Can a Christian fall from grace?
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Searching the Scriptures
David A. Bass, Rockford Church of Christ
Can a “Christian” sin so as to be eternally lost? Can a “Christian” fall from God’s grace? We are not talking about whether a “faithful Christian” will go to heaven. There is absolutely no question there. Our question is whether a “righteous” person can become “unrighteous” and be lost eternally? Let’s lay aside human opinion and tradition and “search the Scriptures.”
The Bible has always taught that the “righteous” can become “unrighteous” and miss heaven. Ezekiel 18:24 reads, “But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.”
We also read in Ezekiel 33:18, “When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall die because of it.”
Through the Old Testament prophet God declared that the “righteous” can become “unrighteous” and that they will die (spiritually). Ezekiel is not speaking of physical death here, or else the righteous will live forever right here on this earth. He is speaking of spiritual death which is separation from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). This is the same death mentioned in Genesis 2:15-17 and Romans 6:23.
The prophet, Ezekiel, also teaches that the “unrighteous” can become “righteous.” Listen carefully to Ezekiel 33:19, “But when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is lawful and right, he shall live because of it.”
My friends, the wicked person is not doomed unconditionally to hell. If he wants, he can turn from his sinful ways and live. If the “unrighteous” can turn and become “righteous,” surely we see that the “righteous” can also turn and become “unrighteous.”
There are many warnings against “apostasy,” or falling from grace, found in the New Testament. I Corinthians 10:12 reads, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”
According to I Corinthians 1:2 this letter is addressed to “…them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints…” The apostle Paul is addressing those who are “saved,” and he warns that the saved can “fall.”
“Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12).
These “brethren” were warned that they could “depart” (fall away) from God through unbelief. Such a warning would be unnecessary if one cannot fall from God’s grace!
If a Christian cannot fall from God’s grace why are we warned in II Peter 1:5-11, “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Lord willing, next week we will continue our study. Please read the above mentioned scriptures carefully and with an honest heart. May God bless you as you “search the Scriptures!”
