Once Saved Always Saved? Part 2 of 2

(Continued)

Now, concerning Heb 6:4-8, there are different interpretations. The main ones include:

1. Those in Heb 6:4-8 are Christians who have fallen away and lost their salvation;
2. They are Jews who have tried Christianity but returned to Judaism;
3. This passage talks about the loss of rewards for backsliders but not the loss of salvation;
4. This is a hypothetical case to warn Christians about the dangers of apostasy, but it did not happen.

I will discuss each briefly and then tell my position:

Saved and then lost. This assumes that Christians are preserved by their perseverance. If they endure, they are saved. If they don’t, they will be lost. But according to:

• 1 Pet 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Christians are protected by God’s power, not the strength of their perseverance. So, this interpretation is not valid.

Jews who are not yet Christians. According to this view, these are seekers who tasted the goodness of the gospel but never embraced it and returned to the law when they faced trials. Let’s check what they have experienced to see if they are believers:

Enlightened. To give light, to shine, light up, or illumine. The same Greek verb phōtizō occurs one more time in Heb 10:32 But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings.

So, the group in Heb 6 enjoyed the same enlightenment as the Christians in Heb 10.

Tasted of the heavenly gift (v 4), tasted the good word of God (v 5), tasted the powers of the age to come (v 5). Tasted translates the Greek verb geuomai, which means to try the flavor of, partake of, or enjoy. Heavenly gift is not further defined. Some suggest it to be the free “gift of God” (Rom 6:23) or eternal life. Others believe the gift is grace (Eph 2:8). Some interpret “the word of God” as the Scriptures or the gospel. Some equate “the powers of the age to come” to be “signs and wonders and various miracles” (Heb 2:4). This school contends that since the Heb 6 group only “tasted” the benefits of belief but did not swallow them, they were only seekers but not yet believers. However, besides Heb 6:4 and 5, tasted also occurs in Heb 2:9 But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

Jesus did not just “taste” death partially. He died the most cruel death invented by men, for men! Hence, the premise that “tasted” falls short of full participation is not substantiated.

Partakers of the Holy Spirit. Greek adjective metochos. Sharing in, or a partner in a work or office. Some interpret this to be sharing or having fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Again, this word’s other usage in Heb indicates otherwise:

• Heb 3:1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle, and High Priest of our confession;
• Heb 3:14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,
• Heb 12:8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

If a person shares in the heavenly calling, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Father’s discipline, having a part with all three Persons of the Trinity, he is an insider, not an outsider! Heb 6:4 is particularly relevant because of Rom 8:9b, “But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”

My conclusion based on the evidence is that these are not just Jews but Christians.

Lose rewards but not salvation. Proponents claim that the writer of Hebrews is not talking about losing salvation in chapter 6, only the rewards of salvation. What does the text say? We have already examined what these people experienced in v 4-5 to be part of the salvation process. What about v 6? Fallen away translates the Greek verb parapiptō, which means to deviate from the right path, turn aside, wander, to error. It occurs only once in the NT in Heb 6:6. What is the outcome of this falling away from true faith? It is impossible to renew them again to repentance. They have repented before. If they fall away, they cannot renew their repentance again. Repentance from what? The word repentance is the Greek noun metanoia, translated uniformly as repentance in the KJV, a change of mind or reversal of decision. Of particular interest is its occurrence in Hebrews besides v 6:

• Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
• Heb 12:17 For you know that even afterward when he (Esau) desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

Both were genuine repentance, not false. I conclude that Heb 6:6 is about the consequence of falling away from faith in God, not just rewards not even specified in the entire paragraph.

Hypothetical for warning. This school contends that this verse presents a hypothetical case based on KJV (NKJV, RSV):

• Heb 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

They believe the “if” in “if they shall fall away” is a matter of possibility, but had not happened. Opponents point out that the premise does not stand, as there is no “if” in Greek. The phrase is a participle and can be translated as “having fallen away” (see Interlinear). Another objection is, “If this were hypothetical, why bother warning someone against something that can’t happen?”

