Dogs Returning To Their Vomit

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Everlasting-Grace

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The example you use is exactly as I said. You assume that 5 were chosen for death and 5 for life. But that isn't what happened. All were under a death sentence. But in grace, the farmer sovereignly chose 5 to be saved.

Does the farmer have the right to choose which cows get saved? Can he choose more or fewer? Does the farmer have any obligation to save any?
The answer is...the farmer can do as he chooses. They are his cows.
Likewise, all humanity is in God's hands. All humanity at birth is headed to the slaughterhouse. Can God choose to save some and not others? Can He save all? Can He save none? Should the cows get a say?

The last part of your post brings up another related issue: the condition of fallen man. While I do believe the gospel call is for all, I believe the response to that call is predicated upon one's spiritual condition. We can delve into this if you like.
How can the farmer claim to be a loving farmer if he does not chose to save all of them. or at least give them all the oportunity to be saved?

He can't..

Nor can God
 

Everlasting-Grace

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“I don't understand why you or other people would ignore the verses in the Bible that say a person can lose their salvation.”

“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭4:2-5‬ ‭
I do not understand how you or other people ignore the verses where it says no one can lose their salvation. Because it is a gift. it is not a reward nor can it be earned..

More than half of the gospel of john concerns this basic truth of the gospel..
 

Everlasting-Grace

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I do agree with what you wrote. But it's just so scary to me to ignore parts of the Bible just because they are hard to accept.

I used to do that but I found that ignoring parts of the Bible I didn't want to accept distorted my belief in God, His character, how He does things and the rules He's set for Himself and for us. And when that happened, I didn't live up to God's will and how He wanted me to live. Thank God though that He loved me enough to correct me and really drove that lesson home.

So now I face up to those difficult Bible passages that are hard to accept. And I have a better understanding of God and living in His will. I can more easily see both the desirable and difficult parts of God as harmonizing together more, whereas before I wasn't able to.

This is why I encourage people to consider the totality of what the Bible says and not ignore parts of it. It will give people a more complete picture of God, His character, and His will. And in knowing Him better, we can appreciate Him better in all that He is, what He does and His ways.


👘
I use the old saying, on any difficult passage. Study to show yourself approved.

Also. the word can not contradict.

The bible can not say you will never die, live forever. and have eternal life

Then say you can still die, you may not live forever. and you do not have eternal life.

Only one can be true.. so when I read difficult passages. I do all I can to make them agree,,
 

Everlasting-Grace

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Oh I was just offering a scripture to show your point totally agreed .

Also though m not sure your age , but when I was let’s say 19 I could read the Bible and very very little would actually get into my thinking . I could read a lot but only a passage or two would really sink in. Do you remember those days ?

you knew without a doubt you were saved because of the few scriptures which really became “ written on your heart “ meaning the ones that really sink in and became part of your faith . That just became the foundation you know ?

Were all at different stages of that development we can read the same Bible and someone might be just converting a couple years ago and just now really reading anything , while another person might be seventy , retired and nearing the end of tbier lives not a lot of temptations or distractions left you know and so they find themselves reading studying praying a lot more than they did maybe at thirty when they were working full time and had a family they were caring for and time was just so scarce

God wants us taking care of our families indeed before anything so what I’m saying is . It’s not that everyone’s ignoring anything willfully , some I think maybe but who am I to judge ?

But most I think maybe are just at a stage in tbier lives and faith where they know for sure like I remeber knowing seven a youngster I believed I’m gonna be saved the lord my saviors gonna do it I know it

and it was just as true then , before I knew much of anything I know now after some study and time spent seeking understanding in prayer. I’ve never felt or believed or thought I wasn’t going to be saved even before I could let those more detailed understandings into my thinking

Im not sure this makes sense I’m not really articulate with writing and expressing just what I’m trying to say but I suppose the point is …..

