CAN A CHILD OF GOD FALL FROM GRACE???
Introduction:
1. Last week I spoke on the subject of "Saved by Grace."
2. There can be no doubt that we are saved by Grace.
3. One becomes a child of God by God's unmerited favor.
4. But when and how? By obeying the gospel. By allowing faith to
respond to God's commandments. Mark 16:16.
5. Can that child of God so sin so as to be lost eternally?
6. There are those who say NO! They contend, "Once a child of God
always a child of God." "A child of God cannot be lost."
7. Keep the issue clear:
a. Not whether or not one should or if he will commit sin, but
CAN--IS IT POSSIBLE, And, if he does, what shall be the
eternal consequences?
8. We must allow God's Word to answer the question: "Can a child
of God sin so as to be lost in eternity?"
9. I call our attention to numerous passages:
BODY:
1. Rev. 2:10 -- "be thou faithful until death.....crown..."
a. Thus, it is possible to become unfaithful. If so, would he or
she receive a "crown"?
b. Many believe and teach that a child of God, even though he
lies, becomes a drunkard, commits fornication, or any of the
multitude of sins, will be saved in Heaven.
Statement by Sam Morris.
c. Rev. 21:8 -- All, not all unregenerated.
2. 1 Cor. 10:1-4 -- Israelites, children of God
1 Cor. 10:4-12 -- They fell, did not enter the promised land.
Why did Paul instruct them not to do something which they
cannot do?
If the child of God cannot fall, then why warn them against
falling? (vs 12).
3. 2 Peter 2:4 -- Are children of God more secure than angels?
4. John 15:2-8 -- cast forth and burned. A branch in Christ, yet,
burned. Jesus says "a man."
Is it possible for a person to enter into Christ, yet cease
to abide in Him?
5. 2 Peter 2:20, 21 -- Escaped, overcome, yet AGAIN entangled;
worse state than the first.
6. Heb. 10:32-39 -- Draw back.
a. Enlightened, endured, had better possession.
b. Must be in room before can draw back out of it.
c. Child of God can draw back and placed into perdition.
7. Jude 5, 6 -- Israelites once saved were later destroyed.
a. Would you say that they were not God's children?
b. They did not enter Canaan.
8. 2 Peter 2:15 -- How can one forsake if he never had been in the
right way?
Could not forsake a wife is never had one.
How could one go astray unless he was first in right way?
9. Luke 15:24 -- Prodigal son.
a. Some say he was always a child, and not really lost.
b. Yet, the father said, "My son was lost, dead...."
c. In the pigpen the son was separated from the fathers's love
and provisions.
10. Luke 15:4 -- Lost sheep, once a sheep always a sheep. But, a
lost sheep
a. If lost sheep was in no danger, why did the shepherd leave
the 99 and go in search of the one that was lost?
11. 1 Cor. 9:27 -- Paul in danger of being a castaway.
a. Paul recognized that if his body was not in subjection, he
would be rejected.
b. Surely, we are not better than Paul.
12. Gal. 5:4 -- Paul teaching against going back to the Law.
a. If one goes back to Law, fallen from grace.
b. Must be in grace before one can fall from it.
13. Heb. 10:28-29 -- Sanctified, yet to be punished.
14. 2 Peter 1:10 -- If one does not these things, we can fall.
a. Speaking to brethren.
15. Heb. 4:11 -- "us" Jewish Christian.
a. To fall from house must first be on it?
16. Rev. 3:14-16 -- Lukewarm church, "spew thee out"
a. What does it mean to "spew out"? How utterly nauseating, yet,
that is how the Lord feels.
17. Rom. 8:13 -- "If ye live after the flesh, ye must die."
a. Paul is talking to brethren, those who "called to be saints,"
"beloved of God," (Rom. 1:7).
18. James 5:19-20 -- "save a brother from death"
a. Cannot be talking about physical death, for all must die
physical death. (Heb 9:27).
b. What was the brother's condition? Spiritual death!!
19. Rom. 11:19-24 -- (vs 22) "otherwise, thou also shall be cut off"
a. How could one misunderstand such plain language?
b. God can be good, but He can also be severe.
c. Even His children must recognize God's severity.
20. PASSAGES SOMETIMES USED TO TEACH IMPOSSIBILITY OF APOSTASY:
a. 1 John 3:9 -- "he cannot sin, because begotten of God"
Cf. Mother tells child, "You cannot do that." Does that mean
it is impossible for the child to do whatever it is? No,
it means the child cannot do it with mother's blessing.
Cf. Friend invites you to have a beer with him. "I cannot do
that." Impossible, No! But, impossible to do it with God's
blessing. What you are saying it that you are a child of
God, and it is not acceptable to God.
b. John 5:24 -- "hath eternal life, cometh not into judgment,
but, hath passed out of death into life."
(1). Notice the ....ETH words. "heareth, believeth." As long
as one continues to hear and believe.
(2). Can one cease hearing and believing? If so, what then?
c. John 10:27-29 -- No one can snatch out of the Father's hand.
(1) Contingent upon "hearing his voice and following Him."
(2) No one can force you, nor me, from doing God's will.
(3) Eternal life the results of "following Him"
(4) Can one cease "following"?
d. Rom. 8:1 -- "no condemnation to those in Christ"
(1) Qualified by verse 4, "walk after the spirit."
Conclusion:
1. Here is a "preponderance" of evidence. How can they be
ignored?
2. How many times does the Lord need to say something for it to
be truth?
3. Yet, over and over, Christ warns against apostasy.
4. Was there ever a constitution of laws, or a government, that
warned and penalized its citizens against the dangers or the
possibilities of a things, yet, no danger existed?
What kind of nation would we live in, if laws were not
enforced, if the lawbreaker were not punished?
5. What is the lesson in this for me? for you?
6. To see the danger of allowing sin to enter our lives.
7. Does it follow then if we commit sin, we are lost? No,
8. It does mean, we cannot continue to walk in sin, to live in
sin. Sin can be forgiven, but we must confess and repent.
1 John 1:6-10.
Return to Index
Home