ian, and Demas," greet you. A greeting was sent
from Demas by Paul to the Colossians in the year 64, A.D. In writing his
letter to Philemon, A.D. 64, Paul says, "There salute thee Epaphras, my
fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus; Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my
fellow laborers." Ver. 23, 24. Demas was one of Paul's coworkers, and
undoubtedly enjoyed the experience of salvation by grace. In writing to
Timothy two years later Paul says, "For Demas hath forsaken me, having
loved this present world." 2 Tim. 4:10.

As on the other subjects of this volume many more texts and strong points
of reasoning could be given to fixedly establish the New Testament
teaching of the possibilities of spiritual degeneration and death, but we
conclude that we have made all plain to the understanding of every candid
mind. It has not been our purpose to exhaust any subject. It has not been
our expectation to convince many gainsayers, but to bring light to the
hearts which the Lord has prepared.

One text of Scripture used by propagators of the doctrine, "We can never
fall from grace," is found in 1 John 3:9, and reads thus: "Whosoever is
born of God doth not commit sin: for his seed remaineth in him: and he can
not sin, because he is born of God." We believe it is safe to always give
the Scriptures the plainest, simplest meaning when it does not conflict
with the Word of God elsewhere. We should never mystify a text, but accept
it as it reads. In 1 John 2:1, the author of this epistle says, "My little
children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man
sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."
Certainly every reader understands John to here teach that it is possible
for man to sin, or in other words, no man in this life passes beyond the
possibilities of sin. Now to understand him to say in the ninth verse of
the third chapter that when we are once born of God we can not possibly
sin, makes him to teach contradictory doctrines. Such we know he does not
do, and since 1 John 2:1 is too plain to be misunderstood, we must look
about to harmonize with it, in the most simple way, 1 John 3:9. We will
quote Rotherham on this text: "No one that hath been begotten of God doeth
sin, because his seed in him abideth, and he can not be sinning, because
of God has he been begotten." To be begotten of God is to be pardoned or
saved from sin.

The seed (the Christ-life) abides in the soul in the regenerated