“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he falls. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:12-13). Paul the Apostle, through the inspiration of God, pointed out the possibility of a believer becoming cast away after initial evidence of salvation and a lifetime of service to God. He compared the Christian life to a race and emphasized the fact that a participant could be disqualified from receiving the prize if he/she does not run according to the rules. Therefore, there’s a need to maintain self-discipline and avoid those things that can cause a person to be rejected by God. “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible, therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (2 Corinthians 9:25-27).
In his epistle to the Corinthians church, Apostle Paul continues this train of thought, apparently to warn some people in the church who felt eternally secured in their salvation even though they lived in sin. He warned believers against the danger of backsliding and thereby debunked the damnable heresy of the doctrine of eternal security. He emphasized that the great privileges that the Israelites enjoyed in their relationship with God were typical or illustrative of what believers in the New Testament enjoy. However, it is sad to note that despite those privileges the Israelites enjoyed, many among them who went into sin were destroyed, And the account of their failure was written to warn subsequent believers of all ages against the danger of falling back to sin.
There is no truth in the doctrine of unconditional security of believers. Those who are secured in Christ are those who continue in the word of God in true righteousness to the end. Believers can avoid backsliding by laying aside the things that bring temptations and taking necessary steps to victory through vigilance (1 Peter 5:8), prayer (Matthew 26:41), conviction (2 Timothy 3:14), trust ( 2 Timothy 1:2), Obedience (Psalm 119:60), resistance (James 4:7), and absolute surrender to God (Romans 6:13). As heaven-bound pilgrims, we must depend on the Lord for His sustaining grace and power. Our salvation, boldness at the throne of grace, conviction, and uncompromising stand on the truth is by grace. Without grace, we are as ordinary as other people.
We are most likely to fall when we are most confident of our own strength. Distrust in our strength makes us be vigilant and put our trust and dependence on God. This gave us the best security against all sins. God is able and indeed has promised to keep us from falling but we must look to ourselves (2 John 8). God is faithful to keep us from a tempting world full of snares. Though we are to be watchful and vigilant, he will proportion our burden to our strength. Hence, we should not be terrified or amazed when temptation comes. “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draws back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them, that believe to the saving of the soul”. May this be our portion as we continue in our pilgrim journey on earth till we see Jesus face to face in heaven.