Hebrews 10:26-31

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Ferris Bueller

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Jesus died for the sins of all men, even those who died before His death, God chose all men. doesnt mean all men will do God will and choose salvation otherwise Christs death was in vain.
I think what you mean is God CALLS all men, but few answer the call and so are not chosen by God.
 

GerhardEbersoehn

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I don't know. I just know if you don't believe, then you aren't saved. I leave it up to the individual believer to decide if the person who has fallen away into unbelief and, thus, is not saved was never really born again to begin with, or has stopped believing in Christ. Because it doesn't matter. That person is in unbelief. They are on their way to hell. It doesn't matter how they got there. They are on their way to hell. Whether they ever really believed to begin with or stopped believing doesn't change the fact they are in unbelief and if they die in that unbelief they won't go into the kingdom when Christ comes back. Unbelievers do not get to go into the kingdom with born again believers. Unbelievers are not born again.

<<I leave it up to the individual>> you're whet behind the ears, young or old, son.
 

Ferris Bueller

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And I too would not consider to deliberately sin. But my question to you is, as it seems to me that you do, do you believe it is a possibility and it could happen even to you, to walk away from faith in Christ or to reject Christ?

Tong
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At this point I don't think I would willingly choose to walk away from the forgiveness I have in Christ. It's too valuable to me. Is there a difficult trial, or deception out there in the future that could cause me to walk away from God and go back to my sins? Maybe. But if I stay strong in faith through continued fellowship with God I will by God's grace be prepared to resist the temptation to walk away and go back to unbelief and my old life of sin.
 

Ferris Bueller

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Of course what it says is . . .

The one born of God does not sin. Not any sins, willful, "duress", ignorant, none. How is this true? And it IS true!

Much love!
The one born of God does not sin as a matter of lifestyle and habit. The saint may sin, but he is not characterized by sin. The unbeliever is. Sin is the modus operandi of the unsaved, un-regenerated person, not the born again saint. The person who 'lives like this' is the person who is condemned as an unbeliever in their lifestyle of fornications, and thefts, and lies, etc.

Galatians 5:19-21
19The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
 
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Ferris Bueller

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Are you saying here that your own opinions of how you perceive sin in your life are more important than your faith in Christ, and trusting in His promises? That seems like a good recipe for confusion to me.

Much love!
No, they are indicative of your faith in Christ. A lifestyle of sin, like an unbeliever lives, indicates the absence of faith in Christ.
 

GerhardEbersoehn

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17If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 21For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

22Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.

Romans 11:17-22


You can argue all day long about what not being spared and being cut off actually means if you want, but one thing that is clear he's warning people who stand by faith to continue in his kindness. The Galatians and the Corinthians both fell away from the gospel they heard and believed and were saved by. Apparently, the Hebrew church was contemplating doing the same.

This, "22Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off."
Could you only discover what you are reading!
This is consolation and assurance; not warning and condition!
You see in this threat and damnation; while with Paul's arguments, God, offers kindness and salvation.

This reflects an issue that never will be and cannot ever be resolved between individuals; only between one and all and God only who is mighty to reveal the life, and no condemnation, therein, in this, "the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off." Can't you see, WITHOUT, PROVIDED, God's sternness, the lost will be cut off, lost; but now instead WITH, BECAUSE OF GOD'S PROVISION, is saved forever.
 

Grailhunter

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Well I hope that some of you have been looking at the various commentaries and some of them are interesting. But being that some of the most significant parts of Hebrews has remained a mystery for nearly 2000 years, if you look closely they end up, just like so many before them, they end up grasping at straws to come up with their speculations.

I have collected an amalgamation of commentaries to analyze their finer points and to even see how they went wrong. It is just as important to know what paths to go down as it is to know what paths are dead ends. And guys and gals, un-willful sins is a dry hole for explaining the Book of Hebrews. But one thing know for sure that, the author knew and believed in the forgiveness of sins. The mystery is why he felt it necessary to give these stern warnings, and give these stern warnings in such detail. They do collaborate with other verses that I included in my post, so the concept is not entirely unique. But still they stand in what appears to be in stark contradiction of the overall concepts of forgiveness well defined throughout the New Testament. Everything I presented in my post are clues. Post # 329 Please do not waist your time throwing scriptures at it, it is waste of time. There is no reason to try to prove forgiveness of sins through Christ...that is a given. Find out what harmonizes Hebrews with the New Testament concepts of forgiveness.