Nevertheless, there is some merit in this interpretation given:

• Heb 6:9 But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.

My view is that of the four common interpretations, the first three have serious difficulties. I am not fully satisfied with the fourth, but the problems are less serious than the others. My interpretation principles are to start with exegesis instead of imposing a theological system to explain an idea, and to use clear passages to clarify more obscure verses.

On balance, I believe the “once saved, always saved” view to be valid, as this article tried to demonstrate.

J’s Baptism

I baptized our daughter’s father-in-law with both joy and sadness. We are joyful because:

• Lk 15:7 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

J had been angry with God since his first wife died from cancer. We tried to share the good news with him, but he declined and asked us not to talk to him about it again.

We are sad because he was diagnosed with cancer last year but decided against chemotherapy due to his age. Initially, he was mobile, but his condition deteriorated rapidly over the last couple of months. Last week our son-in-law Chris visited him and shared the gospel with him. God softened his heart, and he received Christ as his Lord and Savior. Chris asked if he likes to be baptized, to which he agreed. Since he was confined to his bed, I confirmed his faith and administered baptism by sprinkling. His daughter cried joyful tears as she witnessed her dad’s confession of faith.

All of us have only one life to live. Some live to their eighties and nineties, while others have only a short sojourn on earth. But all of us, without exception, eventually pass away. Some are wise to recognize that the visible is only temporary:

• 2 Co 4:18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

They realize that their decisions in this life affect not just the here and now but have eternal consequences too. They choose to put their trust in Jesus like J and are received into His kingdom.

Unfortunately, despite their being smart in worldly things, others reject the invitations from their Christian friends and relatives to follow Christ. They ignore the only way that would save them from eternal punishment. J repented in time, but some of our family members, friends, classmates, and former colleagues have yet to do so. God is gracious and gives opportunity after opportunity, but only during this lifetime. I pray that it will not be too late for them.

Moses’ Blessings (Part 2 of 2)

(Continued)

4. Simeon had declined and was unworthy to receive a blessing. Let’s compare Simeon’s warrior’s headcount in Numbers 1 (the first generation) and 26 (the next generation):

	Tribe	Num 1	Num 26	+/-	%
1	Reuben	46,500	43,730	-2,770	-6.0%
2	Simeon	59,300	22,200	-37,100	-62.6%
3	Gad	45,650	40,500	-5,150	-11.3%
4	Judah	74,600	76,500	1,900	2.5%
5	Issachar	54,400	64,300	9,900	18.2%
6	Zebulun	57,400	60,500	3,100	5.4%
7	Ephraim	40,500	32,500	-8,000	-19.8%
8	Manasseh	32,200	52,700	20,500	63.7%
9	Benjamin	35,400	45,600	10,200	28.8%
10	Dan	62,700	64,400	1,700	2.7%
11	Asher	41,500	53,400	11,900	28.7%
12	Naphtali	53,400	45,400	-8,000	-15.0%
	Total	603,550	601,730	-1,820	-0.3%

Simeon had decreased by 63% from forty years ago and became the smallest and weakest tribe. Some linked this to Israel’s Baal worship at Shittim in Num 25, which made the Lord angry and punished the Israelites with a plague:

• Num 25:8b-9 So the plague on the sons of Israel was checked. Those who died by the plague were 24,000.
• Num 25:14 Now the name of the slain man of Israel who was slain with the Midianite woman was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of a father’s household among the Simeonites.

Zimri playing the harlot with the Midianite woman led to the plague, but that was not the sole cause of Simeon’s decline, as they dropped over forty years. All 24,000 who died by the plague were Israelites but only a portion was Simeonites. Idolatry was a factor but not the only reason for the omission of blessings.

