"The Peril of Falling Away"

   "So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again, Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don't need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don't need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding. 

 "For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened - those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come - and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.

 "When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God's blessing. But if the field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it." (Hebrews 6:1-8 NLT)

  "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." (1 John 2:19 KJV)

 This particular portion of the Book of Hebrews has some very direct things to say about those who might fall away from the goodness of God; some of which is very hard to explain, especially the idea that you can be eternally condemned, if you turn away after you have known the truth. 

 Whatever you might be thinking, right now, you should know that there are certain conditions that are needing to be considered, especially about the exact reason you came to Jesus in the first place! Yes, there are big differences between those who come to Christ for repentance and the forgiveness of sins, and those who come wanting feel better about life: as if the magic of asking Jesus into their lives will heal their marriage or make correct the wrongs they have done. 

 We have discussed this before; as I shared about the book, "Hells Best Kept Secret." We are not to expect to feel comfortable and free from any harm when we come to Christ; if we expect that our lives will be all warm and fuzzy once we become a Christian, we have a very good chance of falling away...

 Father, I pray that these next couple weeks will be something that causes us, (me especially,) to affirm the salvation that we so desperately need: The ability to love you as we should, and to love others as we must! Show us the hope we have within us and give us the desire to share that hope with others. Please relight the flame of our first love! In the might name of Jesus, Amen.