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This study on the subject of
conditional salvation is taken from an essay entitled Apostasy by
William Justice Parks. W. J. Parks proves from the Bible that
there is a conditional aspect to salvation.
Behold therefore the
goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but
toward thee, goodness, IF thou continue in his goodness: otherwise
thou also shalt be cut off. Romans
11:22
BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF MAN CHOOSING TO FALL FROM GRACE ~
CASE 1 - KING SAUL
In proof that Saul was saved and favored of God, we refer to 1
Samuel 10. It says, "God gave him another
heart." I wish to ask, was that a good heart or a bad one
which God gave him? He had a bad heart before, and needed not
another heart like it; nor was it consistent with God's nature or
design to give him a bad heart, for the purpose of qualifying him to
govern Israel.
It is also said, "The Spirit of God came
upon him, and he prophesied;" from which it appears the word
of God was fulfilled, (1 Samuel
10:6,) for he was "turned into another
man." Here I would again pause to ask, did a holy God turn
him into a bad man? If so, then God turned a bad man into a bad
man?!? God directed Samuel to anoint Saul, that he might be
"captain" over his people Israel, and to save them
"out of the hand of the Philistines!"
It was said to Saul by Samuel, "God is with
thee." Let us look at the king as he now stands before us.
Here he is, "turned into another man.
The Spirit of God is with him: God has given him another heart,"
and he is "prophesying" amongst
God's prophets. It does seem that no one could believe other than
Saul was a good man, made so by God's power and grace.
Let us now inquire, did he fall? He did, and died a wretched
apostate, by a voluntary act of his own. In 1 Samuel 16:14, it
is said, "The Spirit of the Lord departed
from Saul," and that "an evil spirit
from the Lord troubled him." In chapter 18-10, we learn that
this evil spirit "came upon Saul."
In chapter 28, he sought out, went to, and consulted a witch; a
woman that had a familiar spirit. This he did, it seems, because
"the Lord answered him not."
He repeatedly made efforts to murder David by his own hands.
In chapter 31:4 and 6, we read, "Saul took
a sword, and fell upon it: . . . so Saul died." His final act
was self murder, suicide.
Samuel charged him with breaking God's commandments. He had
"turned back from following God: the Spirit
of God departed from him: . . . an evil spirit came upon him . . .
the Lord departed from him." He was a murderer - he tried to
kill David, and did kill himself. "No
murderer hath eternal life abiding in him:" hence, it is
written of him, (1 Chronicles
10:13-14,) "So Saul died for his
transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the
word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of
one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it, and inquire not of
the Lord."
Here was a good man: he fell - he died a wretched apostate.
"Wherefore, let him that thinketh he
standeth, take heed, lest he fall."
CASE 2 - JUDAS ISCARIOT IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE
Was Judas A Devil? - I am aware that it has been often alleged that
Judas was a devil from the beginning. Of this, however, there is not
the least intimation in the Bible. Let us now calmly inquire
into the history of Judas, and see whether or not the fact is
clearly established that he was ever a good man, a Christian.
I offer in proof of this the following facts and arguments:
THAT JUDAS WAS CHOSEN
Judas and eleven others were chosen by Jesus Christ as his apostles,
(John 15:19,) and sent out by him to
"preach, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out
devils," etc. Matthew 10:7-8. What! A devil sent out by
the Lord Jesus Christ to cast out devils! IMPOSSIBLE! Did Jesus
Christ choose a devil to do his work? Jesus, addressing his
twelve disciples, Judas being one of that number, said,
"Verily I say unto you, that ye which have
followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in
the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Matthew 19:28. In proof
that Judas was present, and the promise made to him as directly as
it was to the others, I refer the reader to chapter 20:17, where the
twelve are addressed as having been all present. This sitting upon a
"throne" was a strange promotion
promised by Jesus Christ to the devil, if indeed Judas were such.
The very idea is ridiculous, not to say blasphemous. Judas was
Christ's "own familiar friend, in whom he
trusted."
Compare Psalm 41:9 with John 13:18 and Acts 1:16.
