CAN A CHILD OF GOD FALL FROM GRACE?

A person goes through conversion to become a child of God. (Matthew 18:1-3). He changes from the love of sin when he believes in Christ (Romans 3:19-26). He changes from the practice of sin when he repents (Acts 26:20; Luke 13:3-5). He dies to the guilt of sin when he is baptized. (Romans 6:4-6). He is a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians. 5:17). As such he is in fellowship with God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit (I John 1:3-7). However man is still a free moral agent and the choices he makes determines his continued relationship with God. When he hears Christ and follows him no man is able to pluck him out of Christ’s hand (John 10:27, 28). But if he turns away from the Lord and walks again in his sinful ways he definitely falls from the grace of the Lord.

1. There are many warnings in the scriptures about falling away.
In I Corinthians 10:1-13 Paul used the example of Israel in the wilderness as an exhortation for Christians to not do as they did. In verse 6 he said, “Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.” After all the examples of their sinning in the wilderness he said, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” (10:12). Their same example is referred to in Hebrews 3 with the exhortation, “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” The Holy Spirit also said we need to fear lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, “any of you should seem to come short of it.” (Hebrews 4:1). In Hebrews 6 the exhortation is to go on to perfection (completeness) as Christians. The warning is, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, 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.” (Hebews 6:4-6). Here is not only the warning that a Christian can fall away from the Lord but that he also can go so far as to not be able to be brought to repentance. This same thing is pointed out in Hebrews 10:26-31 - “For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” In 2 Peter 2 a warning against false teachers was given and the brethren are warned that to be overcome by them is to be “brought into bondage.” (Vs. 19). Then he said, “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again: and the soul that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” (2 Pet. 2:20-22).

If it had not been possible for the child of God to fall from grace why then would God give all these warnings?

2. The Galatians had fallen from grace.
In Galatians 5:4 it is stated, “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” God not only warned against it but here is a clear case of some people who did it. In speaking of teaching false doctrines Timothy was told “Of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.” (2 Timothy 2:17, 18).

3. Many parables of Jesus are warnings against falling away.
The Parable of the virgins left out of the marriage feast because their lamps had gone out is a warning that Christians can lose their faith and be left out of heaven (Matthew 25:1-13). The parable of the one talent man who failed to use his talent and had it taken from him and he was cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is a warning that if Christians do not use their talents will be lost. (Matthew 25:14-30). In Matthew 25:31-46 we have a scene of the Judgment to come with Christ on the throne and all nations gathered before Him. A separation of the people into two groups will take place and those on the right hand will be told to enter the joy of the Lord because of their feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting those in prison. Those on the left hand are those who failed in this matter and were cast into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. This could well be those erring Christians who could not see the needs other needy Christians had. They did not merely fall but they were cast into the eternal fire of hell. I contend that the Bible teaches that Christians can so turn from the commands of the Lord that they will ultimately be cast into the fires of hell.

4.The lesson to this is to be constantly faithful in God’s service here so you will not fall from your own steadfastness.
A. Resist the devil and all his temptations by being steadfast in the faith. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” (I Peter 5:8,9). “Submit yourselves therefore to God, Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7).

B. “And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here. in fear” (I Peter 1:17). The reason for this is you are already redeemed by the blood of Christ having purified your souls in obeying the truth (I Peter 1:19,22).

C. The Devil is going to tempt you to do evil even though you are a Christian. God gives you a way of escape so be sure to take the way of escape rather than falling away. (I Corinthians 10:13).

D. Realize that the victory that overcomes the world is our faith. Nurture it, increase it, and hold it fast at all times. (I John 5:4). -- C. D.

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