Can a Christian be only partly saved?

  • Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.

    You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

amadeus

Well-Known Member
Jan 26, 2008
22,505
31,685
113
80
Oklahoma
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Something about getting in people's faces and telling them they're going to hell. That sort of nonsense. Never seen it once from a solid born again Christian in over 20 years attending something like 5 different assemblies.
Hmmm! That reminds me of an early experience [1976] of mine. My wife and I were attending our first oneness assembly as members. She had already received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. I was working on it. Our pastor stood at the pulpit at spoke directly to me but the church house was pretty full. "Brother __ ", he says, "If you don't get the baptism of the Holy Ghost, you are going to hell". We were brand new I was beginning to read the Bible for the first time in my life. He certainly struck a tender spot in me.
 

Helen

Well-Known Member
Oct 22, 2011
15,476
21,157
113
Faith
Christian
Country
Canada
Hmmm! That reminds me of an early experience [1976] of mine. My wife and I were attending our first oneness assembly as members. She had already received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. I was working on it. Our pastor stood at the pulpit at spoke directly to me but the church house was pretty full. "Brother __ ", he says, "If you don't get the baptism of the Holy Ghost, you are going to hell". We were brand new I was beginning to read the Bible for the first time in my life. He certainly struck a tender spot in me.

OUCH!! Sad to say....some have not changed much...and when they do they flip right over to the other side ... which is just as deadly, and preach Grace with no accountability. :(
The Enemy uses them one way.... or the other!!
 
Last edited:

GodsGrace

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2017
10,727
5,716
113
Tuscany
Faith
Christian
Country
Italy
Einstein spoke about the existence of God in a universal sense, but missed the obvious lessons of history in the fulfillment of scripture. Of course, he's far from alone in that. I read his book on relativity back when I was a kid and was always impressed with his achievements, but I've read enough about him to know that he was inept in significant ways. What can you say about someone who kept a closet of the same suits, just so he wouldn't have to think about which one to wear. The guy was a little off.
Your last couple of lines made me laugh.
I hate to think about what to wear too !!
Got a pair of brown pants, black, blue and kakhi.
Change the tops.
You think I'm normal ?!!
LOL
 
  • Like
Reactions: michaelvpardo

GodsGrace

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2017
10,727
5,716
113
Tuscany
Faith
Christian
Country
Italy
Hmmm! That reminds me of an early experience [1976] of mine. My wife and I were attending our first oneness assembly as members. She had already received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. I was working on it. Our pastor stood at the pulpit at spoke directly to me but the church house was pretty full. "Brother __ ", he says, "If you don't get the baptism of the Holy Ghost, you are going to hell". We were brand new I was beginning to read the Bible for the first time in my life. He certainly struck a tender spot in me.
I sure hope you walked outta there!
I had a priest (I was about 11 or so) who would turn red with anger.
He'd always yell at the people in church that they had to go to church.
I musta been pretty sarcastic even back then. I remember how funny this would strike me.

But it was those flames with the poor guy in them - holding his head in his hands that got to me. He was on the cover of my Baltimore Catechism.

Know what. I didn't care. I used to look at Mary and Jesus statues in that church way back when, and I could see the love in their face.

Oh yeah.
Jesus saved my life.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: michaelvpardo

GodsGrace

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2017
10,727
5,716
113
Tuscany
Faith
Christian
Country
Italy
Ya gotta B kidding ? Gracie; it's hell with a chance 4 parole ! Only a real looney wouldn't want that !!
I ain't kiddin' colorful Chrsit man.
I wassa Catholic, and I know all about Purgatory.
There's only heaven or hell.
Purgatory is delayed heaven.

No ticket outta hell - not even for Catlicks.
 

amadeus

Well-Known Member
Jan 26, 2008
22,505
31,685
113
80
Oklahoma
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
I sure hope you walked outta there!
No, I was looking for truth and I thought the man had it. I was hurt but I was sincere in my search. He pulled a few other such things in the couple of years we were there. Still, I was always a slow burn. My wife on the other hand was a devil before she became an angel. Each prod had her pushing harder on me until finally along came the straw that broke the camel's back.

