Lesson 5 While He Was Yet a Great Way Off

Can you fall away from Christ and still be saved, or does Hebrews 6:1-8 mean a Christian can lose salvation? In Episode 417 of the Straight Truth Podcast, host Josh Philpot asks Pastor Richard Caldwell about false conversion and eternal security. Pastor Caldwell explains that Hebrews 6 begins as a call for those professing Christ to press on to maturity and warns against a superficial, unconverted relationship with the gospel rather than teaching that a regenerate believer can lose salvation. Comparing the thorny ground in the parable of the soils with good ground that bears fruit, he shows that the warning in Hebrews 6 is for believers, who hear it, heed it, and continue walking with Christ, whereas refusing Christ with open eyes leaves nothing more to lead a person to repentance. Looking at Demas deserting Paul in 2 Timothy, Peter's bitter weeping and restoration after denying Jesus three times, and the dog returning to its vomit and washed sow to the mire in 2 Peter 2:20-22, Pastor Caldwell contrasts an outward moral cleanup and Judas's worldly sorrow with the godly sorrow and lifelong loyalty to Christ that demonstrate genuine faith, urging everyone who hears the gospel today not to harden their heart but to turn to Christ for forgiveness and new life.

In the fifth petition of the Lord's Prayer, we ask God to forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Does that make our forgiving others the condition of God's forgiving us? In Part 2 of our series on repentance and forgiveness, Dr. J. Mark Beach examines the question with Calvin, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the parable of the unmerciful servant. Dr. Beach shows why the Reformers refused to make our forgiveness of others the ground of God's, and what it does demonstrate. Dr. Beach also takes up a hard pastoral question: what do we owe a brother who has wronged us and shows no sorrow?

WATCH ON YOUTUBE - https://youtu.be/oh9Wp0Z0Y4Y The presentation defines true repentance as a complete 180-degree turn away from a former life of sin, emphasizing that this transformation is not optional but a divine command. Drawing on the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, the message argues that salvation requires unconditional surrender and the abandonment of worldly pleasures, including specific vices like drunkenness and sexual immorality. The speaker warns that returning to old habits after knowing the truth results in a worse spiritual state, citing the consequences of sin on both the individual and their lineage. Through personal testimony and scriptural exhortation, the sermon calls believers to maintain a constant posture of confession and obedience, ensuring that their lives reflect the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit rather than the lingering influence of the flesh.

This sermon examines Luke 11, focusing on the disciples' request for Jesus to teach them how to pray and the subsequent instruction on the nature of persistent prayer. The teaching highlights the contrast between the disciples' initial self-centered joy in spiritual power and the need to recognize their dependence on God, emphasizing that prayer is a regular, everyday discipline rather than a response solely to crisis. By analyzing the Lord's Prayer, the message underscores the transcendence of God as the Father in heaven and the importance of aligning human will with God's preceptive will. The parable of the persistent friend serves as a central illustration, demonstrating that God values the steadfastness of the believer's faith. Ultimately, the sermon assures the audience that God, who is good, generously gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask, seek, and knock, inviting them to trust in His provision and guidance.

This sermon examines the fifth petition of the Lord's Prayer, focusing on the radical and voluntary nature of forgiveness as taught in Matthew 6:12. By analyzing Old Testament passages such as Psalm 85 and Psalm 32, the message defines forgiveness not merely as the covering of sin but as a necessary step toward reconciliation and the restoration of fellowship. The teaching contrasts the immense debt humanity owes to God with the minor offenses committed against us, using the parable of the unforgiving servant to illustrate that our capacity to forgive should mirror the grace we have received. It challenges the listener to overcome pride and the desire for vindication, arguing that withholding forgiveness hinders one's relational standing with God, even if it does not affect eternal justification. Ultimately, the sermon calls for an intentional, Christ-like posture of grace, urging believers to forgive others freely and immediately to maintain a close and unimpeded relationship with the Father.

Midweek Teaching Series - Continued Application "The Parable of the Ten Virgins" Matthew 25:1-13 Pastor Bucky Erwin Series: The Gospel of Matthew

2:56 In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus does the rich man have a physical body in the intermediate state? 6:17 How do you suggest that we conduct a men's Bible study? 10:30 What is your opinion of the midterm political elections as a Christian? 24:43 Why in the Millennial Kingdom do the Jews have to adhere to the Old Testament ceremonies? 40:29 How do I know I've been saved? 47:30 Is repentance a condition for salvation and is it considered a work according to dispensationalism?

Triumphal Entry. Thieves chased from Temple, again. A question of authority. Vine-growers parable. Tribute to Caesar or no?

The disciples told again of upcoming problems. Zacchaeus in the sycamore tree. Parable of the minas.