Contending for the Faith: The Struggle against False Teachers

Five years ago I gave a sermon on biblical justice that landed me in trouble. It was during a time of chaos in our society, at the height of the COVID pandemic and a summer of political riots. During that time I had observed the rise of an ideology called social justice that was beginning to infiltrate the church. 

Biblical justice is based on the scriptures and builds from there, but I saw that the social justice ideology was built on the oppressor vs. oppressed paradigm common in Marxist ideology. It was based on critical theory, a concept of criticizing and tearing down perceived oppressive structures in society. And I saw this ideology was infiltrating the church under the guise of justice ministry.

I became increasingly concerned, sensing God calling me to speak up in the struggle between biblical justice and social justice ideology.

On July 5th 2020 during the height of this societal chaos I gave a sermon on biblical justice that I titled "...And Justice for All." The sermon was live streamed. I spoke about the dangers of critical theory based ideologies. I spoke about the importance of unity in diversity among the body. And I encouraged the body of Christ to embrace biblical justice, which includes deep love and mercy.

Immediately after giving the message, the sermon had received over five thousand views and a mob had formed on social media with the goal of cancelling me. They lobbied leadership in The Salvation Army, and I was banned from preaching for a period of about one month. And for a moment it looked like I might be removed from leadership altogether. 

However, officers, soldiers, and leaders throughout The Salvation Army world spoke up on my behalf, and in the end, all the complaints were dropped and my preaching rights were restored. Leadership viewed the original text of the message and decided the message was not blameworthy after all.  

I remember when I was first writing the sermon this feeling came over me, I could almost sense what was coming next. I got on my knees in distress to pray. And I said, "Lord, would you like me to change this message in some way?" And I heard the Lord say to me: "Every word." 

It was a scary moment in my life as a new officer, just out of my first year, but God used it to mold and shape me, and I saw the army's approach to justice ministry begin to shift toward a more biblical approach. I knew that in some small way, God had used that sermon I gave that day to help guide the movement toward a more biblical path. But I was never treated the same in the movement after that day. I began to feel like an outsider. 

Yet it was worth it to see a real change in the struggle between biblical justice and social justice. Nevertheless, it is a continued struggle to this day in the body of Christ, such teachings are always attempting to infiltrate the church, teachings that divide people into disparate groups, sow distrust among believers, and encourage hatred and resentment instead of love. 

In the struggle against false teachings and false teachers, you may pay a price for the witness you bring, but if the Lord is calling you to speak up, speak up boldly. Despite the price you pay, remember our Lord paid an infinitely higher price when He died for you on the cross. 

Today we examine the book of Jude, in particular the last half of the letter. Jude was a brother to Jesus, his real name was Judas, but, we call him Jude, because that name Judas is more often associated with the disciple who betrayed Jesus.

Jude was probably one of the younger brothers of Jesus. He did not follow Jesus during his earthly ministry, but after the resurrection of Jesus, Jude became a leader in the early church.

Jude is writing this letter to a church that is struggling against false teachers. So Jude writes early in the letter, that he had hoped to write a letter about all the wonderful depths of salvation in Christ, but instead he has to write this letter challenging the church to “contend for the faith.”

And the Greek word for contend here is very strong. It implies to fight, as a combatant.

If we turn to the 1828 Webster’s dictionary, it says this about the word contend:

1. To strive, or to strive against; to struggle in opposition.

2. To strive; to use earnest efforts to obtain, or to defend and preserve.

3. To dispute earnestly; to strive in debate.

I like that word earnestly because it implies you have a good heart about it, you love the truth, you aren’t disputing because you want clicks or because you want to make some point, but because you love the truth. It’s honest disputing.

So that’s the challenge, to contend against false teachers. And these false teachers that Jude is dealing with are making a particular claim, that is very common in the modern church. Jude writes in verse 4:

“For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”

They take the concept that we are under the grace of God, to be a license, to practice and live in sin. They say, if we’re under the grace of God, we can do whatever we want.

What is a license? It gives you permission to do something. If I have a fishing license, I am officially allowed to fish in the area. They treat the incredible gift of the cross of Jesus, as a license to sin.

I had a Christian who was disputing me with, because he and his wife felt I was a teaching a works gospel, and they made the statement, “a Christian can sin as much as they want.” That my friends, is a false teaching.

This has been a theological dispute in the history of the church, a heresy we now call today antinomianism. The phrase antinomian breaks down into two words in Latin, "anti" meaning against, and "law" meaning moral good. Martin Luther wrote extensively against antinomianism, so did John Wesley.

So that’s our first point for today, contend for the faith. Keep your guard against false teachers who want to make the claim that because we are under Christ, we can live and sin however we want. This is very common today, so many ministries teach a grace-heavy gospel, that removes the need for holiness and for purity, and rebukes good works as attempts to earn your salvation.

So Jude spends the first half of the letter dealing with these false teachers and pointing out that we can know them by their fruit. We will know them by what their lives produce. Their words may seem very wise or powerful or seem right to our emotions, but their fruit will prove who they really are.

Second point, you can know a false teacher or a false Christian by their fruit. Does their lifestyle match what they say? Now, no ones lifestyle perfectly matches Christ, but, you will be able to sense, by the Spirit’s guidance, whether they are walking in the way of Christ or in their own way.

But I want to focus in on the second half of the letter. Which gives instruction from Jude about how to live, despite the false teachings around us.

But let me just say one more thing, we live in a time in the body of Christ, when there are false teachings everywhere. I believe we live in the era that Jude is about to talk about, where we see false teachers everywhere, and false teachings damaging the faith of millions. We live in those times now.

I’ve done research on the churches here in Traverse city, I would say nearly half of them are gay pride churches, churches that are teaching against the leading the Holy Spirit, against Christ, that is wild. This is up north traverse city of all places. But it’s true in every city I’ve been in, from Escanaba to Chicago to Owosso to Gary, there is always a big gathering of churches that are apostate, against the faith, against Christ, because they teach against his word.

So you may be sitting there thinking what do I need to worry about false teachers? Brothers and sisters, they are all around us. And on tv, and social media, and YouTube.

So Jude addresses this, verses 17-19: "17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.”

Notice that phrase, “in the last times.” Jesus spoke repeatedly about a period of time at the end of human history, known as the end times. He spoke about difficult times that would come on the Earth. And part of that story of the end times was, scoffers who would mock the idea of Jesus’ return.

There were signs of this even in the time of Jude. Jesus predicted that after he was crucified and resurrected, vicious wolves would sneak in among the flock and lead many astray.