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
‭‭John‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

if that’s all I really know it’s plenty enough to be true forever

But if this is starting to sink in

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:10-11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We can’t ignore it because it’s just as true as everything else

so i think there’s a different level of what God allows to sink in when we are prepared and he wants us to grow up . Sometimes a person isnt ready for the meat I can remember the sweetness of the milk and the strong bones it prodived but the meat makes us grow up and the lord need grown ups to be effective in the world given the times and desperate need for the gospel to be preached in this world of ever dimming light


I think as we need it he feeds us what we can handle sort of so I don’t really assume anyone’s just ignoring I think you can teach a nine month old algebra but they aren’t ignoring always they might be figure out what the heck a number is still

But surely they belong to the one who holds them as babes I just mean to say maybe ignoring willfully is a different thing from not sinking in or being understood yet

i remember as a twenty two or so yr old my daddy would always tell me bout repentance and not drinking and honkytonkin and such because I had started doing those types of things and he’s tell me all the scripture but brother it just went right in one ear and out the other I’d even seem
Interested but I was just wondering where my ride was outta the holler into town lol and it just didn’t sink in

i still felt like the lord was gonna saved me then because that’s what I knew and it was enough
Not sure why you use a passage that show's we will be rewarded with the things we do. or the fruit we do or do not bear. and compare that to the gift of salvation.

Even those who received all wood hay and straw were saved, even as through fire.

again, We must look at context.,.
 

Everlasting-Grace

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The whole purpose of security for the believer is that he may find rest in Christ. I don't worry a lick that I will be with God throughout eternity. I know that I have been translated out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of His dear Son. And this assurance should be the estate of all God's children. In fact, John tells his readers that this is his purpose in writing 1 John:

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that you have eternal life...
amen,

no assurance equals no hope

no hope equals no faith

faith is the substance of things hoped for..
 

Everlasting-Grace

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A person cannot save themselves.. Jesus saves.. But one must believe Jesus and trust in His atonement to be saved and persist in believing till the day they die. That has not changed over the past 2000 years and will not be changing any time soon..
You either believe it or you do not.

The moment you believe, you are given eternal life

If I can still die. that is not eternal life. it is called conditional life.

that has not changed since the begining of time, and it will not
 

Cameron143

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How can the farmer claim to be a loving farmer if he does not chose to save all of them. or at least give them all the oportunity to be saved?

He can't..

Nor can God
It is up to the farmer what he does with his livestock. In your wallet you have money? Who chooses which dollars you save and which you spend? Do you give each dollar a chance to be saved?
 

2ndTimeIsTheCharm

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No you really didn't because then you wrote this:

Eternal life is a gift govenm to those who are born again, It is an item.

Walk away from Jesus, You can do that? Did he not promise he would never let you go?

what hope does anyone have if we have that power?
I already said that God had given us free will that will never be taken away from us. There have already been people who chose to walk away from God in the Bible so we shouldn't ignore that. God will certainly try to encourage people thinking about leaving to stay, but will let a person go if they are determined to leave.


once again, If you are abiding TO BE SAVED. you are working to earn that salvation. You are in effect saying you are saved because of something you must continue to do.

Salvation then becomes a wage, and not a grace gift that could never be earned.
Our relationship with God is not monergistic. It is actually synergistic. It is a relationship of cooperation where God does the brunt of the work. All we need to do is abide in Him and not resist His work.

If it was monergistic then God would have full control of us. And that would mean that we would all embrace the same doctrine and behave the same way and mature at a steady rate according to the Lord's expectations. BUT WE DON'T. We all DO NOT hold to the same teachings and behave accordingly and maturity at the steady rate God expects of us. Do you know why? It's because we all still have free will and God will never force us to do things or believe the things He wants us to. If you don't want to believe the many verses in the Bible (which is very dangerous thing to do by the way) about that then at least believe it from seeing the actual results in real life.

