1784.—Can One Converted Apostatize?
By Editor
If a person who is converted and born again can apostatize and be destroyed, what does John 6:47, 37; 14:19, "Because I live, ye shall live also" mean? John 6:47 and kindred texts are simply statements of the fact that when man comes into perfect harmony with the will of God, the inflow of God's eternal life takes place. He holds that life by faith. If he yields the faith, he yields the life. There are many earnest injunctions in the Scriptures to endure unto the end, "We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end;" "He that endureth unto the end, the same shall be saved." In the life to come, after probation has passed, the children of God will have eternal life absolutely. Here it is held conditionally. One of the greatest errors that men follow in the interpretation of the Scripture is to take some figure that is used and press it to its fullest meaning. The Lord used various figures to show what conversion means. No one of them should be pressed to an unreasonable conclusion that is not borne out by the Scripture. For instance, the distinction of character between a child of God and a worldling is indicated by the wheat and the tares, they are different in nature. Should we press that to its fullest limit, we would say, Once wheat, always wheat; once tares, always tares. But the parable is not designed to teach that. It simply shows that the two classes are thoroughly distinct. "Ye must be born again," or be begotten again in Christ, indicates that there must be a complete change in our nature, a new life, born from above. Conversion is another thing which indicates the attitude of the individual; a turning about. Just as long as the child of God holds by faith to Jesus Christ, there can be no distrust, no turning away, no breaking of the connection between himself and his Lord; but when he turns from the power and life of the Lord, he is living to himself and getting the things that are of the earth earthly. In the light of these general principles, we are sure that these texts will be plain.