I ask. . . is it possible that any one can be so blinded by a creed
(denomination) as to believe that Jesus Christ ever was the
"familiar friend" of the devil, and,
what is yet worse, "trusted" in the
devil? If this were so, how foolish were the disciples, when, to
fill his place, they were so careful to select a good man, Matthias,
that he might fill the place of a devil, who
"had obtained part of this ministry."
Acts 1:17-27.
Jesus Christ knew the hearts of all men, and came into the world
expressly for the purpose of destroying the works of the devil. To
accomplish that work, He chose a devil, a child of the devil, and
ordained him, made a "familiar friend"
of him, and sent him out in His name to preach his gospel, cast out
devils, raise the dead, promising him a seat on one of the twelve
thrones of judgment! This can only be true if none apostatize,
unless Judas was indeed saved in the beginning.
Let us now examine the possibility of Judas becoming lost after
being a chosen friend of Jesus.
JUDAS LOST
We read (Acts 1:25) that "Judas, by
transgression, fell." He went to
"his own place." Christ himself said,
"Those that thou gavest me I have kept, and
none of them is lost, but the son of perdition." John 17:12.
Judas "went and hanged himself."
Matthew 27:5. Like Saul, his last act was self murder, and we quote
John again, "No murderer hath eternal life
abiding in him?" Christ said, "Woe
unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed: it had been good
for that man if he had not been born." Matthew 27:24. This,
however, could not be said in truth, if Judas was saved.
We learn that "Satan entered into him."
John 13:27. He had become "a thief,"
(John 12:6;) and with his money, the price of his Master, he
"purchased a field, the reward of his
iniquity." Acts 1:18. Judas himself said,
"I have sinned, in that I have betrayed the
innocent blood." Matthew 27:4. True, he
"repented," and
"wept bitterly," but his was the
repentance of despair, and his tears did not fall in the sight of
mercy. The picture of this wretched apostate is a dark and
gloomy one; hence we ought to "take heed,
lest we fall."
CASE 3 - HYMENEUS AND ALEXANDER ARE EXAMPLES OF TOTAL APOSTASY.
(See 1 Timothy 1:19-20)
Although the history given of these persons is a short one, it is
conclusive proof of the possibility of apostasy. They are
said to have "put away faith and a good
conscience." They not only put these away, but,
"concerning faith, they had made
shipwreck." By this form of expression, I understand a total
wreck, a total apostasy, so that they had by the apostle been
"delivered over to Satan." "How are
the mighty fallen!"
CASE 4 - THE YOUNG WIDOWS
In 1 Timothy 5:12, Paul speaks thus:
"Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith."
If this were good faith, saving faith, which they once had, and if
they were now damned "because they cast it
off," then were they truly ruined apostates. If we
suppose theirs was a spurious faith, then are we involved in the
absurdity of admitting, and Paul of teaching, that people are damned
because they cast away that which is worthless; so, then, we would
be damned "because" we did not cast
it away, and damned "because" we did
cast it away. Fine theology, this!
CASE 5 - THE ANCIENT ISRAELITES ARE ALSO EXAMPLES TO WARN US OF THE
POSSIBILITY AND DANGER OF APOSTASY
This is the use the apostle makes of their fall in various places.
The reader is referred especially to 1 Corinthians 10, and Hebrews
chapters 3 and 4, for the history of their overthrow, and the
account to which the apostle turns it.
A few words of comment will serve our purpose in presenting them as
examples. They "were all baptized
(was this believers' baptism?) unto Moses
in the cloud and in the sea, and did all eat the same spiritual
meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of
that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ."
Yet of these very people it is said they tempted Christ, murmured,
committed idolatry, believed not, etc.; and we are cautioned by
these things written of them- "written for
our admonition"- to "take heed, lest
we fall; . . . to "labor, therefore,
to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of
unbelief;" and, seeing "they could
not enter in because of unbelief," to
"take heed, lest there be in any of you (Hebrew Christians)
an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God."
SCRIPTURAL TESTIMONY
We now consider a few of the many Scriptures that teach of man's
being saved and then being damned. These passages from the Bible
would have to be wrested and explained by a forced construction, to
make them mean anything but the Biblical truth that man's eternal
salvation is based on the condition of obedience.
