- Jul 2, 2018
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I don't believe that we can by an act of our own free will, undo what only God can do in the first place....Which brings us to another thread's question of time travel. I believe God has access to all of time, all of the time (yet another discussion). I also believe that God's knowing everything that's going to happen, doesn't mean He causes those things to happen. So, He watches Joe go to church and come to believe, and God writes Joe's name in the book of life. Joe after many years backslides, falling deeper and deeper into sin. No matter how deep Joe sinks he's still saved - until that point satan puts him in a position of having to confirm his faith. Joe then abandons belief and denies Christ.
God then goes back in 'our time' and erases Joe's name from the Book, making to be as if it were never there from the beginning.
Time goes on and eventually we'll meet our maker and the Book will be opened. Joe's name won't be there, just as if it never was. But clearly, in our time line at least, it was at one point there.
OK, Peter denied Christ. 3 times to be exact. But he never stopped believing in Him. That's part of the equation. Joe stopped believing. That's the difference between backsliding and apostasy. One is not walking the walk. The other is denying there IS a Walk.
I bolded these statements from your post.
"... Joe then abandons belief and denies Christ."
"... God... erases Joe's name from the Book..."
"... Peter denied Christ. 3 times to be exact."
I don't think it works that way. We cannot CHOOSE reprobation by an act of our own will. Christ leaves the ninety-nine and goes after the one. He would not do that if the one could leave the fold permanently of its own free will.
Do we not spend our lives essentially denying Christ? (for the most part) It seems that we receive him bit by bit as we learn to trust him. All the OTHER bits are how we deny him.
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