Lesson 23: God's Love is Eternal, part 3

The fourth passage taken out of context is Galatians 5.

Galatians 5:3-4 "I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace."

Some believe this verse suggests a Christian can fall away from grace and lose their salvation. Wrong! According to the context, some of the Galatian believers were being enticed by false teachers to make a fatal error. That error was to go back to the Old Testament system of rules and regulations as a means of living the Christian life. Paul was desperately trying to get them to see that if they start obeying God out of legalism instead of love, it will cut you off from the grace of God. In other words, short-circuit their power to live for God.

Therefore, this passage is not talking about Christians losing their salvation from God. It is talking about Christians losing their power to live for God! Based on the context of Scripture, there really is no reason to assume a person can be a child of God and somehow end up being a child of the devil again. The Bible is clear! God's love for His children endures forever.

The second reason why some people say God's love is not eternal is because they have forgotten about the counterfeits.

Even though you can share the proper context with those who say God's love is not eternal, that does not mean it ends there. Usually what happens is they cite some supposed occurrence of some supposed Christian that supposedly walked away from their supposed faith.

Somehow this is supposedly proof that God's love is not eternal. That may sound nice but what they do not realize is that just because people say they are Christians does not mean they really are!

In fact, they might be a counterfeit just like Judas Iscariot. The Bible says in John 6 Jesus knew Judas was a phony believer all along. He was not seeking God for God. He was only seeking God for the money.

What are some other signs to indicate a person is a counterfeit like Judas seeking God for money, morals, or some other false motive?

The first sign to indicate a person might be a counterfeit is when they seek God with only their head.

James 2:14-17, 19 "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead…You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!"

Not all faith is a saving faith. If a person has so-called faith which is not accompanied with action, then it is not only fake, it is dead. You can believe in a God in heaven all you want. That, however, does not mean you will live with God in heaven. Even the demons believe in God but they are not saved.

Therefore, if all you have is a head knowledge of God instead of a heart knowledge, it might be a sign you are a counterfeit, just like Judas was!

Thought Question: What makes you certain that you have not just intellectually but fully committed your life to the Lord?