5. The tribe of Simeon was not blessed by Moses because Simeon was cursed by his father Jacob:

Gen 49:5-7 Simeon and Levi are brothers; Their swords are implements of violence. Let my soul not enter into their council; Let not my glory be united with their assembly; Because in their anger they slew men, And in their self-will they lamed oxen. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel. I will disperse them in Jacob, And scatter them in Israel.

The curse was a result of Simeon’s and Levi’s violence and cruelty in their revenge for Shechem raping their sister Dinah:

• Gen 34:25 Now it came about on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came upon the city unawares, and killed every male.
• Gen 34:27 Jacob’s sons came upon the slain and looted the city because they had defiled their sister.

Some objected to this explanation as Levi was also cursed by Jacob, yet Moses blessed the tribe. I believe Moses blessed the Levites because they repented:

• Ex 32:26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered together to him.
• Num 25:10-13 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the sons of Israel in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in My jealousy. Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give him My covenant of peace; and it shall be for him and his descendants after him, a covenant of a perpetual priesthood because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the sons of Israel.’”

During the golden calf and the sin of Peor incidents, it was the Levites who stood for the Lord. True, they were dispersed in Israel as they did not receive a land inheritance like the other tribes, only 48 cities scattered throughout Israel, but they redeemed themselves to serve God.

The Simeonites, in contrast, did nothing to show their repentance, hence their decline. Simeon received land only from Judah’s allotment, unlike the other tribes. Therefore I believe a combination of 4) and 5) above to be the best explanation for Moses omitting to bless Simeon.

Moses’ Blessings (Part 1 of 2)

Q. Why did Moses only bless ten tribes (Reuben, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin) before his death in Deut 33? Simeon and Issachar were left out.

A. Moses blessed eleven tribes in Deut 33:

1. Reuben v6,
2. Judah v7,
3. Levi v8-11,
4. Benjamin v12,
5. Joseph v13-17,
6. Zebulun v18-19,
7. Issachar v18-19,
8. Gad v20-21,
9. Dan v22,
10. Naphtali v23,
11. Asher v24-25.

V18-19 referred to Zebulun and Issachar together (notice “they” three times). Only Simeon is missing. Why? Several explanations have been proposed, some more satisfactory than others. I have listed the five most common ones over the years. The first three proposals suggest a positive solution that Moses did bless Simeon, but in an embedded form. The last two propose a negative reason why Simeon was omitted.

1. Simeon’s blessing was included in Judah’s, just as Simeon’s land was amid Judah’s:

Josh 19:1 Then the second lot fell to Simeon, to the tribe of the sons of Simeon according to their families, and their inheritance was amid the inheritance of the sons of Judah.

Josh 19:9 The inheritance of the sons of Simeon was taken from the portion of the sons of Judah, for the share of the sons of Judah was too large for them; so the sons of Simeon received an inheritance amid Judah’s inheritance.

While Simeon’s land was taken from Judah’s, that was explicitly stated. Here there was no mention, so I find this argument weak.

2. Simeon’s blessing was included in Levi’s. When you read Deut 33:8 and 10, they clearly relate to Levi:

Deut 33:8a Of Levi he said, “Let Your Thummim and Your Urim belong to Your godly man

Deut 33:10 They shall teach Your ordinances to Jacob, And Your law to Israel. They shall put incense before You, And whole burnt offerings on Your altar.

The Thummim and Urim were used by the high priest. Teaching the law, burning incense, and offering sacrifices were the work of priests, who are of the tribe of Levi. But when commentators come to Deut 33:11, they do not see any direct linkage to Levi. Accordingly, they suggested that v11 applies to Simeon, as Simeon and Levi were close brothers and often worked as a cohort. I find the supporting evidence weak.

3. Simeon’s blessing was included in Israel’s overall blessing in Deut 33:26-29, including:

God coming to her help v26,

God driving out her enemy v27,

Security and abundance v28

Saved by the Lord as her shield and sword v29.

Again this is an argument from silence and not convincing.