Third point, be on guard in your thinking. Watch out for soothing, clever statements made by leaders. There are all sorts of clever arguments intended to sway you away from faith in Christ, or to get you to accept false doctrines. Their arguments will appeal to your emotions, and manipulate your emotions. They make statements like: "If God was really good, why would he send someone hell? If God loves everyone then why shouldn’t we accept all lifestyles? We just need to listen and learn from other peoples experiences. We can’t convert anyone that would be wrong, they need to stay in the religion they were raised in. There are many ways to God, not just one."

All of these statements can be so appealing to our emotions. But we can't let our emotions rule us. Not everything that sounds good, is good. Here’s my challenge to you, the best way to be on guard in your thinking is to let God’s word stand in authority above your emotions. Then we can’t be led astray, because we’ll say, well, what does God’s word say? There's a check and balance against our feelings.

Let God’s word stand in authority above your emotions, and you won’t be led astray.

So we understand we’ve got to contend, keep watch, keep our emotions in check, and resist and overcome false teachers.

Notice verse 19, they follow mere human instincts, they do not have the Spirit. That is one way to identify a false teacher, do you sense the Spirit working through their ministry? Certain speakers I've watched over the years in church, they would come up and speak and I would sense the Spirit moving through them. But numerous times a speaker would come forward, and my wife and I would say afterward, where was the Holy Spirit? We would listen and become troubled, grieved, even upset as they spoke because we sensed a different spirit, but not the Holy Spirit.

Next, Jude is going to explain to us how to live, despite all the frightful things we see happening around us.

Verses 20-21: "20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life."

This is the key scripture for our message today. Build yourselves up in your most holy faith. But I thought it was God who was building us? That is true. We are saved by grace through faith, this is not of ourselves, it is a gift of God. Yet the word of God also says, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

So many people get annoyed with me in my preaching because I mention those pesky scriptures that no one likes to talk about, the ones that mention hell, and judgment and the fear of the Lord, falling away, and the call to holiness. Is it because I enjoy being controversial? Not at all.

But, it’s like we have this long list of our favorite scriptures, John 3:16, Romans 8:28, Jeremiah 29:11. And then we have this other list of scriptures, the challenging ones, that few preachers will talk about, because these scriptures make us feel uncomfortable. But if I only teach from the list of feel good scriptures, I am a false teacher, because by excluding the difficult passages, I’ve carved an idol out of God, making him all love and no justice. Now the converse is true as well, if I only preach on the tough verses, I’ve also made an idol, of all justice and no love, that is a false teaching as well.

We must teach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27), as one who must give an account, in accordance with James 3:1.

Point four, build yourselves up in the most holy faith. I’m on a journey, and I know you are too, to build yourselves up in your faith journey. We are people always seeking to grow, always seeking to learn new things, looking for opportunities to build our faith, and to go on into maturity.

And if you’re wondering, how do we as Christians overcome all these lies and falsehoods and false teachers and evil agendas around us in the world, the answer is to build ourselves up. We often think we must fight harder. But Jesus said, overcome evil with good.

One Christian who really seriously seeks to build themselves up in the faith, and become all God has called them to be, is greater than 450 false teachers (just ask Elijah). They can overcome all of it, and change an entire city. Because Christ is glowing within them.

Next it says, “And praying the Holy Spirit.”

Point five, pray in the Spirit. What does that mean? Pentecostals talk about that a lot, praying in the Spirit. Praying in the Spirit is when we allow the Holy Spirit to pray through us. It’s not necessarily praying in tongues, but it can be. But more so, it’s allowing the Spirit to guide your prayers. Sometimes I do this when I pray, I’ll say Holy Spirit please pray through me before I start.

I can tell when I’m praying in Justin, because it’s not too powerful, but when you start praying in the Spirit, you feel the Spirit surging through your being, and you get passionate, excited, and focused. Your prayers become powerful when you pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep that in your back pocket. Ask the Spirit to guide your prayers before you start.

Verse 21, "keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life."

What do you mean keep yourself in God’s love? Isn’t God the one who keeps us? God certainly does keep us, and we’re told in his word there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. Nothing outside ourselves, nothing demonic that can separate us. But, we can choose to separate ourselves.

It’s all outlined in John chapter 15, Jesus said, "If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love." It’s the concept of abiding, remain close to Jesus, which keeps us in God’s love. But God’s love is also keeping us. It implies two entities interlocked together, God and you holding onto each other.  

Point six, keep yourself in God’s love as you wait. We are all waiting for something as Christians. We are waiting for the Lord Jesus to return, and bring us to eternal life. We are all waiting for that one day when Jesus will part the sky and take us home. In the meantime, abide in Christ, as Christ abides in you, keeping yourself in God's love as you wait. 

But in the meantime, as we wait, we receive instructions on how we should live. Verses 22-23: "22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh."

If someone is having doubts in their faith walk, don’t judge them, be merciful to them. Encourage them. Listen to them. Pray for them.

For others, snatch them from the fire. Many countless souls out there today, in this city, are perilously close to the eternal hellfire of damnation. And they need someone like you and me, to come and snatch them from the fires and show them to the feet of Jesus.

To still others, show mercy, mixed with fear. So a balance of mercy, along with deep concern for the sins they are in, hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. That’s the concept of love the sinner, hate the sin. Some say it’s not scriptural, show them Jude 23.

Essentially, it’s saying as we wait for Jesus to come back, be at work in his field, as ambassadors to the community on His behalf.

So lastly, verses 24-25, “24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”

Jude has just told us to build ourselves up in the most holy faith, but then he also reminds us, God is able to keep us from stumbling, and to present us before the throne of God the Father without fault.

It’s all very synergistic. God’s presence and help and power, connected with our prayers, obedience, faithfulness, and practice of purity. 

The entire Trinity is involved in preparing us for judgment day. 

Jesus makes us clean by dying on the cross for us, and covering us with his blood. Jesus goes with us on the journey, walking with us, and advocating for us to the Father. He also keeps us holy on the road.

The Holy Spirit sanctifies us, encourages us, convicts us, and helps us to hear God’s voice. He builds us in purity of heart.

God the Father, molds us, shapes us, loves on us, builds us, and protects us along the way.

All for the purpose of one day presenting us before the throne of God, faultless, and with great joy.

Point seven, trust that God our Savior will be do His part to present you faultless before God our Father’s throne.

Jude concludes by declaring, all glory to God, God the Father is our savior, through Jesus Christ, glory, majesty, power, and authority belong to God. Forever. Amen.

Review of Main Points:
1. Contend for the faith

2. You can know a false teacher by their fruit

3. Be on guard in your thinking

4. Build yourselves up in the most holy faith

5. Pray in the Spirit

6. Keep yourself in God’s love as you wait

7. Trust that God our Savior will be do His part to present you faultless before God our Father’s throne

In conclusion today, let’s wrap it all together. God is painting a beautiful canvass on our hearts. He’s molding and shaping us into people of incredible glory, from one degree of glory to the next. He’s creating something amazing. And it’s messy on the way, there are setbacks, and trauma and pain and tears and grief, but also victories, hope, healing and renewal.

