CAN YOU DEPART FROM THE FAITH?

Perseverance of the Saints says that once you are truly saved, you will not (or cannot) depart from the faith.  What does the Bible say?

Galatians 5:4 -- Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
(You can fall from grace if you accept a false gospel message!)


In the story of the Prodigal son, the Father said:
Luke 15:24 -- For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
('Dead' and 'lost' are words to describe an unsaved person, regardless of their affiliation with the Father (he was His son).  The Father makes this statement twice!)


1 Corinthians 8:10-13
9: But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
10: For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
11: And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
(A brother - fellow Christian - can perish.)


2 Peter 2:15 -- Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
(You cannot go astray if you were never on the path.)


John 18:17 -- Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not.
(Peter lied, and denied Christ.  Was he not saved yet, or did God simply overlook his sin?  Note that Peter repented)


Luke 22:32 -- But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
(Saved Peter could not have "converted" lest he fell away first, and yes indeed, he fell away.)


1 Peter 2:11 -- Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
(They would not war against us if we could not be destroyed)


Romans 6:21-23
21: What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22: But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(There is a direct correlation between sin and death; and holiness and life.  Paul was warning cleansed Christians about this!)


Isaiah 63:8-10
8: For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour.
9: In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
10: But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.
(They rebelled, and He forsook them.)


Timothy 5:22 -- Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.
(Why would Paul tell Timothy to keep himself pure, if it were impossible for him to become impure, as OSAS teaches?)



Next section: Faithfulness