CHRISTIAN - BEWARE OF FAILING GOD'S GRACE AND FORFEITING YOUR SALVATION
'CP' denotes 'Compare Passage'
CHRISTIAN - BEWARE OF FAILING GOD'S GRACE AND FORFEITING YOUR SALVATION
Christians need to be reminded here at the very outset of this study that salvation is not an unforfeitable possession in this life. It only becomes unforfeitable at the end of life if one is sowing to the Spirit (CP Ro 8:1-14; 1Cor 9:27; Ga 6:7-8 with Rev 22:11-12). Right throughout scripture Christians are warned in one form or another against failing God's grace and forfeiting their salvation (CP Mt 5:13 (also Mk 9:49-50; Lu 14:34-35); 6:19-21, 24 (also Lu 16:13); 12:30; Lu 13:22-27; Jn 15:4-6; Ro 6:16; 1Cor 9:27; 10:1-12; 2Cor 6:1; 7:1; 13:5; Php 2:12; 3:13-14; Col 2:6-8; 1Ti 6:17-19; He 2:1; 10:24-31; 12:1, 12-15, 25-29; 1Jn 2:15-17; Rev 2:1-7, 8-11, 12-17, 18-29; 3:1-6, 7-13, 14-22). These scriptures are not exhaustive, but representative of the many warning Christians against failing God's grace and forfeiting their salvation. There are many in the parables of Jesus also. We cannot closely examine them all here but we will look at as many as possible so readers will be under no misapprehension that their salvation is a foregone conclusion, as so many believe (CP Mt 5:13; Mk 9:49-50; Lu 14:34-35).
Here Jesus likens Christians to salt, which seasons and preserves. Christians are to be seasoning agents in society to counteract the corrupt world system and advance God's Kingdom in the earth (CP Mt 5:14-16; Mk 4:21-25). Christians who fail in this duty are like salt that has lost its "saltiness". It no longer serves its purpose and is thrown out. So too those Christians who no longer serve God's purpose will forfeit their salvation (Mt 6:19-21, 24; Lu 16:13). Mammon refers to earthly riches - material possessions and wealth. Here Jesus teaches Christians not to allow the acquisition of material possessions and wealth to become their life-goal because it will eventually estrange them from God. Christians must ever be alert to the danger of being seduced from their allegiance to God by the allurements of riches and material possessions. They must guard against any preoccupation at all with material things lest they become more important than the things of God (CP Mt 13:3-9, 18-23).
This is called the parable of the Sower. It perfectly describes the outcome for Christians who think they can serve both God and mammon - who are caught up in the pursuit of wealth and possessions. The term deceitfulness of riches in V 22 means that wealth gives a false sense of security. Choke means figuratively to overpower. The false sense of security emanating from material possessions and wealth overpowers the word of God in Christians and prevents them bearing fruit for the Kingdom. They are seduced by their wealth from continuing in God's service. They become "savourless salt" and are no longer a beacon of God's light in the world. Paul makes the same statement of claim (CP 1Ti 6:9-10). Erred here means seduced. Those who covet after wealth err from the faith. They will be seduced by their wealth away from God. The pursuit of wealth debases the mind, destroys Godly traits and makes Christians selfish, proud, and avaricious, which all lead to destruction and perdition.
Perdition refers to the state after death wherein exclusion from salvation is a realised fact, wherein man, instead of becoming what he might have been in God, is eternally damned. This is a grim warning to Christians. Perdition is the final destiny of Christians focusing on earthly riches and serving mammon in this life, as opposed to serving God and storing up treasures for themselves in Heaven that will guarantee their eternal security in the next life (CP Lu 12:13-15). Abundance here means more than is needed, surplus to needs (CP Mt 12:30). Jesus makes it clear in this passage of scripture that there is no neutrality in Christianity. Christians not actively involved in doing the work of the gospel for Christ are actively involved in doing the work of the Devil in opposition to Him. Jesus has laid down the conditions of salvation and no one can be saved who does not comply with those conditions (CP Mt 7:21-27; Lu 6:46-49; 11:27-28 with Ro 2:13; Jas 1:22-25 also Rev 1:3). The core condition of salvation is strict obedience to God's word (CP 1Sam 15:22-23; Psa 119:9 with Jn 14:15; 15:10, 14; 1Jn 2:3-6; Rev 14:12).
Most Christians believe that salvation depends solely upon confessing Christ as Lord, but the plain teaching of scripture is that one can only be saved through the narrow confines of a Christian walk totally consecrated to the service of God and completely yielded to the authority of His word (CP Lu 13:22-27). Jesus' admonition to His disciple here to "strive to enter in at the strait gate" emphasises the difficulty Christians who are not doing the work of God's word will encounter in securing their salvation. The word strive means struggle, fight, labour fervently, wrestle as in an award contest, straining every nerve to the uttermost toward the goal (CP 1Cor 9:24-27; Php 3:8-14). It is only by strenuously contending for the things of God, and rejecting out of hand the things that cause enmity with God, that Christians can secure a place for themselves in God's eternal Kingdom. This expresses the earnestness Christians must have in getting rid of sin and walking in complete obedience to God's word. It typifies the force required to take hold of the Kingdom, and is presented in scripture as the life-task of every professing Christian (CP Mt 7:13-14; 11:12; Php 2:12; He 4:1). Christians must order their lives to do the work of God's word.
The violent who take the Kingdom of Heaven by force in Mt 11:12 are Christians who press in with ardent zeal and intense exertion to secure their salvation. They will allow nothing to hinder them from ensuring their place in God's eternal Kingdom. Violent in this context means strong, forceful. Take by force means seize upon, claim for oneself eagerly (CP Lu 16:16). Press here means use forceful endeavours. What Jesus is saying in effect both here and Mt 11:12 is that the Kingdom of Heaven can only be possessed by those who press in with the most ardent zeal and intensest exertions; with the utmost eagerness and effort. He is highlighting the difficulty of entering in for those who lack those qualifications. Christians must be relentless in their pursuit of the Kingdom (CP Jn 6:27; 12:25-26; Ga 2:20; Eph 4:17-32; Col 3:1-10; 1Ti 6:12; 2Pe 1:10-11; 2Jn 8).
Christians who are not bearing fruit for God's eternal Kingdom will not be part of the Kingdom and it is folly for them to think they will. They fail God's grace and will forfeit their salvation (CP Mt 7:19-20; Jn 15:1-8, 16). Jesus is talking to His disciples in Jn 15, and by extension every Christian in the church age, warning them of the dangers of not bearing fruit for His Kingdom. Taketh away means to cut off, sever. He is God. This refers to Christians not bearing fruit for God's Kingdom being cut off, severed from God, their source of life (CP Mt 25:14-30; Lu 19:11-26), Here we have two parables which both teach what happens to fruitless Christians. Mt 25:14-30 is called the parable of the Talents, and Lu 19:11-26 is called the parable of the Pounds.