Part 1 of 3 PLEASE NOTE: The following "book" has been selected to provide you, dear reader, with an interesting and challenging subject for your consideration. You will find that much contained herein, varies with traditional teachings and beliefs. However, it is my 'burden' to encourage as many as will, to honestly consider with an open heart and mind...then, trusting the Holy Spirit to teach each one as HE WILLS. =) PREFACE First of all, the Bible still lies at the foundation of all fruitful knowledge of God. Furthermore, nearly all earnest Christians reverence the Word of God with sincere hearts and find its sacred utterances to be a most helpful means of understanding the truth and planting the seeds of true faith in the heart. This book is not written to give battle, but to give light. If in parts issue is taken with the popular religious ideas of the day it is not through any lack of sympathy or love for the true biblical teaching. I love that teaching and follow it with pious devotion. The tradition which is rejected is a corruption of the original scriptural teaching which has forced itself upon popular Christianity. It is a glorious view to behold the scope, and completeness of God’s love and plan of redemption for man as revealed throughout the Scriptures. To see this great arrangement, and action of God for the present and eternal salvation for all mankind mutilated, limited, and destroyed by the pen knife, and theories of religious modernists, and false leaders and teachers of the many heresies of our day is due cause for the biblical truth of this book to wing its way into the hands, minds, and hearts of every one who will pause to read its pages. It is heartbreaking to know millions are being denied, and robbed of the very essence and purpose of the coming, and mission of the Lord Jesus Christ in this life and in the life to come. May the Lord Jesus Christ, through His Holy Spirit use the scriptural truth set forth as a means of present and eternal salvation to all is our sincere desire and prayer. MAN CREATED A FREE MORAL AGENT The question of freedom is vital to theology. No systematic statement of Christian doctrine can be complete that is silent concerning the will. The question of free will has ever been regarded as the utmost importance to correct understanding of the subject of sin and grace. The view taken of the nature of the will is logically determinative of both theology and religion. The fact of freedom of choice is that which gives character to sin and virtue. If men’s wills are determined as the Calvinists say, sin is not to be rebuked, or blamed, and goodness deserves no reward. Under a law of necessity moral character is impossible. Man possesses free will. Through the use of this power he approaches near unto God. The exercise of this faculty is the greatest privilege given to a creature. The faculty of conscience shows that man is a moral creature. This power reveals that man is a creature of duty, that he is responsible for his deeds, and responsible to someone. A function of the conscience is to decide whether an act is right or wrong. The decision is made in the light of the knowledge possessed by the individual. All men have an intuition of right which is quite safe, yet conscience, being subject to education, may wrongly decide as to the rightness or wrongness of an act. It is also a function of conscience to impel its possessor to do what it has decided is right. The intensity of this urging depends upon the moral state of the person whether his conscience be tender or seared. When the decision is made or deed is done the conscience sits as judge of the doer, either to approve or to condemn. The decisions of conscience are forced upon the owner, who cannot escape. It is useless to argue with one’s conscience. All men intuitively consider themselves free. It is only in the realm of speculation that free will is denied. In all the practical things of life man acts like he is free and unconsciously shows this belief in the freedom of his will. The feeling of responsibility concerning our actions is a proof of freedom. Why should a man feel remorse over an act he was powerless to prevent? And on what ground may God reward or punish men for what they are compelled to do and in which they had no choice? The denial of freedom is the denial of moral responsibility. Freedom is shown in deliberation. Men hesitate before making a choice, wishing to make the right choice. But why deliberate if there is but one choice a man can make? If he is at liberty to do only what he is predestined to do there is no occasion for deliberation, or delay. Man’s freedom is limited. Choice must be made between available alternatives. The sinner is represented as not free, and such freedom is promised through Christ. The sinner’s lack of freedom is due to the lack of righteous character. “When I would do good, evil is present with me.” This loss of power is the result of sin and is restored in redemption. Adam was not so limited. Adam’s was not a fixed character, Adam’s pure character did not determine his conduct, will does that. It gives an inclination to do right and to please God. It could be lost, and was lost by Adam. Thus redemption is made necessary. The biblical account of the original testing and fall of man clearly supports that man was created a free moral agent, endowed with the power of choice (Gen. 3:1–6, 17–19). This included power to choose between alternatives, and does not hold that only one course is possible, and that the will is so determined it must choose that course as the Calvinists teach. The probation of Adam was a period of testing through which he passed. The result of such a test must be the reward for obedience or punishment for disobedience. Probation was necessary because of man’s moral nature. Since man is a creature of free will it was necessary that he be so situated as to give opportunity for the exercise of this freedom. There can be no exercise of freedom without the opportunity of contrary choice. The temptation to disobey permitted to come to him, gave occasion for choice. Under such circumstances man of necessity used his power of free will. It is the test that proves the character. Strength of character comes through overcoming temptation to do wrong. