I have listened to several of your sermons from SermonAudio and I like what I have heard so far. I would like to find a godly church to fellowship with – if God permits.
There are so many ways, many preachers side-step the real truth of God’s Word that I have decided to ask the questions instead of just assuming what I heard was the actual belief of the preacher. Still yet, asking questions will not automatically guarantee that I will get an Honest answer, but I will take that risk.
From my study of comparing many churches and their pastors to God’s word – I have found some major inconsistencies that are abominations or borders it.
May I ask you? What do you see from God’s Word as God’s position about:
Divorce and remarriage with first husband/wife still living, yet still claiming to be Christians in full holy fellowship with God? It’s evident that most churches and pastors have not the least problem with it.
Once in Grace – Always in Grace, that is, if once truly saved and sanctified by God-
it is impossible to publicly forsake God, die in your sins even if you commit suicide, then suffer eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire?
Did Jesus FORGIVE ALL people – of ALL ages – of ALL their sins – for ALL time (past present future) at the moment he died on the cross – or – must every person Repent and Forsake their sins with Godly sorrow before they are forgiven of those sins?
Pastor Jeff,
Hello, I too would like to hear your answers to the questions that David ask.
Divorce and remarriage and once saved always saved.
I love the 3:00 service in Camden. I hope and pray that alot of people will start coming and you don’t tire out from so much preaching and traveling. I just finished listening to Neh. 6: 11-19 I really enjoy your messages and am gonna send them to my sister in CA. She will love them. See you Sunday, Barbara Webb
Thank you Barbara for your encouragement. As to your questions:
1. About divorce and remarriage – I believe the Bible teaches marriage is a lifetime commitment between one man and one woman. The only grounds given in the Bible for divorce are adultery and desertion. Paul spoke of desertion in 1Corinthians 7. If we combine his teaching with that of Jesus it seems that adultery will be involved in desertion. As to whether they can remarry, I believe if the divorce is justified then remarriage is also. As to those who have divorced and remarried apart from Biblical grounds, I believe they may find forgiveness in the grace of God through Jesus Christ. I further realize that some things done in life cannot be undone. That is true in this area. In these cases one must trust in the grace of God. A person must repent of their sin, acknowledging what they have done is wrong and accept the forgiveness of God.
2. As to once saved always saved – this is a term that has been developed in the 19th and 20th centuries. I think it a dangerous term to use. I believe that salvation is fully in Christ by faith. I further believe that the faith that saves is a persevering faith. If it does not continue it will not save. God knows His sheep. He calls them His chosen or elect. Those He knows as finally persevering in faith will be surely saved. He also knows those who only have a temporary faith (Like 8:13), and they will not in the end be saved (Col. 1:23). Salvation is not from a mere moment of faith but by a life changing faith that begins in a moment of time but continues throughout the lifetime. So, I do not accept the terms eternal security, or once saved always saved as describing my view of salvation. I believe in the security of the believer, and that believer being defined as one who continues to believe.
I hope this helps. I will be glad to discuss this with you.
Pastor Jeff, Thank you for your reply to my questions. You were very helpful in answering them and I feel alot better knowing what you think on the subjects. I often wandered about the divorce and remarriage issue. I believe you touched on the second question at church today about how a saved person should act and that people should be able to see the change. I really enjoyed todays message in James 2. I hope you will continue through the entire book of James, it is such a interesting book.
God Bless You and Your Family, See you Sunday.
Barbara Webb
In John 15:5-6 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”
The word “remain” here means that a man have started true faith and continuing or persevering as Pastor Jeff explains. And the one who who have started the faith yet did not persevere is like the branch that is thrown into the fire or hell.
It is clear that both have genuine faith, both have believed, because they were attached to the true vine, the Lord Jesus Christ, otherwise if those who did not remain have no true faith at the start then they would have not been attached to the Truth, Jesus Christ, at the first place. But by the temptations of this world, the worries of life, its riches and pleasures there are people who have fallen away or have not matured (Luke 8:13-14), they did not remain. The Bible would not have used the term fallen away if at start they are not in a good position with God.
God bless you Pastor Jeff.
God bless you Barbara for seeking the Truth.
I appreciated the teaching about those who are the greatest in the kingdom of God being those who are many times lightly esteemed in this present age throughout the whole of the Scripture, as spoken yesterday evening (Wednesday). I enjoyed the fellowship, and especially the sincere concern for the lives of each other in the congregation as we visited and talked together well past the end of the prayer meeting. I hope to visit again soon to worship with you, if the Lord permits.
I have listened to several of your sermons from SermonAudio and I like what I have heard so far. I would like to find a godly church to fellowship with – if God permits.
