Can a Christian Fall From Grace?
Grace is mentioned one hundred and seventy times in one hundred and fifty nine verses in the Bible. It is first mentioned in Genesis 6:8, "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." Noah did not find grace because of his sinless perfection for the Bible informs us that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). All of us (Noah included) can be thankful that our God is merciful to sinners. No one is righteous enough to earn salvation, but all souls are at the mercy of God. I am so glad for the words of the psalmist who assures me that "the Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy" (Psalms 19:3,8). The reformer John Calvin propagated a theory that God's grace is unconditional. He taught that if man exerted any human effort to be saved then he would earn his salvation and would be saved on his own merit. Calvin then propagated the theory that it was impossible for a Christian to be lost.
THE EXAMPLE OF NOAH PROVES CALVIN TO BE WRONG
In Genesis 6:8 the inspired writer wrote, "But Noah foudn grace in the eyes of the Lord." Noah found grace because he lived a righteous life, and was not led away into sin with the rest of humanity. Noah's received grace on the condition that he live a righteous life. Not only this, but in order for Noah to continue in the grace of God the great servant of God had to show his faithfullness by building an ark. "Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the sire thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it" (Genesis 6:14-16). Supposing Noah had chosen not to build the ark, or supposing he had decided to alter the dimensions, or the design that God had given him? Would Noah have continued in the grace of God? The answer is obvious.
PAUL WAS ANOUTHER WHO FOUND GRACE IN THE EYES OF GOD
Paul said of himself, "Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus" (I Timothy 1:13,14). The conversion of Saul (Paul) is recorded in Acts chapter nine and Acts chapter twenty-two. Paul (then Saul) met the Lord in a dramatic way as he was heading for Damascus to have Christians killed. Three days later he head the gospel through the mouth of a man named Ananias. Ananias said to Paul, "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16). Paul's sins were forgiven at Damascus. However, he still had to remain faithful. Paul wrote, "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others I myself should be cast away" (I Corinthians 9:27). Paul plainly tells us that although he was saved, he needed to exercise diligent human effort to avoid becoming a castaway (i.e. lost).
THE BIBLE CERTAINLY SAYS THAT WE ARE JUSTIFIED BY GRACE
Romans 3:24 makes if very clear that were are justified by grace; "Being JUSTIFIED freely by HIS GRACE through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." However, we are NOT JUSTIFIED BY GRACE ALONE! For example, we are justified by our words. Jesus said, "For by they WORDS thou shalt be condemned" (Matthew 12:37). We are also justified by FAITH. Paul wrote, "Therefore being JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). It is interesting that we are also justified by WORKS. James wrote, "Ye see then how that BY WORKS a man is justified, and NOT by FAITH ONLY" (James 2:24). Notice that Jeames did not say that a man is justified by works only. There is no verse in Scripture that teaches tha we are justified by grace only. God's grace is combined with man's response in order to produce Biblical faith. James said, "Yea a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me they faith without they works , and I will show thee my faith by my works" (James 2:18). WE GET INTO GRACE BY FAITH. Paul wrote, "By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:2). We cannot exercise Biblical faith withour human effort for "faith comes through hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). Faith is a work. Jesus said, "...This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent" (John 6:29).
CALVIN'S TEACHING THAT WE CANNOT FALL FROM GRACE IS CONTRARY TO THE BIBLE
CALVINIST TEACHES THAT GOD IS UNJUST. Since Calvinists believe that there is no human activity at all involved in one's salvation, they not only teach that a saved person cannot be lost, but als that a lost person cannot be saved. This is extremely unjust; reducing a compassionate God of the Bible to an evil fiend who has willed from the beginning that some will be cast into hell irrespective of how hard they try to obey Him. According to Calvinism, others will spend eternity with Him, irrespective of how evil they are. The inspired writer of Psalm 86 wrote, "But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth" (Psalm 86:15). How could this fit the picture of one who wills men to be lost? The Bible teaches that God is not a respector of persons. The apostle Peter said, "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respector of persons: But in every nation he that FEARETH him, and WORKETH RIGHTEOUSNESS, is ACCEPTED with him" (Acts 10"34,35). Notice in this verse that FEARING GOD and WORKING righteousness are conditions that must be met if one is to receive the grace of God. Calvin't teachings make God a respector of persons.
- -Ian McPherson