What Makes Ex-Christians Think They Once Were Christians?

[Ronald David Bruno]

I've come across a few former professing Christians who have either lost their faith or renounced it.

Real scenario. It happens.

Heb 6:4-6 For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, (5) and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, (6) and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame.

I always viewed Hebrews as a message to the Christian Jews and non-Christian Jews _ not to say Hebrews is not applicable to Gentile believers. It is just that Gentiles were never enlightened like the Jews were before Christ. The Jews tasted their heavenly gifts, they were the chosen nation, they saw the powers of God AND THEY CRUCIFIED CHRIST LITERALLY. Those Jews who rejected Jesus and chanted "crucify him" were not part of the remnant to be saved and could not be.
But simply when God gives a gift of eternal life, faith that is secure ( seed planted in fertile soil), He doesn't take it back, nor does it fail. He know the future, so why would He spiritually transform a person knowing they will fall? Those so-called Christians (with Rocky and shallow soil) were not born again.
This fall you refer to, is not applicable to a new "born again" creature. Remember, the state of man since Adam's sin was already in a fallen state.
This coming and current "Great Falling Away" during the Great Tribulation is not from a saved eternal state of being, it is just a confirmed fallen state. We were in a fallen state, but were found and transformed from it: elect, called, justified and sanctified. Sanctified men's set apart. God doesn't do all that and change His mind.
So these folks whom claimed to be Christians never really experienced an inner spiritual transformation, a communion with the Holy Spirit, or realized the power of God in theory lives. They just had a temporary, weak, superficial faith.
Belief carries a lot of weight. If you believe, it means you will do what He says, practice, and be hungry for God's word. You will bear fruit. And "by their fruit you will know them."

 

[amigo de christo]

Amen. It all needs to be preached, not just the easier parts - God's word has power to continually wash us, which we need.

WHEN its not all preached then beware those easier parts , for they too become INFECTED with lies .
Example . WHEN churches take off from behold the severity of GOD , those warnings
THEIR VERSION OF HIS GOODNESS will omit WHAT HE EVEN WARNED HE WOULD DO .
IT becomes the love god who in the end accepts all .
EVEN their version of love , and of the GOODNESS of GOD becomes TAINTED BIG TIME .
EITHER WE BEHOLD ALL that was written for our admonitoin , OR BE DECIEVED by men we will be .
Thats right sister . ALL OF IT NEEDS TO BE PREACHED . ALL OF IT . YOU ARE RIGHT SISTER .

 

[amigo de christo]

The apostle Paul said test yourselves to see if you are "in the faith" and not still in the faith.

You need to read Hebrews 3:12 in context. Hebrews 3:8 - Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works forty years. 10 Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, 'They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.' Not descriptive of genuine believers. There is no loss of salvation here. Only a failure to receive it. Verses 18-19 - And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. That explains the hardened heart. It took them in the opposite direction of God. Heard the truth for a time, but then hardened heart and departing from God became their final answer.

*Jude 1:5 - The Lord delivered His people (the Israelites) out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.

Hebrews 3:14 - For we have become [past tense Gk. verb, gegonamen, meaning we have become already] partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end. Notice that this is essentially a repeat of verse 6, where we read: but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house - whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. The wording is not - "and you will become (future indicative) partakers of Christ if you (future indicative) hold fast." It is rather - "you have been, and now are, partakers of Christ (demonstrative evidence) if in the future you hold fast."

The point is that not all of these Hebrews have become partakers of Christ and of course, the only ones in the end who will be identified as genuine believers/partakers of Christ will have been those who held fast the beginning of their confidence steadfast to the end. Those faltering Hebrews who depart from God may begin with loud confidence and profession of loyalty. But then later? Future perseverance is proof of genuine conversion.

In Hebrews 4:1-2, we read - "For indeed the gospel was preached to US as well as to THEM; but the word which THEY heard did not profit THEM, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For WE who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: "So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest," although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. Obviously, not all of these Hebrews were genuine believers. Notice that verses 2-3 make a distinction between US who have BELIEVED and do enter that rest and THEM who heard the word but did not mix faith with what they heard and will not enter that rest because of UNBELIEF.

THEN LETS DO THAT my friend . YOU NEED to do this yourself .
Cause i am telling you out of great love , OSAS has made some serious and deadly mistakes .
The only way to truly examine yourself , YOU OPEN the BIBLE , YOU READ IT FOR YOU
and stop running to men for answers and RUN TO GOD FOR ANSWERS . THEY WILL COME .
OSAS has committed a serious and deadly error and the folks under it cannot SEE IT .
But i have come to help you my friend . GET IN THAT BIBLE and YOU READ IT FOR YOU and FOR YOU ALONE .
AND read it daily for hours . Be in prayer and take all questions you have to GOD .

