The true gospel must legally fulfill God's law....

[8thdaypriest]

The word "worship" means "to serve" - NOT simply to acknowledge mentally that Christ is King. 

 

The word translated "believe" means much more than mental assent.  I includes or enfolds the idea of faithfulness, or support. 

Obedience ALWAYS flows from the mental assent.  You cannot separate "belief" from that which flows from it.

 

0539 !m;a' 'aman {aw-man'}
Meaning:  1) to support, confirm, be faithful 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to support, confirm, be faithful, uphold, nourish

 

In the West, we have turned "belief" into a simple mental assent.  Western thought has distorted the true meaning of the word.

 

"Even the demons believe and tremble." (James 2:19). 

 

The word here is the Greek pisteu #4100.

Meaning:  1) to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in 1a) of the thing believed 1a1) to credit, have confidence 1b) in a moral or religious reference

 

This is the Western "believe", which is just mental assent.   

So - is mental assent all that is required, or should we be thinking in Hebrew terms, wherein "believed" implies and includes the actions which flow from the mental assent. 

[8thdaypriest]

Where I have a problem, is with those who seem to be teaching that perfection in all action and thought is required BEFORE Christ can claim me as His own. 

 

My perfection is already FACT.  I have been declared righteous in the eyes of God.  I am justified through Christ.

I am also sanctified (set apart) through Christ. 

 

My perfect healing will not be accomplished until "the 8th day". 

I was a leper.  The leper was NOT FULLY restored until "the 8th day". 

I will be a priest.  Priests were NOT FULLY consecrated until "the 8th day".

I have touched death.  I will NOT be fully cleansed until "the 8th day." 

 

We are circumcised by Christ in heart.

Circumcision was also a prophecy.  It NOT BE FULLY ACCOMPLISHED for all of Israel redeemed - until "the 8th day".

 

My perfection (actual absolute harmony with God and His Law) will be accomplished IN ME - by Christ.

He has promised that HE WILL WRITE His law on my heart. 

If I die before that PROCESS is complete - I will complete that process in His Kingdom. 

 

The harder I TRY to heal myself - the more clearly I see that I CANNOT HEAL MYSELF. 

I think that Alcoholics Anonymous gets this one right. 

All I can do, is cling to Him - believing that He will fulfill His promise. 

Any good works that I do, are tainted with my sin sickness.  (Just as anything a leper touched was contaminated.)

But those "works" that Jesus does through me.  THOSE will be "acceptable". 

[joeb]

 

I think it is important to understand what is meant by "accepting or believing in Jesus". If accepting  or believing in Jesus means that we  need only acknowledge that He is who He says He is, then obedience is not a requirement for salvation. But if accepting  or believing Jesus means to love, trust, follow after, emulate. and see Him as your Lord, then obedience is necessary for our salvation.

I agree.  That's why the true Christian is a disciple of Christ.  Robert's view completely ignores discipleship.  I like what Easton's Bible Dictionary says is the definition of a disciple of Christ.

 

 

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)

Disciple

   a scholar, sometimes applied to the followers of John the

   Baptist (Matt. 9:14), and of the Pharisees (22:16), but

   principally to the followers of Christ. A disciple of Christ is

   one who (1) believes his doctrine, (2) rests on his sacrifice,

   (3) imbibes his spirit, and (4) imitates his example (Matt.

   10:24; Luke 14:26, 27, 33; John 6:69).

 

Robert does not understand what a disciple is.  He makes being a disciple a negative instead of a positive.  He agrees with the first two definitions but ignores the last two.  He calls those two aspects of discipleship legalism.

[LifeHiscost]

Circumcision was also a prophecy.  It NOT BE FULLY ACCOMPLISHED for all of Israel redeemed - until "the 8th day".

 

My perfection (actual absolute harmony with God and His Law) will be accomplished IN ME - by Christ.

He has promised that HE WILL WRITE His law on my heart. 

 

If I die before that PROCESS is complete -I will complete that process in His Kingdom.

 

The harder I TRY to heal myself - the more clearly I see that I CANNOT HEAL MYSELF. 

But those "works" that Jesus does through me.  THOSE will be "acceptable". 

I don't have a problem being at peace with the lack of perfection on our part before we leave this earth, but I don't see it's as a correction waiting for the Kingdom to come.

 

26And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city. 27Nothing evil^f will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty—but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.....Revelation 21

 

Just how and when the realization of faultlessness will be evident seems to be at the second coming of Christ, at the resurrection.

 

20And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you....Luke 17

 

…52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.…1 Cor 15

 

8If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts....1 John 1

 

God is Love!  Jesus saves! 

[joeb]

I don't have a problem being at peace with the lack of perfection on our part before we leave this earth, but I don't see it's as a correction waiting for the Kingdom to come.

