JESUS SAID HE LOST NONE. WHAT DID HE MEAN?

Paul spoke against denominationalism when some in churches started dividing themselves after different men. For example "10 Now I beseech you brethren by the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ, that yee all speake the same thing, and that there be no diuisions among you: but that ye be perfectly ioyned together in the same minde, and in the same iudgement. 11 For it hath bene declared vnto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Cloe, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now this I say, that euery one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollo, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ. 13 Is Christ diuided? was Paul crucified for you? or were yee baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Corinthians 1:10-13).

It is interesting to me that Calvin and Luther both lived out their lives fairly naturally (for that time period of sickness and uncleanness) without persecution. Calvin indeed said things that don't exactly ring true when being judged by the Word of God. There are many of those early Protestants that perverted the Word, the same as the Catholics, to boost their political worldly gain. Thus far, my research has led to the fact that anyone who associates firmly with ANY denomination, is somewhat doctrinally corrupt. All those dividing lines are man made and not in the scripture.

You make a good point about Calvin. It's hard to say if he believed the modern version. He was trained in a Jesuit university, and may have been influenced by it. Needless to say, whatever is considered Calvinism today, is definitely favorable to Rome; it removes salvation by faith and faith alone, and replaces it with salvation by predestination, no faith required.

Another great session. Couple of thoughts . . 1) There is an open debate as to whether Calvin believed the concept of predestination as it is promoted today by "Calvinists". My bias is that, although controversial, I admire Calvin's life because he was an important reformer. I have always thought that the current idea of predestination is a Jesuitical corruption because it eliminates the requirement of faith/belief . . which is our intimate relationship with God. To believe in predestination also requires you to believe that God predestined/created sin. I don't think this is possible for our perfectly righteous God. God knows all things . . and the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). But you clearly set forward the many scriptures which establish that believers can lose the faith . . just as the seed that falls in the rocky place or the virgins without enough oil for their lamps. 2) Peter is the perfect Apostle to teach us to endure in the faith to the end . . because of his documented crisis of faith denying our Lord thrice before the cock crowed. 3) Knowledge without Love is dead (. . to paraphrase James 2:26). I have personally experienced this in many settings. It is why "science" will never save us. Only belief and love will. Knowledge of many worldly things has been given/allowed to us by God because he loves us. But any knowledge is merely a tool which must be used through the guidance of the Holy Spirit with love to HIS glory to have any value.

terrifying but very edifying also

Very true.

Good discussion. There really is a lot going on in John!