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Apostasy and the Last Days Falling Away
Part 1: WHAT IS AN APOSTATE?

This question touches on eternal security, and no matter if you are a Calvinist or Arminian in your view, you will probably find some parts of this study that is uncomfortable for you to explore. But please explore it anyway and don't be afraid of looking at the Word of God in context. The truth of eternal security is actually a balanced biblical doctrine that does not exclude certain other scriptures if you take one side. Both sides of this disagreement see part of the same biblical truth. The problem is that some earlier "scholars" tried to make an imbalanced point of argument taking half of what the Bible said on both sides. The truth is taking it together in context. That is not always easy to do if you were brought up in one school tradition or the other. But the Word of God fits together like a glove. The problem is when tradition tries to shade it one way or the other. This question hits on this topic, and it has to be explored to explain biblically what apostasy really is and what a reprobate is, and how that a person manages to become one.

I refuse to dance around any scripture in this study. I have seen both sides dance around the scriptures and present the opposing scriptures to their viewpoint in a certain light instead of just looking at what it says. So, this is an important issue to understand as it is prophesied in scripture that a falling away or apostasy would come and deceive even the very elect if not careful. We need to understand the danger and understand what is being said. So, we shall look at it honestly without any pre-conconceived pet traditions (we all have them by the way though God is in the process of getting them out of me).

PLEASE do not skip ahead. This study builds truth upon truth in context and before you start reading about the falling away of the last days in the 3rd part, you need to understand what the difference is in an apostate and just a backslider for example. If you follow the study in order, it will be helpful in understanding the material at the end. In other words, get the foundation before you go to the other parts.

THE PREDICTION ABOUT THE LAST DAYS FALLING AWAY:

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (KJV) " 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. "

2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 (Phillips) " 1 Now we do implore you, by the very certainty of Christ's coming and of our meeting him together, to keep your heads and not be thrown off balance by any prediction or message or letter purporting to come from us, and saying that the day of Christ is almost here. Don't let anyone deceive you by any means whatsoever. That day will not come before there arises a definite rejection of God and the appearance of the lawless man. He is the product of all that leads to death, and he sets himself up in opposition to every religion. He himself takes his seat in the temple of God, to show that he really claims to be God."

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (Amplified) " 3Let no one deceive or beguile you in any way, for that day will not come except the apostasy comes first [unless the predicted great falling away of those who have professed to be Christians has come], and the man of lawlessness (sin) is revealed, who is the son of doom (of perdition), [Dan. 7:25; 8:25; I Tim. 4:1.] 4 Who opposes and exalts himself so proudly and insolently against and over all that is called God or that is worshiped, [even to his actually] taking his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming that he himself is God. [Ezek. 28:2; Dan. 11:36, 37.]

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (ALT) " 3 Let no one deceive you* by any means, because [that Day will not come] unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction [or, the one destined to be lost], 4 the one being in opposition [or, being hostile] and puffing himself up with pride over every [thing] being called god or [every] object of worship, with the result that he sits down in the sanctuary of God as God, displaying himself that he is God."

There will be an apostasy or falling away before the DAY OF THE LORD or Armageddon and the physical second coming of Jesus Christ. There had been a letter in the name of Paul that he had not written that told them that they had missed all of this and that the Day of the Lord had already come. Paul is telling them that we will be gathered together to Him and some other things must happen first before that Day of the Lord. The letter was bogus and he is going to go and repeat the teaching that he had already given them when he was with them.

The falling away or apostasy (and it is a GREAT FALLING AWAY) is a defection away from the truth of the Gospel and Kingdom Message of Jesus Christ. It means to FORSAKE or fall away from the TRUTH. The thing is, it is a DEFECTION from one side to another. Let us understand exactly what is meant here. It is apostasia, the feminine version of the Greek word apostasion which means DIVORCE. It is a divorce from the truth.

Many times, our relationship is as a bride to Christ and that the church is married to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:25-27 (KJV) " 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. "

Ephesians 5:30-32 (KJV) " 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. "

2 Corinthians 11:2 (KJV) " For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. "

Revelation 19:8-9 (KJV) " 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. "

Matthew 25:10 (KJV) " And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. "
And through the Bible, when Israel in particular would go back to idolatry, God equated it with spiritual adultery. You see the same wording in Revelation to the church at Thyatira and Jezebel. That is not just sexual adultery and fornication, but spiritual fornication as well. To break the covenant with Yahweh and go back into idolatry is spiritual adultery for the believer, because we are redeemed and betrothed to Jesus Christ as the church.

BUT APOSTASY IS THE FINAL RESULT OF UNREPENTED SPIRITUAL ADULTERY... IT IS SPIRITUAL DIVORCE FROM GOD (Yahweh and Jesus Christ). It is apostasy or a forsaking of the covenant with have through and with Jesus Christ.

I want you to understand that you cannot fall away from what you do not have. You cannot forsake what you have not already taken to yourself just like you cannot divorce one that you are not already married to. I have heard the song and dance around this topic over and over again, but the truth is that to fall away from the truth means that you once had the truth in a personal way. It is a rejection of God, but it is a rejection from someone who has personal knowledge of God. We shall see that more and more as we continue. This study will lead into a study of the church at Sardis, the Apostate Church.

