Hello my friend! :)

It's funny how fear is a companion that we just do not want to lose, isn't it? I'm not sure how you are being affected by our brother's perspectives on this, but I did want to remind you of the thing that drew you into his thoughts,

[The writer brought up a few things including another brother's insistence that he could "lose his salvation" as he stated:]

I am open to hear you out on that, but for now, that breeds a lot of fear in me, if it is true, because I know that in my own life, I deal with alot of anger and unforgiveness.

Fear is a powerful intimidator of the believers. Have you asked yourself why he didn't speak to you of CHRIST concerning the breeding of fear you spoke to him of in this reference? Normally, in ANY OTHER framework this brother would be a fireball on how the finished work of Christ did away with fear (which he touched on in that specific context)!! But instead, his lack of mentioning it coupled with his interpretations only reinforced the fear you spoke of as being LEGITIMATE!! The faith he speaks of in this instance has nothing of the miraculous in it. If faith is nothing more than a choice made by the fallen human mind then it could easily be changed by another choice. Of course, the real miracle in this scenario is how someone could STAND BEFORE GOD IN THE FIRST PLACE by the fluctuating choices of fickle beings.

I am, once again, tempted to view a brother outside the reality of Christ. There is no life in that. I have no real option, there is ONLY Christ, and Him crucified. If he is in Christ he is a new creation even though he has reserved a doctrine for his fear to remain in. The verses don't support him in this, but his leftover fears desire to remove the confidence he so freely expresses in other areas. In the end, our old fears demand that we NEED them! The legal-minded say we need them to keep us from sinning. Is there that much difference if we still need fear to keep us from "losing faith"?

I'm not sure if I will respond to him or not at this time. He loves me if I agree with him, but he will cut me off as soon as I don't ... it's happened before.

Love,
Jim