Quote Originally Posted by Churchwork View Post
When I read this verse it tells me the person was never saved to begin with, for what Christian would do this?

2 Pet. 2.21 It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. 22 They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.” And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.”

This verse tells me this person came up to the door of salvation but did not enter in. Again, he was never saved to begin with.

Our salvation is such that we give our lives to the God who keeps, for we can't keep ourselves saved, so God keeps His promise and keeps us saved. This is the Christ we gave our lives to. Those who are born-again, therefore, "they shall never perish" (John 10.28). When God gives eternal life it is eternal. Once-saved-always-saved.

People want a selfish salvation where they can get saved and lose it tomorrow if they wish. God will not save you selfishly. You will have to genuinely give your life to Him, otherwise, you will die in your sins.

If there is no rapture, then how do the saints meet the Lord in the air or come "before the throne" (Rev. 7.9) in 3rd heaven? The only way is by being raptured.

The rock which the Church is built on is not Peter but the Rock Christ Jesus: not the little Peter stone, but the large corner stone which is Jesus.

The Holy Spirit told me Augustine was never born-again. He was an amillennial Calvinist so he worshiped a false Christ. He claims he was irresistibly selected. God never irresistibly imposes regeneration on anyone but gives us the choice. God is big enough to be do that.

As many Christians have said that would be a strange kind of salvation if you could be born-again, lose it, get born-again again, lose it again, and then get born-again again again. God is no fool! He is no reincarnationist. He simply won't save you the first time. Not until you are willing to come to the cross as a helpless sinner and receive the Lord Jesus as Savior to KEEP YOU, only then will He regenerate you and KEEP YOU so that you will never perish. Only then! Not before! God looks through eternity and foreknows your free-choice whether you genuinely receive Him or not. Just as you can only be physically born once, you can only be born-again once. Once you remain physically born once, you remain physically born forever (you will get a physical body at resurrection); likewise, when you are spiritually born once, you remain spiritually born forever. Amen!

The Pope will never give his life to Christ. He is going to Hell. I am not aware of anyone that old who ended up giving their lives to Christ.
My friend, the Pope gave his life to Christ and confirmed this when he was ordained. Yes, I agree, you remain spiritually born, but Christ Jesus warns us not to be afraid of those who kill the body, but of the one who both destroys the Body and the Soul. Likewise, the Holy Spirit told you? My friend, you have no pedigree. You have no way to prove this. The Mormons could say that. The Jehovah's Witnesses could say that. You do not show that you have actually heard the Holy Spirit, it seems that you only claim what you cannot back up. Now, in regards to your first statement, you believe that we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). This is true, 100%. Now look at Galatians 5:4:

4You are made void of Christ, you who are justified in the law: you are fallen from grace.
How can one be "fallen from grace", if they never had it to begin with? A Christian is one who is saved by grace. They have grace. However, as you can see, the Galatians lost this grace. They fell away from it, which shows that they were in it, therefore they were saved. Unless you wish to preach that Grace does not save.

Likewise, I bolded your statement becuase you highlight a misconception. If you understood greek, you would know that Petros is the Male stem. It would make sense to call Simon Petros, because he was male. To assign him Petra, the female stem, is ridiculous. Furthermore, if you remember, Jesus spoke aramaic. So, this is how it would have sounded:

You are Kepha and on this Kepha I will build my Church. Now, if you understand your Aramaic, Kepha means rock. So, You are Rock, and upon this Rock I will build my Church.

Therefore, this makes this verse extremely clear:

18And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Therefore, Peter/Petros/Kepha is the Rock which Christ built his Church, which is One, Holy, Apostolic, and Catholic.

Oh, and what's also cool is if you look at the "proof-text" you used, for supporting your unchristian doctrine, we find this:

2 Pet. 2.21 It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. 22 They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.” And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.”

If you notice, I bolded a certain phrase because it says a washed pig. The pig was washed, cleaned. Compare this with 1 Corinthians 6:11:

And such some of you were; but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit of our God.

Those who are washed, who are justified, can leave Jesus and lose their justification.