ROMANS 8:14-26

CAN A CHRISTIAN BACKSLIDE

WHAT ABOUT ETERNAL SECURITY

INTRODUCTION:

This lesson does not attempt to cover the years of theological debate on the subject of backsliding or eternal security. It is intended to give the student an overview of why I believe we must live for and follow God to be God's children. See the following Scriptures as just one reference:

Rom 8:14-16  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

I do not believe backsliding is just the committing of one sin or sins it is something that "can" happen should a Christian neglect his or her salvation and make a conscience decision to return to a life of practicing the same sinful behavior that God delivered them from and feeling no remorse or need for repentance before God.

See the following Scriptures as just one reference:

Heb 10:26-31  For if we sin wilfully 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. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

I - ARGUMENT ONE FOR ETERNAL SECURITY

HAS GOD EVER CAST ANYONE OUT?

Another question in response to this is has God ever sent anyone to hell? These are questions worthy of theological research and answers but our subject is can a person backslide. Let us look at the following scriptures in context and see what Jesus was saying both at the front and end of his conversation.

THE ETERNAL OPPORTUNITY

John 6:35-40  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

QUESTION -

Did you have free will before you were saved? Were you able to accept and / or reject Salvation before you were saved? Did you lose your free will after you were saved? Do these Scriptures teach that you can commit, practice, and live in sin after you are saved without regard to God or your fellow man and go to heaven?

THE ETERNAL WORK OF THE HOLY GHOST

QUESTION -

Was Jesus teaching us the Father draws men, he draws men, or the Spirit draws men, or all three draws men? Are these scriptures examples of the Trinity at work through the Holy Ghost to men? At the end of this section did some of his disciples leave and go back? Notice it is in JN 6:66 that they go back or 666.

John 6:44-45  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

Mat 11:27-30  All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

John 12:32  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

John 16:7-12  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

John 6:61-65  When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

John 6:66-71- From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

ARGUMENT TWO FOR ETERNAL SECURITY

CAN MAN TAKE IT AWAY FROM YOU?

I don't think there is really any disagreement between most Christians that man cannot take it away from you but in the early Church many people were killed because they would not recant on their confession of faith. Also during that time many did recant (take back) their confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and their Savior. How do you believe God judged them?

THE STRENGTH OF TRADITION AND WORKS OF MAN

Jesus did teach that man couldn't take away what God has given. This is holding true to the thinking that every man has his own free will and no man can take away something he cannot give. Can man save you? No and the Lord was confirming that Salvation is higher than man and man cannot add to it or take away from it.

John 10:24-30  Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 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, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.

QUESTION -

They Believed, Heard his voice, and followed to be the sheep of Jesus. To claim to have eternal life and not follow is like the Jews who claimed to know God and not accept Jesus as Lord.

THE STRENGTH OF MAN'S OWN WILL

If we are to conclude that another man cannot take away something spiritual and eternal from us can we in fact fall or end up in a worse condition than before. Let us look first at the words of Jesus and then other scripture for the answer.

Mat 12:43-45  When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.   Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

1 Cor 9:26-27  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

1 Cor 15:1-2  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

Heb 3:5-6  And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;   But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

ARGUMENT THREE FOR ETERNAL SECURITY

CAN ANGELS, DEATH, OR ANY OTHER CREATURE TAKE IT FROM YOU?

This is the third classic argument that some use to claim eternal salvation without any way or possibility for a man to lose his salvation with God. I think when you put these verses in context you will have to say thee is a big difference from being separated from the love of God and being able to go to heaven while living and practicing sin.

WHAT SHALL WE SAY TO THESE THINGS

1 - If God is for us who can be against us?

2 - Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?

3 - Who is he that condemneth?

Rom 8:31-34  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

1 - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

2 - For I am persuaded

Rom 8:35-39  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

CAN A MAN TURN BACK ON HIS OWN

Let us look at the argument presented in the scriptures that a man has the free will to turn back if he so desires and can in fact both leave and be worse off than before he was saved.

2 Pet 2:19-22  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.   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 sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Gal 2:17-18  But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.  For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

CAN A MAN FALL AWAY FROM THE GRACE OF GOD

This is a very contentious question to many since the grace of God was and is given freely to men. None of us deserve the Grace of God it is His great love for us that He draws us to Him. But, can anyone say God forces us to come to him, or forces us to be saved? How then could we say God will force us to stay with him, force us to go to heaven, or force us to go to hell? If we accept and agree that man has a free will to both accept and reject the precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ our Lord.

Heb 6:4-6  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.

Gal 5:2-4 -  Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.    For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.   Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

2 Pet 3:17-18  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.   But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

2 Pet 1:10-11  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:   For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Jude 1:22-25  And of some have compassion, making a difference:   And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.   Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,  To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen.

CONCLUSION:

1 John 3:7-10  Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.    He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.   Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.    In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.