Beech Tree News Network

The last three verses of II Peter 2 state that a Christian may fall away from God and be lost (also II Pet. 3:17). “Once-saved-always-saved” or the impossibility of apostasy isn’t found in Scripture. Therefore, let’s take a look at this section and see what lessons we can learn.

First, II Peter 2:20 is talking about the people who’d been fooled by false teachers (v. 19). The reason why Peter wanted to make sure that the Christians were grounded in “the present truth” (II Pet. 1:12-15) is that it was possible for one who’d “escaped the pollutions of the world” to be “again entangled and overcome”! To be “again entangled” implies that these folks had, at one point, been “untangled!” Yes, false teachers can tempt us to return to error if we’re not vigilant (II Pet. 3:17)! Therefore, if people become entangled once more, then “the latter end is worse than the beginning.”

I find this statement fascinating because if the impossibility of apostasy doctrine is true, then Peter’s last statement isn’t true. According to those who believe in “once-saved-always-saved,” a man who’s “again entangled” never really was saved anyway! In that case, the latter end couldn’t be worse than the beginning for this person, because, he was doomed and damned to Hell from the start! Can we see now how the “once-saved-always-saved” teaching contradicts plain truth? Let’s stop reading the Bible through a “filter,” and let’s accept the Bible for what it says!

II Peter 2:21-22 continues to describe this one who’s fallen back into his old ways of sin. Included in this is Peter’s quotation of Proverbs 26:11. God compares the saved person who reverts to a life of sin to a dog that vomits and then laps it back up! The actions of a Christian who goes back into sin and the world are as repulsive to God as watching a dog eat puke! Similarly, it reminds God of a freshly-washed sow who rolls in the mire. Please understand that “mire” isn’t merely “mud.” If we think that it is disgusting for a hog (or anything) to root and roll in their own waste, then you get the point! When God sees Christians leave Him and go back into sin, they’re rolling in the filth once more!

God doesn’t teach the “once-saved-always-saved” doctrine. The old dodge that says, “a man that falls back into sin never really was saved in the first place” can’t be correct. First, it isn’t correct because the statement is illogical. Someone who “never really was saved” was just that -- not saved! You can’t fall back into the mire if you never left! Second, we know that old dodge can’t be right because the text says the sow was “washed”! If she was washed, she was clean. She was free from the filth! Then she went back to “wallowing.” She was out of the mire, washed and clean, and then went back. This is a picture of a person who was taught the truth, saved, cleansed from sin (I Cor. 6:11; Acts 22:16), and then went back to his life in sin. A living example of II Peter 2:20-22 is the event witnessed by Peter in Acts 8:13-22.

Let the words from II Peter 2:20-22 stand as a warning to us. Christians can sin and be lost! What can saved people do to prevent this? Let’s get our minds saturated in God’s word (II Pet. 1:12-15) and live it! Don’t listen to false teachers who lie to us about our souls (II Pet. 2:19). Listen to the truth of God and be faithful all of our lives (I Cor. 15:58)!

- You are invited to visit with the Caneyville church of Christ. Times of services: Sun.: 10:00 am, 10:45 am, 5:00 pm; Wed.: 7:00 pm. Website: http://caneyvillechurchofchrist.com Tune in to our radio program 101.5 FM at 5:30 am, Mon-Fri. Questions? Call: (270) 589-4167