In the last two articles we have discussed the false teaching of, "a child of God cannot so sin as to finally be lost in hell." The statement has been made that: "A Christian can go out and kill, steal, or rape [with no repentance necessary] and when he dies, he will still go to heaven." The Bible simply teaches no such doctrine.
In II. Pet. 1:5-11, in reference to what we call the "Christian graces," Peter said: "...if you do these things," that is, add virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and love, "ye shall never fall." We know that if one fails to add these things that he will fall. "But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off..." (v.9).
Those who hold the view of "once saved, always saved," say, that if one falls he never was a child of God in the first place. This simply is not the case. Note the remainder of verse 9: "And hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins." Only a child of God has been purged from his old sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16). Then we read in v.10b, "for if ye do these things ye shall never fall." If one fails to "do these things" he surely will fall.
Those who teach the impossibility of falling , assert that "true believers will endure." But the question is: Can true believers cease to believe? God's word warns: "Take heed, brethren [Christians], lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing[falling away, ASV] from the living God" (Heb. 3:12). This passage makes no sense if it is impossible to fall from the living God and/or if one cannot have an evil heart which would cause him to fall. One might attempt to avoid the conclusion by stating that, "if he fell away that proved he never was a believer." However, the writer addressed them as "brethren," and one could not fall away from God if he had not been with God. One would not be in God's fellowship as an unbeliever!
Paul wrote of those who "depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" (I Tim. 4:1). The term "the faith," identifies the doctrine of Christ. People can depart from Christ's doctrine and give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons. Can those who "depart from the faith" have the same hope of heaven as those who "earnestly contend for the faith" (Jude 3)? Who can believe that to be true?
I John 5:9-13 teaches us that we have eternal life. But how does the believer have eternal life, in promise or in actuality? John wrote that God has promised us eternal life (I John 2:25). Paul said we have the "hope of eternal life" (Tit. 1:2). He also said that one could not hope for that which he already saw (Rom. 8:24). The Lord said the righteous shall go "into eternal life" (Matt. 25:46 ASV). The shall go is in the future.
John states: "But if we walk in the light...the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth [keeps on cleansing] us from all sin" (I John 1:7). "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments" (I John 2:3). The cleansing is conditioned upon our walking in the light; to know God, is conditioned upon our keeping his commandments. These verses (and many others) teach us that we can know, and that we can be secure in that knowledge.
"If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God" (I Pet.4:11).
Don H. Noblin
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