I had a priest (I was about 11 or so) who would turn red with anger.
He'd always yell at the people in church that they had to go to church.
I musta been pretty sarcastic even back then. I remember how funny this would strike me.
For me it was never funny. Even years later when I began to really understand what was the matter with that pastor, I saw neither humor nor did I get angry. In spite of the man's shortcomings he had a following. Before we met him, he moved from a suburb of Los Angeles to a small town not far from San Francisco and more than 90% of his congregation moved the nearly 400 miles as well.

But it was those flames with the poor guy in them - holding in head in his hands that got to me.
I had a real fear of the devil early on as well. It took me a long time to move away from that...

Know what. I didn't care. I used to look at Mary and Jesus statues in that church way back when, and I could see the love in their face.

Oh yeah.
Jesus saved my life.
Yes, that I can understand. When I prayed in the church building [Roman Catholic], many now would have been called me an idol worshipper although I did not at the time really even know what that meant.

In spite of what some here might say, I was a devout, sincere Catholic. I never openly or blatantly rejected the good that I learned during those years.
 

GodsGrace

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2017
10,727
5,716
113
Tuscany
Faith
Christian
Country
Italy
No, I was looking for truth and I thought the man had it. I was hurt but I was sincere in my search. He pulled a few other such things in the couple of years we were there. Still, I was always a slow burn. My wife on the other hand was a devil before she became an angel. Each prod had her pushing harder on me until finally along came the straw that broke the camel's back.


For me it was never funny. Even years later when I began to really understand what was the matter with that pastor, I saw neither humor nor did I get angry. In spite of the man's shortcomings he had a following. Before we met him, he moved from a suburb of Los Angeles to a small town not far from San Francisco and more than 90% of his congregation moved the nearly 400 miles as we
ll.


I had a real fear of the devil early on as well. It took me a long time to move away from that...


Yes, that I can understand. When I prayed in the church building [Roman Catholic], many now would have been called me an idol worshipper although I did not at the time really even know what that meant.

In spite of what some here might say, I was a devout, sincere Catholic. I never openly or blatantly rejected the good that I learned during those years.
I don't mean laughing out loud funny. I guess I meant amusing.
He'd preach to the choir, IOW. We wer IN CHURCH, why was he yelling at us that we had to go to church!! The ones he should have been mad at were home.

They tried to scare you into serving God. I resent that. The message was: Come to Mass every Sunday, go to confession every Saturday and you're going to heaven. Along with the dose of fear.

As to your pastor that was the same, sure the congregation followed him. They felt secure with him. He'd get them into heaven.
Some depend on their church instead of depending on God.
(but we need a church too)
 
  • Like
Reactions: pastor marty

pastor marty

Active Member
Aug 19, 2017
223
165
43
76
Battle Creek,Michigan
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Hmmm! That reminds me of an early experience [1976] of mine. My wife and I were attending our first oneness assembly as members. She had already received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. I was working on it. Our pastor stood at the pulpit at spoke directly to me but the church house was pretty full. "Brother __ ", he says, "If you don't get the baptism of the Holy Ghost, you are going to hell". We were brand new I was beginning to read the Bible for the first time in my life. He certainly struck a tender spot in me. [/QUOTE I speak only abt. my own conversion/Preachers scared me away from Jesus for almost 45 yrs.I felt unable 2 ever reach their perfection and figgered it better 2 meet GOD as one who tried alone than one who messed up as a Prot or Cath/got excommunicated or whatever it is they do 2U !!
 

pastor marty

Active Member
Aug 19, 2017
223
165
43
76
Battle Creek,Michigan
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
OOps/wrong key again!!
I ain't kiddin' colorful Chrsit man.
I wassa Catholic, and I know all about Purgatory.
There's only heaven or hell.
Purgatory is delayed heaven.