An apostate is someone who has divorced themselves from Jesus and the Truth of the Gospel, and has in doing so betrayed the Holy Spirit and become a reprobate. THEY ARE MORE THAN JUST A SPIRITUAL ADULTERER, THEY ARE DIVORCED FROM GOD.

LETS TALK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT BECOMING A REPROBATE. A reprobate is someone who is literally in Greek a "castaway" or "rejected by God" or "unfit".
Giving yourselves over to gross iniquities such as idolatry and gross immorality such as homosexuality puts you in danger of becoming a reprobate. Understand that idolators do indeed get saved and there are homosexuals that get saved/delivered by the power of Jesus Christ. But when you "knowingly" give into certain things and go so far, then you are pushing the Holy Spirit. This is going to become more and more clear - this pushing the Holy Spirit past the point of just being grieved or quenched and into the area of denial and rejecting of the Holy Spirit/God when they "knew" God. That "knowledge of God" in a personal way is fundamental to the process. That is why people of gross sinful backgrounds who have never known of God can be delivered actually pretty easily sometimes once God reveals the truth to them. It is the ones who Know God and then turn from Him that put themselves in immortal danger.

Romans 1:16-17 (KJV) " 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. "

He is not ashamed of the Gospel. The Apostle Paul is saying that I boldly stand on the truth and proclaim it and proclaim that it is the power of God unto salvation. The Righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith through this power of the Gospel. This is important. There is the power of God in this knowledge of the Gospel when we operate in faith. But what He is about to talk about after this is the contrast of those who have had the gospel, and yet reject its truth. They have its truth and then reject it and proclaim themselves wise when they are actually acting as if God does not exist... the definition of a fool.

Romans 1:18-22 (KJV) " 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, "

Notice the wording here... they hold the truth in unrighteousness. The Greek wording means to hold fast the truth. In other words, there is personal knowledge of God involved here. Though it will first be debated by some going through this study at first what that means and what these people have done with this knowledge and if its saving knowledge or not, but as we continue to look at example after example in scripture of this same topic, it will become very clear. They hold the truth in unrighteousness. They deliberately know the truth and change the truth into a lie. They have held the truth and it can also mean that they restrained the truth. In other words, they had it, but held it back from doing its work and walked "knowingly" in unrighteousness.

This does not bring the normal chastening and scouring of a child of God, because this is speaking of something else. Before you make an assumption one way or the other, lets go on a bit. This brings the actual wrath of God on their lives. The Holy Spirit will literally stop helping and influencing them to not be evil at all in fact, and God will let them continue on in their prideful folly until their own iniquity destroys them.

Even nature declares that there is a God and it is evident to anyone willing to look and see that God exists and is speaking not only through the Gospel, but through nature itself so that there is no excuse to not being saved. But, it says that when they KNEW GOD that they glorified Him not as God.

The word ginosko for "know" means an intimate knowledge. In fact, it is the same word used for sexual relations between a man and woman when a man "knows" a woman. It means here to have an intimate knowledge of God. You don't get that kind of knowledge from a college textbook. This is the kind of knowledge that you get from the Gospel and knowing God personally. This is salvation knowledge.

I recognize that many will object to this, but that is what the wording means without you or I adding or taking anything away from the text. Of course either of us can do a song and dance around this scripture and try to explain what it means in context to our own personal belief system, but the reality is that it plainly talks about a personal knowledge of God here.
They hold the truth in unrighteousness and they knew God but refused to honor Him as God. They acted as if God is not real and rejected the witness of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 12:31-32 (KJV) " 31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come."

Hebrews 10:26-31 (KJV) " 26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 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? 30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. "
They held the knowledge in unrighteousness and knowing God, they did not honor Him as God. They literally tread under foot the Son of God and counted the blood covenant an unholy thing and despited the Spirit of Grace (the Holy Spirit). This is blasphemy of the Holy Ghost and it is not forgiveable. The Holy Spirit will literally never deal with that person again and they will be damned.

Romans 1:23-28 (KJV) " 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; "

Romans 1:23-28 (Amplified) " 23 And by them the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal God were exchanged for and represented by images, resembling mortal man and birds and beasts and reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their [own] hearts to sexual impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves [abandoning them to the degrading power of sin],
25 Because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever! Amen (so be it). [Jer. 2:11.]
26 For this reason God gave them over and abandoned them to vile affections and degrading passions. For their women exchanged their natural function for an unnatural and abnormal one,
27 And the men also turned from natural relations with women and were set ablaze (burning out, consumed) with lust for one another--men committing shameful acts with men and suffering in their own bodies and personalities the inevitable consequences and penalty of their wrong-doing and going astray, which was [their] fitting retribution.
28 And so, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or approve of Him or consider Him worth the knowing, God gave them over to a base and condemned mind to do things not proper or decent but loathsome, "

They fell into idolatry or false religion after knowing the truth. GET HOLD OF THIS FOR THIS CONNECTS INTO THE FALLING AWAY DIRECTLY. After knowing the truth and knowing the Lord God, they fell into false religion and made an idol god that was not God and "CHANGED THE TRUTH OF GOD INTO A LIE". This is the falling away.

