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The Bible tells us on one hand to be no more children, but then it tells us to become like children? Is that a contradiction? We often emphasize the need to grow up as Christians; how that growing as a child of God means putting away childishness. For example, Ephesians 4:14 says, “That we henceforth be no more children…” We’re to become of full age when it comes to our understanding, our spiritual appetite, our tolerance for different opinions, in our treatment of others, and so forth. 

Yet, on one occasion, in the ministry of Jesus, He said that we could not take part in His kingdom if we did not become like children. 

Mark 10:13-16 “And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.”

So, if the point of Christian growth is to mature, in what ways should we remain as a child? Well, when we think of a child, we think of innocence and purity. Some of the worst crimes one can perpetrate upon society are ones that harm children and that take away their innocence and childhood. It is disgusting to see the sexualization of children in our current culture. Through the internet, mass media, and the overall culture, we are exposing children to worlds that should be unknown to them. Children should be allowed to be children and their innocence preserved as long as possible. 

Jesus loved children and He used them in His ministry to teach some of the outstanding principles of His kingdom. In fact, Jesus did not seem to espouse the later doctrine that children are born as dead and corrupt sinners unable to respond to righteousness, because He made children models of what it means to come to the kingdom. 

Matthew 18:3 “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

How can a child lead us in righteousness if that child is sinful from birth and depraved, as John Calvin and his disciples and other theologians through time have suggested? No, the Bible instead teaches that children are our pattern in righteousness. When prophesying of the coming of Christ and His kingdom, Isaiah said this:

Isaiah 11:6 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.”

This is figurative language, of course, describing the meek, lowly and peaceful nature of the kingdom of Christ and those who would inhabit it. However, the disciples of Jesus viewed the promised kingdom as a political power and they were looking forward to seizing that power when they overthrew Rome and once again became sovereign with Jesus as their king. Therefore, in their minds, they wouldn’t think that Jesus would be interested in the children that people were bringing to Him. But, that wasn’t the idea of Jesus’ kingdom and their response actually angered Him. He didn’t rebuke the children or their parents. Rather He rebuked His disciples. 

Matthew 19:14 “But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

 What did He mean? How are we to be like children in order to enter the church and follow after Christ? In what way, as Isaiah says, does a child lead us in the kingdom in paths of righteousness? Well, in many ways, a child is the perfect picture of the innocent life and pure heart that we must possess if we have any hope of following Jesus and ultimately entering heaven. 

First, I would suggest that a little child is a great example of humility. We need that example because we sure struggle with pride, don’t we? That’s the problem with the human condition today; pride is the underlying force behind all the sins in our world. 

Matthew 18:4 “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

A child by his very nature is a humble being. A child is not big, strong, or powerful. A child does not exert authority. By essence of what he is, a child is humble compared to one who is grown. Jesus says that we must have the humility that is represented by a small child if we would be citizens of His kingdom. That, of course, went against the idea and the mindset of those at that time who were seeking the wrong kind of kingdom. 

Not only in his very being, but in his spirit and attitude, a child is typically loving. A child gets delight out of pleasing others. A child is also teachable or generally correctable. That can’t be said for a lot of people today because we grow up to possess pride. The great “Sermon on the Mount” begins with humility. Matthew 5:3 records the beginning of the Lord’s sermon as He said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The poverty that Jesus is talking about is not a poverty of material things or riches; it has nothing to do with how much money one has. Rather those who are poor in spirit. That is, lowly. Humble. Theirs is the kingdom of heaven, the Bible says. 

To put it another way, a man can’t worship and exalt God until he stops worshipping and exalting himself. Humanism is the great antithetical force against godliness. Jesus said the first requirement for any candidate for discipleship is the denial of self (Luke 9:23). The very nature of Christianity demands such self-abasement. The very example that Jesus set for us when He became a man is one of humility. 

James 4:6 “…Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

You may recall that Solomon once made a list of six things which God hates; seven things, he says, are abominations or detestable in the sight of God. The first thing on that list is a proud look (Proverbs 6:17). God absolutely hates pride. The scripture says that He resists a proud look. Solomon’s pearls of wisdom known as The Proverbs renounce the pride of man over and over again. 

