Leaving the faith

Something that is very sad for a Christian is seeing people who are dear to them leave the faith. One of my close friends, who was also a gospel preacher, divorced his wife unscripturally and remarried several years ago, and it broke my heart. Even sadder was his response regarding the Bible’s teaching on remarriage and adultery: “I never really believed that stuff anyway.”

Despite Calvinistic doctrine which teaches that once someone is saved, they are always saved, falling away is a real fear. The Hebrew writer said, “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it” (Hebrews 4:1). Peter said, “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” (2 Peter 2:20-21). Leaving the faith introduces the prospect of an eternity spent in hell, a place of outer darkness and torment (Matthew 8:12; Luke 16:23).

The admonition of Paul in 1 Corinthians 16:13 is critical: “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” The temptation to leave the faith can be overcome by grounding yourself in the reliability and believability of the Bible, the work and character of Christ, the comfort of beloved Bible passages, and the fellowship of faithful saints. Don’t let go and turn your back on God and other Christians who love you. Strengthen yourself against falling from the will of God.

Kyle Campbell