Aldridge Road church of Christ Kingdom Courier Vol. 3, Issue 16 April 26, 2009  

Take Heed Lest You Fall
Part Two
Wayne Jackson, ChristianCourier.com   Every serious student of the Bible knows that a Christian can apostasize. He knows it because of what the scriptures teach; he knows it because he has seen children of God fall. In the balance of this article, we will explore a few of the reason why some saints depart from the faith. Some fall because of persecution. In the parable of the sower, Christ spoke of the rocky soil. This was a thin layer of earth with a bedrock underneath. When the seed (the word of God) was sown in such soil, it sprang up quickly, but because it had no depth, when the sun came out, the seed soon died. The Lord, in explaining the story, revealed that the shallow soil represents the one who "endures for a while; and when tribulation and persecution arise because of the word, straightway he stumbles" (Mt. 13:21). Unfortunately, when some people obey the gospel they have an improper view of what Christianity involves. Perhaps they see only its more pleasant elements. Maybe they have not been taught to count the cost (Lk. 14:28). They have not realistically recognized that "all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12). And so, when the hardships of the Christian life come, they do not endure. For some, persecutions provide the testing by which character is made (Jas. 1:2-4; 1 Pet. 1:6-7); in others, tribulations seek out a weakness which becomes the downfall of that person. Some fall when they become heir to natural disaster. We live in a world that has been cursed by the evil effects of sin (Gen. 3:16ff; Rom. 5:12; 8:20ff). Earthquakes, violent storms, and floods frequently occur. The ravages of cancer, heart disease, etc., invade our homes. Death steals our parents, spouses and children. The Christian is no less a victim of these misfortunes than anyone else. Yet, occasionally one encounters a child of God who feels that if the Lord were really caring of his interests, such disasters would never come. This of course, reveals a very inadequate and unbalanced view of life. One of the first lessons of the book of Job is that Jehovah does not necessarily shield us from life's calamities. In fact, Paul was not exempt from natural disaster (cf. Acts 27; 2 Cor. 11:25­27). And so, natural hardships will occur; we are not in heaven yet! One must never allow such difficulties to turn him from the faith; rather, he must use all trials to fortify his heavenward journey. Many apostasize out of neglect. The Bible make it abundantly clear that we simply cannot escape the wrath of God if we neglect the great salvation that has been so richly provided for us (Heb. 2:3). Some apparently enter the church under the delusion that they have a ticket to heaven which can never be canceled. They do not realize that they are but babes in Christ and thus in need of much growth and maturity (1 Pet. 2:2; 2 Pet. 3:18). To assist such people, the following principles must be taught constantly: <!--[if !supportLists]-->a.     <!--[endif]-->church services must be faithfully attended in order that warm encouragement and competent instruction be regularly received (Heb. 10:24-25); <!--[if !supportLists]-->b.    <!--[endif]-->harmful entanglements with the world must be severed (1 Cor. 15:33; Eph. 5:11; 2 Tim. 2:4); <!--[if !supportLists]-->c.     <!--[endif]-->personal habits of study, meditation, and worship must be cultivated (2 Tim. 2:15; Psa 1:2; 1 Thes. 5:17); <!--[if !supportLists]-->d.    <!--[endif]-->active involvement in the salvation of others is imperative (Jn. 15:1ff; Rom 7:4). Many who would never neglect their physical health (i.e., they diet, jog, etc.), or the welfare of their families (i.e., house, food, medical treatment, insurance) are, nonetheless, woefully neglectful of their salvation, and so frequently they drift away from the faith completely. How very tragic! Cares, riches, and pleasure are the downfall of others. Again, in His "Sower" parable, the Lord spoke of those who were fruitless because their productivity was choked out by thorns of the "care of the world", the "deceitfulness of riches", and the "pleasures of this life" (Mt 13:22; Lk. 8:14). The care of the world is the inordinate anxiety that Christians sometimes have concerning the daily needs of human existence. Even poverty can be a temptation (cf. Prov. 30:8). If one's possessions are extremely meager, he still must trust God and never allow worry about material things to draw him away from Christ (see Mt. 6:25-34). On the other hand, some, who have plenty already, are every greedy for more. Bigger barns must be built (Lk. 12:16-21). A love of money leads many from the faith (1 Tim. 6:10). The destruction of others is a lust for the world. Some members of the church are never weaned from the defilement of an evil society; their minds are never transformed (Rom. 12:2). Accordingly, the lure of "the wild side of life" entices them away from the Lord and back into the filth of a degrading existence (2 Pet. 2:20-22). Demas is a classic example of one who abandoned the noble life in exchange for this world (cf. Philm. 24; Col 4:14; 22 Tim 4:10).   Next week: Take Heed Lest You Fall Part Three