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation.” The true test of love is obedience. That there may be obedience there must be a law to obey, which also implies power to obey. God endowed Adam with the highest blessing, giving him a disposition to do right. But such goodness could merit no reward, he was created that way. Blessings undeserved can not bring the pleasure of those that are merited. The reward of obedience carries with it a high satisfaction. This pleasure comes only through doing right because of free choice. The justice of the test was not impossible nor difficult. Man had free access to all other trees of the Garden of Eden, including the tree of life. He had done without this tree heretofore and it was unnecessary to his comfort or pleasure. He was not asked to forfeit anything hitherto enjoyed, or to do anything but merely to refrain from eating of a certain tree. The requirements were very easy to comply with. He had power to obey. The power of free will was sufficient to meet this demand. Adam was not too weak to obey so simple a requirement. Besides the power of will his natural bent to righteousness would incline him toward obedience. He was told of the penalty. Man was not moving in the dark, for the results of disobedience was foretold. In this God was perfectly fair with man. A test was necessary, and no fairer test could have been made. To blame God for man’s fall is to blame God for making man. The Bible story of the fall cannot be misunderstood. There is no reason for not accepting the account as literally true. In addition to the Mosaic account the fall is distinctly mentioned by Paul (see Rom. 5; I Tim. 2:13–14). The whole plan of salvation is based on the fact of the fall. If there was no fall there is no redemption. The downward trend of man is proof of a fall. The prevalence of sin cannot be accounted for on any other assumption. The theory that man is naturally good and constantly getting better lacks much of demonstration. Several steps are noticed in the temptation. It is well to notice these, for many of our temptations come in much the same way. They will show how a man morally pure can be led into sin. The first approach was to get man to doubting God’s command. The tempter sought to weaken God’s word. “Yea, hath God said?” was the first reply. Eve’s reply was definite yet slightly weakened. The second attempt was questioning God’s motive. The fact that the mere eating of this fruit did not appeal to reason or moral sensibilities as anything wrong gave occasion for questioning God’s motives. The tempter boldly charged that God had false motives in keeping man from the tree. Denying God’s Word was the third approach. The tempter now boldly challenges the truthfulness of God’s Word. He asserts that God knows man will not die by disobeying the command but will be better for it. God’s Word to Adam and Eve was “Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die”—Gen. 3:3–4. Having broken down the defense the appeal is not made to ambition and curiosity. Would it not be great to be like a God? As it is stated, “In the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” —Gen. 3:5. Eve yielded and the world knows the result. The sin was disobedience. There was deliberate violation of a known law with full knowledge of the consequences. The act especially on the part of Adam was done deliberately and with no excuse. Whatever inducement the temptation presented the responsibility for the act must rest with the will. Steps in the fall included, Eve first listened, looked, desired, took, ate, then gave to Adam who also ate. “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin” —James 1:15. When the will gave consent to the act sin entered. The sentence, “Thou shalt surely die” means more than physical death. Spiritual death is the sure result of sin. It is the inevitable consequence of sin. It could not be otherwise. The common doctrine of Calvinists is that motive determines choice, and that choice is always and must be according to the strongest motive. To state the theory more in detail, it assumes that we do an act because we will to do it, but that we will to do it only in harmony with our strongest motive and that this motive is determined by character and external influences, and that these are ultimately determined by God so that all events will certainly come to pass as he has predestinated. It is held by some supporters that this theory is compatible with real human freedom, that according to it man chooses freely. But what is the nature of the freedom of this theory? It is freedom only in one direction. It is freedom to do an act but not freedom to refrain from doing something else. It is only such freedom as water has to flow in one direction between the banks of a river, or the hands of a clock to move round the dial when unobstructed. It amounts to nothing more than mechanical freedom as far as objectives are concerned. According to it the happening before is absolutely determinative of the consequence. It admits no power of choice between alternatives. It holds that only one course is possible and that the will is so