{"id":90761,"date":"2021-03-12T08:07:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-12T13:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/keriritenour.com\/grace\/carnality\/"},"modified":"2023-10-07T22:31:30","modified_gmt":"2023-10-08T02:31:30","slug":"carnality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/keriritenour.com\/grace\/carnality\/","title":{"rendered":"Carnality"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Hebrews 6:4-6: \u201cFor it is impossible for those who were\nonce enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers\nof the Holy Ghost, <strong><sup>5<\/sup><\/strong>And have tasted the good word of God, and\nthe powers of the world to come, <strong><sup>6<\/sup><\/strong>If they shall fall away, to\nrenew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of\nGod afresh, and put him to an open shame.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A fact Christians often ignore is that, within\nScripture, there are difficult passages.&nbsp;\nBecause a passage is difficult, we have a choice: ignore it or accept it\nby working to properly interpret and come to understanding.&nbsp; The danger with difficult passages is the\nerror of using it as a proof text, outside of Scriptural comparison, to arrive\nat a dogmatic conclusion.&nbsp; Hebrews 6 is\nsuch a passage.&nbsp; Do these verses teach\nloss of salvation or loss of the benefits of salvation?&nbsp; Do they speak of an unbeliever or an immature\nbeliever?&nbsp; &nbsp;To discover the Biblical answer, we turn to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\n<li>Historical Context: Written\nabout 65 A.D., the authorship of Hebrews is often attributed to Paul but that\nassertion can not be confirmed.&nbsp;\nRegardless, the book\u2019s canonicity has never been questioned.&nbsp; The\nBook of Hebrews addresses three separate groups: believers in Christ,\nunbelievers who had knowledge of and an intellectual acceptance of the facts of\nChrist, and unbelievers who were attracted to Christ, but who rejected Him\nultimately. It\u2019s important to understand which group is being addressed in which\npassage. To fail to do so can cause us to draw conclusions inconsistent with\nthe rest of Scripture.&nbsp; The writer of\nHebrews gives ample encouragement to believers, but there are five solemn\nwarnings we must heed. There is the (<strong>1<\/strong>)\ndanger of neglect (Hebrews 2:1-4), (<strong>2<\/strong>)\nthe danger of unbelief (Hebrews 3:7\u20134:13), (<strong>3<\/strong>) <strong>the danger of spiritual\nimmaturity (Hebrews 5:11\u20136:20)<\/strong>, (<strong>4<\/strong>)\nthe danger of failing to endure (Hebrews 10:26-39), and (<strong>5<\/strong>) the inherent danger of refusing God (Hebrews 12:25-29). And so\nwe find in this crowning masterpiece a great wealth of doctrine, a refreshing\nspring of encouragement, and a source of sound, practical warnings against\nslothfulness in our Christian walk. But there is still more, for in Hebrews we\nfind a magnificently rendered portrait of our Lord Jesus Christ\u2014the Author and\nFinisher of our great salvation (Hebrews 12:2).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\n<li>Grammatical Usage: In v. 6: \u201caway\u201d is \u201cParapipto\u201d in the Greek meaning, \u201cto deviate from the\nright or correct or prescribed path\u201d; \u201crepentance\u201d or \u201cMetanoia\u201d means, \u201ca\nchange of mind; change of commitment\u201d. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\n<li>Literal Application: &#8220;If they fail to <strong>do<\/strong> what is righteous (as the Lord instructs), to be brought back to\ntheir commitment, to their loss (temporal and eternal reward) they are\ncrucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public\ndisgrace.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\n<li>Contextual\nInterpretation:&nbsp; Essentially, there are\nfour views on this passage:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. The Armenian View<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Summary: A Christian may turn away from his faith and\nthus may lose his salvation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Main elements: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A. Those warned are\ngenuine believers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">B. Future salvation is\nnot assured (no eternal security).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">C. The warning concerns\neternal judgment (hell).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Positive aspects:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A. It appears to take the\ndescription of those warned at face value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">B. It appears to take the\nwarnings literally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Concerns:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">It contradicts the\ndoctrine of eternal security and raises doubt as to the certainty of one\nattaining salvation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. The Loss of Rewards View<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Summary: A\nChristian may fall away and thus lose future rewards, <em>as well as encounter\nsevere discipline in this life (1 Corinthians 5:5)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Main elements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A. Those warned are\nviewed as genuine Christians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">B. Future salvation is\nassured for every true believer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">C. The warnings concern\nfuture rewards <em>and earthly discipline<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Positive aspects:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A. The warnings apply to\nChristians (just as the exhortations do).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">B. The warnings are taken seriously, as a very real\npossibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">C. This view undergirds\nassurance and confidence in one\u2019s confession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Difficulties: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A. Is \u201cearthly\ndiscipline\u201d as severe as the description of the judgment on the one who falls\naway? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">B. Is \u201cearthly\ndiscipline\u201d severe enough to match the description of judgment?