re: The most misunderstood, and misapplied word in the English language is “repent”

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The kind of belief that bears fruit? Would you go that far?

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I think all christians produce some sort of fruit even if it's not evident to us, but God's sees our heart and our motivations. Paul said to judge nothing before the appointed time in 1 Cor 4:5, I think probably because we are horrible judges..lol.

Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.

So, I'm not about to start deciding who's a true believer based upon my opinion of their "fruit." If someone tells me they have believed the gospel then I have to take them at their word. Although I do try to make sure their definition of the gospel is correct. When I was younger I was a lot more legalistic in my view of who was really saved or not based on how they acted. As I've gotten older and had my own ups and downs in this christian walk, I tend to let a lot more people go to heaven than I used to..

That’s very cool. I’ve always been fascinated by etymology. Are there any websites you can recommend for the uneducated to use as a resource?

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As saved believers, we absolutely do.

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And if we don’t?

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"If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin."

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Fellowship is different than union. You can be saved (union with God) and be out of fellowship with God by the way you are living. Fellowship refers to the here and now, not eternity.

For instance, if you heard a person from the 1950’s say that he was a gay man, he doesn’t mean that he’s homosexual, but rather he is a cheerful, light hearted and merry person. That’s obviously what it has come to mean today, but that isn’t the original meaning of the word.


What if the man said, “I’m gay and I enjoy smoking figs with my mouth”?

Cheerful smoker??

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They were saved by the same means John wrote in the Gospel of John, through faith in Christ alone.

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The question I have is does such a faith include loyalty or allegiance to the Risen King?

I ain't reading all that. Sorry that happened or happy for you I guess.

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Fellowship is different than union. You can be saved (union with God) and be out of fellowship with God by the way you are living. Fellowship refers to the here and now, not eternity.

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What Scripture are you using to base this on?

" But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. "

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From John:

"Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God."

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Putting their faith in religion rather than Christ alone.

Two of the absolute worst false doctrines that have led so many believers into bondage, condemnation, severe depression as they continually question their own salvation and often resulting in their eventual backsliding and leaving fellowship with God is Calvinism, Lordship salvation, and other such man focused false teachings which quite subtly takes the emphasis off of the finished work of Christ and Christ alone and one’s reliance upon that alone to save them, and mixes it with man’s works, fruit inspections, and man’s efforts as necessary for salvation.

Even though the word is crystal clear that salvation comes from believing upon Christ alone and what He accomplished at the cross and the grave, still they find it necessary to put us in the mix and the end result is mass confusion and bewilderment because it is impossible to live to the standard.

That’s of course why Christ came, and through our faith and reliance upon Him and His Word, we are given the keys to salvation the moment we believe, and then our relationship with God where HE conforms us through a walk in God’s Grace, not our measuring up. We do not and that’s why it’s in Christ and not ourselves.

God’s nature is Love “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4).

It isn’t about feelings, it’s about His Word and what Christ already accomplished

It isn’t about our good deeds, or the law, as that is to show us our need for a redeemer. It’s about Jesus, and what He accomplished.

Just as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and everyone else prior to Christ believed God and it was counted to them for righteousness, so are we. It is about what you believe and who you place your trust in, not about yourself and your accomplishments. There are most certainly rewards that await us all, but salvation is in Christ alone, and by Faith alone.