Falling away from Faith
Dr. C.F.W. Walther, first president of the Missouri Synod, told a story of the death of Oliver Cromwell. When Cromwell was dying, he became alarmed about his salvation. He asked the chaplain who was attending him whether a person who had once been a believer could ever lose his faith. Cromwell concluded that all was well with him, since he once had faith, and must therefore still have it.
The Synod of Dort (Calvinist) declared that even though a person who was a believer fell into gross sins like adultery and murder, faith was not lost; only the exercise of faith or the consciousness of faith was lost.
Among American denominations today, there are various groups which teach this same error. They base their teaching on passages such as 1 John 3:9. This doctrine of eternal security is summarized in the slogan, "Once in grace always in grace" or "Once saved, always saved."
Dr. Martin Luther wrote, "When holy men, still having and feeling original sin, also daily repenting of it and striving with it, happen to fall into manifest sins, as David into adultery and murder and blasphemy, then faith and the Holy Spirit have departed from them. For the Holy Spirit does not permit sin to have dominion to gain the upper hand ... but represses and restrains it" (Smalcald Articles).
True and genuine faith is not merely the acceptance of the story of Jesus as true. Even the demons believe this (James 2:19). Genuine repentance and true faith is the work of the Holy Spirit through the hearing of the Word of God. Such faith can be lost by impenitence and deliberately and willfully allowing the flesh to rule in our lives (Rom. 8:12-13).
The Scriptures clearly teach that faith can be lost (Matt. 12:43-45; Heb. 6:4-8; Matt. 13:20-22). A loss of faith occurs when
• A person carelessly and indifferently follows the will and desires of the flesh (Rom. 8:13).
• A person continues to live in the gross sins of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21; 1 Cor. 6:9-10).
• A person carelessly or willfully neglects the hearing of the Gospel and use of the Sacraments (1 Cor. 15:1-2; Rom. 10:17; John 8:31).
• A person continues to indulge his evil imagination and does not with the help of the Spirit strive against unclean desire. To feel temptation is far different from yielding to it (1 John 3:3; Matt. 5:27; Eph. 6:10-17).
• A person allows the love of pleasure and riches and the material things of this world to have priority in life (Matt. 13:22; Eph. 5:5-6; 1 John 1:15-16; Matt. 6:24).
• A person does not adhere to the Word of God and pray diligently for divine help and protection against the temptations of the devil, the world, and the flesh (Matt. 26:41; Eph. 6:10-18).
God has, according to His eternal counsel and will, determined that He will protect His believers in their weakness against the devil, the world, and their own flesh; raise them up again when they fall, keep and preserve them in true faith amid many troubles and afflictions; continue to convert their hearts to true repentance and genuine faith when they adhere to His Word, continue to use the Means of Grace, and pray diligently (1 Peter 1:3-7; Rom. 8:28-30; 1 Cor. 11:23-25; Phil. 2:12).
God Himself creates the moments in which He offers us forgiveness, life, and salvation. God is certainly present at all times and in all places, but He Himself determines the moment or time when He draws close to us with the offer of salvation. Since we cannot control the time or create the moment for the conversion of our hearts, it is important that we make use of those moments that God creates, the time when His Word is preached and the Sacraments are offered to us (Heb. 4:6,7,1.2; Luke 19:44).
Even in true believers, the sinful flesh, the old Adam, remains. There is a constant struggle between the flesh and the Spirit. In this struggle, believers are to be serious about warring against their own natural inclinations and fleshly desires (Gal. 5:16-21; 1 Peter 2:11; Rom. 7:23).
The unconverted and unregenerate person resists God altogether and is entirely a servant of sin (Rom. 8:34; Rom. 6:16).
The regenerate or converted person delights in God's law and takes pleasure in doing what pleases God, according to the inner man (Psalm 119;10,11,24,97; Rom. 7:22).
The believer is aware of the constant attack upon spiritual life. For this reason, children of God do not become secure in their faith but pray daily, "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief."
There are times when every true believer will feel that he has lost his faith and has fallen from grace. These are times when grave doubts arise in our heart. This is part of the grievous temptation which our own flesh and the devil brings to us. Concerning this, the Lutheran Confessions say, "And although they (believers) sometimes fall into temptation so grievous that they imagine they perceive no more power of the indwelling spirit of God, yet they should without regard to what they experience in themselves, be encouraged and say with David, 'Nevertheless, You heard the voice of my supplications when I cried to You' [Psalm 31:22b] (Formula of Concord, Article XI).
When such time of temptation comes, we do not to try to find positive feelings or some sort of inner religious experience, but instead we trust the Gospel promises which God speaks to us, and we receive the body and blood of Jesus in the Sacrament of the Altar. It is through these Means of Grace that God again draws us to Himself, converts, and regenerates us (1 Cor. 1:21; Acts 10:56; Rom. 10:17).
When the moments of temptation come, the hours when we no longer feel the presence of God or seem to be able to pray, we are to put our trust and confidence in the promise that it is Christ Jesus who makes intercession for us (Rom. 8:31-34; 1 John 2:1-2).
Adapted from an article by George F. Wollenburg published
in the Lutheran Witness, page 30 (432), date unknown.
