Christianity Oasis Forum

[Netchaplain]

There is only one strain of salvation--"Eternal salvation" (Heb 5:9), which is an "everlasting consolation" (2Th 2:16) and an "eternal glory" (2Ti 2:10). If it's not permanent it's not salvation, for the crux of salvation designs the intention of being in permanent and unbroken fellowship with God, which only Christianity provides. In Christianity, one who is reborn is identified by God working within, which keep us from ever again willing after the sin nature (old man) - Phl 2:13); and this is a permanent work, as nothing God does in Christ for the Christian is temporary (Rom 11:29).

The way of the Law for the believing Jews was works related, as forgiveness was granted for obedience maintained, but withdrawn in disobedience persisted. But God always caused the believers to return to Him. This works-type method gives rise to self-dependence in believers today, misunderstanding the difference between the two administrations. In the New Covenant the Spirit of God indwells the believer and uses the Life of Christ and the nature "created" in His image (Col 3:10) to "keep you from falling" (Jde 1:24). Thus one who is only nominally professing Christianity (Mat 15:8) will eventually apostatize (revealing faithlessness), as the "fruit" will always manifest the "tree" (Mat 12:33).

Lacking an administrative differentiation between the two Covenants is only one of a believer's difficulty. The other is the difficulty that results in misunderstanding certain Scriptures that seem to conflict with one another (but never really do), esp. those concerning the permanency of salvation, and the most important growth truths are going to be the most difficulty to learn. It is this appearance of contradiction, though all are actually in agreement, that teaches the Bible student to remain in persistent study and prayer for guidance in "the Word of Truth" (2Ti 2:15).

One of many examples is Gal 5:4: "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." I believe the point of this passage is like saying, "It would be as though you have fallen from grace, if you could be justified by the Law." As we know, Scripture repeatedly makes it clear that the Law's intention was not to justify but to reveal what justification is, for "a man is not justified by the works of the law" (Gal 2:16; Gal 3:11).

It might be said that one cannot fall from grace any more than one could be justified by the Law: “Whosoever of you are justified by the law” – ‘on the supposition that any of you are justified by the Law; or if, as you seem to suppose, any are justified by the Law. The apostle does not say that this had in fact ever occurred; but he merely makes a supposition. If such a thing should or could occur, it would follow that you had fallen from grace’” (Albert Barnes – 1798- 1870).

“Ye are fallen from grace”; ‘that is, either from that grace which they professed to have; for there might be some in these churches, as in others, who were only nominal Christians, and formal professors; who had declared they saw themselves lost and undone sinners, destitute of a righteousness, and professed to believe in Christ alone for righteousness and strength, but now trusted in themselves, and in the works of the law.’” – John Gill (1697-1771)

[Netchaplain]

Myself, I see Scripture intending the profession of one's belief (1Ti 6:12), which may be genuine or eventually discover not genuine, and this is where most of the confusion lies. We start with our profession and if it's genuine it will never stop, thus when one stops confessing faith, that is, leaves the outward practice of it and never returns, the profession was not genuine, thus the person was not reborn (apostatize).

Therefore it's my understanding that one who "departs" (1Ti 4:1) or "falls away" (2Th 2:3) it is one who is willingly ceasing from a hypocritical profession, e.g. leaving not salvation but a false profession of salvation, because only genuine professions continue without ceasing.

Good example might be Jhn 15:1, Jesus used the phrase "Every branch in Me":

Gill- "There are two sorts of branches in Christ the vine; the one sort are such who have only an historical faith in him, believe but for a time, and are removed; they are such who only profess to believe in him, as Simon Magus did; are in him by profession only; they submit to outward ordinances, become church members, and so are reckoned to be in Christ, being in a church state, as the churches of Judea and Thessalonica, and others, are said, in general, to he in Christ; though it is not to be thought that every individual person in these churches were truly and savingly in him. These branches are unfruitful ones; what fruit they seemed to have, withers away, and proves not to be genuine fruit; what fruit they bring forth is to themselves, and not to the glory of God, being none of the fruits of his Spirit and grace."
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