(All Scriptures Are From The KJV)

Are you familiar with the saying, "once saved, always saved" which is also known by many as "the doctrine of eternal security"? Have you ever wondered if this doctrine is a biblically based Truth? If so, then read on. This study is for you! We Christians must always base our beliefs on God’s Holy Word - - - never on the traditions of men. So throughout the rest of this lesson, lets search for the Truth about this subject as the Holy Spirit ministers and speaks to us through the Word of Almighty God.

It is commonly understood that the New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are referred to as "the gospels". The word "gospel" simply means "good news". The remaining books of the New Testament, with the exception of the books of Acts and Revelation are called "the epistles". The epistles are letters written by various apostles to specific Church groups and individuals as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit. They contain special instructions, exhortations, and warnings about living the Christian life by and through God's Holy Spirit who abides within each born-again believer’s spirit. And we also understand that since it is we believers who are the Church today, then these instructions (epistles) are expressly written to us as well.

Each book of the New Testament was written to and for believers. However, certain portions of the four gospels (those portions which tell of the "good news" of the Christ) can be received by non-believers as well.

The reason that the "good news" portions of the Gospels are also written to the unsaved is because it is through the gospel that the saving power of God is given to those who (choose to) believe, and of course, before one can believe, he or she must hear the good news about Christ. The apostle Paul tells us about the salvation power of God divinely placed in the "gospel" in his epistle to the church at Rome.

Romans 1:16 - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it [the gospel of Christ] is the power of God unto salvation to every one that [chooses to] believe; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

But here’s the point: Non-believers are not spiritually capable of understanding or receiving any spiritual benefit from hearing or reading any portion of the Bible except those portions of the Gospels which contain the "good news" in which "the power of God unto salvation" has been placed. We learn this from the following scripture:

1 Corinthians 2:14 - "But the natural man [an unsaved person] receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they (the things of the Spirit of God) are spiritually discerned."

This letter of Paul, written to the Church in Corinth, informs us that for one to understand the epistles, he/she must have the Holy Spirit living within since it is He who leads the children of God to all Truth. God's Word is truth (see John 17:17).

His Word has constructive meaning only to believers, and only then when God reveals it by and through His Holy Spirit. Godly truth is spiritually revealed to and discerned by believers only. This type of spiritual knowledge is known as "revelation knowledge".

The basis of this study is found in some of the epistles and in some portions of the book of Revelation, particularly its second and third chapters where the Lord Jesus is instructing the Apostle John to write certain instructions to the seven churches of Asia. The purpose of this discussion thus far is to establish the fact that all of the following scriptures were written to, and for the benefit of, believers only!

Therefore, as you read the following, keep in mind that the scriptures presented herein are written to the Church and do not apply to the lost of this World. The lost are lost! They have nothing to lose, no place from which to fall, no good fight to fight, and no faith to keep. Only believers have something for which the devil contends. The scriptures presented in this teaching apply to you if you have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! Therefore, this is being presented for the edification of believers only!

Before beginning this study it is essential that we know something about the basic requirements of a covenant. Why? Because our salvation in Christ is based upon a Covenant - - the New Covenant .

A covenant is nothing more than a contract or agreement between two parties. According to the Scriptures, a covenant is required to be (1) witnessed, (2) confirmed by an oath, (3) specified, (4) put in writing, and (5) sealed. In addition the participants who enter into a covenant are required to meet two basic requirements. And It is these two participant requirements which we will discuss at this time since they are absolutely necessary in order to keep the covenant alive and in force.

Each covenant participant, throughout the specific term of the covenant, must: (1) be able to perform his/her part of the agreement; and (2) be willing to perform his/her part of the agreement.

If either one of the participants fails to continue to comply in one or both of these two requirements throughout the specified time of the agreement, then the covenant is considered to be void. So, concerning God and His covenants with mankind, let’s briefly consider both the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.

In each of these covenants the participants are the same - God (the covenant originator) and man. Let’s first examine the Old Covenant. We all know that God was, and still is, both able and willing to carry out His part of the Old Covenant. We also know that He is always faithful to do what He says He will do. He is not limited in any way. No one would dispute that.

But what about the other party - mankind? Under the Old Covenant some were willing to enter into this agreement with God. However, the Old Covenant was weak because no one possessed the necessary ability to keep its requirements. For example, in order to successfully fulfill the requirements of the Old Covenant, one must keep all ten of the "Ten Commandments". The breaking of only one of the commandments was enough to make the entire covenant void. One must faithfully keep all ten.

Even though some were willing to enter into this covenant with God, no one had the ability to keep all of the laws this covenant required. And, as has been pointed out, the ability to keep the covenant’s requirements is one of the two main participant requirements. Mankind’s inability to keep all of the requirements (or law) of the Old Covenant is referred to in the Scriptures as "the curse of the law." So there was a great need for a replacement covenant. Of course, Jesus purchased a new and better covenant for us which we now refer to as the "New Covenant", or "New Testament" which replaced the Old Covenant.

As you can see, it became necessary to replace the Old Covenant with a new one. The New Covenant is a better covenant based on better promises than the Old Covenant.

Hebrews 8:6-7 - "But now hath He (Jesus) obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if the first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second."

It‘s very important to remember that for mankind to be willing to enter into a covenant with God is one thing, but to be able to maintain the requirements of the covenant to its end is quite another. One advantage of the New Covenant is that Christ has now become mankind’s ability to perform all of the covenant requirements. Not one person has the ability in and of themselves to keep all of the New Covenant’s stipulations. But that ability is now available through the gift of Christ. Christ has now become the ability to those who have received Him. Those who are "in Christ" have been redeemed from "the curse of the law".

Galatians 3:13 - "Christ hath redeemed us [Christians] from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, ‘Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:’"

However, now that a Christian has been given the necessary ability through Christ, he or she must also be willing to perform the covenant requirements until the New Covenant is terminated. A Christian does not lose his or her free will at salvation. God is a just, kind and gentle God and will never force those who belong to Him to do something which they are not willing to do. Yes, God is sovereign and could use force, but that’s not His loving nature. So always remember this: Satan, who has already been defeated by Christ, cannot force a Christian to do something contrary to his or her will, and God won’t!

Rev 2:7 - "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."

