Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. Heb 10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. These scriptures cannot be denied that it is possible for someone to withdraw from the faith,which God will have no pleasure in them,and they withdraw unto perdition.
*Verse 39 - But we are not of
those who draw back to perdition, but of
those who believe to the saving of the soul. Those who
draw back to perdition do not believe to the saving of the soul and those who
believe to the saving of the soul do not draw back to perdition.
Why do people argue about scriptures that are plain,and faith alone does not apply throughout our walk with God,but when we first confess Christ,and then when we receive the Spirit a person is justified by works,and not be faith alone.
From beginning "have been saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8) to end "receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls" (1 Peter 1:9) salvation is through faith and is not by works. Now once again, James is not using the word "justified" to mean "accounted as righteous" but is "shown to be righteous." James is discussing the
proof of faith (
says-claims to have faith but has no works/I will show you my faith by my works - James 2:14-18),
not the initial act of being accounted as righteous with God (Romans 4:2-3). Works bear out the justification that already came by faith.
And that is because some people withdraw from the faith,and some people do not allow the Spirit to lead them at times,in which they err concerning the faith,for they do not have the proper faith,and do not abide by the kingdom,and God,properly,and if they are not careful might get caught back up in the flesh and not get back to being led of the Spirit.
People who draw back to perdition do not believe to the saving of the soul, which is not proper faith. Shallow, temporary belief that has no root and draws back to perdition was never saving faith in Christ to begin with. Either we are in the flesh and cannot please God or else we are in the Spirit and belong to Christ (Romans 8:6-10).
Rom 11:21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
Rom 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
The Jews were in the olive tree to begin with because they were the "natural branches" and not because they were all saved. Because of their unbelief and hard hearts God removed His gracious hand from them as a people overall and broke them off from His goodness (but only for a time after which they will be restored). We Gentiles have now been grafted into God's goodness and are the recipients of His blessings. Paul's warning is that we should not get arrogant because we might lose the goodness and blessings of God just like the Jews lost the goodness and blessings of God -- but this doesn't speak of losing salvation.
Jas 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
Jas 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
*Notice - Brethren, if anyone
"among" you wanders from the truth..turns a "sinner" from the error of his way.. Some would argue that James says this one who turned from the truth was a "sinner," and was "among" but "not of" the Brethren, then he wasn’t previously saved. That fits 1 John 2:19 - They went out
"from" us, but they were
"not of" us..
IF this person was a genuine believer, yet how do we know for sure this is the second death in the lake of fire? In Matthew 26:38, Jesus said: "My
soul [psuche] is deeply grieved, to the point of
death." Jesus was not saying that His soul was deeply grieved to the point of spiritual death, Rather, Jesus was talking about
physical death, his human life. In Revelation 16:3, "The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living
soul [psuche] in the sea died". In 1 Peter 3:20 "... God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons,
[psuche-souls] were brought safely (saved from drowning, physical death) through the water" by the ark (Hebrews 11:7).
"Soul" is rendered from the Greek word "psuche" and is also translated as "life". The word "psuche" is never translated as "spirit." In 1 Corinthians 5:5, we read - I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh,
(physical death) so that his
spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus (no second death).
Jesus covered our sins in one way (Romans 4:7) by bringing forgiveness for all believers, yet sins can also be covered in a different way. In Proverbs 10:12, we read: Hatred stirs up strife, But
love covers all sins. In 1 Peter 4:8, we read: And above all things have fervent love for one another, for
"love will cover a multitude of sins." Where there is strife, there is hatred and unless love prevails, the strife will get worse. Love covers offenses and sins when a believer turns back from error.
So is this wanderer a professing Christian, whose faith is not genuine, or a sinning Christian, who needs to be restored? For the former, the death spoken of in vs. 20 is the "second death" (Revelation 21:8); for the latter, it is physical death (1 Corinthians 11:29-32; 1 John 5:16).