Another clue; The author of Hebrews like Paul had a Roman father and Hellenistic Jewish mother. He had confidence in himself being educated in the best schools in Alexandria
and he knew Paul and Timothy, and was good friends with Priscilla and Aquila. Which is one of the reason that the literary style of Hebrews stands alone.

Parts of assorted commentaries.....
The Epistle to the Hebrews, or Letter to the Hebrews, or in the Greek manuscripts, simply To the Hebrews (Πρὸς Ἑβραίους) is one of the books of the New Testament.

The text does not mention the name of its author, but was traditionally attributed to Paul the Apostle. However, doubt on Pauline authorship in the Roman Church is reported by Eusebius. Modern biblical scholarship considers its authorship unknown, perhaps written in deliberate imitation of the style of Paul. Although the writer's style reflects some characteristics of Paul's writing, there are some differences.

Scholars of Greek consider its writing to be more polished and eloquent than any other book of the New Testament, and "the very carefully composed and studied Greek of Hebrews is not Paul's spontaneous, volatile contextual Greek". The book has earned the reputation of being a masterpiece. It has also been described as an intricate New Testament book. Some scholars believe it was written for Jewish Christians who lived in Jerusalem. Its purpose was to exhort Christians to persevere in the face of persecution. At this time, certain believers were considering turning back to Judaism (the Jewish system of law) to escape being persecuted for accepting Christ as their Saviour, now following this system of grace (saved by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross). The theme of the epistle is the doctrine of the person of Christ and his role as mediator between God and humanity.

According to traditional scholarship, the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, following in the footsteps of Paul, argued that Jewish Law, the cornerstone of the beliefs and traditions of the descendants of the founding fathers, had played a legitimate role in the past but was superseded by a new covenant that applies to Gentiles (cf. Rom. 7:1–6; Gal. 3:23–25; Heb. 8, 10). However, a growing number of scholars point that the terms Gentile, Christian and Christianity are not present in the text and posit that Hebrews was written for a Jewish audience, and is best seen as a debate between Jewish followers of Jesus and mainstream Judaism. In tone, and detail, Hebrews goes beyond Paul and attempts a more complex, nuanced, and openly adversarial definition of the relationship. The epistle opens with an exaltation of Jesus as "the radiance of God's glory, the express image of his being, and upholding all things by his powerful word".[1:1–3] The epistle presents Jesus with the titles "pioneer" or "forerunner", "Son" and "Son of God", "priest" and "high priest". The epistle casts Jesus as both exalted Son and high priest, a unique dual Christology.[14]


Brief Summary: The Book of Hebrews addresses three separate groups: believers in Christ, unbelievers who had knowledge of and an intellectual acceptance of the facts of Christ, and unbelievers who were attracted to Christ, but who rejected Him ultimately. It’s important to understand which group is being addressed in which passage. To fail to do so can cause us to draw conclusions inconsistent with the rest of Scripture.

The writer of Hebrews continually makes mention of the superiority of Christ in both His personage and in His ministering work. In the writings of the Old Testament, we understand the rituals and ceremonies of Judaism symbolically pointed to the coming of Messiah. In other words, the rites of Judaism were but shadows of things to come. Hebrews tells us that Christ Jesus is better than anything mere religion has to offer. All the pomp and circumstance of religion pales in comparison to the person, work, and ministry of Christ Jesus. It is the superiority of our Lord Jesus, then, that remains the theme of this eloquently written letter.

Connections: Perhaps nowhere in the New Testament does the Old Testament come into focus more than in the Book of Hebrews, which has as its foundation the Levitical priesthood. The writer to the Hebrews constantly compares the inadequacies of the Old Testament sacrificial system to the perfection and completion in Christ. Where the Old Covenant required continual sacrifices and a once-a-year atonement for sin offered by a human priest, the New Covenant provides a once-for-all sacrifice through Christ (Hebrews 10:10) and direct access to the throne of God for all who are in Him.

