People who leave the faith may have never truly believed or been transformed by the Gospel.
The phenomenon of individuals leaving the faith can be explained through the understanding of 1 John 2:19, which states that they went out from us because they were never truly one of us. This does not refer to genuine believers who struggle but to those who, despite a profession of faith, lacked the genuine transformative experience of the Holy Spirit. Their departure reveals they did not possess the abiding truth that characterizes true believers. Therefore, those who are truly born again, marked by the unction from the Holy One, will ultimately remain steadfast in their faith, unable to fully turn away from the Gospel. This doctrine offers assurance to true believers, as their faith is preserved by God's sovereign will.
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