The Elon Challenger
ELON CHURCH OF CHRIST
New Hope, Alabama
Seeking to challenge your interest in things spiritual & eternal (Eph. 6:10-18).
Volume XIII Number 8
April, 2016
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Table of Contents
The Possibility of Apostasy (2) ———-Mike Johnson
Bible Preaching ———-Unknown
They Were All Wrong ———-Unknown
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The Possibility of Apostasy (2)
Mike Johnson
This is a continuation of a study called, “The Possibility of Apostasy.” Previously, we tried to answer this question: Can one who has been born again, i.e., one who has entered into a proper relationship with God, conduct himself in such a way so as to be eternally lost? Many say one cannot. They hold to a doctrine known by such names as “Once Saved, Always Saved,” “The Impossibility of Apostasy,” or the “Perseverance of the Saints.” Previously, we noted a number of passages which clearly show a child of God can fall from grace (Gal. 5:4, 2 Peter 2:20-22, 2 Pet. 1:4-11, Jn. 15:1-6, Acts 8:5-25). In this study, we will continue to look at passages which show the same thing.
I Corinthians 10:12
In I Corinthians 10, Paul is warning the Corinthians against falling away. He tried to encourage them to not be lulled into a false sense of security, thinking they could not fall. To enforce his point, he brings up the Jews who were highly favored by God but committed sin and were punished by Him.
The children of Israel crossed the Red Sea by faith (Heb. 11:29). It is clear they were favored by God. They all ate the spiritual food (v. 3); they drank the spiritual drink (v. 4), and the spiritual drink was Christ (v. 4), yet they sinned— they fell from God’s favor. We are told they lusted after evil things (v. 7), they worshiped idols (v. 8), some committed fornication (v. 8), some made trial of the Lord (v. 9), and some of them murmured (v. 10).
Why bring all of this up? It is brought up to warn the Corinthians. Verses 11-12 say, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” Certainly, it was possible for the Corinthians to fall from grace. Why did he give the warning to “take heed lest ye fall” if it was impossible for them to fall? There is no need to warn someone of a danger which does not exist.
I Corinthians 9:27
I Corinthians 9:27 says, “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.” The NKJV says, “discipline my body.” (Some translations say “buffet.”) Paul is saying he had to practice “self-control.” If he did not, even after he had preached to others, he would end up being a “castaway.” The word “castaway” can be translated “disqualified” (NASB, NIV), and it means to not stand the test or to not be approved. The word translated “castaway” comes from a Greek word (adokimos) and is translated “reprobate” in various passages. Romans 1:28 is one place where the word is used. It says, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” Please read the context of this verse in Romans and see if you think it refers to the saved. If Paul became a “castaway,” he would be lost for sure. (See also I Tim. 3:8, Tit. 1:16, II Cor. 13:5 where the same word, adokoimos, is found and is translated “reprobate” in the KJV.)
Some argue that all Paul meant in I Corinthians 9:27 is that he feared he might do something which would cause his brethren to reject him and not allow him to preach to them, i.e. they would cast him aside as a preacher. A person who would say this is not very knowledgeable about Paul. In Galatians 1:10 he said, “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” Further, in this context, Paul is talking about an “incorruptible crown” which they were striving for. This prize awaited them at the end of the Christian race.
I & II Timothy
In I and II Timothy, Paul calls Timothy’s attention to a number of things which can happen to a person’s faith. Those who teach “once saved, always saved” usually teach that people are saved by “faith only.” It should then be no trouble to see if one loses the very thing which has saved him, then certainly he will be lost on the Judgment Day. Please note some things which a person can do to his faith.
A Christian can make shipwreck of his faith (I Timothy 1:19). Paul told Timothy to “war a good warfare” and then he said (v. 19), “Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck.” The term “shipwreck” is a powerful term. Consider the following question. Is one whose faith is described as “shipwrecked” saved? Certainly not! One can, of course, survive a shipwreck. In a similar way, one whose faith has become shipwrecked can repent and come back to God.
A Christian can depart from the faith (I Timothy 4:1-4). Here Paul said, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats. . . . ” The “faith” would refer to the gospel of Christ—the teaching of the New Testament as a whole. The NIV says, “abandon the faith” and the NASB and ASV say, “some shall fall away.” One who departs from “the faith” no longer has it— he has left it. The person is described as “giving heed to seducing spirits,” and “doctrines of demons.” He speaks “lies in hypocrisy,” and his conscience has been “seared with a hot iron.” Does this describe a saved person? Is this person just as saved as one who contends earnestly for the faith (Jude 3) and opposes the doctrines of demons?
