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SCRIPTURES SHOWING THAT A SAVED PERSON CAN SO BACKSLIDE AS TO BE LOST:
1. John 15
The vine is Christ (15:1). "I AM THE VINE". All the branches are "IN CHRIST". The branch that is taken away (vs 2), cast forth (vs 5) is NO LONGER A BRANCH IN THE VINE. It was . TRUE BRANCH--(vs 2)-a "branch in ME"-but that branch was TAKEN AWAY, cast forth (vs 5). Greek scholar M. R. Vincent comments. "The arrest tense-literally was cast forth. The arrest denoting a momentary act, indicates that it was cast forth at the moment it ceased to abide in the vine. Forth signifies from the vineyard; outside.
"Cast forth" does not mean "chastised"; that is the fate of the fruit bearing branch. "Cast forth" cannot mean taken to heaven ahead of time-it is "cast forth as a branch"-its "branchhood" is severed - it is cast forth and burned.
A. T, Robertson Baptist Greek scholar, "Word Pictures in the New Testament", published by Broadman agrees that this was a real branch, a person in Christ, who is taken away On verse 6 he comments (Vol. 5, pg. 258) "The apostles are warned against presumption. Jesus as the vine will fulfill his part of the relation as long as the branches keep in vital union with him."
What things are said of the fruitless branches - the branches that fail to abide? They are taken away (vs 2), cast forth. withered, gathered, cast into the fire, and burnt.
QUESTION: Are these true branches?
ANSWER: Yes-they are "branches in ME (Christ)"
QUESTION: Are they mere church members, professing Christians?
ANSWER: No, they are "branches in ME (Christ) "
QUESTION: Are they merely chastised?
ANSWER: No. The fruit-bearing branches are "purged (cleansed)
QUESTION: Are they merely deprived of their reward?
ANSWER: No. The Bible says they are TAKEN AWAY- CAST FORTH-WITHERED- GATHERED-CAST INTO THE FIRE-BURNED.
QUESTION: What is the cause of this awful tragedy which Christ says can befall a TRUE BRANCH of the TRUE VINE?
ANSWER: (1) "Beareth not fruit", because it (2) "abide(d) not in me (Christ)." Verse 4 shows that a branch cannot bear fruit except it abide. The root cause of the branch being cast away is failure to abide.
QUESTION: If the Bible teaches that every true Christian SHALL abide, then what is the point of the solemn warning from the lips of our Lord?
ANSWER: I don't' know the answer to this hypothetical question. I do know that this parable teaches that some true branches fail to abide, hence it is the hypothetical question that is meaningless
2. I Corinthians 9 27
Paul is unquestionably a SAVED MAN.. This SAVED MAN is keeping his BODY (seat of lustful desires) under subjection. Why? "'Lest." - (Webster- "for fear that") "...I should be a cast away
Castaway- Greek "adokimos" translated "reprobate" six times in the New Testament, castaway only once. Translated "rejected" in Hebrews 6:8 Reading these passages, one can see what the New Testament usage of "adokimos" is: like the men of ancient days God gave up to a "reprobate mind" (Ro.1:28) "men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith." (II Tim 3:8),"abominable, disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate" (Titus 1016) "Jesus Christ is IN YOU - Except (unless) ye be reprobates." II Cor. 13:5)
Paul Follows this passage (I Cor.9:27) with an apt illustration. The Israelites who "baptized Moses" failed to reach their goal, but were "overthrown in the wilderness." (I Cor 10:1-10) He then warns that these things happened unto them as our examples- warnings. Further, he says, "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." Fall? from what, to where?
QUESTION: Isn't Paul referring to loss of t.he reward mentioned in verse 17-18, rather than loss of salvation?
ANSWER: "Adokimos" is not used in the New Testament to describe loss of reward, A "castaway" is a reject - a piece of work thrown on the scrap heap. A reprobate is one rejected after due trial and testing .
The reward to which Paul refers in verses 17-18 is not his eternal reward but rather his earthly joy in supporting himself by his own l.labors so that those who hear him preach could never accuse him of preaching for money.
This immediate context sets the meaning. Seen in the light of "so run that ye may obtain" (verse 24) we may think of running in such a way that we do NOT obtain: This he illustrates of the Israelites, who all ran, but many did not obtain: These, he says, are a warning to us.
Was it a "reward" they failed to obtain? No. It was Canaan (heaven, the ultimate goal, the thing they had set out for.) Some were "overthrown because of lust after evil things (vs 6), some because of idolatry (vs 7) some because of fornication (vs 8) some because of tempting Christ (vs 9) some because of murmuring (vs 10). Their "works" were not burned: they were overthrown in the wilderness. Paul says"l don't want to be like them."
3. I Timothy 4:1- 16
Paul's instructions to Timothy include this admonition to right teaching as a means of assuring the ultimate salvation both of himself and his hearers (verse 16). Was their ultimate salvation ever in doubt,ever threatened? With thus thought Paul's admonition begins "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith. (4:1)
The epistle began with a warning concerning false teachers. Indeed some have already "concerning faith ..made shipwreck" He mentions Hymeneaus as one of these: in II Timothy he is mentioned again as one who "concerning the truth have erred... and overthrow the faith of some" In spite of this, Paul says "the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his, and, let every one that nameth the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity." (II Timothy 2:17-19). In the following verses he pursues this theme, concluding with an exhortation. for the man of God to be "gentle, apt to teach, in meekness instructing those who oppose themselves; if God peradventure will grant them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will" (II Timothy 2:25-26).
Here is a concrete example of one who had been in the faith, then erred doctrinally and were now in error, needing to repent (if they could - Paul did not know) who were captives of Satan.
If one has a preconceived idea of unconditional security he would say that Hymameaus was in error but not lost. But Paul characterized such men as "of corrupt mind, reprobate concerning the faith (II Timothy 3.8). To this he writes of false teachers "they profess to know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate." (Titus 1:16)
These, then, "depart from the faith." They were in the faith before they could depart FROM the faith.
"Depart = fall away, apostasize (Greek apostesontai) "the faith' (Greek-teo pisteos) Not creed, but faith in God through Christ " (A. T. Robertson, Word Studies in the Greek New Testament", Vol IV, page 578)
NOTE: "Teo pisteo", " the faith" could hardly refer to any thing other than faith in Christ. Some scholars interpret this term to mean "the body of doctrine which forms the basis of what we as Christians believe." At that early date, however, doctrine had not become creed, but was rather the expression of that which they believed that made them Christians.
4. Romans 11:17-24
The "olive tree" illustration of Paul. Christ is the "trunk" and Israel was "the branches." These "natural branches" were broken off because of unbelief (vs 20). The Gentiles (wild branches) were grafted in - but they were only secure as the natural branches were secure. They (wild branches, Gentiles) should fear and take heed, lest God should cut them off also. Read it!
J. GENE ADKINS
© 1997
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