The Apostle Paul believed in following up on new Christians and even visiting, when possible, the various churches which started because of his labors and personal sacrifices. In fact, that is why his second and third missionary trips began. As Paul traveled around from church to church, he repeated special key truths to the saints for their spiritual benefit. One of the outstanding truths he regularly gave to the Lord’s disciples was a hell warning! Again, it was a hell warning to those, who had already been saved, which is almost completely unheard of in our day. Here is his often repeated grace message about sin:
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-21)
The words as I did before shows he repeated those facts to them at an earlier time. That passage must be very important to know about. It cites sins, which will cause a disinheritance from the kingdom of God, for the saints. Paul wanted the Christians to know about the lethal effects of those sins and that sin is still the issue. He warned them. How distressing it is to hear people in our day refer to Gal. 5:19-21 yet teach it in such a way to as to assure people in sin that they must “practice” or “live” in sexual immorality, drunkenness, etc. to be lethally affected. It should be apparent that something has to be very wrong with their warped teaching just by knowing that one act of adultery makes a person a Bible defined adulterer (Lev. 20:10) and adulterers will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9,10). Therefore, it doesn’t have to be a practice of sin or “living” in sin to cause a Christian to lose his salvation, according to Paul. Biblical evidence proves that King David lost his salvation when he committed adultery and murder.
Luke 22:23
More related evidence is revealed by noting that the word “do” (KJV) in Gal. 5:21 is also found in Luke 22:23:
The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him. They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this. (Luke 22:22,23)
There it refers to a one time act! Hence, while it is true that the word translated “do” (KJV) in Gal. 5:21 can mean practice, IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PRACTICE! How is that shown in Luke 22:23? It is shown because Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus in a ONE TIME ACT! It was not practice, yet the same Greek word is used as in Gal. 5:21! May those who teach a license to sin from Gal. 5:19-21 be silenced forever before they stumble more with their candy-coated lies about grace and everlasting life. It is holiness or hell. Do NOT be deceived by anyone who would teach differently. To reap eternal life you will have to sow to please the Spirit (Gal. 6:8,9). You can NOT do that if you are occasionally committing adultery, occasionally getting drunk, occasionally committing idolatry, etc. Hell is certainly populated by many people who thought they were saved but were not living holy. Jesus’ sheep follow him (John 10:27). They alone are promised not to be plucked out of Jesus’ hands, given eternal life and never perish (John 10:28). Are you a real Christian? Remember the disinheritance warning found in Gal. 5:19-21. It is a relevant warning for the righteous about turning to evil.
