Dec 17, 2007
Running time: 29:23
(29:23)
The author of Hebrews in this passage warns the church that some may fall away from the faith. They who do fall away finally are reprobates. The elect have no need to worry about falling away. The warning is heard by the elect but the effect is to sharpen them in their resolve to flee to Christ always.
Sermon Text: Hebrews 5:11-6:12
Old Testament Text: Isaiah 27:1-6
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1 comment so far
Dec 18, 2007JOAN #
What about people who have left denominations and began home church with a small group, because of the inability to reconcile the doctrines with the words of the apostle Paul about false teachers?
[below response by Rev. Morrison]
Thank you for your question.
It is necessary to leave a denomination that consistently tolerates false teachers. Such a practice would render the denomination false. In this case, according to the Belgic Confession, article 29, the denomination is missing the third mark of church, church discipline, therefore it is false. But a particular church or a group of people leaving the denomination would need to join a true denomination or a true particular church. If a group of people left for the right reasons and joined a true church then they have not fallen away at all. Rather, they have been obedient to the commands of Christ. But even if the people have left for the right reasons and have not joined a true church, then they have, in effect, fallen away because they do not now belong to any church.
If you mean by your question that people have left the denomination because they couldn’t reconcile their own ideas with the proper doctrines of Paul with respect to false teachers, then they have left for the wrong reasons. They have indeed fallen away if the church is true. If they have fallen away then they are no longer considered Christians. They may still be God’s elect but there is no evidence of that. If they repent of their sin and return to the church then they are Christians who fell away only for a time In addition to the Hebrews passage these conclusions are based on 1 Cor. 5 (speaks to the church’s duty to admit and excommunicate members), Matt. 16 and 18 (church uses the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven) and 1 John 2 (“those who went out from us were never of us”).
I hope that helps. Thanks again for posting.