Bible Thoughts November 28, 2004
"They were all afraid of him"
A new disciple of Christ sought to be in fellowship with the Christians in Jerusalem. This believer had been a persecutor of Christians. He had them jailed and gave his consent to kill the disciples. Unfortunately, this Saul of Tarsus at this time was an energetic disciple of the Law of Moses and believed strongly that what he was doing would be approved of God. Even after Saul's obedience, there were those who wondered about him and were "afraid of him."
On the road to Damascus Saul went to find Christians and bring them bound to Jerusalem. "As he journeyed," there was a "light out of Heaven" that got his attention. As he "fell upon the earth" he was "made speechless" and blind. The Lord questioned his persecution of Christians. Without sight, he was "led...by the hand." This lasted three days and he had nothing to eat or drink. How would you feel under the same conditions? Saul, an honest man, while he persecuted Christians is about to learn what it means to suffer for the one he had opposed. The great apostle would teach men and women the truth throughout Judea and the Roman Empire. Saul would learn what it meant to suffer for the Lord. He did not cease to be faithful to the Lord, but would sacrifice his soul and his life for the one who died for him.
Saul gave up the ways of the Old Testament
for the grace of the New Testament. His willingness, when he heard
the truth, to obey what God has commanded is an example for every
person who searches for the truth. Are you searching for the word of
God and obeying the Lord's commands?
Study the Question: "Shall we who
owe our existence as a religious people to controversy, we who in
times past braved the combined opposition of sectarianism and
won--shall we adopt the supine attitude of our vanquished foes and
relinquish controversy? If we do, we shall certainly repudiate the
slogan under which our fathers fought--we shall not be silent were
the Bible speaks, for the Bible speaks plainly on controversy. If we
do, we shall surely die of the dry rot, and that without sympathy or
regrets. Our religious bones will be left to bleach on the lone
prairie, for no man will have respect enough for us to preach our
funeral or give us a decent burial.
"For a preacher to say that he has not
studied the question under controversy is, in some respects, a more
fatal admission than to believe a false doctrine. There is some hope
of converting a man who believes error and takes his stand openly for
what he believes. Jesus picked the arch enemy of His church to be His
chief special accent to the Gentles, and the whole world is forced to
acclaim His judgment. On the other hand, he actually discouraged the
halfhearted and hesitant from following him. To one he pointed out
the prospect of poverty; he required another to give up his entire
fortune; he refused to allow another to go and "bury his father."
These were special conditions of discipleship, not merely to
discourage, but to encourage them to first count the cost and be sure
they were willing to pay the price. He wanted men for leaders who
would study the question and earnestly contend for the faith. He did
not want the job cluttered by neutrals." -W. E. Brightwell in May 16,
1935, Gospel Advocate.(For the last many years, the later Gospel
Advocate failed to measure up to the words of brother Brightwell.)
Those who desire to follow and apply the truth must be dedicated to
the teachings of the New Testament without varying in any manner what
is found therein.
Is It
Possible? For a number of years
the doctrine of the impossibility of apostasy has been losing ground
among it's believers. In spite of this fact, there are still people
who believe the teaching while millions practice it. Is it true that
it is not possible for a child of God to fall from grace? If not, why
not? If so, where does the Bible so teach. This article is an effort
to call our attention to what God has to say on the matter. After
all, He is the one who has the right of saying who will be saved, how
and what must be done, if anything, to stay saved.
When the churches of Galatia were experiencing trouble with Judaizing teachers, the apostle Paul pointed out to them that one is to stand fast in their freedom and "and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage"(Galatians 5:1). Why warn them? Paul further pointed out that to be overcome by these false teachers would result in being "severed from Christ, ye who would be justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace"(5:4). The apostle not only believed that it was possible for one who once was saved to be lost, but taught all Christians that fact. The other epistles of Paul are filled with just such warnings.
In warning the brethren at Corinth to not be overcome by the common sins of the day, Paul used Israel and her follies in the wilderness as an example of people being lost after having been approved. He pointed out that in one day twenty-three thousand "fell"(I Corinthians 10:8). Summing up the warnings, the apostle stated, "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall"(v. 12). This certainly does not sound like an admonition who believes in "the impossibility of apostacy."
In the parable of the talents, it was not some person who sustained no relation to the Lord who was cast out, but a servant who had failed to meet his responsibilities. "And cast ye out, the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be weeping and the gnashing of teeth"(Matthew 25:30). Such a servant would be among those described by Peter as having a "last state...worse than the first. For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them"(II Peter 2:20-21).
When Jesus spoke of the vine and the branches(individual servants), He stated that if a man did not "abide" in Him, "he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered: and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned"(John 15:6). Even in Paul's time, some had made "shipwreck of the faith"(I Timothy 1:19-20). Those who did not abide in Christ would not be rewarded when the Master returns.
It is possible for a person to not only lose his salvation by some act(s) of ungodliness, but John reveals the fact that when "lukewarm" people are trying to please God, He is nauseated and will spew them out of His mouth(Revelation 3:16).
The message in the above article is plain. In order to reach Heaven, one must follow the commands of Jesus Christ each day. Should one sin, he is to repent and pray to God for forgiveness. Some of the religious people we know believe and practice "once saved, always saved." Such is contrary to all the related passages in the New Testament. Only faithfulness will guide one into Heaven!