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. The Calvinistic View<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Summary: If an\napparent Christian apostatizes (falls away by denying the faith), then we know\nhe was never really saved in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Main elements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A. Those warned and disciplined are not true believers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">B. Only an unbeliever can apostatize or fall away from\nthe faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">C. The warning of eternal judgment is for unbelievers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Positive aspects:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A. It is consistent with the doctrine of eternal\nsecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">B. It means that a Christian can never lose his faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">C. It takes the warning of judgment seriously (for\nunbelievers).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Difficulties:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A. Can those described in verses 4-5 really be unsaved?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">B. The emphasis falls on unbelievers, rather than\nbelievers (to whom the author appears to have consistently been speaking up to\nthis point).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">C. Does this view undermine the confidence and assurance\nof believers in their confession? Will true believers always be doubtful of\ntheir salvation?&nbsp; Yes \u2013 yet Scripture\naffirms otherwise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. The Historically Unique View<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Summary: The\nsituation this group of professing Jewish believers faced is unique and is not\nlike any situation believers face today; thus the warnings are for those people\nin those days, but not so much for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Main elements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A. This is a unique situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">B. Thus its application to us is minimized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Positive aspects: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The historical setting is\ntaken into consideration in the interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Difficulties: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A. It sets a bad precedent. No circumstance described in\nScripture is ever identical to our circumstances.&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">B. Do we take this same interpretive approach with every\npassage that has its own setting? No, all Scripture is intended for our\ninstruction (2 Timothy 3:16).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">C. The failure of the first generation of Israelites in\nthe desert was unique, and yet both the author of Psalm 95 and the author of\nHebrews believed that there were lessons for us to learn from Israel\u2019s\nfailures. Paul applies the same lessons in 1 Corinthians 10:1-13.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">D. It blunts the force of\nthe author\u2019s argument.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The crux of the issue rests with the words, \u201cIf they\nshall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance\u2026.\u201d&nbsp; The passage is definitely referring to\nbelievers, but it is not teaching that \u201cfalling away\u201d means ultimate\ndamnation.&nbsp; To the contrary, the believer\ncan never lose his salvation but he can lose everything else about his\nexperience except his salvation.&nbsp; <strong>To \u201cfall away\u201d is to fall into a permanent\ncondition of stunted spiritual growth that renders a person totally fruitless\nand unable due to unwillingness to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus\nChrist.<\/strong>&nbsp; The author maintains this same theme\nthroughout: Hebrews 3:6, 14; 10:23-25, 35-39.&nbsp;\nThe author counsels a review of the basics of the Christian faith (6:1) as a\nremedy.&nbsp; Clearly, Christ is not dying\nagain in order to redeem the redeemed (1 Peter 3:18).&nbsp; <strong>Hence,\nthey are saved but their works or lifestyle prove not just inconsistent but\ncontrary to their position in Christ.<\/strong>&nbsp;\nCompare Galatians 5:4 where Jews rejected the work of Christ in favor of\nthe law and works \u2013 these have unequivocally rejected grace (rejected the\nmessage of salvation) and consequently are not saved.&nbsp; Christ is not dying again for them\neither.&nbsp; The single act of Christ\u2019s\npropitiation is enough.&nbsp; In v. 6 \u201crenew\u201d\nis linked to \u201crepentance\u201d which, according to definition, does not mean \u201ca man\nonce saved and lose salvation\u201d but \u201ca man once saved can not be saved again\u2026and\nagain\u2026and again, etc., because once saved is always saved\u201d (Romans 8:38, 39).&nbsp; <strong>It is\nnow a matter of subjection to the Savior as Lord.<\/strong>&nbsp; This is not the first time this concept\nappears as Paul speaks of being disqualified for service in 1 Corinthians 9:27\ndue precisely to loss of subjection, which is not a reference to lost\nsalvation.&nbsp; The same is affirmed in 2\nJohn 8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">This passage refers to persons who could not be won back\nto the state of repentance (lifestyle reflecting their position in Christ) which\nmarked their original conversation to Christianity.&nbsp; In affirming this, the author indicates a\nhardening of the heart against all efforts to win them back \u2013 not to Christian\nconversion but Christian commitment.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Clearly based upon\nRomans 8:38, 39 as well as other passages where the eternal security of the\nbeliever is affirmed, the best possible understanding of this Hebrews\u2019 passage\nis the loss of rewards view.&nbsp; The key to\nunderstanding this particular difficult passage which is specific to believers is\nto understand that the book of Hebrews is exhorting <strong>believers<\/strong> to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\n<li>Gain an\nappreciation for the sufficiency of Jesus Christ alone as our Great High Priest\n(1:1-2:8);<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Recognize our\ninadequacies and our dependence upon God\u2019s provisions through His Son\n(3:7-4:13);<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Draw near to Him\nfor help in our time of need (4:14-16);<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pay closer\nattention to God\u2019s Word (2:1-4; 4:12-13);<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Press on from\n\u201cmilk\u201d to \u201cmeat\u201d (5:11 \u2013 6:3).