Question about Apostasy

I received an email regarding apostasy and thought you might benefit by reading my response. Here is the original question:

Is it possible for someone to truely come to saving faith and then reject that faith? Thus intentionally rejecting their salvation?

My response:

Hello Chuck,

The Apostle John deals with this very issue in his first epistle:

1 John 2:19, "They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us."

"They went out from us" - First notice how John distinguishes "they" from "us." To make sense of the text, we must have a proper understanding of just who the "they" and the "us" are in this letter.

John begins this letter:

1 John 1:1-3, "What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life-- 2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us-- 3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. "

As you follow the pronouns, you discover that John is clearly writing to the Church, to fellow believers. John continues:

1 John 2:1-3, "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. 3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments."

John is addressing his "little children," admonishing them to not sin. Although, if they do sin, they ought to confess it, and God will be faithful and just to forgive them their sin (1:9).

As you read through the letter, notice how John consistently refers to believers as "we" and "us." Therefore, when we reach 2:19, we see that John distinguishes the "us" from the "they." How does John distinguish between these two groups?--"'they' went out from us." That is, "they" went out from the fellowship, from the Church.

It is at this point that John chose to address the issue of apostasy. What about those who were once members in the congregation and then abandon the faith they once professed? John answers this question by stating: "...but they were not really of us;" All along, they were not really of us, John informs us. They were not really believers in Jesus Christ. But John is not finished with his explanation. He continues, "...for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us." In so many ways John communicates to us the nature of true believers: they remain steadfast in their faith, and remain in the Church.

We can then safely conclude from this text that the one in possession of saving faith will not abandon that faith. He will persevere and run his course until the end.

John's teaching is also in line with the rest of Scripture. As an example, the Apostle Paul taught that salvation, from beginning to end, is God's work; and God will perfect His work in the lives of His elect (Phil 1:6).

The people of God should rejoice then, being comforted in the promise that God will perfect the work that He began. Christians have the same confidence as Paul when he wrote:

Romans 8:33-39 33, "Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, "FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED." 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

In Christ,

Casey Ryan