RE: [TruthTalk] Whose Names are Written in the Lambs Book of Life?

[Debbie Sawczak]

it will never ever be received as Bad News except by those who have already rejected the preparatory drawing of the Holy Spirit.   That's a whole lot better way of saying what I meant.   Debbie   -----Original Message----- From: Bill Taylor [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2005 10:02 PM To: TruthTalk@mail.innglory.org Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Whose Names are Written in the Lambs Book of Life? Bill it appears to me that your theological construct forces one to believe that the worst thing you could do is to tell someone about Jesus Christ.  If they never hear about Jesus they are guaranteed a ticket to heaven. If they do hear about Him and reject Him, that is the only possible way they can be destined for Hell.  So why go forth and spread the gospel? It sounds like a terrible thing to do.  Izzy     Izzy, that would be true IF it were not for that fact that it is the Holy Spirit who draws people to the Father through the Son. The Holy Spirit is always working ahead of evangelism, preparing people to hear and respond to the Gospel message. Stated another way, the Gospel presentation never precedes the work of the Holy Spirit in a hearer's life. Since the Gospel is Good News, and since the Holy Spirit always prepares people to hear it, it will never ever be received as Bad News except by those who have already rejected the preparatory drawing of the Holy Spirit. That, my concerned friend, is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. It is taking the truth of his testimony and calling it a lie; for the Holy Spirit only testifies to the truthfulness of Christ. Once a person has heard the Gospel and rejected Jesus Christ, then he must repent of those beliefs, certainly; for to die in that state is to have committed the unforgivable sin, which is to trample under foot the Son of God and to deny the Lord who redeemed him; it is to lose his salvation.   If the Spirit were not involved in leading people to Christ, then I would rush to agree with you. Why would I want to tell someone about Christ who would otherwise be saved. The risk of rejection appears to out weigh the benefits they will receive here on earth on this side of death. Why not let them wait and be assured of receiving the benefits on the other side? This however is not the case.   Please pursue this further if I have not made this clear to you.   Bill ----- Original Message ----- From: ShieldsFamily To: TruthTalk@mail.innglory.org Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2005 6:55 PM Subject: RE: [TruthTalk] Whose Names are Written in the Lambs Book of Life? Don't you believe that all mankind is included in the incarnation which makes them all headed for heaven whether or not they overcome anything. I underlined the portion of your statement which is a true representation of things I've said. The second part is not accurate and cannot be linked to what I actually believe and have stated. I am confident (and this because I have had to defend and clarify myself so many times) that I have written more about the potential of humans to lose their salvation, than anyone on this list. I do not damn people to hell, like, say, you do, but I have written many substantive words expressing the possibility of people rejecting Christ and damning themselves to hell. You know this, so why do you continue to misrepresent my position? Bill