I mean, just look at this forum with so many different views from professing Christians (I'm not counting the trolls). If our walk with God is monergistic, we would all be in complete agreement with each other.


As for walking away. I am sorry. But I do nto believe anyone who walks away ever knew Christ. Because how can you trust God with your eternity. and recieve his grace gift and all that comes with it, then deny it? I do not think you can

John said they were never of us, if they were of us, they never would have left.
This is why I don't believe you really read anything I wrote. Just because you say that apostate people never knew Christ and are therefore never Christians - that is just your view from a very limited standpoint. But honestly that isn't as important as how God sees them, who knows everyone's heart. If GOD views them as being once saved and has now fallen away, who's definition actually counts? Hint: not yours.


People do not just walk away from God and deny his salvation. I was a prodigal son for 5 years. in all that time, i never denied he was my faith or I needed saved, I just lost faith in him for my daily life.
To be sure there are prodigal children. I was one too. But just because we never really left God doesn't mean there aren't people who left Him entirely and won't come back. The Bible says it happens and it named names as examples. We cannot ignore those verses just because they're unpleasant. This is important to face because there will be more people who will leave God, especially when the antichrist appears.


🐛
 

2ndTimeIsTheCharm

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I use the old saying, on any difficult passage. Study to show yourself approved.

Also. the word can not contradict.

The bible can not say you will never die, live forever. and have eternal life

Then say you can still die, you may not live forever. and you do not have eternal life.

Only one can be true.. so when I read difficult passages. I do all I can to make them agree,,

If you study to show yourself approved you wouldn't ignore verses you don't like.

The possibility of a Christian falling away and God not ever leaving or separating from us DOES harmonize. They're actually not in contradiction with each other.

Let's say you really love your wife and you know in your heart that you will never leave her. But then your wife starts to distance herself from you and stops spending as much time with you as she used to. Then the arguments begin and she pays less and less attention to you. And the relationship gets worse. You love her so much that you do everything in you to reconcile with her that's within legal means of course, and outside of forcing her. But she is still unwilling. Then one day she tells you she wants a divorce. You never made the move to leave her - SHE is the one who left you in that relationship.

It's the same process as with a Christian who falls away. It's sad but it happens and that's why God talks about it in the Bible and tells us how to avoid it. It's so easy!

Jude 1:21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

That verse wouldn't be in the Bible if God took away our free will and programmed us to stay instead.


🐛
 

Everlasting-Grace

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It is up to the farmer what he does with his livestock. In your wallet you have money? Who chooses which dollars you save and which you spend? Do you give each dollar a chance to be saved?
We can say this

But my reputation is at stake.

If I claim I love all of my livestock. And tell all of my farmhands they also must have perfect love for all the animals, Yet do not show that love to all my livestock. I am not practicing what I preach.
 

Everlasting-Grace

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No you really didn't because then you wrote this:
Yes i did.

And those comments still stand.

Eternal life (to live forever) is given the moment one believes. Nothing changes that.



I already said that God had given us free will that will never be taken away from us. There have already been people who chose to walk away from God in the Bible so we shouldn't ignore that. God will certainly try to encourage people thinking about leaving to stay, but will let a person go if they are determined to leave.
They were never saved, You can say they were. and that's fine, But God says they were never saved. You do not lose faith in someone who never let you down, unless you never had true faith to begin with.

A dog returns to his vomit because he is a dog.. Not because he was converted to a sheep and decided he wanted to be a dog again.

I think we can both agree they will not be in heaven..

We just differ on if they were ever truly born again or not.

Our relationship with God is not monergistic. It is actually synergistic. It is a relationship of cooperation where God does the brunt of the work. All we need to do is abide in Him and not resist His work.
Amen,

But we are talking salvation here. Not sanctification.

Those are two different subjects.

I am saved forever 9eternal life sealed by the spirit of promise)

But my life and my relationship with God varies from day to day..

