10:27-29) ; but this does not mean that if a man lies down in sin after he has been saved he will stay saved. What it means is, that if a man has been truly born again he will not lie down in sin, he may fall into sin, but he will not continue in it. Conver sion is not regeneration, and many a man is outwardly converted who will go back into sin. The truth is he never was truly one o f Chrisfs sheep, he was simply a washed sow and returns to his wallowing in the mire {2 Peter 2:22). You are right in thinking that salvation is obtained by faith, but if a man really has saving faith he will continue in the faith (Heb. 10:39, see R. V.). This whole passage draws a clear dis tinction between those who have faith and therefore continue, in the faith, and those who have something they Consider faith, and yet shrink back and thus prove they did not have real faith. You say, “I believe faith is accompanied by good works in both instances.” Yes, but the good works are the outcome of the faith and not the source of it; and if a man has faith he will show it by good works, and show it con tinuously to the end. You say, “If it were not possible to be lost, why should Paul fear he ‘should be a castaway,’ and refer to 1 Cor. 9:27. In answer to this would say Paul does not express any fear that he should be a castaway; on the other hand he tells what he does that will surely keep him from becoming a castaway; that is, he buffets his body, and keeps it under, and thus keeps from becoming a castaway. He does not express the fear of becoming a castaway, but merely tells the means which he took by grace to keep-from becoming a castaway, and he tells us distinctly that he did this. He had not the slightest fear of becoming a castaway, because he tells us distinctly in 2 Tim. 1:12, “I know whom I
I have for some time been exercised in my mind and heart over a certain doctrine which I come across occasionally in almost all the expositions on Sunday School Les son helps, which I respectfully bring before you for explanation. To me it is Vital. I must confess I have been unable thus far in my Christian experience to believe the popular doctrine “once in grace always in grace.” Will you kindly give me some light on this important subject? First, I believe salvation is obtained by faith / second, 1 believe salvation is maintained in like man ner by faith {Rom, 1 : 17 ); third, I believe faith is accompanied by good works in both instances. I f it were not possible to be lost, why should Paul fear he "should be a castaway”? (r Cor. 9 : 27 ). What would likely be the nature of the "shipwreck" Paul speaks of in 1 Tim. 1 : 19 ? According to John 8:31, is not discipleship conditioned on "continuing" in the course as it began? How can Heb. 6 : 4-6 be harmonized with above doctrine? Evidently the church at Ephesus was in a backslidden state and in great danger of losing spiritual life alto gether {Rev. 2 : 45 ). Would not the parable of the Ten Virgins lose its force in face of said doctrine? Is Prof. Drummond not considered orthodox in teaching in "Natural Law"—to maintain spiritual life requires perfect correspondence to a perfect environ ment, separation between these conditions means death. First qf all let me say that the doctrine of “once in grace always in grace” as some times stated by those who hold it, is unscriptural, and may be dangerous. But the Bible certainly does teach that if a man is really born again he will stay born again and cannot be unborn (1 John 2:19; 3:9), and that if one is really one of Christ?s sheep he is eternally secure (John
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