Proverbs 26:12 “Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.”

Proverb 16:18 “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”

Proverbs 29:23 “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.”

On and on we could go. God detests pride. Jesus said we would never enter His kingdom as long as we allow the love and exaltation of self to rule our hearts. You see, pride is what keeps people from accepting the teachings of the Bible. Some folks just cannot admit that they’re wrong. They will stubbornly persist in error because they can’t bring themselves to admit that what they believed and what they’ve done in the past is wrong and sinful. 

Isaiah 66: 1-2 “Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.”

That’s the kind of person who finds favor in the eyes of the Lord. That’s the kind of person who seeks and finds the kingdom. The man or woman who can first admit a mistake and confess it as sinfulness, who respects the word of God enough to crucify their old willful pride and simply accept and follow the Bible’s teachings. 

It was pride that caused Adam to blame Eve in the garden for their sin. It was pride that drove Cain to kill his brother Abel out of jealousy after God rejected his sacrifice. It was pride that caused Saul the king of Israel to disobey God’s orders when God told him to utterly destroy the Amalekites. It was pride that caused him to blame the people under his leadership for his own sin. It was pride that caused David to cover his sin by murdering Uriah. It was pride that caused Rehoboam to divide the kingdom of Israel. It was pride that later caused Peter to deny Jesus and Judas to betray Him.  It was pride that led the Jews to call for Jesus to be crucified. It was pride that led Demas to forsake the Lord for the world. 

You see, pride is the greatest vice entertained within the soul of man, and God detests it and demands that it be cast out before He can dwell in our hearts. Do pride and self-will keep you from accepting the truth? Do you have a problem admitting that you’re wrong and need to change? Are you able to admit that maybe you’ve been misled and willing to embrace what is right, even though it goes against what you’ve always believed or what a loved one believed and practiced? 

Many to whom Jesus preached had to have enough humility to do just that if they would inherit His kingdom. But instead, they let their pride lead them to reject and ultimately crucify Jesus. Their pride caused them to be blind to who Jesus was, why He came, the kind of king that He was, and the kind of kingdom He came to establish. Therefore, they missed it. If you want to have the attitude of a kingdom-seeker, look to a little child for what they teach us about humility. We must become as a child in humility.  

Secondly, a little child sets a great example in sincerity. That is another quality that we must possess to seek the kingdom. In fact, I don’t know where you’d find a better example of what sincerity and genuineness mean than by looking at your own child. We who are older have a tendency to be more concerned with appearances, even to the point of being hypocritical. You generally have to make your children go to the bathroom and comb their hair, brush their teeth, and straighten their clothes before you go out in public. Most of us who are grown at least spend a few moments in front of the mirror, and that’s a commendable thing within reason, of course—but sometimes we go a little overboard with it. We want to put on appearances. Children aren’t necessarily that way. 

What I’m saying is, with a child, what you see is what you get. In fact, some children are so frank and truthful that they often embarrass we who are parents. Every parent has had that kind of experience. A child is what he/she is and says what’s on his/her mind—sometimes to our chagrin. There is no pretense with a child. Unfortunately, we learn that trait as we get older. 

Few things are more genuine and sincere than a child and his/her relationship to others, especially God. They may not be the most eloquent, but you’ll never hear a more worthy and heartfelt prayer than that which falls from the lips of a small child. They pray for everything that you or I might see as inconsequential. One might even say that some of those things are not worthy to be brought to the attention of God, but those are big things in their world and they tend to express the genuine contents of their hearts. In that, they teach us a great deal about being genuine and sincere before God and others. 

The word sincere comes from two Latin words that mean without wax. We generally use the word to talk about somebody’s character and disposition, but originally it had a broader meaning. Woodworkers and other skilled craftsmen used the term to refer to their craft. If a carpenter used wax or something like it to cover up flaws in the wood, the wood could not be referred to as sincere. If a sculptor used an agent to hide or repair a flaw in his work, his work of art could not be called sincere. Even today, the word essentially means the same thing in a moral sense. It refers to something that is without wax, in which there is no cover-up. Nothing is concealed or made to look differently than what it really is. That’s the way it is with a child. But how untrue with so many of us. Most adults are surrounded by a cloud of pretense, whether we admit it or not. We’re very careful to project an image of ourselves that sometimes is not reality. 

