Can believers fall away and be damned?

Weekly Devotion

"For if we sin wilfully 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." Hebrews 10:26-27

Can believers fall away and be damned? Many think the answer is no, but God's Word indicates it can and does happen. Believers turn back to their former sinful ways and are impenitent -- not being truly sorry for their sins and not looking to Christ in faith for forgiveness and the help and strength to amend their lives. It often happens when believers think they can dabble with sin or false doctrine and are overcome.

If you think it can't happen, read the warning in Hebrews 10:26-31 and in Hebrews 4:1ff.

Peter, in his second epistle, warns against associating with and following the example of those who abuse their Christian liberty and return to their old sinful ways and says: "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For 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. But 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" (2 Peter 2:20-22).

Paul warned the believers in Corinth: "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

It is why Jesus told His followers to admonish (first privately and then publicly) those who sinned that they might repent (Matthew 18:15-18).

It is why Hebrews 12:1-2 says: "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

And this is why, of course, we are to live in continual repentance. We examine our lives in the light of God's Word, repent of the evil and false ways in us, trust in Jesus and His blood shed upon the cross for forgiveness and seek His help and strength to amend our ways and live in accord with God's will.

"If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 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. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:6-9; cf. 1:5 - 2:2; Psalm 32:1-6; Psalm 86:5).

Apart from Jesus and His blood shed for us upon the cross there is no mercy or forgiveness -- no other sacrifice for sins. That is why we need to hold fast to Jesus. He is our only hope!

With David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, we pray: "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24). Amen.

[Devotion by Randy Moll. Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]

Editorial on 02/08/2017