(To be continued)

Baptized to be Saved?

Q. Do you have to be baptized to be ‘saved’?

No. To be saved is by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. It is not based on what we do, including getting baptized. Before I provide the scriptural evidence, let me state two basic rules of bible interpretation:

• Let what’s clear explain what’s ambiguous. God does not contradict Himself. So if a principle is clearly stated, allow it to elucidate the obscure.
• Interpret in context. Without context, you can twist any text into a pretext for heresy.

Now let us look at what salvation is based on. There are dozens of passages that clearly teach that salvation is by grace through faith. Let me cite some examples:

• Lk 7:50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
• Lk 8:12 Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart so that they will not believe and be saved.
• Acts 15:11 But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”
• Acts 16:31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
• Rom 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
• Eph 2:5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
• Eph 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
• 2 Thes 2:13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.
• 2 Tim 1:9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.
• 2 Tim 3:13 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings, which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
• Tit 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
• 1 Pet 1:9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

Note that being saved is consistently by the grace of God received through faith in Christ. Grace is God giving us what we do not deserve, in this case, eternal life. Faith is putting our trust in God and believing His word, not trying to earn our way to His favor by merit. God justifies us, i.e., declares us to be righteous when we take Him at His word by faith:

• Rom 3:28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.
• Rom 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
• Gal 2:16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
• Gal 3:11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.”
• Gal 3:24 Therefore, the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ so that we may be justified by faith.

All these passages show that being justified (to be saved) is by faith, not works. And works include baptism.

Then where does the idea of being baptized to be saved come from? The concept is called “baptismal regeneration” in theology and is based on the misinterpretation of several verses. I have inserted a short explanation using the two principles in the introduction to clarify each confusion:

• Mk 16:16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved, but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.

What is clear is that salvation depends on belief, since “believed” leads to “saved,” and “disbelieved” leads to “condemned.” This is consistent with the preponderance of the Bible’s teaching elsewhere. What is unclear is why “has been baptized” is also mentioned. Believe is a matter of the heart, the inward reality of whether a person trusts God. Being baptized is the outward sign, the person obeying the command to be baptized as a testimony of his faith. Baptism is a public declaration of his trusting Christ as His Lord and Savior. God gives him eternal life, not the baptism ceremony.

• Jn 3:5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Some confuse “born of water” with baptism. But the context is Nicodemus inquiring Jesus about being “born again” (v 3, 7). “Born of water” refers to the first birth from the mother’s womb, which gives only physical life. “Born of the Spirit” is being “born again,” which gives spiritual life. The water does not refer to baptism.

• Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Some confuse “be baptized” as the basis of “forgiveness of your sins,” but the Bible teaches the prerequisite is “repentance”:

• Lk 17:3-4 Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.
• Lk 24:47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed, in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
• Acts 8:22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.

Why “be baptized” then? Again, it is to show that repentance is genuine. How do you express your trust in Christ’s name? By obeying His command to get baptized and start following Him.

• Acts 22:16 Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.

Some claimed baptism washes away your sins, but that is not the case. I will use the following verse to explain:

• 1 Pet 3:21 Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In what sense does “baptism now saves you?” By washing away your sins? No. Baptism is NOT the removal of dirt (sin) from the flesh (sin nature). It is “an appeal to God for a good conscience,” or as the NIV has it, “the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” What saves us is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty for our sins. We receive that grace by responding to God from a clean conscience. We do that by calling on His name in faith.

So, while baptism is significant because it is part of the Lord’s Great Commission, the weight of NT evidence is that it is not a necessary condition for salvation. The repentant thief who was crucified with Jesus never got baptized, yet he was saved:

• Lk 23:42-43 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

Do not let people confuse you.

Carnal Christians?

Q. People use Romans 10:9 as a reason for not wanting to be bothered with apologetics Bible or studying the Bible! Are they Christians as mentioned in 1 Co 12:6 “There are different ways the Spirit works, but the same God is working in all these ways and in all people.” or are these the lukewarm Laodiceans that will be spit out (into the abyss)?