As we engage in this journey, and we build ourselves up step by step with God, we must guard against false teachers that would smear their own designs all over the beautiful canvass God is painting. Their false teachings would ruining and sideline us on our spiritual journeys. The false teacher is great at getting us to stop on the road, and pitch a tent in a place where we were meant to keep going deeper and higher toward God. Keep your guard against their clever schemes and high sounding speech. Contend for the faith, speak up boldly, but also remember, we overcome false teachers by doing good, not by lashing out with anger. 

Apply your heart to building yourself up in the most holy faith. In so doing, you will grow and grow, praying in the Spirit, helping others who are in danger, and waiting patiently for the return of the Lord Jesus. On that day he will present you, God willing, faultless and with great joy before the throne of the Father.

As Jude writes, "Glory, majesty, power, and authority belong to God!" Amen.

Five Powerful Refutations Of Once Saved Always Saved

Once saved always saved is a doctrine that permeates modern Christianity. But did you know that this doctrine didn't come about until the rise of John Calvin and Calvinism? Once saved always saved was not taught by the early church, or the church fathers. The doctrine didn't appear until the time just after the reformation.  

Here are five excellent presentations that refute clearly the false doctrine of eternal security/once saved always saved. 

1. John Bevere addresses the Issue


2. Once Saved Always Saved? Documentary by numerous Christian Leaders


3. Answering the Error 


4. David Pawson addresses OSAS

5. William Lane Craig - doctrine of Salvation

Examining Walter Brueggemann's View of Scripture as a Living Document

Walter Brueggemann is of course, of a largely different perspective theologically than the holiness movements of which I am a part. Brueggemann was an ordained minister of the UCC, one of the more theologically left of the mainline protestant churches in the United States.

Shot through modern civilization we find a concept of reinterpretation of established truths. This concept has swept through civilizations and shifted the foundations of the western world's concept of basic ways of viewing reality itself. Many once well established concepts are now up for reinterpretation. Some view this as a good thing, as a sort of collective evolution. While others like myself see it as a fundamental undermining of shared values that once stood at the basic bedrock of civilization. 

In Brueggemann's work God, Neighbor, Empire, we see in chapter 4 Brueggemann essentially promoting a conception of the interpretation of scripture which sees scripture as a “living document” that can be interpreted and re-interpreted to mean what we decide it means over time.

We should be very cautious about seeing scripture as something that can be changed or adjusted to fit modern sensibilities.

We see several times in chapter 4 where Brueggemann tells us that God was wrong.

According to Brueggemann, “Thus Yhwh, in giving law, has a history of barbarism. In my judgment, Yhwh must be called to account for that…” (p. 114).

Never, in my years of being a Christian, have I ever thought to myself, “God is wrong and I’m going to call Him out.” That just doesn’t compute to me. God is perfect. God is holy. If I see something in scripture I don’t like, I simply assume I am wrong. God is righteous. I believe that about Him completely.

Brueggemann continues, “Perhaps anxiety in Yhwh’s life evoked laws of exclusionary harshness” (p. 115). So essentially, Brueggemann claims God had anxiety, and that’s why God put such harsh laws in the Torah.

We know from scripture one of the clearest statements made by the Bible about God is, “I am the Lord, I do not change…” (Malachi 3:6). And in Hebrews, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8). God does progressively reveal himself over history to humanity, first through Torah, then through Jesus, but God doesn’t change in any of that. God didn’t grow or adjust his attitudes or perspectives. The God of the Old Testament is the same eternal God of the New Testament.

And yet Brueggemann states, “It is the narrative drama that changed Yhwh and that made Yhwh changeable…” (p.116). So again, Brueggemann contradicts the word of God.

Brueggemann then asserts that because of God’s changeability and the interpretation and reinterpretation of scripture, “…the Torah consists not in a set of rules but in fact in an ongoing conversation that takes into account new times, new circumstances, and newly awakened social sensibilities.” (124-125).

Now, did Torah always find new applications in life for the Jews? I’m sure that’s true. But the commands themselves never changed. Brueggemann seems to assume that because there are numerous and endless applications of the Torah, that this necessarily includes the Torah itself being subject to change, along with apparently, God himself.

Brueggemann cites several scriptures in which Israel is told, “Hear O Israel!” And he uses these declarations, that Israel was commanded to continue to hear, must in fact mean that interpretative dynamism must be embraced. But continuing to listen does not mean reinterpreting or changing the Torah for Israel. Never do we see Israel changing Torah, or removing items from the law. It always stayed the same. The way it was applied grew and developed. But it was progressive, a progressive revelation, a book slowly opening toward the coming of Jesus, not one that changed or shifted over time. A book can open wider and wider, that doesn’t mean it's foundation ever changes.

We can see how dangerous it could be to apply modern preferences to the word. What if our current preferences are wrong? There was a time in our country when eugenics were the trendy thing. Recently there was a scare in Canada about child assisted suicide. Odd things come into vogue, which is why we have a scripture that doesn’t change. We can test and discern what is right and what is wrong. If we begin to change, interpret, and reinterpret, we could easily approve of something God despises, or despise something God approves.

Brueggemann runs into a wall, because he keeps noticing a command in scripture to “not turn to the right or to the left” in following the commands of Torah. So Brueggemann, following his own rule of reinterpreting what he finds objectionable, simply discards this concept.

He makes the statement, “This is “settled law” always to be unsettled by more speaking and more listening” (p 131). The mental gymnastics are astonishing. A settled law is actually unsettled? It doesn’t make sense. A law's principle applied to a modern issue is wonderful. But again, the law doesn’t change. The application adjusts to changes in society. But the command remains the same.

Next, Brueggemann makes quite a claim, he indicates that Deuteronomy, the book of the Bible is a copy. But he says, what if it’s not? What if it’s a revised version?

His conclusion is, “Every reading (including this one) is a new account of Torah, and it will not do to imagine that these new readings are simply reiterations. They are replications changed to the right and to the left, by translation, by application, by interpretation, by shaping old laws in a dozen conversations” (p. 132).

Again and again in Torah God gives Israel the reminder, “Don’t move to the right to the left of the law.”

Brueggemann flips the scripture and says, actually, it is being changed to the right and to the left, as we see fit. We’re changing it over time to fit what we believe is right, in the church. And that is essentially the philosophy of movements like the UCC.

Brueggemann continues to study Deuteronomy and he sees many commands and boundaries. These are things to “set apart” Israel for special use before God. This troubles Brueggemann, so he chocks this up to errors in the text, it must’ve been “push back from the totalizers.” (p.133). Apparently, there were people who rewrote Deuteronomy to add all the difficult scriptures about civic order, the war ethic, and other things he finds objectional.

