In the 1940's, Charles Templeton was a popular Evangelist who ministered powerfully alongside Billy Graham. He had a promising ministerial prospect because he was a crowd puller. In his meetings, halls were filled.
Painfully, Templeton left the christian faith, eventually becoming an atheist. Templeton died in 2001 at the age of 86, shortly after he published one of the most heart-breaking books ever published: Farewell to God. If you have doubts about the issue of christians backsliding to the point of no return, Charles Templeton is a recent contemporary example.
Charles Templeton was a vivid example of what is written in the opening text. He was enlightened in the ways of God, he experienced the good things of heaven, shared in the Holy Spirit and the powers of the world to come yet turned his back against the Lord.
It is appaling that some believers still argue a believer cannot fall away because once saved is always saved but Charles is an example of a man used by God in his prime who left the faith. The anointing was on him yet he departed from the faith he once practiced and preached.
Though God in his lovingkindness will do everything possible to keep a man from falling but that is only possible If man cooperate with him as he doesn't overide man's will. There is a place of man's will in the salvation equation. It is not forced and can never be.
Not all believer will perservere in the faith as some will fall away due to carelessness. Charles Templeton is a documented example. You cannot say a man who died an atheist is in heaven because he was once saved. It doesn't even make sense that he'll be admitted into a kingdom he opposed.
It is better we heed the counsel of apostle Paul which says: "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor 10:12). Falling is a possibility but we need not fear because his power is able to keep us from falling If we abide in Him. Let's just abide and stay in fellowship.
Jude 1:24 is my faith anchor which says, "Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you( Me) from falling away and will bring you( Me) with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault".
