But this Greek word 'metanoia' implies that they did have faith, as can be seen in the meaning of the word in the second paragraph above and in its usage in II Cor. 7,9-10 quoted above.
 

It seems that few have noticed any connection between the next two verses and the subject under consideration in v.4-6, but they have a direct bearing upon it. These two verses read as follows:

v. 7, "For the earth that drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs (vegetables) meet for them by whom it was dressed, receiveth blessing from God:

v. 8, But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing: whose end is to be burnt."
 
In v.4, it speaks about tasting and partaking, and in v.7 there is a reference to drinking, and to eating herbs (vegetables). The rain is a direct reference to the Holy Spirit, and the earth is a reference to Israel or the Hebrews, inasmuch as this epistle was written to the Hebrews. James in his epistle said in ch.5-7. "The husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the EARTH - until he receive the early and latter RAIN." This was taken from Joel where he said in ch.2-23, "Be glad then ye children of Zion (Israel), and rejoice in the Lord - for the Lord hath given you the former RAIN, and will cause to come down for you - the latter RAIN."
 
In Jeremiah's second message to Israel he said in ch.6-19, "Hear O EARTH, I will bring evil upon this people - because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law." We know that Jeremiah prophesied unto Israel only and in ch.22-29 he said, "O EARTH, EARTH, EARTH, hear the word of the Lord." Isaiah taking up the same thought said in ch.1-2, "Hear- and give ear O Earth, for the Lord hath spoken--" In Rev. 10,1-2 we see a mighty angel coming down from heaven and he set his right foot on the SEA and his left foot upon the EARTH. This is none else than our Lord Jesus coming to possess the whole world. The Gentiles are represented by the SEA, Is.60-5, Rev.13-1, and Israel by the EARTH.
 

What about the thorns and briers: does God tell us? O yes, he has not left us ignorant of that either. In Isaiah chapter five he tells us about the Lord's vineyard which represented Israel. The Lord had looked for good grapes and it brought forth wild grapes. So He said in vs.5-6. "Go to now; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned nor digged; but there shall come clouds that they RAIN NO RAIN on it." Isaiah continued this in ch.7,22-24 where he said, "It shall come to pass in that day - that it shall even be for BRIERS AND THORNS. With arrows and bows shall men come thither, because all the land shall become BRIERS AND THORNS."
 

These thorns and briers were the result of the judgment of God upon them for their disobedience. The writer of Hebrews knew this and borrowed this expression from the Old Testament. The reference to rain in ch.6-7 is nothing else than a reference to the Spirit being poured out on Israel. It was Peter who stood upon the day of Pentecost and said, "This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel: and it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will POUR out my SPIRIT ON ALL FLESH", Acts 2-17.
 

The reference to the Spirit being poured out in Acts 2-17, is synonymous to the reference in Heb.6-7 about the RAIN coming down upon the EARTH, and this EARTH as we explained, is ISRAEL. It was those of ISRAEL, the Christian Hebrews who had drank in this rain, and it was the Christ rejecting Jew that rejected this rain. The one class were called the herbs and for them there was a blessing; while the other class were called thorns and briers and for them there was a cursing: whose end was to be burned. The herbs refers to those Hebrews who were standing fast in the midst of fiery trials and tribulations, while the thorns and briers refers to those who had gone back to Judaism: whose end was to be burned. So we see that vs. 7-8 are a direct refutation of the interpretation that Eternal Security gives to ch.6, 4-6, and also that they refute Scofield's note on this passage.
 

v.11, "But Christ being come a high priest of things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, that is to say, not of this building.

v.12, Neither by the blood of goats or calves but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

v.15, For this cause He is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions--that they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

v.24, But Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us."
 