Can’t we see though, that if we were to use the approach Brueggemann is using, to interpret and reinterpret scripture to essentially fit modern viewpoints politically, socially, and economically, if we did that, we would end up mishandling the scriptures and distorting what God was already saying? Isn’t it clear, that we could end up changing God’s word so as to misrepresent God entirely?

Just as Brueggemann views the scriptures as a living document open to change and adjustment, to fit the morality of the moment and the politics we prefer, Brueggemann also levies a few attacks on the Supreme Court, and justices who hold the view of originalism, that is, viewing the Constitution as having an original meaning couched in history.

Brueggemann criticizes a comment made by Chief Justice John Roberts, when he said, “I will be open to the considered views of my colleagues on the bench, and I will decide every case based on the record, according to the rule of law, without fear or favor, to the best of my ability, and I will remember that it's my job to call balls and strikes, and not to pitch or bat.”

That is the correct view of interpreting a legal document. It should be viewed from the perspective with which it was written. The same is true for history, archaeology, science, math, all of it requires we simply take the raw facts and scientific truths and historical realities, and not reinterpret them to fit our preferences or what we think is right, but try to discover what is actually being said and what the original author actually meant.

Brueggemann states, “…Law is essentially an ongoing interpretive conversation that requires courage, freedom, imagination, and candor, one that refuses simplistic “application” of the “one meaning” of the law.” (p. 139).

Brueggemann I think is saying, I want us to go up to bat. We need to change what we find objectionable. We need to reinterpret law to fit our own political opinions, and the written law is nothing but a starting point, a place to launch off from, to change the world into what we want it to be.

As the serpent said to Eve, “Did God really say?” The serpent invited Eve to reinterpret right and wrong, make it in her own image, because she knows best, not God. Let us refuse such a faux bargain, that we know better than God’s word. God’s word sits over us, we don’t sit over it.

My goodness, can’t we see the danger here? If the Supreme Court, or the President of the United States, or a Governor of a State took laws on the books and simply decided, because they wanted to, they would reinterpret the law to mean something else, or get rid of the law without legal process, it could destroy civilization itself. A Supreme Court that uses their imagination to change law, could easily make themselves dictators, able to push down on the people whatever whim they felt was right in the moment. The whole purpose of the Constitution was to restrain government from crumbling into a tyranny of oligarchs who push their own views at the expense of the people.

Now consider the same issue surrounding the Bible. What if bible teachers, theologians, and pastors started taking scripture and changing it, to fit the viewpoints of the moment? We’d get rid of gender. We’d get rid of hell. We’d probably change the cross because Jesus dying on the cross seems dark. We’d get rid of half of Paul’s letters, he’s just too intense. We can add in other religions. We can add in greed and avarice and pride. And pretty soon, there is no longer any Christian faith, just the whims of a group of elite pastors, teachers, and theologians who have decided they know better than God, and they are going to fix the Bible. God help us to never fall into that trap of seeing the Bible as a living document, open to change and adjustment based on our whims and passions and emotions.

Now I realize I’m taking Brueggemann’s views to an extreme. I know he would never want to discard the Old Testament or change the nativity story or cut the book of Revelation from the canon, but can’t we see how opening the door to apply modern perspectives and preferences to timeless scripture, and charging God with wrongdoing and adjusting Torah to the right and left can lead us down a dark path? God help us if we can’t see the dangers. Let us dare toward a bold faith, that looks at scriptures that are hard, scriptures that make us scratch our heads, and say, I don’t understand, I don’t even like it, but if God’s word says it, I believe it, and I trust God sees from a greater perspective, one far, far above my own. I trust God. His word is true. I won’t change it.

What is the most Pervasive False Doctrine in the Body of Christ Today?

What is the most pervasive false doctrine in the body of Christ today?

In particular, we're looking at Western evangelical Christianity, and in particular Christianity within the United States. So in Christianity, in the United States, we've seen two trends that have shaped the theological field of discussion and debate.

The two trends are this, one, the rise of Calvinist mega churches across the country. We've seen numerous Calvinist mega churches grow and multiple. From Tim Keller, who recently passed away to Andy Stanley, to John MacArthur, Mark Driscoll, Craig Groeschel, Matt Chandler, David Platt, Bill Hybels, and so on. You think of people like Francis Chan. He's sort of an outlier. He's not really firmly ideologically Calvinist, but more instinctually. So first of all, the rise of Calvinist mega churches affected our theology. 

Secondly, and just as much was the rise of non denominational churches. Most of these non denominational churches are functionally Baptist in theology. I think the reason they've taken off so much and sort of supplanted other denominations is because they have remained biblically conservative in their theology, when many other denominations have strayed liberal in their theology. 

When churches stray from the Bible, they shut down. Plain and simple, that's what we've seen with the decline of mainline protestant churches. The rapid decline of mainline protestant denominations was succinctly matched by their total embrace of gay marriage, gender ideology, and critical race theory based social justice. 

Now, there is a lot to like with both Calvinist and Baptist churches and theology. They've remained close to conservative biblical theology. They've emphasized personal salvation. They've emphasized the need to share the gospel with others (missional). They've clarified a gospel message around penal substitutionary atonement that makes it starkly clear that salvation is based on the finished work of Christ on the cross. There is a lot of good in all of it. 

If we were looking at church theology in general in the west, and what is the biggest red flag, the answer would almost certainly be gay marriage, and the massive swing of the church toward promoting homosexuality. The swing has been truly seismic and devastatingly destructive. It's the most astonishing shift for the church in two thousand years. 

So you could say the most pervasive false doctrine in all of Christianity right now is gay marriage, the promotion of total inclusion.  Hundreds of churches have simply decided, 'we will deny what the Bible says about marriage.' 

But what about evangelical Christianity, the vein of Christianity that holds most firmly to the word of God?  What is the most pervasive false doctrine in evangelicalism?

I believe the most pervasive false doctrine within biblical Christianity is the doctrine of "once saved, always saved." 

This doctrine comes from the fifth point of the Calvinist TULIP acronym which is titled the "perseverance of the saints." And it asserts the idea that is it impossible for a born again Christian to fall away and lose their salvation.

The doctrine also finds a home in Baptist churches, which teach as a point of theology, salvation cannot be lost. Many Baptist (non-denominational) churches would reject the first four points of Calvinism, but they would still agree on the last point and teach that a believer cannot lose their salvation. 

It's a very surprising thing when you think about it. I'm sure many reading of us were taught this doctrine in their churches. But the doctrine is fairly rare outside of Calvinism and Baptist churches. It's a view that rejects free will and asserts a believer can never do things mentioned in scripture like renouncing Christ or denying Christ, or practicing willful active sin. 

