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Just a final note to thank Todd Deaver for his invaluable contribution to this effort. Although my by-line shows up on more than my fair share of posts, the readers need to understand how valuable Todd’s efforts have been. He is a remarkable intellect and talent, who will surely have much more to contribute to [...]

by Todd Deaver Jay and I have now finished presenting the case for our position on apostasy. We have argued that there are three ways a saved person can fall away: A Christian falls away when he no longer has faith. “Faith” means faith in Jesus. A Christian falls away when he is no longer [...]

by Jay Guin Let’s take a moment and reflect on what the scriptures teach us about church discipline. Let’s look again at this chart from an earlier post. To become saved Baptism To stay saved Hear, believe, confess the gospel Faith Accept Jesus as Son of God Faith Accept Jesus as Son of God Faith [...]

by Jay Guin I need to address a difficult topic. Sometimes people divide a church for good reason. What if the leadership of the church does not require the members to have a genuine faith in Jesus? (Faith) What do you do if the leadership of a church is eaten up with the Galatian heresy [...]

by Jay Guin Consider this oft misused passage — (Rom 16:17) I urge you, brothers, to watch out for [“mark” in the KJV] those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. This is written to many preachers in the 21st [...]

by Jay Guin This is one of the most abused verses in all of scripture (which says a lot!): (2 John 1:7, 9-11) Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. … Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of [...]

by Jay Guin We generally cannot distinguish someone who is struggling with his penitence from someone who has abandoned Jesus altogether. In such cases, I think we have to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume we’re dealing with a Christian but a Christian who is struggling with sin and needs to be [...]

by Jay Guin Several passages deal with members who are wandering from the faith but haven’t yet left the faith. They are struggling in their submission to Jesus as Lord. (2 Thes. 3:14-15) If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order [...]

by Jay Guin This is a continuation of the progressive posts on what causes a saved person to fall away. And that’s important, because these teachings on church discipline won’t make any sense to someone with a very different understanding of grace. You see, it all fits together. It has to fit together, because it [...]

Perhaps a chart would help explain how all this fits together — To become saved Baptism To stay saved Hear, believe, confess the gospel Faith Accept Jesus as Son of God Faith Accept Jesus as Son of God Faith Faith Repent Penitence Accept Jesus as Lord Penitence Accept Jesus as Lord Love Love Accept Jesus [...]