Many local churches teach the dangerous doctrine of 'once saved always saved'. This is a false doctrine. While it is true that "he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6), one must not only persevere in the faith in Jesus Christ as the whole book of Hebrews exhorts. One must constantly guard against abandoning one's faith in Christ to go back into the world.
Hebrews 11:14-16 warns the follower of Christ not to go back into the world:
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Even those listed in the Hebrews 11 Hall of Faith were tempted to go back to the world, to seek earthly riches, glory, pleasure and comfort. It is indeed very tempting which is why God allows hardships, suffering, and if not neither of these come, allows relatively little success from the worldly perspective to His servants. Hardship, suffering and receiving little to no worldly success or recognition are needed to ensure that the follower of Christ is not overcome by temptation to go back into the world.
Riches, earthly achievements and worldly success are extremely alluring in drawing people back into the world. They give a sense of comfort and pride in the world, and dull one's heart towards God, causing people to be lukewarm.
This was precisely the case in the Church of Laodicea (Revelation 3:1-22). They thought of themselves as so wealthy and 'blessed', but Jesus said they were pitiable. Despite of their wealth and earthly security which they were proud of, being so smug behind their wealth, they were spiritually poor, and therefore to be pitied. Their earthly wealth and security meant nothing to Jesus. Likewise, your earthly wealth and security means nothing to Jesus at all, whatsoever:
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
(Revelation 3: 15-19).
They were lukewarm, having no zeal for Christ like an unbeliever, yet at the same time having the vile audacity to desire His blessings. Lukewarmness is the manifestation of double-mindedness of the most perverted kind. Show me a lukewarm Christian and I will show you a double-minded Christian, who is unstable in all his ways (James 1:8). Such a professing Christian is full of worldliness. He or she has a form of godliness denying its power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5).
Such lukewarmness is a dire sign. It is the step before apostasy which is extremely dangerous. Once a person who has came to the faith and became a partaker of the Holy Spirit falls into apostasy, he or she is in a position that is even more precarious than the pagan who has never really heard the Gospel and lives in sin. For he or she can only expect a judgment far greater than those who have never heard the Gospel in die in their sins, as he or she has been enlightened about the Gospel.
The following passages in Hebrews make it absolutely clear that it is most definitely possible for a once very faithful follower of Jesus to turn away from serving Him:
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.
(Hebrews 6:4-6).
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?
(Hebrews 10:26-29).
The people represented by the seeds who fell among thorns are those described by Hebrews 6:4-6 and 10:26-29:
And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection (Luke 8:14).
Such people will not be saved in the end, but be unsaved, with a punishment more fearful than those who never heard the Gospel. 2 Peter 2:21 even says that it would be better for them to have never known the way of righteousness, for having this knowledge has increased the judgment upon them:
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.
(2 Peter 2:20-22).
Worldliness is what causes a person to fall away from Christ. Such people can even be people with strong faith. Some Christians of the baby boomer generation who grew up or lived in the west during the 1970s, which was a time of great materialism, have testified that many Christians they knew then who were strong in the faith have totally left the faith. Why? Because money and success came, and they became entangled with the cares of the world.
I have also met a Christian of the Millennial Generation who said that she has known some people of about her age who are once very much into the Christian faith, but have totally walked out of it. She did not say why, but I would imagine it would be because of cares of the world. The cares of the world is what the Bible warns against when warning about apostasy, and describing the seeds who fell among the thorns and produced no fruith.
The love of money which is a care of the world is another desire that lead people to err in the faith, and fall away:
Many local churches teach the dangerous doctrine of 'once saved always saved'. This is a false doctrine. While it is true that "he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6), one must not only persevere in the faith in Jesus Christ as the whole book of Hebrews exhorts. One must constantly guard against abandoning one's faith in Christ to go back into the world.
Hebrews 11:14-16 warns the follower of Christ not to go back into the world:
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Even those listed in the Hebrews 11 Hall of Faith were tempted to go back to the world, to seek earthly riches, glory, pleasure and comfort. It is indeed very tempting which is why God allows hardships, suffering, and if not neither of these come, allows relatively little success from the worldly perspective to His servants. Hardship, suffering and receiving little to no worldly success or recognition are needed to ensure that the follower of Christ is not overcome by temptation to go back into the world.
The love of money another dangerous ensnaring trap that leads people to err in the faith, and fall away:
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
(1 Timothy 6:9-11).
Do not be complacent in your walk in Christ, simply assuming that you will not fall away because you are so faithful. Even the most faithful people are tempted to go back to the world and pursue riches, treasure and pleasure. Do not pursue such things, or you will lose your soul.