Pastor C.E. Foster, of Topeka Kansas, an Eternal Security minister, has written a book on Eternal Security entitled, Seven Reasons Why A Believer is Eternally Secure. One of his chapters deals with the priesthood of Christ and he uses various scriptures from these three chapters as a basis of his claims. His book is a very poor piece of work as there is so much scripture used that does not prove anything at all. It is one thing to palaver and wheedle, it is another thing to use logic and reason that is based on the scriptures. He refers to Eternal Salvation in ch.5-9, and Eternal Redemption in ch.9-12, and contends that because these things are mentioned as being eternal, therefore the believer is eternally secure. In our remarks on ch.5-9, we have already thoroughly repudiated what he had to say about Eternal Salvation as far as the believer is concerned. In this chapter we will confine our remarks to refuting what Pastor Foster and other Eternal Security writers have to say about the mediatorial work of Christ, as being a proof of Eternal Security.
 

In ch.7,24-25 the writer of Hebrews said, "But this man because He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore He is able to save them unto the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." The above citation is used by Pastor Foster to verify his claims of Eternal Security.
 

That our high priest is able to save them to the uttermost, we do not doubt and that He ever liveth to make intercession, we fully assert. But the question is: If a believer goes back into the world, lives just as deep in sin as before or even deeper, and refuses all entreaties to return to the fold; is he still entitled to the high priest's intercession, or is he just recognized as a sinner? In the law there are nine or ten transgressions mentioned for which the death penalty was meted out, and the transgressor could not benefit by the mediation of the high priest. Likewise today, those who wilfully persist in sin and refuse the entreaties of the faithful to return to God; have cut themselves off from the benefit of the high priest's intercessions.
 

Moses was a wonderful type of Christ and often interceded for Israel when they sinned against God. But the time came when they sinned so perversely, that Moses' intercession COULD NOT prevent their names from being BLOTTED OUT of the BOOK OF LIFE, Ex.32-32. In Rev.3-5 we read, "He that overcometh- I will NOT BLOT his name out of the book of life." Is not the plain inference that if they fail to overcome, but wilfully go out in sin; that their name will be BLOTTED OUT of the book of life? Is not Rev.22-19 a plain warning that we can have our part TAKEN OUT of the BOOK OF LIFE, and out of the Holy City? We quote: "And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God SHALL TAKE AWAY HIS PART OUT OF THE BOOK OF LIFE AND OUT OF THE HOLY CITY." When a believer forsakes the Lord, he becomes an ex-believer in the eyes of the Lord and his name is blotted OUT OF THE BOOK OF LIFE. He then is right back where he came from : out in the world and on the Devil's territory.
 

We have previously quoted Christ's rule of discipline for the church as found in Matt.18,15-17. There we found that after trying three times to reconcile the sinning believer, and he had refused all attempts of reconciliation; he was to be considered as a heathen and a publican. We repeat the question that we asked there: Does a heathen or a publican have salvation? The answer emphatically is, NO! If the disobedient members are put in the same category as the heathen, are they any better? Again the answer emphatically is, NO! Then have they any claim to the mediatorial work of Christ? Once more the answer emphatically is a final, NO! Did not Christ say, "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven?" If it is His will for us on earth, to consider the wilful disobedient as a heathen and publican, is it not also His will in heaven where He sits as high priest? Then how can they have any part in His work as high priest?
 

In Col.1-18 Paul said in part, "And He is the head of the body, the church." All students know that the word 'church' comes from the Greek word 'ecclesia' or 'ekklesia'. 'Ek' means 'out of' and 'klesia' comes from the Greek word 'kaleo' which means 'to call out', see note in Scofield Bible p.1021. Believers are 'called out ones' and these called out ones form the church, the body of Christ. All true believers are 'come-outers' and God wants them not only to be come-outers but to be 'stay-outers'. Abraham was a 'come-outer' and so were Huss, Luther, Wesley and hundreds of others. If believers go back into the world, in what sense ar they a 'come-outer' and what are they 'out of' if they are back where they came from? They have gone back into the world and are a part of it, and therefore cannot be a member of the body of Christ at the same time.
 

