To The News Observer: (Article written in response to “Dear Editor” article…this was never published by our local paper)

I would first like to say that in the world in which we live there are many doctrines that are taught. In Africa alone there are some 5,000 prophet movements. In the United States there are thousands upon thousands of faiths and doctrines that are taught in order to encourage man to live faithfully to the Lord. I personally am thankful for those that are searching for the truth. But we must be careful what we teach as truth. Where the world says all is “ok” the Bible declares that there is but “ONE “truth. The Apostle Paul, when addressing the Galatian brethren, encouraged them not to listen to “a different gospel (Gal. 1:6)” for he went on to say, “which is not another (1:7).” Further in his address to the Christians in the area of Galatia, Paul noted that they were “foolish” for their parting with the truth in which they had obeyed (Gal. 3:1). Paul indicated that the gospel of Christ was but one gospel (Gal. 1:6-ff) and referred to the gospel as “the way (Acts 22:4)”. From John 14:1-6, Christ would say “I am the way, the truth and the life (Jn. 14:6)”, clearly saying there is no other like me, so to Paul referrers to the gospel as the one and only way to believe, live and die in.

I too firmly believe that the issue previously discussed in a News Observer Article about teaching our family, friends and world needs to be addressed. I encourage all who believe in the inspired word of God to look upon the passages of God’s word and study for yourself what God says about “Falling from truth.” In a previous letter to the paper, one indicated that “based upon a handful of scriptures…” the teaching on “Falling from Salvation” was false. However, in his rebuttal he himself only used one passage of scripture, John 10:27-30 to refute the teaching on “falling from salvation”. I too affirm that anyone who teaches the word of God should be prepared and well studied before they begin to teach the inspired word of God.

First let us re-examine what John 10:27-30 states. Jesus in this context is talking of a true shepherd verses a shepherd that is a “hireling”. The good shepherd offers, “pasture (v.9)”, safety to His or “mine own (v. 14)” and “life (v. 10).” The hireling offers, no “safety or protection (v. 12)” and no “care (v.13).” Jesus is drawing a contrast between something that is true and good to something that is false and dishonest. Please note that many shepherds, in the 1^st century, would house their sheep together in a sheepfold and when a shepherd would come into the fold he could call out for his sheep and those that “I know (v.14)” or that the shepherd knew would come to the shepherd. The relationship was intimate between the sheep and their shepherd. The shepherd knew all there was to know about “His” sheep and likewise the sheep knew the shepherd that provided for them peace, safety and good pastures. There would be some sheep in the sheepfold that were not of the “good shepherd,” they would not recognize the “good shepherd” and therefore would not follow.  Jesus as the “Good Shepherd” will only save those that recognize Him and follow His word.  Only those that do the “will” of the Father will be saved (Matthew 7:21-27). During the “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus clearly teaches that “not everyone who says to Me Lord, Lord will have eternal life. But those that do the WILL of my father in heaven.” Jesus the good shepherd goes on to note that good and honest people will not have eternal life just by calling on the Lord. Indication is that many (Matthew 7:13-14) that are religious will not have salvation because they have not obeyed the total WILL of God. Only the wise man that hears, builds and does what the Lord requires will have everlasting life and their home will not see eternal destruction (Matthew 7:24-27). The question then arises, “What is the will of the Father?” Christ plainly teaches obedience is found in His words (John 12:48-50). We must do what the Lord commands of us if we are to be “friends” of Jesus (John 15:14).   Jesus teaches that we must repent (Luke 13:3, 5), that we must confess our love for Him daily (Matthew 10:32-33), that we must be baptized (Mark 16:15-16/ Matthew 28:18-20/ Luke 24:46-ff) and that we must live a “FAITHFUL LIFE (Rev. 2:10)”. Those that do these things will be known by the good shepherd and they will know him, never to be snatched out of His hand (John 10:27-30)!

Yet, what do we discover in the Bible about “falling from salvation”? Jesus plainly teaches that a man can fall from salvation. In the “Parable of the Sower” from Matthew 13:10-22, Jesus indicates by the seed which is the “word of God” (Matthew 13:20,22), could be sown and received and later could be snatch away by the wicked one (verse 19), the cares of the world becomes more valuable (verse 22), and tribulations become over powering (verses 21) causing one who had received the word or truth to become “UNFRUITFUL” thus from receiving the truth to rejecting it. Indication is from saved to lost.  Also, while preaching during the “Sermon on the Mount” Jesus clearly teaches that not all will find salvation, for salvation is for those that find the “difficult way” and do the “will of the father” (Matthew 7:13-14; 21-ff) being faithful to the Lord and gospel “until death (Revelation 2:10).”