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">In short, get real\nwith your life.&nbsp; Understand the spiritual\nis played out in the temporal: real choices, real decisions and real\nconsequences for both good and bad.&nbsp; We\nare talking about God\u2019s reputation and will as expressed (or not) through the\nlife of a believer as opposed to an individual\u2019s salvation status.&nbsp; This was a critical message given that the\nHebrews were about to enter into another period of persecution (Hebrews\n10:32-34).&nbsp; The point had to be made to\nstand firm.&nbsp; One can not stand firm with\none foot in the camp of God and another in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Scriptural Comparison:&nbsp;\nWhat we are dealing with is the issue of carnality in the life of the\nChristian (not the loss of salvation).&nbsp; We\ncan not interpret a text in isolation, but in light of all Scripture.&nbsp; The Bible validates itself.&nbsp; This is why we can reconcile the sovereignty\nof God and the responsibility of man.&nbsp;\nGod addresses the carnal nature extensively in His Word: a fact which in\nand of itself demonstrates discipline afforded his \u201cchildren\u201d.&nbsp; In fact, Hebrews 12:7 is a direct reference\nto Deuteronomy 8.&nbsp; The author\u2019s point is\nthat God uses \u201cdiscipline\u201d (adversity, suffering, etc.) to bring us to maturity\nas sons in line with Romans 8:29 which proves God\u2019s first obligation to a\nbeliever.&nbsp; Thus, discipline is not the\nevidence of lost salvation \u2013 just the opposite: it is the confirmation <strong>of<\/strong> your salvation.&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">What we experience by allowing a carnal nature include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>(1) Loss of\nfellowship with the Lord plus loss of the control of the Holy Spirit and His\nfruit in the life<\/strong> (cf. 1 Jn. 1:5-7). Sin grieves\nand quenches the Spirit (Eph. 4:30; 1 Thess. 5:19). Sin affects our prayer life\n(Ps. 66:18), our witness (Acts 1:8), Bible study (1 Cor. 2:10-16; Eph. 3:16f),\ni.e., all the ministries of the Holy Spirit in believers\u2019 lives. The Holy\nSpirit\u2019s ministry is turned from enabling to convicting, etc., (1 John 1:5-7; Ephesians\n4:30, 3:16-19; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; Psalm 66:18; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians\n2:10-16).&nbsp; &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>(2) Misery, loss of joy, because we are controlled by the\nsinful nature.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Psalm 32:3-4: When I refused to confess my sin, my whole\nbody wasted away, while I groaned in pain all day long. 4 For day and night you\ntormented me; you tried to destroy me in the intense heat of summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>(3) Dissipation or wastefulness of our spiritual, mental,\nand physical resources.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Ephesians 5:18: And do\nnot get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>(4) Production of the works of the flesh with their awful\nconsequences.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Galatians 5:19-21: Now the works of the flesh are\nobvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, 20 idolatry, sorcery,\nhostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries,\ndissensions, factions, 21 envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar\nthings. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such\nthings will not inherit the kingdom\n of God!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Galatians 5:26 Let us not\nbecome conceited, provoking one another, being jealous of one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>(5) Divine discipline, the heavy hand of God on our lives\nto turn us around.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Hebrews 12:5-10: And have you forgotten the exhortation\naddressed to you as sons? \u201cMy son, do not scorn the Lord\u2019s discipline or give\nup when he corrects you. 6 \u201cFor the Lord disciplines the one he loves and\nchastises every son he accepts.\u201d 7 Endure your suffering as discipline; God is\ntreating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline?\n8 But if you do not experience discipline, something all sons have shared in,\nthen you are illegitimate and are not sons. 9 Besides, we have experienced\ndiscipline from our earthly fathers and we respected them; shall we not submit\nourselves all the more to the Father of spirits and receive life? 10 For they\ndisciplined us for a little while as seemed good to them, but he does so for\nour benefit, that we may share his holiness.&nbsp;\n(1 Corinthians 11:29-32; Psalm 32:4)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>(6) Broken relationships and pain to those around us,\nespecially to our families.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Galatians 5:15: However, if you continually bite and\ndevour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Hebrews 12:15: See to it that no one comes short of the\ngrace of God, that no one be like <em>a bitter root<\/em> <em>springing up<\/em> and\ncausing trouble, and through him many become defiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>(7) Loss of our testimony in the world and dishonor to\nthe Lord.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">1 Peter 2:12-15: and maintain good conduct among the\nnon-Christians, so that though they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see\nyour good deeds and glorify God when he appears. 13 Be subject to every human\ninstitution for the Lord\u2019s sake, whether to a king as supreme 14 or to\ngovernors as those he commissions to punish wrongdoers and praise those who do\ngood. 15 For God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing\ngood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">1 Peter 3:15-17: But set Christ apart as Lord in your\nhearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope\nyou possess. 