God expects us to be sincere in what we do and say. For example, our love for the Lord and for one another is to be without dissimulation (Romans 12:9). That word dissimulation (KJV) means hypocrisy. Love without hypocrisy. We’re not just to say that we love one another or pretend that we love one another; we’re really to love one another. We’re to prove our love by our words and our actions. 

On another occasion, Joshua told the fickle children of Israel to choose once and for all whom they would serve: either the idol gods of their past or the God Jehovah. He told them to serve the Lord in sincerity and truth (Joshua 24:14). In other words, stop paying lip service to God and give Him your hearts. The Pharisees in the religious class of Jesus’ day were insincere and full of hypocrisy and outward show. Their lives were full of sin and corruption. 

Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”

He’s not talking about moral purity there, but purity of heart, sincerity, genuineness. Only a person with a heart that wants God and His truth above everything else is eligible for the kingdom of heaven; it’s as simple as that. Our children lead us into the kingdom of heaven by their example of sincerity. 

Thirdly, a little child can lead us in the paths of forgiveness. 

1 Corinthians 14:20 “Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children…”

That’s Paul’s way of telling us that we need to imitate the spirit of a small child in dealing with each other. We need to mature and grow up in our understanding, knowledge and wisdom when it comes to the word of God. Yet in our spirit, we need to remain children. We need to imitate the heart of a child in our relationships to one another. That doesn’t mean that we imitate every aspect of a child’s behavior. We know that children are often childish and they can get into petty squabbles. We recently talked about the fact that that is a mark of spiritual immaturity. 

But have you ever noticed how forgiving and longsuffering a child is? Over the long term, children are very longsuffering. Kids don’t normally hold grudges. If they do, it usually doesn’t last very long. Kids can be playing and get into a fight. They may argue and call one another all kinds of names, they may wrestle one another, stomp away and stop speaking to each other. But it usually doesn’t take more than a few minutes or hours at the most for it to all blow over and things are back like they used to be. There are times when we as parents have to discipline our children, and they may resent the spanking or the scolding they get, or whatever punishment we mete out, but it doesn’t take long until it’s over and they’re all smiles again. In some ways, discipline brings relief to a tense situation once the moment of discipline passes. 

Contrast that with the average person in the church today. I’ve seen it over and over again; I’ve dealt with it firsthand. Let an older person be rebuked for some wrongdoing, let someone be wronged in some way, and they will hold a grudge sometimes for years. They can even harbor resentment and malice for the rest of their lives. That’s where a child sets a wonderful and much needed example. Jesus not only forgave, but He taught us to forgive also, even going so far as to say this:

Matthew 6:15 “But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

 That’s very serious. If we fail to forgive others, we can forget about being forgiven by the Lord. If you want to see what kind of heart God wants us to have before others, watch how children forgive. 

Lastly, a child leads the righteous in a confiding trust or faith. A child can teach us some important lessons in faith. Our children don’t tend to worry much. Why? because they leave the things that bring worry to us, their parents. Children don’t typically worry about where their next meal is coming from, whether there’ll be money to pay the electric bill or house payment, whether they’ll have sufficient clothes to wear or a warm place to sleep. They trust that mom and dad will provide those things. Jesus told His disciples to take note of the lilies of the field and how God takes care of them. He then reminded them how much MORE God cared for them. That’s the kind of faith we need to have in our heavenly Father. 

A child usually thinks his/her daddy can do anything. Mother can heal all of their hurts, so they go running to her arms immediately when they fall and scrape the knee or get into trouble. God wants to be that kind of parent to US. 

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Do you trust God in that way? Do you trust God to yield your life and your all to Him? The invitation of Jesus remains the same today: Let the children come to Me, for of such is the kingdom of God. 

 

©2022 BibleWay Media. All rights reserved. BibleWay Media grants permission to copy this material for personal use. Permission is also granted to distribute this transcript as long as it is reproduced in its entirety, used solely for its original purpose of spreading the gospel, and attribution is given to the author and Let the Bible Speak.