Should I be concerned? or should I be satisfied that they can go to heaven because of 1 Co 3:15 If the building burns up, the builder will lose everything. The builder will be saved, but only like one escaping through the flames. I pray that I do not end up in this category. Who are the builders escaping through the flames? The carnal Christians or the lukewarm Christians? 

A. Let us look at the verses you quoted or alluded to in turn:

• Rom 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Some argue that it says only “confess” and “believe”, nothing about “repent”. But what is a true confession?

• Ezra 10:11 Now therefore, make confession to the Lord God of your fathers and do His will; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.”
• Ezra 10:19 They pledged to put away their wives, and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their offense.

The Israelites not only confessed with their mouths, they followed it up with action to do God’s will. So, repentance is part and parcel of confession, without which the verbal confession is a sham.

• 1 Co 12:4-6 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. ⁶ There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.

The context is that of spiritual gifts. The same Holy Spirit gives varieties of gifts and ministries to different people. V 6 has nothing to do with repentance. There is no such thing as some need to repent while others are exempt.

• Rev 3:15-16 ‘I know your (church in Laodicea) deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.

Rev 3:16 does not say “into the abyss”. The abyss is where Satan and the beast dwell (Rev 9:11, 11:7, 17:8, 20:3). Do not add to the text (Rev 22:18). The Lord will spit or vomit them out of His mouth because they are lukewarm. Cold is refreshing and hot is healing, but lukewarm is nauseating. Some feel they are nominal Christians or unbelievers because they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. They need white garments (righteousness) to cover their nakedness, and eyes (spiritual eyes or minds) that they may see:

• 2 Co 4:4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Both are what unbelievers need. In addition, the Lord will reject them with disgust.

Others feel they are believers because the Lord was warning them. They were those whom He loves, reproves, and disciplines (v 19). And Scripture says,

• Heb 12:6 For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.

Had they been unbelievers, the Lord would have told them:

• Mt 7:23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

My opinion is that both nominal and compromising Christians are in the Laodicean church, hence the mixed description.

• 1 Co 3:15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

This judgment is referred to again in:

• 2 Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Some will be barely saved, but not their work, consisting of wood, hay, straw which will all be burned up. Nothing remains for the worker to receive any reward. These are Christians who have invested their lives in things that are worthless when measured in terms of eternity. They could be fruitful but have wasted their lives.

Lastly, carnal Christians:

• 1 Co 3:1-4 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. ² I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; ³ for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? ⁴ For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

Carnal Christians are immature believers, infants in Christ. They cannot understand deeper spiritual truths, and there is jealousy and strife among them.

Who are the builders escaping the flames in 1 Co 3:15? The preceding context in 1 Co 3 indicates that they are carnal Christians. As explained, the lukewarm church consists of Christians in name only, as well as carnal Christians. The former will not be saved; the latter will be saved but suffer loss of their life work.

Should you be concerned? You should be. Going to heaven is of course good, but like a loving Father, God wants us to achieve so much more than meeting the bare minimum requirement. All Christians should aim to be spiritual men and women:

• Mt 5:8 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

That is what pleases God.

Witnessing and Repentance

Q. When should I talk to the person I am witnessing to about repentance?

• As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore, and repent. (Rev.3:19)

Here is the conundrum. The gospel to gentiles is one of salvation by grace alone. People do not have any incentive to believe and accept Christ as Savior if they do not believe that they are sinners in need of a savior. Some people refuse to believe or accept Christ because they do not want to forsake their sinful lifestyles. What should I say to a stranger?
Ray Comfort of Living Waters says that if Christians do not repent, they are like the seeds fallen on shallow ground, grow up but wither in a hurry. Matthews 5:4 comes to mind. Might I say mourning means mourning for one’s sins? 

