this is of God not me.

AwesomeSavior:
Hi Rick:

You asked what would be considered the greatest sin on planet Earth?

I believe Ray had mentioned somewhere in his Lake of Fire series that the greatest sin, or "the depths of Satan" (Rev. 2:24), would be to teach that a loving God is going to torture people forever and ever, and that Satan could not think of a more wicked thought!

Dean

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