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Welcome to Let the Bible Speak. Thanks for joining me for today’s program. Can a person once saved, fall from grace, and be eternally lost? Is it possible for a follower of Christ to turn away from following Him and thus forfeit salvation? That’s the question we took up in our study last week and that we wish to continue today. It’s an emotionally charged question and has divided the religious community for centuries.

Last week, we noticed several passages of scripture, but we began and spent much of our time in Paul’s letter to the Galatians. If you missed that study, I encourage you to go back and watch it or order the free transcript. Today, we’ll look at some other passages, but we want to spend a considerable amount of our time in the Book of Hebrews. This letter (possibly penned by Paul) is an exhortation for believers to stand firm in the gospel in view of the temptation to go back to the sacrifices of the Jewish temple. Jerusalem would soon be destroyed and all that the Jewish Christians had known would be shaken and only those things in Christ would remain. It would, therefore, be a futile and even dangerous matter for them to turn their backs on the faith and go back to an insufficient and doomed system.

For example, let’s read from Hebrews 6. Beginning in verse 1 and reading through verse 6, the inspired writer says: “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, [of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God and put Him to an open shame.” What is the elementary teaching that these believers were to leave behind and what is the stern warning about for those who refuse? That’s just a portion of what we’ll consider in part 2 of our lesson “Can A Christian Forfeit Salvation.

There are those who affirm the Calvinistic doctrine of ‘Perseverance of The Saints’ or ‘Once Saved, Always Saved’ who will go so far as to admit that regardless of the sins a believer commits and does not repent of, he or she will still be eternally saved. Most people who hold to the doctrine, however, try to make a more nuanced argument. They will often say that either, number one, a professing believer who renounces their faith and forsakes Christ was never saved to begin with; that they were a counterfeit Christian or a pretend believer. Number two, many will argue that a Christian may temporarily fall out of fellowship with God and suffer consequences in this life for their apostasy, but if they were really saved, God will correct them and bring them back to Him so that they will not be eternally lost. In any case, they believe that any person who was saved at any point in their life will always be in a saved condition, and they can never forfeit salvation. They claim that if it were possible for a saved person to sin and be lost, then God would be breaking His promises or that man’s salvation is being earned by His obedience. I deny both of those claims and I believe that it is impossible to reconcile the doctrine of once saved, always saved with several plain passages in the Word of God.

Last week, we saw where Paul warned those being swayed by the Judaizers to depend on keeping the Law of Moses for their salvation that they would be severed from Christ and were fallen from grace. As we noted then, it is hard to imagine how a person could be 1) severed from someone they were never attached to, and 2) fallen from the grace they were never in, and 3) in a saved condition while at the same time be severed from Jesus Christ (our only hope of salvation) and fallen from the grace of God which is what brings salvation. Today, let’s look at some other passages (some in the Book of Hebrews) which express the same idea and take much the same tone.

As I pointed out in the beginning of today’s program, the city of Jerusalem and the Jewish temple along with all the things that allowed it to operate were on the cusp of being destroyed. Even though the Jewish Christians had accepted Christ as their Messiah, the temple was the only way of life they had known for most of their lives. As that old system was shaking and as those who sought to maintain and defend it were opposing and persecuting the church, it was a strong temptation for these believers to draw back and revert to their former way of worship. The writer of Hebrews makes a masterful argument throughout the letter that everything about Christ and Christianity is better. Whereas those sacrifices were temporary and insufficient, Christ’s sacrifice was forever and able to forgive sin. Whereas the Levitical Priesthood was temporary and insufficient, Christ is the perfect High Priest for God’s people. So, he uses that understanding to encourage them to resist temptation and press forward in their faith in Christ and not to turn away from Him, going back to an outdated and inadequate system. But it is not merely a matter of Christ being better and it being foolish to leave Him for those things, it was a matter of spiritual life and death. It was a matter of condemnation if they did so, and the scriptures clearly bear it out. For example, in chapter 2, he warns beginning in verse 1: “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him…” And the writer goes on to show how the message of Christ was verified by the miracles the apostles wrought through the Holy Spirit. They should be willing to entrust their souls to this message, in other words, because it was confirmed by heaven itself. Now, notice that he warns his readers about the danger of drifting “away”. How would you drift from someplace where you never were to begin with? If disobedience under the Old Covenant was punished by God, how would it be worse for people under the New Covenant if they drifted away and disobeyed the faith?

