You Can Lose Salvation
Categories: Sermon Outlines, Topical Sermon OutlinesWHY I AM A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST #12
INTRODUCTION:
A. Review…
B. I am a member of the church of Christ because it teaches that a child of God can so sin as to lose salvation.
C. The doctrine that a child of God cannot so sin as to lose salvation is one that is very prevalent in the denominational world today.
1. A host of people find false comfort in this doctrine of “once saved always saved.”
2. And, I believe that this doctrine leads to apathy, and in many instances – immorality.
C. But what does the Bible says about such a doctrine?
DISCUSSION:
A. THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT A CHILD OF GOD CAN FALL AND LOSE SALVATION
1. There are things for Christians to do to keep from falling
a. 2 Peter 1:10
b. “Give diligence … sure”
c. Do what things?
d. Do the things mentioned in the previous five verses
2. The Corinthian Christians were admonished to take heed lest they fall.
a. 1 Corinthians 10:12
b. If a person can not fall, why give this command?
c. There is no need for such a command if a person cannot fall from grace
3. Paul knew that is was possible for him to be rejected
a. 1 Corinthians 9:27
b. Paul knew that it was possible for him to be lost; and to prevent it, he disciplined his body
4. A child of God can quit believing and when he does he will start falling – Hebrews 3:12
5. The Galatians were taught that a Christian can fall from grace
a. Galatians 5:4
b. In attempting to be justified by the law of Moses they became guilty of a complete apostasy.
c. It is not only possible for one to fall from grace, it actually happened.
6. A person can so sin as to be eternally lost, because he can so sin as to be in a worse condition than he was before he became a Christian.
a. 2 Peter 2:20-22
b. Notice:
1) The had escaped the defilements of the world
2) They were again entangled therein and overcome
3) The last state is worse than the first
7. The parable of the sower emphatically refutes the doctrine of the impossibility of apostasy (Mt. 13:3-8, 18-23; Lk. 8:4-15)
a. The seed in the parable is the word of God (Lk. 8:11)
b. The sower is the gospel teacher or preacher (1 Cor. 3:6)
c. The soil is the human heart (Lk. 8:15)
d. The stony heart in this parable represents those who accepted the word but withered because of tribulation or persecution (Mt. 13:20-21; Lk. 8:13)
1) They became Christians but failed to produce fruit
2) Their appointed lot is recorded in Matthew 7:19
e. The thorny ground represents those who became Christians, but were choked out by the cares of the world and became unfruitful (Mt. 13:22; Lk. 8:14)
1) These accepted the word but later fell
2) This parable is a forceful warning to Christians that they can fall and be lost
8. The parable of the vine and the branches is more proof that a child of God, a Christian, can be eternally lost.
a. John 15:1-6
b. Those who are “in Christ,” Christians, if they do not bear fruit will be cast into the fire – into the fires of hell
9. We learn from the parable of the talents that a servant of the Lord can be lost (Mt. 25:14-30)
a. The persons under consideration are the Lord’s own servants
b. Two were faithful and were blessed; and one was unprofitable and wicked, and the Lord commanded him to be cast into outer darkness
c. Therefore, one of the Lord’s own servants can be eternally lost.
10.Jesus said that He would gather ones out of His kingdom and cast them into the furnace of fire.
a. Matthew 13:41-42
b. The citizens of Christ’s kingdom, Christians, who cause stumbling and do iniquity shall be cast into the furnace of fire.
11.Jesus said that He would spew the Laodiceans out of His mouth.
a. Revelation 3:15-16
b. Spewed out of Christ! So we can get out of Christ!
12.Paul said that men would apostatize or fall away from the faith.
a. 1 Timothy 4:1-2
b. It is an evident conclusion that they had the faith or they could not have departed from it
c. As a result _ 1 Timothy 5:12
B. DOES THE BIBLE TEACH THAT YOU CAN’T LOSE SALVATION? – An examination of some “so-called” proof texts
1. John 5:24
a. This verse is used by many to say that the believer has eternal life now, and is therefore impossible for him to be lost.
b. The obedient believer has eternal life in two senses:
1) In promise (1 Jn. 2:25)
2) And he has Jesus who is the “eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us” (1 Jn. 1:2)
c. The Bible teaches that we do not now have eternal life
1) Titus 1:1-2 … we do not hope for what we have – Romans 8:25
2) Romans 2:6-7 … eternal life is something that will be rendered
3) Eternal life is received in the world to come (Mk. 10:30)
2. Another “so-called” proof text is 1 John 3:9
a. Many denominations use this verse in an attempt to prove that a child of God cannot sin as to be eternally lost.
b. John says that the person cannot sin because the seed abides in him.
1) The seed is the word of God (Lk. 8:12)
2) The devil, though, can steal the word out of a person’s heart (Lk. 8:12)
c. John is not teaching in this verse that it is impossible for a Christian to sin, because he teaches in other verses that he can:
1) 1 John 1:7
2) As long as man does what the Bible says he will not sin … sin is a transgression of the law (1 Jn. 3:4)
3. One more “so-called” proof text is John 10:27-28
a. We need to realize that these precious promises are conditional upon the person following Christ …”they follow me”
b. Notice what Jesus says in the 12th verse of this same chapter … John 10:12
c. God’s promises are conditional!!!
CONCLUSION: Are you living up to God’s conditions?
* Gleaned from Leroy Brownlow’s book: “Why I Am A Member Of The Church of Christ”