THEY WERE NOT CHRISTIANS BY STEVE FINNELL
One of the Calvinist's favorite arguments used to support the doctrine of, once saved always saved, is to assert that the Biblical verses that speak of Christians falling from grace are incorrect. There proclamation being that they were never saved in the first place.
Calvinism's proof text: 1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us, for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.
Are there false apostles? Yes. Are there those who claim to be Christians who are not? Yes. Are all the Scriptures that note Christians falling away referring to false Christians? No!
In order to reach an accurate conclusion concerning Biblical teachings, proper hermeneutics is essential. You must consider all the Scriptures of the subject of your study.
Hebrews 6: 4-6 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.
The writer of Hebrews is talking about Christians. They had received the Holy Spirit. Yet they still had the possibility of falling away. They could not be persuaded to repent. They were lost.
Acts 20:28-30 Be on guard for yourselves and and for all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
1. If men are once saved always saved, then why would the elders have to guard the flock? That would be a waste of time.
2. Savage wolves would be of no threat to the church of God if all men were, once saved always saved.
3. The apostle Paul was not instructing the elders at Ephesus to be on guard and shepherd men who were never saved in the first place.
4. Paul told the elder to be on guard for themselves, as well. Were these elders, believers who were never saved in the first place? If they were in fact Christians, then according Calvinism they had no need to be on guard. They could not have ever become lost.
The apostle Paul did not believe nor teach perseverance of the saints.
1 Corinthians9:27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
Was the apostle Paul a false Christian? Was he never saved in the first place? He said it was possible that he could be disqualified. He was not, once saved always saved.
Galatians 5:1-4.......4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law,you have fallen from grace,
These Galatians were not men,WHO HAD NEVER BEEN SAVED IN THE FIRST PLACE. You cannot be severed from Christ without first being part of the body of Christ. You cannot fall from grace unless you have accepted the free gift of salvation that has been provided by the grace of God.
2 Peter 2:20-22 For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome,the last state has become worse for them than the first.........
THESE ARE NOT MEN WHO NEVER WERE SAVED IN THE FIRST PLACE. They had escaped the defilement of the world. Unsaved men do not escape the defilement of the world. False Christians do not, again, become entangled in the sinful world. False apostles and false Christian never leaved the world. They cannot, again, enter into a world they never left. False Christian are never raised to walk in a new life. Not for one single minute.
Luke 8:13 Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, received the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while,and in time of temptation fall away.
THESE BELIEVERS ARE NOT ONES WHO WERE NEVER SAVED IN THE FIRST PLACE. They believed and fell away. Unsaved people cannot fall away. You cannot fall from somewhere you have never been.
2 Peter 3:14-17.....17 You therefore , beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness,
Peter was addressing fellow Christians, they were NOT MEN WHO HAD NEVER BEEN SAVED IN THE FIRST PLACE. If they were, once saved always saved, it would have an impossibility to fall from their own steadfastness. Why would Peter tell them to be on their guard? If they were immunized from falling from grace there would be no reason to be on guard.
1 Timothy 4:1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,
The apostle Paul was taking about Christians falling from the faith. He was not referring to MEN WHO HAD NEVER BEEN SAVED IN THE FIRST PLACE. Unsaved men cannot fall from a faith, they have never embraced. The Holy Spirit says Christians will fall from the faith. Calvinism teaches that falling away does not happen. Who do you believe; the Holy Spirit or John Calvin?
Matthew 24:10 At that time many will fall away.....
Jesus said many will fall away. He was not talking about men WHO WERE NOT SAVED IN THE FIRST PLACE. Who should you believe, men who write Bible commentaries or Jesus Christ?
Hebrews 3:12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil , unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.
The writer of Hebrews was talking to brethren, (Christians). He was not speaking to men who WERE NEVER SAVED IN THE FIRST PLACE. The lost cannot fall away from God, because they were never God's children to begin with.
The T.U.L.I.P of Calvinism in a deadly flower. God never promised Christians that they could not fall from grace. Perseverance of the saints is a man-made doctrine.