Now, the writer continues that theme throughout the letter. He combines encouragement to cling to the Christ with warnings against forsaking Him. Look for example in chapter 3, verses 5-6: “And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are IF WE HOLD FAST THE CONFIDENCE and the rejoicing of the hope FIRM TO THE END.” What if we don’t hold fast that confidence? Again, how could they hold onto something they never had ahold of to begin with? What if they failed to hold onto their hope “firm to the end”? You see, the apostle makes the matter conditional with the word “if”. He then continues in verses 7-11 to remind them of how their fathers tempted God in the wilderness and failed to enter the Promised Land and into God’s rest. He then adds this strong warning in verses 12-14: “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “TODAY,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ IF WE HOLD THE BEGINNING OF OUR CONFIDENCE STEADFAST TO THE END.” Notice, he says they, through unbelief, could DEPART from the living God and therefore should exhort one another. He is not talking about Jews who had not yet accept the Christ. The people he is warning against departing from the living God were the same people who were to be exhorting one another in the Christian faith so they WOULDN’T depart from it.

Go to the next chapter: chapter 4, verse 11. He is still taking about those who failed to finish the journey and enter God’s rest. He says, “Let US therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone FALL according to the same example of disobedience.” Then, we go to chapter 5 where he rebukes them for not growing in their understanding when they should have already progressed to a higher level of faith. He then begins chapter 6 by saying: “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God and put Him to an open shame.”

Now, the writer says that they are to leave the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ. What does he mean by that? What are those ‘elementary principles?’ If you’ll notice the list of foundational things that he then enumerates, you can see that he is talking about things of the Old Law that laid the foundation for Christ and the New Covenant that He would inaugurate. He says, “repentance from dead works and of faith toward God” He’s referring to the calls of repentance found throughout the Old Testament. That phrase “dead works” only occurs here and in chapter 9 where it refers to works that leave the conscience still uncleansed. It’s a reference to that inadequate and old system under which the people failed time and again and that could not, in and of itself, make them right with God. Then, he refers to leaving “the doctrine of baptisms (or washings)”. He’s not talking about New Testament baptism there because, for one thing, he uses a different form of the Greek word for baptisms which is not used to refer to the ordinance of baptism but to the ceremonial washings under the Old Covenant. The Jews were preoccupied with such ceremonies and washings in the law and that’s what the Hebrew writer is talking about here. Next, he speaks of leaving behind the “laying on of hands” which refers to how the priest’s laid hands upon the sacrifices of the Levitical system. He is saying (as he will continue to argue in this letter) that that means of dealing sin was to be left behind and they were to look to Christ.

He then mentions “resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment”. He’s not saying that Christians should not be concerned about the future bodily resurrection and be warning of the judgment day ahead for that would contradict Paul’s lengthy discussion of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15 and so forth. He is referring to the Jewish speculations concerning to those shadowy ideas under the law before Christ came and made those things clear by the gospel and by His own resurrection from the dead.

So, Paul says they were to have moved beyond those things – those elementary or foundational elements – and move into the perfection or the true substance of those things in Christ and in the Christian faith. Now then, notice his warning! “For it is impossible for those who were ONCE ENLIGHTENED, and HAVE TASTED the heavenly gift” (the forgiveness of their sins from heaven); and have become “partakers of the Holy Spirit” (the gift that was first preached about by Peter in Acts 2:38 when they were told to leave their sins by repenting and being baptized); “And have tasted the good word of God (the gospel) and the powers of the age to come” (age to come being an expression in the bible to refer to the Messianic age). “And THEN (when? after seeing, hearing, tasting, and receiving those things) if they fall away (the ESV says ‘And then have fallen away’) to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” Friend, if Christ and the gospel cannot change a person’s heart then nothing can. And if one turns away from Christ (having tasted and been made partakers of all these things) then he is turning away from his only hope. Can a straying Christian repent and return to Christ? Absolutely and you should do so immediately if you’re willing to repent. The problem is, those the writer is talking about are on the verge of repudiating Christ and in the process, so hardening their hearts (remember the warnings he has already given about doing that) that their heart becomes incapable of godly sorrow and then repentance. And anytime one willfully does that which he knows is wrong, he takes another step toward creating that condition in their heart.