Rev 2:11 - "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death."

Rev 2:17 - "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it."

Rev 3:21 - "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."

These verses were written in about A.D. 96 and they were written in particular to the Churches at Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea respectively. But they also apply to the Church of our day. Particularly notice the phrase "he or him that overcometh" which each of these scriptures have in common. Toward the end of the book of Revelation we see this same phrase once again.

Rev 21:7 - "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

At this point we ought to ask ourselves four vital questions:

1) "What is it that is to be overcome?";

2) "What must I do to become an overcomer?";

3) "As an overcomer, what are the benefits if I endure until the end?"

4) "As an overcomer, what are the consequences if I fail to endure until the end?"

The remainder of this lesson will be dedicated to seeking the Biblical answers to these four questions. Question number four, in particular, should launch us on our way to understanding the title of this teaching, "The Birth Of Spiritual Death".

1 John 5:4 - "For whatsoever [whosoever] is born of God overcometh the world: . . . . . . . .

We see here that it’s the World that’s to be overcome. The word "overcometh" as used in all of the above verses means "to subdue; ie. to conquer, to prevail, to get the victory."

But what does "overcome the World" mean? In other words, what is it about the World that is to be overcome, conquered, and prevailed over? For that answer, let’s look once again to the Word of God for the answer!

1 John 2:15-17 - "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

So then the answer to Question No. 1 is: "The Christian must learn to overcome the ways of the World which are manifest in those who are lost by and through: (a) the lust of the flesh, (b) the lust of the eyes, and (c) the pride of life". God’s way of doing things is absolutely contrary to the World’s way of doing things.

The meaning of the word "lust" as used here in these scriptures is: "a longing (especially for that which is forbidden) in order to obtain a reward or pleasure; ie. a strong desire". So "lust" simply means "to long for or have a strong desire for something that’s contrary to the Will of God in order to obtain a reward or pleasure through some source other than God!"

1 John 5:4-5 - "For whatsoever [whosoever] is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"

This scripture very plainly says that it’s the "born of God (born-again)" one who has the potential to overcome the world. It also explains that to be born-again one must "believe that Jesus is the Son of God". And finally, it states that it’s the "faith" of the born-again one which gives him or her the victory over the World and it’s ways.

Therefore the simplest answer to Question Number Two is: To become an overcomer, one must become a Christian. And to become a Christian, one must believe that Jesus is the Son of God and experience spiritual rebirth.

Before we go on to question number three, lets first take a look at Jesus and see how He was tempted and tested and how He overcame the World and its ways.

In Matthew Chapter Four, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Notice that it was the Holy Spirit Who was doing the leading, the devil who was doing the tempting, and Jesus Who was being tempted.

James 1:13 - "Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted of God": for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man:"

This is an area which is greatly misunderstood by many of God’s people. This scripture reveals to us that God cannot be tempted with evil. But Matthew 4:1 says that Jesus was led of the Holy Spirit to be tempted. Since Jesus is the second person of the Holy Trinity, isn't He just as much God as the Heavenly Father? Is there a conflict between Matthew 4:1 and James 1:13? The answers are in the scriptures. They are YES and NO, respectively.

YES, Jesus is the second person of the Holy Trinity and is just as much God as is the Heavenly Father. However, Jesus is God manifested in human flesh. Many Christians never realize that Jesus lived His life and carried out His earthly ministry entirely as "the Son of man" (100% man) - - - not as "the Son of God." His heavenly ministry was, and continues to be, accomplished as "the Son of God."

The tempting of Jesus by the devil and the recording of it was for our benefit so that we might understand (a) Who does the tempting, (b) that Jesus was tempted just like we are, yet without sin, and (c) how the family of God can (because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit) overcome these satanic temptations. And NO, there is not a conflict between those two scriptures.

Hebrews 2:17-18 - "Wherefore in all things it behooved [was proper for] Him [Jesus] to be made like unto His brethren [100% man], that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor [help] them that are tempted."

Hebrews 4:15-16 - "For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities [weaknesses]; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly [with confidence] unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

You see, even though Satan didn’t realize it at the time, Jesus was tempted for our benefit. The Scriptural evidence is that He was tempted, not as GOD since God cannot be tempted, but as MAN, yet without sin. Therefore we need to understand that He could have sinned, but He didn’t. He could have yielded unto the temptations, but He didn’t.

Instead He OVERCAME, subdued, conquered, prevailed, and got the victory over the devil and his temptations as a man. He overcame the devil's temptations by using one of the greatest weapons God has ever given to man - HIS WORD!! - the "SWORD OF THE SPIRIT" !! Every Word of God is filled with "victory overcoming faith". Jesus was an "overcomer" and, as a man, He set the perfect example for us as to how we should live out our earthly lives as overcomers.

During His temptation as a man, Jesus was first tempted to yield to the lust of the flesh, - - - to command the stones to be made into bread. He must have been very hungry after fasting for forty days and nights. Had He yielded to and acted in accordance with this temptation by commanding the stones to become bread, He would have had to do so as "the Son of God" and not as "the Son of man." But that would not have been according to the Father's will. It was, however, the Father's will for Jesus to accomplish His entire earthly ministry as "the Son of Man" so that He could set the example for us.

Yes, he could have chosen to command the stones to become bread as the "Son of God", but He chose to remain obedient to His Father's will. It was through the fall of MAN (Adam and Eve) that sin and death were both able to enter planet Earth.

Therefore, to be legal, the redemption of mankind and the victory over sin and death must also be regained by total MAN. Otherwise Satan could have accused God of using His power and might unfairly and unjustly!

Hebrews 2:14 - "Forasmuch then as the children [of God] are partakers of FLESH AND BLOOD, He [Jesus] also Himself likewise took part of THE SAME; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;"

1 Corinthians 15:21-22 - "For since by MAN [Adam] came death, by MAN [Jesus] came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."

1 Corinthians 15:45 - "And so it is written, the first MAN Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam [Jesus] was made a quickening spirit."

1 Corinthians 15:47 - "The first MAN is of the earth, earthy: the second MAN is the Lord from heaven."

Notice in these scriptures the word, "man". It’s very obvious that even though Jesus was just as much God as the Father and the Holy Spirit, it was definitely the will of the Father for Him to conduct His earthly ministry as the "the Son of Man". To do otherwise would have violated the Father's will and would also have been grossly unfair. And we all know that God is a fair God.

