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by Ceci Sullivan
Can a born again
Christian fall away? Be cut off? Turn away from the truth? Depart from the
LIVING GOD? Shipwreck their faith? If the world is already in a
fallen condition, what does the Word refer to when it speaks of THE GREAT
FALLING AWAY IN THE LAST DAYS?
Heb 10:26 "For IF (there is one of those IF words), We sin
willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains
no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment
and fiery indignation, which shall devour the advisories." Vs.29 "of how
much sorer punishment suppose ye shall be worthy of, who hath TRODDEN
UNDER FOOT THE SON OF GOD, AND HATH COUNTED THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT
WHEREWITH HE WAS SANCTIFIED AND UNHOLY THING, and hath done despite unto
the Spirit of Grace? Obviously it is possible for a believer to sin
willfully, and whether he repents again is also based upon his own will.
ETERNAL SECURITY CAN’T BE TRUE, OR IT NULLIFIES OUR POSITION OF FREE
CHOICE, AND WHY WOULD WE BE REWARDED FOR SOMETHING THAT WE DON’T
CONTINUALLY CHOOSE? Clearly from this passage, one who has been
sanctified can trod under foot the Son of God and consider the Blood of
the covenant, through which he had been sanctified, as ordinary blood, and
can blaspheme the SPIRIT OF GRACE."
Heb.6:4-8 "For it is impossible for those who WERE ONCE ENLIGHTENED, and
have tasted of the heavenly girt, and were made partakers of the Holy
Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world
to come, if they shall fall away TO RENEW THEM AGAIN UNTO REPENTANCE.
Seeing they crucify to themselves the SON OF GOD afresh, and put Him to an
open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh often
upon it, and brings forth herbs’ meet for them by whom it is dressed,
receiveth blessings from God, but that which bears thorns and briers IS
REJECTED, AND IS NEAR UNTO CURSING, whose end is to be burned. Clearly
this passage of scripture states that it is possible for those who have
once been enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, who were made
partakers of the Holy Ghost to Fall Away! It is so obvious he is speaking
to believers here, and exhorting them to be steadfast in the faith! (So
they won’t bare thorns and briers and BE REJECTED!)
2tim.4:3-4 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine, but after their own lusts, shall heap to themselves teachers
having itching ears. And they shall TURN AWAY THEIR EARS FROM THE TRUTH,
AND SHALL BE TURNED UNTO FABLES. Paul is distinctly speaking about those
who used to hear the truth and turned from it, to follow after their
own lusts, and went for the teachers that didn’t have sound doctrine.
Heb.3:12 "Take heed 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. HARDENED, " (In other words, soft hearts can get
hard.) One version says "if you fail to take heed, you will be cut off
from the living God."
1Tim.4:1-3 "Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times,
some shall DEPART from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and
doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their CONSCIENCE
SEARED with a hot iron," vs.16 "Take heed to thyself, and unto the
doctrine, CONTINUE IN THEM, FOR in doing this, thou shall both save
thyself, and them that hear." Did Paul tell the truth when he said that
some would depart from the faith? Did Paul tell the truth when he said
some would depart and follow seducing spirits? Is it possible to sear our
own conscience by grieving, denying, and resisting the Holy Ghost?
1 Tim.1:19 "Holding faith, and a good conscience, which some HAVING PUT
AWAY, CONCERNING FAITH, HAVE MADE SHIPWRECK." Paul is saying that some
have PUT AWAY their faith, and have shipwrecked their lives.
Rm. 11:22-23 "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God, on them
which fell, severity, but toward thee, goodness, if thou CONTINUE IN HIS
GOODNESS, OTHERWISE THOU ALSO SHALL BE CUT OFF. And they also, IF they
abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in, for God is able to graft
them in again." This passage speaks of those who fell away from believing
God’s goodness, and were CUT OFF. It states if we do likewise, WE SHALL BE
CUT OFF. Doesn’t the Word of God state over and over again, our personal
responsibility to CONTINUE....IN faith which works by love? The works me
must do is BELIEVE. We must keep examining ourselves to see if we are in
the faith. We shouldn't have faith to be in active sin, and hope there
will be no consequences. Those is this condition aren't really interested
in forsaking sin.
John 15:2 "Every branch IN ME that bears not fruit, HE TAKES AWAY, AND
EVERY BRANCH THAT BEARS FRUIT, He purges it, that it may bring forth more
fruit. (We have to yield to this out of our own free will. Some , who are
IN HIM, choose to rebel against His pruning work in their lives.) If we
don’t continue to abide in Jesus, we eventually will be cast forth as a
branch that is withered. (Receiving life from the vine is a continual act
of our will.) "BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE FAITH IN THE OPERATION OF GOD AND
THE WORK OF HIS HANDS, THEY WERE DESTROYED AND NOT BUILT UP. We should
ask ourselves if we feel like victims of circumstances. Are you quick to
accuse others and excuse yourself? Do you feel like Jesus got off the
throne and is not over-seeing the events in your lives? You are
backsliding if you are entertaining these kind of thoughts.
Because the children of Israel continued not in the covenant of God, He
REJECTED THEM. Does this mean that we are to continue in the new covenant
found in Christ Jesus, lest we be rejected likewise? Just because a man
marries a woman, doesn’t mean the relationship is forever secure,
faithfulness has to be a continual choice and act of the will. Rm.8:9 You
have to prove your love, not only once, but continually, day by day in
your actions. What are you proving you love and are devoted to?