If it was monergistic then God would have full control of us. And that would mean that we would all embrace the same doctrine and behave the same way and mature at a steady rate according to the Lord's expectations. BUT WE DON'T. We all DO NOT hold to the same teachings and behave accordingly and maturity at the steady rate God expects of us. Do you know why? It's because we all still have free will and God will never force us to do things or believe the things He wants us to. If you don't want to believe the many verses in the Bible (which is very dangerous thing to do by the way) about that then at least believe it from seeing the actual results in real life.

I mean, just look at this forum with so many different views from professing Christians (I'm not counting the trolls). If our walk with God is monergistic, we would all be in complete agreement with each other.
Again I agree.

I see 3 different gospels (way to heaven)

but there are many doctrines outside the gospel

The gospel is how we are saved,

all the rest are basic instructions of life..

think of it this way, we were children of satan, God adopted us into his family

Outside the family, we have no relationship or even the possibility

Once we are adopted. He becomes our father.. Everything else relates to this.

A sheep can walk away. But God leaves the flock and goes after that sheep. His sheep hear his voice and he comes..

That was me 15 years ago when I walked away from the church. God knew when to come after me, and when he did. I returned.

I did not stop being his child.. God never left me.. he said he would never leave nor forsake me no matter what.




This is why I don't believe you really read anything I wrote. Just because you say that apostate people never knew Christ and are therefore never Christians - that is just your view from a very limited standpoint. But honestly that isn't as important as how God sees them, who knows everyone's heart. If GOD views them as being once saved and has now fallen away, who's definition actually counts? Hint: not yours.
But I did read what you wrote.

The bible says they were never saved..

God does not make mistakes. he is not going to save a person and give them eternal life KNOWING in ten years that person will walk away and give him the finger. and have to take his gift back.

You do not fall away from being saved, You fall away from the ability to be saved, Once a person is enlightened, if they harden their heart again after walking up to the line, and turn away, they will never come back.. Thats why they can never be renewed to repentance..


To be sure there are prodigal children. I was one too. But just because we never really left God doesn't mean there aren't people who left Him entirely and won't come back. The Bible says it happens and it named names as examples. We cannot ignore those verses just because they're unpleasant. This is important to face because there will be more people who will leave God, especially when the antichrist appears.


🐛
I can not ignore the promise of God either, Or who he is,

Again, John said they were never of us,, I must agree with John here..
 

Everlasting-Grace

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If you study to show yourself approved you wouldn't ignore verses you don't like.
Now your going to far, and are stoping any form of discussion and starting to become unreasonable.

I do not ignore them, I learn how to interpret them correctly. and not interpret them so that they agree with my belief system.
The possibility of a Christian falling away and God not ever leaving or separating from us DOES harmonize. They're actually not in contradiction with each other.
No it does not.

It says we have conditional life not eternal life

It says the seal of the spirit is not until the day of redemption, but until the day we walk away

it says we can still die after we eat the bread from heaven

it says salvation is not a gift that is freely given, but a reward for work done.



Let's say you really love your wife and you know in your heart that you will never leave her. But then your wife starts to distance herself from you and stops spending as much time with you as she used to. Then the arguments begin and she pays less and less attention to you. And the relationship gets worse. You love her so much that you do everything in you to reconcile with her that's within legal means of course, and outside of forcing her. But she is still unwilling. Then one day she tells you she wants a divorce. You never made the move to leave her - SHE is the one who left you in that relationship.
I am still married to her, he can leave me all she wants, it does not mean I have to grant the divorce.

It's the same process as with a Christian who falls away. It's sad but it happens and that's why God talks about it in the Bible and tells us how to avoid it. It's so easy!
No it is not.. God does not divorce his people.. You were bought by his sons blood. that can not be broken.
Jude 1:21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

That verse wouldn't be in the Bible if God took away our free will and programmed us to stay instead.


🐛
I am not calvinist. I believe in free will. Please do not try to put me in a calvinist shoes.