 

26And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city. 27Nothing evil^f will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty—but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.....Revelation 21

 

Just how and when the realization of faultlessness will be evident seems to be at the second coming of Christ, at the resurrection.

 

20And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you....Luke 17

 

…52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.…1 Cor 15

 

8If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts....1 John 1

 

God is Love!  Jesus saves! 

LHC,

 

I think that some of the argument over whether or not we can achieve the fullness of growth in Christ before heaven is the confusion between between being tempted and falling to temptation.  We will always be tempted here on earth as long as we have mortal bodies and the devil lives.  Sin lives within our bodies, but Christ makes victory over that possible.  Paul talks about this quite a bit and those who reject the possibility of living without falling into sin while here on this earth point to his words.  I think what they are doing is saying that because we will always be tempted here that that means victory over sin isn't possible. 

 

Temptation does not equal sin.  If it did Christ was guilty of sin.  I really think that Paul pointed out that out to give us more hope, but his words have been misinterpreted. 

 

 

Romans 7: 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

  22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

  23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

  24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

  25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Paul said these words after he said what he did in Romans 6.  Taking these two statements together about the only conclusion we can come to is sinning is not required, but temptation will always be present on this earth and that temptation somehow dwells within us even though we refuse to follow those inclinations.

 

 

Romans 6: 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

  2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

  3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

  4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

  5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

  6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

  7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Make sense to you?

[LifeHiscost]

  5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

  6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

  7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

 

Make sense to you?

Aye, Mate!

 

God is Love!  Jesus saves! 

[8thdaypriest]

I don't have a problem being at peace with the lack of perfection on our part before we leave this earth, but I don't see it's as a correction waiting for the Kingdom to come.

 

26And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city. 27Nothing evil^f will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty—but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.....Revelation 21

 

Just how and when the realization of faultlessness will be evident seems to be at the second coming of Christ, at the resurrection.

 

20And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you....Luke 17

 

…52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.…1 Cor 15

 

8If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts....1 John 1

 

God is Love!  Jesus saves! 

Regarding the TIMING of perfect harmony with God and His Law:

 

Consider the CONTEXT.

 

Ezekiel 36:24 "For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. [Gathering comes first.]

 

25 "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.

26 "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

28 "Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God." (NKJ)

 

AND WE FORGET

v. 33 "I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt"

v. 36  "Then the nations which are LEFT all around you shall know that I , the LORD have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate." 

v. 37  "I will increase their men like a flock offered as holy sacrifices."  v.38 "the ruined cities will be filled with flocks of men, and they shall know that I am the LORD". 

 

I believe these "nations which are LEFT all around" Israel returned to the land, will be "the rest of the dead". 

And I believe that SOME from those nations WILL come to know the LORD, before the rest rebel as Gog/Magog. 

(Isa. 2 and Micah 4, agree.) 

 

In Zechariah 14:16-19, "everyone who is LEFT of all the nations" go up from year to year to worship the King at the Feast of Tabernacles."

Funny thing - NOT EVERYONE comes up.  v. 18 says "If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain, they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles."   THE POINT IS THAT THE NATIONS WERE INVITED. 

 

The "mixed multitude" were called "the family of Egypt".  There was a mixed multitude also at the return under Nehemiah from Babylon. 

Why not a "mixed multitude" ("the rest of the dead") at the great RETURN, of redeemed Israel back to the earth? 

 

The process of complete "cleansing" of the earth, is NOT FINISHED until every person has a chance to hear and accept Christ as LORD.

And it is not finished until after Gog/Magog. 

[Samie]

 

NO! 

Legal-ISM says one can be saved BY LAW-KEEPING.

. . .

 

IF: To be part of the body of Christ = To be attached to Christ = To be in Christ = To be saved.

THEN: To believe first to be part of the body of Christ =  To believe first to be attached to Christ = To believe first to be in Christ = To believe first to be saved.

 

IF: To be NOT attached to Christ = To be apart from Christ = To be separate from Christ = To be NOT part of the body of Christ

THEN: "To believe first to be saved" is also saying "While still apart from Christ, man can believe".

 

Christ: Apart from Me, man can do nothing.

Preacher: Apart from Christ, man can do something: he can believe.

 

Believing is exercising faith. It is an act of man.

Keeping the law is also an act of man.

So both the teaching that says one is saved by believing and the teaching that says one is saved by law-keeping are both saying one is saved by man's act; and they both redound to legalism.

 

It is then important that salvation be viewed in its three tenses: past, present, future.

 

Past Tense: God saved us through Christ by making us part of His Body.

