Christian Failure

Can Christians Ultimately Fail to Live Life As Christians?

Our answer will probably reflect our theology (or gut instinct). Many systems of Christian thought immediately and resoundingly answer:NO! Their reply is based on the belief Christians will always consistently bear some fruit if they are true believers.

This also allows them to "dump" or disavow some who mouth their creeds but lack any visible deeds. Everyone wants to go with the "winners" on this matter, and these "losers" make us and our creeds look bad simply by association.

Yet in light of Scripture, the simple "no" is inadequate to cover the subject. For instance, what about the Christian who seemingly has lived a number of years producing "fruit" and yet suddenly (it appears) turns away from the faith? Was it all a sham? We all know some who once burned brightly for Christ, but now are simply smoldering in the debris of their own actions.

And then there are others who seem to imitate a yo-yo in their spiritual experience. They are cool to the things of the Lord until a crisis comes into their lives which motivates them to seek the Lord. Having been aided by God, in answer to their desperate prayers, they slowly drift away again until the next crisis brings them back.

So what does the Scripture say about all of these varying negative experiences? Can one truly be a Christian who fits these descriptions?

The Apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Timothy 2:19a (NKJV)

19a. "Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His."

The plain fact of the matter is Christians can fail, and fail visibly and miserably. We can fail so badly that we give up our hope in Christ, even though we are born-again and already possess eternal life (John 5:24).

When this spiritual collapse happens in the life of a believer, he goes into darkness and simply has no assurance within himself of his true standing with God.

2 Peter 1:9 "For he who lacks these things (Christian virtues coming from growth in grace) is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins."

Yet God knows who are His, even when we don't, as Paul stated to Timothy in 2:19.

Some teach true believers will always come back to God, even though they might fall into sin for a period of time. Alas, both experience and scripture argue against this view. Christians can live their earthly lives out in defeat and fruitlessness.

A strong statement, but one borne out by Paul's description of such cases at the judgment seat of Christ. This judgment is only about works and therefore, only true believers are present to be rewarded for their works for Christ. .Paul gives us a worst case scenario of one arriving there who has NO SPIRITUAL WORKS!
1 Corinthians 3:15: "If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."

Let us rejoice in God who keeps His Word of eternal salvation to the weakest believer in all situations, whether in defeat or victory. Let us take heart when beaten and recover to win again for Christ by heeding the Apostle's admonition to all believers:

35 "Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:37 “For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry." Hebrews 10:35-37 (NKJV)

Some will immediately say, "See! You have to do the will of God or you're not saved!" The answer to all such is that anyone who has ever trusted Christ to save them, has done the will of God by trusting Christ.

John 6:40 "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

As soon as one believes, he becomes a possessor of eternal life. John 5:24

John 5:24 (NKJV)

24“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

Putting the Apostle Paul in His Place

Acts 9:15: But the Lord said to him (concerning Paul), “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

It's very important for correct understanding of Church doctrine in particular to put the Apostle Paul in the position of authority given to him by Jesus Christ.Yet still,even as in his day, many fail to understand that He is the Apostle to the Gentiles, the one given the "secret" previously not known by any except God. The secret is not salvation by grace, as some teach,since Abraham, David and all the OT saints were saved by grace.Nor is it a special Gospel, intended only for Gentiles.

The "secret" was the previously hidden plan of God to create the church as a living organism filled with the Spirit made up of both Jewish and Gentile believers. This living organism was given structure. It has offices (Apostles, preachers, teachers and gifted members) all for the enhancing of its own growth, both spiritually and numerically.

Though some ignore Paul's place as an Apostle of Jesus Christ and limit his special message, some try to exalt him over and above the other Apostles. This too, is an error which is corrected by the quoted passage. Paul the Apostle's main target audience was the Gentiles. Nevertheless, he also preached to Kings and "the children of Israel" just as the Lord Jesus Christ said he would. (Acts 9:15,16) The Apostle Peter preached the same Gospel to the Jews. His writings, as the other Jewish-Christian epistles, are addressed to both saved and unsaved Jews. Realizing this will solve a lot of knotty theological problems brought on by the misunderstanding of the target audiences..

Many good Biblically sound commentaries believe Paul actually wrote the letter to the Hebrews. Be that as it may, there is no arguing about his preaching to the Jews first in his early ministry, and then just before he was martyred, as the following passage shows.

Acts 28:17 And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: “Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, 18 who, when they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death. 19 But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation. 20 For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.”

21 Then they said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you. 22 But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.”

23 So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. 24 And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. 25 So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our[b] fathers, 26 saying,

‘Go to this people and say:
“Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand;
And seeing you will see, and not perceive;
27 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.”’

Conclusion? We should run all teaching regarding the church through the filter of Paul's revelation....which, by the way, is just as much God's Word as the very words of Jesus. We must not see a Jewish/Gentile division in the makeup of the church, since all comprise "one new man" in the sight of the Head of the Church, the Lord Jesus Christ.

There simply can be no division since the Apostles, with Christ as the chief cornerstone, make up the living foundation of the living Church, Christ's body on earth.