Expert: Cooper P. Abrams III - 9/5/2005

Question
hi,

i have a friend who was born a buddhist then converted to christianity because he believed. but because his mom forced him to be buddhist again so he returned to his buddhist roots for years. but now his mom died so he wanted to be christian again. is it too late?

i heard somewhere in the bible God said if you have tasted the truth and fall back to apostasy then there is no more redemption left. does this means its too late for my friend because he onced had the truth but returned to his buddhist roots? can my friend get another chance?

thank you and take care,

zhenxing

Answer
Hi zhenxing,
     It is commendable that you are concerned for your friend.    The biblical answer is this...if your friend truly trusted in Jesus Christ for their salvation, they have never stopped being saved.  The Bible clearly teaches that once a person truly believes they are eternally saved and sealed unto the day of redemption by God.   The passage you mention in Hebrews 6, does not teach that a saved person can be lost, but is addressing those who had waned in their faith assuring them that God wanted them to know they were saved.    The statement that if a person fall away...it would be impossible for them to be saved again, because Christ would have to be crucified again. It is a hypothetical situation used to show that this could not happen, because Christ died once for all and will not be crucified again.
  It is good evidence of your friends salvation, but he wants to return to the Lord.   Was it wrong for him to good back into Buddhism?  The answer is yes it was, but we can understand his reasons.   1 John 1:9 says to confess our sins and the Lord will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.    Your friend should ask the Lord to forgive him and then begin once again to serve the Lord faithfully. Think about this...suppose a believer commits some sin?  Does God reject him because he sins?   Note what 1 John 1:8-10 says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”     When a believer is saved...how many sins are forgiven?   Note the following verses:

  Romans 4:7 “Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.”   

  Colossians 2:13 “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses”

  1 John 2:12 “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.”

  You see when God saves us he forgives all our sins...past, present and future.

  I have an article on my web site at http://bible-truth.org/assuran2.html  which explains the biblical teaching of assurance of salvation.   God wants us to know we are saved and are given eternal life.....
  If you have further questions, or cannot access the article, please write again and I will send it to you.  
    Thank you for you question and I pray that your friend will once again faithfully serve the Lord and have the assurance of their salvation.

Cooper Abrams
http://bible-truth.org