I haven’t (yet?) thoroughly read through the LOF series. I’ve begun again and gone back to chapter one.
Ray writes:
What an astonishing truth it is, that God CAUSES all those destined from the foundation of the world, to be chosen in Christ, that they should "fall away" from the Truth and "leave their first love" before they can be truly spiritually converted. Yet this is the plain declaration of Scripture.
How do the following verses fit in?
Heb 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
It is impossible for the elect to fall away, so these verses must apply to the called (just a comment).
Does Ray answer this question anywhere?
Kat, Marques
How did Paul fall away? How did Paul leave his first love? How did Paul come out out her?
Isn't his falling away equal to leaving first love and equal to coming out of her, her being the corrupted mother church, Judaism?
Wouldn't falling seven times mean falling from lies into truth, when we have fallen far enough to hit bottom then we have come to the foundation, which is truth(Christ)?
Wouldn't this explain the more severe judgment for those who have heard with spiritual ears and seen with spiritual eyes the truth from Christs elected church (my Church) yet revert to false teaching?
Hmmm...
Askseeknock
Charles
The writer of Hebrews further expounds on those who are 'impossible to be renewed again unto repentance' in the same chapter:
Heb 6:4-8
4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.
7 For [or 'because', this is the reason why] ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; [this is talking about God's Elect...those who bring good fruit (Luke 6:43)]
8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.[this is talking about those resurrected to judgment...those that bring forth corrupt fruit (Luke 6:43)] [NASB]
Matt 7:15-19
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
People who bring forth corrupt fruit, fall away to not be renewed to repentance, do not overcome (in this age), etc were NEVER chosen to be God's Elect in the first place...The Lord has chosen these few before the foundation of the world:
Eph 1:3-6 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Rom 8:29-30 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
How did Paul leave his first love?
How did Paul fall away?
How did Paul come out ot her?