But Jesus remained submitted to the Heavenly Father and His will. He set the example for us by using the "sword of the Spirit." He quoted that portion of God's Word to the devil which was written in the book of Deuteronomy in Chapter 8, Verse 3 which says, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." As man. Jesus lived by and held tightly to the HOLY SCRIPTURES and refused to yield to the devil's temptations. Jesus therefore OVERCAME temptation (John 16:33).

Reading further in Matthew Chapter Four, we see that when Jesus failed to respond to "the lust of the flesh", He was then tempted two additional times! Once with "the pride of life" and once with "the lust of the eyes." But again Jesus refused to yield to these satanic temptations and quoted the Word of God with, "It is written". He remained submitted to His Father's will and steadfastly resisted the devil in the faith.

It is interesting to note that even today all temptations come through one of, or a combination of, these three general methods we have just discussed. Each of these same three methods were also utilized by Satan when he tempted Eve and deceived her in the garden. When you read the third chapter of Genesis you will see all three methods there.

James 4:7 - "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."

1 Peter 5:9 - "Whom [the devil] resist steadfast [firmly] in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions [weaknesses] are accomplished in [suffered by] your brethren that are in the world."

1 Peter 1:9 - "Receiving the end [outcome] of your faith, even the salvation of your souls."

First of all, let’s begin this third question with another question: What is meant by "until the end?" In other words, "until the end of what?" In this Scripture (1 Peter1:9) please note the words, "end of your faith". Did you also take note that the "end of your faith" is equated with the "salvation of your souls"?

It’s imperative we understand that "salvation" doesn’t begin and end at the same time as some perceive it does. Salvation is an on-going process and doesn’t end until we reach the end of our faith. So the next logical question then is, " When does a Christian’s faith end?" Faith is a God-given spiritual force that He only gives to believers. The Lord gives His faith to a believer at the time salvation is initiated - - not before.

The reason God gives His faith is because the new believer will need it in order to receive from Him. Without faith one cannot receive from God. The new believer also needs this faith in order to survive the fiery darts of the enemy. In other words, the new believer must have this Godly power called faith in order to survive spiritually. It enables the new believer to successfully live the Christian life until its end. At that point, a believer will no longer need faith. Faith enables the believer to overcome the World in this present life just as Jesus did. So it’s an ongoing process.

In other words, "It ain’t over until it’s over"! Salvation is not over until we no longer need faith and that will take place when we either die or rapture! That’s the end to which we believers must attain. That’s also why the believer must "fight the good fight of faith", "keep the faith", and faithfully maintain the works of the Lord until the end (of faith).

God has given mankind everything necessary to bring salvation to a successful conclusion, but the key to this is mankind’s willingness to remain steadfast - - - until the end. Everyone knows that God will certainly uphold His part of salvation, but that’s only one-half of the covenant. Mankind’s will is also involved. The will of man is the other one-half of the picture! But some only want to see a half of a picture.

Does this mean that a possibility exists for a believer to fail to endure until the end of his or her faith? You bet it does! Let’s consider some statements made by the Apostle Paul which plainly indicate this very idea! As you read the following scriptures, see if you can find "once saved, always saved" compatible with what the Holy Spirit is teaching.

The Greek word for "castaway" is "adokimos" which means "unapproved, i.e. rejected; by implication, worthless." This same word is also translated as "reprobate" in Romans 1:28 when referring to homosexuals and as "rejected" in Hebrews 6:8 when discussing the failure to revive those who do fall away.

Notice also the word "retain" in this verse. This indicates that at one time these people must have known God but they didn’t keep or "retain"Him in their knowledge. Knowing God is not something an unsaved person can do. So according to this scripture, God gave them over to an unapproved, rejected, and worthless mind.

Notice it says "be burned" in verse eight, "salvation"in verse nine, and "and do minister" in verse ten. The reason the writer of Hebrews, who most likely was the apostle Paul, was "persuaded" of "better things that accompany salvation" of these individuals was because they were still ministering. He was aware that these people to whom he was writing had not fallen away and committed the unforgivable sin because they were still active in the work of the Lord. A fallen person would not be engaged in working for the Lord.

We have already seen that it’s the will of God for the believer to overcome the World and its ways of lusts. We have also seen in the scriptures that to accomplish this a believer must do two things. First, he or she must be submitted to God; Secondly, he or she must learn to resist the devil and his temptations. Both are only possible by utilizing the God kind of faith.

Therefore, we must abide in God and keep the faith. If we do this, we have God's promise that the devil will flee from us much the same way as he did when Jesus refused to yield to temptation. Jesus attacked Satan with the "Sword of the Spirit" (God’s Word). However, having the devil flee from us is only one of many benefits of being an overcomer. There are many more.

James 1:2-4 - "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations [various trials]; Knowing this, that the trying [testing] of your faith worketh [develops] patience [perseverance]. But let patience [perseverance] have her perfect [complete] work, that ye may be perfect [mature] and entire [finished], wanting [lacking] nothing."

Before we continue, it is of utmost importance that we thoroughly understand the testing of our faith. What is the source of this testing? Remember, God is "all knowing". Therefore he knows all there is to know about our faith. And Jesus is "the Author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). So God has no reason to tempt (test) our faith. Even the Scriptures tell us that God doesn’t tempt (test) any man (James 1:13). Then who is it that’s tempting our faith and why? It's the devil who's tempting us and testing our faith - - - not God!

In 1 Timothy 6:11-12, Paul is exhorting fellow believer Timothy to follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness, to "fight the good fight of faith", and to "lay hold" [deliberately seek] eternal life. Keeping our faith is a fight!! But it’s a good fight. Why so? Because it’s ordained by God. The reason He wants us to fight this good fight, be victorious, and keep our faith is because we must do so in order to maintain our overcoming status.

The devil's motive is to separate the Christian from God. His number one goal is to pressure the believer with persecution and various temptations to the point that he or she will abandon his or her faith in God and walk no more with Him. If his number one goal fails, then Satan’s alternate or number two goal is to render the Christian ineffective and fruitless in his or her ability to be useful to God.