If we go back to the early church, we see that the early church fathers agree that a believer can backslide. It was a basic teaching of the early church, to hold fast to Christ, to remain with Christ, and to reject sin, and to die for Christ if necessary, before ever denying Him. 

As Irenaeus wrote, "But to the righteous and holy, and those who have kept his commandments and have remained in his love…he will by his grace give life incorrupt, and will clothe them with eternal glory" -Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book I, Chapter 10:1. 

But it was a difficult issue to deal with. How does a believer know they are safe in Christ's arms? For the Catholic church, they dealt with this issue by instituting confession. The believer would confess their sins to the Priest. The Priest would then give forgiveness along with penance. This would be practiced monthly, even weekly, or daily if necessary.

So for Catholics, it became a question of salvation security, what kind of sin is deadly to my salvation? So sins were divided up into two categories, mortal sins and venal sins. 

Still the question persisted, what happens for a Christian who is living in active sin? So pretty soon purgatory was invented by the Catholics. If a Christian is active in sin, or has unconfessed or unrepented of sins, they will be taken to a sort of temporary hell, where they will be tormented to make up for their sins until they are cleansed and taken to heaven. 

That lead to the sale of indulgences. Christians fearing their loved ones were in purgatory, would purchase indulgences to free their loved ones from purgatory early.  

As Johann Tetzel the famous seller of indulgences said it: "When a coin in the coffer rings, another soul from purgatory springs."

But it all went back to the salvation security issue, how do I know if I'm secure in my salvation? What about sins I've committed after becoming a Christian? 

You could say this issue may have single-handedly spawned the great protestant reformation. Martin Luther went over and over and over to the priest to confess his sins when he was a monk. He was tormented by the fear of hell. It drove him to study and learn and grow. And Martin Luther found one day in the book of Romans, that salvation was in Christ alone. And we're all grateful for that today. 

But what was Martin Luther's view on once saved always saved? Did you know Martin Luther believed a Christian could lose their salvation? It's true. 

Here is what he wrote in his commentary on the book of Galatians:

"Verse 4, "Ye are fallen from grace." That means you are no longer in the kingdom or condition of grace. When a person on board ship falls into the sea and is drowned it makes no difference from which end or side of the ship he falls into the water. Those who fall from grace perish no matter how they go about it. ... The words, "Ye are fallen from grace," must not be taken lightly. They are important. To fall from grace means to lose the atonement, the forgiveness of sins, the righteousness, liberty, and life which Jesus has merited for us by His death and resurrection. To lose the grace of God means to gain the wrath and judgment of God, death, the bondage of the devil, and everlasting condemnation." -Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians, 5:4.

So Martin Luther had to find a careful balance between salvation in Christ, and the reality of the believer's free will and ability to fall from grace. 

We in the body of Christ must make that same effort. We can't fall into the trap of teaching people that they can never lose their salvation. This is dangerous, unbiblical, and invites complacency and a lack of zeal in service to God. A believer must know that when they sin, or depart the church, or even renounce Christ, they are putting their salvation at stake. 

Yet we must also avoid the trap of teaching believers that their salvation is lost very easily. This would invite believers to be tormented as Martin Luther was before the reformation, constantly running to the priest, or to God, fifty times a day crying out, "Am I still saved?"

Instead we must a find a balance, the same balance the scripture actually teaches. This balance is that a believer may hold a sense of security in Christ that their salvation is secure in Him. But, that they should balance this security with a sense of vigilance. As the scripture says, "If you believe are standing firm make sure you don't fall!" 1 Corinthians 10:12. A believer must be challenged to guard against sin, repent quickly if necessary, and to understand that renouncing Christ under pressure/persecution is in fact tantamount to lost salvation. This balance of security and vigilance will help Christians to both be amazed by the love of God in the security of salvation and also encourage Christians to tremble at a Holy God who shows no favoritism and will judge sin as sinful. 

This balance is absolutely vital. Because if a believer is taught that they can never lose their salvation every command of the New Testament suddenly becomes optional, a suggestion, a good idea. But the believer finds there is little affect if they transgress them all. 

Many pastors teach that violation of commands, willful sin, or even outright renouncing Christ as savior, simply causes problems in the relationship between the believer and God, but has no affect on salvation status. 

Yet it says clearly in the book of Romans, chapters 11:19-22, "You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 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."

And again it says in John chapter 15, in the teaching on the vine and the branches, that the believer is the branch, the vine is Jesus, the gardener is God the Father. If a believer (branch) abides in Jesus (the vine) then the believer produces much fruit. But if the believer drifts off and doesn't remain in Christ, they shrivel up. And if a branch shrivels up, it is removed from the vine and is burned (John 15:6).  

This was one of the last teachings that Jesus gave to His disciples in John's gospel. He had already explained to them that by obeying His teaching they were clean, but lastly he explained how to abide in His love, by remaining Him, and obeying His commands, believers would abide in the vine. But if they did not abide, they would shrivel, and lose their salvation, and in the end be burned.

Why is this so challenging for us as evangelical Christians in the west to understand? Why do we teach believers they can never lose their salvation? 

I think it comes right down to one simple fact. I recall watching the Calvinist documentary called American Gospel. And early on a chart was shown on a line indicating a believer's salvation, and they showed it going up and down, and then showed their view which was that it was better to view it as never straying below the line of saved vs. unsaved, because it more psychologically stable. And I realized at that moment, that is why we embrace once saved always saved, despite the fact that so many scriptures make it plain that it's not true. 

It's this: It's just too scary to think we could lose our salvation. 

It's simple psychology. It's mental health. 

We want to hear what we want to hear. Our ears are itching for a comfortable answer.  And what could be more comfortable? Sin as much as you want as a Christian, you can never lose your salvation. And suddenly, my duties as a Christian are nil. Zero.

I have no responsibility to share the gospel. I can keep drinking, partying and sleeping around. I can run my own life, God doesn't have to really be in charge. In fact, I don't even need to attend church.

It's mental health in the end. We want to believe it. In fact honestly, I would prefer, if I were choosing based on what I like, and what feels good, I would jump on board for 'once saved always saved.' It feels great. But it's just not true. And the Holy Spirit kept saying that to me over the years. For my first few years as a Christian leader, I taught OSAS. I taught past, present, future sins are already forgiven. But the Holy Spirit just kept whispering to me, and I had no peace about it. The Spirit kept saying: Something isn't right here. 

Scripture after scripture jumped out at me... John 15, Hebrews 6:6, Hebrews 3:12, Revelation 2-3, Romans 11, Hebrews 10:26-27, 1 Cor 9:27, 1 Tim 4:1, and on and on it went.

Yet at the same time I saw scriptures which spoke of a believer's security in Christ, John 10:28, Hebrews 10:14, 1 John 5:13, Romans 8:38-39, 1 Peter 1:23, and on and on it went. 