A. When John the Baptist and Jesus preached to crowds, they started by saying:

• Mt 3:2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
• Mt 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

But look at Jesus’ examples of speaking to individuals:

• Jn 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him (Nicodemus), “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
• Jn 4:7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”
• Mk 10:17 And Jesus said to him (rich young ruler), “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.”

His opening line is different in each case, but it piqued each one’s interest to pursue further.

What should you say to a stranger? I suggest you listen first. Find out where they are at. Speak on what interests them to arouse attention or curiosity, then transition the subject to the gospel. You need to talk about sin and repentance and faith, but not necessarily when you first open your mouth. Be natural, and be friendly, as people will shut you down if they sense you are out to corner them. Your interest in them earns you the right to share what is in your heart. Sure, there are plenty of people who refuse to accept Christ because they do not want to give up their sinful lifestyle, but conversion is the Holy Spirit’s work, not ours. Our job is to witness faithfully. The result is up to God.

I agree with what Ray Comfort said. The seeds that fell on rocky places are nominal Christians:

• Mt 13:20-21 The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹ yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.

Their refusal to repent shows that their “faith” is superficial, hence they withered away.

Read

• Mt 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

in the Amplified Bible:

• Mt 5:4 Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are those who mourn [over their sins and repent], for they will be comforted [when the burden of sin is lifted].

Your interpretation is valid.

Forgive?

Q. My ex-husband was a gambler who abused and abandoned us when our kids were small. I raised them up as a single mom and now that they are grown up, he wants to be reconciled, but there’s no sign that he changed at all. I’m afraid that he will just take advantage of us, and I don’t want my children to be hurt again. Should I take him back?

A. Hard as it is to accept, you should forgive him. Scripture is very clear about forgiving those who have hurt you:

• Mt 6:12, 14-15 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. … For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.
• Mt 18:21-22 Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
• Mt 18:33-35 Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”
• Mk 11:25-26 Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. [But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.”]
• Lk 7:47-48 For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.”
• Lk 11:4 ‘And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.’”
• Lk 17:3-4 Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”
• Eph 4:32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

These passages clearly state that our Father forgives us if and when we forgive those who transgress against us. If we do not forgive others, our Father will also withhold forgiveness from us, because our unforgiving shows that we have not truly repented. Repentance is not simply confessing with our mouth that we have done wrong, it is changing our minds to amend, to act, with abhorrence of our past sins. We are to show mercy just as God had mercy on us, otherwise we show ourselves not worthy to receive God’s forgiveness.

Having said that, taking him back involves something more. To forgive is to let go, to give up, to release a person from his/her obligation to you, because of the wrong they have done to you. It can be one-sided, unilateral, or unconditional. However, reconciliation is two sided. Even if you are willing to forgive, if the other party does not repent, there cannot be reconciliation. You may wish him/her well, but an unrepentant person will continue to hurt and open up old wounds again, not only for you but for those you love and want to protect. Under such situations the most we can do is “love our enemies”:

• Mt 5:44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
• Lk 6:27“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
• Lk 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.

Loving our enemies mean we do good to them – we do not exact revenge; we wish them well. We forgive them, but we don’t have to take them in as if nothing ever happened. God Himself requires sinners to repent before accepting them into His family. The Lord does not wish for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance (2 Pet 3:9). But it’s up to them to repent, without which they can’t be reconciled to God. I think the same applies to us.

Happy Ending

We went for lunch after our Wed. bible study, but bumped into a young man with his mom in a restaurant near the church. The first time we met him was in prison, where he was incarcerated for kidnapping and extortion. During this time his wife left him, leaving their two children under the care of his mother. A pastor on a short-term mission visited him in jail and led him to Christ, then placed him with our missionary to do the follow-up.

His repentance and confession proved genuine. First he was assigned to work in the kitchen, considered to be lighter duty. Then his sentence was reduced for good behaviour, and finally he was granted parole on the condition that he periodically report to a parole officer. The church also looked after his mother. When she saw how trusting in Jesus had changed her wayward son, she too became a believer.

