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I S Christ who saves able to keep to the end or can the truly born-again believer ever be lost? While this question apparently has puzzled many down through the years, and great Bible scholars have divided on it, it is contended that God’s Word is clear in this respect as He intended it to be on all spiritual teaching. “ If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine” (John 7:17). “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). It is proper therefore, not to hold opinions—wordly wisdom, which is fool ishness with God (1 Cor. 3:19)—but to set down findings from the inspired Word, the only authority, Holy Spirit interpreted (1 John 4:1-3), through the wisdom from above (Jas. 1:5; 3:17). While without careful study some pas sages may be taken as supporting the “ saved and lost” doctrine, this theory constitutes a denial of too many truths of God, as we shall see; moreover, the complete context argues for security. The Christian who holds that he can be lost loses much, and being of “ a doubt ful mind” (Luke 12:29) cannot serve God as he ought. Truly, many such ex ceed in service some who embrace secur ity, but having to be concerned about themselves, their service cannot rise to full capacity. Neither can they experi
and precious stones, his presentation at the Judgment Seat of Christ would have been wood, hay, stubble—reprobate. Paul is never in doubt as to his salvation: “ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principal ities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come . . . shall be able to sepa rate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:37-39). Another apparently difficult Scripture is: “ For if after they have escaped the pollutions of this 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” (2 Pet. 2 : 20 ). This chapter, dealing with false teachers rather than the redeemed of God, states in verse 9: “ The Lord know- eth how to deliver the godly out of temptations” which are definitely prom ised in First Peter 1:7, “ and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment.” It proceeds to describe such unChristlike behaviour that no doubt arises as to their unsaved state. Note the manner of the mentioned escape: “through the knowl edge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,” rather than by acceptance of His saving work.
ence fully the joy of salvation; freedom from fear of death while lost; knowledge that Christ fully satisfies; nor, because of concern for themselves, can they share fully God’s own concern for the unsaved. How, too, can they recommend to others One whom they cannot fully trust? Their own faith is lacking because they will not—cannot—trust themselves com pletely to the love of God as expressed in the finished work of Christ, nor to the promises and privileges of either. They must rely on their own weak strength, instead of the power of the Almighty, to “walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8). Being slaves to fear because, to them, Christ’s sacrifice has not freed them fully from the law, they have not “ been called unto liberty” (Gal. 5:13). They will not believe that “ the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Consider the following quotation: “ 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 Cor. 9:27). To what does Paul refer? Study of the entire chapter indicates a discussion of personal liberty and reward of ministry: not salvation, but service. The marginal reference, Jeremiah 6:30, refers to Israel’s failure to stand for God as “ re probate silver—rejected.” Had Paul failed in service, instead of gold, silver
JULY, 1952
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