[Biblemat] A) QUESTION AND ANSWER

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Tuesday morning
to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.  Here is a quest-
ion and answer from my files:

QUESTION AND ANSWER

QUESTION:  --  Can A Christian So Sin, By Quitting His Service
                              Toward God, That He Will Ultimately Be Lost?

ANSWER: -- One enters the kingdom of God when he is "born
                         again, of the water and the Spirit" (Jno. 3:3-5).  
After having been born into the family of God by the incorruptib-
le seed, the Word of God (1 Pet. 1:23-25), he then becomes an 
heir of God (Gal. 3:26-29) and "a joint-heir with Christ" (Rom. 8:
16,17).  Never again can he be born into that family, for he is a
child of God from then on.  When I was born into my earthly, fleshly 
family, I became a Thurman.  However, if I had departed
from my father's guidance and attended dances and begun drinking liquor, 
turned to gambling and swearing, I am sure Papa would have disowned me.  I 
still would have been a Thur-
man.  But if I had repented  and returned to my family, I would
have been welcomed back into my fleshly family again.

       A child of God can so live that he forfeits the privileges and
blessings of sonship in the family of God.  Jesus shows this in
the story of the "Prodigal Son" in Lk. 15.  When the younger son
returned, he didn't enter into his father's family again by a new
birth of water and Spirit, but by a reconciliation.  He was still a 
son of his father while he was feeding swine in a far country.  He
is referred to as a son throughout the whole story.  But it was only when 
he repented of his wrong doing and returned to the
favor of his father, that  he was welcomed again into the family
he had separated himself from during his prodigal days.

       A child of God can depart from his Father's house (the church, 1 
Tim. 3:15), and reject the blessings of fellowship that
are offered therein (1 Jno. 1:7).  If he remains in this rebellious
state, he will be eternally lost.  Remember that Jesus said:  "The
Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His 
kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity, and shall 
cast them into the furnace of fire; there
shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 13:41,42).
This was not speaking of those in the world, alien sinners, but
of those "in the kingdom of God."  These were members of God's family, but 
they were erring children, and in dying in this
condition, they would also be "cast into the furnace of fire."

       But when such rebellious children of God turn from that 
rebellious state and ask forgiveness from his Father, his brethren and 
sisters in Christ, God will forgive him and restore
him to the fold, the family.  (1 Jno. 1:9).  And when brethren in
God's family admit their sins, repent of them, and return to the
family of God, he causes the angels of heaven to rejoice at his
return (Lk. 15:7,10).  Remember that  such a one has sinned
against God and even his brethren in Christ, so he owes God an
apology as well as his forsaken brethren in Christ.  Upon doing
this, he is once again united with his family and restored to his
original position therein.  Yes, if a child of God separates himself
from his family, by committing and continuing in a sinful state, he thereby 
finds himself in an erring position before his Father.
and if he continues in this state until his physical death, he will
be cast into the furnace of fire.  But, he does not have to die in
such condition, he can repent and return to the fold of God and
he will be welcomed back into the family with rejoicing by the
angels of heaven, the Father, and his brethren in Christ.  Are you
in the fold of God, are you obedient to His Will, then, if you con-
tinue in such acceptable state you will be taken into God's eternal glory 
at your death.  May God bless you to be prepared
to meet your Lord at your death or even if you are alive when He
returns to gather His own unto Himself.  ----- Adapted from a
Question and Answer by Clem Thurman found in Gospel Minutes, Vol. 59, No. 
28, July 9, 2010.
 
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