There are so many ways, many preachers side-step the real truth of God’s Word that I have decided to ask the questions instead of just assuming what I heard was the actual belief of the preacher. Still yet, asking questions will not automatically guarantee that I will get an Honest answer, but I will take that risk.
From my study of comparing many churches and their pastors to God’s word – I have found some major inconsistencies that are abominations or borders it.
May I ask you? What do you see from God’s Word as God’s position about:
Divorce and remarriage with first husband/wife still living, yet still claiming to be Christians in full holy fellowship with God? It’s evident that most churches and pastors have not the least problem with it.
Once in Grace – Always in Grace, that is, if once truly saved and sanctified by God-
it is impossible to publicly forsake God, die in your sins even if you commit suicide, then suffer eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire?
Did Jesus FORGIVE ALL people – of ALL ages – of ALL their sins – for ALL time (past present future) at the moment he died on the cross – or – must every person Repent and Forsake their sins with Godly sorrow before they are forgiven of those sins?
Please respond
David
Pastor Jeff,
Hello, I too would like to hear your answers to the questions that David ask.
Divorce and remarriage and once saved always saved.
I love the 3:00 service in Camden. I hope and pray that alot of people will start coming and you don’t tire out from so much preaching and traveling. I just finished listening to Neh. 6: 11-19 I really enjoy your messages and am gonna send them to my sister in CA. She will love them. See you Sunday, Barbara Webb
Thank you Barbara for your encouragement. As to your questions:
1. About divorce and remarriage – I believe the Bible teaches marriage is a lifetime commitment between one man and one woman. The only grounds given in the Bible for divorce are adultery and desertion. Paul spoke of desertion in 1Corinthians 7. If we combine his teaching with that of Jesus it seems that adultery will be involved in desertion. As to whether they can remarry, I believe if the divorce is justified then remarriage is also. As to those who have divorced and remarried apart from Biblical grounds, I believe they may find forgiveness in the grace of God through Jesus Christ. I further realize that some things done in life cannot be undone. That is true in this area. In these cases one must trust in the grace of God. A person must repent of their sin, acknowledging what they have done is wrong and accept the forgiveness of God.
2. As to once saved always saved – this is a term that has been developed in the 19th and 20th centuries. I think it a dangerous term to use. I believe that salvation is fully in Christ by faith. I further believe that the faith that saves is a persevering faith. If it does not continue it will not save. God knows His sheep. He calls them His chosen or elect. Those He knows as finally persevering in faith will be surely saved. He also knows those who only have a temporary faith (Like 8:13), and they will not in the end be saved (Col. 1:23). Salvation is not from a mere moment of faith but by a life changing faith that begins in a moment of time but continues throughout the lifetime. So, I do not accept the terms eternal security, or once saved always saved as describing my view of salvation. I believe in the security of the believer, and that believer being defined as one who continues to believe.
I hope this helps. I will be glad to discuss this with you.
Pastor Jeff Lankford
Pastor Jeff, Thank you for your reply to my questions. You were very helpful in answering them and I feel alot better knowing what you think on the subjects. I often wandered about the divorce and remarriage issue. I believe you touched on the second question at church today about how a saved person should act and that people should be able to see the change. I really enjoyed todays message in James 2. I hope you will continue through the entire book of James, it is such a interesting book.
God Bless You and Your Family, See you Sunday.
Barbara Webb
In John 15:5-6 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”
The word “remain” here means that a man have started true faith and continuing or persevering as Pastor Jeff explains. And the one who who have started the faith yet did not persevere is like the branch that is thrown into the fire or hell.
It is clear that both have genuine faith, both have believed, because they were attached to the true vine, the Lord Jesus Christ, otherwise if those who did not remain have no true faith at the start then they would have not been attached to the Truth, Jesus Christ, at the first place. But by the temptations of this world, the worries of life, its riches and pleasures there are people who have fallen away or have not matured (Luke 8:13-14), they did not remain. The Bible would not have used the term fallen away if at start they are not in a good position with God.
God bless you Pastor Jeff.
God bless you Barbara for seeking the Truth.
I appreciated the teaching about those who are the greatest in the kingdom of God being those who are many times lightly esteemed in this present age throughout the whole of the Scripture, as spoken yesterday evening (Wednesday). I enjoyed the fellowship, and especially the sincere concern for the lives of each other in the congregation as we visited and talked together well past the end of the prayer meeting. I hope to visit again soon to worship with you, if the Lord permits.
Luke
Been good having you, Luke!
we are looking for a church with an active youth group for our 14 yr old son. Do you have one?