Must We Remain Faithful?
Can a Christian fall from the grace of God? This is an important question for which every person that aspires to wear the name of Christ must find a truthful answer. If it is possible for a Christian to fall away from the Lord, how does one maintain his confidence in his/her salvation which is so crucial to providing the encouragement to continue to live a faithful life in Jesus Christ? Of course these answers are always found in the word of God.
First in order to find the truth we need to decide we are going to choose to believe God's word as he has revealed it to all human kind. Many make the mistake of listening to worldly arguments because they sound logical. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent." Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
1 Corinthians 1:19-21. For one to truly find the truth we must have a deep commitment in the belief that God's word is unerring in its truth and that God has clearly revealed it to us so that it can be understood by any person. It does not require many years of study to be understood. The early first century church was made up of uneducated common people who were fisherman, farmers and shepherds for the most part. God desires that those who truly love him also love the truth. Without that love of truth one will let his/her personal desires lead them away from truth in God's word. God also clearly reveals to us that only the understanding of truth truly will set us free. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12. There are some in the religious world today that believe once a person is born into God's family he/she can never fall away or loose their salvation. This is a very appealing belief to hold, but is it God's truth? God seems to speak directly to this very human argument in regard to this belief speaking of the Gentiles who believed they were added to God's church because the Jews were unfaithful and rejected the Messiah. You will say then, "Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in." Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.Romans 11:19-23. To come to a clear conclusion on this teaching we need to establish that one was truly a Christian and in Christ and then afterward fell away from God's grace. For he who lacks these things is short-sighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.2 Peter 1:9-11 First these Christians had been cleansed from sin. Peter then urges them to make their call to God and election to eternal life sure. He even explains to them in the verses leading up to verse 9 how to stay faithful to Christ. In a second example Peter in same letter to these Christians and again warns them not become entangled in sin again. For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire."2 Peter 2:20-22. These brethren first had escaped the sins of the world through the knowledge of Christ and they became entangled again in the sins of the world. The proverb Peter uses mentioned in verse 22 identifies a sow that had been washed and then returns to wallow in the mire it had previously left.In the letter to the Hebrew Christians the writer of Hebrews also warns Hebrew Christians of the deceitfulness of sin and the possible outcome for unfaithful Christians. Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end;
Hebrews 3:12-14. In these verses in the letter to the Hebrews the writer of Hebrews calls them brethren. He reminds them that they had already become partakers in Christ if they hold fast to their original confidence in the blood of Christ and not to fall back into the world of sin and be overcome.The Hebrew writer then in these verses again provides a warning to Christians not fall away from the living God. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; but if it bears thorns and briars, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.
Hebrews 6:4-8. The writer of this letter clearly states these brethren had become partakers of the Holy Spirit and they had tasted the power of the ages to come. It is clear that these were true Christian who were in danger of falling away. It would be senseless for God to warn Christians about falling away if it were not possible to do so. The writer also provides encouragement to them that they should have confidence to continue in Christ if they continued in their diligence to follow Christ. But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end.Hebrews 6:9-11. The Lord often warns his disciples to continue until death and by doing so they would receive a crown of life. "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."'
Revelation 2:10-11. If it were not possible for Christians to fall away once they had received salvation the Lord would not have warned his believers so often . In fact if it were not possible for a Christian to fall once he/she had been saved one might think God was misleading his sheep. I for one believe the Lord would not warn his children if there was no real threat. God is most certainly completely truthful with his children.This lesson is not offered to shake the faith of Christians but to underscore the truth of God's word. If God believes it is necessary to warn his children about falling away it must be a real possibility. And it must also be within the will and power of each Christian to resist the devil and overcome through Spiritual strength in Christ Jesus.
Paul writes to Timothy to continue to follow the Lord and to endure which means to persevere and by so doing we have an eternal hope of reigning with Christ in Heaven but Paul also warned that if when trials come, they must not deny Christ or he would deny them before the Father. This warning is obviously a reference to Matthew 10:32-33. This is a faithful saying: for if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, he also will deny us.
2 Timothy 2:11-12. The Lord has gone to great lengths to provide continuing encouragement and assurance for his children but the Lord will never take away our free will. Mankind has the power to choose to follow Christ or to leave him. The very same scripture that those who teach a Christian can not fall away are the same scriptures that give a faithful Christian the necessary encouragement to remain faithful until death. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.
John 10:27-29.
All references are from the New King James version of the Bible. ©1982.
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