No Apostasy, or Once in Grace, Always in Grace.
By S. Osborn
I WILL now introduce Paul's testimony on this subject in chapter 6 of Hebrews, verses 1–8. In the first two verses he shows that the subjects of this declaration had taken the initiatory steps of the gospel, and hence were in favor with God. In verses 4–6 he says, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” If a person would read this scripture unbiased by theological prejudice, he could come to no other conclusion, than that a man can fall from grace. But still there is an objection. It is founded on the verb if in verse 6, “If they shall fall away,” etc. The objector says this means, they cannot, and will not, fall; but this is contrary to Webster. He says if is a verb, transitive, and means “grant, allow, suppose, admit.” Now it is evident from Webster’s definition of this term that they were not obliged to continue in the grace of God, but were at liberty to do as they pleased. If they could not fall, why did the apostle talk about not “renewing them again,” and “crucifying afresh,” and “putting to an open shame”? Why did he compare them to “briers and thorns,” “whose end is to be burned”? Why did he tell some of his brethren that “he was persuaded better things of them”? Did he mean to show them there was danger of falling when there was none? Was he trying to deceive them? How much more consistent to take the view that they can fall. In the 10th chapter the apostle comments on the same subject again. Verse 26: “For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin.” What then remains? Let Paul answer. Verse 27: “But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” In verses 28, 29, he enforces this idea, and shows us who these adversaries are by contrasting the penalty of the sins under the law of Moses with the willful sins committed under the new covenant. We read: “He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses; of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace.” Notice that they died without mercy under Moses’ law, and under this new covenant the punishment is to be sorer. Now where is the spark of grace left to revive, if we do “despite to the Spirit of grace,” continue in this course, and die without mercy, as Paul says? Let those answer who can. We are not quite done yet. In the 12th chapter we have another positive testimony on this point. “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord; looking diligently lest any man fall163from the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” Verses 14, 15. We are required to follow peace and holiness, lest we fall from the grace of God. Then if, at any time, we turn away from him, we are liable to fall. There are some that have commenced to serve God that are irretrievably lost. This I have abundantly proved, and it is also evidenced from the comparison of the apostle in the next two verses. He calls Esau a profane person for selling his birthright, and says he would have inherited the blessing, but was rejected, though he was very penitent and sought it with tears. Verses 16, 17. Then just as sure as Esau failed of the blessing of his father Isaac, we shall fail of eternal life if we do as he did, and barter it away. It is as much in our power to do this as it was in his, according to the analogy of the apostle. It is of no use, therefore, to say we cannot fall finally from the grace of God. For Scripture and facts are too plain. Besides the scriptural evidence we have given, many of us know of apostates from God, and some have even gone into the delusion of spiritualism without any hope; for God will send such strong delusions, that they might be damned, 2 Thess. 2:11, 12. We had better heed the instruction of the apostle in Heb. 2:1: “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them run out as leaking vessels. [margin]” If a vessel leaks and it is not stopped all the fluid in it will run out. So with the grace of God in our hearts. That some have sinned, and repented, and turned back to God, and obtained forgiveness, like David and others, is no proof against the foregoing view, but is in harmony with it. But where persons have committed willful sins or failed to return to God and repent in the time God has given them, there remains no hope for them. This is sufficient to convince any that can be convinced. Once more, in 1 Tim. 4:1, 2, we read, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter days some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.” “Depart, going away, to forsake” (Webster). This does not speak of backsliding merely, but entirely giving up, departing from the faith. I will now examine some of the strongest objections against this view. 1 John 5:4: “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” This is explained in verse 18: “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself [guards himself, Diaglott], and that wicked one toucheth him not.” According to this as long as a person keeps himself guarded, he cannot sin, and only this long. This is evidenced from the 16th verse, which shows that a brother can sin a sin unto death. We read: “There is a sin unto death; I do not say that he shall pray for it.” Mark, this is directed to the brethren in the church, and not to brethren by the ties of nature, as some contend. There are several texts found in John which are relied upon as unanswerable, according to our view of apostasy. We will give some of them. John 3:36: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 5:24: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” John 6:54: “Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” In answering the points brought out in these texts, we will consider, first, what this life is that a person gets when he believes in Christ; and, secondly, can it be lost? On the first point, I affirm that Christ is that life. Proof: John 6:53, 54: “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life.” This