Revereing God, I knew I couldn't teach once saved always saved. If it wasn't true I didn't want to teach it. And I knew the scripture which said, "Not many of you should become teachers because you know we teachers will be judged more harshly" (James 3:1). 

We as biblical evangelical Christians must find a way to teach salvation security and vigilance against falling away/apostasy at the same time. If we teacher OSAS we allow people to become complacent and sinful in their Christian practice. We may even lead people to hell. Then again if we teach falling away too severely, believers will fear constantly they are not truly saved, and may even stray into works salvation apart from Christ to try to make up the difference. So a sacred balance is needed here. 

If we can address this as evangelical Christians and find a better balance, we may find a new level of maturity among believers, who both love and fear God, who are both joyous in their security and vigilant in their battles against sin, Satan, and false teachings. But it shouldn't come down to a risk benefit analysis. We should most highly of all want to teach what is in alignment with God's word. And we can do that. We will do that. The ship must be righted, and we can only do it together. 

What is the Most Important Command of God?

"A lighthouse along a bleak coast was tended by a keeper who was given enough oil for one month and told to keep the light burning every night. One day a woman asked for oil so that her children could stay warm. Then a farmer came. His son needed oil for a lamp so he could read. Still another needed some for an engine. The keeper saw each as a worthy request and measured out just enough oil to satisfy all. Near the end of the month, the tank in the lighthouse ran dry. That night the beacon was dark and three ships crashed on the rocks. More than 100 lives were lost.

When a government official investigated, the man explained what he had done and why. "You were given one task alone," insisted the official. "It was to keep the light burning. Everything else was secondary. There is no defense." -Source Unknown.

What is the highest priority in your life? That is the key question today. What is the most important thing? There are so many things that pull at our attention daily, our finances, our family, friends, commitments, chores, laundry, running errands, getting a haircut, going on vacation even. All these things pull at our attention. What is most important in life?

We all know the Sunday school answer: God should be first in your life. It’s easy to say that. But is it true? Or do we need to make an adjustment to our daily schedule? Do we need to carve out times to read the Bible, attend a small group, to pray and talk to God?

That is the challenge. If you can carve out those times in your busy schedule though, you will be one of those rare Christians who really glow with the power of God. The Holy Spirit will lead your life. And you’ll be securely on your way to heaven.

If you can’t quite carve out those prayer and bible reading times, and if you can’t quite make it to small group and church, then you’ll be one of those Christians who is unstable in their ways. You will be double-minded. You will be often confused and upset. You’ll be unsteady, and you’ll be liable to shipwreck.

Which do you want to be?

Conquer yourself. That is the challenge isn’t it? We’re not talking about something outside ourselves. We’re looking right into our own heart. Conquer yourself, he who can conquer himself is greater than he who can conquer a city.

The first step to conquer yourself: Realize you can’t. Surrender to that reality. I can’t do it alone. I can’t force myself to get there by pulling myself up by my bootstraps. I need God’s help. The first step is surrender. Honestly, that’s where I started when I couldn’t seem to get into a rhythm of praying and reading my Bible. I was too distracted by TV, my favorite series on Netflix, too distracted by videogames, and social media, and my laptop and my cell phone. I’d sit there knowing I should be praying as I stared at the TV, as I stared at the videogame or the computer screen or the cell phone screen, I knew, I should be praying, I should be reading the word.

But I felt held captive by the device. So, my first step was to stop, and pray and ask God for help with breaking free: God, help me please, I can’t seem to break away, please God do it in me, give me the power I need to carve out a prayer and Bible reading time each day. In Jesus name, amen.

And I found this new power in me, that had not been there before, and I was able to shut the lid on the laptop, put down the phone, and sit down on my floor, and talk to God in the dark at night. And later, in the mornings as well, and soon, it grew and grew over time, and when I wanted the time to grow, I would again turn to God, surrender, and ask for His help.

That process, of surrender, first, then turning toward God, then believing that God really can, and then watching him do it in you, as your cooperate with him, is a process that you can see repeated over and over again in your life.

If you struggle with drinking, or smoking, or porn, or lust, or stealing, or lying, or manipulation, or hatred, or unforgiveness, repeat this simple pattern:

First, surrender to God. God, I can’t do it alone.

Second, begin to believe God can do a miracle.

Third, turn it over completely to God and put it in His hands.

Fourth, watch as in His power, you overcome by the Holy Spirit victory in you.

It’s absolutely amazing. Time and time again when I get stuck in my walk with God in some area, some sin, some struggle, I return to that process of surrender and turning it over, and in time, in His time, suddenly, a see a miracle happen, and God gives the breakthrough. It’s astonishing.

So if you’re struggling to keep God first, well, realize you can’t. Surrender, ask humbly for God’s help, right now, pray, I challenge you, pray, and watch what he does, if you follow that simple process.

But that brings us to our scripture today, from Mark 12:28-31: “One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Notice this is a teacher of the law asking this question. So they aren’t all bad. Some of the teachers and Pharisees and officials and elders really did honestly love God and want to understand what was happening around Jesus the messiah.

What is most important?

Jesus quotes two scriptures here:

The first is called the Shema by Jews, it’s from Deuteronomy 6:5, which says, ““And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

And the second portion, Leviticus 19:18: “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”

The single most important thing that we should do as Christians is to learn to love God with all that we are and all that we have. That happens through deep relationship with God. That deep relationship happens through personal prayer, bible reading, group bible study, prayer meetings, singing and praising, Sunday worship, and every aspect of personal and corporate worship of God. So the more you want to love God deeply, and obey this command of Jesus, the more you should participate in the body of Christ, and have one on one time with God. Plain and simple. As your pastor I can’t do that for you, you have to make that happen with God’s help.

Secondly, Jesus also indicates, to love each other is second most important. Love God first, love others as well.

After hearing this the teacher of the law responds this way: Verses 32-34:

32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.”

This man Jesus says was not far from the kingdom of God. He understood that what God wants is for us to love Him first and love our neighbors, more so than any sacrifice. Love is central to everything.

Second section today, we see Jesus provoking an important question: Who is the messiah really? Truly?

In verses 35-37 it says this, “While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? 36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
under your feet.”’

37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”

The large crowd listened to him with delight.”

Jesus quotes here from Psalm 110, where it says, essentially God said to God, Sit at my right hand. So God is talking to God, telling God to sit at his right hand and wait until he puts his enemies under his feet.

In this time the Pharisees and religious leaders believed that the messiah would be a man born in the lineage of King David. And that part was true. The messiah would be in the line of David. Jesus our messiah was born into the family line of King David.

But, Jesus is pointing to a key fact to understand: The messiah was not just a man. The messiah was God in human form. The messiah was God dwelling in human flesh. Jesus was God in human form.