2 CHRONICLES 15
God said to King Asa, (2 Chronicles 15:2,)
"The Lord is with you while ye be with him; and if ye seek
him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will
forsake you." This is plain language, and perfectly
accords with David's words to Solomon: "If
thou forsake him, (God,) he will
cast thee off forever." 1 Chronicles 28:9. Precisely the same
doctrine is taught in. . .
EZEKIEL
God says HERE by his prophet, "When I shall
say to the righteous that he shall surely live, if he trust to his
own righteousness and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall
not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he
shall die for it." Ezekiel 33:13. The very same views are
presented at large in this chapter, and in the third and eighteenth
chapters of Ezekiel's prophecy.
It has been said the "righteous" here spoken of are the
"self-righteous." If that is so, it would mean God is telling the
"self-righteous" man that he should "surely live," when the self
righteous ("his own righteousness") "shall die".
Three Different Kinds Of Law
1. Law of Faith. Belief in the finished works of Christ secures for
us a new relationship with God
2. Law of ceremony
3. Law of works. Good works produced by obedience to the laws
of God. When man establishes his behavior in the law of God he
produces results that strengthen and bring order and happiness to
the social conditions.
A Temporal Death? - It has been said that the death here spoken of
is a temporal death. This is too absurd to need refutation; for if
this were true, then would the promise be good to every righteous
man who did not turn away from his righteousness, that he should
never die a temporal death; whereas, "we
must needs die," for in Adam "all
die."
This passage in Ezekiel I have quoted above, and others of similar
import, throw much light on many portions of God's word, especially
on such portions as treat of the safety and security of God's
people, where no mention is made of any condition upon which such
blessings shall be conferred.
THE PROMISE -
Does God, in any place, say to his people, "No good thing shall be
withheld" from them- "no weapon formed
against thee shall prosper"- etc., so let it be.
THE CONDITION -
Yet we are always to remember that we "are
kept by the power of God, through faith," (1 Peter 1:5,) and
that, whenever or wherever God says to the righteous,
"he shall surely live," whether the
condition is there named or not, it is implied.
ALL PROMISES CONDITIONAL WHETHER MENTIONED OR NOT -
He said to the Jews, (Jeremiah 18:9-10,).
"At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a
nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if it do
evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of
the good wherewith I said I would benefit them." Jesus Christ
promised Judas a throne to sit upon, as we have before shown; yet he
never sat upon it, because he, "by
transgression, fell." He did not comply with the
conditions implied, although not there expressed. There are
hundreds of promises in the Bible of like character: they are made
to us on the conditions elsewhere and often repeated. In 1 Samuel
23:11-13, we learn that David inquired of the Lord thus:
"Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into
his (Saul's) hand? Will Saul come down? Will the men of Keilah
deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul"?
The Lord told him, "He will come down. They
will deliver thee up." And yet Saul
"forbare to go forth." He never went to Keilha, nor did the
men of Keilah deliver David or his men up to Saul. Pray why? There
was no condition named, and yet, as in thousands of cases, it was
implied. David left Keilah; so Saul never went there.
"When I say to the righteous, he shall
surely live," "At what instant I
speak to a nation," is God's declared method of dealing with
man, and presents the whole truth, and reconciles all portions of
Scripture.
MATTHEW 5
But to return to our direct proof. Christ, in his Sermon on the
Mount, says to his disciples, "Ye are the
salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith
shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be
cast out and to be trodden under foot of men." Matthew 5:13.
This passage conveys no meaning whatever, unless it is this, that
the salt may lose its virtue, and thereby become
"good for nothing;" the moral of
which, and what I suppose to be the Saviour's meaning, is
beautifully set forth in the words of the poet:
"Ah, Lord, with trembling I confess A gracious soul may fall from
grace:
The salt may lose its seasoning power, And never, never find it
more."
MATTHEW 12
We refer you, in further proof, to the parable of the
"unclean spirit," Matthew 12:43-45.
Surely "when the unclean spirit is gone out
of a man," he must be a good man.
