Daily Devotions
Falling From Grace
Reading for August 21st: Jeremiah 35-37
Weekly reading for August 16-22: Galatians 1-6
You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.
Galatians 5:4
By far, the most popular point of Calvinistic doctrine is that once you are saved by Christ you cannot be lost. Many who do not even see themselves as Calvinists embrace this doctrine. (And probably some of you who are reading this.)
Without making this too simplistic (and I invite any objections and or questions you might raise) I would like those who believe in "Once Saved, Always Saved" to consider this text. Think about it, if this passage is not teaching that one can fall from grace, then what is it saying?
I worry about either extreme on the subject of assurance. There is a danger in believing that salvation is completely up to us and forgetting that we are saved by grace. While we must "work out our salvation with fear and trembling," let us not forget that "it is God who works in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12)
However, it is just as dangerous to take the other extreme. While the Bible does teach that the BELIEVER has security in Christ, it does not teach that the UNBELIEVER has security. So I would warn you to take care "lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God." (Hebrews 3:12)
God and Father of peace, may you sanctify us completely, and keep our whole spirit and soul and body blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
