Kindly, I am not a Greek expert. I don't believe that God left the common man at the mercy of Greek and Hebrew scholars. It is not necessary to understand anything about Greek, to clearly see that the Holy Bible teaches salvation by grace through faith alone, and that the new birth is instantaneous. The Greek can definitely add clarity, but I have never needed the Greek to understand the English King James Bible. Some debaters will attempt to silence critics by quoting Greek, but they couldn't even order a taxi or a sandwich if they visited Greece today, because they cannot speak the language. So I wouldn't even try to debate Greek with someone. I know enough to teach some Bible, but not enough to debate with people about it. And 99% of those who talk like they know what they're talking about, cannot even speak Greek.
I had a Smart Aleck Bob Jones University graduate throw it in my face that he teaches Greek. He couldn't order lunch if he went to Greece! He was debating with me in defense of the Devil's Alexandrian Bible revisions. I told him I don't need to be a Greek expert to know that something is very wrong with a so-called Bible "version" that removes the word "begotten" from John 3:16. The accurate King James Bible says Jesus is the "only begotten Son." The Devil's corrupt Bibles change it to, "His only Son." Well, according to John 1:12 every Christian is a son of God. Romans 8:15 says believers are sons of God. So the modern Bible revisions are LYING! Jesus is not God's only Son, He is God's only biological Son. The modern Bibles attack Jesus' deity, that He is almighty God who came in the flesh. All of the Devil's modern Bibles brutally assault the deity of Jesus, which anyone can see. I don't have to know Greek to see the Devil's hand in the the modern Bible perversions.
As far as eternal security goes, I think it is far more important to study the context of any particular Scripture passage, than to look at one word. Words are important too, don't get me wrong; but I think the New Testament is abundantly clear in dozens of passages about eternal security. Eternal security is NOT a separate doctrine from eternal life. They are one and the same thing. Jesus doesn't give temporary life, or probationary life, He only gives eternal life (John 6:47). John 10:28, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life." This Bible verse simply means that every believer is led by the indwelling Holy Spirit of God. Romans 8:14, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."
There's this strange idea going around today that says a person can believe, and then not believe anymore and are still saved. I don't believe that. I have never known one Christian who believed and then didn't believe anymore, who was ever really saved at all. I don't like the teaching that mandates that you believe, and you must continue to believe or you won't go to Heaven. That makes salvation a process. That is what Dr. Steve Pettit at Bob Jones, Evangelist Paul Washer, and other heretical Calvinists teach. They are looking at it all wrong.
When I got saved at age 13, it was a done deal. I got saved, period. I have had rough times since in my Christian life, but I never went so low that I denied my Savior. I am 53 now. The Holy Spirit came to live inside my body and soul, at age 13, and He has never left me. The Holy Spirit comforts me, convicts me, chastises me, rebukes me, encourages me and teaches and guides me into all truth (John 16:13). I cannot even imagine living in constant fear, worry and uncertainty, that I have to continue having faith and living above sin, or I'll go to Hell. I fully agree that either a person is forever saved, or they are not saved at all. Once saved always saved is 100% biblical.
Humans Don't Have To Be Told To Continue Breathing To Live
We must always keep in mind that Jesus paid our sin debt on the cross with His blood. Salvation is of the Lord. Our part is simply and only to BELIEVE. A true Christian will continue to believe, but it doesn't have to be required of them, which is confusing and generates uncertainty and fear. That would be like continually telling a human being that they must continue to breath if they want to live. You'd think someone had lost their mind if they went around saying stuff like that!Strangely enough, I've read that dolphins can actually decide to stop breathing if they get depressed. I didn't know that! But people are not dolphins. Sometimes I wish I was a dolphin, so I could just check out and stop breathing...lol. If escaping life's burdens were only so easy! By God's grace I don't think I would ever hurt myself, but if dying were as easy as to just stop trying, I think a lot more people would call it quits! Thankfully, we don't have a choice in the matter, breathing is automatic, and so we breath. Likewise, once a person is born anew by the regenerative Holy Spirit of God, they are alive (quickened) by the Spirit (Ephesians 2:1-2). We don't just stop living when we sin bad enough. A Christian doesn't have to make an effort to keep breathing spiritually to live. Once we have been born-again, we are as alive spiritually as we are physically from our first earthly birth (John 3:1-7).
The Bible says in 2nd Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Once the Holy Spirit comes to indwell (live inside) a person, all things become new. A whole new world of spiritual awakening is opened to their mind. Now they can understand spiritual things (1st Corinthians 2:14-16). The Holy Spirit will now begin to convict them about the sins in their life. They will still sin, sometimes on purpose, even choosing to hang on to pet sins perhaps, but the Holy Spirit will be grieved and not give peace to that saint. But as far as character and behavior are concerned, getting saved doesn't change a person one bit. The change is that we have been born again (spiritually), and are as helpful, naive and in need of growth as a newborn human baby (1st Peter 2:2).
A believer who is living in unrepentant sin is miserable, and dead (carnally minded) the Bible says. 1st Timothy 5:6, "But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth." Colossians 3:1-3 says that a believer is dead to self, and alive in Christ, who is our new life. Once a person is saved, their identity is now permanently hidden with Christ in God. God the Father sees Christ's righteousness when He looks at us, and not our sins (1st John 2:1). Our CONDITION with God is determined by the choices we make concerning sin and doing what is right, but our POSITION in Christ as God's redeemed child is forever settled.
“The reward that outdoes all others is the peace of knowing that you did right.” —Pastor Jack Hyles
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