"When a strong man armed keepeth his
palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he shall
come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor
wherein he trusted." Luke 11:21-22. From which I learn that
the devil- "the strong man"- "does
not leave of his own accord for political reasons," as one said, but
he "keepeth his palace" until Jesus Christ - the "stronger than he"
shall "overcome him," and cast him out. Yet we learn that this very
same "unclean spirit, and seven other spirits more wicked than
himself, enter in and dwell there; and the
"last state of that man is worse than the first." Can any one
believe he was a bad man with an unclean spirit in him, and then a
bad man without an unclean spirit, and then a bad man with eight
demons in him? Is this the lesson taught? Nay, reader: he had
a bad heart. Christ cast the demon out; but he was permitted to
return and reenter with seven others. He apostatized. Hence
the truth and propriety of the declaration, his "last state "was"
worse than the first."
MATTHEW 18
In Matthew 18, we have a parable in which is set forth this fact: a
king, in reckoning with his servants, found one that
"owed him ten thousand talents,"
whom, out of "compassion, he loosed, and
forgave him the debt;" yet, in consequence of the wickedness
of that servant subsequent to this, in refusing to have "compassion"
on a fellow- servant, he revoked the pardon,
"and delivered him to the tormentors, till
he should pay all that was due unto him." Christ
applies this, by saying, "So, likewise
shall my Heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts
forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." "Do
also" -in like manner. How? Revoke the pardon, and hold us to
account for all our sins- "All his
righteousness shall not be remembered." Universalists of the
old school, usually called "Hell-redemptionists," might claim that
such are saved, after paying "all that was due." I judge it is a bad
chance to rescue a backslider when he is turned over to "the
tormentors" to "pay all that is due."
MATTHEW 25
In Matthew 25, we have the parable of the ten virgins, in which the
same doctrine is taught as to the possibility of a decline in
religion, such a decline, too, as proves fatal. All were virgins;
all went forth on the same errand; all had lamps; and it would seem
all had these lit- as the foolish said,
"Our lamps are gone out." They all alike slumbered and
slept. They all alike awake at the cry,
"Behold, the bridegroom cometh!" yet five of these were shut
out. Why? Because, "foolish"- improvident, they
"took no oil in their vessels" to
replenish their lamps. Had the bridegroom come early, they had
doubtless all been ready; but they suffered their light to go out,
as thousands do. They were apostates.
JOHN 15
In the fifteenth chapter of the Gospel by St. John, we have upon
record the Saviour's parable of the vine and the branches. Christ
represents himself as the "Vine,"
and believers as "branches." He
affirms such "are clean," and then
exhorts them to "abide in him,"
assuring them that, "as the branch cannot
bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye,
except ye abide in me." In verse 6, he says,
"If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth
as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them and cast them into
the fire, and they are burned."
ROMANS 11
Paul, by a similar figure of speech, teaches the same doctrine, in
Romans 11. He there shows the Gentiles why and how the Jews fell;
and sets forth the relation of believing Gentiles to God and his
true Church under the figure of an "olive
tree," the natural branches of which -the Jews- had been
"broken off because of unbelief;"
which fact he uses to caution them, i.e., the Gentiles who believed
in these words: "Be not high-minded, but
fear; for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest
he also spare not thee." He tells them of God's goodness
toward them, but says, "if thou continue in
his goodness: otherwise thou also shall be cut off."
Comment is needless: in fact, no comment on such plain language can
make it any plainer to an unsophisticated mind.
1 CORINTHIANS 9
Paul, in speaking of himself, said, (1 Corinthians 9:27)
"I keep under my body, and bring it into
subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others,
I myself should be a castaway" -literally, a reprobate. No
language can be any plainer. Paul was stating what he, as a
Christian and Christian minister, did, and why he did it. He had
acted the part and character of preacher or herald to others. To
them he had held out a crown of life: it was, therefore, essential
to him that, on his part, he complied with the rules of the race,
lest the Great Judge should reject him in the final day of
distributing crowns.
