Fall From Grace

Have you ever felt like all your successes, efforts, and accomplishments have been for no good reason? Years passed, everything you attempted went well, and you were prosperous, happy, and satisfied. Then one day, it all seemed to change. Could it be said that you have fallen out of grace? It hurts to fall from grace with your friends, employer, or family, or even to fall from yourself.

But most importantly, have you fallen from grace with God? More often than not, we can find a way to regain our status with our true friends by making a special effort to be good friends. By working harder, being more honest, and showing integrity, we can mend the relationship with our employer. We can mend the fall with our family with much love, kindness, understanding, and sincere effort. But repairing a fall from grace involving yourself and God is complex. It becomes difficult to pick yourself up from a fall from grace. We hate to see ourselves as flawed. We do not like being vulnerable; letting someone else claim ownership of our mistakes is much easier. All feelings, good and bad, are transmitted through our nervous system, directly affecting our bodies. Not respecting and loving ourselves blocks any forgiveness we can give to pick ourselves up from the fall. Trying to repair a fall from grace involving God is extremely difficult. We inherently know that God knows everything about us without exception. Jeremiah 1:5 tells us that God knows everything about us and has a plan for us before birth. God knows our flaws, he knows our thoughts, and he knows all of our mistakes and shortcomings. We hate that we have to acknowledge these negative items about ourselves. It hurts to know that God understands this and the who, what, where, how, and most importantly, the why. The knowledge that we know God has this information embarrasses us and makes us ashamed. This shame and embarrassment is a weighty burden to carry. Simon Peter tells us there will be a proper time when God will exalt us here or in heaven. Simon Peter tells us not to be humbled by the human authorities, including the elders. Simon Peter says we should cast all our problems and concerns on God.

In a fall from grace, a person has to acknowledge the reduced standing or stature. This fall will include a loss of respect, demotion in prestige, a change in the current status, and the destruction of favor by superiors. The first fall from grace occurred in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve enjoyed a perfect world; they had their every need and desire fulfilled and wanted for nothing. They choose not to obey God’s directions for reasons debated since Adam and Eve. Hebrews 6:4-6 warns, “For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.” This Bible verse is meant to describe how things might work out if the people act immaturely and childishly against God, as the Israelites did in the wilderness. By their acts, they could be subject to losing their salvation. Galatians 5:4 Paul states that those justified by the law will be considered fallen from grace. Paul wanted the people to understand that Jesus had given them freedom, and it was up to them to live unburdened by following God’s rules, not man’s laws. Second Peter 2:20-22 is plain: “For if, after they have escaped the world’s defilements through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first, for it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” In other words, our choices allow us to fall out of grace, and our actions and preferences will enable us to regain dignity. We are very fortunate to have a forgiving and righteous God. We are reminded that our deeds cannot earn salvation and cannot be lost by our works. According to Scripture, our salvation is eternally secure (John 10:28-30). So once a person is legitimately saved, they are saved forever. The entire book of Hebrews is addressed to Christians, and the wording of this verse supports that. Those who ‘have tasted the heavenly gift’ 9Ephesians 2:8) and who share in the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14; Galatians 3:2) cannot be any other than true believers.” (BibleRef, 2022)

So how do we start working toward grace again? We need to identify the truth surrounding the issue. What has actually taken place? Have we committed or omitted a transgression, and if so, what is it? Once identified, admit to your participation and tell the truth. The longer you wait or ignore the problem, the harder it is to repair. Allow yourself to let go of the negative emotions about the particular wrong. Forgive yourself and those who are involved. Try to bring closure and put the events behind you. Once the issue is resolved, there is no good reason to bring it up again. Pray about the circumstances and pray for forgiveness. In the future, try to use your knowledge as a learning experience. Hebrews 4:16 states, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

BibleRef. (2022). Retrieved from Got Questions: https://www.bibleref.com/Hebrews/6/Hebrews-6-4.html