VictoryinJesus
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- Jan 26, 2017
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Yes, well this is one of several places where they expressed confidence that the Holy Spirit would keep them faithful until the end. But Paul is not here negating their freewill here. He is saying that the Holy Spirit will keep them so long as they desire to be kept. If they fall away or reject Him out of fear of what man might do to them, then there remains no sacrifice for sins.
But I think we're venturing too far off topic from this thread at this point, so maybe we can save this one for another thread sometime : )
understood...agree for another thread sometime. Concerning the topic of why... another question for me has always been that (unless I’ve misunderstood) God said they will be ashamed. My question is looking back over the persecution of His people and all those slaughtered or killed while speaking of Him, praying for their persecutors. I don’t see the persecutors are ashamed of what they do. Maybe sometimes like Saul/Paul. But haven’t seen this overwhelming sorrow or being ashamed of how His children are treated. even His saying the world will hate you. when I think of ashamed ...I think repentance or sorrow or regret for ones actions. So yeah...I’m confused because God even goes as far as saying even if they kill the body...fear not, but fear the One who has the power over casting out torment. Where does the ashamed of what they have done without cause come in? If that is only to the Jews (The nation)then there is no persecution of those gentiles brought in? Then it is a moot point discussing forgiving those who hate you when there is no hate to forgive.
Joel 2:27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
1 Peter 4:16-18 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. [17] For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? [18] And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
the big question: what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? What is the gospel of God if not Christ.
John 15:22-25 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. [23] He that hateth me hateth my Father also. [24] If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. [25] But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
Ezekiel 14:21-23 For thus saith the Lord God ; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast? [22] Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it. [23] And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord God.
and you shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, says the Lord God. Do we know He has not done without cause all that He has done in it? Galatians 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.