[George]

Aloha brother Scott,

In regards to some of your comments: I seldom ever judge whether someone is saved or not saved (just because of their conduct), since I don't know their hearts. I might "wonder", but it's a judgment I don't have to make and so I try real hard not to engage in judging the matter.

I have run into a few (a very few) people who have "claimed" to be Christians and who have absolutely NO FRUIT [Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:9] in their lives at all, and I wonder. But someone with NO FRUIT is different from a Christian who may have fallen into temptation; has backslide; or is caught up into the cares and riches of this world. Generally speaking there will be at least SOME FRUIT in their lives. Anyway, since I don't have to judge the genuineness of someone's salvation I avoid making that judgment.

I talked to my wife at dinner last night, and just ran some questions about the subject without letting on exactly what the subject was. Questions about those who are living in sin, and just rejecting what the word said, and literally saying they will take there chances, knowing what the word says. Those who reject the word of God, King James Bible, and are lost in the false doctrines of the perversion versions. She had concluded that they never where really saved. So I said you are once saved always saved, she no I’m not, and I said you are because you just don’t believe they ever where saved.

People are rejecting the word of God. They may have never been saved to begin with, I guess they are like those in the sower of the seed, that believed for a while, but fell away. But I guess they never really believed, really, and felled from where? Where these in the parable ever saved or just never saved to begin with? I can almost hang with these where never where saved to begin with but then that makes be believe that the process of believing is way more complex that just coming to Jesus as a little child. How can you believe for a while?

Please look at the verses in the #1.Historical - #2.Doctrinal - #3.Spiritual context:

WHO – Was speaking?
WHO– Was he speaking to?
WHO– Does this apply to?
WHO– Should follow and obey?
WHO– Is this written to?

Luke 8:5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

WHO is speaking – Jesus Christ {before His death, burial, & resurrection – before the establishment of the church.}

WHO is he speaking to – {His Jewish disciples - before His death, burial, & resurrection & before the establishment of the church.}

WHAT is he talking about – {“the mysteries of the Kingdom of God” – NOT necessarily church doctrine for Christians.}

11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. {No One Is Saved)
13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
{They "Believed" - So They Are Saved. They “Fall Away” – They DON’T become - UNSAVED”} See Verse 12: "lest they should believe and be saved"
14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. {Saved – “No Fruit to Perfection” – NOT WORKS!}
15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
16 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.
17 For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.
18 Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.

Nowhere in the discourse is it said that anyone loses Salvation, or goes to Hell. If someone believes this, it’s because they are “reading into” the verse – something it does NOT Say.

WHO Does this apply to – The Jews of Jesus’ day {WHO were expecting and looking forward to the establishment of “The Kingdom”}

WHO Should follow and obey - The Jews of Jesus’ day {WHO were obligated to OBEY the Lord Jesus Christ, since He was their legitimate KING.}

WHO Is this written to – The Christians {The saints of God – Jew & Gentile alike} Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

This doesn’t mean that we throw away or discard the “teachings” (principles & precepts) that: “The seed is the word of God”; or “the devil . . . taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved”; or “they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away”; or “they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection”; or “they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience” - These verses can be used “spiritually” to teach that Christians should be careful to avoid temptation; and be cautious of riches & pleasures; and should seek to “keep” God’s word and seek to bring forth “fruit” in their lives – but it should NEVER be used to teach that we (born-again children of God) can LOSE our Salvation! Doctrinally it doesn’t apply. {But, do you notice the importance of the condition of a person's heart?}

The Scriptures are written for our learning, but we must be very careful how we apply them so that we are not “ashamed” at His coming.
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

I hope this may be of some help to you in understanding how I seek to “rightly divide the word of truth.”