determined it must choose that course. The Calvinistic theory of predestination is not scripturely true, nor is it in harmony with, or according to God’s standard and plan of the creation of man in the beginning. It destroys his free moral agency, takes from him the power of choice, and makes of him nothing more than a human robot, which amounts to nothing more than mechanical freedom, determined solely by character, and external influences. God gave Adam the power to choose between alternatives, which means he was endowed with power to obey or disobey, to choose the right and live, or to choose the wrong and die. Adam and Eve were created with a freedom of will, and will is the power of the soul by which it is the conscious author of an intentional act. If man is determined in his acts he is not an agent, but only an instrument. Freedom is an indispensable condition of moral agency. SALVATION IS UNIVERSAL All men may be saved is clearly taught throughout the Bible. Let us begin by reading and carefully considering several scriptures. “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned”—Mark 16:15–16. The gospel message is for all the world, every creature, not for a select few. Salvation is conditional. The man who is saved must believe; the man who is lost is himself to blame. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved”—John 3:16–17. The world and whosoever show the universal extent of salvation as provided by the love of God. Again salvation is made conditional. “Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life”—Rom. 5:18. In this scripture Christ and Adam are compared. No one will deny the universality of sin. The free gift of salvation is likewise for all men. “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again”—2 Cor. 5:14–15. The universality of spiritual death is again compared with the atonement of Christ. He died for all. “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour: Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time”—1 Tim. 2:3–6. It is God’s desire that all men be saved. Therefore it can not be that he has chosen to save only a select few or that one soul shall be lost because of God’s decree. Again we are told Christ’s death was for all. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man”—Heb. 2:9. “And he (Christ) is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of whole world”—1 John 2:2. The purpose of Christ’s incarnation was to taste death for every man. These scriptures are so explicit that no possible room is left for a limited atonement. The principal views of the extent of the atonement are (1) Universalism, which teaches that all men shall be saved. (2) Calvinism, or predestination, which holds that God has chosen to save a select few. (3) Arminianism, or the doctrine that salvation is provided for all who will accept it. We will note details of these views. THE CONDITIONS FOR SALVATION God’s plan of salvation as revealed in the Bible is strictly conditional. Notice carefully the voice of scripture. “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, “And saying, The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye, and believe the gospel”—Mark 1:14–15. Jesus preached the conditions of salvation as repentance and faith. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him”—John 3:36. Eternal life is received through believing on Christ. To fail to believe means death. “Then Peter said unto them, repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost”—Acts 2:38. Peter insists on repentance as a condition of salvation. The Act of baptism testified to repentance. “Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord”—Acts 3:19. Repentance here is associated with conversion and the blotting out of sins. “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent”—Acts 17:30. The command to all men is to repent. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”—Rom. 5:1. Our justification is obtained through faith in Christ. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God”—Eph. 2:8. Salvation is of grace but is appropriated through faith. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”—I John 1:9. Confession of sins is a mark of repentance. Upon confession forgiveness is promised. “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you”—Matt. 6:14. The forgiveness of our sins is conditioned on our forgiving the trespasses of others. From these texts it is seen that the main Bible conditions for salvation are faith and repentance. It is very necessary that salvation be bestowed on conditions. Man’s moral constitution is such that his salvation must be a matter of personal choice. And choice must be given expression in acts. If it were God’s plan to save man unconditionally he should have so dealt with Adam as to prevent the fall. We are well aware of the fact that God desires the salvation of all men. The fervency of this desire is shown in what he has sacrificed to save the world. In view of this fact we can not think that God would place unnecessary obstructions in the way of man’s salvation, nor require purposeless conditions of him. We may expect to find conditions of salvation only such as, according to the nature of the case, are essential. No ceremony can be essential to salvation. God can save without ceremony and does save. No ceremony can be of sufficient importance to be made a necessary condition of the salvation of an immortal soul. The necessary conditions are such as man must, according to the nature of the case, meet to accept salvation and as will vindicate the holiness of God. For example, how can a man accept salvation who does not believe in it? How can a man accept pardon who denies being guilty? How can a man be saved from sin who will not give up sin? How is God’s holiness to be upheld if he pardons the sinner than allows him to continue in sin? Careful thought will direct us to what are necessary conditions for salvation, and these are the very conditions required in the Bible. THE SPIRITUAL BIRTH The scripture instructs us to compare spiritual things with spiritual, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual”—1 Cor. 2:12–13. The spiritual birth is something of heavenly origin. The words of Jesus to Nicodemus, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God”—John 3:3–5. It is the act, or fact of coming into spiritual life. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life”—John 5:24. It is a spiritual resurrection. “And you hath he quickened (made alive), who were dead in trespasses and sins”—Eph. 2:1. It is a receiving of Christ the Light. “He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light (Christ) which lighteth every man that cometh into the world”—John 1:8–9. A change of nature. “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others”—Eph. 2:3. “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust”—2 Peter 1:4. A change of state. “But now in Christ Jesus ye who were sometimes far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ”—Eph. 2:13. It is a change of location. “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son”—Col. 1:13. A present spiritual translation from darkness (sin) to his kingdom of light and holiness. A change of living. “But now being made free from sin, and become servants of God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life”—Rom. 6:22. “The oath (promise) which he sware (made) to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand (power) of our enemies (devil) might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life”—Luke 1:73–75. A change of service. “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin”—John 8:34. “Ye (sinners) are of your father the devil, and the lust of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there was no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it”—John 8:44. This clearly shows that one who is committing sin is doing service for the devil, and is not a servant of God. A change in condition. “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son”—Col. 1:13. Here the born again believer in Christ is pictured as being (not going to be) translated from the kingdom and power of the devil, into the kingdom of God. This is the present inheritance of all believers in Christ. The spiritual birth is a new creation. “Therefore, if any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creature (new creation) old things are passed away: behold, all things become new”—2 Cor. 5:17. Here the converted, believer in Christ meaning the one who has accepted Christ is shown as a new spiritual creation, with old (meaning sinful) things, and living gone, being replaced by an experience, and life of holiness. In summing up the scriptural picture of the new birth, it is shown as receiving spiritual life, a spiritual resurrection, and as receiving of Christ the Light. It is a change of nature, desire, state, location, living, service, condition, meaning a completely new creation, in a state of holiness. CAN THE SPIRITUAL BIRTH BE LOST? Let us use some common sense as well as proper scriptural interpretation. The spiritual birth is the receiving of the Spirit of Christ. So to state it plainly the birth is the Spirit and the Spirit is the birth. Can one lose the Spirit of Christ? If so, he has lost his birth, he has fallen from grace. 1. This possibility is taught in Christ’s statements. Note the direct statements of Christ. “Ye (born again believers) are the salt of the earth: but if the salt (Christian) have lost his savour (grace) wherewith shall it be salted (saved)? it is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out (destroyed), and to be trodden under foot of men”—Matt. 5:13. The point of comparison between the disciples and salt shows the power of salt (grace) will prevent corruption (backsliding). The intimation that without this power the salt is wholly useless was to excite them to a careful preservation of the sacred power (grace) instructed to them lest they lose this grace out of their hearts. The very fact of Jesus using salt as a comparison was to show that salt to be true salt had to possess this saving and preserving power. But that there is the possibility for salt to lose this power, so it is possible for one who has been saved to lose, or fall from grace. The casting forth is a figure of the spiritual destruction of the backslider. “Salt is good; but if the salt have lost his savour wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill: but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear”—Luke 15:34–35. “And ye (disciples) shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth (holds fast faith) to the end shall be saved (preserved from destruction)”—Matt. 10:22. This shows that if one fails in time of persecutions he will be lost. 2. It’s possibility is taught in the parables of Christ. The possibility of one who has been saved falling from grace and being eternally lost is taught in the parables of Christ. The parable makes this clear. “And the Lord said, who is that faithful and wise steward (Christian), whom his Lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them 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 if that servant (Christian) say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat (become unchristian), the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and become drunken (sinners); The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and an hour when he is not aware, and will cut asunder (cut him off) and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers (lost, fallen ones)”—Luke 12:42–46. The parable of the vine and the branches (John 15:1–16). Read all, but note carefully, “If a man abide not (continue not) in me (Christ) he is cast forth (cut off) as a branch, and is withered (dead) and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned (destroyed).” The foolish virgins is another clear example of the possibility of losing the grace of God out of the soul and being eternally lost. These were all virgins (Christians), all had lamps (light). “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom (Christ). And five of them were wise, and five of them were foolish.