The Word of God tells us not to GRIEVE, DENT, RESIST, THE HOLY GHOST,
which obviously means we CAN. The unpardonable sin of blaspheming the Holy
Ghost is a matter to be deeply considered. I have to wonder if failing to
REVERE HIS WORK IN OUR LIVES, the things He has done for me, is what the
Lord is referring to in Mark 3:29. Jesus says over and over in John 15, IF
YOU CONTINUE, IF YOU ABIDE, IF YOU REMAIN, IF YOU KEEP...Jesus clearly
states that IF we are in Him and we fail to be fruitful, we will be CUT
OFF. One translation uses the word UNLESS IN PLACE OF IF. Four
verses in John 15 uses the word REMAIN, or IF (KJV), seven times! If we
remain in Him and His words remain in us.....we have to conclude that it
is possible to FAIL TO REMAIN! The end of sin is death, whether you are a
Christian or not. Gal.6:7 "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked,
for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap." He who sows the things
of the flesh, from the flesh shall reap corruption, he who sows to the
Spirit, from the "Spirit shall reap life everlasting. (Sowing is a
continual thing we do every day." Paul is speaking to believers here. He
is saying, obeying the flesh leads to corruption, and he is speaking to
Christians. Obeying the Spirit, equals LIFE EVERLASTING. Vs.9 says, "not
to be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint
not! OBVIOUSLY IT IS POSSIBLE TO FAINT. Heb.12 SPEAKS OF LOOKING TO JESUS,
lest we become weary and faint in our soul, mind. Vs.23, "Beware lest you
refuse Him who speaks to you. For if they were not delivered who refused
Him who spoke with them on earth, much more can we not escape IF WE REFUSE
HIM WHO SPEAKS TO US FROM HEAVEN! It’s obvious, from this portion of
scripture, Paul is telling the CHRISTIANS, not to refuse Him who speaks.
He also says to the believers, that those who do the works of the flesh,
SHALL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. He tells the Thessalonians about
THE GREAT FALLING AWAY. Don’t you have to be joined to something to
....FALL AWAY...FROM IT? He is obviously taking about those who have
joined themselves to God through the Salvation of His Son, and fallen away
from their beliefs. The writer of Jude, wanted us to remember that God
having redeemed and saved His children out of the land of Egypt, destroyed
those who failed to keep on believing and trusting Him. He speaks of the
Angles who did not keep their first estate, but left their own habitation.
(God gave them free choice. Once they were angles, they weren’t always His
angels.) If they failed to keep, and left off their position of Faith and
Trusting God, can’t we?
Rev.3:5 HE WHO OVERCOMES, the same shall be clothed in white robes, and I
will not blot his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his
name before my Father, and before His angels. He who overcomes.....This
passage is clear that names can be blotted out.
We are KEPT BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST. How much does responding to
Him, have to do with being kept? Its not that we loved Him, but He first
loved us. DON’T WE HAVE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO RESPOND TO HIS LOVE,
HIS SPIRIT, HIS TRUTH? Believe, Faith, Obedience, all go hand in hand.
Those who believe and have faith, obey. Never-the-less, we, according to
His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which dwells
righteousness. THEREFORE, my beloved, while you look for theses things, BE
DILIGENT that you may be found by Him in peace, without spot and
blameless. (He who endures to the end shall be saved.) It's our
responsibility to endure, and when we rely on Him, He gives us strength.
And consider that the long-suffering of The Lord IS SALVATION, even
as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him,
has written to you, As also in his epistles, he spoke concerning these
matters, in which there are certain things so hard to be understood , that
those who are ignorant and unstable pervert their meaning, AS THEY DO ALSO
THE OTHER SCRIPTURES, TO THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION. You therefore, my beloved,
seeing that you know these things beforehand, BEWARE LEST YOU FOLLOW THE
ERROR OF THE LAWLESS, AND FALL FROM YOUR OWN STEADFASTNESS. But grow in
grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and of God
the Father. TO HIM BE THE GLORY BOTH NOW AND FOREVER AND THROUGH ALL
ETERNITY!!!!!! 2Pet.3:13-18
WHY WOULD PAUL WARN US IF WE COULDN’T FALL? DID HE SPEAK NONSENSE? HE GAVE
MANY WARNINGS. IS SOMEONE YOU LOVE TRYING TO JUSTIFY THEIR SIN, OR IDOLS,
THEY AREN’T FREE FROM, SO THEY HANG ON TO THIS DOCTRINE ALONG WITH THEIR
un-judged SIN??? If you’re a Christian already, and someone is trying to
convince you of this false doctrine, ask yourself why they are doing it,
if you are already saved. Do they really have something to hide? Are they
trying to convince you of something they know deep in their own heart is
wrong, and they secretly question? Anyone that believes Jesus’ words, know
they have a responsibility to remain, and continue in His Word. Even a
child who does good, and turns from it to do evil, doesn’t expect to be
blessed! Anyone who hangs on to this unquestionably wrong doctrine, is
setting themselves up for being over-come, and without victory in their
lives. They must really be honest, do I really believe Jesus can help me
over-come my sin, or is this doctrine my excuse and easy way out. Jesus
wants us to be over comers, not have faith to sin with no conscience of
consequence.
We do pray this article has been of help
to you in understanding the Once Saved Doctrine.
Blessings,
Robert Wise
Forgotten Word Ministries |