When fellow Christians fall, we can have many questions. Today we’ll talk about those and what we should remember the next time a fellow Christian falls. 

One of the most disappointing things in the Christian life can be when other Christians fall—especially those we’ve admired and considered mentors. 

They can be local pastors, teachers, or friends, or they can be prominent leaders we’ve never met. We’ve followed their ministries for many years.  But whether we’ve met them face-to-face or not, another Christian’s fall can have a serious impact for a long time. 

It’s been years since the death of Ravi Zacharias and the resulting revelation of his double life. It still bothers me, and I’m sure his family is still dealing with the fallout.  

How could a person live a lie for so long without it becoming known sooner? 

How many unbelievers were negatively impacted by the life of yet another so-called Christian?

How can we trust anyone else or their ministries?

Is it just a matter of time before the next blow comes?

How can we make sure we don’t fall too?

There are so many questions. Maybe these reminders today can answer some of them for us.  

What We Should Remember When Fellow Christians Fall

#1 – Jesus warned us this would happen more than 2000 years ago. 

Sometimes I am amazed by what surprises us. Have you ever noticed that our surprises are usually things we’ve been told before? Like little ones who’re surprised by the burn of the hot fire despite the many warnings from loving parents. 

Jesus warned his disciples several times that this would happen—even as He was fellowshipping with His own betrayer, Judas. He warned us this wouldn’t be an exception but a rule because those who choose to follow Christ are a small remnant. 

#2 – God can use a person regardless. 

I’ve often wondered how Jesus sat across from Judas the Betrayer and still treated him with love. How much it must have hurt to know what was coming. 

And on that note, why even make him a disciple in the first place? 

Because, as hard as the betrayal was, it was necessary to God’s plan to bring us salvation—and foretold hundreds of years before it happened.

The witness of today’s fallen Christians bothers me. Why would God allow a person to negatively influence another’s salvation? I don’t know if I could really answer that question. However, the truth is that God is an expert in using what seems like hopelessness.

Just ask the Israelites. God used the ungodly many times to accomplish His purpose:

• When Pharoah refused to allow them to leave Egypt, God used Pharoah’s hard heart to reveal His might and sovereignty.
• God used the Egyptian king Necho to warn Josiah not to fight—that he was following the will of God and his fight was with Israel as part of their judgment. Josiah ignored the warning and died as a result.
• When God allowed Assyria to conquer Israel, God reminded them of just how far they had strayed.
• Cyrus king of Persia ordered the return of the Israelites plus the rebuilding of the temple once their 70-year exile was complete.
• Darius king of Persia ordered the completion of the temple after years of opposition to rebuilding it.
• Then Artaxerxes later ordered the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem.

#3 – We’re not alone in our faith.

Each time another person falls, we can feel a little more alone and a little more discouraged, but God will always have a remnant. 

Although we may be small, we’re never alone.  

#4 – Believers aren’t immune to sin.

The Bible is clear that a believer will produce fruit: peace, joy, patience, kindness… Our lives can’t be characterized by sin. 

However, our lives can still look like a wave. As we grow in Christ, the wave may flatten more, but as long as we’re in these sin-born bodies, there will always be an up and a down and an up again.  

#5 – Once we’re saved, we’re saved. 

It can be easy to look around at other fallen Christians and wonder if the same will happen to us. Will we choose to walk away from the faith one day? 

It’s normal to experience doubts, and, as we discussed in the last point, it’s normal to have ups and downs. 

So what about when a person walks away from the faith? How can this happen? 

I still believe a person will always be saved once they choose to follow Christ. (If you don’t know what that means or haven’t made the decision yourself, please check out this post. If you’d like to read more about eternal assurance, check out this post.)

I can think of three possibilities: The person never was saved to begin with, the person has fallen temporarily and only needs to repent and make restitution if necessary, or the person was a wolf in sheep’s clothing as Jesus called it. 

Exploring this topic has really helped me. Though it’s been many years since Ravi Zacharias was revealed to not be as he seemed, his deception continues to impact the world. 

I’ve used several quotes by him here on HISsparrowBlog, and I’ve struggled with whether to go back to those posts and remove any mention of him. 

But the truth is those quotes are no less true now. God can still use Ravi’s work regardless of his motives at the time.  

Have you struggled with this topic? What has encouraged you? Please share in the comments below.

More Reading

• When Famous Christians Fall Away by Mark A Kellner at Amazing Facts
• Blessed Assurance: 6 Reasons I Believe in Eternal Security from HISsparrowBlog
• Doubting Salvation: My Journey to Assurance from HISsparrowBlog

I frequently link up with the following: Grace & Truth with Embracing the Unexpected, Tell His Story with Jeanne Takenaka, and Let’s Have Coffee with Joanne Viola.