No ticket outta hell - not even for Catlicks.
*****Delayed/paroled/U say pahtahtoe......I have a valid Biblical argument 4 purgatory (something I seldom need) that allows both Vaticanites & Reformationists 2 agree abt. w/no loss of face ! <m>
 
  • Like
Reactions: Helen

amadeus

Well-Known Member
Jan 26, 2008
22,505
31,685
113
80
Oklahoma
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
I don't mean laughing out loud funny. I guess I meant amusing.
He'd preach to the choir, IOW. We wer IN CHURCH, why was he yelling at us that we had to go to church!! The ones he should have been mad at were home.

They tried to scare you into serving God. I resent that. The message was: Come to Mass every Sunday, go to confession every Saturday and you're going to heaven. Along with the dose of fear.
I never got that when I was a Catholic. It was in the Protestant churches that I started seeing that kind of thing in later years.

As to your pastor that was the same, sure the congregation followed him. They felt secure with him. He'd get them into heaven.
Some depend on their church instead of depending on God.
(but we need a church too)

I remember, after we stopped attending his assembly, I met a man at a local store who had been with that pastor for many years. I was growing a beard and that was a big "no, no" for that pastor. The man was friendly and said he did not know if the Bible said anything about beards and such or not but did not so he would not criticize me for it. I was nice and did not say what I thought. I was new to reading the Bible and I already knew that he was showing his ignorance. How can a person spend so many years in a church that emphasizes strongly Bible reading and be so uninformed? It took me a long time to really understand that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pastor marty

Dcopymope

Well-Known Member
May 22, 2016
2,650
800
113
36
Motor City
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Interesting what you say about Gehenna.
It seems to me that the Lake of Fire is the last place where everything is burned up or maybe it lasts forever.
I also believe 2 Peter, Tartarus, is for angels only and Satan.

I can't debate this, not enough knowledge about it.
Just thought I'd put down in writing what I know, which isn't much on this subject...

P.S. It does seem to me that the lost go immediately to where they belong.
Luke 16, the Rich man and Lazarus. The two groups are separated by a chasm.
One is in the Bosom of Abraham awaiting release (the resurrection), the other group is being tormented... What do YOU make of this?

With Luke 16, the word "hell" used there is not even the same "hell" used to refer to the lake of fire in other verses, which is THE hell. The "hell" that Jesus is referring to in Luke 16 is Sheol, the grave. The rich man felt tormented in the grave because he saw that the time of his judgement was nigh. When does this judgement occur? As far as I can tell, this only occurs at the very end of days. To take all of the story literally, I would have to conclude that both the first and second Resurrection has already occurred, which only makes scripture contradict itself. It normally irritates me whenever someone refers to the Hebrew or Greek translations, because they often do it whenever they run into something plainly stated in scripture that contradicts their viewpoint.

But when it comes to the subject of hell, referring to the Greek and Hebrew translations is absolutely necessary. Even before I took a good look at the Greek translations, I've already known for a while that there were at least three different hell's being referred to throughout scripture. The Greek translations only confirmed what I pretty much already knew. There are three different "hell's" written in the Bible: the grave, "outer darkness" (or bottomless pit), and the lake of fire. The first is where the unsaved go when they die (and I presume the same to be the case for the saved as well), the second is meant only for angels as its the same place that Satan is sent to for a period of time, and the last is the place the wicked are thrown into, which has not and will not occur until the throne judgement.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: pastor marty

michaelvpardo

Well-Known Member
Feb 26, 2011
4,204
1,734
113
67
East Stroudsburg, PA
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Hmmm! That reminds me of an early experience [1976] of mine. My wife and I were attending our first oneness assembly as members. She had already received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. I was working on it. Our pastor stood at the pulpit at spoke directly to me but the church house was pretty full. "Brother __ ", he says, "If you don't get the baptism of the Holy Ghost, you are going to hell". We were brand new I was beginning to read the Bible for the first time in my life. He certainly struck a tender spot in me.
Yes, and as I said, you were attending a congregational assembly, not accosted by some stranger on the street. It was your choice to attend such a service and in the venue of a congregation truth should be declared. Of course, I've never heard of the "first oneness" and would not be inclined to automatically consider them born again Christians without knowing the gospel being preached by them (many cults call themselves Christian as well and preach a different gospel. e.g.: Jehovah's Witnesses.)
 
