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Waggoner on the Gospel of John - Ellet J. Waggoner

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<strong>the</strong> promise that <strong>the</strong>y shall never perish, show that<br />

<strong>the</strong>y have no real appreciati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> its meaning, and<br />

that <strong>the</strong>y do not know it in <strong>the</strong> <strong>on</strong>ly way it can be<br />

known, by practical experience. Yet such generally<br />

claim for <strong>the</strong>mselves that <strong>the</strong>y have entered up<strong>on</strong> a<br />

plane <strong>of</strong> spiritual life, which is far above <strong>the</strong><br />

average Christian experience. In many instances<br />

when <strong>the</strong> true Sabbath <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Lord is brought to<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir notice <strong>the</strong>y refuse to listen to <strong>the</strong> voice which<br />

spoke from heaven <strong>the</strong> ten commandments,<br />

although <strong>the</strong>y claim to be His sheep. If it be<br />

pointed out to <strong>the</strong>m that disobedience to God's<br />

commands is sin (1 <strong>John</strong> 3:4), and that <strong>the</strong> wages<br />

<strong>of</strong> sin is death (Rom. 6:23), <strong>the</strong>y reply that it will<br />

not be so with <strong>the</strong>m, because <strong>the</strong>y have been born<br />

again, and Christ has promised that <strong>the</strong>y shall never<br />

perish. Thus <strong>the</strong>y take <strong>the</strong> promises <strong>of</strong> Christ to<br />

streng<strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>mselves in c<strong>on</strong>tinuing to transgress<br />

His commandment, after <strong>the</strong> sin has been brought<br />

to <strong>the</strong>ir knowledge.<br />

Almost invariably <strong>the</strong> people who use <strong>the</strong>se<br />

arguments hold also <strong>the</strong> view that a pers<strong>on</strong> who has<br />

<strong>on</strong>ce been saved can never be lost, and <strong>the</strong>y base<br />

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