Last Thursday, in the ladies' study of Colossians, we were challenged by our pastor to consider what Paul might mean in Colossians 1, when he says:
"...in order to present you holy, blameless, and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard..."
I am half tempted to just wait until this Thursday and let the teacher tell me what it means, thereby conserving my already-depleted stock of mental energy! But for once, I've decided to resist the laziness and at least attempt to think it through on my own.
This "taking action" was also prompted, in part, by a comment yesterday from an old college pal, who now pastors in TX. He remarked on how slowly the truth seems to sink into the hearts and minds of us dull-minded parishioners! O-K, so he was much more gracious about it than that...but, it made me think about students of mine who routinely "get it" more quickly than others. Why does truth sink in quickly with some and take so long with others? Regardless of natural ability, usually the ones who get it and keep it, are the ones who meditate on a lesson long after it has ended, or think through a question rather than waiting on their illustrious teacher to GIVE the answer. So, here's my rare attempt at modeling that which I desire in my own students...
First of all, there are so many issues wrapped up in this question of "if you continue" that it's hard to know where to begin! Once saved, always saved...works vs. bearing good fruit...faith without works...cutting off and grafting into the vine...assurance...perseverance of the saints...etc.
One thing is certain: an AWFUL LOT of Divinely-inspired "if" clauses accompany the instruction regarding salvation, but too often we pretend these don't exist because they interfere with our nicely-packaged little Gospel presentations. "If you continue" doesn't quite fit our "no-strings-attached," "it's-free-you-don't-have-to-do-a-thing, "just-believe-and-receive" gospel. However, we don't do the world or ourselves any favors by ignoring significant portions of Scripture, regardless of what difficult questions may arise. (And, by the way, addressing these Scriptures is not an attempt to "nuance" or "muddy" the gospel or to make the understanding of it unattainable...it is merely taking into account the whole counsel of God.)
So...we were already told us that the word continue comes from the Greek word meno, so I didn't have to figure that part out...just confirm it. Apparently this word is used about 120 times in the NT, and is most commonly translated as abide, remain, stay or live, depending on which version you use. It is also sometimes translated as endure, belong, dwell, hold on, keep on, last, or do not depart.
From what I can gather, meno bears reference to place and time as well as condition. In other words, "stay in the same place - tarry - don't leave" "continue to stay throughout time - endure - stick it out" and "remain as you are - don't become something else" (OR: "don't you go changin" as my friend and beloved choir companion, Jack, would say!) So, we will be presented holy if we meno...does that mean we have to DO something to secure salvation for ourselves? Is it conditional? Can we ever be sure of our salvation? How? If you continue reading...you MAY eventually find my conclusion!
Through the popular, extra-biblical, revivalist language of "getting saved" we have inherited an overly simplistic view of the gospel: say and pray. That is, confess with your mouth that you believe (say), then ask forgiveness for sin (pray)...and voila! Done. Finished. End of story. Amen. Hallelujah. Go to heaven when you die. The problem, of course, is that this is NOT the end of the story in the Holy Scriptures! They do not teach that once we have said a "sinner's prayer" we are sealed unto the day of redemption. They DO clearly, conspicuously and repeatedly teach that we must continue in the faith in order to attain the promise.
Major contentions arise because the very implication of "if you continue" is that there exists a real possibility of NOT continuing. If you don't continue in the faith were you ever in the faith to begin with? Can we deny that in order for a branch to be "cut off" from the vine, it must surely have been in the vine in the first place? Otherwise, being cut off means nothing...it is empty rhetoric. But this begs the question: if you're really in and then you're really cut-off, doesn't that mean you can LOSE your salvation? Hmmm....where's JJM when I need him?
This very question (not "where's JJM?" but the losing your salvation question) strikes near the heart of the current escalating debate about what constitutes being "in Christ" or on whom we bestow the title and benefits of "Christian." What does it mean to be in Christ? At least part of the answer can be found in the Gospel of St. John in his God-breathed exposition on "abiding" in Christ. "Abiding" is the same word, meno, as used in Colossians.
John gives outward evidences that bear witness to our continuance or abiding in Christ and He in us. I suppose that the single evidence is bearing fruit...all the rest indicate the type of fruit that is borne.
1 - Bearing fruit
"As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers...thrown into the fire, and burned." (Jn. 15:4-6)
2 - Love
"If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love...this is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you." (Jn. 15:10-12)
"Whoever loves his brother abides in the light..." (I Jn. 2:10)
"We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love, abides in death." (I Jn. 3:14)
"...if we love one another, God abides in us..." (I Jn. 4:12)
"God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God and God abides in him." (I Jn. 4:16)
3 - The Word & Sacraments
"If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father." (I Jn. 2:24)
"Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son." (II Jn. 1:9)
"Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him." (Jn. 6:56)
So...we abide by hearing the word, eating his flesh and drinking his blood...seems a bit like participation in covenant renewal worship, doesn't it? You mean, this is part of abiding? Hmmm.