Practical Application: Rich in foundational Christian doctrine, the Epistle to the Hebrews also gives us encouraging examples of God’s "faith heroes" who persevered in spite of great difficulties and adverse circumstances (Hebrews 11). These members of God’s Hall of Faith provide overwhelming evidence as to the unconditional surety and absolute reliability of God. Likewise, we can maintain perfect confidence in God’s rich promises, regardless of our circumstances, by meditating upon the rock-solid faithfulness of God’s workings in the lives of His Old Testament saints.

The writer of Hebrews gives ample encouragement to believers, but there are five solemn warnings we must heed. There is the danger of neglect (Hebrews 2:1-4), the danger of unbelief (Hebrews 3:7–4:13), the danger of spiritual immaturity (Hebrews 5:11–6:20), the danger of failing to endure (Hebrews 10:26-39), and the inherent danger of refusing God (Hebrews 12:25-29). And so we find in this crowning masterpiece a great wealth of doctrine, a refreshing spring of encouragement, and a source of sound, practical warnings against slothfulness in our Christian walk. But there is still more, for in Hebrews we find a magnificently rendered portrait of our Lord Jesus Christ—the Author and Finisher of our great salvation (Hebrews 12:2).
 
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justbyfaith

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He did not obtain mercy because he sought it, but obtained it because God had chosen to have mercy on him.

Who? The publican in the parable of Luke 18:9-14? I think not.

For the publican was at the altar, seeking the Lord.

1 John 3:9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

That is if one takes the passage out of context.

Have you not sinned since you were converted? If so, does that mean you are not genuinely born of God?

Context is very important, which many seems to ignore or consider in their reading of passages in scriptures that results to many erroneous beliefs.

Tong
R1472

I have not sinned willfully since receiving the second benefit (2 Corinthians 1:15) of entire sanctification (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (kjv), Hebrews 10:14 (kjv), 1 John 3:9; 1 John 3:7, 1 John 3:3, 1 John 2:6; Jude 1:24, 2 Peter 1:10, 1 John 2:10; 1 John 3:6, 1 John 2:17; Romans 6:6 (kjv), Colossians 2:11 (kjv)).

I would also say that 1 John 3:9 is hyperbole; it is exaggeration to make the point that if a man is truly born again, his life is going to change. Even as it is written,

Pro 4:18, But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

I believe as you do that we are now in the new covenant times. That is why I asked in this thread, what were the laws put in your mind and were written in your heart? No one can answer that for you unless you have told them. So could you and would you tell me?

This goes also to them who believes that they are under the new covenant.

Tong
R1473

The law is written in the heart and mind of New Covenant believers; simply in that the love of the Lord is shed abroad in their hearts (Romans 5:5) and that this love is the fulfilling of the righteousness of the law within them (Romans 13:8-10, Galatians 5:14, 1 John 5:3, 2 John 1:6, Romans 8:4).

There is no law that will go against our behaviour if we walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

But, is not the law in Numbers 15:30-31 a law to those who are under the old covenant of which had already been replaced by the new covenant? Such law binds all those who are under the law, which are those of the circumcision. If the writer of Hebrews was addressing them, I would not have any problem with that. But he is addressing the Christians, those who are no longer under the law but are under the new covenant. Was the writer under the law as he identifies with them to whom he writes saying “We”? Obviously not. So, that’s problematic.

It should be clear that the Old Testament is profitable for doctrine (2 Timothy 3:16).

We simply followed the lusts of our flesh and our minds, because we didn't have any other option.

We did have the other option; we just weren't inclined to walk in it.

That He no longer even holds me guilty for the sins I may be committing Right Now!

Provided it is my attitude that I hate sin. If it is my attitude that I love sin, then such verses as Romans 6:14, Romans 7:4, Galatians 2:19, and Romans 7:6 do not apply to me.

The reason i teach that those Christ rejecting Hebrews are "hateful" is because Paul accuses them of "trodding under food the blood of Christ", and "crucifying Jesus AFRESH">.

This means that their rejection of Christ, is to re-crucify Him, exactly the same as the Hebrews who were begging Pilate to "crucify Him".

So, Paul is judging them, based on their resisting with hatred, their Messiah.
Then, he warns them... "there remains no more sacrifice for you".......as how can there be if you reject the sacrifice.
See, this is the unpardonable sin.....They are committing THAT sin....as to reject Christ,.....Christ rejection, is the ONLY SIN that can't be forgiven or pardoned.....as it REJECT THE SACRIFICE.
In other words.....God can't apply the blood atonement to, if you reject Christ. = The unpardonable sin.
That is what those Hebrews did, in those verses, and in Acts 28.