 

[amigo de christo]

Many fish are caught in the net, but some prove not to be good for eating and get thrown back into the sea. And Jesus said to the unprofitable servant who buried what he had been given, that even what he has will be taken away - this is why Jesus is coming as a thief. Not everyone who says to Him, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven. And some people are simply not willing to pay the price to follow Him and return to their wallowing in the mud. Perhaps we are to understand Him foreknowing the elect has to do with foreknowing who will be faithful and endure to the end.

But some prove to be BAD , and are cast aside . OH THE NET GATHERS A LOT . IT SURELY DOES
but all that it does gather , WELL lets just say ONLY THOSE WHO CAME TO THE TRUE JESUS CHRIST will be saved .
There is a massive problem within the house called christendom .
The leaders preach n teach from every denomination making claims , YE CANNOT learn thy bible on your own .
YE MUST SIT UNDER US , let us teach you our greek . PS rather odd that i have noticed
that their greek often contradicts the greek of anothers denomiational teaching .
AND THAT their greek seems to always VALIDATE THEIR OWN TEACHINGS .
FOLKS are falling for a ruse . SO allow me to remind us of what WE KNOW . i know you know this sister
but allow me to say it anyway .
HEY CHURCH , ITS NOT A SIN TO READ THE BIBLE FOR YOURSELVES . YE DONT HAVE TO SIT UNDER
any such leaders WHO TELL YA YOU CANT LEARN IT ON YOUR OWN . INFACT , if one says that , RUN LIKE HECK THE OTHER
direction from such a person . CAUSE IT SIMPLY MEANS THIS .
COME YE AND SIT UNDER US AND WE WILL TWIST THE SCRIPS TO FIT OUR OWN TEACHING .
OR in their words , YOU WILL ACTUALLY LEARN THE BIBLE . I know i am quite direct . BUT MAN someone has to be .
These folks are falling for a ruse these days and have been . OSAS
Is not a safe place to sit under .NOR is or are many other twisted teachings i see getting taught .

 

[amigo de christo]

Amadeus is here . HELLO my friend . WHAT great hope we have in the LORD .
Let us stay well dug in the scriptures , in prayer and learning .
And let all that has breath praise and thank the LORD CONTINUALLY

 

[DJT_47]

What exactly is an "Ex Christian"? You must first be able to define what a Christian is and how one becomes a Christian. So, what is a Christian and how does one become a Christian?

 

[Stumpmaster]

What exactly is an "Ex Christian"? You must first be able to define what a Christian is and how one becomes a Christian. So, what is a Christian and how does one become a Christian?

True story:

A young man identified as a Christian, believed that God raised Christ from the dead, believed with his heart unto righteousness and confessed with his mouth unto salvation. He considered himself saved for eternity, and grew in faith, studying the Word of God and getting seriously involved in church life and ministry so much so that when his congregation found itself without a pastor he was asked to step into the breach.

After a few years fulfilling the function of pastor his denomination oversight advised him that unless he completed a university degree they could not ordain him nor officially credential him to the position he was already filling.

This man enrolled at a university forthwith and became exposed to arguments for evolution that caused him to rethink his Creationist beliefs. He agonised that if evolution was true, as taught by respected scientists, then the Bible must be false.

Unable to maintain his Christian faith in the face of the arguments against the existence of God as the Creator, and Christ as the Saviour, he renounced Christianity, thereby becoming an ex-Christian, someone who once believed Christ is who He said He was, but later when his belief was challenged and tested, recanted and thus fell away from grace. It happens.

His Christian wife, family and friends were very upset to say the least.

 

[DJT_47]

True story:

A young man identified as a Christian, believed that God raised Christ from the dead, believed with his heart unto righteousness and confessed with his mouth unto salvation. He considered himself saved for eternity, and grew in faith, studying the Word of God and getting seriously involved in church life and ministry so much so that when his congregation found itself without a pastor he was asked to step into the breach.

After a few years fulfilling the function of pastor his denomination oversight advised him that unless he completed a university degree they could not ordain him nor officially credential him to the position he was already filling.

This man enrolled at a university forthwith and became exposed to arguments for evolution that caused him to rethink his Creationist beliefs. He agonised that if evolution was true, as taught by respected scientists, then the Bible must be false.

Unable to maintain his Christian faith in the face of the arguments against the existence of God as the Creator, and Christ as the Saviour, he renounced Christianity, thereby becoming an ex-Christian, someone who once believed Christ is who He said He was, but later when his belief was challenged and tested, recanted and thus fell away from grace. It happens.