Paul when addressing the churches of Galatia noted that the Galatian brethren had turned from the truth of the gospel delivered to them (Galatians 1:6-ff; 3:1). From Galatians 6:1-2 and in James 5:19-20 we note that true believers are “those that are spiritual” and that the “spiritual” ones must seek to restore those that have been “over taken” in a fault. James calls the person “over taken in a fault” or “wondering from the truth” a “sinner (James 5:20)!” Note the words of James from James 5:20, “… he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will SAVE a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” What “death” is referred to here? It is spiritual death! An individual that was in “the truth” or “saved” but has turned from it to be LOST and thus not saved finds spiritual death. Please note that James is addressing Christians in his letter.  The Lord desires that “none should perish, but all come to repentance (2Peter 3:9)”. From Galatians 6, James 5 and 2Peter 3 we can conclude that God wants all to find the truth of the gospel and be saved. Some will find the truth and reject it for the world and some will not find the truth of God’s word at all. However, it is clearly God’s desire that His creation knows the truth, obey it and live it! Further we can discover that in 2 Peter 2:20-22; it would be better for an individual to have never known the truth than to have heard, obeyed it and then turned from it, “for it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having heard it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them…”.  Again, Peter is addressing Christians that have wondered from the truth or from being saved to being lost.  This passage teaches that someone can receive the truth of the gospel, be saved by it and then later in life reject the gospel and the truth it offers to die a spiritual death.

Peter himself had fallen and needed to be restored after his denial of Christ (Matt. 26:69-75). Peter was restored not because he had not fallen, but because he had indeed fallen. Three times the Lord asked Peter if he loved Him (John 21:15-19). Peter’s response was, “yes Lord,” all three times. Thus, Peter was restored and brought back to a rightful place with the Lord. Peter could not “feed the sheep” of the good shepherd if he himself was not following the shepherd!

John in Revelation is stating the words of the Lord as the Lord addresses “Christians” in the churches of Asia (Rev. 2-3).  These Christians were in the kingdom but some were not saved. Jesus’ words were sharp…”REPENT!”  Seven times in two chapters to seven churches the Lord urges repentance of those that had fallen, thus losing their salvation. What were to be the consequences if they did not repent? Never allowed to eat from the tree of life (2:7), hurt by the second death (Rev. 2:11), not given a new name (Rev. 2:17), receive great tribulations (2:22), removed from the Lambs book of life (3:5), name not found in the city of God (3:12), expelled from the presence of the Lord (3:16). Indeed the Lord wanted obedience and repentance in order to find eternal life and everlasting salvation for those that had wondered away from the truth.

Finally, let us look at Demas and Judas. Demas was a fellow co-worker with Paul (Philemon 24) , yet later as Paul wrote in a Roman Prison to Timothy; Paul declares that Demas has forsaken Paul, and thus we can conclude the Lord (2Timothy 4:10). Judas knew the truth for he had been with Jesus for nearly 3 years, yet he later hung himself after he turned from the truth and even declared that “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood (Matthew 27:3-4).” Was Judas saved? The answer to that is no! Judas denied truth found in Christ and realized his sin and died thus being lost (ISH. 59:1-2)!

As we can see not only does the Bible declare one can “fall from salvation”, but Jesus teaches that one can lose their salvation as well! It is utmost important that we teach our family and friends the truth about what God says is true. God declares from His inspired word (2Timothy 3:16-17) that man can be saved by obedience to the gospel and yet later deny the truth and be lost throughout all eternity. Let us go forth and teach truth according to God’s Devine commands.

Lonnie L. Jones

Each 1st and 3rd Thursday evenings of every month at 7pm an opportunity to study from God’s word is made avalible through our Cochran Home Bible Study. This is an extra Bible study period where we gather together in order to study more in depth topics of God’s word. The elders and minister instruct these studies. After each study period there is time allowed for fellowship.