CAN THE CHILD OF GOD FALL FROM THE GRACE OF GOD, No. 3

     Thank you. And a pleasant good morning to each listener. Your
presence is indeed encouraging. This is "What Saith the Scriptures," a
study period brought to you by the White Park Church of Christ. The
building is located one block south of Interstate 10, at the Hankamer
exit, that's highway 62. You are invited to visit with us at any of
our worship periods. Bring your Bible, your pen and paper, and "come
let us reason together."
     I began a study two weeks ago, and continued it last Lord's Day.
I wish to extend our study through this program also. The subject has
been, "Can one who a child of God fall away from the grace of God?"
"Is it possible for a child of God to so sin so as to be lost
eternally?"  If there are those in our listening audience who think
that we are building up a straw man, then fighting the figment of our
imagination, let me read to you a statement that was made some few
years ago. Listen carefully to this man's statement. The spokesman was
a Mr. Sam Morris, who preached at that time for the First Baptist
Church of Stamford, Texas.  I read from a written tract which he
wrote: "We take the position that a Christian's sins do not damn his
soul. the way a Christian lives, what he says, his character, his
conduct, or his attitude toward other people have nothing whatever to
do with the salvation of his soul. That is settled in Christ and
Christ alone..." He continues, "All the prayers a man may pray, all
the Bibles he may read, all the churches he may belong to, all the
services he may attend, all the sermons he may practice, all the debts
he may pay, all the ordinances he may observe, all the laws he may
keep, all the benevolent acts he may perform will not make his soul
one whit safer; and all the sins he may commit from idolatry to murder
will not make his soul in any more danger. The justification of the
human soul is through the atonement of Christ and not through the
efforts of man. The way a man lives has nothing whatever to do with
the salvation of his soul."
     Did you listen carefully to this rather lengthy statement? Did
you hear this man say, that the way a man lives has nothing whatever
to do with the salvation of his soul." That all the sins he may commit
from idolatry to murder will not endanger the eternal destiny of the
soul of one who believes in Christ. How in the world could a person
commit idolatry and still be a believer in Christ. In our lesson last
week we noted that the apostle John stated that no murderer hath
eternal life abiding in him. That's 1 John 3:15. Whom shall we
believe? Mr. Morris or the apostle John. Mr. Morris says that murder
will not make one's soul in any danger of being lost. The apostle John
says that no murder hath eternal life in him.
     I quoted Mr. Morris to illustrate that when we say that some
teach that once one believes in Christ Jesus, there is nothing that
that one can do to lose his or her soul in eternity; that we are
stating exactly what some would teach in the religious world.  Perhaps
you, my friend, believe this. If so, I encourage you to stay with me
for a few more moments, as we look deeply into God's word to see if
that is indeed in harmony with the teachings of the Bible.
     I have called your attention to a number of passages that warn
against apostasy; passages that warn the Christian from going back
into the ways of the world. I continue the same approach again. Open
your books with me and let us study together.
     Turn with me to James 5:19, 20, "My brethren, if any among you
err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he who
converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from
death, and shall cover a multitude of sins." Did you not notice what
James says?? James is speaking to brethren and says that if any "among
you," in other words, fellow brethren. Can a brother become a sinner
who needs to be converted from his error? Sorta sounds like it doesn't
it? What was the condition of this brother? He was a soul headed for
death. Once again, the death mentioned here is not physical death, for
all shall die physically. Heb 9:27, states, "It is appointed unto men
once to die." So we all must die physically. James is discussing
spiritual death, separation from God, the Father.  James says that if
you convert a brother from the error of his way you would save his or
her soul from death, separation from the Father. That sure sounds like
a brother can err from the truth and be lost. How could it be any
plainer than the inspired words of James.
     Thus far, over the past three studies, I have introduced at least
seventeen scriptures that warn God's children not to go back into the
world, not to walk in sinful deeds, because, if one does he or she is
treading on dangerous ground.
     I wish to notice some passages that are often appealed to in
order to teach that a child of God cannot so sin so as to be lost. Let
us see if these passages truthfully teach such.
     1 John 3:9, "Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because
his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of
God." Someone say, don't you see preacher, One begotten of God cannot
sin, because he is begotten of God. Are you telling me that it is
impossible for a child of God to commit sin. That cannot possibly be
what John is discussing, because we have already seen many passage
where a child of God did commit sin. And remember, God's word does not
contradict itself. If I find a contradiction therein, I have
misunderstood one or perhaps both passages. I did not understand two
passages correctly and find them contradicting one another. So, what
does John mean when he states that one begotten of God doeth no sin?
You will notice the progressive tense of the verb "doeth." A child of
God will not continue in sin; will not persist in doing sin. A child
of God who has the seed of God abiding in him or her simply does not
frolic in sin. Has a mother ever told her child, "You cannot do that"?