A Christian can deny the faith (I Timothy 5:8). This verse says, “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” In this context, Paul is speaking about the responsibilities Christians (v. 16) have to provide for their own. In verse eight, he states the consequences of not doing that (These verses show a person can deny the faith by his actions as well as by his words). If he does, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. Generally, even an unbeliever will understand the importance of providing for his own.
A Christian can err from the faith (I Timothy 6:10). Paul is here speaking of the love of money and says, “which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith.” He would have to be speaking of Christians here as he errs FROM the faith. If a person cannot err from the faith, why mention it? Can a person err from that which saves him and still be saved?
A Christian can have his faith overthrown (II Timothy 2:18). Verse 18 describes Hymenaeus and Philetus who are said to have erred from the truth (they taught that the resurrection was already past), and they had “overthrown the faith of some.” So our faith can be overthrown! These brethren had erred themselves, and had caused others’ faith to be OVERTHROWN.
The verses cited speak of five things which can happen to our faith. If any one of them happens to a person’s faith, that person would be lost!
Hebrews 3:4-13
The book of Hebrews was written to Hebrews (or Jews). Many Hebrews had become Christians, and there was a tendency for them to return to the religion in which they had been reared. They wanted to go back to the law of Moses and observe the various ceremonies found therein. This book shows the superiority of Christ and Christianity over Moses and the law of Moses, and the aim of the book is to keep them from departing from the faith by going back to the old law.
The superiority of Christ over Moses is shown in verses 4-6 of chapter three. Christ is described (v. 6) as a son over his own house while Moses, though “faithful in all his house,” is described as a servant.
After speaking of Christ as a “son over his own house,” verse six says, “whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” We are “His house” which is “the church” (I Tim. 3:15). The “if” shows that the Christian must, however, persevere (Note also verse 14).
Milligan, in his commentary on Hebrews, gives a paraphrase which helps us to see the connection between this section of Scripture and the section which follows.
Since it is true, he says in substance, that Jesus as the Apostle of God is so much superior to Moses; and since it is also true, that your belonging to the house of God under him, and your enjoying the blessings of the New Covenant through him, depend on your holding fast the confidence and the boasting of your hope even to the end of life, you should now take as a warning to yourselves the following solemn admonition made by God to your fathers; and beware lest there be also in any of you an evil heart of unbelief. 10
Starting with verse seven, the children of Israel are given as an example of people not to follow.11 These Christians were told not to harden their hearts as the children of Israel had done in the “provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works for forty years.” Israel frequently provoked God in the wilderness. It is thought this provocation may refer specifically to a time near Mt. Horeb when Israel murmured for water (Ex. 17:1-7). Israel sinned, and they were unable to enter their “rest” which would be the land which God had promised them. When they sinned and died in that state, they would obviously have been lost.
In verse 12, the writer warns the Hebrews to not make the same mistake the children of Israel did. He said, “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” Thus, “don’t have an evil heart of unbelief; don’t depart from God.” These verses show us: 1) the heart of a child of God can become evil, and 2) a child of God can depart from Him.
Verse 12 is clearly speaking to Christians. This is the whole scope of the book. He addresses them as “brethren.” He speaks of “departing from” God indicating that they were Christians. It would be nonsense to exhort a person to not depart from God, if departing is something which is impossible to begin with. God will not save the alien sinner in unbelief; He will not save the Christian in unbelief either.
Hebrews 6:4-6
In chapter 6:1-3, the writer exhorts certain ones (who he had characterized earlier as “babes” in Christ- v. 13), to “go on unto perfection.” He wanted them to become mature; they needed to leave the elementary principles.
In verses 4-6, he tries to get them to see the dangers to which they were exposed. These verses say,
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
The writer starts out by speaking of that which is impossible. Before identifying what is impossible, he describes the characteristics of whom it is said. These characteristics are:
- once enlightened. This would surely refer to one who had become a Christian. “Light” in the Scriptures refers to holiness, happiness, and knowledge. God’s Word gives light (Ps. 119:130; Ps. 119:105), and Jesus said (Jn. 8:12), “…I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” Paul, in Ephesians 5:8, describes Christians as “light in the Lord,” and tells them to walk as “children of light.” Thayer defines the Greek word used in Hebrews 6:4 to mean, “ . . . enlighten spiritually, imbue with saving knowledge of the gospel: hence . . . of those who have been made Christians, Heb. vi 4; x. 32….” 12 These people had been translated from darkness to light; from God to Satan; they were Christians.
- have tasted the heavenly gift. The word used here, translated “tasted,” means to “partake of” or “experience.” There are various ideas about what the heavenly gift is. It is said by some that this refers to Christ. Other views have it referring to the Holy Spirit, the remission of sins, or the Lord’s Supper. It is possible the gift has a broader meaning and refers to the new life in Christ which Christians enjoy. If so, this would be inclusive of many aspects of the Christian’s blessings. Regardless, it speaks of one who is a Christian.13
- were made partakers of the Holy Ghost. Doesn’t this sound like the description of the Christian?
