JimParker said:
JN 15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 [SIZE=14pt]He cuts off every branch in me[/SIZE] that bears no fruit,
5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 [SIZE=16pt]IF[/SIZE] ANYONE DOES NOT REMAIN IN ME, HE IS LIKE A BRANCH THAT IS THROWN AWAY AND WITHERS; SUCH BRANCHES ARE PICKED UP, THROWN INTO THE FIRE AND BURNED.
This is used as an allegory, nothing more.
JimParker said:
RO 11:17 If 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, 18 do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. 21 For IF GOD DID NOT SPARE THE NATURAL BRANCHES, HE WILL NOT SPARE YOU EITHER.
22 CONSIDER THEREFORE THE KINDNESS AND STERNNESS OF GOD: STERNNESS TO THOSE WHO FELL, BUT KINDNESS TO YOU, [SIZE=18pt]PROVIDED [/SIZE][SIZE=14pt]THAT YOU CONTINUE IN HIS KINDNESS. OTHERWISE, YOU ALSO WILL BE CUT OFF.[/SIZE]
Rom 11 is about nonbelieving Jews in Israel Jim. They were cut off because of unbelief, they were not born again.
Rom 11:18-20 NIV do 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.
JimParker said:
1CO 9:27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave [SIZE=14pt]so that[/SIZE] after I have preached to others, [SIZE=14pt]I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.[/SIZE]
Paul is referring to being a castaway by men, not God. Notice it says, "after I have preached to others"..
JimParker said:
1CO 10:12 So, if you think you are standing firm[SIZE=16pt], be[/SIZE] [SIZE=16pt]careful that you don't fall[/SIZE]!
This has nothing to do with salvation, it has to do with temptation. Also read 1 Cor 10:13 NIV.
JimParker said:
COL 1:21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now HE HAS RECONCILED YOU BY CHRIST'S PHYSICAL BODY THROUGH DEATH TO PRESENT YOU HOLY IN HIS SIGHT, WITHOUT BLEMISH AND FREE FROM ACCUSATION-- 23[SIZE=18pt] IF[/SIZE] [SIZE=14pt]YOU CONTINUE IN YOUR FAITH[/SIZE], established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.
This passage is about losing blessings in Christ, not salvation. Without blemish and accusation precedes verse 23. Being accused is not about losing salvation. The devil accuses us every day, but who can bring a charge against God's elect? Rom 8:33 ESV. Also, if you notice here it says we have already been reconciled through the blood of Christ shed on the cross. His blood is permanent Jim...
Col 1:20-22 NIV and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace
through his blood, shed on the cross. 21Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22
But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—23if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
JimParker said:
HEB 3:12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14 WE HAVE COME TO SHARE IN CHRIST [SIZE=18pt]IF[/SIZE] [SIZE=14pt]WE HOLD FIRMLY TILL THE END THE CONFIDENCE WE HAD AT FIRST[/SIZE][SIZE=16pt].[/SIZE]
This is a warning against unbelief and is referring to nonbelieving Jews who have heard the truth of the Gospel, but are having a hard time accepting God's salvation. Notice the words in bold here...
Heb 2:1-3 ESV Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have
heard, lest we drift away from it. 2For since the
message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3how shall we escape if we neglect such a great
salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who
heard,
Heb 3:16 ESV For who were those who
heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses?
Heb 4:1-3 ESV Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 2For
good news came to us just as to them, but the
message they
heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who
listened. 3For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’” although his works were finished from the foundation of the world.
When we finally do believe as Heb 4:3 ESV says, we enter God's rest and His wrath is no longer on us. We are sealed and marked by the promised Holy Spirit...........
Eph 1:13-14 NIV And you also were included in Christ when you heard the
message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
JimParker said:
HEB 6:4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6[SIZE=18pt] IF[/SIZE] [SIZE=14pt]THEY FALL AWAY[/SIZE], to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
And this is also about nonbelieving Jews.
Notice Heb 6:7-8 NIV where it mentions the crop, farmer, thorns and thistles.
This all goes back to unbelief in the Jews..
Branch / Crop / Farmer / Root / Seed / Soil / Thorns and Thistles / Unbelief / Vine
Why did they fall away? Because they had no root of salvation.......
Matt 13:21 NIV
But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
JimParker said:
PHP 3:7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
These passages are about sanctification. Notice Phil 3:14 NIV when it mentions winning the prize. This prize is referring to the five crowns in heaven...
Matt 5:12 NIV Rejoice and be glad, because great is your
reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matt 6:20 NIV But store up for yourselves
treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
1 Cor 9:24-27 NIV Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the
prize? Run in such a way as to get the
prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a
crown that will not last, but we do it to get a
crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the
prize.
2 John 1:8-11 NIV Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be
rewarded fully. 9
Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.
1 - CROWN 1 - CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS— LOVED THE LORD'S APPEARING - 2 Tim 4:8
2 - CROWN 2 - INCORRUPTIBLE CROWN— DISCIPLINED BODIES / SELF-CONTROL - 1 Cor 9:25-27
3 - CROWN 3 - CROWN OF LIFE— ENDURED PATIENTLY THRU TRIALS - James 1:12, Rev 2:10
4 - CROWN 4 - CROWN OF GLORY— GODLY LEADERS WHO WERE EXAMPLES TO FLOCK - 1 Pet 5:2-4
5 - CROWN 5 - CROWN OF REJOICING— SOUL WINNERS CROWN - 1 Thess 2:19, Dan 12:3
JimParker said:
2PE 1:5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and [SIZE=14pt]election [/SIZE]sure. For [SIZE=16pt]IF[/SIZE] YOU DO THESE THINGS, YOU WILL NEVER FALL,
This passage is about losing blessings in Christ, not salvation. Notice the word "promises" in 2 Peter 1:4 NIV. Now notice the word "promise" in the following...Acts 2:38-39 NIV, Gal 3:22 NIV, Gal 3:29 NIV, Eph 1:13-14 NIV, Phil 1:6 NIV, Heb 4:1 ESV, 2 Peter 2:4-10 NIV, 1 John 2:24-25 NIV, Jude 1:24 NIV. Also notice in 2 Peter 1:11 NIV it does not say we will NOT be welcome into the eternal kingdom, rather it says if we do these things we will receive a
rich welcome. It's only being applied to
HOW we will be greeted, not
IF we will be greeted.
JimParker said:
2PE 2: 20 [SIZE=16pt]IF[/SIZE] THEY HAVE ESCAPED THE CORRUPTION OF THE WORLD BY KNOWING OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST [SIZE=16pt]AND [/SIZE]ARE AGAIN ENTANGLED IN IT AND OVERCOME, THEY ARE WORSE OFF AT THE END THAN THEY WERE AT THE BEGINNING. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.
This passage is specifically about apostates who knew God but did not accept Him as Savior, similar to Rom 1:18-32 NIV.
JimParker said:
EZE 18:24 [SIZE=16pt]"But if[/SIZE] a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die.”
This has nothing to do with salvation. It has to do with the penalty of sin because sin is death.
James 1:13-15 NIV When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.