Does she mean that it is impossible for the child to do whatever it is
she is discussing? No, she means you cannot do that without suffering
the consequences of wrong doing.  Suppose you meet someone you know on
the street and they say, "Let's go get a bottle of beer." The
Christian answers, "I cannot do that." What does that mean. Does that
mean that it is impossible for the Christian to drink the beer. No!!
What he means is I cannot drink and continue to be a servant of Christ
Jesus. By committing sin, one forfeits his or her relationship to
Christ. This is why John states in the first chapter, "If we confess
our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9).
     The book of first John uses the progressive tense verbs over and
over again; walketh; believeth; cleanseth; keepeth; abideth; etc., all
of these showing that our conduct, yea, our very lives, must always be
in harmony with the will of our Father. Do we make mistakes? Of course
we do? Do we commit sin? Of course, we do. This is why John tells to
continue to walk in the light; to confess our sins; to pray for
forgiveness. It is a continual responsibility and obligation.
     The gospel of John is sometimes appealed to. In Chapter 5, verse
24, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my work, and
believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into
judgment." Someone reads this and says, see there, If one hears and
believes they have eternal life and cannot come into judgment. I
hasten to point out again the words used in the passage. The words are
hearETH and believETH. Both of these words show the continuation of
hearing and believing. I readily agree and wholeheartedly, that as
long as one continues to hear and continues to believe, they will not
suffer judgment. But, can a child of God quit listening; can the child
of God quit believing. Why you know that they can. And if they do,
what shall be their eternal destiny?  From all of those 17 verses we
have studied, it is clear that they shall be cast from the presence of
Jehovah.
     Then in John 10:27-29, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them,
and they follow me; and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall
never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. My Father,
who hath given them unto me, is greater than all; and no one is able
to snatch them out of the Father's hand."  See, preacher, no one can
snatch them out of the Fathers's hand. Question, who cannot be
snatched out of the Father's hand? Did the Lord not say, "My sheep
hear my voice, and they follow me?"  These are the conditions of God's
protection. One must hear His voice, one must follow Him. And when we
do we shall have the protection of the Father. What Jesus is teaching
is that no one can forcible make you stop serving God. They may throw
you in prison, they may persecute you, but no one can force you away
from God against your will.  This verse does not take into
consideration that one may choose to quit hearing His voice; one may
choose to quit following Him. Just as no one can force you to cease
hearing and following Jesus, so likewise, God will not force you to
continue hearing and following Him. My friend, it is your choice. It
is your choice to hear Him, or to not hear Him. It is your choice to
follow Him, or to not follow Him. And that is true whether you are a
child of God or not a child of God. Children of God have the same
choices as those who are not Children of God. Whether to listen to Him
and to follow Him. If one so choses to hear and follow Him, God will
keep them in His care. But, if you chose to stop hearing and following
Him, then you risk the danger of eternal destruction. Eternal life is
only after the hearing and the following of Christ. And it must be a
continuing thing.
     Romans 8:1 is sometimes appealed to, where Paul said, "There is
therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus."  And
who would deny that.  But, by reading on down in verse 4, we learn,
"that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not
after the flesh, but after the Spirit."  You see, those who find no
condemnation are those who "walk after the Spirit," those who walk as
the Spirit instructs through His Word.  One cannot walk after the
flesh and find no condemnation in Christ Jesus. One must continue to
walk after the Spirit.
     There are many other verses and passages that refer to our
receiving eternal life, but none of them take into consideration that
we cannot walk away from God. All of them are based upon the truth
that we continue to serve God.  We continue to walk in the light. And
so long as we do, surely God will be with us and not allow us to be
tempted above that which we can bear, but will with the temptation
make known the way of escape. So state Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:13.
     Before I close this lesson, let me hasten to point out that I am
teaching a safe position. If, indeed, one cannot fall away from the
grace of God and be lost; I have endangered no one in warning against
apostasy, or the danger of falling. I have caused no soul to be lost
because of what I have taught. Whereas, on the other hand, what if man
can fall away from God's grace and be lost. Those who teach to the
contrary have endangered soul upon soul, thousands who have been
deceived into thinking that they were secure even though in sin. You
see, ours is a safe course.
     In closing I read Luke 9:62, "But Jesus said unto him, No man,
having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the
kingdom of God." Can man start, then look back? Christ seemed to think
that he could. And if he does, he is not fit for Christ's kindgom.
That sounds to me like a dangerous position to be in. Yes, my friend,
if you start working for God, you had better preserve unto the end if
you would enjoy heaven and all of its joys.
     If you would like a cassette or printed copy of this material,
please let us know.

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