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THE BIBLE PLAINLY DECLARES THAT SOME DID FALL FROM GRACE Some “departed from” the faith. “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron”—1 Tim. 4:1–2. Some “cast off” the faith. “But the younger widows refuse; for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith”—1 Tim. 5:11–12. Some “made shipwreck” of faith. “Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme”—1 Tim. 1:19–20. Some “turned aside” unto Satan. “For some are already turned aside after Satan”—1 Tim. 5:15. The agency of the great adversary, the devil is promoting the defection of those who have once entered upon the Christian life is here recognized by the Apostle Paul. The fearful possibility of a fatal and final turning aside by true believers is here clearly implied. Some had become “cursed children,” forsaking the “right way” and going “astray,” “Having eyes full of adultery that they cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls (unsettled Christians); an heart they have exercised with covetous practices: cursed children: which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray following the way of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness”—2 Peter 2:14–15. Some had fallen from grace, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel”—Gal. 1:6. These had been saved. They had begun in the Spirit. “Are ye so foolish? having begun in Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”—Gal. 3:3. They had been bewitched. “O foolish Galatians (Christians) who hath bewitched (fascinated) you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you”—Gal. 3:1. “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace”—Gal. 5:4. These scriptures clearly teach that a number of people in the days of the Apostle Paul, accepted Christ and His gospel, were spiritually born again, converted, saved from sin, and error, and lifted to the high state of the redemptive grace of Christ, who later forsook the way of the New Testament gospel, and fell from this lofty plain of holiness of heart and living, reverting back into sin and error. That Bible record gives many such instances. The issue in this matter is not will a Christian fall from grace, or must he fall from grace, but can he fall from grace? As set forth the scriptures teach this is possible.
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