How many times can a person be a "Prodigal Son" ??

Hammster

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1 John is supposed to be the test.
Here’s a good one as well.


You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.
— Matthew 7:16-20
 
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Ceallaigh

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Here’s a good one as well.


You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.
— Matthew 7:16-20
1 John goes into a lot more detail. John wrote it in order that we might know that we are saved. Lordship Salavation teachers often go through 1 John as a blueprint.
 
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Hammster

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1 John goes into a lot more detail. John wrote it in order that we might know that that we are saved. Lordship Salavation teachers often go through 1 John.
I know. But my point is that it’s all through scripture. Those who hold to easy believeism (free grace) miss the teaching of fruitfulness.
 
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Ceallaigh

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I know. But my point is that it’s all through scripture. Those who hold to easy believeism (free grace) miss the teaching of fruitfulness.
I don't think they miss it. At least not the ones who teach it extensively and write books about it. What they do is offer an interpretation of those verses in a way that aligns with Free Grace theology. Or really the theology of Monergism.
 
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Hammster

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I don't think they miss it. At least not the ones who teach it extensively and write books about it. What they do is offer an interpretation of those verses in a way that aligns with Free Grace theology. Or really the theology of Monergism.
It’s not monergism. It’s a distortion of synergism.
 
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Ceallaigh

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It’s not monergism. It’s a distortion of synergism.
How so? From what I've heard from free grace teachers, there's not to be any synergism involved whatsoever after justification.
 
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Hammster

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How so? From what I've heard from free grace teachers, there's not to be any synergism involved whatsoever after justification.
Monergism is regeneration before faith. I doubt that’s what free grace teaches.
 
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d taylor

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d taylor

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Free Grace teaches the only Biblically supported, how to know a person has received God's free gift of Eternal Life. They (free grace) place the security on, God's promise that all who believe has received Eternal Life and is a born again child of God and has crossed over from death to life.


All other theological beliefs place the trust you are saved on to the person, look at what you have done and look at what you are doing. That always brings about a gospel of doubt in a persons life. Am i saved today but tomorrow i may fall away, then i am not saved. A back and forth merry-go-round going from saved to not saved, kind of also like picking the flowers from a petal, she/he loves she/he loves me not.
 
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Ceallaigh

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Free Grace teaches the only Biblically supported, how to know a person has received God's free gift of Eternal Life. They place the security on God's promise that all who believe has received Eternal Life and is a born again child of God and has crossed over from death to life.


All other theological beliefs place the trust you are saved on to the person, look at what you have done and look at what you are doing. That always brings about a gospel of doubt in a persons life. Am i saved today but tomorrow i may fall away, then i am not saved. A back and forth merry-go-round going from saved to not saved, kind of also like picking the flowers from a petal, she/he loves she/he loves me not.
I've found the back and forth and unclear parameters a problem. It seems to go from daily near sinless perfection to just not living like the devil, depending on who's teaching it.
 
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Hammster

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johnjanuary1984

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If you do not even believe a easy to understand verse like John 5:24. Which states when a person believes in The Messiah they receive God's free gift of Eternal Life and cross over from death to life.

Why waste time on other verses that address the believers life in Christ.


The Bible says both. Both are true. Here is a Pastor that acknowledged this truth. Short vid.

 
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d taylor

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Your view is synergism.

No both of these theological thoughts have work in their ideas.

There is no work in free grace, just the passive action of belief in God's promise of Eternal Life to all who will trust in The Messiah. Free grace simply believes a promise made by God.
 
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Hammster

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No both of these theological thoughts have work in their ideas.

There is no work in free grace, just the passive action of belief in God's promise of Eternal Life to all who will trust in The Messiah. Free grace simply believes a promise made by God.
In free grace theology, which comes first, regeneration or faith?
 
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d taylor

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In free grace theology, which comes first, regeneration or faith?

There is no span of time (that could be measured, to say one comes before the other) at the very moment of faith a person is born again.
 
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Hammster

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There is no span of time (that could be measured, to say one comes before the other) at the very moment of faith a person is born again.
Then you answered my question. Faith must happen before regeneration can happen. That’s synergism.
 
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Hammster

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No it is like, touching a hot stove top what happens first the touch or the burn.
The touch. If you don’t touch it, you don’t get burned. So yes, your theology is synergism.
 
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Will God allow a person to be a "Prodigal Son" 77 times?? I'm referring to Matthew 18:22.

Can a person who has had a roller coaster relationship with Jesus through out their life still be saved on their death bed ??

Example = a person who grew up in a Christian home, but at the same time he experienced and witnessed and participated in many sins through out their life.

Another example= from age 13-40 they lived a very INCONSISTENT lifestyle. Some of those years they tried their best to obey the 10 commandments, but other years they completely ignored God and the 10 commandments .

Can a person like this be saved ???

Was their faith ever genuine ???

Does Matthew 18:22 apply to inconsistent christian's ?
Great topic. I recommend Ezekial 18:21-32, especially in the NIV (the whole chapter is good though). God allows U-turns that are sincere.
 
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