They fully rejected God after knowing Him and the Truth of the Word of God and "decided" to reject the truth and change the truth of God into a lie (that is twisting the Word) and fell into idolatry and worshiped something other than God. Then GOD GAVE THEM UP TO THE LUSTS OF THEIR OWN WICKED HEARTS AND SEXUAL IMMORALITY.

Without the influence on our lives, our hearts or flesh will lead us into gross perversion. All of us are capable of it. You who are reading this are capable of gross immorality if it were not for the grace of God on your life. You would be surprised really how much that God moves in our lives even sometimes when we don't belong to Him. But in this case, these reprobates are totally controlled by their own lusts and totally unspiritual as far as being helped or led by the Holy Spirit. They are totally unrighteous and suddenly the things that all should know naturally are wrong, seem to be good to them. Evil becomes as good and good as evil, and they walk in the full pride of their flesh. This also opens you up to demonic control as the fleshly mind is what demonic powers use.

These affections or lusts are "vile" and not natural. This is where homosexual behavior and other perversions seems to the person who did once know better, now seem to be the right thing to do as God has given you over to the lusts that you wanted. God will force feed you sometimes with the lusts that you loved better than Him and the Truth. He will allow you to embrace the lie that you gave yourself into and let it fully consume your life until your own iniquity degrades you lower than the human level.

Women burning with passion for women, and men for men, God allowed the secret lusts to overwhelm and consume you until the consequences of this lifestyle fully comes as they have gone astray. They did have the truth and knew the truth and knew God, but now have gone astray far beyond that of the Prodigal Son, but they have so rejected the truth knowingly as to now they can only understand the LIE. The final consequences for their iniquities will destroy them and God allows them to do so since they have not only strayed away from Him, but willingly rejected Him and the Truth.

They take the love that God showed them in coming into their lives and the knowledge of God and then act as if it is NOTHING, and God turn around and removes the Holy Spirit from their lives and never again will He deal or convict them. Tehy have been given over to a reprobate or condemned and base mind to do things that are loathsome and think that they are good.
It convinces them that the garbage and filth of the world is a fit meal and the good things of God is garbage. They have embraced the lie to the point to the lie is all that they can understand. They are the walking damned.

The really sobering thing is that Romans 1 describes much of western society today as men and women and even boys and girls have given themselves over to gross immorality and followed a "strange god" as a literal slap in the face of God. The gross immorality that has acted like a cancer is eating away society as western culture seems more and more like Sodom and Gomorrah and the state of Rome when it fell.

On a personal note (notice I say personal - this is my opinion), I have seen in this corruption a group of people that have never known of God that comes out of this filth and receives Christ quite well when they are given the knowledge of the truth under the power of the Holy Spirit and they recognize the real love of Jesus coming to them. But I have seen more and more people who are totally cold to the gospel that have known better in their earlier days and want nothing to do with the truth. They have been given over to gross immorality and desire this sick lifestyle knowing better and it is as if a wall stands between you and them when you try to witness to them. It is not possible because the Holy Spirit just will not deal with them anymore. It is heart breaking, but I see it more and more as we go into this new century.

IN HEBREWS, AS WE NOTED ABOVE, THE PROBLEM BEING CENTERED IN ON WAS THOSE WHO WOULD RECEIVE JESUS AND BELIEVE AND BE SAVED, AND THEN GO BACK TO THE MOSAIC LAW.

In the first part of Hebrews 10, Paul talks about how that the Old Covenant was only a temporary measure that you had to keep going back and going back to do more sacrifices because the sin really wasn't taken care of, but through Jesus Christ, we were truly atoned through His own blood. We now can have the ability and boldness to go before the mercy seat and receive grace from God because of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 10:11-16 (KJV) " 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, 16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; "

Under the Old Covenant, the priest was never finished, but had to continue to bring the sacrifices in and Jesus Christ took His own blood and became God's Paschal Lamb that took away the sin of the world. They had continuing offerings, but Jesus had this one offering that perfected the sanctified or "Saints". There is coming a time when every enemy shall be under His feet in victory when His Kingdom comes physically to planet Earth. The animal sacrifices of the Old Covenant never perfected man, but Jesus' sacrifice did. The New Covenant was bought and brought through Jesus Christ to us and we have access to it through our faith in Him. The New Covenant wasn't a law of stone or a bunch of rules, but the Holy Spirit writes it in our hearts and minds (predicted in Jeremiah). The Holy Spirit fills us with Jesus and as we get the Word in us, He gives the power to live righteously.
Here comes the crux of this point about reprobates and falling away from the faith. The next few verses shows that we must go through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus and not return to the Old Covenant and those animal sacrifices which looked forward to Messiah.

Hebrews 10:17-20 (KJV) " 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. 19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; "
It is a new and living way that Jesus Himself paid for with His own flesh and blood. And now, we can enter into the Holy Place through the power of the Holy Spirit being made righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ. And we can in the name of Jesus Christ, meet with the Almighty God... Yahweh! That is something to rejoice about.
Then comes the warning... there is now no more offering of sin. Remember that the Apostle said that. There is now no more offering of sin.

Hebrews 10:21-29 (KJV) " 21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 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?"

LET US HOLD FAST THE PROFESSION OF OUR FAITH WITHOUT WAVERING - GOD IS FAITHFUL AND WE CAN HAVE FAITH IN HIM!