However, this lesson is primarily concerned with Satan’s number one plan because if he gets his way and his first plan is successful, then the result will be "The Birth Of Spiritual Death", which is our subject . The believer’s effort to prevent this from happing is the very heart of the "good fight of faith", and the only fight to which we, as God's children, are called to fight! Jesus has already defeated the devil and he no longer has the power of death. We are not called to "fight" the devil but we are commanded to "resist" him.

We must also be aware of the fact that the devil is not concerned with fair play. Being fair requires that Truth be present and, according to the Bible, he has no truth in him (John 8:44). He wants to destroy our faith. This is what the activities of our adversary, the devil, are all about. He is anti-God, anti-Christ, and therefore anti-man! His wants to separate man from God and populate hell. But since he has been defeated, how can he get by with that? Who’s allowing him to cause all this trouble? Many of God’s people sincerely believe it’s God. But they’re sincerely wrong!

Because Jesus defeated the devil, he can no longer do us any harm UNLESS WE give him permission! So here’s something every Christian should know and comprehend: SATAN CAME SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF KILLING, STEALING, AND DESTROYING. AFTER DEFEATING SATAN, GOD GAVE MANKIND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HAVING THE LAST WORD ABOUT THE DEVIL’S ACTIVITIES. MANKIND IS THE ONE WHO PRESENTLY PROHIBITS OR PERMITS SATAN TO DO HIS THING . AND BECAUSE THAT RESPONSIBILITY HAS BEEN GIVEN TO MANKIND, WE HAVE NO ONE TO BLAME BUT OURSELVES WHEN THINGS GO WRONG! THEREFORE WE MUST STOP BLAMING GOD FOR THINGS HE DOESN’T DO. (Click on "Kingdom Keys" for more about this).

The devil is a liar and must use deception and doubt in order to "tempt" a child of God to wander out from under God’s umbrella of protection. We believers can, by an act of our own free will, choose a course of action (willingly or ignorantly) which can result in the removing of our protection and cause us to become vulnerable to the enemy! This is when the tempting, testing, and the trying of our faith is made available to the devil.

Satan wants believers to discard their God given shield of faith. He knows if they do, then his fiery darts will become effective and possibly lead to their spiritual death! Now if this is not possible as some advocate, then the family of God has no need for the armor of God and the "fight of faith" is only a figment of our imagination. All of these Scriptures we’ve seen so far must have no meaning and are nothing more than mere page fillers in the Bible.

But we know better. The Bible actually commands us to "above all, Take (in other words, "use") the shield of faith" so that we might protect ourselves and fight the only fight to which we as Christians are called. The "good fight of faith" is the only spiritual battle in which we are to be engaged! We are not called to "fight the devil", but we are called to "resist the devil"!

We believers often erroneously assume our battle is with some person or group of people. But according to God’s Word, our problem is not with "flesh and blood" (that’s people). Our real battle is against principalities, powers, spiritual wickedness, and rulers of darkness (Satan and his underlings) in the spirit world (see Eph. 6:12). When we truly receive the revelation knowledge about this Truth, we’ll be set free to even love our enemies! Why? Because now we understand that "we wrestle not against flesh and blood" (human beings). We now understand that these are people whom God loves. They have been deceived and are totally unaware that they’re being used by Satan. These people are in need of deliverance and our prayers.

We must realize that only Christians are tempted because they are the only ones who have faith (2 Thes. 3:2) and Christians are the only ones who have something to lose! And what is that?- - - faith and salvation!

Unbelievers are already in a lost state and, whether they realize it or not, they’re already enslaved by Satan. Their only hope is to hear the Gospel of Christ, choose to believe it as the truth, accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, and be born again (saved). At that point they will receive the "God kind of faith". Then they too will also be required to guard and keep that faith as long as they live. (To learn more about faith, click on "Faith" on main Web Page).

James 1:12 - "Blessed [fortunate, well off] is the [Christian] man that endureth [perseveres] temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him."

Here we see another result or blessing of being an overcomer and enduring until the end. We shall receive the "crown of life" which is promised by the Lord to those that love Him, and continue to love Him, unto the end. There are multitudes of blessings for those who remain an overcomer unto the end. For review sake the following is only a partial list from the Scriptures in the Book of Revelation of the benefits of maintaining the overcomer status:

1. Overcomers may eat of the tree of life which is located in the presence of God.

2. One who overcomes unto the end will escape the second death (being thrown into the Lake of Fire).

3. Overcomers will eat of the hidden manna.

4. Overcomers will be given a white stone. Written on this stone will be a new name which no one will know except the one to whom it is given.

5. Overcomers who keep the works of God unto the end will be given power over the nations.

6. Overcomers will be clothed in white clothing.

7. Overcomers will have their name confessed by Jesus before the Heavenly Father and His angels.

8. Overcomers will not have their name blotted out of the Book of Life. (Some must have overlooked this one!)

9. Overcomers will be a pillar in the temple of God in the New Jerusalem.

10. Jesus will write upon each overcomer His new name, the name of God, and the name of the new Jerusalem.

11. Each overcomer will have permission to sit with Jesus in His throne.

12. Each overcomer will inherit all things.

13. Each overcomer will have a son/daughter relationship with Father God.

14. "He that endureth unto the end" will be saved." (Matt. 10:22b)

Here’s where we need to do some serious scripture reading. Prayerfully read 2 Peter Chapter Two. When we look closely at this chapter, we see that the subject there is false teachers within the Church. These false teachers promote damnable heresies - - even the denying of the Lord (Verse 1). Instead of being overcomers, they themselves have been overcome by Satan. They have been taken captive and "speak evil of things that they understand not."

In the 18th verse we learn that these false teachers entice "those who had altogether escaped [this would have to be the saved] from them who live in error [the lost]". Here again temptation is used as one of Satan's deceptions and methods. He uses false teachers to "deceive" Christians and causes some of them (the weak ones) to lay down their shield of faith, give up the "good fight of faith" and surrender!!

2 Peter 2:19-21 - "While they [false teachers] promise them [those who have been cleansed] liberty, they themselves [the false teachers] are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage [ie. slavery]. For if after they [those who were cleansed] have escaped the pollutions [sins] of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they [salvation] [those who were cleansed, i.e. the saved] are again entangled therein [in the sins of the world], and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them [those who were cleansed - the saved] not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them."

