Falling From Grace

[Ronald Nolette]

And here come the usual suspects for hearing faith only.

And we must remember that those who trust the law are not saved!

And especially them that do not the law:

For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

I would much rather risk being judged as 'trusting in the law' too much while doing it, than trusting in faith only too much while not doing it.

So, if I had to be guilty of one, I choose being an overly righteous saint, that believes we can't go to heaven continuing in sins, than some hearer only hypocrite, whose only zeal is for demonizing doing His righteousness at all times.

I would conclude you say that because you do not understand what faith is and does! YOu write of intellectual faith, thesame kind teh demons have which is why they fear and tremble. But being saved is a once for all act of trust in teh death and resurrection of Jesus. then we are born anew, made new creatures, given the mind of Christ, have eternal life, seatrede d in heavenly places, passed once for all from death to life amongst other things that took place the instant we were saved.

So we are saved by faith apart from works, but saving faith works. We are creature who now can fellowship with God and receive gods power to live!

I do not work to get, maintain, improve or add to my salvation! I work because I have been saved once for all time, been made a child of God resurrected spiritually and can now serve God as I was desgined to. I work because I am saved!

 

[Christian Believer]

2. I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil:

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works.

This is akin to that of Galatians; however, it is not by doing the works of another law, but rather is by ceasing to do the righteousness of God by faith.

We are still keeping the law of Christ outwardly in the flesh, but no more by faith and love from the heart: we have become outwardly just in our works, but not inwardly justified in our hearts.

Outwardly righteous, inwardly cold.

We once loved to do the works of God from the heart, but now only do so in the flesh: them that once loved the work to do it right and good, but now only do it for the pay.

We have left our first love, which is Jesus Christ, and ceased doing the first works, which are the works of God first done according to the first commandment, to love God with all the heart: we are no longer obeying God's law from the heart, but only as it were by law, and not by faith.

Else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

The fire is gone, and so the lamp is removed, because we have a light of righteousness outwardly, but the heart is gone dark.

God commands to see His Light both in us and from us in this world:

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Being saved and justified of God commands both faith and works: to have His Light and love in our hearts, and to give that light and show that love in the world:

That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.

It's not transgression to shine as by law only, but neither is it the eternal salvation and righteous justification of them obeying Him by faith and love from the heart.

We become as them that love our neighbors outwardly only, but not inwardly at all:

They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Even as there are two ways to fall from grace, so there are two kinds of hypocrites: them that say they have faith inwardly, but do not the faith outwardly, and them that do the law outwardly, but have no faith inwardly.

Only them that believe and obey Jesus by grace from the heart shall obtain eternal salvation of God.

But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

Hello @robert derrick,
Nice post, and good points. I can add my view; I have another perspective with Bible references:

If we're not maturing spiritually, we may fall out of Grace.
Here's the order of our spiritual transformation:
1. Birth of the flesh, first birth.
2. Birth of the spirit, born-again / saved by Grace.
3. Spiritual maturity.
Many people lack the 3rd item, spiritual maturity. Simply because, most churches don't preach it.

1st note, let's make sure we distinguish between "Works" and "Spiritual Duties":
Works: Is the works of the flesh, as in still trying to apply the Jewish law. Circumcision, sacrifices, do a lot of good deeds to offset the bad, etc.
Not works: Spiritual duties like: seek God, read the Bible, pray the Lord's Prayer daily as instructed by Jesus, etc..

There are many references in the Bible about our need to mature spiritually in order to remain "saved". Many churches will tell you, "you cannot possibly become unsaved - once saved, always saved". The truth is, the Bible says otherwise:

John 15:1-7
“1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Notes: After becoming a branch on the Vine, that is becoming born-again, if no spiritual maturity over time, you may wither and die (spiritually). To remain "saved" we have to remain in Jesus, and Him in us. See below on how to do this.

Luke 13:6-9
6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”
Notes: "Fruit" is spiritual maturity. God is patient, and waits a long time before giving up on us. But He would give up on us eventually if no spiritual maturity. But careful, Jesus warns us in other parables about "how long God waits for us", example in Matthew 25:1-13.

And here are some verses from Paul that not many consider:
Romans 11:16-17
...if the root is holy, so are the branches... If some of the branches have been broken off...
Notes: Clearly this is Paul's version of Jesus' "vine and branches" parable. Then Paul talks about "branches broken off", also similar to branches that wither and die, in Jesus' version!! A further confirmation of the possibility of becoming unsaved. And this one is for those who like to hear it from Paul himself :)

Romans 11:23
And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
Notes: And look at this!! If those people who became unsaved, can see clearly later, turn back, and truly seek God, then God will "graft them back in"!! God gives us a life span of a 100 years or so to truly seek Him and grow spiritually.

How do we grow spiritually? (Hint: not works of the flesh):
- Seek God by reading the Bible always. God is in these Scriptures. This is how we "seek Him" and get to know Him. The more we read, the more He reveals Himself to us. And this new knowledge we gain, is the fruit production in the parable from Jesus.
- Pray the Lord's Prayer daily, and mean it correctly - the daily Bread is the Bread of life / the body of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. So that we're always in perfect fellowship with God. This fulfils Jesus' desire for us to remain in Him, and Him in us. And thus equates to healthy branches.