Friend, I’m not suggesting that the Christian is walking some near-impossible tightrope to heaven and that God is gleefully waiting for the opportunity to pounce on us and take away our salvation. God forbid! God is on the side of those who love Him. He grants us the grace to grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior when we come to Him in yielding faith. God isn’t going to renege on His promise and arbitrarily take away your salvation. Nobody has the power to come and steal your salvation away from you. God isn’t looking for ways to deny you eternal salvation. He, in mercy and love, has made every provision through His Son for you and me to saved. But what of those who repudiate Christ as these Hebrews seemed on the verge of doing? What of those who rebel and cast aside their faith in Jesus? What of those who refuse to submit and obey what Christ tells them to do? Are we really to believe that one can do so with eternal impunity?

Quickly, look at Hebrews 10:24-29. “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking (the ESV says “not neglecting”) the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?” Who is in danger of that? Those who need to regularly assemble and provoke and encourage one another to remain faithful to Jesus! Who can deny that he is talking about people who were at one time genuine believers and then warning of eternal judgment?

Then, look at verses 35-36: “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.”

And finally, look with me at 2 Peter 2:1. “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.” Did you get that? “Even denying THE LORD WHO BOUGHT THEM”. The doctrine of Calvinism says Christ only died for the elect. But here Peter warns of people who the Lord bought who will bring upon themselves God’s judgment and swift destruction. Friend, the doctrine of once in grace, always in grace is a comforting and appealing doctrine to many but it simply is not taught in the word of God. Christ is our hope of salvation, and we must place our faith in Him, submit to His will in obedience, and CLING to Him and we will not only know the abundant life here but have the hope of life in the world to come. If you once knew Christ but left Him and went back to the world and forsook the faith, you need to return. If your heart is capable of repenting, you need to repent today and do not harden your heart anymore. He’ll receive you and He’ll help you and form His image within you, but you must be ready and willing to surrender and yield to Him today.

©2022 BibleWay Media. All rights reserved. BibleWay Media grants permission to copy this material for personal use. Permission is also granted to distribute this transcript as long as it is reproduced in its entirety, used solely for its original purpose of spreading the gospel, and attribution is given to the author and Let the Bible Speak.

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One of the best ways to learn any skill or craft is to observe somebody else. Many professions allow students of that profession to become an apprentice – that is to observe and work alongside somebody already trained.  The Christian life is the same way. The scriptures make us wise unto salvation and they are given for teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness according to 2 Timothy 3:16-17. But seeing the truth of the gospel lived out in the life of another is a great help and encouragement. Jesus is, of course, our ultimate example. But on more than one occasion – Paul said that he was also a pattern for believers.  

Read with me in 1 Tim 1:12-16: “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.” 

Here, Paul sets himself forth as a pattern for believers to follow. Today, we want to see how Paul serves as a pattern in salvation, sanctification, and service. 

Aside from the Lord Jesus, the Apostle Paul is perhaps the most beloved but also hated people found in the scriptures.  To those who love him, he is a hero of the Christian faith, a pillar in the church, and a royal ambassador of King Jesus.  Those who hate him do so because of his controversial teachings on several subjects.  That was the case in the first century, just like it is today. Paul had his followers, and he had his enemies even within the church.  There were those, such as the Judaizers who continually tried to discredit Paul as teaching a false doctrine because he preached that men were and are free from the law of Moses, particularly, the requirement of circumcision. He taught that that Old Covenant was fulfilled and done away at the cross according to Colossians 2:14 and that Christ Jesus has established a new covenant and a better and living way.  

