PART 10
In the previous post we considered a quote from a website that supports the false doctrine of “once saved, always saved”. Many people adopt these beliefs and give themselves false hope, believing they have a license to sin. Let’s look at another quote from this same site just as it is written…
Quote:
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"Our salvation is so secure — even if we BELIEVE NOT after we're saved, because we become part of Him (the body of Christ), ‘. . .yet he abideth faithful: HE CANNOT DENY HIMSELF.’ 2 Timothy 2:13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”
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I didn’t change a word from how it was written and displayed on the page. I suppose the person writing this would have us to believe that the "He" in "He cannot deny Himself" is the person who BELIEVE'S NOT after he is saved. Actually the "He" in "He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself" is the same person as "Himself" and that person is "JESUS CHRIST", not the one who no longer believes. This is extremely deceiving, to say the least. Let’s consider the passage in context, not that it needs tremendous explanation.
2 Timothy 2:12-13 If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.
If we endure, NOT WHEN we endure, but "IF" we endure, we will also reign with Him (Christ). If we DENY Him, He will DENY us... HE WILL NOT SAVE US! How much clearer can it be than when Matthew recorded the very words of Jesus when “HE” said, “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” (Matthew 10:22) …and, “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:33).
Just because we are faithless does not mean He will be faithless too, because He (Jesus Christ) cannot deny Himself. In a nutshell, we can conclude from this passage of Paul’s second letter to Timothy that if we DO NOT BELIEVE then He will deny us eternal life. He will deny our entrance into heaven, but Jesus Christ will still hold up His end of the promise He made. He is still faithful. All we have to do is REMAIN faithful and ENDURE, and then we will not be denied. This passage is about as far as we can get from claiming that if we stop believing after we are saved, that we will still be saved. It very clearly explains the opposite of what this person has claimed. It would be wise for this person to take heed of the passages following his quote…
2 Timothy 2:14-16 Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene.
I want to cover one more passage this same person teaches... again, this is exactly how this person uses the passage…
“1 Corinthians 5 reports of an awful sin in the church. And even though Paul commands ‘. . . To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh" — Paul still speaks of that person being saved — ‘. . .that the spirit MAY BE SAVED. . ."
“’It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. . .To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit MAY BE SAVED in the day of the Lord Jesus.’ 1 Corinthians 5:1,5”
Again we see another example of scripture taken out of context and maligned... notice how verses 2-4 are skipped. About the only way to understand this passage is to read the entire 5th chapter of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. I encourage you to do so now. In this chapter we learn it is true that Paul has heard of a particular man that has been sexually immoral by living with his father's wife. Paul encourages the congregation to remove the man from the church. Paul wants them to get him out of the church because he is wicked. Read the last verse.. "Put that wicked man away from you." So Paul tells them to turn the man over to Satan for destruction of the flesh... maybe he will repent and be saved in the end. This passage does not indicate that the man will indeed be saved... it clearly reads in every major translation and in the manuscripts "so that he MAY be saved", not that he WILL be saved. There was no guarantee for this man nor is there any guarantee for us, should we become faithless. A careful study on this letter to the Corinthians will help us to understand that this action of no longer associating with such a person practicing these wicked things was a common practice in the early church days and should be a current practice in the church today. When someone is publicly sinning willfully, they must be confronted with their sin. If they do not choose to repent, then they should be turned over to Satan in hopes that the humiliation, shame and the state of their lost condition, will cause them to repent. Again... we learn that no where in this chapter is eternal security guaranteed.
You should see now... if we simply take the word of false teachers then we can easily be deceived. Jesus and the apostles warn us that this is going to happen, and it is one reason why "many" will follow the broad path to destruction and only a "few" will "find" eternal life by entering through the strait and narrow gate.
We have the evidence before us (in God’s Word) that proves we can indeed lose our salvation and we have proven it beyond any doubt. While this is not a conclusive study on apostasy and its’ false teachings, it should be sufficient for anyone to fully understand the truth. Beware of those who teach otherwise... better yet... once we are saved, let’s keep living for Christ and being obedient to God and then we will endure to the end. If we abide in Christ and obey God’s will, then we do not have to fear losing our salvation. I encourage you to please read and study the Word of God yourself and verify the truth... do not believe in me, nor any other mere man... believe in God and the truth.
John 8:51 "Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death."
Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.