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2Ti 4:10, For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
Demas forsook Paul, having loved this present world; and the fact that he loved the world in his forsaking indicates that he very likely also forsook Jesus when he left Paul.
Now in Philemon, we find Demas in good standing with Paul;
Phm 1:23, There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus;
Phm 1:24, Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.
so if Philemon be written after 2 Timothy, then Demas was restored.
If not, then it is likely that he fell away permanently and could not ever be restored.
This is the difference between falling away and backsliding.
If someone falls away, they utterly reject the faith and there is no repentance for them, according to Hebrews 6:1-8 (which shall be quoted shortly).
If someone merely backslides as a believer in Christ, then they go from the third story of the building (living in Romans 8) to the second story (living in Romans 7 as a believer); the bottom floor being unbelief and falling away from the faith if one moves from the third or second story to the first.
Now it seems to me that it is possible that Demas, in Philemon, may have been restored with Philemon being a later book than 2 Timothy because of the following verse.
Phm 1:9, Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
Now, again, if Philemon was written later than 2 Timothy, then Demas was only backsliding and did not fall away; for he would have been restored between the writings of 2 Timothy and Philemon.
If Demas fell away, it would have been impossible for him to come to repentance; because of the following.
Heb 6:1, Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Heb 6:2, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Heb 6:3, And this will we do, if God permit.
Heb 6:4, For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Heb 6:7, For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
Heb 6:8, But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
This would be an utter rejection of Jesus Christ in which the person adamantly refuses, after having tasted the joy of the Holy Spirit, to ever believe in Christ again. The person is on the first story of the building, in unbelief, after knowing the good word of God and the power of the Holy Ghost and the heavenly gift of entering into "joy unspeakable and full of glory".
Now many are troubled by this passage and apply it to themselves when it does not apply. They may think that they have fallen away when they have really only backslidden.
Psa 31:22, For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.
Even for the one who thinks that they have fallen to the first story of the building and cannot ever come to repentance, I have good news for you, there is spiritual, resurrection power, in the writings of Paul. And what was previously impossible becomes possible.
Luk 1:37, For with God nothing shall be impossible.
A person who even falls from the third story of the building and dies, can even indeed be resurrected by the Holy Spirit as He dwells in Paul:
Act 20:7, And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
Act 20:8, And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.
Act 20:9, And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
Act 20:10, And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.
Act 20:11, When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.
Act 20:12, And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.
I would say that the real people that Hebrews 6:1-8 is talking about, who cannot come to repentance, are those who simply never will again desire to come to repentance.
If you think you have fallen away but desire to come to Christ, then come to Him.
He will in no wise cast you out.
Jhn 6:37, All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
Last edited by justbyfaith; 04-02-2022 at 04:14 PM..
Rev 22:17, And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
In the day of Demas and Apostle Paul there was only one church of Christ, so Demas would have to travel hundreds of miles to find another Christian church like in Egypt not under the authority of Paul to go to and God would seal Him there ... Just like the days before the reformation when the Pope authority ruled all the western church of Christian, and people could be expelled without any church ...... Still, God would receive them all, if the hierarchy of the church did not rule all the church or did not rule all the churches like today ...... People today can fall away and come back to Christ today many would lose their callings and even gifts of the spirit, but they can still go back to Christ and be saved, as Jesus is worthy
This was a good message on a relevant issue that has recently been brought to the forefront.
Jesus makes it simply clear in Luke 22:32 : "But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Jesus makes it simply clear in Luke 22:32 : "But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Peter, at that time, was not yet converted; although he had a measure of faith.
Luk 22:32, But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Jesus makes it simply clear in Luke 22:32 : "But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Quote:
Originally Posted by justbyfaith
Peter, at that time, was not yet converted; although he had a measure of faith.
Luk 22:32, But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
I think it is about the surnaming of Simon as Peter - literal stones do not live, but bones do have marrow within
There is a composition that happens between the natural and spiritual within a living body
2Ti 4:10, For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
Demas forsook Paul, having loved this present world; and the fact that he loved the world in his forsaking indicates that he very likely also forsook Jesus when he left Paul.
Now in Philemon, we find Demas in good standing with Paul;
Phm 1:23, There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus;
Phm 1:24, Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.
so if Philemon be written after 2 Timothy, then Demas was restored.
If not, then it is likely that he fell away permanently and could not ever be restored.
This is the difference between falling away and backsliding.
If someone falls away, they utterly reject the faith and there is no repentance for them, according to Hebrews 6:1-8 (which shall be quoted shortly).
If someone merely backslides as a believer in Christ, then they go from the third story of the building (living in Romans 8) to the second story (living in Romans 7 as a believer); the bottom floor being unbelief and falling away from the faith if one moves from the third or second story to the first.
Now it seems to me that it is possible that Demas, in Philemon, may have been restored with Philemon being a later book than 2 Timothy because of the following verse.
Phm 1:9, Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
Now, again, if Philemon was written later than 2 Timothy, then Demas was only backsliding and did not fall away; for he would have been restored between the writings of 2 Timothy and Philemon.
If Demas fell away, it would have been impossible for him to come to repentance; because of the following.
Heb 6:1, Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Heb 6:2, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Heb 6:3, And this will we do, if God permit.
Heb 6:4, For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Heb 6:7, For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
Heb 6:8, But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
This would be an utter rejection of Jesus Christ in which the person adamantly refuses, after having tasted the joy of the Holy Spirit, to ever believe in Christ again. The person is on the first story of the building, in unbelief, after knowing the good word of God and the power of the Holy Ghost and the heavenly gift of entering into "joy unspeakable and full of glory".
Now many are troubled by this passage and apply it to themselves when it does not apply. They may think that they have fallen away when they have really only backslidden.
Psa 31:22, For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.
Even for the one who thinks that they have fallen to the first story of the building and cannot ever come to repentance, I have good news for you, there is spiritual, resurrection power, in the writings of Paul. And what was previously impossible becomes possible.
Luk 1:37, For with God nothing shall be impossible.
A person who even falls from the third story of the building and dies, can even indeed be resurrected by the Holy Spirit as He dwells in Paul:
Act 20:7, And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
Act 20:8, And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.
Act 20:9, And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
Act 20:10, And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.
Act 20:11, When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.
Act 20:12, And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.
I would say that the real people that Hebrews 6:1-8 is talking about, who cannot come to repentance, are those who simply never will again desire to come to repentance.
If you think you have fallen away but desire to come to Christ, then come to Him.
He will in no wise cast you out.
Jhn 6:37, All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
"the principles of the doctrine of Christ". Psychic church abolished this doctrine. Most would not even understand it.
In the day of Demas and Apostle Paul there was only one church of Christ, so Demas would have to travel hundreds of miles to find another Christian church like in Egypt not under the authority of Paul to go to and God would seal Him there ... Just like the days before the reformation when the Pope authority ruled all the western church of Christian, and people could be expelled without any church ...... Still, God would receive them all, if the hierarchy of the church did not rule all the church or did not rule all the churches like today ...... People today can fall away and come back to Christ today many would lose their callings and even gifts of the spirit, but they can still go back to Christ and be saved, as Jesus is worthy
Jerusalem was another church.
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