KEEP IN MIND, EITHER ALL OF THE PETALS OF THE T.U.L.I.P ARE TRUE OR NONE OF THEM ARE TRUTH. THE T.U.L.I.P. is a fabricated flower.
THE T.U.L.I.P IS THE ONE FLOWER THAT GOD DID NOT CREATE!
Hebrews 6: 4-6 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.
The writer of Hebrews is talking about Christians. They had received the Holy Spirit. Yet they still had the possibility of falling away. They could not be persuaded to repent. They were lost.
Acts 20:28-30 Be on guard for yourselves and and for all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
1. If men are once saved always saved, then why would the elders have to guard the flock? That would be a waste of time.
2. Savage wolves would be of no threat to the church of God if all men were, once saved always saved.
3. The apostle Paul was not instructing the elders at Ephesus to be on guard and shepherd men who were never saved in the first place.
4. Paul told the elder to be on guard for themselves, as well. Were these elders, believers who were never saved in the first place? If they were in fact Christians, then according Calvinism they had no need to be on guard. They could not have ever become lost.
The apostle Paul did not believe nor teach perseverance of the saints.
1 Corinthians9:27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
Was the apostle Paul a false Christian? Was he never saved in the first place? He said it was possible that he could be disqualified. He was not, once saved always saved.
Galatians 5:1-4.......4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law,you have fallen from grace,
These Galatians were not men,WHO HAD NEVER BEEN SAVED IN THE FIRST PLACE. You cannot be severed from Christ without first being part of the body of Christ. You cannot fall from grace unless you have accepted the free gift of salvation that has been provided by the grace of God.
2 Peter 2:20-22 For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome,the last state has become worse for them than the first.........
THESE ARE NOT MEN WHO NEVER WERE SAVED IN THE FIRST PLACE. They had escaped the defilement of the world. Unsaved men do not escape the defilement of the world. False Christians do not, again, become entangled in the sinful world. False apostles and false Christian never leaved the world. They cannot, again, enter into a world they never left. False Christian are never raised to walk in a new life. Not for one single minute.
Luke 8:13 Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, received the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while,and in time of temptation fall away.
THESE BELIEVERS ARE NOT ONES WHO WERE NEVER SAVED IN THE FIRST PLACE. They believed and fell away. Unsaved people cannot fall away. You cannot fall from somewhere you have never been.
2 Peter 3:14-17.....17 You therefore , beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness,
Peter was addressing fellow Christians, they were NOT MEN WHO HAD NEVER BEEN SAVED IN THE FIRST PLACE. If they were, once saved always saved, it would have an impossibility to fall from their own steadfastness. Why would Peter tell them to be on their guard? If they were immunized from falling from grace there would be no reason to be on guard.
1 Timothy 4:1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,
The apostle Paul was taking about Christians falling from the faith. He was not referring to MEN WHO HAD NEVER BEEN SAVED IN THE FIRST PLACE. Unsaved men cannot fall from a faith, they have never embraced. The Holy Spirit says Christians will fall from the faith. Calvinism teaches that falling away does not happen. Who do you believe; the Holy Spirit or John Calvin?
Matthew 24:10 At that time many will fall away.....
Jesus said many will fall away. He was not talking about men WHO WERE NOT SAVED IN THE FIRST PLACE. Who should you believe, men who write Bible commentaries or Jesus Christ?
Hebrews 3:12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil , unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.
The writer of Hebrews was talking to brethren, (Christians). He was not speaking to men who WERE NEVER SAVED IN THE FIRST PLACE. The lost cannot fall away from God, because they were never God's children to begin with.
The T.U.L.I.P of Calvinism in a deadly flower. God never promised Christians that they could not fall from grace. Perseverance of the saints is a man-made doctrine.
KEEP IN MIND, EITHER ALL OF THE PETALS OF THE T.U.L.I.P ARE TRUE OR NONE OF THEM ARE TRUTH. THE T.U.L.I.P. is a fabricated flower.
THE T.U.L.I.P IS THE ONE FLOWER THAT GOD DID NOT CREATE!
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