King David wrote that in Psalm 110, I’m sure not fully understanding what he was writing, but he was writing by the Holy Spirit, pointing to the coming of the God-man Jesus Christ.

Jesus was explaining to the crowd that the messiah would be the Lord himself, on Earth, to save us.

Section three, the true character of a Christian. Jesus warns against the attitude of the Pharisees and teachers of the law.

So what we read here, we should do our best to do the opposite of.

It says in verses 38-40: As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

The Lord Jesus is telling us to not be like that. Don’t act in that way, as a Christian. Don’t try to show how important you are. Don’t try to show how knowledgeable you are. Don’t try to wear fancy outfits for the purpose of being greeted with respect by others. Don’t try to find the most important seat at get togethers and events. Don’t make lengthy prayers to show how wonderful you are at praying.

Frankly, just as much as it was true two thousand years ago, today, many, pastors, priests, and everyday Christians make a show of their faith.

I listen to different preachers and pastors and teachers on Youtube and online and on TV and such, and one thing you can always sense very quickly is arrogance or pride. It is so incredibly common among preachers and pastors today, pride, ego, arrogance, pre-madonna, look at our important I am, look at how great my ministry is, look at what I’m doing, and we’ve got to guard against that. Most people can sense it though. I can sense it. If someone is prideful or arrogant or doing it out of self, I get a sense in my Spirit, something is off here, my fiancé Chelsey can sense it very quickly, if a song or a speaker is “off” she can sense something here is off.

The Spirit is not here. Or the Spirit is being hindered. Or self is being displayed, not God. It’s an easy thing to slip into. I often wanted to show how creative I could be, how deep I could go, and how important I was, and I still have to fight that, to want to show myself, instead of simply showing God in His glory. Lord help us to resist that spirit of selfish ambition and to glorify God, not self.

Jesus ends this section saying that these leaders, these teachers, who were entrusted with the very words of God himself, would be punished “most severely” because they made it about themselves, and not about God. May we always keep the focus on God, not on self. That is hard when hundreds or thousands of people are listening to you speak or listening to you sing or play guitar, or the cameras are pointed at you, or millions of followers are hanging on your every word, that’s when we gotta get on our face before God and plead with Him to keep us humble, and deliver us from pride of every kind. Lord help us!

The character of a true Christian, which is opposite of the teachers of the law described here, is this: To have no desire to be seen by others, but simply have a heart of love, wanting to be helpful to others who need to know Jesus and know God’s word. A simple desire to be helpful. A desire to get God’s word out there. A desire for others to be saved. An honest, genuine love for the real God who is here. It’s so simple, but if we’re consumed with love for God and love for others, a simple honest love for God and people, then pride is choked out in humility and love. Keep this motto: “I’m not that important, God is, I’m simply a servant of God, nothing more.”

So that’s the true nature of service to God. Now, last section, section four, the true nature of giving.

Here we see in verses 41-44 it says, “41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

The nature of giving is not actually what we might think. We might assume, well, the billionaire who gives 20% of his wealth to support world missions has giver a greater offering than the poor man who gave his last 2 dollars. But that actually isn’t true. According to God’s kingdom, the man who gave his last 2 dollars has in fact, given more.

Which tells us something very simple, but profound: God is looking at the heart of the giver.

But just as much, he’s looking at the level of trust of the giver. The widow gives her last two coins, all she had to live on, she is now broke, she won’t be able to pay for her next meal, but she is trusting God, trusting that God will provide for her.

So there are two things at work here: God looks at the heart, and God looks at the trust level.

Particularly if you give when it hurts, when you know you won’t be able to make ends meet otherwise, that is the a faithful offering to God. Giving when it hurts is the key to matching the heart of the widow who gave her last two coins. Now God won’t always call you to do that. But when he does, you should do it. But don’t assume that every time you have only a little left you are required to give it over to God. That’s not necessarily true. Go by the Spirit’s leading. Don’t make it into a 24/7 law. But give as God inspires you to.

But I think that’s best seen by tithing, most people assume with their finances being so tight, they couldn’t possibly tithe 10% of their income to God. But if they would simply trust God, and trust that God will provide in the lack, they would be blessed as they give 10% and greater and greater. But if God can’t trust you to give 10% and you refuse it, how can he ever trust you with more? That’s the question you should ponder. This widow gave her last two coins. Can we trust God and give even in tight finances? Pray on this, and seek God’s help again, just like we talked about it, if you’re afraid to go 10% in, start with surrender to God, and ask for God’s help. He will help you. Give it to Him.

So in conclusion, let’s look at our application points today:

1. Struggling to build relationship with God? When you can’t, Surrender it to God in Prayer

2. Use the “Surrender to God” process with other problems

3. Loving God & others is built on relationship

4. Jesus is both God and man (Son of God, son of Man)

5. Don’t be the teachers of the law, don’t show off

6. Have a sincere desire to be helpful in the background

7. Give to God financially, willingly, and out of lack to be blessed (Trust God in giving)

Can a Genuine Believer lose their Salvation?

Once an unbeliever has given their life to Christ, been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, reborn of Christ, and placed into the kingdom of God, can such a person fall away, and lose their salvation? 

This question is so incredibly important. It goes to the very core of the gospel: How does it work?

Some say this isn't really that important. It is actually very important. If I can lose my salvation, does that mean I should live in perpetual fear of losing it? And if I can't lose my salvation, should I live however I want, and do whatever I want, because hey, I'm already good? 

Here we find two extremes on the position. First, more commonly in evangelical Christianity, many say you can never lose it. In fact, even if you renounce Christ, turn away from God completely and go back to a life of sin, you're still saved no matter what. That seems to be the height of theological insanity, to assume that one can do anything, anything at all, including renouncing faith in Christ, and still remain saved.

Then there is the other extreme, the Christian plucking the flower saying, "he loves me, he loves me not, he loves me, he loves me not." They've lost their salvation five times today, and tomorrow isn't looking any better. That is an absolutely absurd theological position as well.

Here is the theological balance found in the scriptures: Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. We can be assured of our salvation. We can consider ourselves safe in Christ. Along with these things: Remain in Christ, if you do not, you will wither, and be removed from the vine. Do not make a habit of sinning, because one who sins deliberately can be cut off. Stand firm to the end, finish the race, otherwise it is possible to have believed in vain. Do not disqualify yourself after having preached to others.

This is the concept of remaining in faith. Abiding in Christ. We must hold fast to our faith, not drifting away, while also knowing that Christ holds us firm, and we do not need to fear the Father losing his hold on us. This sacred balance is a difficult one. 

We're tempted to shift toward either theological extreme, I can never lose it, or I already lost it. But we must find a theological balance: Christ holds me fast, so I must remain in Him. 