2 TIMOTHY
In another place he said, "I press toward
the mark, for the prize of my high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 3:14. Having done all this, no wonder when finishing his
"course," he could write to Timothy,
(2 Timothy 4:7-8) "I have kept the faith.
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which
the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day."
ROMANS 8
From the above, it is easy to comprehend the apostle's meaning when
he says, (Romans 8:38-39,) "For I am
persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God." For as he had said, (verse
28) "All things work together for good to
them that love God." He "kept under
his body," and they were walking,
"not after the flesh,
but after the spirit."
Of all such, it is true, nothing shall, and nay nothing can
"separate them from the love of God."
HEBREWS 6
In Hebrews 6:4-6, we read, "It is
impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of
the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and
have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to
come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance;
seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him
to an open shame." Certainly, those who were enlightened, and
had tasted the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy
Ghost, and had tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the
world to come, were Christians. If not, I should like to know
how we are to settle that question with any one.
What does the word "again" in this
place mean? Does it not clearly prove that they had before that
repented? It does: hence, the word "again"
is used. Whatever else is taught in this place, it is certainly
taught beyond a doubt that apostasy is possible.
HEBREWS 10
Again, in Hebrews 10:26-29, we read, "If we
sin willfully, after that we have received the knowledge of the
truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain
fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall
devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law, died without
mercy, under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment
suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot
the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant,
wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite
to the Spirit of grace?" Here we have the doctrine of the
possibility of apostasy set forth as strong as language can
make it. Two facts strike our mind forcibly: First, the height from
which such fall; Second, the depths into which they fall, hence the
"sorer punishment" spoken of. Yes, a
punishment awfully more severe than befell the rebellious Jew.
2 PETER 1
In 2 Peter 1:9 we read: "He that lacketh
these things (the things above enumerated, such as adding to his
faith, virtue, etc.) is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath
forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the
rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election
sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall." Such
language needs no comment. (a) The wretched state of such as lack
these things, and (b) the way to avoid it, are both clearly pointed
out.
2 PETER 2 (Verse 14)
In the second chapter of the same Epistle, verses 14, 15, Peter
speaks of some whom he calls "cursed
children," and charges that they had
"forsaken the right way, and had gone astray, following the way of
Balaam." Surely, if such had
"forsaken the right way," they had once been in it. He says,
in speaking of them, (verse 17,) that, for them,
"the midst of darkness is reserved for
ever."
2 PETER 2 (Verse 20)
Again, verse 20 of the same chapter, he speaks of such as had
"escaped the pollutions of the world,
through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ;"
and alleges that they, being "again
entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them
than the beginning;" and declares that
"it had been better for them not to have
known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to
turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them." Nothing
can be plainer than these words of Peter in proof of our position.
These persons had "escaped the
pollutions of the world," and that, too, by the evangelical
method it was "through the knowledge of the
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." They had
"known the way of righteousness,"
and yet, if such be "again entangled"
in the "pollutions of the world,"
and "overcome," the
"latter end is worse with them than the
beginning;" and it had "been
better for them never to have known the way of righteousness;"
yet this could not be said in truth of such, if their "final
salvation is sure."
The apostle closes the chapter by informing his brethren that it is
happened unto them according to the true proverb,
"The dog is turned to his own vomit again;
and the sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire."
The comment made on this by a minister in the pulpit was rather
singular. He said, "The sow was a hog all the time, both before she
was washed and afterward: therefore, from this passage there was no
proof of the possibility of falling from grace." I will just remind
the reader that the relapse is the very thing Peter is here
discoursing about. The sow had been washed: she was then a
hog, that is true, but a clean hog! But when she returned to
her wallowing in the mire, she relapsed into her former filthy
state; just as apostates do, in a moral sense, when they
return to "the pollutions of the world,"
from which they had "clean escaped."
(Editor's note:
You don't stop being human when your saved,
you are made "clean" by the blood. Transformation effects the
natural man but he does not cease being human or physical.
John 15:3; 1 John 1:7- 9)
2 JOHN
John says, (2 John 9,) "Whosoever
transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not
God;" and surely he that "hath not
God," cannot be saved eternally.
