he that believeth not....

[heartstrings]

This hit me Sunday morning as our Pastor was reading the text in John 3 before the message.
A person who has never been saved is...."he that believeth not" right?
Hypothetical question....
What if a person who ONCE believed, could stop believing? Wouldn't he now also be "he that believeth not"?

But that can't be so, because this verse says that "he that believeth not"......"hath not believed"
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Any person who doesn't believe, never has.

[JerryNumbers]

13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

2 Tim 2:13 (KJV)

I know there be different interpretation of this. But if Jesus denied Himself, that is if He denied the promises that has been give us, such as in John 3:15,16, them Jesus is not abiding faithful, His word is no good, He can not be trusted.

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:15-16 (KJV)

Of course that is based on that a person has truly excise saving faith in Jesus Christ, if all they have done is lip service, of course they never really had any true hope.



5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 Peter 1:5 (KJV)

Also, think good ness we don't have to trust our self to keep our self saved, God will take care of that, those who are saved are kept saved by the power of God.

And we have this promise right here, that which we have trusted to Him, there is no way He will let if be lost.

12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

2 Tim 1:12 (KJV)

Last but not least.

12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
John 17:12 (KJV)

None will be lost.

[Marvin]

amen, thats the assurance of salvation.

[irishman]

This hit me Sunday morning as our Pastor was reading the text in John 3 before the message.
A person who has never been saved is...."he that believeth not" right?
Hypothetical question....
What if a person who ONCE believed, could stop believing? Wouldn't he now also be "he that believeth not"?

But that can't be so, because this verse says that "he that believeth not"......"hath not believed"
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Any person who doesn't believe, never has.

Once a person truly believes, how can they "quit" believing? You do not forget salvation, and belief is not turned on and off like a light switch, so that is a hypothetical question.

To quit believing would be like trying un-know something; time and age can make you forget, but normally you cannot un-know something that you know! (Does that make sense?)

As you said, "Any person who doesn't believe, never has"

Somewhere, in realms unknown to man, there is a line drawn that separates acceptance from belief. We do not know where that is, but God knows; it is not for us to know. We can, however, be assured that there is a difference between accepting the Gospel as fact, and believing it with your heart. All of us probably know of people who accept it, but do not believe it.

[heartstrings]

Eons ago, I once believed in Santa Claus. So it is possible to stop believing in some things. But Santa Claus never came into my heart and regenerated me.

What I mean is, there are those who do claim they once believed on Christ, but no longer do. But according to John 3:18 this cannot be true. Because the verse says one who doesn't believe, has not beleived. I beleive one can doubt, and one can "forget that he was purged from his old sins". But I think "doubting" and "forgetting" are totally different things from a ceasing of belief.

[irishman]

Eons ago, I once believed in Santa Claus. So it is possible to stop believing in some things. But Santa Claus never came into my heart and regenerated me.

What I mean is, there are those who do claim they once believed on Christ, but no longer do. But according to John 3:18 this cannot be true. Because the verse says one who doesn't believe, has not beleived. I beleive one can doubt, and one can "forget that he was purged from his old sins". But I think "doubting" and "forgetting" are totally different things from a ceasing of belief.

Perhaps you have defined the difference between a "head knowledge" and a "heart knowledge" of the Lord.

[heartstrings]

It would have to be.
A person who has truly believed on Christ, posesses everlasting life, shall not come into condemnation, is passed from death to life, born of the Spirit, sealed with the Holy ghost, in Christ, seated in the Heavenlies.......