I am anxious to know what is really the teaching of Scripture concerning the falling away of the converted. It seems to me that in the Scriptures is clearly taught that a renewed man, while in this present imperfect state of existence, is not only subject to the allurements of temptation, but liable to lapse and gradually drift back, and ultimately find himself again in the depths of iniquity.
A truly converted person, according to the creed of the church in whose teachings I have been indoctrinated, can never ultimately be lost. He may fall into the water, but will never remain in it till drowned; he may make hair-breadth escapes, but escapes in every case are inevitable.
Such doctrine seems to me opposed to the clear teaching of Scripture, which never speaks of the faithlessness on the part of Christians as being due to a lack of genuineness in relation to their conversion.
On the contrary, such express utterances as, "Be faithful unto death," (Revelation 2:10) and, "It is impossible to renew such (as fall away) to repentance," (Hebrews 6:4-6) of necessity involve the possibility of falling away from "the truth as it is in Jesus." (Ephesians 4:21)
In discussing a question of this kind we need to guard against fine-spun theological theories, and to keep to simple, practical truth. The Scriptures set the truth forth very clearly, in the abundant warnings against being led away by the error of the wicked and falling from our own steadfastness.
We can settle this question at once by referring to the beginning, before there was sin. Of the god of this world, Satan, it is said: "You are the anointed cherub that covers; and I have set you so; you were upon the holy mountain of God; you have walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, till iniquity was found in you." (Ezekiel 28:14-15)
If the pure and holy angels, even the chief of them all, the one who stood closest to God, and put the seal on perfection, could fall, it is evident that men who are walking with God can fall. Adam was the son of God, yet he fell; we also, although sons of God, are not any more beyond the possibility of falling again.
Those who claim that a saint can never fall away, always say, when a good man apostatizes, that he had never been truly converted. Thus they throw doubt upon the genuineness of everybody's conversion, and lead many timid souls to lose their confidence in God.
But this false claim can easily be met. It will be admitted that the just live by faith,--that the one who has faith is just before God. The claim, therefore, that a really righteous man cannot fall away, is the same as saying that it is impossible to give up his faith. Now take the case of Peter walking on the water. We know that he did actually walk by faith; yet he fell. Would anyone say that the fact of his fall shows that he had not really walked on the water, but only seemed to do so?
One writer is quoted as saying: "One does not cross the bridge leading to life, and by-and-by return by another to the shores of death. Once passed from death to life, he is alive, and will never return into death."
That sounds very fine; but it lacks proof. Judas, who at the last betrayed Jesus, was one of the twelve who received "power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases," (Luke 9:1) and who "went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing everywhere." (Luke 9:6)
A man cannot carry life to others unless he himself has it; yet Judas went at last to perdition. We must not flatter ourselves that a like thing cannot happen to us; for if we do we shall surely fall.
But what about Christ's statement that no one can pluck His sheep out of His hand? It is true; but they are in His hand only because they choose to be, and can leave of their own free will whenever they choose. Well, at any rate we know that "Whosoever is born of God sins not; but he that is begotten of God, keeps himself, and that wicked one touches him not." (1 John 5:18)
Yes, it is true. "Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.2 (1 John 3:9)
But note that it does not say, "Whosoever has been born of God," but, "Whosoever is born."
The Christian's relation to God is always that of a newborn babe no matter how much he may grow. The good seed is the Word of God; and it is only as this word abides in us that we live. If we neglect or reject the word at any time, we shall die as surely as if we stopped eating the food that nourishes our bodies. And here we have an exact parallel; for our daily bread is given us for the purpose of teaching us how to obtain life from the word; and it is just as reasonable to say that a living man cannot starve himself to death as to say that a live Christian cannot become dead in trespasses and sins. "You stand by faith; be not high-minded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest He spare not you." (Romans 11:20-21)
No one can question the genuineness of Paul's conversion; yet he declared that he was obliged to wage a continual warfare with himself, keeping his body under, and bringing it into subjection, lest he should become a castaway. "Know you not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that you may obtain. And every man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beats 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 Corinthians 9:24-27)
Read the awful warning in: "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 fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify unto themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame." (Hebrews 6:4-6)
Surely there is no spiritual state possible in this life, higher than that here described; yet it is plainly indicated that men may fall from it. There would be no sense in saying, "If they fall away it is impossible to renew them again to repentance," if they could not fall away. And then the words, "But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you," (Hebrews 6:9) show that it is possible for those to whom the apostle writes to have the same experience.
But is this possibility of falling away to perdition always to haunt the saints of God? Will the redeemed throughout eternity ever be in danger of losing their estate, as the fallen angels did? Not by any means; and the reason will be that before they reach that state, they will have been so thoroughly tested,--will have had such experiences with every sort of temptation, that nothing can come to them that they have not already met and resisted. When the restoration of all things is accomplished, rebellion will have been for ever wiped out of the universe.
And even here we are not to be "haunted" by the fear of falling away, although we are ever to keep in mind the possibility of it, and the danger that besets us. We are to know that we are safe in the everlasting arms as long as we do not take ourselves out. "[God] is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy;" (Jude 24) and this suggestion of the possibility of falling is our assurance that we shall be "able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:13)--Present Truth, October 30, 1902.