His Christian wife, family and friends were very upset to say the least.

1st of all, to become a Christian has nothing whatsoever to do with claiming to be or "identifying" as one.

Secondly, he really wasn't a Christian by doing what you described, namely, believing and "confessing with his mouth unto salvation", because that scripture. Rom 10:9, doesn't constitute all that's required to be saved. Belief/faith, yes, confession per Romans 10:9 as did the Ethiopian eunuch as recorded in Acts 8, yes, but also, the eunuch was BAPTIZED, and too, repentance is required as was told the Jews to do in Acts 2:38 as well as baptism.
1. Belief/faith
2. Confession of belief
3. Repentance
4. Baptism
All of the above are required before the Lord adds you to his body which is his church (Acts 2:47)

However you are correct regarding renouncing Christ, or falling away, as warned in Hebrews.

 

[Stumpmaster]

1st of all, to become a Christian has nothing whatsoever to do with claiming to be or "identifying" as one.

Secondly, he really wasn't a Christian by doing what you described, namely, believing and "confessing with his mouth unto salvation", because that scripture. Rom 10:9, doesn't constitute all that's required to be saved. Belief/faith, yes, confession per Romans 10:9 as did the Ethiopian eunuch as recorded in Acts 8, yes, but also, the eunuch was BAPTIZED, and too, repentance is required as was told the Jews to do in Acts 2:38 as well as baptism.
1. Belief/faith
2. Confession of belief
3. Repentance
4. Baptism
All of the above are required before the Lord adds you to his body which is his church (Acts 2:47)

However you are correct regarding renouncing Christ, or falling away, as warned in Hebrews.

TBC He had all of the above going on.

Yeah, the classic "wasn't really a Christian" is a fallacy of logic.

Ex-Mormons were real Mormons.
Ex-JW's were real JW's.
Ex-husbands and ex-wives were real husbands and real wives.
Ex-military personnel were real military personnel.

Conditions apply which if not observed lead to forfeiture of salvation:

Rom 11:22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

Col 1:21-23 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled (22) in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— (23) if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

 

[DJT_47]

TBC He had all of the above going on.

Yeah, the classic "wasn't really a Christian" is a fallacy of logic.

Ex-Mormons were real Mormons.
Ex-JW's were real JW's.
Ex-husbands and ex-wives were real husbands and real wives.
Ex-military personnel were real military personnel.

Conditions apply which if not observed lead to forfeiture of salvation:

Rom 11:22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

Col 1:21-23 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled (22) in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— (23) if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Bottom line, you can lose your salvation and one way is by denouncing Christ, BUT, you can't lose something you never really had which was the essence of my previous comments.

 

[L.A.M.B.]

True story:

A young man identified as a Christian, believed that God raised Christ from the dead, believed with his heart unto righteousness and confessed with his mouth unto salvation. He considered himself saved for eternity, and grew in faith, studying the Word of God and getting seriously involved in church life and ministry so much so that when his congregation found itself without a pastor he was asked to step into the breach.

After a few years fulfilling the function of pastor his denomination oversight advised him that unless he completed a university degree they could not ordain him nor officially credential him to the position he was already filling.

This man enrolled at a university forthwith and became exposed to arguments for evolution that caused him to rethink his Creationist beliefs. He agonised that if evolution was true, as taught by respected scientists, then the Bible must be false.

Unable to maintain his Christian faith in the face of the arguments against the existence of God as the Creator, and Christ as the Saviour, he renounced Christianity, thereby becoming an ex-Christian, someone who once believed Christ is who He said He was, but later when his belief was challenged and tested, recanted and thus fell away from grace. It happens.

His Christian wife, family and friends were very upset to say the least.

Many many many ppl do not see the difference of being "in" and the claiming "of"!

There is a day of testing that is coming whereby there will be "the great falling away. It will test ppl here that are either weak in the faith by their own lack, ( we have the TRUTH) or claim faith & attend churches for societal reasons but are in fact still DEAD to Christ.

True faith is a building up of ones faith in the word, the actions we express to our fellow man about God and in him. It is NOT in name only !

IT is in fact an enduring unto the end as proof of our faith!

May my LAST ACTION OR WORD BE IN LOVE OF MY LORD, SAVIOUR, GOD, AND MASTER.; CHRIST JESUS.

 

[Stumpmaster]

BUT, you can't lose something you never really had which was the essence of my previous comments.

Whoa! The Bible speaks of falling from grace, not falling from the illusion of it.