So, can a genuine believer lose their salvation? The answer to that question is yes. 

Some would say well, if someone falls away it's because they were never saved in the first place. But let us not be deceived by this theological slight of hand. 

If we are "falling away" from something, we must already have it. If we "fall off" a horse, we must've already been on the horse and riding it. If we didn't ever really have it, then we couldn't fall away from it.

As it says in Romans 11:19-22, one who has been grafted in, can also be grafted out: 

"Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off."

Is it possible for one who is genuinely a branch in the vine to be cut off? According to Paul in Romans, the answer is yes. 

And again, it says in 1st Corinthians 15:1-2: "Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain." 

Here Paul writes to believers who have taken their stand. They are in faith. They are in Christ. They've taken their stand on the rock of Christ. But Paul warns them to "hold firmly" to the word. "Otherwise" he says, you have believed in vain. Plain and simple meaning: If you don't "hold firmly" you can lose your salvation. 

As Jesus said to his disciples, "remain in me, and I will remain in you." (John 15:4)

The command is: remain in me

The promise is: then I will remain in you.

That is the sacred balance. Our part is to remain in Him. His part is to remain in us. 

John 15:5-6 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned."

Man-made theology of our day and age says you can never lose your salvation. It's therapeutic. It's meant to be helpful. But unfortunately it's had devastating consequences. A generation was told they couldn't lose it, so ironically enough they left. They left the church, went back to the world and said things like, well, I've been baptized so I'm ok. I'm saved forever no matter what. We've done great harm to people by telling them that. So we need to repent and teach a biblical soteriology, of abiding in Christ to the end. 

1st Corinthians 15:58, "Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

We're Missing the God Behind the Word: Who are you Really God?

The thing we need to discover is this: Who is God, really? That is the chief question. Nothing else really matters.  We've been in evangelical Christianity, and the apologetics movement, ever focused on a list of things we ought to believe. It's very informational. This is all exceedingly useful.  We need this information. We need theology, apologetics, and study of the word. We also need to staunchly defend the truth from false teachers. But the head (brain) knowledge is not the ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is heart knowledge of God, which is to know God truly.

The goal of all scripture and apologetics, and all the theology we've developed is that we would know the God behind all this data. The real God, who is really there, that's who we want to know. We need to encounter the God who can actually be encountered.  The living God. Then it goes from head knowledge (useful) to heart knowledge (essential).  

As it says in Romans, if you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 8:37). Knowledge is king in some circles, head knowledge. But, the heart is different. God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). We're also told to forgive from the heart (Matthew 18:35). 

It's astonishing how we can miss this simple connection.  We can get so focused on belief in scripture, a worldview, a depiction of reality, which is all good stuff, that we can all together miss that the goal is to know the real God who behind all this information.  All the information is in fact meant to point to the living God who is reaching out to us.

Now don't get me wrong either, a progressive would say, 'get rid of the knowledge all together and just seek the god' that is not what we're arguing for. Two things can be true at the same time, head knowledge is not enough, but it's also important. Heart knowledge is enough, but it must be accompanied by focused biblical interpretation.

Many within evangelicalism have a form of godliness, but seem to deny it's power. They have a detailed structure setup, with all the key doctrines, apologetics, and perspectives, but it stops there. There is no actual divine encounter with the living God. And yes, we as Christians can indeed encounter the living God. 

Can you believe a simple truth? As simple as this: I can really encounter the God of the Bible. I can have a vibrant living relationship with that God. I can come to commune with that God in deep and meaningful ways. 

Do you actively seek to know that God?  Not just the theology, the scripture, but the God who is present when we read and study it? 

We could miss that, if we aren't careful. Seek the living God. Seek to Know Him. And wonder at Him. He's really there. Imagine the horror of coming so close, but failing to know God almighty because we stopped short at knowledge, and didn't go into experience.

This is a journey we can take. We can know the living God, from the heart. Begin here, go out into the darkness tonight and ask God: Who are you, really? Make the request of Moses who cried out: God, show me your glory. 

7 Myths of Christianity Spread by the Lukewarm Church

 

Lukewarm Christianity is everywhere today. And with that comes a myriad of bad doctrines and misleading statements about Jesus Christ, the Bible, and the practice of our faith.

1. You can never lose your salvation - The quintessential lukewarm doctrine of the lukewarm church, receive salvation, then go do whatever you want, one and done, just like fast food, grab and go, get saved then go live however you want because hey, you can never lose it right? Let's restore the concept that falling away is real, and we must guard against it by abiding in Christ! 

2. Just Believe - The removal of repentance from the equation of salvation has been quite complete. Can you find a depiction of the gospel on a tract or graphic that includes repentance? Good luck. Let's work to restore repentance as something done in concert with faith.

3. Tithing is optional - a recent study showed that about 50% of pastors don't even teach or believe tithing is biblical, which is truly astonishing. But boy does this topic get people fired up. That's what happens when you hit someone close to their idol. The idol of course being money. Let's restore the reality of stewardship in regard to our finances, the value of tithing and giving offerings, not just 10% but above and beyond, which is the New Testament standard. 

4. Only Love - This false concept of love has gone so far in the wrong direction, you even have Christian rock songs that don't even call God by his name anymore, they just say "love." God is love, but he is much more than love, he is just, righteous, holy, a God of judgment and infinite power. When we over-emphasize love we create an idol of God that fits our preferences. Let's restore the concept that God came full of grace yes, and truth, and that God came not to judge the world but to save the world through Jesus (John 3:16) but remember to include the next verse which says, but those who do not believe in God's only are condemned already (John 3:17-18). 

5. Fear is bad - We've lost the concept of the fear of the Lord in our modern era. We think fear is mean and bad. But sometimes fear is a good thing. Not fear of man, but fear of God. To tremble before a holy God is wise, and the word says "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Let's remember that the fear of the Lord is not only an Old Testament concept, but it says in Acts 5:11, "Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events."

6. Only heaven, no hell (or neither!) - When is the last time you heard hell mentioned from the pulpit? And even further, many pastors no longer talk about heaven either, well people don't get that kind of thing, they want to talk about stuff in this place. A gospel without heaven or hell is not the gospel. Let's restore the preaching of heaven, the New Jerusalem, New Heavens and New Earth, as well as Hell, the eternal judgment, conscious eternal torment, both realities are quite real. 

7. Removal of Sin - many a modern gospel presentation goes something like this, well, you're hurting, you're lost, you can't find meaning so come to Jesus and he'll complete you. Fair enough, all that's true. But what's missing? Sin is missing. Sin is the reason Jesus died on the cross, to remove our sins. If we don't talk about sin, how can we preach the gospel of freedom from sin? Let's restore the teaching of sin as the issue which Jesus came to save us from.