I recently had a friend who fell into gross sin and has now rearranged his former Christian beliefs. Though he still beliefs in Jesus Christ and very possibly still believes He is the Savior of mankind, he goes as far as to look upon the Bible as a corrupt and useless tool that in no means points us to God or His Character.

“Traditionalist” or “Legalistic” is the view of actually looking to the Bible as the standard for life. At least this terminology is used by new postmodern Christianity that decides to cling to relativism as opposed to sound historical truth.

I have felt that I have lost a friend, that he has died but yet still walks around on this earth. In my opinion he has fallen away. However, I read a quote that has been a comfort to me this morning, that I hope will be to you if you also have friends who are are dropping off the path.

“I will not judge a person to be spiritually dead whom I have judged formerly to have had spiritual life, though I see him at present in a swoon (faint)as to all evidences of the spiritual life. And the reason why I will not judge him so is this — because if you judge a person dead, you neglect him, you leave him; but if you judge him in a swoon,(faint) though never so dangerous, you use all means for the retrieving of his life.” John Owen

Please pray for my friend and his family, for their restoration.