But we don't disagree at all. I probably wasn't clear in what I wrote. I believe anyone that truly believes in Him will be saved.
If I am reading you correctly, you are saying that while all of the elect are saved, not all of the saved are the elect."
Yes, that is what I mean - all of the elect are saved unless they commit the unpardonable sin. All others are saved as long as they continue to believe in the true Christ and not the fake. If they mistakenly worship Satan, believing he is Christ then they no longer "believe in Him" and are not saved.
Both of these events can't happen until Satan's tribulation. Matthew 24:21.For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. (22) And except those days should be shortened there should no flesh be saved; but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
That is Satan's tribulation and it will be full of lies and deceit. Most men (flesh) will be taken by his deception and they will believe he is Christ.
But after more thought I don't think that's what you mean. I think instead what you mean is that one can be a true believer, but not be saved or of the elect.
No, a true believer is saved but that doesn't make him one of the elect.
As I alluded to above, it is absolutely incomprehensible to me that God would ever turn His back (ultimately) on one who really has put his faith in Christ. In my view, there is too much scripture against that idea.
I agree, He would never do that.
Are your views representative of a particular Christian faith (denomination)?
I'm a non-denominational Christian.
When we were discussing the elect I forgot to mention something. There are the elect and the very elect. What I term the "very elect" would be the 7,000 mentioned in Rom.11:4. They are the ones spoken of in Matthew 24:9 that will be delivered up for a testimony and allow the Holy Spirit to speak through them. Because they do this many others will be brought back to Christ.
Those others are the elect, the 144,000:
Rev.7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
I'm not certain of the distinction you are drawing. Are the elect immune from falling from the faith, and mistakenly worshiping satan?
That is Satan's tribulation and it will be full of lies and deceit. Most men (flesh) will be taken by his deception and they will believe he is Christ.
That's interesting, I've never thought of it that way before. My impression has always been that when the anti-Christ comes he will fool millions/billions who are lost. I didn't think that he would be able to trick the truly saved, causing them to lose their salvation, because no one can pluck them out of His hand. How do you square your view with John 10:25, et seq.?
I'm a non-denominational Christian.
I've always wondered how that worked. Is every non-denominational church totally independent, or is there a network of non-denominational churches? If you traveled to another city, could you just walk into any non-denominational church and expect to experience "something" close to what you are used to?
That's what the Word says.
Hebrews 10
26 For if we sin willfully [see original Greek here] after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The LORD will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.