In line with the first article, I shall share something that happened. During the Bible class, I made a point in passing, as to what some people believe. I stated that there are many who teach that once you become a Christian you cannot fall away. In other words, you cannot so sin as to lose your salvation. After saying such, one said to me, “I was taught that, how is that wrong?”

This is what happens in Bible studies, people hear things contrary to what they might already believe to be the truth. We then proceed to study what the Bible teaches. In this case we went to James 5:19-20. In this text we are told, “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.”  From this we learn that if one does not return they will die spiritually not having taken care of their sins.

Paul spoke about those who had their faith shipwrecked (I Tim. 1:19). To believe that if someone falls away they were never a Christian in the first place, would be like saying a person suffered shipwreck without being on the ship! It is true someone might pretend to obey, but there are many passages that teach people leaving the faith. Remember, you can’t leave from a place you have never been (Heb. 3:12, etc.).

What was interesting about this was the fact that the person didn’t get angry for having (what they believed to be) the truth challenged. After all, I didn’t get upset when I was challenged to prove what I believe is right. I actually liked the fact that I was told to prove it. The last thing I would want is someone to believe just because I said it. Remember, the apostle commended those who searched the scriptures to see if what he was teaching was right (Acts 17:11).

We must acknowledge that there are many examples in the Bible where people thought they were right but were not (Acts 19:1-5; Acts 15:1; Matt. 7:21-23; Rev. 2-3, etc.).

Chuck