For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Debbie A
Be very careful brothers and sisters in the LORD that you do not judge one another because of what one believes! It is not “our” place to judge someone only God has this right! I think Matthew 7 would be what we all need to reread and take to hart especially verse 1. Also Romans 14 would be another one to reread. Notice I said the “whole” chapter? I believe we must read what comes before and after a verse to get the “whole” thought/picture of what God is showing us, not take a verse “out of context”.
What I believe about this question “What is conditional security?” may or may not be what some of you believe, we therefore need to discuss and disagree in love for one another and not try to “force an opinion” on someone else. To take out a remark that someone has made is in my opinion “judging” that person just because they do not believe the way you do. I know this has happened to some responders. Are you not trying to “sway” the readers to your way of thinking and not giving them (readers) a chance to “see” another side to what the Word might be saying?
I believe that ANYTIME someone takes the Power and Glory away from our LORD and Saviour and gives it to “mere mankind” is committing a sin! Romans 13:1 “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” and Romans: 11 the whole chapter but especially the last verse says it all, verse 36: “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” I don’t see “man” mentioned in this verse at all, do you?
May God bless every believer to see His Word for what He is saying and not what we think it is saying. After all, I believe that He has the power to open anyone’s eyes He chooses to, look what He did for Paul! Please do not take me wrong, I believe we must stand firm on what we believe, just as Saul did before his eyes were “opened”. BUT it took God to “open” his eyes. Please remember that your fellow brother or sister in the LORD may not look at things the way you do but they believe just as strongly as you do about their beliefs. It will take our LORD and SAVIOUR to open their or your eyes to the truth just as He did before any one of us became “born again”.
Rev.7:12 "Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen."
Rod Gill
One important key to understand NT is to notice what subject the writer is talking about. Not understanding this and taking the verses out of their context would cause misinterpretation of the scripture. This is a common mistake when it comes to explaining the scripture, when it talks about endurance vs. Being saved, etc. Just to give you a clue, please let me say that there are 3 types of salvations in the scripture:
(1) salvation from the penalty of sin (happens when you believe), (2) salvation from power of sin (temptations that Christians experience- we are not immune to that. Our endurance will result in getting better rewards form God), and (3) salvation from the possibility of committing sin (happens when we receive our glorified bodies). When we receive Christ, we have our eternal salvation (the first kind), but are still susceptible to the second one. Please re-read those verses while having this in mind and then you will see no contradiction between what Jesus said (those that Father has given me, none can take them from me - paraphrasing) and what Paul, James, and others are saying. God bless