And how do you know its Paul that is the Apostle?
Because when you read the Acts of the Apostles......(Acts), then you find Paul dealing with another set of these hateful Messiah rejecting Hebrews.
Look at Acts 28..... Read the last 10 verses.
Its Hebrews 6 and 10 all over again......same Apostle.

I would simply point out that anti-semitism doesn't become you.

It is written,

Rom 11:26, And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27, For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.


and once you are born again, you are always born again.

That is disputable.

In Luke 8:13, there appears to be a genuine faith in the people mentioned, and yet they fall away because of temptation.

It should be clear in James 1:12-16 that a person who is spiritually alive can die spiritually because of letting sin become fully-grown in their lives.

So why do some people say believers can not walk away/fall away from God?

Good question.

Believers who have a shallow, lukewarm, or nominal faith can indeed fall away (Luke 8:13).

However, those who have a genuine heart faith that is unto righteousness (Romans 10:10) and enduring to the end (Matthew 10:22, Hebrews 3:6, Hebrews 3:14) have everlasting life (John 6:47)...that is, life that can never come to an end...otherwise it would have been defined as temporal life rather than everlasting life.

You and justbyfaith... have this theology, that....your Faith is your Savior,

See Romans 5:1-2, Ephesians 2:8-9.

Proof that God accepted our Faith, ONCE, is because we are only born again ONCE.

See Ezekiel 33:11-20. It seems to tell us that we can go in and out of righteousness / salvation.

So God would be a FOOL to know you are going to lose your salvation later, and then save you anyway.

He may save a man from his sins, knowing that that man will not endure unto the end. If He didn't deliver that man in the first place because He knew that if He did, the man would blow it later and lose everything, the devil might accuse God and say that He never gave that man a chance.

So, : fornication, hate, watching R-rated Cable TV.....downloading porn...... Blaming and hating God because your baby died.....backsliding......dead faith...... all of this.......is all eternally resolved by the Blood Atonement.

Now the blood atonement does not only justify (as per Romans 5:9)...it also sanctifies (Hebrews 13:12, Hebrews 10:29) and cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7)...

And therefore if someone thinks that their sins are resolved by the blood atonement, but are continuing in their lifestyle of sinning, they are badly deceived/mistaken.

So, no matter if you are DEMAS, or if you are Paul who finished his course.....the only reason that any of us are in heaven right now, and will be later after we die, Literally in a new body...., is because we are BORN AGAIN down here, ONCE.

Demas was restored to faith as a prodigal son later...

But even as with the prodigal, if you look at the parable carefully, the prodigal, while he was away from his father, was both dead and lost.

He did not say, you must be water baptized.

That is also disputable. See John 3:5, Acts of the Apostles 2:38-39, Romans 6:1-4, Galatians 3:27, Colossians 2:12, 1 Peter 3:20-21, Ezekiel 36:25-27.

So, any type of Christianity that is based on "what i do, is how i keep myself saved" is "dung".

See Romans 11:20-22; which teaches us that if we do not continue in His goodness, we will be cut off.

as they do not understand that the REAL THEM....the REAL US......is not our body,

gnosticism.

Good. Thanks

:)

If you can show by your actions that you have the righteousness of God through faith in Christ you can be assured that you have in fact been called and elected to salvation.

Actually, there are those who place their trust in their works rather than in faith in Christ; whose works will not give genuine assurance that they have been elected and called to salvation. Because their faith is not in Christ; but in their works.

That's not a works gospel, folks. That's what the Bible says.

Where?

:)
 
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justbyfaith

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no its

rofl...................... :)

Mat 5:10, Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:11, Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mat 5:12, Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Gal 4:29, But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
 
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Tong2020

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My thinking is that I don't focus so much on the sins, not ignore them, but not make that the center of my focus. I can try to root out every sin I may commit, but I'm more concerned with being in intimate communion with God. God promises me that no matter what my behavior, no matter what my failings, I remain in fellowship with Him, because my fellowship with Him is based on what Jesus did, and not what I do.

When I rest in that truth, then by faith blossoms, my heart opens to God, and I walk in the Spirit, and sin is overcome. Without having to give a thought towards sin.

