Overcomer Doctrine (Merged Thread)

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by Trapped

This is what I mean when I say "false believer".

1 John 2:9
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.

Titus 1:16
They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

Luke 6:46
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?

Matthew 15:8
“’These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

These verses can pertain to genuine, regenerated believers. (I just picked these three out of the several you quoted, as perhaps easiest to make the point.) Let's take the first verse about hating a brother or sister. Is it impossible for a regenerated one to hate another regenerated one and to therefore walk in darkness? I would certainly think so! This is because regenerated ones still have the flesh, and the flesh is capable of the entire litany of nasty things scripture calls out as its characteristics. My flesh is capable of lying, cheating, stealing, drunkenness, carousing, adultery, hatred and even murder. How do I know this? I have done a number of those things after being solidly regenerated! Was I walking in darkness as I did those things? You bet, but I returned to the light. However, at no time did I become unborn of God . . . though I was acting like the so-called prodigal son.

Does that make sense?