The Amplified says, "...let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope that we cherish..." Understand that this is not suggesting that you can just sin and lose your salvation. That is not the context of what this is saying. It is talking about the sin of turning away from Jesus Christ and going back into Judaism "after" you have been a Christian believer and throwing away your own faith. It isn't just sin. There is a group that teaches that if you ever backslide, you cannot be saved and they are WRONG and taking this scripture out of context.

1 John 1:5-10 (KJV) " 5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 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.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. "

Read Luke 15 sometime about the Prodigal Son who left the father's house and threw away all the blessings that was his and wound up eating with the swine out in the hog pen of the world. Keep that imagery in mind, because we will return to it later. When he came to himself, he went back to the Father's House, and the Father met him on the road... literally ran to meet him and put a ring on his finger and clothe him and put shoes on him and had the banquet set to rejoice that his child had come home. That's the story of a backslider that loses their way and strays from God. When they confess their sins, they are not only forgiven but cleansed from all unrighteousness.

This is talking about a particular kind of sin and one that has no remedy. Remember that Jesus said that there was only one sin that had no forgiveness in this world or the next, and that was blaspheming the Holy Spirit. This is the journey of a reprobate who has fallen into apostasy. Apostasy makes reprobates. And one thing that we are seeing is that one real way to become an apostate is to throw away the faith in Jesus Christ in the face of the Holy Spirit. There is then no more sacrifice that can be made once that you have done this.

We are told to hold fast our profession of faith, and to exhort one another to keep themselves in the faith. WE are to be encouragers of the Saints and not someone that tears down faith.
We are to provoke or encourage people to stay in the love of God and operate out of love and that leads to good works. We are also NOT TO FORSAKE the assembling of ourselves together (the church coming together to worship and learn of His Word) as some had already done in Paul's day. Low church attendance was already a factor in tearing down faith even in that day. We exhort one another to stay in love and to walk in the Spirit that He bring forth the works of God through us and to stay in church because we see the Day of the Lord approaching and know that we only have a limited time in which to work.
Verse 26 says, that if we sin willingly after that we have received the "knowledge of the truth", there is no more sacrifice for sins. Now, the thing is that Jesus took the sin of the world upon Him at one time on the cross. John 1:29 " The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

Romans 5:12 " Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. "

Hebews 9:26 " For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."

YET HERE in Hebrews 10, the very next chapter it talks about willingly sinning and there not being any forgiveness or sacrifice to cover it. What kind of sin is unforgiveable once again? Blaspheming the Holy Spirit is the only one. When you slap the Holy Spirit's face by turning from Jesus Christ and the faith given by the Spirit, and go back into "another way", then this is the sin that it speaks of. This is further shown by the verses that follows this.

LET ME ADD EVEN MORE CONTEXT FROM HEBREWS BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER:

Hebrews 6:4-8 (KJV) " 4 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, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 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. 7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. "

Hebrews 6:4-6 (Analytical Literal Translation) " 4 For [it is] impossible for the ones once having been enlightened and having tasted of [fig., experienced] the heavenly free gift and having became sharers of [the] Holy Spirit 5 and having tasted [fig., experienced] [the] good word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6 and having fallen away, to be renewing [them] again to repentance, having crucified again to themselves the Son of God and having publicly disgraced [Him]. "

Hebrews 6:4-6 (Amplified) " 4 For it is impossible [to restore and bring again to repentance] those who have been once for all enlightened, who have consciously tasted the heavenly gift and have become sharers of the Holy Spirit, 5 And have felt how good the Word of God is and the mighty powers of the age and world to come, 6 If they then deviate from the faith and turn away from their allegiance--[it is impossible] to bring them back to repentance, for (because, while, as long as) they nail upon the cross the Son of God afresh [as far as they are concerned] and are holding [Him] up to contempt and shame and public disgrace. "

Hebrews 6:4-8 (Phillips) " When you find men who have been enlightened, who have experienced salvation and received the Holy Spirit, who have known the wholesome nourishment of the Word of God and touched the spiritual resources of the eternal world and who then fall away, it proves impossible to make them repent as they did at first. For they are re-crucifying the Son of God in their own souls, and by their conduct exposing him to shame and contempt. Ground which absorbs the rain that is constantly falling upon it and produces plants which are useful to those who cultivate it, is ground which has the blessing of God. But ground which produces nothing but thorns and thistles is of no value and is bound sooner or later to be condemned - the only thing to do is to burn it clean."

I added the ALT and AMP and Phillips because they open up the meanings of the original words so well and put it in place contextually. The ALT and AMP do basically the same thing except the ALT is a bit more literal to the original and the AMP is more wordy for a teacher's explanation. The KJV does say the same thing, but not as clearly reflecting the original Greek text, plus the English is a bit dated... but its still quite understandable in the KJV.
It is impossible for someone who has been enlightened with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and experienced the salvation by the power of the receiving of the Holy Spirit (that is conversion), to have known the nourishment of the Word of God and tasted the powers of the Kingdom of God to be restored to the faith if they after experiencing this in salvation, turn to another allegiance besides Jesus. If they fall away (the word parapipto which means the same as falling away from the True Faith in Yahweh) with experiential knowledge of salvation, then they can never be saved.