16 Yet do it with courtesy and respect, keeping a good conscience,\nso that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when\nthey accuse you. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it,\nthan for doing evil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">1 Peter 4:15-16: But let none of you suffer as a murderer\nor thief or criminal or as a troublemaker. 16 But if you suffer as a Christian,\ndo not be ashamed, but glorify God that you bear such a name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>(8) Loss of rewards\nat the Bema seat of Christ.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">1 Corinthians 3:12-15: If anyone builds on the foundation\nwith gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 each builder\u2019s work\nwill be plainly seen, for the Day will make it clear, because it will be\nrevealed by fire. And the fire will test what kind of work each has done. 14 If\nwhat someone has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If someone\u2019s work\nis burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as\nthrough fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">2 Corinthians 5:10: For we must all appear before the\njudgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be paid back according to what he\nhas done while in the body, whether good or evil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Consequences of Continued and Open Rebellion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">In addition to the\nabove the following apply:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\n<li><strong>Increased\ndiscipline from the heavy hand of God.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Psalm 32:4 4: For day and night you tormented me; you\ntried to destroy me in the intense heat of summer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Hebrews 12:6: \u201cFor the Lord disciplines the one he loves\nand chastises every son he accepts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>(2) Continuation in\nsin may require the church to take action even to the point of excommunication<\/strong> (1 Cor. 5).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">2 Thessalonians 3:6-15: But we command you, brothers and\nsisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother\nwho lives an undisciplined life and not according to the tradition you received\nfrom us. 7 For you know yourselves how you must imitate us, because we did not\nbehave without discipline among you, 8 and we did not eat anyone\u2019s food without\npaying. Instead, in toil and drudgery we worked night and day in order not to\nburden any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give\nourselves as an example for you to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you,\nwe used to give you this command: \u201cIf anyone is not willing to work, neither\nshould he eat.\u201d 11 For we hear that some among you are living an undisciplined\nlife, not doing their own work but meddling in the work of others. 12 Now such\npeople we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and so\nprovide their own food to eat. 13 But you, brothers and sisters, do not grow\nweary in doing what is right. 14 But if anyone does not obey our message\nthrough this letter, take note of him and do not associate closely with him, so\nthat he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him\nas a brother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Matthew 18:17: If he refuses to listen to them, tell it\nto the church. If he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like a Gentile\nor a tax collector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>(3) Divine\ndiscipline to the point of physical death.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">1 Corinthians 11:30: That is why many of you are weak and\nsick, and quite a few are dead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">1 John 5:16: If anyone sees his fellow Christian\ncommitting a sin not resulting in death, he should ask, and God will grant life\nto the person who commits a sin not resulting in death. There is a sin\nresulting in death. I do not say that he should ask about that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Certainly,\nbelievers are secure in Christ and cannot lose their salvation, a salvation\naccomplished by the finished work of the Savior who sits victoriously at God\u2019s\nright hand to plead our case. But reality and Scripture shows us, unless\nbelievers abide in fellowship and deal in faith with the sin in their lives,\nthey can fall into serious conditions of sin just like David. Such can happen\nbecause the person was never truly saved, but quite often the real cause is a\nfailure to abide in the life and power of the Spirit of God. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size\">\n<li>Conclusion: The Apostle Paul staked his faith on the\ntrustworthiness of God\u2019s grace. Though some understand this to refer to God\u2019s\ndeposit of gifts in Paul, I believe that which he had entrusted, literally,\n\u201cthe deposit,\u201d was his personal faith in the finished work of Christ as the\nbasis of his salvation (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:14; 2 Timothy\n1:14). Paul was confident that this would be preserved until all the dangers\nand failures of life would be past with the coming of the Lord.&nbsp; It was Paul who called for all believers to\nrun the race \u2013 despite all of the adversity and snares which lay ahead \u2013\nknowing that which He has begun in us, the \u2018good work\u2019, He will finish\n(Philippians 1:6).&nbsp; This is why we will\n\u201crest\u201d tomorrow but toil today.&nbsp; The goal\nof understanding our security is an assurance that motivates to godly living,\nnever careless living or taking the Lord for granted. Remember, God is our\nheavenly Father who, in love, will discipline His children to draw them back to\nHimself for the sake of His reputation as well as work to which we have been\ncalled.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hebrews 6:4-6: \u201cFor it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[526,534],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Carnality - Grace Evangelical Free Church<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Carnality - Grace Evangelical Free Church\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Hebrews 6:4-6: \u201cFor it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; 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