Question 1
WBC-
I feel like I know that it’s by grace through faith, and I know that you hold to TULIP, so maybe I can figure out how that goes with works through reading more and praying about it.
Is there a level of deliberate, grievous sin (after coming to the knowledge of the truth) that won’t be forgiven upon repentance? I’m thinking of 2 Peter 2:22, Esau’s birthright, etc. I know that some of them land people in ex-communication, but is restoration always welcome for someone who repents, or only for certain sins?
Also, if I’m elect, will God most definitely get me there and saved? I worry about oil for lamps and the wedding garment…
Answer 1
#1 – If you willfully sin after knowledge of the truth, you will receive more stripes; don’t bog down in “levels of sin.” Keep it simple; obey.
#2 – God is not willing that any of the usward should perish; all come to repentance and the Captain leads all of his elect to glory-keep it simple; obey. The usward is identified at the beginning of the letter! WHO did Peter write to. READ IT, OBEY!
Question 2
If someone joined your church, and you found that they committed fornication like the man in 1 Corinthians 5 who was kicked out, could they repent and return to fellowship, or would that sin be unforgivable at that point, having joined the congregation and then sinned in such a way?
Answer 2
We are NOT the FBI – HOW would we find out? We are not about checking you out! YIKES! God knows all. We don’t lay hands on (as in to baptize) anyone to be a member of this church until we see with our eyes that you TODAY, have TODAY, an orderly walk! That you obey and you have a sincere desire to serve God in truth! If you don’t have that and the Holy Spirit that guides us into all truth does not give us a comfort that this is the right thing to do, you will never be a member of this church!
The beautiful thing here is that the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is not a human institution. YOU cannot trick God! All things are naked and open before the eyes of HIM with whom we have to do. So any rebel that thinks they are going to trick God, is sadly mistaken.
We have attained to a better day, in that we do a better job, by the mercy and guidance, of our God, to pay attention to the orderly walk better than in the past. We are the porters, the keepers of the doors of the House of the Lord! We seek the Lord and ask, and per his plain promises, he shows us out of the very mouths and actions of the rebels that they are rebels, and he shows us out of the mouths and actions of the sheep, that they are sheep.
We humbly thank our God and strive to be worthy of that calling! Knowing that if we do not get help from God, we will fail! Or as they say on Twitter, #FailWhale
If you ARE to be a member of this church, the LAST thing in this world we give a HOOT about is what you did before you received saving faith! GOD says that HE will never mention any of those actions again, so you can write it down, that his servants will certainly do the same! WE DON’T CARE! I don’t know how to say that any plainer!
Thanks for asking.