You've heard of them, I'm sure. Famous atheists who started out as Christians. Take Dan Barker, for instance. Once a professing evangelical Christian, a graduate of Azusa Pacific University, an ordained minister, a preacher, a writer of Christian musicals, he ejected the whole thing, became co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and is hard at work attacking Christianity wherever it can be found. Or perhaps you've heard of Jerry DeWitt. He was a former Pentecostal minister who tossed out Christianity, founded Recovering From Religion, wrote "The God Virus -- How Religion Infects our Lives and Culture", and is an outspoken opponent of God in society. And these are just two of a much larger number.
We're all aware of atheists in general. We get that. I mean, we aren't pleased or anything, but we understand that some people simply don't believe in God ... or at least claim such. Fine. But it is more disturbing when we hear of people who were in the church, who were even prominently in the church, and have now jettisoned their faith and even become enemies of God. How does that work? I mean, doesn't Jesus say, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand" (John 10:27-29)? Apparently "no one" doesn't mean "no one", eh? Because they appear to be perfectly capable of snatching themselves out of His hand. Yes, sure, the Father is greater than all ... except anyone on the planet that chooses to oppose Him. Or what about Paul? He said, "For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified" (Rom 8:29-30) -- the Golden Chain. Apparently it just isn't so. He can predestine all He wants, but if they choose to change courses, He lacks the ability to get them to that glorification end, right? Paul said, "I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil 1:6), and we would need to warn Paul, "You've misplaced your confidence."
Now, of course, we have to deny these problems. Either Jesus was wrong and lots of humans have the ability to remove themselves from the Father's hand, or something else is going on here. but, if so, what?
We've often been told that if you just pray the Sinner's Prayer you can be saved without possibility of damnation. You know, "Once saved, always saved." Nothing can go wrong. Not to worry. But then we're faced with all these people who prayed the Sinner's Prayer and so much more and end up tossing it all out. And we're not just faced with news articles -- anecdotal evidence. We're also faced with Scripture. We know of those who say to Jesus, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?" only to hear in response, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness" (Matt 7:22-23). Isn't it even found in the parable of the sower (Matt 13:3-23)? If you recall, there are four types of soil. We typically think of only two. For us there is the bad soil -- those who reject Christ -- and the good soil -- those who receive Him. End of types. Jesus describes more. There is the hard soil, the rocky soil, the thorny soil, and the good soil. Note that of the three, only one produces fruit. Note that of the three only one rejects the Word entirely. There are, then, two more that, according to Jesus, hear the Word and receive it. In one case there is no root and it dies of tribulation or persecution, and in the other it is choked out by the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches. But both of these hear the Word and receive it.
There appears, then, to be a third class besides our original "those who believe" and "those who don't". This class is "those who believe for awhile." What marks those in this version is not whether or not they ever receive it, but whether they endure. And whether or not they endure appears to be based on how rooted it becomes. Thus, it appears to be biblically possible to give all indications of receiving Christ without ever actually receiving Christ.
Why would I make that final conclusion? Well, given the parable of the sower, it appears to be the case. But then you compare it with what John wrote.
Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge (1 John 2:18-20).Children, it is indeed the last hour. And we are engulfed in antichrists -- people overtly and explicitly opposed to Christ as well as "secret antichrists", people quietly or practically opposed to Christ. And where do they come from? John doesn't say they come from the world of the unsaved. He says they come "from us". From us. In the text, then, what distinguishes an antichrist from a believer? In the text, the distinction is "they went out from us." We know this because "if they had been of us, they would have continued with us."
What does John mean by "went out from us"? Not a physical move. Can't be. Lots of false prophets still exist within church walls. The "exit" that is in mind here is an exit of words, a deviation of doctrine, a departure from truth. It is when they claim to be friends of Christ but don't obey (John 15:14). It is when they claim words from God that violate the Word of God (Isa 8:20; John 17:17). It is when they claim to be driven by the Spirit while they exhibit the fruits of the flesh (Gal 5:19-21) and deny the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). This is "going out from us".
We would like a simplistic view. "You're either in or you're out. If you're in, you're in forever. Now, if you could just repeat this little prayer after me, all will be well." It just isn't so. There are some, according to Jesus, who will receive that word with joy. If it doesn't take root, it won't last. If there is no fruit, it didn't take root. We do know that "if they had been of us, they would have continued with us." We just have to be careful about assuming too soon that they are "of us". What are the distinguishing characteristics? Those who are "of us" "have been anointed by the Holy One" and "all have knowledge." Interesting. Not "speak in tongues" or "prayed the prayer" or "feel warmly toward God". One of the primary marks is "anointed by the Holy One" and the other is knowledge. Good to know. One more. Jesus's "good soil" was marked by bearing fruit. Is your confidence in a warm feeling toward God? Maybe you need to do a fruit check for yourself.
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