If you are one of those of the school that says that this means that they come right up to the point of salvation and then turns away, then you really don't have biblical legs to stand on here. It is quite clear that the person falling away into this unforgiveable sin is someone who has known and tasted the Holy Spirit and experienced salvation and then decided to fall away from the truth. It is a decision. You might be seduced, but it is a decision that you make. Here, the warning is against going back into Judaism after you have been saved and throwing you allegiance with another instead of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is not talking about burning up works as the discourse in 2 Corinthians 4. Instead it is talking as Jesus talked about every person being some kind of ground, the ground itself being burned and destroyed because it only produces thorns and thistles. This goes beyond the word going into hearts (the seed), and talks of the Holy Spirit as the rain falling on both good ground and on these who have fallen away and how the rain is wasted on them and eventually, it is rejected by God and destroyed in the fire.
This kind of sin is blaspheming the Holy Spirit, and when someone apostasizes from the true faith in Jesus there is no longer a sacrifice that can forgive them of this sin. Death is the only destiny of this person at this point. The Emphasized Version says it this way, Hebrews 6:4-6 (Emphasized) " 4 For it is impossible—as to these who have been, once for all, illuminated, who have tasted also of the heavenly free-gift, and have been made, partners, in a Holy Spirit, 5 And have tasted God’s utterance to be, sweet, mighty works also of a coming age, 6 And who have fallen away, again, to be remoulding them into repentance; seeing they are again crucifying unto themselves the Son of God, and holding him up as an example."
It is impossible once this spiritual illumination by the Holy Spirit and the person has received the free gift of salvation and then fallen away or become an apostate, for them to ever be remolded into repentance. They cannot crucify the Lord again and this sin is not covered in the New Covenant. Matthew 12:31-32 (KJV) " 31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy [against] the [Holy] Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the [world] to come. "

GOING BACK TO HEBREWS 10:26-31:

Hebrews 10:26-31 (Emphasized) " 26 For, if, by choice, we be sinning, after the receiving of the full-knowledge of the truth, no longer, for sins, is there left over, a sacrifice, 27 But some fearful reception of judgment and fiery jealousy, about to devour the opposers. 28 Any one having set aside a law of Moses, apart from compassions, upon the testimony of two or three witnesses, dieth:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be accounted worthy, who hath trampled underfoot the Son of God, and, the blood of the covenant, hath esteemed, a profane thing, by which he had been made holy, and, unto the Spirit of favour, hath offered wanton insult?
30 For we know him that hath said—To me, belongeth avenging, I, will recompense; and again—The Lord will judge his people. 31 A fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of a Living God! "
Hebrews 10:26-31 (Phillips) ' Now if we sin deliberately after we have known and accepted the truth, there can be no further sacrifice for sin for us but only a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fire of God's indignation, which will one day consume all that sets itself against him. The man who showed contempt for Moses' Law died without hope of appeal on the evidence of two or three of his fellows. How much more dreadful a punishment will he be thought to deserve who has poured scorn on the Son of God, treated like dirt the blood of the agreement which had once made him holy, and insulted the very Spirit of grace? For we know the one who said: 'Vengeance is mine: I will repay'. And again: 'The Lord will judge his people'. Truly it is a terrible thing for a man who has done this to fall into the hands of the living God!"
Hebrews 10:26-31 (Amplified) " 26 For if we go on deliberately and willingly sinning after once acquiring the knowledge of the Truth, there is no longer any sacrifice left to atone for [our] sins [no further offering to which to look forward]. 27 [There is nothing left for us then] but a kind of awful and fearful prospect and expectation of divine judgment and the fury of burning wrath and indignation which will consume those who put themselves in opposition [to God]. [Isa. 26:11.] 28 Any person who has violated and [thus] rejected and set at naught the Law of Moses is put to death without pity or mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. [Deut. 17:2-6.]
29 How much worse (sterner and heavier) punishment do you suppose he will be judged to deserve who has spurned and [thus] trampled underfoot the Son of God, and who has considered the covenant blood by which he was consecrated common and unhallowed, thus profaning it and insulting and outraging the [Holy] Spirit [Who imparts] grace (the unmerited favor and blessing of God)? [Exod. 24:8.]
30 For we know Him Who said, Vengeance is Mine [retribution and the meting out of full justice rest with Me]; I will repay [I will exact the compensation], says the Lord. And again, The Lord will judge and determine and solve and settle the cause and the cases of His people. [Deut. 32:35, 36.] 31 It is a fearful (formidable and terrible) thing to incur the divine penalties and be cast into the hands of the living God! "

The sin mentioned here is very specific. It is profaning the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ and insulting and outraging the Holy Spirit who imparts grace. It then is a rejecting of the very grace of God bought by the blood of Jesus Christ and by the Holy Spirit who brings the new birth. This can only happen after we go on deliberately sinning after kowing and accepting the truth (that's salvation).
The only thing that this person can look forward to is the fearful prospect of expecting divine judgment and God's burning wrath and indignation who has made themselves the enemy of God. An apostate might even still go to church and use the name of God or Jesus, but they have rejected the truth after being born again and receiving the truth. An apostate might use the name of Jesus or God, but the reality is that they have gone from being a child of God to sinning against the Holy Spirit and becoming the LITERAL ENEMY OF GOD.