I believe in free will. I just reject any notion a person who has truly experienced Gods love and salvation would reject and deny him, and that those who do reject and deny him after claiming the knew him were never saved.. for as John said, if they were of us, they never would have left.

1 John 2: 18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.


20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you[e] know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.


22
Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
 

Everlasting-Grace

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You know what? It would be extremely interesting for someone to start a thread regarding the two judgements written about in the Bible: the Judgment Seat of Christ Judgment and the Great White Throne Judgment.
I can start one, Unless you have already..
 

Pilgrimshope

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You are the one you are waiting for.
Especially since

“And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭10:42‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭17:30-

“But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, And every tongue shall confess to God.

So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭14:10-12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:”
‭‭John‬ ‭5:22‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24:14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, ( by the sons word ) pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.”
‭‭John‬ ‭12:48-50‬ ‭KJV‬‬


“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:10-11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die,

but after this the judgment:”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭9:27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭20:12-13, 15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The book of life

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
‭‭John‬ ‭5:24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

they are accepting the gospel now because his words are the judgements of God and so they aren’t facing a judgement of the dead later thier acceptong Christs judgements ( his word his teachings in the gospel ) now they are confessing to God now rather than later

“every tounge shall confess everyone must give account “

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:9-10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Christian’s can deal with sin now through repentance and remission but there’s the same judgement for all mankind
 

2ndTimeIsTheCharm

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Feb 17, 2023
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Yes i did.

And those comments still stand.

Eternal life (to live forever) is given the moment one believes. Nothing changes that.
No you really didn't.

Eternal life is in Jesus and not separate from Him. If a person leaves Him, that person no longer has eternal life

1 John 5:11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.


They were never saved, You can say they were. and that's fine, But God says they were never saved. You do not lose faith in someone who never let you down, unless you never had true faith to begin with.
How come you don't site Bible verses to defend your case? You're referring to Matthew 7:21-23 by the way. To me, these are just fake Christians. But there are verses by Jesus Himself that show He thought of apostate people as once Christians.


Bible Verses Where Jesus Acknowledges an Apostate Person was Once Saved

The Seed that Falls on Rocky Places

In the parable of the four soils, Jesus talks about the seed that falls on rocky places:

Matthew 13:20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

Mark 4:16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.

Luke 8:13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.

As you can see in all three gospels, when Jesus tells this parable, Jesus actually sees them as having been formerly saved because these people receive the word with joy and did endure for a while.

Also note that these people fell away due to tribulation, persecution and temptation. The Bible does tell us that there will be a great falling away when the great tribulation starts!


The Five Virgins Who Didn't Have Oil for Their Lamps

Matthew 25:6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘ No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.

The difference between this set of people as compared to the fakers in Matthew 7:21-23, the Greek words used in these verses are different from those used in the former. The Greek phrase here is οὐκ οἶδα ὑμᾶς which means, "I do not know you now." Jesus used to know these people, but due to neglect on their part, He didn't know them anymore. They were saved before because these were virgins dressed up for the wedding feast and were waiting for the bridegroom just like the wise virgins. They got careless though and for whatever reason, they no longer topped up their lamps with oil like the wise virgins did.

But observe what the bridegroom said and did - He said "I don't know you" AND wouldn't open the door! And this is a parable coming from the Lord.


The Unfaithful Servant

Luke 12:42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

The unfaithful servant is a person who was saved and serving God. But for whatever, because he thinks the Master is taking too long, this person got careless and stopped living the way his Master wanted him to. The Master was of course not pleased when He found his servant in the fallen state that he was in and actually punished him and cast him out among the unbelievers!

These are all examples straight from Jesus Himself of people who He viewed as saved but had fallen away. Later on when the other NT books were being written, the NT writers talked about people who fell away and named names.

I think I'll stop here so that the focus will be on Jesus' view of apostates and the fact that He DID view them as having been once saved.


🐛