There were those who denied and despised his apostolic authority – in fact, they even denied that he was an apostle of Christ. And so, Paul dedicated much of his writing – especially to the churches of Corinth and Galatia – to the defense of his apostolic credentials and thus, his authority.  He said in 1 Corinthians 9:1 “Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?”  You see, to be an apostle of Christ, meant that one was the ambassador or representative of Christ. The apostles were chosen by Christ, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and serve as the foundation of the church. (Ephesians 2:20) Thus, Paul said in 1 Timothy 1:16 that Christ had made HIM a pattern for those who believe on the Lord.  He also said 1 Corinthians 4:15-16 “For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore, I urge you, imitate me.”  So, Paul is our pattern. Yet, many reject his teachings and refuse to follow them in the Christian life and the work and worship of the church. Today, I want us to look at how Paul is a pattern for those who want to please the Lord. You cannot say you want to follow Jesus and then reject the teachings of Paul… for Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:37 “If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.”

First, Paul is a pattern for us in CONVERSION.  Paul was a Jew and for a large part of his life, he not only was NOT a follower of Jesus, but he also hated and rejected Christ and his disciples.  In Acts 9, we find him persecuting Christians and he was on his way to Damascus to arrest more believers.” Paul’s world radically changed when Jesus met him on the Damascus Road.  Acts 9:1-6 tells us “Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”  

Now, one may say. “I agree, was saved like Saul. I had a Damascus road experience.” But you see, Saul was not saved when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. He was told to go and wait in the city, and someone would come and tell him what to do. We then read in verses 17 and 18, that the Lord sent Ananias down to the house where Saul was waiting and he restored his sight and told him to be baptized. Acts 22:16 says that Ananias told him: “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’”  Saul had not yet called on the name of the Lord and the scripture says in Romans 10:13 that one MUST call on the name of the Lord to be saved. Acts 22:16 shows us HOW one calls on the name of the Lord – by being baptized to wash away one’s sins. So, if you want to be saved like Paul was saved, you’ve got to be baptized into Christ for the remission or forgiveness of sins or, in other words, to have your sins washed away by the blood of Christ.  That is how your conversion can be patterned after Paul’s.  

So, why did Jesus appear to Saul on the Damascus Road if it wasn’t to save him?  It was to qualify him to be an apostle of Christ. That was a requirement to being one of Christ’s chosen apostles. Remember, Paul said in 1 Cor 9:1 “Am I not an apostle have I not seen the Lord?”  But notice what his conversion meant. For one thing, Paul’s conversion caused him to change his religious beliefs and practice… He left the sect of the Pharisees and simply became a follower of Christ? Are you willing to leave a church you can’t read about in the Bible to be part of the church you DO read about in the scriptures?  Paul’s conversion caused him to go against his parents. (He was raised a devout Jew under the law) It caused him to disagree and likely sever ties with friends. Are you willing to forsake father, mother, or friend to truly follow Jesus?  Paul, after enumerating all those things in his past in Philippians 3:7 said, I counted them all loss for Christ.  Paul is our pattern in conversion. 

Second, Paul is also our pattern in DOCTRINE. Here is where many part ways with Paul, namely because Paul’s teachings about several subjects are grossly out of step with modern times. In fact, Paul’s teaching often conflicted with the cultural norms of his own time. But listen to him in 1 Corinthians 11:1-2 “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.”  You see, Paul being an apostle, inspired by the Holy Spirit, gives his writing authority, even in the modern church.  But have you ever heard someone say, “I go by what Jesus said, not Paul”  or “the words that are really important are the ones in red.”? If you have a bible that distinguishes Christ’s words in red-letter text, the red lettering merely designates those words directly spoken by Jesus and recorded by the bible writer. But we must understand: what is in red is not ALL that Jesus said.  Paul declared to the skeptical Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 13:3 “since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me…”  In 1 Cor 4:1, Paul refers to himself and the other apostles of Christ when he states: “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.”  He said in 2 Thessalonians 2:15 “Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.”  Paul said in 1 Cor 11:23 that the things he delivered unto them were the things he had RECEIVED of the Lord.   

So, why do people want to reject the authority of Paul and the credence of what he wrote in the New Testament? I think the answer is obvious!  Because Paul said in things such as this in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 “Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.”  I dare to say that most churches today wouldn’t allow you to preach that from their pulpits… and they likely wouldn’t have liked it if Paul did either – because they dismiss it when he wrote it in the scriptures.  Many don’t like what Paul taught about morality. He categorized things like adultery, fornication, and homosexuality as sexual impurity and as sinful behaviors in the eyes of God, according to his words in Galatians 5:19-21 and Romans 1:26-32. Paul was speaking as the ambassador of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20) and ambassadors are vested with the authority to speak on behalf of the king. Remember that Jesus told Peter and the other apostles in Matthew 16:19 “…whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”  So, Paul, along with the other apostles, serve as our pattern in doctrine.