Continued in Part 2

© March 31, 2006 by James Dale Coldiron
Voice of the Watchman Ministries

Apostasy and the Last Days Falling Away
Part 3: The Last Days


2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (KJV) " 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. "


BACK TO THE FALLING AWAY OF THE LAST DAYS. WE WILL NOW CENTER IN ON THAT NOW THAT AN APOSTATE HAS BEEN DEFINED.


1 Timothy 4:1-2 (KJV) " 1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
1 Timothy 4:1-2 (NASB) " 1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, "
1 Timothy 4:1-2 (Amplified) " 1 BUT THE [Holy] Spirit distinctly and expressly declares that in latter times some will turn away from the faith, giving attention to deluding and seducing spirits and doctrines that demons teach, 2 Through the hypocrisy and pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared (cauterized), "

This is also breaking into the realm of spiritual warfare, for especially in the time that we live in, there is a battle for our minds. There is an attack on our minds against the truth of God. You see it here. The enemy wants to build up strongholds in us, which is why 2 Corinthians 10 tells us to surrender every thought to Jesus Christ before evil thoughts that oppose the truth of God can be built up in us into strongholds that then have to either be torn down, or they will lead us away from the truth.

This is serious warning of the dangers of the latter times, which is a term meaning the last of this age. The latter days began at the resurrection of Jesus Christ and will continue on until Jesus Christ returns to planet Earth. But that generation at the end that will see the end of this age and the last 7 years of Tribulation or birth pains of Israel, will suffer some extreme spiritual attacks on the truth. The mind is the first battleground.

The Holy Spirit explicitly declares that in the latter times, some (NOT ALL) shall depart from the faith.

This is the falling away predicted in 2 Thessalonians. YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FAITH TO DEPART FROM IT. You cannot depart from something if you never had it to begin with. Some will "fall away" from the faith. They will literally revolt from the faithful and the faith. See, there is a battle over the mind concerning truth. You have to understand the truth of the gospel to a degree to be born again. You have to have that much truth to have the faith. There is still a battle over your mind and your faith even after salvation.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (KJV) " 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; "

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (ALT) " 3 For [though] walking about [fig., conducting ourselves] in the flesh, we do not wage war [fig., struggle against evil forces] according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare [are] not fleshly _but_ powerful in God for [the] tearing down of strongholds [or, fortresses], 5 tearing down misleading arguments and every high place [fig., arrogance] lifting itself up against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, "

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (AMP) " 3 For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, 5 [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),"

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (Peshitta) " 3 For, although we walk in the flesh, our warfare is not after the flesh. 4 For the arms of our warfare are not those of the flesh, but those of the power of God; by which we subdue rebellious castles. 5 And we demolish imaginations, and every lofty thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and subjugate all reasonings to obedience to the Messiah. "

Be it heathen philosophy or New Age modern gnosticism or legalism or liberalism, it has a demonic author and its purpose is to build up lying thoughts in the mind until they form evil reasonings that form strongholds which are hard to destroy. It takes the power of God and the weapons the Spirit gives us to set people free from this kind of error in their thinking. You see from the 1 Timothy text that these doctrines of lies that are so seductive are from a demonic author. There is a demonic force trying to seduce us into submitting to a lie. And they attack the mind.

Thoughts are spiritual, which is why we are commanded in 2 Corinthians to submit our thoughts to Jesus before they build into a stronghold of opposition to the truth of God. People who are demonized have had a strong battlement or stronghold built in them and given over so much to it that it has allowed the demonic spirit to enter in. This total possession occurs in a person when the Holy Spirit is not present and active, and the stronghold is so open to the spirit and so opposed to God's Word and truth that it literally gives an inroad and resting place for the demon. I will not get into spiritual warfare and binding and loosing, but Jesus spoke of this very thing when he cast a demon out of man and they claimed he did it by Beelzebub. He did it by the Holy Spirit, which bound the spiritual strongman and set the person free.

But the things in our thinking that block us from walking in faith or bring up that pet sin that always seems to be biting us are strongholds that have been built by wrong thinking. Getting the Word of God to that wrong thinking energized by the power of the Holy Spirit tears down those strongholds. We must use those spiritual weapons to take down a spiritual stronghold.

SOME SHALL DEPART OR FALL AWAY FROM THE FAITH... GIVING HEED TO SEDUCING SPIRITS.

There are basically two categories of unclean spirits that manipulate and control and destroy. One are oppressive spirits that attack and try to discourage and defeat and make sick, etc. The other kind is really more dangerous because many times you don't realize (if you are not walking in the Spirit and sensitive to the warnings of the Holy Spirit... and not been feeding on God's Word) what it is that they are doing to you. The other kind of spirit is a seductive spirit and it is more dangerous because it appeals to something in your flesh.

Religious spirits of false religion and idolatry (where the name demon-daemon comes from) are seducing spirits. They promise something good and feel good to the religious pride in us that somehow we are working out way to salvation or that we get some kind of spiritual power that God never intended for us to have (witchcraft). Spirits of lust and greed and pride are also seducing spirits and make us feel good in a carnal way. Sometimes they will try and come across as spiritual (and they are in a demonic unclean spirit sense of the word), but they lead to spiritual destruction of the soul. False religions are a result of these seducing spirits, and there are people that are still active in church and still preaching and teaching, etc., whose flesh are eaten up by the unclean demons. And they are now teaching and preaching a lie.

