The phrase “the one who shrinks back” comes from Hebrews 10:38, which is a passage that speaks about living by faith and the consequences of turning away from that faith. The full verse reads:
- Hebrews 10:38: “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”
This verse is part of a larger exhortation in the Book of Hebrews encouraging believers to persevere in their faith, especially during times of hardship or persecution. To “shrink back” in this context refers to those who draw away from faith or fall back into unbelief or disobedience, particularly when faced with challenges, suffering, or opposition.
Understanding “Shrinking Back”
- Drawing Away from Faith:
- The phrase “shrinks back” suggests a retreat or withdrawal from trusting in God, which is the opposite of living by faith. In difficult times, believers are tempted to lose heart, abandon their commitment, or even revert to former ways of living.
- Hebrews 10:39 continues: “But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.”
- Here, the writer makes a distinction between those who continue in faith and those who turn away, emphasizing that perseverance leads to salvation.
- Reference to Habakkuk 2:3-4:
- Hebrews 10:38 is quoting from the Old Testament prophet Habakkuk, specifically Habakkuk 2:3-4, where God says: “The righteous person will live by his faithfulness.”
- In Habakkuk’s time, this was a call for the righteous to trust in God’s promises even when they couldn’t see immediate results. Similarly, in Hebrews, believers are called to hold firm in their faith, trusting in God’s promises even when they face difficulties.
- Faith vs. Fear:
- To “shrink back” implies acting out of fear or unbelief, which contrasts with faith, which is defined as confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1). Shrinking back, then, is a failure to trust God and His promises when circumstances are tough.
- Those who shrink back choose the path of fear, doubt, or disobedience instead of pressing forward in faith.
- God’s Response:
- The passage says that God “takes no pleasure” in those who shrink back. This indicates that God desires His people to trust in Him and live in faith, even through trials. Shrinking back displeases God because it reflects a lack of trust and perseverance.
- In contrast, God delights in those who live by faith, enduring and trusting in His promises even in times of uncertainty.
The Call to Persevere in Faith
The context of Hebrews 10 is a reminder for believers not to abandon their faith when faced with suffering or trials. Earlier in the chapter, the writer encourages Christians to hold fast to their hope and not give up:
- Hebrews 10:23: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.”
- Hebrews 10:36: “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.”
Practical Application:
- Perseverance in Trials:
- Believers are called to trust God and stand firm in their faith during difficult times. Instead of shrinking back in fear or doubt, Christians are to continue walking by faith, even when circumstances seem discouraging or uncertain.
- Encouragement to Continue in Faith:
- The writer of Hebrews encourages the community of believers to support and encourage one another to stay strong in their faith, saying earlier:
- Hebrews 10:25: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
- Community and fellowship with other believers are important for persevering in faith.
- Faith in Action:
- Living by faith is not passive but active. It means trusting in God, making decisions based on that trust, and acting in obedience to His will, regardless of the challenges we face.
Conclusion:
The phrase “the one who shrinks back” refers to someone who draws away from their faith in God, especially during times of difficulty, opposition, or suffering. Hebrews 10:38 contrasts this with the life of faith, which pleases God and leads to salvation. Believers are called to persevere, stand firm in their trust in God, and avoid the temptation to retreat into fear or unbelief.
Does this mean they lose their salvation?
The question of whether a Christian can lose their salvation is one of the most debated theological topics within Christianity. Different Christian traditions hold varying views on this issue, and it is important to recognize that the Bible contains passages that appear to support both eternal security and the need for perseverance in faith. Below are the primary perspectives and the biblical support for each position.
1. The Doctrine of Eternal Security (Once Saved, Always Saved)
The doctrine of eternal security teaches that once a person is truly saved, they cannot lose their salvation. This view is often associated with Reformed theology and certain Baptist traditions. It holds that salvation is entirely a work of God, and because it is God who initiates and completes the work of salvation, no one can lose it once they are genuinely saved.
Key Verses Supporting Eternal Security:
- John 10:27-29: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”
- Jesus speaks of the security of believers, emphasizing that no one can take them out of God’s hand once they belong to Him.
- Philippians 1:6: “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
- This verse expresses confidence that God will finish the work of salvation He begins in a believer.
- Romans 8:38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
- Paul emphasizes that nothing can separate believers from the love of God in Christ Jesus, implying that salvation is secure.
- Ephesians 1:13-14: “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory.”
- The Holy Spirit is described as a “seal” and “guarantee” of the believer’s inheritance, reinforcing the idea that salvation is secure.
2. The Doctrine of Conditional Security (Salvation Can Be Lost)
The conditional security view, held by traditions like Arminianism, Methodism, and Pentecostalism, teaches that a person can forfeit or lose their salvation through persistent sin, unbelief, or rejection of Christ. According to this view, salvation requires the believer’s ongoing faith and cooperation with God’s grace.
Key Verses Supporting Conditional Security:
- Hebrews 6:4-6: “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance.”
- This passage speaks of individuals who had experienced the blessings of salvation but “fell away,” suggesting that it is possible to fall away from faith.
- Hebrews 10:26-27: “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.”
- This warning indicates that continuing in deliberate sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth could result in judgment.
- 2 Peter 2:20-21: “If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.”
- Peter warns that those who have known Christ and then fall back into a life of sin are in a worse condition than before they knew Christ.
- Galatians 5:4: “You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.”
- Paul speaks of the possibility of being “alienated from Christ” and “falling away from grace,” indicating the potential to lose salvation.
3. Perseverance of the Saints
This view, commonly held by Reformed and Calvinist theologians, teaches that true believers will persevere in their faith until the end because of God’s sustaining grace. While it acknowledges that believers can face struggles, backslide, or experience doubts, those who are truly saved will never permanently fall away. This view is closely related to eternal security but emphasizes the importance of perseverance as evidence of genuine salvation.
- Matthew 24:13: “But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
- Perseverance is seen as the mark of a true believer.
- Hebrews 3:14: “We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.”
- Holding firm in faith until the end is a sign of genuine participation in Christ.
4. Tension Between Assurance and Warnings
Many Christians recognize a biblical tension between the assurance of salvation and the warnings to remain faithful. The Bible offers comfort that God is faithful and able to keep believers secure, while also encouraging believers to examine their lives, remain faithful, and not fall into sin.
Assurance of Salvation:
- 1 John 5:13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
- Believers are assured that they can know they have eternal life through faith in Christ.
Warnings to Remain Faithful:
- Philippians 2:12: “Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”
- This suggests that believers are to take their walk of faith seriously, with a sense of responsibility for persevering in their salvation.
5. How Do These Views Impact Christian Life?
- Eternal Security: Those who hold to eternal security often find comfort in knowing that their salvation is not dependent on their ability to maintain it but on God’s power and grace. However, they also emphasize that true believers will show evidence of their salvation through a changed life and perseverance in faith.
- Conditional Security: Those who believe salvation can be lost emphasize the need for ongoing faithfulness, vigilance against sin, and reliance on God’s grace. They believe that God’s grace is sufficient to help believers remain faithful, but they also hold that it is possible to reject that grace through persistent unbelief or disobedience.
Conclusion:
The question of whether salvation can be lost depends on theological interpretation and one’s understanding of Scripture. The eternal security perspective emphasizes God’s power to keep believers secure, while the conditional security view stresses the importance of continuing in faith and obedience. Both positions agree that salvation is a gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ and that true believers should live in a way that reflects their relationship with God.
My desire is to live a life of grace and to remain faithful to the end.