English
Português
Español
Français
Answer
The New Testament includes various cautionary passages. Some clearly warn about the perils of false teachings and false teachers. Others caution believers about facing trials or impending end-times events. However, there are several passages cautioning Christians about their conduct, with some suggesting a risk of losing salvation due to disobedience. Given the doctrine of eternal security, how should these cautionary passages be interpreted?
Certain cautionary passages in the New Testament are directed at individuals within the visible church who do not genuinely know Christ. This is evident in the warnings found in the Epistle to the Hebrews. The author of Hebrews addresses certain statements to mere professors who are not truly saved (see Hebrews 6:4-6 and Hebrews 10:26). These passages are aimed at unbelievers who are affiliated with the church and have been exposed to God’s redemptive truth—perhaps they have even made a profession of faith—but have not exercised genuine saving faith. If they persist in rejecting Christ, they will face eternal loss.
Other cautionary passages indirectly support the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints; that is, those who are truly born again will not renounce the gospel or abandon Christ. First Corinthians 15:1–2 is one such passage: “Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.” Paul’s condition “If you hold firmly to the word” simply conveys that all who have genuinely believed in Christ will endure until the end. Those who are false professors of the faith, mere Christians in name, will eventually be led astray from the gospel through various challenges.The unbelieving world (see 1 Timothy 1:19-20).
Paul’s statement “Otherwise, you have believed in vain” in 1 Corinthians 15:2 can be understood in one of two ways. First, it could be that Paul is speaking rhetorically, presenting a hypothetical statement regarding the truth of the gospel. The message he preached would save them—unless the message was false. The New Living Translation brings out this meaning: “Unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.” In the rest of the chapter, Paul emphasizes the fact of the resurrection and the reliability of his message. Second, Paul could be contrasting true belief, which results in salvation, with mere intellectual assent or an emotional reaction, which is worthless to save a soul. In this case, Paul is warning professing Christians not to be like the stony ground or the thorny ground in Jesus’ parable (see Matthew 13:1-23).
Jesus gave a warning to false professors in Matthew 7:21–23: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Even many religious people who claim to serve God do not truly know the Lord. The matter of salvation is of utmost importance, and many New Testament warning passages are meant to cause professed believers to examine themselves to ensure they truly have put their faith in Christ «Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? », (Galatians 5:1;Philippians 2:12-13). The book of Revelation includes multiple admonitions concerning sinful conduct within the seven churches. Within those congregations, the sins of theological compromise, immorality, apathy, and pride needed to be addressed.
Scripture teaches that we can have assurance of our salvation: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” «These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. », (1 John 5:13). Jesus is the originator and perfecter of our faith «looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. », (Hebrews 12:2), and God will complete the work He initiated in us «being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: », (Philippians 1:6). Believers are called to pursue holiness, and insincere professing believers are urged to repent and place their trust in Christ for salvation. The necessity for believers to steer clear of sin and for insincere converts to cease their pretense underscores the warning passages in Scripture.