More very good related clarifications here and here

 

[robert derrick]

Hello @robert derrick,
Nice post, and good points. I can add my view; I have another perspective with Bible references:

If we're not maturing spiritually, we may fall out of Grace.
Here's the order of our spiritual transformation:
1. Birth of the flesh, first birth.
2. Birth of the spirit, born-again / saved by Grace.
3. Spiritual maturity.
Many people lack the 3rd item, spiritual maturity. Simply because, most churches don't preach it.

1st note, let's make sure we distinguish between "Works" and "Spiritual Duties":
Works: Is the works of the flesh, as in still trying to apply the Jewish law. Circumcision, sacrifices, do a lot of good deeds to offset the bad, etc.
Not works: Spiritual duties like: seek God, read the Bible, pray the Lord's Prayer daily as instructed by Jesus, etc..

There are many references in the Bible about our need to mature spiritually in order to remain "saved". Many churches will tell you, "you cannot possibly become unsaved - once saved, always saved". The truth is, the Bible says otherwise:

John 15:1-7
“1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Notes: After becoming a branch on the Vine, that is becoming born-again, if no spiritual maturity over time, you may wither and die (spiritually). To remain "saved" we have to remain in Jesus, and Him in us. See below on how to do this.

Luke 13:6-9
6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”
Notes: "Fruit" is spiritual maturity. God is patient, and waits a long time before giving up on us. But He would give up on us eventually if no spiritual maturity. But careful, Jesus warns us in other parables about "how long God waits for us", example in Matthew 25:1-13.

And here are some verses from Paul that not many consider:
Romans 11:16-17
...if the root is holy, so are the branches... If some of the branches have been broken off...
Notes: Clearly this is Paul's version of Jesus' "vine and branches" parable. Then Paul talks about "branches broken off", also similar to branches that wither and die, in Jesus' version!! A further confirmation of the possibility of becoming unsaved. And this one is for those who like to hear it from Paul himself :)

Romans 11:23
And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
Notes: And look at this!! If those people who became unsaved, can see clearly later, turn back, and truly seek God, then God will "graft them back in"!! God gives us a life span of a 100 years or so to truly seek Him and grow spiritually.

How do we grow spiritually? (Hint: not works of the flesh):
- Seek God by reading the Bible always. God is in these Scriptures. This is how we "seek Him" and get to know Him. The more we read, the more He reveals Himself to us. And this new knowledge we gain, is the fruit production in the parable from Jesus.
- Pray the Lord's Prayer daily, and mean it correctly - the daily Bread is the Bread of life / the body of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. So that we're always in perfect fellowship with God. This fulfils Jesus' desire for us to remain in Him, and Him in us. And thus equates to healthy branches.

More very good related clarifications here and here

You make good points:

There are many references in the Bible about our need to mature spiritually in order to remain "saved".

Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

Heb 5/6 is all about the failure to grow up in Christ to full age. As some say, we are either running forward to heaven, or back to hell.

After becoming a branch on the Vine, that is becoming born-again, if no spiritual maturity over time, you may wither and die (spiritually).

He warns against becoming unfruitful fields for burning.

But careful, Jesus warns us in other parables about "how long God waits for us", example in Matthew 25:1-13.

True. No man is guaranteed another day to repent and grow in the Lord. If we obey Him today to endure and overcome temptation, then we don't have to take thought for and worry about tomorrow.

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

A further confirmation of the possibility of becoming unsaved.

Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

Insecure babies, who don't want to grow up, have not the faith and trust of God to do rightly at all times, and so reject the warnings against not doing so.

They are also high-minded in their own vain imagination to think their salvation is unconditionally secured by faith only without works of His righteousness.

How do we grow spiritually? (Hint: not works of the flesh):
- Seek God by reading the Bible always. God is in these Scriptures. This is how we "seek Him" and get to know Him. the daily Bread is the Bread of life / the body of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins.

Reading Scripture, praying, having fellowship, and hearing the gospel preached are help to do what is necessary to be saved and stay saved:

Hint: it's by obeying Him. We eat the Bread of life by obeying Him. If we obey not, we eat not, and we die with no life in us. Our daily bread is to eat the flesh and drink the blood of our risen Savior by obeying Him.

Spiritual birth and growth begins with obeying the first great commandment to purifying our hearts as He is pure, that we may begin to love Him with a whole heart.

We can never go on to perfection with an unpurified heart of lust and unclean hands of sins of the flesh.

Too many hearers only agree jesus is the Christ, and so do not obey Him as Lord, and are thinking to be saved through faith only without works: they are trying to keep the 2nd great commandment without obeying the first.

Whether it is through licentious liberty or works of the law, so long as our soul and heart remains unpurified of lust and sins of the world, then our Christian religion is all our own making, and is as filthy rags to God.