There comes a point where it goes from an error on this side point or that side point and it is absolute lies that takes the truth and perverts it into something else that pleases flesh and pride. That is the ROAD TO APOSTASY.

DOCTRINES OF DEMONS literally in the Greek. Seducing spirits... they feel good... they even "feel" right to the fleshly man or woman. But they are teachings of demons that lead to destruction. Yes, carnal false teachers and false prophets teach them, but as the Holy Spirit is the author of the True Faith, these demons are the true spiritual author of these lies that lead to damnation.

They speak lies in hypocrisy, and the scariest part is that they leave the conscience seared or cauterized. It kills our ability to be convicted by the Holy Spirit. There comes a point when a person who has known and had the true faith literally falls away into a false way and turns their back on the Holy Spirit. When that happens, they can no longer feel that grieving of the Spirit and they go and sin in their merry way not realizing that they have damned themselves forever.

I have spoken to people who believed an absolute lie by what the Word of God teaches and literally could not hear the truth. In fact, there is a coldness about it that is sickening when you deal with someone like that.

EXAMPLE: There was a man that I attended college with 20+ years ago who asked me if I would talk to him about something concerning my faith. I agreed and sat down with him at the school library. He proceeded to tell me how that he believed that homosexuality was fine with God and that God blessed it in fact. He had a twisted view of some scriptures and would not hear about others. I had been a Christian only a few short years, but already I had enough biblical background to show him how this is a vile iniquity that degrades human beings (read the earlier scriptures in Romans 1). I didn't do it meanly, but I told him firmly, and he could not hear me. It was kind of weird as it was as if he could not hear the truth no matter how that I told him. He just kept smiling blankly and going on and on with stuff that was utter garbage with no backing at all. I kept trying until I heard that still small voice from God to LEAVE HIM ALONE. It was as if a door shut and I couldn't talk any more to him on the subject. I left that talk with the disturbed feeling that I had talked to a man who could not be touched by the Spirit anymore. It was sickeningly sad. His conscience had been so seared that he could not hear from God... and God told me to leave him alone and just let him go in his error. This is the way of the Apostate. And usually, they are convinced that they are right although they are in direct opposition to God's Word and the Holy Spirit.

In Paul's second letter to Timothy, Paul starts describing the perilous conditions in the last days.

2 Timothy 3:1-4 (KJV) " 1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; "

Then he bridges the thought of those who are highminded and lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God to those who are reprobate in the faith that have fallen away from the truth. They are still religious and have a "form of godliness", but they deny the power of true godliness. They actually deny the power of the Holy Ghost!


2 Timothy 3:5-9 (KJV) " 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.

Those who lead others into this form of godliness that denies the true power of the Holy Spirit are men of corrupted minds. They have strongholds of evil that have literally corrupted their minds and they have departed from the truth and now lead others away from the true and living God. They are REPROBATE concerning the faith. They are foolish. WE ARE COMMANDED TO STAY AWAY FROM THESE REPROBATE FALSE TEACHERS THAT DENY THE TRUE POWER OF GOD!

2 Timothy 3:5-9 (Amplified) " 5 For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them].

6 For among them are those who worm their way into homes and captivate silly and weak-natured and spiritually dwarfed women, loaded down with [the burden of their] sins [and easily] swayed and led away by various evil desires and seductive impulses. 7 [These weak women will listen to anybody who will teach them]; they are forever inquiring and getting information, but are never able to arrive at a recognition and knowledge of the Truth. 8 Now just as Jannes and Jambres were hostile to and resisted Moses, so these men also are hostile to and oppose the Truth. They have depraved and distorted minds,

and are reprobate and counterfeit and to be rejected as far as the faith is concerned. [Exod. 7:11.] 9 But they will not get very far, for their rash folly will become obvious to everybody, as was that of those [magicians mentioned]. "

Reprobate is once again adokimos, which is unfit and rejected and unapproved... a castaway that God has rejected. The sad thing is that these reprobates are trying to lead others astray to apostasize in their false teaching and form of godliness that denies the power of the Holy Spirit. And by the way, you can so misrepresent the truth of the Holy Spirit to still speak of the Spirit and still deny the true Spirit of God. There are people who are in an apostate movement and they still talk about Jesus and the Holy Spirit, but they have denied the truth and embraced a demonic lie and betrayed the Holy Spirit.

THIS LEADS US TO THE CHURCH SPOKEN OF IN REVELATION TO BE APOSTATE:

I believe that you can find yourself and you church somewhere in the 7 churches of Revelation 2 and 3. I don't know how much weight you can put on the different churches reprensenting different ages of the church for the past 2000 years. I do believe this. There are 3 things that you see in the latter times of the last days. There is a remnant as in Philadelphia that is faithful and is represented in Matthew 25 as the 5 wise virgins that are taken at the Midnight Cry to the Marriage Supper. There is a large number of churches especially in America and Canada and Europe that fit into the Laodicean mold of spiritual lukewarmness that God said that He would spit out of His mouth and called for their repentance. You can see them in Matthew 25 as the 5 foolish virgins who cannot go in at the Marriage Supper and though they do repent and get their oil of the anointing, the door to the Marriage Supper is closed to them. They will not be ready at the harpazio... the catching away of the church.