Flee the love of money. Flee the love of the world. Do not love yourself or your life that you become unwilling to suffer to pursue faith in Christ. Anyone who seeks to follow Christ must be willing to suffer and lose all, even his or her own life, for Christ.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
(Matthew 16:24-26).
Hebrews 11:14-16 warns the follower of Christ not to go back into the world:
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Even those listed in the Hebrews 11 Hall of Faith were tempted to go back to the world, to seek earthly riches, glory, pleasure and comfort. It is indeed very tempting which is why God allows hardships, suffering, and if not neither of these come, allows relatively little success from the worldly perspective to His servants. Hardship, suffering and receiving little to no worldly success or recognition are needed to ensure that the follower of Christ is not overcome by temptation to go back into the world.
Riches, earthly achievements and worldly success are extremely alluring in drawing people back into the world. They give a sense of comfort and pride in the world, and dull one's heart towards God, causing people to be lukewarm.
This was precisely the case in the Church of Laodicea (Revelation 3:1-22). They thought of themselves as so wealthy and 'blessed', but Jesus said they were pitiable. Despite of their wealth and earthly security which they were proud of, being so smug behind their wealth, they were spiritually poor, and therefore to be pitied. Their earthly wealth and security meant nothing to Jesus. Likewise, your earthly wealth and security means nothing to Jesus at all, whatsoever:
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
(Revelation 3: 15-19).
They were lukewarm, having no zeal for Christ like an unbeliever, yet at the same time having the vile audacity to desire His blessings. Lukewarmness is the manifestation of double-mindedness of the most perverted kind. Show me a lukewarm Christian and I will show you a double-minded Christian, who is unstable in all his ways (James 1:8). Such a professing Christian is full of worldliness. He or she has a form of godliness denying its power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5).
Such lukewarmness is a dire sign. It is the step before apostasy which is extremely dangerous. Once a person who has came to the faith and became a partaker of the Holy Spirit falls into apostasy, he or she is in a position that is even more precarious than the pagan who has never really heard the Gospel and lives in sin. For he or she can only expect a judgment far greater than those who have never heard the Gospel in die in their sins, as he or she has been enlightened about the Gospel.
The following passages in Hebrews make it absolutely clear that it is most definitely possible for a once very faithful follower of Jesus to turn away from serving Him:
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.
(Hebrews 6:4-6).
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?
(Hebrews 10:26-29).
The people represented by the seeds who fell among thorns are those described by Hebrews 6:4-6 and 10:26-29:
And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection (Luke 8:14).
Such people will not be saved in the end, but be unsaved, with a punishment more fearful than those who never heard the Gospel. 2 Peter 2:21 even says that it would be better for them to have never known the way of righteousness, for having this knowledge has increased the judgment upon them:
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.
(2 Peter 2:20-22).
Worldliness is what causes a person to fall away from Christ. Such people can even be people with strong faith. Some Christians of the baby boomer generation who grew up or lived in the west during the 1970s, which was a time of great materialism, have testified that many Christians they knew then who were strong in the faith have totally left the faith. Why? Because money and success came, and they became entangled with the cares of the world.
I have also met a Christian of the Millennial Generation who said that she has known some people of about her age who are once very much into the Christian faith, but have totally walked out of it. She did not say why, but I would imagine it would be because of cares of the world. The cares of the world is what the Bible warns against when warning about apostasy, and describing the seeds who fell among the thorns and produced no fruith.
The love of money which is a care of the world is another desire that lead people to err in the faith, and fall away:
Many local churches teach the dangerous doctrine of 'once saved always saved'. This is a false doctrine. While it is true that "he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6), one must not only persevere in the faith in Jesus Christ as the whole book of Hebrews exhorts. One must constantly guard against abandoning one's faith in Christ to go back into the world.
Hebrews 11:14-16 warns the follower of Christ not to go back into the world:
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Even those listed in the Hebrews 11 Hall of Faith were tempted to go back to the world, to seek earthly riches, glory, pleasure and comfort. It is indeed very tempting which is why God allows hardships, suffering, and if not neither of these come, allows relatively little success from the worldly perspective to His servants. Hardship, suffering and receiving little to no worldly success or recognition are needed to ensure that the follower of Christ is not overcome by temptation to go back into the world.
The love of money another dangerous ensnaring trap that leads people to err in the faith, and fall away:
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
(1 Timothy 6:9-11).
Do not be complacent in your walk in Christ, simply assuming that you will not fall away because you are so faithful. Even the most faithful people are tempted to go back to the world and pursue riches, treasure and pleasure. Do not pursue such things, or you will lose your soul.
Flee the love of money. Flee the love of the world. Do not love yourself or your life that you become unwilling to suffer to pursue faith in Christ. Anyone who seeks to follow Christ must be willing to suffer and lose all, even his or her own life, for Christ.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
(Matthew 16:24-26).
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