Collectively Speaking (2 of 2)
The Community of Faith consists of both true and false believers, and we don’t know with 100% certainty who truly belongs to Him (cf. 2 Timothy 2:19). This is why we’re to work out our own salvation (Philippians 2:13), and to make our own calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10). Warnings can be a means that God uses to awaken the false believer(s) in our midst, and to keep His people in the race by putting God’s fear in us, and that fear will drive us to self-examine (2 Corinthians 13:5). His words, including warning passages, will not come back void. If He sends them out to keep His people in the race then they will endure to the end and be saved. And if He sends them out to expose the frauds and deceptions in His body, then it will be revealed and brought to light, sooner or later. In the light of His word do we see (cf. Psalms 36:9). It is with both the promises and warnings that His people can avoid the dead faith of the self-deceived, and to correctly address the church. Did Paul not say that all Scripture, and that includes warnings, are profitable for reproof, correction and instruction?
Addressing the Church as a Whole
Christ knows the hearts of all (cf. John 2:23-25). You and I don’t. We’re not omniscience, “For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?” (1 Corinthians 2:11). At times, the Apostles spoke with precision with the eyes of the Spirit (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:10; Acts 5:3-4, 8:21), while on other occasions, they spoke and addressed the Church collectively as a whole, not knowing who is who (cf. Galatians 5:7-10). Even Samuel himself didn’t see what God saw (1 Samuel 16:6-7). This is why we are to judge righteously, according to the word of truth.
The people of God are not omniscience. And this is what we’re up against and have to deal with in the church:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15)
Inwardly they are ravenous wolves. They appear to be one of us, but inwardly are not. Again, we don’t know the heart of a person. For this reason parables and warnings are there for us to discern the body. Since we don’t know who is who, we often speak and say things collectively as a whole. Christ, though He knew all men, spoke this way at times to set an example for us. There are three examples from Matthew that I’m aware of, but I’ll touch on just one, and then close it with one from Revelation.
Matthew 10:16-20: This passage is often used to say that Judas Iscariot was a sheep like the rest. Two reasons why that can’t be…
The world is hostile toward Christians and the imagery is used by way of analogy to help see the seriousness of the journey. They will be in danger (sheep among wolves) but they are to be harmless (dove) and wise (serpent) if they are to endure. Are they all serpents, children of the devil in a spiritual sense? Of course not.
“…they will deliver you up to councils… You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake…” Judas was not around when that was fulfilled. Christ here is speaking collectively, not to them as individuals but as a whole for He knew Judas would not be around.
Revelation 3:1-6: There are false converts in the church and Christ here is addressing them as a whole, collectively. Some will be quick to say that this refutes Eternal Security because Christ is talking to the church (believers) and that their names can be blotted out. The false assumption behind this objection is that a child of God will not heed the warning or that it can fall on deaf ears. That’s not the case because His sheep hear His voice and they follow Him. You might object, saying,
“He’s not talking about sheep here. He’s talking to the church. Meaning EVERYONE.”
The answer to that is V.6, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Not everyone in the church has ears to hear because not everyone in the church is a sheep.
“We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” (1 John 4:6)
Conclusion
It is a mistake to assume that the existence of [warning passages] in Scripture means that true believers can lose their salvation. Those that make this assumption do not understand the nature of saving-faith.
After warning them, the author (Paul) of Hebrews went on to encourage them (see a list of that here), because he understood the nature of saving-faith. Saving-faith perseveres. Saving-faith stands firm. Saving-faith delights in His word, and seek to obey it. Paul understood and said in 2 Thessalonians 3:3-5, “But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.”
Even though the warnings are strong and harsh (though we speak in this manner), we are confident of better things concerning you, the true believers!
But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner.
—Hebrews 6:9
And again,
But WE are not of THOSE who draw back to perdition, but of THOSE who believe to the saving of the soul.
—Hebrews 10:39
We need warning passages if we are to judge the Body of Christ righteously, and to reproof, correct and instruct.
Some people are obviously lost. Others are manifestly saints of God. But there are multitudes of marginal cases in which it is impossible for mortal man to discern or detect what their state in grace may be outside of special divine revelation. When a person is obviously a child of the devil, he ought to be treated and witnessed to as such. When a person is an obvious child of God, he ought to be received as a brother. When we have no definite proof either way, we are to receive one who professes to be a Christian as one until he gives reason to believe otherwise. And then we are not bound to make conclusions, but to warn him to forsake the error of his way and to give diligence to make his calling and election sure. —Conrad Murrell