But there is a 3rd church that all too many churches today are falling into. That is the Apostate Church of Sardis. Laodicea was a backslidden, lukewarm church that was self-absorbed and proud. But they were still a church and God was dealing with them to repent. But Sardis had the majority of its members spritual dead (not lukewarm, but dead) and their names had been blotted out of the book of life. There was a remnant even at Sardis whose names had not been blotted out yet, but they were under a force of a kind of religious death. This is apostasy. They had a name that they were alive, but they were spiritually DEAD.

Revelation 3:1-6 (KJV) " 1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. 4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. 5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Revelation 3:1-5 (ALT) " 1 And to the angel of the assembly in Sardis write: 'These [things] says the One having the seven spirits [fig., the seven-fold Spirit] of God and the seven stars: I know your works, that you have a name that you live, and you are dead. 2 'Become watching [fig., Wake up], and strengthen the rest which you were about to be throwing out, for I have not found your works having been completed before My God. 3 'Therefore, be remembering how you have received {and heard, and be keeping [it]}, and repent. Therefore, if you* will not watch [fig., keep awake], I will come upon you like a thief, and you shall by no means know what hour I will come upon you. 4 '_But_ you have a few names [fig., individuals] in Sardis who did not defile their garments, and they will walk about with Me in white, because they are worthy. 5 'The one overcoming, this [one] will be clothed in white garments, and by no means will I blot out his name from the Scroll of Life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. "

There is a promise given to the ones who have not already spoiled their garments with God. He promises that He will not blot their name out of the book of life. There is no life in this church though and the majority of the ones in it have died. This is the dying, apostate church. The idea of having your name blotted out of the book of life that the bible says belongs to the Lamb of God (Jesus) is frightening. This is an extreme thing since Romans 8 makes it clear that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.

What sin is it that is unforgiveable and will take you out of the New Covenant? Just one... apostasy or falling away from the truth and denying the true faith. It brings a spiritual death and the name that was written in the scroll or book of life is blotted out or erased.

Exodus 32:33 (KJV) And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.


Psalms 69:28 (KJV) Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.


Matthew 10:32-33 (KJV) 32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. "

The reality of the situation is this; people who believe in the Eternal Security of the Believer has good biblical backing. Those who believe that your name can be blotted out of the book of life after believing and become reprobate also has good biblical backing. See, both sides have part of the whole truth. I was raised in a Church of God, and their doctrine on this was partly correct, and had some holes in it. Some believed that you can lose your salvation and get it back again and lose it and get it back again. Not all believe that way, but some do who don't study that deeply. There are others who believe that you can be saved and that there is no choice that you can make that will ever change that. There are problems with both of those ideas. Groups like the Assemblies and Churches of God have part of the truth. Baptists also have part of the same truth on grace, but their doctrine (remember I am attending the majority of the time a Baptist Church which I love) ignores the other scriptures on the topic and they do major song and dances trying to explain the other scriptures away shading them to mean something they don't really mean in context. BOTH SIDES ARE RIGHT... IN PART. The truth takes in both sets of scriptures rightly divided in balance, because the Word of God is balanced.


See... if you believe from either side, you will not be comfortable with a real study of these passages, because they speak of a balance that takes in both views. I know this, there is a point of no return. And if you resist the Holy Spirit enough, then you will find it sadly enough.

There are some ify points to backsliding that I don't want to get into in this study. The question comes, what if the Prodigal Son died in the hog pen away from the Father? That is another topic, but one that will be answered differently according to your own tradition. That one can be a source of a new study later. But this one concerns more with the point where you fall away from the truth and can never be restored.


THIS STUDY LEADS TO A STUDY ON THE 3 LAST DAYS CHURCHES - SARDIS, PHILADELPHIA, AND LAODICEA.


© April 1, 2006 by James Dale Coldiron
Voice of the Watchman Ministries

There was this family, and they had a relative that was so lost... I mean, I know lost is lost, but she was just bound up by evil that her demeaner announced her ungodly condition.

Her mother and sister came to me asking me what they could do. I was their pastor and I told them... put her on the altar and no matter what happens, keep her there until she comes to the Lord and repents. I mean, if she gets sick or things fall apart for her... leave her there until she repents because it would literally be better for her to even get a sickness that led to a physical death and she be born again, than to go on in this short life healthy and wind up in Hell.

They agreed and we started praying for her. Well, she got sick... and all kinds of things started happening... and you know what these two ladies did? They started praying for her healing and her help... and they would not listen to me when I told them that it wasn't the Devil... but the Lord was allowing these things to bring her to repentance. Well, they wouldn't hear of it...

that was like... 10 years ago, and the lady is 10 years closer to Hell today than she was then and just as ungodly and harder to the gospel today than she was then. Its scary actually.

When we put people on the altar, don't expect for everything to be nice and rosy for them. GOD knows what it will take to show them their need for Jesus and their own condition. Let Him work and do the work and don't interfere but pray that His will be done instead.

That's an extra little point I think I might need to add to this one.

James