Hebrews 6:4-6 - "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift [salvation through the rebirth of one's spirit], and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good Word of God and powers of the world [age] to come, if they shall fall away [to the point of being overcome], to renew [revive] them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."

Luke 12:37,42-46 - "Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when He cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that He shall gird Himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. But and if that servant say in his heart, "My lord delayeth his coming"; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder [separate him from the others], and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers."

Hebrews 10:26-27 - "For if we [believers] sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries."

Hebrews 10:29 - "Of how much sorer [worse] punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified [saved and set apart for the work of God], an unholy thing, and hath done despite [blasphem] unto the Spirit of grace?"

Hebrews 10:38 - "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him."

1 John 5:16-17 - "If any man see his brother [in the Lord] sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and He [God] shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto [eternal spiritual] death. I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness [wrongdoing] is sin: and there is a sin unto death."

1 Timothy 4:1 - "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils [demons];"

Hebrews 10:39 - "But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition [destruction]; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."

Hebrews 6:9 - "But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak."

As previously mentioned, the scriptures in the epistles were written only to believers - to the Church - that's you and me! They reveal to us that "some shall depart from the faith" and that it is possible for one to "draw back unto perdition (destruction)" subsequent to salvation. God told us in this 39th verse of the 10th chapter of Hebrews that there are "them" who do so. Yet there are some who ignore this! Church, this is THE BIRTH OF SPIRITUAL DEATH WHICH IS THE RESULT OF COMMITTING "THE UNFORGIVABLE SIN"!

We come into this World spiritually dead. So before one can die spiritually, one must have spiritual (eternal) life. Before one can "fall", one must have some position (eternal life) from which to fall. Notice the writer of Hebrews says that he is "persuaded" of better than that of those "beloved" [his brethren in the Lord] to whom he was writing this epistle.

Those brothers and sisters who seek the Truth, as most of us do, but continue to hold fast to the doctrine of "eternal security" (once saved always saved) would do well to take a serious look at all of these scriptures. If the doctrine of "eternal security" is indeed Truth, then they should question why the writer of Hebrews would need to be "persuaded" (Heb. 6:9). They should also question why all of these admonitory scriptures were written to the Church if a "fall" is not possible!!

Unfortunately, there are those in the Body of Christ who don’t really want to know the Truth about this matter. They will not read, nor will they even consider, the evidence presented here concerning this subject. Even though they have spiritual "ears to hear", and "eyes to see", they willingly choose to refuse to hear or see anything that might be contrary to what they’ve been taught and believed for so long. They know, if what you are reading here is Truth, then they will be held responsible and accountable for many evil things that are taking place in our World today. But they don’t want that responsibility!

Accepting that responsibility would require that changes be made, and change is not something many like to deal with. There’s an old saying which says, "There is none so blind as he who will not see". Now this isn’t scripture, but it does seem to have a lot of merit. I realize this sounds harsh, but I believe it to be the Truth. You see, once the Truth has been revealed to us, then we become responsible for sharing it with others.

Notice in 1 John 5:16 above that it states it is possible for a "brother" (in the Lord) to commit a "sin unto death?" It is certainly true that no one and no thing has the ability to separate us from the love God has for us or to snatch us from His hand. However, the born again child of God came into this world with (and still has) a "free will" with which to make choices - - be they wise or be they foolish! Also salvation is "free" and cannot be purchased or acquired by any type of trade.

In other words, a person cannot trade a portion of his or her free will for salvation!. We are not required to trade or return a portion of our free will in order to obtain God's free gift of salvation! To do so would cheapen the completed work by Jesus at the Cross. The "doctrine of eternal security" reduces a saved person’s free will after salvation and fosters disregard for a great many Scriptures.

Jesus said He would never leave us (temporarily) nor forsake us (permanently). He also said that no man could pluck us out of his hand. However, His leaving us or forsaking us is not the issue here. Neither is another person’s ability to remove us from God’s hand. The major and vital question is "will God allow us to disown, leave, and forsake Him?" The scriptures indicate that He will allow us to do so if that is our will. If He doesn’t allow us to do so, then we no longer have a free will! It would also indicate that we have exchanged something (in this case, our free will) in order to obtain salvation. And that would mean that salvation is not really free after all!

And to say that someone who permanently turns his or her back on Christ means that he or she was never actually saved to begin with, is poor and shallow reasoning. That is purely wishful thinking and a desperate attempt, using the "traditions of men", at an explanation! It also means they don’t understand the Book of Genesis. I’m sure they often refer to "the fall of mankind", meaning Adam and Eve. I’ve never understood how these people think mankind got into this mess in the first place and why mankind needs a Savior. Adam and Eve "fell" because they used their free will in an unwise manner.

Even the angels have a "free will". This is evidenced by the one-third who "chose" to leave God and follow Satan. Also two-thirds "chose" to remain with God. Although the fallen angels began with God, they ended up belonging to the adversary and are still working for him today. Like the saints who "fall away", there seems to be no scriptural evidence that these "fallen angels" (angels who fell away from God) will ever desire to repent and return to God. And according to the scriptures "many of the disciples" of Jesus "went back, and walked no more with Him."

John 6:66-70 - "From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, ‘Will ye also go away?’ Then Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus answered them, "Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?"

Are you a disciple (student) of Jesus? If so, then He is also asking you, "Will ye also go away?" You see, even though Jesus did the choosing and "chose" all twelve, one left Him of his own free will. No one made him decide what he ended up doing. He didn't persevere and the result was that he "fell away". The temptation was too much for him. Even though he later repented and confessed his evil deeds, Judas was unable to again be a follower of Christ!

Matthew 27:3-5 - "Then Judas, which had betrayed Him, when he saw that He was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, "I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood." And they said, "What is that to us? See thou to that." And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself."

Luke 9:62 - "And Jesus said unto him [a certain man], ‘No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, [to the world and its ways] is fit for the kingdom of God.’"

We understand these events took place on the other side of the cross from us today. However, the message appears to parallel the subject of spiritual death. Even the very combinations of the numerals of the chapter and verse seem to be ominous - (John 6:66)!