Present Tense: God is saving us through Christ Who was delivered for our sins and raised again for our justification (Rom 4:25) - continually not imputing sins currently committed (2 Cor 5:18, 19) since these had all been forgiven on the cross (Col 2:13). But man must overcome evil with good (Rom 12:21) through Christ his Strength (Phil 4:13) and to Whom he is attached (Eph 2:11-19). And only overcomers will not be blotted out from the book of life (Rev 3:5).

Future Tense: God will save us through Christ Who will soon come to take all - those whose names remained in the book of life - with Him forevermore.

 

I believe this is the gospel Christ wanted preached to the world before He comes again.

[8thdaypriest]

Here we go again Samie.  You just keep beating the same drum, and I keep saying NO!  NO!  NO! 

I DO NOT agree with you - that all human beings are born in a "saved" condition. 

No matter how many times you quote Revelation 13:8 in the ESV translation, Ephesians 1:3-4, 2 Cor. 5:14, Romans 12:5, 18-19,

 

I will just quote these verses back to you.

 

    Acts 16:30-31 “‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’  So they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” v. 33 “And immediately he and all his family were baptized.”

 

NOTICE:  Peter did NOT SAY, "You're already saved brother." 

John 6:47 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.”  

    John 11:25-26  “I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me,

 

To believe is to RESPOND to Christ.  That's ALL. 

Jesus is the one who said, "You must be born again." 

 

    John 1:12  “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:”

 

Galatians 3:7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. (NIV)

 

Those without faith (belief) ARE NOT "children of Abraham". 

 

ALL MEN are invited.  A positive RESPONSE on the part of the individual to the INVITATION is required. 

Responding to the invitation is NOT WORKS. 

God will NOT manipulate human beings.  He will not take into His everlasting kingdom anyone who has NOT knowingly CONSENTED. 

[joeb]

 

ALL MEN are invited.  A positive RESPONSE on the part of the individual to the INVITATION is required. 

Responding to the invitation is NOT WORKS. 

God will NOT manipulate human beings.  He will not take into His everlasting kingdom anyone who has NOT knowingly CONSENTED.

I agree....  We are not born justified. 

 

 

Galations 2:17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

If Paul believed he was born justified he would never have written Galations 2:17 and talked about seeking to be justified by Christ.

[Robert]

I agree....  We are not born justified. 

 

Romans 5:18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 

 

Adam's fall condemned the human race because all Adam could pass on to us was his fallen life.  

 

Christ, the last Adam, assumed Adam's fallen life and by doing so rewrote humanity's history.  Hence, by one act of righteousness (Christ's) there resulted (past tense) justification of life to all men!

 

How so?

 

Because when Christ obeyed God's law your life from Adam was in Him and therefore you were made obedient.  And on the cross that life died eternally.  Hence the justice of God's law has been legally answered.

 

Christ has reversed our condemnation in Adam and has, past tense, justified us to eternal life.  We must chose to be lost by rejecting this good news.

 

The gospel is good news to sinners, but bad news to the self-righteous. The latter want to contribute something to their salvation.

[Robert]

 

 

    Acts 16:30-31 “‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’  So they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” v. 33 “And immediately he and all his family were baptized.”

 

NOTICE:  Peter did NOT SAY, "You're already saved brother." 

 

Peter is speaking to an adult...

 

Heb 9:25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.

 

Christ's death happened once, about 2000 yrs ago.  Your life from Adam (the life you share with Adam) died 2000 yrs ago. (see Rom 6:6/7:4) Hence you have been legally justified.....If not, Christ must die again and again, but this cannot be.

 

Heb 10:14... by that will (by Christ's dong & dying), we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

[stinsonmarri]

Interesting comments to say the lease! Legalism, believe and just like that you are saved, wow! Can you love a man and just like that and you are married?  Too me Salvation is very simple love ELOHIM with all your heart has nothing to do with strictness or being burden down with HIS Law! Loving is so simple that you want to do everything to please HIM! Why, because we were suppose to die but we do not have to. 

 

We have become free by HIS SON  who willingly met the requirements of the Law for us. The Law say if you sin you must die but HIS SON died in my place. Now do I want grace if I want it, I must show my love for this wonderful gift.  How do I show it, but by my body daily being a living sacrifice for this gift. But I cannot do it a lone because I am so weak, but help is on the way, THE COMFORTER who do not make me change but encourages me to change slowly, daily if I ask for HIS help. Bad habits starts to go away, one helps with three or four bad things. I become stronger as I pray and the THE HOLY SPIRIT shows me more to change, I work on that and more and more I become different. Then I have a bump in the road and fell, I feel so useless and I cry out for help. Calmly THE HOLY SPIRIT says "I got you, look Marrian you can start where you left off. Remember YAHSHUA died and HE sent me to strengthen you. It alright, leaving the things behind you and press for that mark Marrian" Then something happens, I am revived and I run the race because at the end is the greatest gift then grace and that is grace brings me to salvation so when YAHSHUA comes HE doesn't see sin. THE HOLY SPIRIT has given to me YAHSHUA robe of righteousness as HE help me clean up my house. Now YAHSHUA is bringing to me my reward! You see HE stood in my place before HIS FATHER THE JUDGE and the angel that had my records said she has completed her love and my name is not only remained in the Book of Life, there is a stamp of sealing and approval by THE FATHER. "Go get her SON, says THE FATHER, "she has accepted MY grace of YOUR death and is now by YOUR BLOOD bought back to ME" Bring her reward of salvation with you and she made come before ME without sin which is the transgression of MY CHARACTER"!!!!!!!