Gal 5:4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

 

[amigo de christo]

Many many many ppl do not see the difference of being "in" and the claiming "of"!

There is a day of testing that is coming whereby there will be "the great falling away. It will test ppl here that are either weak in the faith by their own lack, ( we have the TRUTH) or claim faith & attend churches for societal reasons but are in fact still DEAD to Christ.

True faith is a building up of ones faith in the word, the actions we express to our fellow man about God and in him. It is NOT in name only !

IT is in fact an enduring unto the end as proof of our faith!

May my LAST ACTION OR WORD BE IN LOVE OF MY LORD, SAVIOUR, GOD, AND MASTER.; CHRIST JESUS.

I have a simple question .
HOW do we know the LOVE we have and believe to be LOVE is TRULY THE LOVE COMING FROM GOD and not rather of the world .
IT WOULD HONOR GOD CHRIST ABOVE ALL . IT would have loved GOD and CHRIST ABOVE ALL
then its neighbor as itself . That aint the love i see getting preached today by most .
Its love puts humanity FIRST BEFORE GOD . and thus ITS FALSE LOVE . and though it can talk about doing good to others
being kind to others , It knows NOTHING of the sort . Cause it wont correct error .
IT rather focuses on what is pleasing to men , NOT TO GOD . Real simple sister . real simple .
But as for the lambs , WE GONNA LOVE AND EMBRACE ALL THINGS our LORD did teach .

 

[Behold]

That's just human reasoning that doesn't hold water. But if you want to use human reasoning, don't forget that babies and even grown ups can die.

Being born again, is not human reasoning.

Its a divine act that is caused by the Holy Spirit., and can't be undone by your behavior.

There is also the fact that a Christian can't become an "Ex" Christian.
You can't stop being born again, and being born again is the only real proof that a person has become a Christian.

 

[Ronald Nolette]

I've come across a few former professing Christians who have either lost their faith or renounced it.

Real scenario. It happens.

Heb 6:4-6 For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, (5) and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, (6) and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame.

That is not referring to losing your salvation at all.

there is no such thing as an "ex-Christian". Once someone is saved, they are rendered dead and their life is hid in christ.

People who may have professed and fall away fall under three categories:

1. They are saved but backslidden.
2. they are Matt. 7 religious folks but never saved.
3. they are 1 JOhn folks who left for they were never part of the body to begin with.

 

[Stumpmaster]

That is not referring to losing your salvation at all.

there is no such thing as an "ex-Christian". Once someone is saved, they are rendered dead and their life is hid in christ.

People who may have professed and fall away fall under three categories:

1. They are saved but backslidden.
2. they are Matt. 7 religious folks but never saved.
3. they are 1 JOhn folks who left for they were never part of the body to begin with.

There are many ex-Christians. Some have been in ministry leadership but have lost their faith. This thread is about them. They exist.

The line "they were never really Christians" is a cop-out and a fallacy of logic, as previously stated.

Just as a person can't fall from a roof if they never were on the roof, a person can't fall from grace if the were never in a position of grace.

 

[Ronald Nolette]

There are many ex-Christians. Some have been in ministry leadership but have lost their faith. This thread is about them. They exist.

The line "they were never really Christians" is a cop-out and a fallacy of logic, as previously stated.

Just as a person can't fall from a roof if they never were on the roof, a person can't fall from grace if the were never in a position of grace.

Well I do not care about how humans create terms for things that we seem illogical.

The bible never says that once becomes a child of God and given eternal life- they can lose it!

It does teach that many who look like christians are not and many who look like Christians leave but were never Christian. I will go with Scripture and to hell with it seeming logical or not.

 

[DJT_47]

Well I do not care about how humans create terms for things that we seem illogical.

The bible never says that once becomes a child of God and given eternal life- they can lose it!

It does teach that many who look like christians are not and many who look like Christians leave but were never Christian. I will go with Scripture and to hell with it seeming logical or not.

On the contrary the bible warns of loosing your salvation in a few places such as Hebrews, Acts 8, Rev 7 churches of Asia.

 

[mailmandan]

Well I do not care about how humans create terms for things that we seem illogical.

The bible never says that once becomes a child of God and given eternal life- they can lose it!

It does teach that many who look like christians are not and many who look like Christians leave but were never Christian. I will go with Scripture and to hell with it seeming logical or not.

I'm yet to find the words "lose salvation" in the Bible.

 

[Lizbeth]

The bible never says that once becomes a child of God and given eternal life- they can lose it!

On the contrary, scripture warns of this all over the place, and doesn't say anywhere that someone cannot lose their faith.