It is absolutely contrary to the Will of God that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9). Yet He will never violate mankind’s will, even if it results in a falling away. And I feel certain that God is very disappointed when one of His children "falls away". And please understand that He still loves the fallen one just as much as He ever did. It’s just that He respects mankind’s will and will never go against it.

The consequence of a "falling away" is the "second death" which, according to the Scriptures, means "spending eternity apart from God" and "being cast in the lake of fire" where all of those who refuse to accept Him will also eventually reside forever. One cannot accept the Lord on a part-time basis! You see, if one doesn’t choose to spend eternity with God, then there is only one place left where he can go.

Rev. 21:8 - "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

A once born person (physically) must die twice (physically and spiritually). This is dying twice, or becoming "twice dead" (Jude 12). Physical death is the first death, and spiritual death is what the Bible refers to as "the second death" (Rev. 2:11; 20:6).

A twice born person (physically and spiritually) will only die once (physically). This spiritual birth is what the Bible refers to as "being born again from above". This second birth is the birth of salvation. And if a twice born person happens to be alive when the Rapture of the Church takes place, he or she will never die (physically or spiritually)!

Now returning now to our question as to the consequences of failing to endure until the end, in light of all of the above, we see that the latter end of one who is overcome and falls away is worse than the beginning would have been had he or she never known the way of righteousness [2 Peter 2:20]. And it also seems reasonable to assume that all of the blessings which are granted the overcomer would become lost, including (but not limited to) "not having one's name blotted out of the Book of Life".

"Why would anyone in their right mind allow themselves to depart from the faith - to completely "fall away" from God and all of His blessings -to commit the sin unto spiritual death?", you might ask. Obviously the answer is: "No one in their right mind would. Only someone in their wrong mind would be so foolish as to fail to renew their mind as we are commanded in Romans 12:2! That's why the adversary is out to make sure that we never develop a right mind!"

Mankind comes into this world with a wrong mind. The Word of God precisely exhorts us to have our minds "renewed" by His Word so that we will be able to demonstrate HIS "good, acceptable, and perfect will" rather than that of the adversary. But this is something the believer himself must do. The believer has no excuses because God has made available both the means and the ability with which to fulfill this commandment.

One reason many believers fail to "rightly divide the Word of Truth" in various areas is because they fail to have a good understanding of mankind’s makeup. Many never realize that, when saved, they become the temple of God (1 Cor. 3:16). Mankind, like God, is also three parts - 1) spirit (the temple’s Holy of Holies), 2) soul (the temple’s Inner Court), and 3) body (the temple’s Outer Court).

In these New Testament times, God is using temples which have not been made with hands. However, mankind’s mind consists of only two of these three parts - the spirit and the soul. These two parts differ one from the other. The spirit is not the soul, and the soul is not the spirit. We might say that the mind of man has a spirit and a soul.

Eph. 4:23 - "And be renewed in [with] the spirit of your mind;"

Hebrews 4:12 - "For the word of God is quick [alive], and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

At salvation, only one part of mankind experiences the rebirth. The spirit of man (the inner man) is given the "new birth" so that for the first time in his life he now possesses the ability to receive from God.

At spiritual rebirth, the spirit one-third of mankind is empowered with the ability to receive from God. The Holy Spirit takes up residence within mankind's spirit. Since the spirit and the soul will always remain together, then both the spirit and the soul must be saved. After the spirit’s rebirth, it becomes mankind’s responsibility to see to it that his soul becomes renewed with God’s Word.

James 1:21 - "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity [excess] of naughtiness [sinfulness], and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls."

Remember now. These scriptures are written only to Christians. Upon receiving the reborn spirit, the Christian becomes the temple of God. After the rebirth experience, God expects the new Christian to renew the remaining portion of his or her mind (the soul) with His Word. At salvation both the soul and the physical body remain unchanged. At the time of salvation only the spirit of man experiences a change and becomes new.

And so it is possible (if one fails to renew his or her soul) to be like those in the parable of the sower who "were believers for a while", but since "they had no root" (no Word knowledge) the temptations and tests of life came and caused them to stumble and FALL AWAY (Luke 8:13). Please do not misunderstand what the Word means by "falling away". It is not talking about backsliding. Backsliding is only the beginning of a backward journey which can eventually lead to a falling away! "Backsliding" creates broken fellowship with God. But a "falling away" creates broken relationship with God. A falling away is "The Birth of Spiritual Death". There is a great difference between backsliding and falling away! Backsliding is the "slippery slope" that leads to a fall. So please don’t get them confused.

There are two steps that can lead a Christian into temptation.

STEP ONE: A Christian can be tempted (by the devil) when he or she is drawn away (from God) by his or her own lust (strong desire) for something contrary to God's will. Temptation will always come by and through one or more of the following three methods:

A. The lust of the eyes

B. The lust of the flesh

C. The pride of life

STEP TWO: A Christian can be tempted (by the devil) when he or she is enticed. Enticed means, "to willingly entertain evil thoughts concerning worldly rewards or pleasures".

Luke 8:13 - "They on the rock are they, who, when they hear, receive the Word with joy; and these have no root [limited knowledge of the Word], who for a while believe, and in time of temptation [pressure applied by Satan)] fall away."

Those "on the rock" are definitely believers because this Scripture says that they received the Word and only believers receive God’s Word. Now please don’t allow "the traditions of men" to hinder you from understanding what you are reading. It is only the "saved" at whom satan shoots his fiery darts of temptation. We know this is so because of his motive. His number one motive and objective is to draw the believer away from God - - to separate the Christian from the Heavenly Father.

According to the "parable of the sower" Scriptures (Luke 8), there are four major conditions which can cause a Christian to lay down and abandon his or her shield of faith:

1. Tribulation because of the Word; (various physical problems caused by Satan because of one’s acceptance and trust in God’s Word).

2. Persecution because of the Word; (Undue hardships heaped on the believer by the servants of satan, [ unbelievers] ).

3. Cares of this world; (anxiety about and concern for worldly possessions, events, and/or conditions).

4. The deceitfulness of riches; (the false belief that money or worldly possessions can solve all of one's problems).

The primary reason the adversary is so able to apply these four situations effectively on many believers is because of their lack of knowledge of God and His Word. For example, if the believer has received revelation knowledge of the scripture which teaches, "The love of money is the root of all evil" (1 Tim. 6:10), then he or she will not lust (have strong desire) for money. Lusting for money can result in one's being drawn away from God through the deceitfulness of riches. Please understand that having money is not the problem. The problem exists when money has the person!

