Step 6 - Remaining
Faithful
Over the past five articles, we have
examined in-depth the all-important topic
"What Must I Do To Be Saved?"
In this series, we believe we have faithfully and truthfully presented the
gospel plan of salvation as revealed in the New Testament. In this
article, the final one of the series, we wish to examine how the word of
God stresses the importance of remaining faithful to the Lord after one
becomes a Christian. While technically not a "step" in the conversion
process, we do state with absolute confidence that staying
saved is as important as getting saved.
To begin, we must expose the prevalent idea of "once saved,
always saved" that permeates so many man-made
denominations. This idea is erroneous; it has no Biblical foundation nor
merit. It is simply not so. A person can become a Christian, but he can
choose to quit following the Lord. If he does so, he becomes lost again. Notice Simon’s predicament, as recorded in Acts 8:18-24. [We
have examined Simon in previous articles.] When he committed his sin,
he was told by an apostle of the Lord he was “perishing” (v. 20).
His problem was that his “heart was not right in the sight of God” (v.
21). His actions required “repentance,” they were “wicked,” and he
was in need of “forgiveness” (v. 22). Lastly, Peter tells him he
was in “the bondage of iniquity” (v. 23). Does any of this sound
descriptive of a person who is in good standing before the Lord?
Obviously not.
This same apostle Peter would later write in 2 Pet.
2:20-22 that after we (Christians) have "…escaped the pollutions of
the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,"
(that is our initial salvation), we can become "…again entangled in them"
(the pollutions we escaped in the first place), and "…the latter end is
worse...than the beginning." Would the apostle have written all this if
it is impossible to be lost again after one has been saved? If it is
impossible to fall away from the Lord after one has been saved, then what
meaning can be found in Peter’s use of the proverb describing a sow
returning to the mud after being washed, or the dog returning to its own
vomit (v. 22)? “Once saved, always saved” advocates
will have difficulty answering this.
The faith of 1st-century Christians grew and developed into
real conviction. If they could fall away after being saved, then so can
we. Yet, notice these passages that encouraged them to grow in their
faith and remain faithful to the Lord:
Acts 2:42 After
the gospel was initially preached and 3,000 became Christians
(v. 41),
they just didn't go back to their lives as they were before their
conversion. They "continued steadfastly..." Here were Christians who
realized they needed to continue to grow in their young faith. Their
faith wouldn't have survived without it. Our faith won't survive either
if we don't continue and remain faithful.
Acts 11:23 Barnabas
was instrumental in the growth of the early church. He was especially
helpful as he encouraged the believers to remain true to the Lord. If one
cannot fall away, why the need for such encouragement? As you can see,
the danger is there. See passages like
Mt. 13:20-21; Jn. 15:1-6; 1 Cor.
10:12; Gal. 5:4.
The Lord Jesus Christ said in Rev. 2:10, "Be
faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." Victory
over sin is initially gained when one becomes a
Christian. However, it is ultimately won when we are
steadfastly faithful throughout life to Him who saves us from our sins.
- Jeff Smith
<Click
here to go to the previous step | Click here to
go to the intro page> |
