Hi Skippy,
In my post, I write, "Forgiven! -- Forever!" -- and you come back with "Matthew 24:13 , "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Revelation 2:26, "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:" Bill what am I missing?"
Then I ask you, "But, why don't you explain, in your own words, what YOU believe these Scripture verses mean (from the Bible, not the Book of Mormon) -- and then we can discuss the issues."
And, you respond, "Emphasizes Endure to the End. Then you will be Saved. Not just Praise the Lord then ride it out to the end. If it was proven that Stalin accepted Christ as his Lord when he was a young man then went on to be one of the worst Monsters of all time."
First, let me say, "Yes, if Stalin, Hitler, or any sinner truly repents, turns from his evil ways, and turns to follow Jesus Christ -- that person is saved. It is not the size of the sin; it is the sin -- period. Sin is disobeying God -- period. Stealing a paper clip is just as much a sin as killing 100 people."
Skippy, you give me Matthew 24:13, "But he who endures to the end shall be saved."
What is the topic of this discussion between Jesus Christ and His disciples? The apostles have asked Jesus, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"
And, He tells them of the condition of the world leading up to the Rapture of the church, the seven year Tribulation, His Second Coming, and His Millennial Kingdom. He tells them, and us, that things will really get bad, brother turning against brother, wars and rumors of wars, the world beginning to come apart -- for the world will finally be nearing the stage where full secularism will be in force.
He tells them, in Matthew 24:11-12, "Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold."
Those false prophets are those who are teaching world religions and cult religions such as Mormonism -- and they will mislead many. That lawlessness which will be increasing -- is the world being taken over and controlled by secularism and false religions.
And, then, He tells them, "But he who endures to the end shall be saved" (Matthew 24:13) Yes, those who turn from those false religions, who turn from those cult religions during the coming End Times and endures the attacks upon our Christian faith -- will be saved. The Christian believers, i.e., the church -- will be Raptured out of the increasingly evil world.
Now, Skippy, you take us to Revelation 2:26. What is happening in this Scripture passage? This is Jesus Christ's message to the church at Thyatira, the Compromising Church.
He tells the church at Thyatira, "Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent." (Revelation 2:20-21)
Who is this prophetess Jezebel who Jesus Christ so dislikes? It is the false religions, the false teachers who teach and seduce His people. Many see this as the Roman Catholic church; others of us see it as cult churches such as Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Unitarian Universalist, mixed with New Age religions and seasoned with Eastern mysticism, traditions, and practices.
And, Jesus Christ is telling the church at Thyatira that it has been compromising by allowing such false teachings to infect their church.
But, He tells those few faithful in Thyatira, in Revelation 2:25-26, "But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations."
This has nothing to do with a believer's salvation -- it has to do with keeping the local church pure and preventing the infiltration of false religions, i.e., the Jezebels, into their midst.
And, with that said, we look at what really defines a believer and his/her salvation -- in Ephesians 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."
My Friend, when God gives a gift -- He does not take it away.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
