Can a Child of God Be Lost?
I Corinthians 10:1-12
Text
Title
First, let me appeal to your common sense.
A. The Bible – one book, Acts on how to be saved; 21 books on how to stay saved.
B. Warnings against lying, fornication, etc.; written to Christians ("All a waste of time Paul!") Why preach?
C. If what I am telling you is false (a person cannot fall from grace) then I am a false teacher but what would it matter. I can preach all the false doctrine I want because I cannot fall.
D. Gal. 1:7-9 (Warned of the impossible?)
E. The bottom line is I can sin all I want! Guy N. Woods’ debate – "The secret on how to live for ever." It flies in the face of common sense.
Where did this doctrine come from?
F. John Calvin (1509-1564)
1. Total Depravity
2. Unconditional Predestination
3. Limited Atonement
4. Irresistible Grace
5. Perseverance of the Saints
a. Logical outcome
b. Most have dropped the first four but keep the last one.
G. Texts that are used to support.
1. Jn. 5:24
a. In promise.
b. Does this mean that the believer can never become an unbeliever and be lost? Is this what He was teaching?
c. Context shows He was showing equality with the Father and where salvation is.
d. Col. 1:20-23 emphasize "if".
2. Jn. 10:27-28
a. "Hear and obey" (Mt. 7:21).
b. They follow me, what if they stray?
c. No choice? Must hear, must obey, lose your freewill.
d. Rev. 2:10
3. Rom. 8:35
a. What will "You" let separate you…
b. Jn. 3:16
c. Jude 21
4. I Jn. 3:9
a. Present active indicative – "Does not continue in sin, sin is not his habit, does not live a life of sin.
b. I Jn. 1:8, 10 ("Has John gone crazy.")
c. I Jn. 1:7, 9
d. "Seed" must remain.
The Bible clearly teaches the possibility of falling (not only do I have common sense on my side, I have the scriptures).
H. Text
I. Gal. 5:4 (Jas. 2:24)
J. Rev. 3:16
1. Must be in the body
2. Rev. 2:4-5
K. Heb. 10:23-31
L. Heb. 6:4-6
M. II Pet. 2:20-22
1. II Pet. 1:5-10
2. Text (Not talking about Christians?)
a. They escaped the pollutions or defilement of this world.
b. They escaped through the knowledge of Christ.
c. After "escaping" they become "again entangled therein and overcome."
d. Last state is worse than the first.
e. Better to have not known the way of righteousness than after knowing it turn from it.
3. Notice the two proverbs Peter uses to illustrate the fallen condition of those who turned back (notice the stages).
a. Stage one – Lost man (Dog with rotten food in stomach).
b. Stage two – Saved man (Dog has vomited up rotten food or has been separated from that which is rotten).
c. Stage three – Apostate man (Dog has returned to what is rotten and is partaking of it again; Gal. 5:4)
d. Repeat with sow or pig
1. I Cor. 9:27
2. I Cor. 15:58
The opposite of "Once saved, always saved," is "If saved, barely saved," Bible teaches neither (I Jn. 1:7)
Jim Pharr
Lenoir, NC