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person’s attitude to Christ shows whether there is anything of God in him (or her). Christ is the test whether I am of the righteous or the wicked. Before a person becomes a Christian there must be an underlying work of God in him. This may well manifest itself in activity of conscience. Without a work of God no one would come to Christ. It would be, as with the Jews: “Ye will not come to me that ye might have life” (John 5:40). Note that will was involved. It is not a question of I would come if I could.

To profess to be a Christian is right (2 Corinthians 9:13), but there must be reality underlying the profession and not leaves only (Matthew 21:19), that is, profession only. God is looking for fruit and that is where the persons spoken of in Hebrews 6:8 were lacking.

Anyone dealing with persons should get some impression as to where they are in a moral sense. There are all sorts. We have the open and profligate sinner to whom we may have to say: “Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die” (Ezekiel 33:11) as well as the sinner seeking mercy (Luke 18:13). Then there is the self-righteous Pharisee (Luke 18:11/12). Each case must be dealt with on its merits. Some may be simply lethargic. To such one may have to say “What meanest thou, sleeper ? arise” (Jonah 1:6). Applying the foregoing principle to our problem we would have to deal differently with the person who is confidently asserting that he is saved when his life gives no evidence of it and the one who in his mind is doubting his salvation, probably because he does not feel saved. To use a saying that my Father used to quote: “One thing that worries me a lot; do I love the Lord or not ?” To the former one might dwell upon the warning passages of Scripture such as Hebrews 10:26- 31; 38, whereas to the latter comforting passages may be appropriate, such as John 10:27-29. In other words, Scripture lays down neither of the two doctrines propounded at the head of this piece, but warns or comforts as appropriate: it neither allows sin in a professing Christian nor fails to give comfort to the weak.

The issue ultimately is whether at bottom a person is a real Christian. A Christian may get away from the Lord, fall into sin, as David (Psalm 51), but in the end he will be recovered, so it may be said: ‘Every Christian will be an overcomer in the end, even if in this life he has been at times overcome’ ! (See 1

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