Hosea 4:6 - "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children."

Hebrews 3:12-13 - "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."

Romans 11:20-22- "Because of unbelief they [the Jews] were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded [proud], but fear [be humble]: For if God spared not the natural branches [the Jews], take heed lest He also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which FELL, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off [rejected]."

We gentile (non Jewish) believers have been grafted into God's family to also become His people with the condition and understanding that we "continue in His goodness." Otherwise we also "shall be cut off [rejected]," (Vs. 22).

Once my wife and I had several rose bushes planted in a flower bed at our home, each of which had been grafted before purchase. We failed to prune these bushes on a regular basis and the result was that some of them reverted back to their original state before they were grafted and no longer produced the beautiful roses that they once did.

So we simply had to reject those bushes which had reverted. We had to remove them from those which were still producing. After uprooting and removing them, we hauled them off to be destroyed. They had to be removed from the place where they were to be rooted, grounded, and displayed for all to see and enjoy!

John 15:1-6 -"I AM the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman [gardener]. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth [prunes] it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now you are clean [pruned] through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in [remains attached to] the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without [apart from] me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned."

When studying God’s Word, if we search it solely for the purpose of confirming what we already believe, we will greatly limit new revelations of Truth. It also prevents us from believing what we’re reading and causes us to spiritually see in a very limited way. In other words, we limit the Holy Spirit’s ability to reveal additional Truths of God’s Word to us. So let’s be sure we read the Scriptures with an open mind and a teachable spirit, and then be ready to receive new Truths from the greatest Teacher of all.

Like many of the Jews today who have been "baptized into Moses" and "the Law", many New Testament believers have been baptized into a particular denomination and its doctrines, without ever searching the Word to see if they are Biblically correct.

Today some New Testament believers have been so influenced by unscriptural denominational doctrines that they begin to look more like their denomination than they do Christ. We must be very cautious here because any doctrine, which has not been securely based on Bible Truth, has the potential to cause a "departing from the faith". Doctrinal errors, more often than not, are caused by those who make camp on isolated scriptures. Then they specialize in overemphasizing these same scriptures. Even an entire denomination can be based upon these types of false foundations.

This is not to say, however, that all or most denominational doctrines are in error. But your writer does believe that this subject of "once saved, always saved" (the doctrine of eternal security) does happen to be one of those doctrines in question in light of the Holy Scriptures.

Today we also have a number of denominational doctrines which, in the beginning, were properly based on the Word of God, but have now been altered, perverted, and watered down to the point that they don’t even resemble their original message and intent.

Also the beginning of every mainline denomination (Christian and non-Christian alike) can be traced backward in time to some person (other than Christ) with whom it originated. While most of these men were great men of God, including but not limited to John the baptizer, none of them were the Lord Jesus Who is the chief corner stone of the Church (Eph. 2:20). Since man is not perfect, we must never esteem any person to be above Christ or His Word.

The apostle Paul spoke of the quarrels in his day and time that resulted in divisions in the Church caused by those who were following some particular "man" rather than Christ Himself. Even some who said they were of Christ were looking down their noses at others!

1 Corinthians 1:10-13 - "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined [united] together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions [quarrels] among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided [into groups]? was Paul crucified for you? or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

This almost sounds as though he might have been writing to some of the congregations of today, doesn't it? When listening to some people, one might easily get the idea that their denomination is the only denomination which God acknowledges! The Truth is the Church of today vaguely resembles that of the early day Church of the Bible. It would be interesting to know what Paul would think about what we refer to as "Church" today. More importantly, what does the Lord think about the Church of our day?

However, it should be understood that those who continue to uphold non-Biblical denominational doctrines still retain their salvation unless the doctrine in question has something to do with the basic requirements of salvation itself. They most certainly remain as servants of Jesus Christ. We are all brothers and sisters in the LORD because "we agree in Christ, not because all who are in Christ" agree".

Having minor doctrinal differences is not a sufficient reason for fellowship or family separation. According to the Scriptures, even though we believers are many parts, we are and should remain one Body! The obvious answer then to Paul's question, "Is Christ divided?", is "CERTAINLY NOT"!!

This is not meant to be critical of denominations nor is it meant to suggest that they should be eliminated. It is only being mentioned here in order to caution the Body of Christ from creating denominational idols - - - to prevent the Body of Christ from esteeming certain Christian denominations and/or doctrines to be above that of the corporate Body of believers and Scriptural Truth! If we accept only selected ones and their doctrines because they happen to be of a particular denomination or group, we create man-made idols which must be destroyed. And if we don’t eliminate them ourselves, God will!

Acts 17:11-12 - "These [Jews and Greeks at Berea] were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few."

From these Scriptures we see that "many" of these Jews and Greeks believed. But what we really need to see is that they didn’t believe simply because Paul said it. They believed because what Paul preached agreed with the Scriptures! They esteemed the Word to possess greater authority than the spoken word of any one person. Do the Scriptures agree with what you hear repeated or preached? Do you search the Scriptures daily and check out what you hear or read?

We should never ask "Who does our denomination say that Jesus is". The question we should be asking is, "Based upon my search of the Scriptures, who do I say Jesus is!" And it’s not "How does my church interpret a particular Christian doctrine", but "What does the Holy Spirit personally reveal to me concerning that which I hear and read?"

God doesn’t have any step-children or grandchildren. As individuals, mankind is either a child of God or a child of the devil! Since we will all someday each face God alone, we should not totally depend on any one group or any one voice over that of the Holy Spirit for our personal edification. Not everyone that says, "Lord, Lord," will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt. 7:21). So take heed what you hear [believe and receive] (Mark 4:24)!

How is this condition of a "falling away" which leads to terminal spiritual illness given birth? How are Christians "exposed" to such a condition with the potential to be so spiritually fatal?