JUDE
Jude, in his Epistle, verse 12, forcibly describes the state of
apostates, whom he calls "trees whose
fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the
roots." Once such were "dead in
trespasses and sins;" but they had been
"quickened together with Christ."
Now they had so relapsed into sinful desires and habits, that they
were dead again - "twice dead;" and
to show the utter hopelessness of the restoration of such, Jude
adds, "plucked up by the roots." In
verse 13, he makes their destiny clear, beyond all dispute, by
saying that to such "is reserved the
blackness of darkness for ever:"
REVELATION
The Epistles to the seven Churches in Asia abound with proofs of the
possibility of apostasy. We select only a few examples.
Ephesus
In Revelation 2:4-5, these words are addressed to the Church at
Ephesus: "I have somewhat against thee,
because thou hast left thy first love. Remember, therefore, from
whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else
I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out
of his place, except thou repent." To say that such would
certainly escape the curse by obeying the instructions, is begging
the question. They are addressed as moral agents, who might not
repent, and escape these calamities.
Pergamos
Christ also rebukes a portion of the Church at Pergamos, and says,
(Revelation 2:16) "Repent or else I will
come unto thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of
my mouth."
Laodicea
The Laodicean Church (Revelation 3:15-16) were complained of,
because they were "neither cold nor hot;"
hence, Christ said to them, "Because thou
art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my
mouth." Terrible threat, this; yet it was a threat made not
to tantalize, but to be executed, if they did not reform.
REVELATION 22
In Revelation 22:19: we have these remarkable words:
"If any man shall take away from the words
of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part
out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the
things which are written in this book." Here, to
"take away his part out of the book of
life," on certain conditions, is a thing spoken of as
possible. More than that, it comes as a caution, as a threat.
It is worthy of remark, that, at the very beginning of the
revelation of God to man in his holy book, we have the history of
the fall of our first parents, who, although made
"in the image of God," (see Gen.1
27,) yet, by "sin," they fell from
their original righteousness and communion with God, and so became
dead in sin. So, at the close - yes, almost in the closing
words of the Book of Revelation - we have the admonitory words above
quoted, clearly setting forth the danger and possibility of
apostasy.
SCRIPTURAL EXHORTATIONS OF WARNING
This class consists of the threats, promises, and exhortations so
frequently found in the Bible, which are made with reference to this
very fact. To each of these separately we now invite the earnest
attention of the reader, giving only a few specimens of each.
1. Threats.
"If thou forsake him, he will cast thee off
for ever." 1 Chronicles 29:9.
"If any man draw back, my soul shall have
no pleasure in him." Hebrews 10:38.
"How shall we escape, if we neglect so
great salvation?" Hebrews 2:3.
"I will come unto thee quickly, and remove
thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."
Revelation 2:5. God threatens, unless they repent, to
"fight against them with the sword of his
mouth." Revelation 2:16.
Christ threatens his Church at Sardis to
"come on them as a thief," unless they
"watch." Revelation 3:3.
God threatens the righteous man, that if he
"turn from his righteousness, he shall die in his sin."
Ezekiel 3:20.
2. Let us now give a few specimens of promises, made with direct
reference to this subject. "Be thou
faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."
Revelation 2:10.
Again, in the same chapter, (verses 26-28,) we have the promise of
power over the nations; and Christ adds, "I
will give him the morning star . . . that overcometh, and keepeth my
works unto the end."
In Revelation 3:5, Christ says, "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." At verse
10, we have these remarkable words:
"Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will
keep thee," Peter says, (2 Peter 1:10,)
"If ye do these things, ye shall never
fall."
The above will suffice as specimens, out of hundreds of promises to
those who watch and overcome.
Exhortations abound cautioning us against apostasy; such as,
"Take heed, lest there be in any of you an
evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God."
Hebrews 3:12.
"Let him that thinketh he standeth, take
heed lest he fall." 1 Corinthians 10:12.
"Now unto him that is able to keep you from
falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his
glory with exceeding joy, (25) To the only wise God our Saviour, be
glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."
Jude 1:24-25
End of Parks excellent study
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