Did not Jesus emphatically say, "No man can serve two masters- ye cannot serve God and Mammon?" Then how can anyone serve the world, the flesh and the Devil; and still be a member of the body of Christ? Was not Abraham an intercessor for Sodom and was not the Lot family saved by his intercession? But did not Mrs. Lot lose her life later in spite of the fact that Abraham's intercession saved her from death in Sodom, Gen.19? Just so, in spite Eternal Security's assertions to the contrary, those believers who have gone into the world, have no claim to Christ's intercession an dare going to lose their souls in the final reckoning. Since Christ is both Savior and high priest, it is ridiculous and inconsistent to think that we can reject Him as Saviour and still retain him as high priest.
 

When a member of our natural body dies, do we allow it to remain? Positively not, as it would poison the rest of our body and the entire body would die. Was not Laodicea spued out of Christ? Was she still a member of the body of Christ, or were the members still members of Christ's body? Oh no, indeed not. To say that these words were spoken to a church does not alter the situation one iota. Laodicea was out, out of the body of Christ and she reverted to her former state. She was a worldly church, full of the world, in love with the world, and Christ was on the outside seeking admittance, while standing at the door. But to those individuals in the church who had kept themselves from the world, there was a reward promised, Rev.3-21.
 

In ch. 7-26 we read, "For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, SEPARATE FROM SINNERS." Also in I John 4-17 we read, in part, "as He is, so are WE IN THIS WORLD." If Christ was SEPARATE FROM SINNERS and we are supposed to be like Him in this world, what right have we to claim His mediation if we are in the world, of the world, and in love with the world? There is an expression among the dieticians as follows: We are what we eat. There is no doubt that this is true as far as the physical is concerned and it also is true as to the spiritual. Former believers who have not had one spiritual bite for years, but have lived in the world, and on the things of the world, are therefore of the world, and are no longer in the body of Christ and not entitled to His mediation.
 

Let us analyze the above and ascertain the results. In John ch.17, Jesus was praying in the garden and in v.9 He said, "I pray for them, I pray not for the world." In v.6 He said in part, "They have kept thy word," and in v.12 He said in part, "I kept them in Thy name." In v.20 and 21 He said, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me thru their word. That they all may be ONE: as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee, that they also may be ONE IN US." In v.11, Christ prayed for the then present believers that they might ALL BE ONE; then in v.20 He prayed for all future believers, and in v.21 He prayed that all believers might be ONE IN HIM AND THE FATHER.
 

Is there any oneness or concord between the wilful sinning former believer who is usually called a backslider; and devout believer who is worshipping God in spirit and in truth? The first is serving the world, the flesh and the Devil, and the second is serving God. The first has severed his oneness from the body by his sins, but the second has retained his oneness by his obedience. The first is not entitled to Christ's intercession because instead of being at peace with God, Rom.5-1; he is again an enemy of God. In v.6 Jesus said, "They have kept Thy word," and that is why they were entitled to His mediation as high priest to the Father. James said in ch.4-4, "Whosoever therefore will be a FRIEND of this world is the ENEMY of God." In John 15-13 Jesus said, "Ye are my FRIENDS IF ye do whatsoever I command you." That just brings it down to the point where we cannot be the 'ENEMY OF GOD' and at the same time be the 'FRIEND OF CHRIST.' Then being the 'ENEMY OF GOD,' what right have we to claim any part in Christ's mediation as high priest? The answer obviously is, NONE.
 

There was Saul the King of Israel, who sinned against the Lord until the Spirit of God left him, as explained in another part of this book. When God refused to answer him by the prophets, dreams and by Urim and Thummin, he went to the witch of Endor to have her bring up Samuel the prophet who had died. There are many different opinions about this incident but the fact remains that there was a true message which came to Saul as follows. Then said Samuel, "Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become THINE ENEMY? And tomorrow shalt thou and thine sons be with me: the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines," I Sam.28-19. Yes, the same Lord that was Saul's friend and made him king, was now his ENEMY. In this incident the Lord became the enemy of one man but in the following incident He became the ENEMY of an entire nation.
 

