Conversation at Pastors Meeting – The reality that many are leaving church.
Add to that the % of kids who walk away when going to College.
There is a reality that we may have to come to grips with and that’s the fact that Scripture itself including Jesus warn of a growing cold of believers and a great falling away, along with false teaching invading the church.
MATTHEW 24
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Paul Warns Timothy in I Tim. 4:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
From the middle ages on the argument has been fought between those who refuse to believe that a person can fall away once saved and those of us who believe that while Satan can’t take us out of Gods safe hands we can choose to walk away.
Paul with Demas – 3 mentions. Twice as his co-worker but the last mention in II Tim 4:9-10
9Make every effort to come to me quickly, 10because Demas, in his love of this world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.
A verse often wrongly used by the Calvanist thinkers is – Romans 8:29-30 (NKJV)
29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Foreknowledge – Omniscience - Because He knew what we would choose He could use that.
So tonight we will look at what the scriptures actually say on the subject.
CAN WE FALL AWAY FROM GOD
Not only did Jesus warn that near the end of the age would men fall away, He also clearly indicated that many who supposed to be followers would be weighted on the proof of their life.
1. Matthew 7:19-23 “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'”
This first point is that you can live your life thinking you are fine because you have supposed the deeds you have done bought your way in, but Jesus says simple I don’t know you.
The Second is that its more than a confession it’s a life lived for Christ after accepting Him.
• And along the way satan is going to try to coax you away, or persecute you away. If he cant get you with the things of this world, he will use persecution.
2. Matthew 10:22 “All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
3. Matthew 24:9-13 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
Getting slack in ones relationship can cause you to fall. – Even whole churches as seen in Rev. 3
15I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other. 16So because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to spit you out of My mouth! 17You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.…
4. Luke 12:46 “The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.”
IN THIS LIFE HE NEVER QUITS TRYING TO DRAW US BACK, but we are capable of not responding.
5. Luke 13:6-9 “Then he told this parable: A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. 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?' 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.'”
There is a point where we can go to far – Prov. 29
Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed--without remedy.
Jesus pointed out that its more than a quick confession at the altar when he said this in John 8
6. John 8:31-32 “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”
7. John 15:1-6 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will 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. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”
IN ROMANS 8 where paul explained Israels falling away he warns the gentile they aren’t abouve being removed should they fall away.
8. Romans 11:20-22 “…But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.”
Paul speaks of his own potential to fall away.
9. 1 Corinthians 9:27 “No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”
To the Colossian church – He affirms its about continueing in the faith.
10. Colossians 1:21-23 “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation– if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.”
It has always been frustrating talking to an eternally secure believer who refuses to simply read and try to explain all the verses that clearly show that we can fall away.
11. 1 Timothy 1:18-20 “Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.”
Ive already said this next verse but it is worth repeating.
12. 1 Timothy 4:1 “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.”
13. Hebrews 3:6 “But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.”
14. Hebrews 3:12-14 “See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.”
15. Hebrews 10:26-31 “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ and again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
Perhaps none state it more clear than 2 Peter
16. 2 Peter 2:20-21 “If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.”
Church the argument for falling away in undeniable. Again, satan cant take us away but we can fall away from our faith and thus from the Lord.
See we are secure as long as we keep our faith in the Lord, our eyes on him
17. 2 Peter 3:17 “Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.”
18. 1 John 2:24 “See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.”
The victory is there, and ours is just to continue in the faith. To not let the world become more attractive, to not let the trials become to much. To not lose sight of eternity in the here and now.
19. Revelation 3:5 “He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.”
Some would love to just remove the scriptures I read to you tonight, but even that cant be done.
20. Revelation “And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.”
The fact that we can fall away shouldn’t make us scared, it should encourage us to be more sure, to work out our salvation.
Revelation 3:11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.
James 5:19-20
My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
James 1:12
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
Church faith in Christ will always be our entry into His Kingdom, but its faith that is lived out, not just experienced at some earlier point in life.
Many of us know some who live foolishy in their walk, tonight I would like to hold them up.
