Those who fall away . . .

RS made a profession of faith as a child, was baptized at age 9, attended church until he started college, then stopped. He began doing things that the Bible forbids and within a few years, his life was no different than most of his peers. While I believe that God finishes what He starts and that true salvation cannot be reversed, this person’s life is discouraging. Is there any hope that he will turn back? Is he a prodigal that has not yet “come to his senses” or is he an apostate that never really believed in the first place?

God knows human hearts and I don’t. However, this is the passage that I read this morning. Can I conclude that these words are describing this person?

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 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. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. (1 John 3:4–10)

John is separating the sheep from the goats. He is marking those with true faith as those who continue with Christ and are marked by spiritual growth. This does not mean no sin but less and less of it with more righteousness. Growing Christians are less apt to fall into deception and have more understanding of who they are in Christ. They are people in whom Christ lives and that powerful life makes itself more and more evident.

The story Jesus told of the prodigal does not tell how long the runaway son was in a “far country” feeding pigs or how long it took him to realize that he was being foolish. It does not describe the boy’s relationships with others who fed pigs, only his older brother’s accusations that he wasted his inheritance on prostitutes. It was not an encouraging description nor did it show any hope for that boy.

I waver when it comes to my prayers for RS. I don’t know how to pray because I don’t know where he belongs. He isn’t as far gone as the biblical prodigal, but he does fit some of the description in John of an unsaved person. (Then again, I suppose my own life is like that at times.)

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Lord Jesus, this isn’t the only ‘prodigal’ that I know whose current lifestyle sends the message that their childhood profession of faith means little or nothing. I could use some encouragement for all of them. Mostly I’d like to know how to pray effectively, knowing the greatest need in their lives. Help me with this in whatever way You know best.

Today’s thankful list . . .

- that I can feel sorrow for the lost and the wayward rather than not caring at all.

- Jesus knows and He is sovereign.

- getting my Wacom table to work.

- finishing half of the quilting on a twin-size quilt.

- Basa fillets steamed with orange slices – yum.

- only one spam phone call today (don’t answer those weird numbers).

I am adopted

Before believing in eternal life, I had to believe in eternal condemnation. Who needs salvation if there is no consequence for sin? Yet my condemnation was not ‘in place’ because I believed it, but because of the family line to which I (and everyone else) belongs.

As described in Romans 5, eternal condemnation began when sin began — through Adam. Sin results in death — which is separation from God, and because all humanity comes from Adam, then all are born into sin and separated from God. This is called spiritual death. We still walk around, but are dead to God and ignorant of sin. We needed a measuring stick and the Law of God did that, making us aware that we fall short.

Yet because of God’s great love and grace, He offered redemption — a free gift to sinners. This offer came through the righteousness of another man, Jesus Christ. Just as those in Adam were condemned in sin, those in Jesus Christ are made righteous in Him.

“Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:18–21)

Salvation is about a change in family, about being taken from the line of those descended from Adam and placed in Christ, adopted into the family of God. This is something only God can do and did do because of His great love for us:

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” (1 John 3:1-3)

Living in the family of eternal condemnation is made evident by lifestyle. Sinners sin; it is as simple as that. Law reveals and defines the sin, but sin was there before the Law was given. People murdered people before God said it was not lawful, and people hated God before He told them “No other gods.”

Jesus came to take away that sin and enable sinners to live righteous lives. God actually made a trade; He put our sin on Jesus, and put Jesus’ righteousness on us:

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

This incredible swap means that I now live in a new family, the family of eternal life. That change is made evident by a lifestyle change. While not perfect in practice, I have a new identity; I’m no longer ‘in Adam’ but ‘in Christ’ and rejoice that God has adopted me.

“Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 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. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.” (1 John 3:4–10)

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Dear Jesus, God imputed Your righteousness to my account as He imputed my sins to You. You became responsible to the Law of God for my sin, took its penalty and died under His wrath. As my sin was made Yours, and Your righteousness was made mine, so also were the rewards of Your righteousness given to me. This is substitution and astonishing grace. Because of it, the Father sees me in You, not in Adam. I am a new creation and a member of Your eternal family, loving that which once didn’t matter, and hating those things I once loved. The more I hear this incredible Gospel, the deeper it sinks into my heart and flows out into my life. This too is amazing grace, grace that I cannot earn or deserve, only respond to in grateful obedience.