When Israel continually sinned an rejected God's warnings, what was the result? The answer is found in 2 ch.36-16: "But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised His words, and misused the prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against His people, TILL THERE WAS NO REMEDY." Then what happened? The answer is found in Is.63-10: "But they rebelled, and vexed His Holy Spirit: therefore He was turned to be their ENEMY." He who in love and mercy, had redeemed them from the hand of Pharaoh; now had become their ENEMY and hundreds died and the rest were taken captive to a strange land. "But" objects Eternal Security, "that was in the Old Testament and He would not be our enemy now. Ananias and Sapphira were saved people and the Lord fought against them and they both dropped dead and had no time to repent. Eternal Security finds it hard to reconcile their doctrine with this incident. For instance: the group at Kansas City, Mo. assert that they never were saved, whereas the group at Toledo, O. claim that they were saved but were not lost, in spite of the fact that they died in their sins.
 

Did not Jesus emphatically say, "No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom?" Did not these two look back upon their earthly possessions like Lot's wife, and did not Jesus warn us by His words, "Remember Lots'wife", Lu.17-32?
 

In speaking about the destruction that came upon the people of Israel who had left Egypt, Paul, in I Cor.10-6 said, "Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted." In v.1-6, there are five different incidents mentioned where destruction and death came to those disobedient Israelites. Then in v.11 He said, "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples (types); and they are written for our admonition." This warning carries the same import as Jesus' words, "Remember Lot's wife." It carries the warning, that after God's people have obtained deliverance, they still can be destroyed if they are disobedient; otherwise the warning is superficial and unnecessary and a waste of words.
 

But coming back to the major thought before us, can we sin until there is no REMEDY, and will the Lord become our ENEMY? James said, "Whosoever therefore will be a FRIEND OF THIS WORLD, is the ENEMY OF GOD." If we are the enemy of God, we are not at peace with God, but are fighting against Him, and He against us. In Rev.2-16 Jesus said, "Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and fight against thee with the sword of my mouth." This is not the sword of the Spirit mentioned in Eph.6-17, for the sword of the Spirit is there declared to be the word of God. The sword of the Spirit is one of the parts of the Christian's seven-fold armor; but this is a judgment sword used by the Lord Himself. This is seen in Rev.19,15 and 21, where John said, "And out of His (Christ's) mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations. And the remnant were slain with the sword of Him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of His mouth." So we see that they that love the world are God's enemies, and Christ said He would fight against them with the (judgment) sword of His mouth. So we also can sin until there is no remedy, and then we are cast out as a withered branch and we are no longer considered as member of the body of Christ. That automatically eliminates anyone from being included in Christ's intercessory prayer because this is for His FRIENDS and not for His ENEMIES.
 

Jesus never forces Himself on anyone at any time for we see Him at Laodicea's door saying, "Behold I stand at the door and knock: If any man hear my voice and open the door I WILL COME IN." His entrance depended upon them opening the door and He certainly did not break the door down to force His presence upon them. On the Emmaus road, He made as tho He would have gone further. But they constrained Him saying, "Abide with us," and He went in to tarry with them. When the Lord abides "with us," then we "abide in Him" and we have sweet fellowship with Him. But when we break that fellowship and go out into the world and refuse to come back, we also lose our sonship. Let none be so foolish as to think that they are still entitled to recognition as a member of the body of Christ when they are out into the world. Neither let none think that they are included in His intercessory prayer when they are enemies of God, Jas.4-4; for Jesus said, "Ye are my FRIENDS, IF ye do whatsoever I COMMAND YOU."
 

There is just one more major thought to be considered concerning the mediation of Christ as our high priest and that is: what will be the relation of the backslider at the rapture, to the body of Christ? If he still is a member of the body of Christ, how can the body be translated without Him? We hear some Eternal Security people say, "Oh I believe Jesus will bring them back before He comes." This is all presumption and cannot be verified by scripture for experience actually reveals that the opposite is true because there are those who have been saved at one time, who backslid and were suddenly cut off by accidental death. Just so will it be at the rapture; Jesus will come in a twinkling of an eye and they will be left behind.
 

