Arguments That Warn Believers of the Possibility of Apostasy
Sometimes those in the Arminian camp have not clearly articulated their doctrinal position. We have used the phrase lose your salvation, as though such an act could be accidental, unintentional, and the result of a momentary slipup. Detractors have rightly attacked this phrase as an inaccurate reflection of Scripture. Therefore, we must refamiliarize ourselves with passages that support our doctrine, and then articulate it in a way that properly reflects the teaching of God’s Word.
Arminian/Wesleyan/Holiness/Pentecostal teaching maintains that believers retain their free will even after salvation. Scripture teaches that those who trust in and obey Jesus are even more free after salvation than before (John 8:36; Galatians 5:1,13), not less. Our doctrine can be described by the biblical phrases “fallen from grace” (Galatians 5:4), “falling away” (Hebrews 3:12), and “fallen away” (Hebrews 6:6).
J. Rodman Williams states: “But, because of the fact that the salvation of God operates through faith — a faith that is living — the forsaking of that faith can lead to apostasy. By failing to abide in Christ, to continue in Him and His word, to persevere in the midst of worldly trial or temptation, to make faith firm and strengthen it — thereby allowing unbelief to enter — believers may fall away from God. Thereby they may tragically forfeit their salvation.”8 (See sidebar, Steps Leading to Apostasy.)
The English word apostasy is a transliteration of the New Testament Greek word apostasia. Reference works note that it and its verbal form include these nuances: to take a stand apart from, to commit political defection or treason, to separate from, to be drawn off or away, to induce revolt, to withdraw, to depart, to fall away, to cease from having any interaction with, to desert, and to put away (as in divorce). None of these phrases suggest a loss of covenant as the result of an accidental or temporary breech of established standards of holiness. Instead, they all imply forethought, intent, and a persistent state of rebellion against the mastery of Jesus over one’s life. (See sidebar, Apostasy.)
Sidebar: Steps Leading to Apostasy
- Believers, through unbelief, fail to take the truths, exhortations, warnings, promises, and teachings of God’s Word with utmost seriousness (Mark 1:15; Luke 8:13; John 5:44,47; 8:46).
- As the realities of the world become greater than the realities of God’s heavenly kingdom, believers gradually cease to draw near to God through Christ (Hebrews 4:16; 7:19,25; 11:6).
- Through the deceitfulness of sin, they become increasingly tolerant of sin in their own lives (1 Corinthians 6:9,10; Ephesians 5:5; Hebrews 3:13). They no longer love righteousness and hate wickedness.
- Through hardness of heart (Hebrews 3:8,13) and rejecting God’s way (3:10), they ignore the repeated voice and rebuke of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22).
- The Holy Spirit is grieved (Ephesians 4:30; cf. Hebrews 3:7,8) and His fire put out (1 Thessalonians 5:19), and His temple violated (1 Corinthians 3:16). He eventually departs from the former believers (Judges 16:20; Psalm 51:11; Romans 8:13; 1 Corinthians 3:16,17; Hebrews 3:14.,
Donald Stamps, Gen. Ed. Life in the Spirit Study Bible, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992), 1918.
