Hi Ron,
Once you receive the Spirit of God, He never leaves you.
Now that statement is true, IF you are one of the Elect.
Heb 13:5 "I will never leave you, nor forsake you"
This statement is true IF we are the Elect. BUT WE DON'T KNOW if we are one of the Elect for sure, not until we have endured to the end. And the Scriptures would not warn of this if it were not so.
Mark 13:13 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
James 5:11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure.
Rev 2:10 ... Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
More from 'CAN WE LOSE GOD’S SPIRIT AND EONIAN LIFE?'
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,3108.0.html ---
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,
Reader: ‘In Eph. 1:13-14 we are told that we again are sealed with the Holy Spirit and has given us a pledge of our inheritance now - that is again our assurance that we have salvation now.’
No, we do not have salvation now. What we have now is a “pledge,” that’s what it says. Notice that’s what it says in verse 14.
Eph 1:14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption... (NASB)
But his thing is, 'nope, if it says it, then you have it, you possess it now.' No it’s a “a view to the redemption,” a pledge and a view is not possession.
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(Rotherham) 1 Cor 9:27 But am beating my body under, and leading it captive, lest, by any means,—unto others, having proclaimed, the contest , I myself, should be rejected.
See he was in the contest, then he could be rejected.
(YLT) 1 Cor 9:27 but I chastise my body, and bring it into servitude, lest by any means, having preached to others--I myself may become disapproved.
So while you are doing right you are approved, qualified, you're in the race. But if you give up or you turn or you just sin willfully, willingly, knowingly hate your brother, then it’s gone. It can happen. Maybe I just need to explain why is that so.
Because the flesh is weak. Know how much spiritual stuff we know, well we are still very very weak. If we knew we didn’t have to persevere, guess what? Maybe most of the time or at least some of the time… we wouldn’t. Maybe sometimes you would try to resist the temptation to go out with another woman, if you were married, but not all the time, sometimes you might give in. So He doesn’t tell us.
That’s the thing I learned a long time ago, probably at least eight years ago. The verse that set that off to me was where it says Christ knows those that are His.
John 10:14 I am the good shepherd; and I know mine own…
Well what does that mean? Christ knows those that are His. I get from that, that
we don’t know, we don’t.
Now I have read you from Peter, which is to me, it is a very inspiring Scripture. Because we are not left totally in the dark. He is like, well it’s Que Sera Sera - maybe you will, maybe you won’t. Now here are some of these promises. Peter says;
2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
v. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
v. 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
v. 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity (love).
v. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
v. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for IF (there that little word “if” again) ye do these things (but here is the consolation, here is the inspiration, the hope and assurance…), ye shall never fall:
Now that’s pretty good. So all these things Paul is talking about here, I bring it into subjection, I bind it, I turn myself into a slave for Christ, lest I myself should be rejected or turned away or unapproved or disqualified. But IF we “do these things.”
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mercy, peace and love
Kat