Another difficulty arises: when Jesus leaves the Father's throne, the office of mediator ends and there will be no one at the Father's right hand to intercede for those who formed the body of Christ, who were left behind at the rapture. If the backsliders from the Eternal Security groups are depending on their high priest's intercession, either now or after the rapture, they are going to be badly disappointed. In John 9-31 we are told exactly whom God hears and whom he does not hear. Thus we read, "Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if ANY MAN be a WORSHIPPER OF GOD, him He HEARETH." Is a former believer who refuses to come back to God a WORSHIPPER OF GOD? God forbid! Thus to be heard of God, we must be a WORSHIPPER OF GOD.
 

The difficulty increases for in Rev.14,9-11 we read, "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand--he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone." If any man cannot, or will not stand for Christ now, with all the godly Christians to assist him and pray for him, how will he ever be able to stand after they are gone at the rapture? We hear backsliders say, "I will never take the mark of the beast if I miss the rapture." Yet these same backsliders refuse to come back to God and are heading for the tribulation, refusing the overtures of God's people and God's Holy Spirit. It is the power of God's Spirit in God's people, that is with-holding the power of 'that wicked one' at present, II Thes.2,6-7. The in v.9 we read, "Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders." Speaking of that same period of time, Jesus said in Mat.24-24, "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, (the two beasts of Rev.13), and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Just stop and consider: if the false miracles of the Anti-Christ, almost deceive THE VERY ELECT, what chance has a backslider who has hardened his heart and seared his conscience against the Holy Spirit? They who are now deceived by the Eternal Security delusion, and are backslid, and are going to miss the rapture; are going to be an easy mark for the Anti-Christ. Those who are deceived by a false security and backslid besides, are fit candidates for the tribulation. Once in the tribulation, it is doubtful if they will not be deceived by the false miracles of the Anti-Christ. Then being deceived, they will receive his mark in their right hands and in their foreheads. Then they will be subject to the judgment mentioned above in Rev.14.
 

In concluding our remarks on this last major thought, it is fitting to quote Jer.12-5 as follows: "If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with the horses? And if in the land of peace wherein thou trustedest, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of the Jordan?" If believers do not remain saved with Christ as their mediator, how will they ever be saved when they miss the rapture and the mediator has left the Father's throne to become the Bridegroom? Thus we see that to base Eternal Security on the advocacy of Christ's office as high priest, is after all nothing but wishful thinking and cannot be substantiated by the scriptures.
 

A little side light is revealed in Mat.14,29-31 in regards to holding fast. Peter assayed to walk on the water which he did successfully momentarily. But when he saws that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid and beginning to sink he said, "Lord save me." Immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand and caught him and said, "Oh thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" Is not this an illustration how believers are overcome by trials, afflictions, adversities, etc., and go down when they do not HOLD FAST TO ETERNAL LIFE, as Paul admonished them? If Peter had not cried to the Lord, he certainly would have perished but his cry 'Lord save me' immediately brought Jesus to his side. Likewise those believers who cry to the Lord when the ways of adversity overtake them, will surely be saved. But when they wilfully and deliberately go back into the world as many have done; or when overcome by the world, the flesh or the Devil, and then they refuse to cry to the Lord, they certainly will perish. Where would Jonah be if he had not cried unto the Lord out of the belly of the fish? But he cried unto the Lord and the big fish vomited him up on dry land. What a regurgitation; what a deliverance!
 

In Acts 28 Paul's ship was wrecked and some swam to shore. In v.44 we read, "And some on boards and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they all escaped safe to land." These boards and broken pieces of the ship is what they were obliged to HOD FAST to, to save themselves. The rest could swim but these had to HOLD FAST to be saved. So we likewise, HOLD FAST to the words of eternal life, of which the boards are a type. In the case of the ship wreck, they were saved by the boards PROVISIONALLY but had to HOLD FAST to the boards to be saved EXPERIMENTALLY.
 

