Posted by jimB on 11/18/2008, 7:35 pm, in reply to "Comparing the two Epistles"
70.194.145.130
Ray,
The thinking of the early church reflected in Hebre ws and I think Corinthians, was that Resurrection and Ascension changed things. As of the ascension, one got a single chance. Jesus was essentially done forgiving 'apostates.' The Romans understood that. If someone who was accused of being a Christian made a symbolic sacrifice to the emperor, that permanently removed them and they could never be a Christian again. So that was all the Romans required of captive Christians.
Your examples were cited by the bishops during the Diocletian persecution when the bishops changed the doctrine. I think the bishops were spot on, but that is a problem for the "inerrant" folks who generally ignore it IME.
FWIW
jimB
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