READING TIME: 2-4 MINUTES
Sept 26, 2019
David, is it possible for a believer to fall away from the faith?
Please turn to 1 Timothy 4:1-3.
The apostasy or falling away mentioned in this passage is predicted to occur in the latter times (v. 1), and it will be characterized by legalism and asceticism, which forbids marriage and abstains from certain foods (v. 3).
John MacArthur in his Study Bible says about these individuals who have fallen away from the faith: “These are professing or nominal Christians who associate with those who truly believe the gospel, but defect after believing lies and deception, thus revealing their true nature as unconverted.” This is an excellent example of eisegesis; MacArthur is imposing his theology onto the text. There is no evidence that these individuals were professing believers and not actual believers.
The expression “the faith” occurs just one chapter later in this same epistle in 1 Timothy 5:8, where it says, “if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” Here, the one who initially has “the faith” and ends up practically denying “the faith” is contrasted with an unbeliever who are hypocritical liars and whose consciences are seared (see verse 2)! This means that the ones who had “the faith” were regarded by Paul (and the Lord) as actual believers, not unbelievers who only had “mental assent” but not “saving faith.”
Second, the fact that the individuals in 1 Timothy 4:1 fall away from the faith reveals that they once had the faith, for you cannot fall away from something you never had. The word in 1 Timothy 4:1 for “fall away” (aphistēmi) consistently conveys the idea of departure from a position once occupied. In all eleven occurrences of this word in the Greek New Testament where faith is not at issue like it is in Luke 8:13, 1 Timothy 4:1, and Hebrews 3:12, the meaning of this word is that of a spatial departure from a position once held.
Therefore, a believer can fall away from the faith. In Tom Constable’s notes, he wrote of Dr. S. Lewis Johnson, “One of my professors at Dallas Seminary used to say, correctly, I think, ‘I believe in the perseverance of the Savior, but I do not believe in the perseverance of the saints.’”
According to the New Testament, it is possible for true believers to:
• Believe only for a while (Luke 8:13)
• Become unfruitful (Matthew 13:22)
• Not remain in the Word of Christ (John 8:31)
• Become disqualified (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)
• Stray from the faith (1 Timothy 1:5-6; 6:9-10, 20-21)
• Experience shipwrecked faith (1 Timothy 1:18-20)
• Depart from the faith (1 Timothy 4:1-3)
• Deny the faith (1 Timothy 5:8)
• Become faithless (2 Timothy 2:13)
• Turn aside to follow Satan (1 Timothy 5:12-15)
• The above references suggest that neither the quality of a believer’s faith nor the evidence of his faith has a bearing on the saving nature of his faith. Faith of varying qualities does not invalidate the presence of saving faith.
It is common for certain teachers to teach spurious (a non-genuine) faith, but I think this is dangerous and unhealthy. It leads to doubt and it logically leads to the conclusion that it is impossible to be 100% certain of your eternal destiny because it leaves open the possibility that the person’s faith in the gospel was not saving faith. It does not make any sense and is irrational to even suggest that one cannot know whether or not he has believed the gospel. If one cannot know for certain whether he has believed the gospel, then how can he believe anything at all? The reality of belief, in anything, is not connected to how consistently one acts on his belief.
Sources Used
Constable, Tom. 1 Timothy. < https://www.planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/html/nt/1timothy/1timothy.htm>.
Dillow, Joseph. Final Destiny: The Future Reign of The Servant Kings: Fourth Revised Edition. Grace Theology Press, chapter 33.
Hixson, Whitmire, Zuck. Freely by His Grace: Classical Grace Theology. Grace Gospel Press, chapter 7.
MacArthur, John. NKJV, The MacArthur Study Bible, eBook: Revised and Updated Edition. Thomas Nelson.
Stegall, Tom. Must Faith Endure for Salvation to Be Sure?: A Biblical Study of the Perseverance versus Preservation of the Saints. Grace Gospel Press, chapter 11.