3036.— Falling from Grace
By Editor
Will you kindly explain how it is possible for a regenerated soul to fall from grace? Have we instances of it in the Bible? It is perfectly possible for one to fall from grace if he so chooses. It is wholly a matter of choice. We can choose to do God’s will, or we can reject it; and after we have wrought His will, we can turn from it if we so desire. See Eze. 18:21-24. That it is possible to fall from grace, is shown by the warnings and exhortations which the Lord has multiplied to His children. Take for instance the following: “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matt. 24:13. “I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, IF ye keep in memory what I preached unto you.” 1 Cor. 15:1, 2. “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away.” 1 Cor. 9:27. “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 3:13, 14. “For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.” Heb. 3:14. And there are many other passages exhorting to perseverance. We have a noted instance of a regenerated heart turning from the service of God in the case of King Saul. The prophecy of Samuel to him was, “And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.” 1 Sam. 10:6. And verse 9 relates its fulfilment: “And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day.” But we know what the record is. Saul allowed self-exaltation to come in; and he went from bad to worse until at last he turned from God utterly, and died because of his sin in consulting witches. The great thought continually held before us in the Scripture is perseverance, living to-day, choosing now for God.