… And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; (meaning end of the world) go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil (grace) for our lamps are gone out”—Matt. 25:1–2, 5–8. It is evident they were once lighted. These persons had at one time hearts illuminated and warmed by the presence and love of Christ. But they had backslidden from the salvation of God, and now they are excluded from heaven, because, through their carelessness, they have let the light in them become darkness, and have not applied in time for a fresh, experience of the salvation of God. “The door was shut. “ Dreadful and fatal words, no hope remains. Nothing but death, or the coming of Christ can shut the door but death may surprise one in his sins and then despair is his only portion. 3. It is taught in the warning of the epistles. “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall (from grace, backslide)”—1 Cor. 10:12. “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity, but toward thee goodness, if thou continue in his goodness (holiness); otherwise thou shalt be cut off”—Rom. 11:22. “For if after they have escaped the pollutions (sins) of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (been saved) they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known (become Christians) the way of righteousness, than, after they had known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire”—2 Peter 2:20–22. “The pollutions of the world,” meaning sin in general. Things that infect, pollute, and defile. The world is here represented as one large putrid marsh, or corrupt body, sending off its destructiveness everywhere, and in every direction, so none can escape its contagion, and none can be healed of this great curse and epidemic disease of sin but by the mighty power of God. Now through (in) the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is clear these sinners spoken of here were one time soundly converted. But if, after having been healed (delivered), and so having escaped sin, and get entangled, enfolded, enveloped with them, then the latter end will be worse than the beginning. The soul that has been converted to God, having had all its powers and faculties redeemed from sin, is now repolluted, is more capable of iniquity than before, and can bear more expressly the image of the devil. Having fallen into deplorable lower condition spiritually, with less hope of ever being recovered, liable to greater punishment, it would have been better for them not to have known this high and holy state of grace. As applied here in the scripture it is very expressive. The poor sinner having heard the gospel of Christ, was led to loathe and reject sin; and on his application to God for mercy, was washed, or cleansed from his unrighteousness. But he is here represented as taking it up again, what he had before rejected, and defiling himself in that form which he had been cleansed. Here is a sad proof of the possibility of falling from grace, and from the high degree of holiness. These had escaped from the sin that was in the world. They had experienced true repentance, and cast off their life of sin. They had been washed from their filthiness, through the blood of Christ, yet, after all, they went back, got entangled with their old sins, swallowed down their formerly rejected lusts, and wallowed anew in the mire of corruption. It is no wonder that God should say “The latter end is worse with them than the beginning.” Reason, nature, and divine justice says it ought to be so. But how dreadful is this state. How dangerous when the person has abandoned himself to his old sins. Yet it is not said that it is impossible for him to return to God, though his case be deplorable, it is not hopeless. The sinner may yet be clean, and the dead spiritually may be resurrected. Because he was one time saved does not assure him eternal salvation. This is based solely on the backsliding one returning, and adhering strictly to God’s conditional plan for redemption. Salvation does not destroy man’s free moral agency, nor make a machine out of him, but leaves him the power of choice. He can choose evil and fall from grace the same as accept Christ and choose grace. When Christ enters the soul He is its light, its life, its birth, and resurrection, changing its nature, desire, state, location, condition, living, and service. This high and holy state will be maintained as long as one lives by God’s conditional laws of spiritual life clearly taught throughout the Bible. To rebel against, and become disobedient to Christ and His word will grieve Him, cause His departure from our soul. Since Christ, and His Spirit brings about all that has been stated scripturally concerning the spiritual birth, for Him to depart, means. The spiritual birth is lost, and the soul reverts back to the deplorable, depraved state it was in before being converted. Yes, it is biblically, and experimentally possible to fall from grace. border=0>