Nope. "Tasted" does not indicate a full experience of the "heavenly gift." "Partakers" means "partner with" and many "tares"
Hi Aiki
You quote and then write the following:
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Hebrews 6:4-6 (WEB)
4 For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were
made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, 6
and then fell away, it is impossible to
renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame.
The persons described here are those who repented and partook of the Holy Spirit. Only those who believe receive the Holy Spirit.
Aiki responds to the above as follows:
Nope. "Tasted" does not indicate a full experience of the "heavenly gift." "Partakers" means "partner with"
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setst RE:
Partakers of the Holy Spirit means they also shared in the Spirit not just partnered with.
For instance:
Hebrews 3:1 (WEB)
3 Therefore, holy brothers,
partakers of a heavenly calling
These brothers are not just partnering with the heavenly calling; rather, they are sharing in that calling - they are actually included in it.
2 Peter 1:4 (WEB)
4 by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature
We are not just partnering with the divine nature; rather, we share in it.
1 Corinthians 10:17 (WEB)
17 Because there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all
partake of the one loaf of bread.
Notice they all partake of the one loaf of bread. They are not just partners with the bread; rather,
they all share in eating it.
Likewise, there is only one Spirit, but Christians are partakers of the Spirit -
they share in the Spirit as the body of Christ.
In summary, this Passage is talking about those who were saved, and then become lost.
Aiki quotes and writes:
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Galatians 5:1-4 (NKJV)
1
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be
entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
But to return to law-observance, as the Judaizers wanted, would be to forsake this wonderful grace, to leave it and the freedom it obtained for the Galatian Christians. It is, then, not from salvation the Galatians would fall if they returned to the OT law of the Judaizers, but from the liberty from the yoke of the OT law
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setst RE:
The Galatians were to "
stand fast" in the liberty by which
Christ has made us free
Notice "Christ has made
us free" - speaking to Christians "
us"
When Christ makes
us free, that is referring to salvation.
Romans 6:22
22 But now that you have been
set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and
the result is eternal life.
Notice Paul warns these believers do not be
entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Which means they had been set free from bondage by Christ but are endanger of losing their salvation by becoming bound
again.
Aiki quotes and writes:
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Romans 8 (NIV)
12 Therefore,
brothers and sisters,
we have an obligation —
but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but
if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
Verse 13, then, is simply summarizing (and contrasting) the consequences of living as a lost or a saved person.
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setst RE: Not at all. Paul states:
Romans 8:12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation
The
obligation of the
"we" is for what Paul writes to them as a warning in the rest of that Passage, which includes not to live according to the flesh or they will die.
And the other part of that obligation is that they have must live by the Spirit to live
Aiki quotes and writes:
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Galatians 5 (WEB)
24
Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit.
I don't see any SAL teaching here...Where's the threat of salvation lost?
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setst RE: Look at the beginning of verse
24 "
Those who belong to Christ." Only those who are saved belong to Christ. Paul is specifically addressing those who belong to Christ. And we know they are saved because they have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts, but only
IF they continue to live by the Spirit, walking in the Spirit.
Their continued salvation is, therefore, conditional on living and walking by the Spirit.
Aiki quotes and writes:
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Galatians 6:8 For he who
sows to his own flesh will from the flesh
reap corruption. But he who
sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit
reap Eternal Life.
Again, no mention of salvation lost, only a contrast between the fleshly living of the lost and the Spirit-centered living of the saved.
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setst RE:
Paul is addressing Christians in this whole Passage and sums up in verse 9 "
Let us."
Paul starts out by telling the reader not to be deceived in verse 7.
Deceived from what? Paul explains, that a man
reaps what you sows. "Reaping is not teaching about the Spirit indwelling them, because Paul's audience, the Christians, have the Spirit. Even so, we (Christians) must
sow to or obey the Spirit to
reap receive eternal life.
Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.
A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Paul then sums up by stating verse 9...
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will
reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Notice that Paul in
verse 9 is still addressing them as Christians, "
Let us," and still using the word
"reap" to summarize his warning telling them not to be weary in doing good so they
reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Once again,
reaping a harvest in
verse 9 is understood in the context of
verse 8 reaping to the Spirit to receive Eternal Life -
reaping a harvest
Notice that the
condition is that
we must not give up in
reaping to the Spirit...
"we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Aiki quotes and writes:
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Romans 11 (WEB) Bolding mine… 19 You will say then, “
Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.” 20 True; by their unbelief
they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don’t be conceited, but fear; 21 for if God didn’t spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness;
otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 They also, if they don’t continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
This passage speaks to the arrogance of the Gentiles toward the Jews, urging them to remain humble about their God-adopted status in light of the fact that God has the power to cut-off the Gentile nations just He has cut off the Israelite nation.
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setst RE:
First of all, in all due respect, your whole point fails because God's election and calling of Israel is irrevocable just as Paul sums up in
Romans 11:28-29
Romans 11:28-29
28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake;
but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.
So Paul cannot be teaching that Israel can be broken off.
Secondly: this whole Passage is teaching about salvation:
Romans 11:11 Rather, because of their transgression,
salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and
their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!
Romans 11:11 is the backdrop for the analogy of the Holy Root and the Branches.
Thirdly, in the very next verse, Paul states that the branches represent individuals...
Romans 11:11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the
Gentiles (Plural) to make Israel envious.
Paul introduces the lesson about the Holy Root and the branches, by referring to Gentiles - not Gentile nations...
Fourthly, Paul summarizes his analogy of the Holy Root and the branches by
again defining the branches grafted in as Gentiles (Plural) - not Gentile nations.
Romans 11:25
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery,
brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the
full number of the Gentiles has come in
Notice - not Gentile nations, but full number of Gentiles.
Only as Jews are Christians remain faithful do they remain in Elect Israel.
Fifthly, why would this Passage be referring to nations??? How many nations of Israel are there? Notice Paul states "Branches were broken off." If branch refers to nation, then why were branches (nations of Israel) broken off?
Sixthly: And why should I be lost, if the Gentile nation I live in is not faithful? I guess if that were true, I should be more than afraid, I should be terrified!
And if Paul is saying the Church or nations can be broken off, are you saying that a whole nation is broken off for the sins of sum in that nation. That is irrational.
So, in summary, Paul is warning us Gentiles who are grafted in by faith to
remain faithful, and that we should
be afraid, because we are responsible for remaining faithful or we will be cut off.