If any one falls away from that faith, then faith is made void, and the believer, even though he or she still has His seal, may find themselves naked before the Bridegroom.
Romans 4:14For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
Matthew 22:[SUP]11 [/SUP]And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:[SUP]12 [/SUP]And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.[SUP]13 [/SUP]Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Jesus addressing him as His friend shows that he is there because he is His, but he came without his wedding garment. So it is possible for a believer to engage in dead works that deny Him in one form or fashion to void faith and wind up being denied by Him by whatever work of iniquity he is in.
Which is why it is important to trust Jesus Christ as our Good Shepherd and regularly in prayer, ask Him to expose any works of iniquity so that we may lean on Him for help in departing from iniquity.
We can never lose our seal.
Ephesians 4:[SUP]30 [/SUP]And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
But we can lose our wedding garment if we do not trust Him as our Good Shepherd to keep us.
2 Timothy 4:[SUP]18 [/SUP]And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Very few believes today trust Him to do that, and even I need His help to keep trusting Him to do that.
Romans 4:14For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
Matthew 22:[SUP]11 [/SUP]And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:[SUP]12 [/SUP]And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.[SUP]13 [/SUP]Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Jesus addressing him as His friend shows that he is there because he is His, but he came without his wedding garment. So it is possible for a believer to engage in dead works that deny Him in one form or fashion to void faith and wind up being denied by Him by whatever work of iniquity he is in.
Which is why it is important to trust Jesus Christ as our Good Shepherd and regularly in prayer, ask Him to expose any works of iniquity so that we may lean on Him for help in departing from iniquity.
We can never lose our seal.
Ephesians 4:[SUP]30 [/SUP]And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
But we can lose our wedding garment if we do not trust Him as our Good Shepherd to keep us.
2 Timothy 4:[SUP]18 [/SUP]And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Very few believes today trust Him to do that, and even I need His help to keep trusting Him to do that.
Christ addressed Judas by the very same word for 'friend' in Matt 26:50.
HELPS word studies --
hetaíros – properly, a companion (normally an imposter), posing to be a comrade but in reality only has his own interests in mind.
hetaíros ("supposed friend") suggests someone viewed (associated) as a friend, but is actually an imposter acting for self-gain.
also, super out of context there in Romans 4.
we now return you to the actual Gospel.
That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”
But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
(Rom 4:22-25 ESV)