Upon his release he first went to Panama City to work for his sister and attended our church, but subsequently moved to La Chorrera to have a fresh start. There he remarried and now his new wife is expecting a child next spring. His mother, grateful for all the Lord had done for her and her son, wished to be baptized, and inquired about when it might be possible. I told her in our church baptisms are typically conducted during Easter, and that there are classes required prior to the ceremony. She was very glad as she planned to go to China to bring back her grandson, but would return after Chinese New Year, in time for the classes and the ceremony.

Some brothers and sisters do not believe in short-term missions, thinking that they only satisfy the participants’ desire to serve and see new places, but do not really benefit the people or have an impact on the community. This is not what I have experienced. Not all cases of course, but enough to justify their value. I’ve seen fire lighted in the hearts of brothers and sisters such that short-termers have become career missionaries. As well, lives have been changed for those who came in contact with short-term mission teams, because ultimately it did not depend on them, but on God who moved their hearts to go. This is one case that has a happy ending.

The Prodigal Son

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Pictures show:
* Younger son as main character
* Father as main character
* Older son as main character
* Luke 15 structure
* Parable of Two Sons outline
* Proportional weight given to characters

Last time we evaluated the allegorical method and found that it has use under controlled conditions. Today we apply the historical-grammatical method to the parable of the Prodigal Son.

1. Observation. While the cultural background stipulating the right of the firstborn to receive a double portion of the inheritance (Deut 21:17), the humiliation for a Jew to feed pigs (Lev 11:7-8), and the symbol of elevation of the robe and the ring (Gen 41:42) are relevant, the story does not refer to any historical event, nor is the grammar highly significant for this parable. However, there are primary clues from the context and literary structure.

First, the broader context of Luke 15 is that tax collectors and sinners were gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered that He welcomes sinners and eats with them (Lk 15:1-2). He then told them 3 parables which contrasted the love of God with the exclusiveness of the Pharisees. The structures of the 3 parables are the same (see Fig. 2), with a progression in value of that which was lost (1/100, 1/10, 1/2). So clue #1 from the near context is that the focus is on that which was lost i.e. the younger son.

The immediate context of the parable itself gives us clue #2. The parable ran a total of 22 verses from v 11 to v 32, but could have ended after v 24 had there not been an addendum concerning the older brother from v 25-32. However, the structure of the addendum is the same as that of the main story about the younger brother (see Fig. 3). And the link that connects them together is the father. So in fact this story has 3 themes – the younger son, the older son, and the father.

Thirdly, the proportional weight assigned to the characters gives us clue #3 as to who is the main character. It is the younger son as more than 3/4 of the entire story is focused on him, and reinforced our preliminary observation from the broader context.

2. Interpretation. The inquirer proposed 3 possible interpretations with the main character being the younger son, the father, and the older son respectively. Based on the broader and immediate contexts, I believe the main character is the younger son, with the father and the older brother as “supporting actors”. But the correct interpretation is not just A, but A + B + C, with A dominant. As I said, Jesus often use one parable to drive home several points, not just one.

Furthermore, I believe Jesus intended for His listeners to identify with the characters in the story to get the impact:
• the tax collectors and sinners with the younger son, to show that they can always repent and find acceptance by the Father,
• the Pharisees and the teachers of the law with the older brother, who reflected their self-centered exclusiveness.
I do not think identifying Jesus with the father is essential to the story, but there is nothing wrong in doing so.

3. Application. This is personal to each reader, but are you like the younger or older brother? Are you squandering your life with rebellious living and need to repent, or are you self-righteous and think you do not need to repent? Maybe you are like the father who was filled with compassion for his prodigal son to return. To you he may be dead, but pray to our Heavenly Father that he will be alive again. He answers prayers, and he that was lost can be found again.