shows what eternal life is. It is composed of the flesh and blood of Christ. Again, 1 John 5:11, 12: “And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” It is evident that the eternal life spoken of in the foregoing texts is no part of man, but simply the presence of Christ, which of course is as undying as Christ is; and when we are in him it is eternal life in us. For proof, see verse 20: “That we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” This is Christ in us the hope of glory. Col. 1:27. The apostle Paul, in describing the difference between the carnal and spiritual mind of man says to the Roman brethren, Rom. 8:10, “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” That is, the Spirit of Christ that is in you is this life as is evidenced from the connection. “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his.” “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Verses 9–11. This certainly will sustain the first affirmation, though many more might be adduced. I will now pass to examine the second affirmation; viz., can this life, or Christ, be lost? or, in other words, can we do any thing to cause it to depart from us? There are many texts that might be adduced on this point, but I will only present a few of them. Rom. 8:9: “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.” This shows that the possession of this Spirit is conditional. “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” Verses 12, 13. This address was made to the brethren, and they retained this life on condition of mortifying the deeds of the body. Again, the apostle speaks, 1 John 1:2, of this eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifest to us. It is that which gives us fellowship one with another, and also fellowship with the Father and the Son. Verse 3. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.” Verse 6. It is impossible to have this eternal life and walk in darkness. We can know we are in the light by being in fellowship with the brethren, but let us get out of this fellowship, and we are out of present eternal life. The 7th verse attests this fact: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Here on condition of our fellowship with one another, we have the promise of the efficacy of the blood of our Saviour, and who can be in a saved condition without its merits? Not one. In 1 John 2:24, 25, we read: “Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.” It seems to me that this subject can be made no plainer; but I will adduce one more text. 2 John 8, 9: “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have gained [margin], but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” Great stress is laid upon the term, “hath eternal life.” But when we see that the present eternal life is only Christ formed in us the hope of glory, as we have shown, then we can lose it as easily as the spendthrift can dispose of his money. To-day he may be rich, and very shortly he may be bankrupt. So to-day we may be in good health and have a prospect of long life, but next week we may be in our graves. From this we see present possession is no guarantee that we shall unconditionally hold it. This surely is plain. Rom. 8:35–39 is considered very strong evidence against apostasy. Paul says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Paul simply asks the question who shall separate us from the love of Christ, &c. This language does not mean they cannot be separated. He continues: “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” From this we learn that there is a work on our part through Christ, in order to gain the victory. Paul gives his opinion of the Roman brethren in these words: “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This only shows that the apostle had great confidence in the fidelity of these brethren, and not that their destiny was absolutely and unconditionally fixed, as some contend. A very serious objection is found in the doctrine of the new birth. John 3:6: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” It is claimed on this verse that the birth of the Spirit, spoken of here, is as much of the nature of the Spirit of Christ as the birth of flesh is of the flesh. But of whatever nature it may be if we apply it to our condition in this life, the 8th verse shows it is liable to leave us. We read: “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” From this we learn the Spirit can come and go like the wind. Wind sometimes ceases to blow, and there is a great calm; so the Holy Spirit departs sometimes, and there is a perfect vacuum in the soul. Thus unless there is an effort on our part to get and retain the Spirit the spiritual man will finally perish, as I have abundantly proved. There are some other objections that are arrayed against the possibility of apostasy; but these that I have examined are the strongest, and as they can be so easily and plainly harmonized with the doctrine of the possibility of apostasy, the weaker objections can be met more easily. People will take positions to support a pet theory which are contrary to facts. Who does not know that in every faith there are individuals who have been soundly converted to it, and have departed from it, even in our time? and that many become worse than they were before? These are facts that cannot be denied. And further, it seems to me this doctrine of no apostasy is a very dangerous one; for it has such a tendency to rock those to sleep who think they were once in grace. It certainly courts the carnal nature of man. I know some who have the reputation of being given over to licentiousness, and at the same time they stand as leaders against the possibility of apostasy. Oh, may God wake up the people! And may his ministers cry against such errors! It is certainly just the doctrine to hold a lukewarm mind where it is. It teaches no danger. It is a fatal peace-and-safety cry.