I can overcome sin by not fighting against sin, but by drawing near to God.

So to me the answer is in knowing the sin issue is done away with, and now I can simply live unto God as one alive from among the dead. Sin and Law are matters for the dead. We are alive in Christ, and can live.

Much love!
I agree.

To the Christian, sin is a thing of the past and a defeated enemy and so is death. Christ took care of that for him.

While the Christian have the power to overcome sin, it is not for anything else but to not sin when temptation comes. It is not like he has to look for sins to conquer. He had been set free from sin. Christ took care of that for him. So, he must have nothing to do with sin anymore.

Sin dwelled in the flesh since the fall of Adam and it will be there until our flesh turns to dust and is no more. We can’t do much about that. But Christ will take care of that as well at the resurrection. Until then, our mind must be on the Spirit of God who dwells in us and not on sin that dwells in our flesh.

So, the Christian now has everything to do with righteousness. That his concern, eyes, mind, and heart now is on doing the good works God had prepared in advance for him to do.

Look into what is in the new covenant and you will find that what I said could be found there among a lot lot more. Here’s one. In the old, it is much much about what the covenant people should do ~ works of man. Man failed. In the new, it is much much about what God will do ~ works of God. God will not fail. I know you know what that means.

Tong
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Tong2020

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The more I think about this, the more I'm thinking this question is answered in the difference between the theological reality of our freedom from sin, and our experience of life as we aren't always mindful of which mind is filling our thoughts, the mind of the flesh or the mind of Christ.

So when we've slipped into the mind of the flesh, we can find ourselves unwittingly committing sins. But when we resume taking our thoughts captive to Christ again, then we slip back out.

Perhaps the difference between our experience of intentional and unintentional sin has more to do with our knowledge of what sin is, and our self-awareness.

?

Much love!
I agree with your thoughts there.

Our present reality is while we are no longer of this world, we are still in this world. Though we are freed from sin, we are still in the body of flesh where sin still dwells. What Christian is not eagerly waiting for the second coming of His Lord to finally be taken out from this world and from this body of death?

<<<Perhaps the difference between our experience of intentional and unintentional sin has more to do with our knowledge of what sin is, and our self-awareness.>>>

My thoughts too.

Somehow, I think, that goes back to the very beginning, the matter of having the knowledge of good and evil and the desires of the flesh.

Tong
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Tong2020

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I agree with the scriptures I posted that show us genuine believers can in fact stop believing. Does that mean that the Galatians and the Corinthians, for example, could never come back to faith in the gospel? No. It that were so, Paul would not have tried to bring them back. Does the person who has stopped believing always come back to faith? I don't know. You decide what you want to believe about that and I will believe what I want to believe about it. We should leave it at that. Everybody should. What's important is that we are true believers today and on the day we leave the body. Our attention is supposed to be there, not on whether a person is always saved no matter what. That contention has led a lot of people astray.
It is clear to me now that you believe that a genuine child of God can stop believing in God and can reject Jesus Christ. And that you believe that it is possible for them to believe again and accept Christ again. Thanks, I won’t be guessing any longer.

Mine is that a genuine child of God will not ever want to stop and will not ever stop believing and will not ever want to reject and will not ever reject Christ. And that the matter of repentance unto God and towards faith in Jesus Christ is a matter not for the genuine child of God, but for those who are yet to be born of God.

Tong
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Tong2020

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Does that mean that the Galatians and the Corinthians, for example, could never come back to faith in the gospel? No. It that were so, Paul would not have tried to bring them back.
Paul isn’t Jesus Christ. He knows not the heart of others. He may have thoughts about one’s heart but not for certain. So, he knows not with certainty whether one’s faith is genuine or not. In the same way he preached to all people, knowing not who will believe nor who will genuinely believe or not, he tried to win back all. My point is that, it does not follow that because he tried to win them all back that he knew that they all were genuine believers. Nor that it is conclusive that they are all genuine believers. In fact, if there is any conclusion that may be drawn from their falling away is to the contrary, in my point of view. For this is what John said of those who went out from the church, such as he calls as antiChrists, that “they went out from us but they were not of us; if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.” (1 John 2:18-19). So, if any one who calls himself a Christian or a brethren, but later reject Christ, is not a genuine Christian and brethren.

Tong
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