  • Like
Reactions: GodsGrace

Dcopymope

Well-Known Member
May 22, 2016
2,650
800
113
36
Motor City
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Hell fire preachers typically preach to a Christian audience or group that came to see them preach. One was Theodore Sturgeon, who though renowned for his theological treatises was also a free mason, a group known for their self righteous works based doctrines. He was Christian, but clearly heavily influenced by free masonry.

Its only more reason for me to flush it down the toilet where it belongs, because there is not a shred about the doctrine that is true.
 
  • Like
Reactions: michaelvpardo

pastor marty

Active Member
Aug 19, 2017
223
165
43
76
Battle Creek,Michigan
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Are you gonna tell us?
I'm still waiting 4 someone 2 ask whats the 8 words in the Bible that got millions killed & the DSS recently proved 2B a total mishmash of what Moses told Aaron 2 write down. (how do U guys put in emojis/I can't figger it out ?) <m> {query ?} should I just tease 'em so they'll buy my book ??? stay tuned !!!!!
 

pastor marty

Active Member
Aug 19, 2017
223
165
43
76
Battle Creek,Michigan
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
With Luke 16, the word "hell" used there is not even the same "hell" used to refer to the lake of fire in other verses, which is THE hell. The "hell" that Jesus is referring to in Luke 16 is Sheol, the grave. The rich man felt tormented in the grave because he saw that the time of his judgement was nigh. When does this judgement occur? As far as I can tell, this only occurs at the very end of days. To take all of the story literally, I would have to conclude that both the first and second Resurrection has already occurred, which only makes scripture contradict itself. It normally irritates me whenever someone refers to the Hebrew or Greek translations, because they often do it whenever they run into something plainly stated in scripture that contradicts their viewpoint.

But when it comes to the subject of hell, referring to the Greek and Hebrew translations is absolutely necessary. Even before I took a good look at the Greek translations, I've already known for a while that there were at least three different hell's being referred to throughout scripture. The Greek translations only confirmed what I pretty much already knew. There are three different "hell's" written in the Bible: the grave, "outer darkness" (or bottomless pit), and the lake of fire. The first is where the unsaved go when they die (and I presume the same to be the case for the saved as well), the second is meant only for angels as its the same place that Satan is sent to for a period of time, and the last is the place the wicked are thrown into, which has not and will not occur until the throne judgement.
******That was the quandry,every culture/language had a word for a hell-like place but the particulars made for an unrecognizable goulash of concepts; yer 72 virgin paradise/My idea of a PMS hell and/or trying to heard cats.It's all in the context . Nicely researched;by the way !!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dcopymope

pastor marty

Active Member
Aug 19, 2017
223
165
43
76
Battle Creek,Michigan
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
OUCH!! Sad to say....some have nit changed much...and when they do they flip right over to the other side ... which is just as deadly, and preach Grace with no accountability. :(
The Enemy uses them one way.... or the other!!
Yup;when the Saracens ride in they wave the cresent&star/when the Crusaders show up they grab up crosses;they call it flexibility/I call it cowardice ...............
 

pastor marty

Active Member
Aug 19, 2017
223
165
43
76
Battle Creek,Michigan
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
I don't care for hell fire preaching.
Grew up with it.

But are you saying that non-believers in God can go to be with Him?
If so, how do you figure that?
Is there a verse for it or you just come to that conclusion??
************God can do as he pleases ! Jesus said "no one gets in except by Me"(in this case the orig. means by my leave or permission) Ya wanna B the 1 -2 tell Him he can't invite whom He wants 2 ?? Didja no;"Ruhgkal Hakudesh" is Holy Spirit in old Heb. & 'Meshuma' is soul ! (w/fil ya in on the refs./scripts/Rev. quotes later; abt. the end-harvest) It ain't abt. how much ya read or think ya know.It's abt.how much GOD lets/wants U2 understand.Sound abt. rite ??? :cool: <m>