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By Elizabeth Prata
Christianity is a dichotomy. A dichotomy is defined as "a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different."
With Christianity, you're in or you're out
You're in Christ or you're in satan
You're saved or you're lost
You are on this side of the narrow gate or that side
You believe in Christ or you don't
You've repented or you haven't
You're justified or not
Eternity is heaven or hell
It's a black and white situation
Some people like to tap dance along the fence, not deciding one way or another. They put off salvation. They decline to think of spiritual things, but they acknowledge God and His creation and the presence of sin. They just don't do anything about it. They are tap dancing along the fence, not on this side nor that side.
There is no Switzerland when it comes to your soul. There is no neutral ground, no safe spot from which to simply watch the proceedings.
Isaiah 49:8 says
Thus says the Lord: "In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages,"
And Paul quotes that Old Testament verse in 2 Corinthians 6:2
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation”
If the Holy Spirit has convicted you of your sin, do not delay in responding. We never know the number of our days. The Lord could require your life from you this very evening. (Luke 12:20).
The more you delay in responding to the Holy Spirit's livening of your conscience and sorrowing of your soul over your sin is to harden yourself to further ministrations. Failure to respond, or a delay in responding, is an answer. It's a "no."
People who tap dance along the top of the fence are taking a terrible risk. One day, they will stumble and fall.
Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday end a week of Christ's Passion. It's a week whereby He made a way for sinners to come to the Father- through Him (and Him only). Get off the fence and come to Jesus through His narrow gate.
and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:15).
Christianity is a dichotomy. A dichotomy is defined as "a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different."
With Christianity, you're in or you're out
You're in Christ or you're in satan
You're saved or you're lost
You are on this side of the narrow gate or that side
You believe in Christ or you don't
You've repented or you haven't
You're justified or not
Eternity is heaven or hell
It's a black and white situation
Some people like to tap dance along the fence, not deciding one way or another. They put off salvation. They decline to think of spiritual things, but they acknowledge God and His creation and the presence of sin. They just don't do anything about it. They are tap dancing along the fence, not on this side nor that side.
There is no Switzerland when it comes to your soul. There is no neutral ground, no safe spot from which to simply watch the proceedings.
Isaiah 49:8 says
Thus says the Lord: "In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages,"
And Paul quotes that Old Testament verse in 2 Corinthians 6:2
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation”
If the Holy Spirit has convicted you of your sin, do not delay in responding. We never know the number of our days. The Lord could require your life from you this very evening. (Luke 12:20).
The more you delay in responding to the Holy Spirit's livening of your conscience and sorrowing of your soul over your sin is to harden yourself to further ministrations. Failure to respond, or a delay in responding, is an answer. It's a "no."
People who tap dance along the top of the fence are taking a terrible risk. One day, they will stumble and fall.
Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday end a week of Christ's Passion. It's a week whereby He made a way for sinners to come to the Father- through Him (and Him only). Get off the fence and come to Jesus through His narrow gate.
and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:15).
Your dichotomy list reminds me of what I was studying earlier this week...Hebrews 6:4-8. If you've studied this passage, what is your conclusion? I believe in eternal security, but it's hard to understand how someone who has shared in the Holy Spirit could be lost forever to repentance, because the Holy Spirit in the New Testament is exclusively given to believers. (I say NT because I've always wondered about Saul in the OT, whether he was ultimately saved or not).
ReplyDeleteHebrews 6:4-8 i almost universally understood as one of the most difficult NT passages to interpret. I do not believe that it teaches that one can lose their salvation.
DeleteFor me, the key is the term "having tasted" the Holy SPirit. Judas tasted the Spirit. He was close enough to have seen and personally experienced His works, yet he rejected. Judas is said by scripture to be in perdition. He had no second chance.
The unholy angels also tasted the Spirit, in the sense that they saw Him co-create the universe with God the Father and God the Son, they shouted for joy. They saw salvation happen and they are so struck by the Spirit's work in regenerating hearts that they long to look into these things. Yet for the unholy angels who have tasted these things, there is no second chance. They are damned.
Christians are sealed with the Holy Spirit. We do not just taste Him, we are sealed with Him inside. We do not have the power to reject Him to the point where in our human will we can unseal what God has done and reject our once-for-all justification, nor will the Spirit unseal Himself in us and depart from us, Jesus promised that would never happen.
So the verses cannot be talking about loss of salvation once regenerated and sealed - IMO.
GotQuestions explains to ways one can interpret these verses
The distinction between tasted and sealed is a good point.
ReplyDeletePerfect analogy! And the providentially timed essay to forward to 4 of my "tap dancer" friends. Thank you, dear lady!
ReplyDelete