[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!

This verse in 2nd Peter . . . I think if someone is a defeated Christian, then their state actually is worse in this life (than they were before being saved). They have tasted what is true and have rejected it. Therefore nothing remains for them. I actually think I've experienced some of that - the flesh is godless. It doesn't believe in God or any of the things of God. We carry this flesh with us. It's dark. It can sink itself into one heck of a funk, complaining, feeling sorry, woe is me, confusion, etc. We all carry this in our flesh (no good thing dwells there). So if someone went back to living 100% in their flesh, there is no hope . . . no nothing! Might as well just pull the trigger ("Bullet in the brainpan: Squish!" for those Firefly fans) and put it out of its misery. ("The mind of the flesh is death" Romans 8)

However, I don't believe this equates to an eternal loss of salvation. This child (hard to call a "believer") will suffer an incredible loss. So much so that it is hard to imagine the grief, pain and deepest regret - yes, much weeping and gnashing of teeth for all they carelessly threw away as nothing. How long this suffering will last? Don't know, but it's not pretty.

Good points.