There are three other scriptures that we shall consider in connection with HOLDING FAST. The first is in I Tim.4-16 as follows: "Take HEED unto THYSELF and to the DOCTRINE: continue in them; for in doing this thou shalt both SAVE THYSELF and them that HEAR THEE." It is continuity in the doctrine that is here stressed and not the initial experience of the new birth. In other words, Paul exhorts Timothy to 'HOLD FAST TO THE DOCTRINE' in order to be ULTIMATELY SAVED. In a similar vein Paul says in Tit.1-9, "HOLDING FAST the faithful word"; thus expressing continuity in the doctrine. In II Tim.1,13-14 Paul said, "HOLD FAST the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me, in faith and in love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing that was committed unto thee, keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us." Here Timothy is exhorted to keep 'THAT GOOD THING (this good salvation) by the Holy Ghost. It would be highly nonsensical for Paul to instruct Timothy to KEEP THAT GOOD THING, IF HE COULD NOT LOSE IT. So Timothy was to HOLD FAST, to that good thing by the Holy Ghost. Thus these three scriptures verify what we said above.
 

When we speak about being ULTIMATELY SAVED, we do not mean that they are not born again or are not regenerated by the Spirit of God. Those are indeed present experiences that any repentant soul can now enjoy. But let us all remember that the same Lord who said in John 10-10, "I am come that they might have life", likewise said in the same verse, "the thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." The thief is there to steal the very thing that the Lord bestows and that is why in the preceding paragraph in the three passages quoted, Paul exhorts Timothy three times to 'HOLD FAST'. Paul plainly said in I Tim.4-16 in part, "For in so doing THOU SHALT SAVE THYSELF." If we were to believe Eternal Security, there would be no responsibility on us at all and it would all be upon God. Then what sense would the above quotation make?
 

But not so, for God accepted the responsibility of PROVIDING SALVATION fur us thru the death of his Son. But upon us lies the responsibility of appropriating this salvation and HOLDING FAST to that which we have appropriated. In the three passages above, Paul stresses the end of a Christian life and not the beginning, and that is exactly what the writer of the book of Hebrews does. In thought and concept Paul said, "Continue in the doctrine and thou shalt SAVE THYSELF."
 

When Peter was preaching to Israel on the day of Pentecost, they were pricked in their hearts, and they said "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" In v.38-40 Peter tells them what to do and in conclusion he said in v.40, "SAVE YOURSELF from this untoward generation." How could they SAVE THEMSELVES? By appropriating the salvation that God had provided thru the death of Christ. This brings out both the provisional side and the experimental side of salvation.
 

Concerning this word 'save' we might mention that it is the same word as in I Tim.4-16 and also the same word as in Mat.1-21 there the angel said, "And thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall SAVE His people from their sins." This word 'save' is 'sozo' in the Greek and it is used about ninety times in the New Testament. It is the usual word used throughout the New Testament when it refers to anyone being saved from sin. By keeping this in mind, any reader can see the great import of Paul's words when he said to Timothy, "Take HEED unto THYSELF and to the DOCTRINE, continue in them, for in doing this thou shalt both SAVE THYSELF and them that hear thee," I Tim.4-16. If it was necessary for Timothy to CONTINUE in the DOCTRINE to SAVE HIMSELF, we feel that the same necessity is laid on us too. We do not see any security in Eternal Security doctrine; but we do see real security for any man who will CONTINUE IN THE DOCTRINE of CONTINUITY.
 
Let us see what God said about those that do not HOLD FAST to the truth. In connection with I Tim.4-16, let us see I Tim.5-8 where Paul said, "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is WORSE THAN AN INFIDEL." These are strong words! Has an infidel any salvation? Indeed not, and neither have we if we deny the faith. Can we deny the faith? Yes absolutely so. How do we deny the faith? According to Paul's words above, we deny the faith by wilfully and persistently disobeying God's holy word. To deny the faith, means to deny Christ, and if we deny Him, He will also deny us, Mat.10-33 and II Tim.2-12.