(Omega) wrote:Now you can define the word "pledge" or "earnest" according to legality of the Convenant if you wish and insert it into the context of this passage, however that passage in its proper context clearly states that our inheritance is guaranteed.
I did not insert anything into that passage, it has been there since Paul wrote the epistle, it is you have attempted to remove it.
Pledge:ajrrabwvn arrhabon, ar-hrab-ohn'; of Hebrew origin 06162(); a pledge, i.e. part of the purchase-money or property given in advance as security for the rest:--earnest.
I have no debate with this definition. However, what you are choosing to ignore is that God is only half of the arrangement. Men by their actions must live up to the provisions of the offered possession.
Now when you can disprove what Jesus and Paul taught concerning those who will fall away you will have established your thesis but so far all you have done is side step these verses with "genuine believers" will not fall away, and without defining "genuine believer".
Your thesis seems to be once one is born again then human responsibility goes out the window, which denies the many warnings found in the NT concerning how Christians have to choose to do good and resist evil, which is known as "free will".
Lets take another look at what Jesus and Paul taught:
Matthew 24:4-14
4 And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you. 5 "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many. 6 "And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8 "But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. 9 "Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name. 10 "And at that time many will fall away and will deliver up one another and hate one another. 11 "And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many. 12 "And because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. 13 "But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved. 14 "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come. NAS
1 Timothy 4:1-5
4:1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, 3 men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods, which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with gratitude; 5 for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.
NAS
There is no doubt that God is able to accomplish what He has started but if a "genuine believer" recants his faith then that believer has rejected God's plan of salvation, which is "we are saved by grace
through faith in Jesus Christ. Now you can post all the rhetoric you want but until you can show that both Jesus and Paul (who states the Spirit explicitly states) did not know what they were talking about you are fighting a loosing battle.