In order to avoid the birth of spiritual death, we must never allow sin to go full term. We must defend ourselves from satanic attacks by utilizing Godly principles and guidelines. And we can do this by:

(1) being truly repentant

(2) confessing sin and asking the Lord for His forgiveness

(3) renewing the soul one-half of our mind with the Word of God

This dangerous potential of creating a "falling away" is born when the one who sins fails to truly repent and continues to allow the sin to remain unconfessed. The heart (spirit) of that person then becomes harder and harder as additional sins continue to mount and go unconfessed (Heb. 3:13). If allowed to continue long enough, a "falling away" can occur and a return is then "impossible" (Heb 6:4). At that point, one’s heart becomes so hardened that he or she might blaspheme the Holy Spirit. Should that take place, then He or she has committed "The Unforgivable Sin" !!

This matter of repentance is also a product of man’s "free will". Let’s face it, man either has a free will, or he doesn’t. And man’s will is not somewhat free! It’s either free, or it’s not. Yours truly happens to believe mankind does have a permanent free will - - - before salvation and after salvation.

1 John 5:16 - "If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and He [God] shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it."

Think about what this says!! This can’t be talking about an unsaved person- - a person who was never saved in the first place as some try to teach and promote. First of all, a lost person is not a believer’s "brother". Secondly, if this is referring to a lost person, then we are being advised not to pray for lost souls and we certainly know better than that, don’t we? We need to take a close and serious look at these Scriptures.

This is talking about a "brother" in the Lord. Should a brother (or sister) in the Lord "fall away" and sin the "unforgivable sin", and "fall away", this Scripture advises us not to pray for that person. Why not? Because "it is impossible to renew (revive) them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame" (Hebrews 6:6).

When a saved person backslides and drifts away from God to the point that he or she actually "treads under foot" the Son of God and comes to the point that he or she no longer believes the blood of the covenant to be holy, and literally insults (blasphemes) the Spirit of grace (the Holy Spirit), then there is no more forgiveness available for that person (Hebrews 10:29). At this point "the unforgivable sin" occurs which results in "a falling away", and that person will never again have a desire to repent!

As you know, salvation comes by way of the spoken word (confessing Jesus as Lord). Romans 10:10 says "with the mouth confession is made unto salvation". Likewise, since mankind still has a free will, the reverse is also true. A "falling away" also comes by way of the spoken word (blaspheming the Holy Spirit). Can you see it? We might say that the "falling away" process is the reverse of the "salvation" process!

This Truth might shock some, but the "one baptism" in verse five above is not referring to water baptism. It’s referring to Christian "baptism", of being "immersed" into the Body of Christ , of becoming an integral part of the Church. And here’s the point: One cannot be immersed into the Body of Christ more than once! A "falling away" eliminates any possibility of being placed back into the Body A SECOND TIME! Therefore the sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit is unforgivable.

As has already been pointed out, a "falling away" is different from "backsliding." A "falling away" begins with backsliding. It is backsliding to the point of "no return" - to the point of a complete "falling away". These Scriptures can’t be referring to a lost person because a lost person is already lost and has no position from which "to fall." This in itself should tell us to whom these warnings are written! They are written to the saved.

Temptation creates oppression.

Yielding to temptation creates sin and obsession.

Allowing sin to continue unconfessed creates depression.

A "falling away" creates spiritual death, bondage, and possession.

The Bible instructs us to obtain a high level of discernment and spiritual maturity. But to be able to do so, we must renew our minds with the Holy Word of God on a daily basis. Only then will we be able to "overcome" until the end of our faith and avoid being overcome!

In order to have our minds "renewed", we must learn to be led by the Spirit of God. One cannot live by the Spirit of God and live "in the flesh" (carnally) simultaneously. It is only by and through the Holy Spirit that we can obtain the endurance necessary to be an overcomer to the end. It is only by and through being led of the Holy Spirit that we are able to fight "the good fight of faith" and avoid being overcome by satanically directed temptations. This victory cannot be ours by living in the flesh, but rather by living in the spirit of our mind which has been indwelt, enlightened, and empowered by the Spirit of God.

Ephesians 4:22-24- "That ye put off concerning the former conversation [life] the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness [holiness of truth]."

God has freely given the saved person all of the necessary authority and power to overcome the enemy and cause him or her to prevail and "endure unto the end". "Nothing by any means shall hurt us". But whenever temptations and tests come our way, we have also been given the "shield of faith wherewith we shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" (Ephesians 6:16). So, "take heed, brethren," and "above all take the shield of faith - - -."

Brothers and sisters, here’s the bottom line: As believers we will either overcome the adversary and the World, or we will be overcome. It’s as simple as that! But be of good cheer. Because Jesus has already overcome Satan and the World, we too have the ability as an overcomer by being "in Him" and REMAINING "in Him.". How is that possible? It’s possible because being "in Christ" gives us the ability! But we must realize that even though we are "in Christ", being an overcomer is something we must "walk out" ourselves! It’s not automatically done for us. And, to maintain overcomer status, we must be WILLING to walk it out until "the end".

There has been a Heavenly election, God has voted for us and the devil has voted against us! Now it's up to us to break the tie by being obedient to God and His Word and by doing His " good, acceptable, and perfect, will"! Our being "in Christ" makes us eligible to be an overcomer, and Christ being "in us" makes us able to become an overcomer. It’s "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). But we are required to be consistently willing unto the end. Once we become "in Christ", God gives us the last vote.

The subject of "spiritual death" is a negative, yet vital subject. But it must be confronted. And we should also remember that there is a bright side to this subject. We must remember what Jesus said, in talking to the disciples, prior to His crucifixion:

John 16:33- "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation [trouble]: but be of good cheer; I have OVERCOME the world."

He told the disciples (and He is telling us now) that as long as we abide "in Him" and His words abide "in us" we will have His peace and the potential to be fruitful and useful unto Him. His peace is not the kind of peace the world knows and gives, but is that divine peace which "passes all understanding" (Phil. 4:7). The word "abide" means, "to remain" which is a choice we must make of our own free will.

He also told us, as long as we depend on the World and its ways, we can expect to have troubles. Yes, it is true that we are presently in this World, but we are not of this World. Believers are the only ones who have the God given ability "in Christ" to do it His way with guaranteed success! And while we are here, in this World doing the will of the Father, we should be of good cheer and full of joy because Jesus has overcome the world.

Hebrews 3:12-14 - Take heed brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from [forsaking] the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, IF we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end."