4 - Obedience
"Whoever does the will of God abides in him forever." (I Jn. 2:17)
"Whoever keeps his commandments, in him the love of God is perfected: this is how we know we are in him." (I Jn. 2:5)
"This is how we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments." (I Jn. 2:3)
"Let no man deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous." (I Jn. 3:7)
"And whoever keeps his commandments abides in God and God in him." (I Jn. 3:24)
"He who says he abides in God ought to walk as he walked." (I Jn. 2:6)
5 - Repentance
"No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him." (I Jn. 3:6)
"No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God." (I Jn. 3:9)
Suddenly I know why I avoid tackling these things on my own! I began working on this at 1 pm today...it is now 11:30 pm. I haven't even addressed James' words about the necessity of works to complete our faith, or any other passage outside of John's writings. Plus I haven't answered the questions I've asked...nor have I asked all the questions in my mind.
For example, does it matter that Colossians says continue in "the faith"? Sometimes this word is translated just "faith" and other times as "The Faith" as though it were naming an entity such as the people of God. Is that significant?
What about Hebrews? "For we share in Christ if indeed we hold our original confidence steadfast to the end." (3:14) OR: "It is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have shared in the Holy Spirit...if they then fall away..." (6:4-6) What does that mean?
Contrast that with the language in Romans 11 where it is stated that a dead (unbelieving) branch will be pruned, but it can be grafted back in through belief.
O-K...without completing the discussion, here's my conclusion.
1 - Christ will not lose any of those given him by the Father.
2 - Those of us who are in Christ depend on the unchanging decree of God to keep us in The Faith.
3 - Rest and assurance are found through faith that proves itself to be alive and active by producing good fruit...works of love, obedience, repentance, and participation with the people of God.
I'm exhausted...that whole thinking thing is taxing! Thank God for pastors and teachers who faithfully do this work on our behalf, and with great responsibility for our souls.
"Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of his eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."
5 comments:
Seems me that you must be on the right track here. A couple of things...I think of it not so much as losing one’s salvation--as if salvation were a thing like your wallet--but turning away from a relationship. Grace and salvation and faith--these things describe our relationship with God, they aren’t “stuff” in their own right.
Not continuing in the faith implies leaving the place of wisdom/faith where a Christian is firmly planted (Ps. 1:3) to go down the path of folly/unbelief. It doesn’t describe a Christian’s state of mind so much as his actions. So we needn’t try to plumb the depths of our psyche trying to determine whether we really are (or feel) saved--we need to continue to walk in faith and faithfulness, clinging to Christ, who is our Life and Salvation.
Good thoughts - I agree with you. It may be less complicated to evaluate our own walk than someone else's, since we can't see their hearts.
There does arise though, the very real question of: If someone is NOT walking faithfully, can we grant them assurance of their position in Christ based on a previous confession? I think not. Yet, does it then follow that we are teaching a works-salvation? Some would say we are...or that we are counting Christ's work as insufficient to keep us...that somehow we have to keep adding our works to his in order to remain in him.
Or, if a person has previously given evidence of being "firmly planted" or has produced good fruit (which cannot happen apart from being "in" the vine), does it follow that they were really in Christ and now are really NOT? Is there a real falling away from what was a real joining to?
Plus, there is this whole debate going on about whether or not it is right to grant assurance to someone who may be struggling with sin or the "slowness" of their sanctification, based on their baptism, their presence in the visible Body of Christ and their participation in the sacraments.
The whole "losing your salvation" is terminology from traditions who don't believe there can be a real falling away or turning away. It's "once saved, always saved" no matter what...
But here I go again...blah-blah, blah-blah, blah-blah! Enough already!
I can't believe you actually took the time to read this whole thing!
Lori,
Someone (a Puritan?) once said "Pray as if it all depends upon God, and work as if it all depends on you."
Or, maybe 100% (God' sovereignty) + 100% man('s reponsibility) = 100% (reality).
Looks strange; sounds strange even. But, I think BOTH are true. God is totally sovereign—even in our salvation—but, since he does work through "means" (gracious activities of the Holy Spirit through His Word, our circumstances, where and to whom we were born, etc.), it seems that His sovereignty—"worked out"—in real space and time, must necessarily be evidenced through the actions ("works") of individuals. So, true believers evidence by their (non-salvific) "works/fruits" that God is sovereignly continuing to "complete the good work that He has begun" in them—those "good works which He prepared beforehand that you should walk in them."
So, I'd say it's both. "Apart from Me," Jesus said, "you can do nothing." Or Paul: "I am what I am by the grace of God." Bottom line, God may wake us up each morning by continuing to grant us His Spirit, the very "breath" of life, but—we still have to get out of bed, stand up, and get moving.
Based on Scripture, I would agree with you! There are many BOTH/AND scenarios throughout.
For example:
"For by the works of the law no man will be justified in his sight." Romans 3:20
"You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone." James 2:24
Can you imagine what would happen if one of our pastors said the latter today?! They'd be ostracized...oh, yeah...they HAVE said it and ARE being shunned!
By the way...I have very strong opinions about all of this (surprise, surprise!).
I asked the questions I did because I intended to answer them...hoping to argue the points all the way to my conclusion, but I simply ran out of time.
Having an opinion is much easier than trying to write it down and explain it in a biblical, thorough and logical way that might be meaningful to someone who disagrees with my opinion. That was my goal...which I never attained. Oh, well.
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