 

 

Now that is love, the greatest gift is being able to stand before THE ALMIGHTY FATHER without sin!!!!!

 

Blessings, Happy Sabbath!

[LifeHiscost]

 

Now that is love, the greatest gift is being able to stand before THE ALMIGHTY FATHER without sin!!!!!

 

Blessings, Happy Sabbath!

 

 

I especially appreciated the concluding remark and perhaps different than some, for me that means while here on this earth, I pray for the cleansing of Jesus blood on a daily basis. One of my greatest detriments experienced in this life was becoming complacent about my true condition no matter how the experience of God's overruling providence played out.

 

…23and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him Who judges righteously ; 24and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls....1 Peter 2

 

6For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away....Isaiah 64

 

I exult in God's unfathomable promises.

 

12So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. 14Do all things without grumbling or disputing;…Philippians 2

 

God is Love!  Jesus saves! 

[12tribes]

Mark 1:15 KJV
(15)  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

 

 

What is the gospel Jesus is referring to here? Not just the death of Jesus.

 

 

Mark 1:14 KJV
(14)  Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,


Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom. What did He preach? Many parables, as well as the spirit of the law. So what is the everlasting gospel?

 

 

Mark 4:26 KJV
(26)  And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;

Mark 4:30 KJV
(30)  And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?


 

[Samie]

Here we go again Samie.  You just keep beating the same drum, and I keep saying NO!  NO!  NO! 

I DO NOT agree with you - that all human beings are born in a "saved" condition. 

No matter how many times you quote Revelation 13:8 in the ESV translation, Ephesians 1:3-4, 2 Cor. 5:14, Romans 12:5, 18-19,

 

I will just quote these verses back to you.

 

    Acts 16:30-31 “‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’  So they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” v. 33 “And immediately he and all his family were baptized.”

 

NOTICE:  Peter did NOT SAY, "You're already saved brother." 

John 6:47 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.”  

    John 11:25-26  “I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me,

 

To believe is to RESPOND to Christ.  That's ALL. 

Jesus is the one who said, "You must be born again." 

 

    John 1:12  “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:”

 

Galatians 3:7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. (NIV)

 

Those without faith (belief) ARE NOT "children of Abraham". 

 

ALL MEN are invited.  A positive RESPONSE on the part of the individual to the INVITATION is required. 

Responding to the invitation is NOT WORKS. 

God will NOT manipulate human beings.  He will not take into His everlasting kingdom anyone who has NOT knowingly CONSENTED. 

 

If before the invitation man is in sin, then he is spiritually dead, and can do NOTHING.  It follows that there seems to be something wrong with the teaching that man can respond while spiritually dead. But teachers of this brand of gospel just keep saying No.

 

Man has ZERO participation in the past tense of salvation. It's all God's work for man. How can man respond if he is still dead spiritually? CONSENTING occurs in the present tense of salvation, after God through Christ has transported man into the present tense of salvation.

 

Man's CONSENTING occurs in the present tense of salvation for him to be saved in the future tense of salvation.

 

This is why babies who died at infancy and did not have the opportunity to RESPOND and CONSENT in the present tense of salvation were seen by the prophet Isaiah in the new earth because by virtue of what God did for all in the past tense of salvation, babies' names are in the book of life, and hence are assured of a place in the future tense of salvation.

 

So why yet teach others when their names are already in the book of life and knowing that when they refuse what were taught them they become accountable for what they had been taught?

 

Simple. God is the best Father. He knows what is best for His children. He knows what responsibility is due for one who has grown into a certain stature of spiritual level of maturity. And He will send someone to that person to teach him. Just like when He sent Philip to the eunuch. If Philip refused, the Father will send somebody else to teach that eunuch who, having grown up into a higher level of spiritual maturity, had to be taught a commensurate level of spiritual responsibility. And if the eunuch refused to accept the higher responsibility given him, then he becomes accountable. 

 

So, if the eunuch did refuse, are we to question why the eunuch had to be taught? NO. He was merely shown that through his refusal, he is not yet an overcomer. But it is not yet game over for him. There's hope while alive. So with us.