Then, third, Paul is our pattern for PREACHING. I believe we’ve lost our way concerning what preaching is and what it is for. Many of today’s preachers don’t resemble in word, deed, or demeanor, the Apostle Paul.  Paul was the prince of preachers and he’s a wonderful pattern for any man who would be entrusted with the word of God to carry it to others.  Paul was studious, he was consecrated, he loved Christ and the church of Christ above everyone and everything else; he coveted the truth; and he had a yearning love for the lost and saw it as a debt that he owed to preach it. (Romans 1:14-16) Paul’s preaching was not political or patriotic. He did not go about draped in the flag or standard of the Roman Empire and promote the Caesar, other than to urge Christians to submit to the authority of the King so long as it did not contradict the law of the King of kings, Christ Jesus. His preaching was aimed to point people to Christ – not himself, to politics, to secular social causes, or anything else.  He aimed to instruct people in righteousness, exhort them to faithfulness, rebuke and admonish those who were living in sin, comfort those who were troubled, and warn those who were lost. And that’s the simple mission of the faithful gospel preacher today. When Paul needed to rebuke sin – he rebuked sin. When Christians needed to be encouraged by the promises of God, he encouraged them with the hope given in the scriptures. When people needed to be reminded of their identity in Christ, He reminded them of the gospel whereby they were saved and wherein they stood. He went about preaching Christ, establishing congregations of the church of Christ, strengthening those churches, and fighting for the fight. That’s what preachers need to concern themselves with today. 

Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 2:11-13 “as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.”  And listen to his final and tearful words to the elders at Ephesus. They are a solemn and sobering charge to every man who would preach the gospel and we will answer to the Lord by this standard: He told them in Acts 20:25-27 “And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.” I wonder how many of we preachers can truly say that today. Do we hesitate to preach the truth because of how people will react to it? Perhaps we’ll lose support or popularity. Perhaps we’ll be run away from the church where we labor and therefore, we walk the line and preach whatever will keep us in the good graces of the church.” Of course, if a man is preaching false doctrine, he needs to be run off – or repent. But if we refuse to preach the word of God and declare the whole counsel of God regardless of the consequences, we don’t preach like Paul. Paul would not be voted “preacher of the year”. He would not be seen as America’s preacher. He wasn’t then and he would not be today. Paul is a pattern for the faithful and true gospel preacher.

Finally, Paul is our pattern in CHRISTIAN LIVING. Philippians 3:17 says, “Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.”  Paul’s life was one of the most remarkable ever lived. I can say without fear of successful contradiction that anyone ever lived a more conscientious, consecrated, and sacrificial Christian life than Paul did.  And it will take eternity to reveal all that Paul did, said, and sacrificed for the cause of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Before his life ended with the flash of an executioner’s sword – Paul suffered deprivation, abuse, threats, ingratitude, personal attack because of his allegiance to Christ and he was burdened daily with the care of the churches he loved and to which he had devoted his life.  He detailed it all in 2 Corinthians the 11^th chapter. It was not a career to Paul; it was a consecrated life.   

There are at least 3 passages that I believe point to the reasons Paul is such a pattern for you and me in what it truly means to live as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ!  1) Acts 23:1 “Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”  Paul never knowingly did anything he thought would be a sin against God.   2) Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ!”  Christ was his life. He wasn’t PART of his life; Christ was ALL his life.  3) 1 Corinthians 9:26-27 “Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”  Paul didn’t live a careless Christian life. He strove for the eternal prize. He strained every bit of his being to be what Christ wanted Him to become and be. He gave up those things that would hinder and weigh himself down in the race to heaven because he knew that everything was in vain if he failed to win the prize!   And thus, he could say in 2 Timothy 4:6-7 “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”  What a wonderful way to conclude your life and leave this world. But to end like Paul ended, you must live like Paul lived. Is your life patterned after Paul?

 

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