Sermon Tone Analysis

I. We must beware of the danger of falling back.

Vs.4

A. Is the danger real or hypothetical?

The text presents a real situation and not hypothetical as some suppose.

The problem is that it’s realism is unfamiliar to us.

B. Does it mean a loss of salvation?

A theological bias will force an erroneous exegesis.

When we have a bias about a particular theological position, we will interpret the scripture according to our bias and not seek to see what the scripture is saying.

Example:

The Scofield reference Bible notes on this passage, says that these people are not actual believers, but those who have only had their appetite whet for salvation.

In fact, if you are relying on your Study Bible’s notes, you will not be able to discern for yourself.

The notes should only be a guide, but in some cases, can be misleading.

And, whether you realize it or not, every believer in this room has a bias!

And as long as your bias directs your interpretation of scripture you will remain stuck!

Some people believe they can loose their salvation for any or even a continuation of habitual sin.

But according to this passage, if that were true, they could not be saved again.

Some say you can never loose your salvation.

That if you are once saved your always saved, regardless of the evidence in the individuals life.

Still others, understand it to be not quite as simple as either of these positions.

C. Does God provide a means of recovery from this falling away?

Again our theological bias will play into the answer.

Most of us would say that we are saved once for all by the power of God, so then there is always provision for any sin.

This sounds right doesn’t it?

Well, let’s break down this thought process.

True: there is no sin greater than Christ’s sacrifice.

True: He will not turn away any that come to Him.

Yet: salvation and it’s appropriation, is solely of God and not man, because grace is a gift of God and not of works.

No one can come to Christ unless the Father first draws him.

These foundational truths are irrefutable!

These foundational truths are irrefutable!

Yet, each has its respectable place in the whole of Biblical doctrine.

And so, although we teach that salvation is simple, how it works out in the life of a believer is complex and humanly unintelligible.

So we come back to the question at hand: Does God make provision for those who have fallen away?

No and Yes!

No, because anyone who has at once and finally turned from the grace and mercy that they experienced in Christ, remaining in a state of apostasy cannot repent again unto salvation.

Because they were already saved, they cannot be saved again!

(renew them again unto repentance)

This does not seem to be the popular answer among evangelical Christians today, but the scripture will not pander to our predispositions.

This does not seem to be the popular answer among evangelical Christians today, but the scripture will not pander to our predispositions.

We need to understand that no where in scripture does it say that grace cannot be withdrawn.

This I find to be most interesting and disturbing!

In Christian circles, we console ourselves with a belief that we can be excused from all kinds of disobedience because grace cannot be retracted.

But listen to the Apostle Paul:

(NKJV): Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.

3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

(NKJV): Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

You see, we live under grace by something, the Bible calls it faith!

For the just shall live by faith!

It is apparent that believers can fall from grace because of a lack of faith.

I don’t know that this means loss of salvation, but I don’t really want to find out either!

The scriptures are clear that the importance is placed upon fruit in a believers life.

Examples: , the parable of the sower.

, the branches and the vine.

etc.

So in this respect, it seems He provides no provision from this apostacy, but in another way He does.

So in this respect, He provides no provision, but in another way He does.

That brings us to the second point…

II.

We must move from infancy to maturity.

Vs.1

The remedy for apostasy or any form of disobedience, is to grow in The grace of our Lord, and to avoid at all costs falling back!

And here the Apostle shows us what that looks like.

Leaving the discussion of the elementary principals of Christ.

Doesn’t the Christian church have enough babies that are always whining about the same things.

We never move on to maturity because we are always arguing about the same things.

Judging others because they don’t measure up to our standard of Christianity.

Judging others because they don’t measure up to their standard of Christianity.

Choking on the milk of the word, when we should by now digesting a porter house steak!

We’re like toddlers in a daycare crying because someone else is playing with the toy we want to play with!

There is a problem in our house!

Sometimes it seems like we’re running a daycare rather than a church!

Frankly I’m sick of what I see in the church today.

We have been in a 2 year old temper tantrum for far too long!

When are we going to move on to maturity!!!

Why must we argue about faith, ceremonies, baptism, the end times, or any of the foundational principals of Christ, when there are...

People who are hurting that we’ve been called to comfort.

People sick that we’ve been called to heal.

People lost that we’ve been called to find.

A world that needs to hear and see the love of God.

Does this sound harsh?

Is it too much?

well, this is what the writer is saying in this passage.

It is not a delicate little cautious statement, but a loud and raucous warning to avoid at all costs what too many have already succumbed to.

And unless we get this and move on to perfection and continue to grow in grace, we open ourselves up to the same fate!