- and the power of the world to come. They had participated in blessings which were associated with the age, or world, to come. This may have some reference to miraculous powers which they had, in some sense shared in. Again, this clearly is speaking of one who is a child of God.
Let us go back to what is impossible for them to do. Verse six says, “If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance . . . ” As we have seen, it is clear he is speaking of Christians. These Christians could fall away and, in so doing, they would be crucifying the son of God all over again and be putting Him to an open shame (v. 6). They would be lost!
The objector will frequently make much of the word IF found in verse six, and say he is only speaking hypothetically. He is only saying “if” he falls away which really can’t happen. From what I understand, the word “if” was inserted into the King James Translation by a person named Beza who was a disciple of John Calvin, and there is no justification for it whatsoever in the Greek. The NASB says, “and then have fallen away;” the ASV puts it, “and then fell away”; Weymouth says “and then fall away”; Goodspeed translates it “and yet have fallen back.” Even if the “if” should be there, the Hebrew writer is still showing us a child of God can fall from grace. What is the point of even saying this if apostasy is something which is impossible?
Hebrews 10:26-31
Hebrews 10:26 says, “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.” This is found right after the writer admonishes them to not forsake “assembling of ourselves together.” This verse makes it clear the Christian can commit sin, and the rest of the verses make it plain he would be lost. The writer is speaking of those, including himself, who had obtained the “knowledge of the truth.” Milligan points out,
The word rendered knowledge (epignosis) means more than a mere objective knowledge (gnosis) of the truth. It rather denotes a full experimental knowledge, such as we gain by the active application of our minds to the study of the truth.14
Read verses 27-31 for yourself, and see if there is any possibility that he is saying the person described in 26 is still saved.15
End Notes (Part 2)
10. Robert Milligan, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews (Nashville, TN: Gospel Advocate Company, 1973) page 145.
11. Verses 7-8 are taken from Psalm 95. Verse 7 says, “Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith….” This makes it clear the writers of the Old Testament were speaking by the inspiration of God. David gave the admonition, but the writer of Hebrews said, “the Holy Ghost saith.” (Compare II Peter 1:21 and II Timothy 3:16-17).
12. Thayer, page 663.
13. It has been argued that eating and tasting are two different things, implying that this verse is a description of those who are not really Christians. The same word, however, is used in Hebrews 2:9 which speaks of Jesus tasting death for every man. Jesus certainly experienced death.
14. Milligan, page 365.
15. Hebrews 6:6 and 10:26 are not saying a Christian can never, no matter what he does, receive forgiveness of his sins (Note I Jn. 1:8-10; 2;1-2). We cannot, however, receive forgiveness, no matter what, if we continue in our sins without repentance. Also, if one rejects Jesus, who is and will be our only sacrifice, then there is no possible way that salvation can be obtained.
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BIBLE PREACHING
John the Baptist’s message from the wilderness was not “Smile—God loves you.” It was “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come.”
Jeremiah was not put into a miry pit for preaching, “I’m OK; you’re OK.” It was for crying against adultery, idolatry and other wickedness of his nation.
Noah’s message from the steps of the ark was not “Something good is going to happen to you!” He condemned the world and was a preacher of righteousness.
Jesus Christ was not crucified for saying, “Consider the lilies how they grow: but for saying “Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites…child of hell…fools and blind guides…whited sepulchers…generation of vipers.”
from –Pause-Ponder-Profit
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They Were All Wrong
Author Unknown
A good many years ago, a preacher went into a town where there was no New Testament church. He preached in a house of worship and then in the market place of the city. Soon the religious leaders of the city heard him and invited him to address them. They thought if his religious claims seemed meritorious to them, they would fellowship him. But to their dismay and confusion, he preached that they were wrong and he was right; that their worship was not acceptable to the God of heaven. He preached that the church to which he belonged was the only true church of the living God. Such a preacher! Don’t you know he hurt their feelings? Evidently they were sincere. Surely he could have made a nice talk and got away without causing any discord! Who was this preacher anyway? His name was Paul, and he preached this sermon in Athens. It did cause some stir. It did not please those leaders at all. They got up and left before he finished. But the sermon pleased God. You can read it in Acts chapter 17. There is no room in Christ’s church for a compromiser.
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Do not regret growing old; it is a privilege many do not have.
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Evangelist & Editor: Mike Johnson
Phone 256-776-2223
www.seekingthingsabove.org
www.elonchurchofchrist.com