The Daily Word of Righteousness

Falling Back Into Sin, continued

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: (Matthew 7:24)

For so long the words of Christ in the Gospels have been ignored because of the pernicious manner in which Divine grace has been presented. Let us hope in our day God will raise an army of young men and women who will remove this error from the face of the earth. May the young warriors be as arrows driven into the heart of the enemy, the enemy who has taken the words of Paul and distorted them until Paul is presented as teaching we no longer are required to keep the commandments of Christ and His Apostles.

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20,21)

Although our purpose in this series of essays is to explain Hebrews 6:4-6, we occasionally have branched off into the concept that the Christian salvation is not merely a set of beliefs but always results in righteous behavior. The fact is, the bulk of the New Testament writings have to do with righteous behavior. Nowhere is this more true than in the Book of Hebrews.

When a believer falls away he falls away from righteous behavior and returns to sinful behavior, the behavior he engaged in prior to his conversion.

The reason I have branched off in this manner is that the current distortion of Hebrews 6:4-6 results from an attempt to force the New Testament to support the current idea that salvation is a set of beliefs that operates independently of our behavior.

When we understand that salvation is dynamic and not static, that it begins in a specific manner, continues in a specific manner, and will conclude in a specific manner, we have no problem with Hebrews 6:4-6. The passage says what it means and means what it says.

If a believer, having had considerable experience in Christ, then turns away from the path and returns to sin, it may prove to be impossible to renew him or her to repentance from sin. He has known the way of righteousness and now has turned away from it. He is as a dog returning to its vomit. It would be better had he never known the way of righteousness (from II Peter).

These are stern words and not characteristic of contemporary Evangelical doctrine. The truth is, contemporary Evangelical doctrine is in error concerning the requirements placed on the believer after having begun the way of salvation. We have thousands of carnal, sinful churches to show for our departure from God's Word.

Hopefully our brief treatment of the Book of Hebrews will start some people thinking. If the current teaching is incorrect then we need to turn and teach and do what is right. It won't be the first time in history the churches have gotten off course.

The book of the law has been found, so to speak. What do we do about it? What is the Lord saying?

If I am hearing the Lord He is saying that the Christians in America need to repent and start keeping the commandments of Christ and His Apostles. God does not want to hear any explanations about a dispensation of grace or eternal security or how we are not under the law but under grace or any other form of reasoning. God wants His commandments kept! He wants righteous, godly, obedient behavior on the part of those who profess faith in Christ! God wants His churches to be a moral light in America, not silly groups of people who are jumping up and down next to their pews waiting for an unscriptural "pre-tribulation rapture" to remove them from the problems of the world.

You ask the Lord about it. This is too serious a business to take lightly. You are a Christian. Ask God in Jesus' name if I am telling you the truth.

Reread what we have taught from the Book of Hebrews. See if we have cut a straight course in the Word of Truth.

Then join with us and pray with us that God may grant repentance to the Christian churches of America before it is too late! (from Falling Back Into Sin)