| Author | Message | ||
| Rolaant |
Do you believe that the salvation of the believer is eternally secure, that God will preserve His people to the end? | ||
| Max |
Absolutely. | ||
| sherry |
Well what then of Ananias and Saphira? God just killed them on this planet but they're eternity is secure? And Saul was formally (OT) was a man given to God, but he left His side. God will preserve His people if they allow Him too, but it seems that a man can throw off his salvation if he choses to as well. Though I think it is a hard thing to do. | ||
| Max |
Hi Sherry, Christ's parable of the wheat and the weeds may ba applicable here. Ananias and Saphira were seed sprouts growing in the kingdom of heaven on earth here and now. But God judged them to be weeds and not wheat. So their eternity was indeed secure, but not in the way they thought. Same with Saul. Remember that "an evil spirit from the Lord" came upon Saul. This was a form of judgment upon him, for the evil spirits all do God's bidding. Saul then, was judged by God to be a weed, and the evil spirit proved it. Likewise, his eternity was also secure, but not in the way he thought. I agree, "God will preserve His people if they allow Him too, but it seems that a man can throw off his salvation if he choses to as well. Though I think it is a hard thing to do." Not under law, Max | ||
| Rolaant McKenzie |
How Secure Is Salvation?, Part 1 of 7 by Rolaant McKenzie 1. Introduction Can a person saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ lose his salvation? What does the Bible teach regarding the nature of salvation? Is it held securely in God's hands, or is it conditional upon one's continual faithfulness? The answers to these questions are crucial in understanding the nature and extent of the human condition and salvation. Scripture teaches that Jesus came to save those who are lost (Luke 19:10). Before anyone comes to Christ he is a lost sinner, separated from God and under His condemnation (John 3:36). The essential reason for this is our relationship to sin, which is any level of unconformity with the character and will of God. Are we sinners because we sin, or do we sin because we are sinners? Scripture affirms that both are true. The Bible says that we are all guilty of personal acts and attitudes of sin (Ezekiel 18:20; Romans 3:23; 3:10-18; Mark 7:20-23). It also indicates that we are guilty because we are born with a sinful nature (Psalms 51:5), ultimately inherited from our ancestral father, Adam (Romans 5:12). The penalty that is the result of our sin is eternal death. According to the Bible, the consequences of sin are too serious to overlook. Although God is not our enemy, He is our judge. As judge He cannot ignore our failure to "hit the target" with our lives. In Romans 6:23 we learn that "the wages of sin is death." Whenever we sin, we earn the wage of death. Since, according to Romans 3:23, every person is guilty of sin, every person is subject to the consequences of physical death. This falls upon humankind as the result of Adam's sin (Romans 5:12-14); spiritual death, a condition transmitted to us from Adam through our ancestors (Ephesians 2:1, 5); and eternal death in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15). To summarize at this point, Scripture describes our condition before believing in Jesus Christ as being under the wrath of God and destined for hell. "So Jesus answered them and said, My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself." (John 7:16-17) "And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us." (Acts 17:26-27) "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) Fortunately, God provides each person born into this world with an awareness of His existence and a genuine opportunity to exercise a choice with respect to Him (Romans 1:18-22; Acts 17:22-30). He provides light to all, and anyone who shows a positive inclination toward Him He gives more light so that he can eventually turn to God in repentance and accept Jesus Christ. Can anyone choose Christ on his own? No, because we all are spiritually dead apart from God and unable to choose Him (Ephesians 2:1). No one can take any credit for choosing Christ. This point is illustrated in Romans 9:16. It says, "So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy." John 1:12-13 also says, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." The Holy Spirit must create the condition in a person so that he may be able to choose Christ. The result of this grace of God is the certain response by the elect to the inward call of the Holy Spirit, when the outward call is given by the evangelist or minister of the Word of God. Christ, Himself, teaches that all whom God has elected will come to a knowledge of Him (John 6:37). People come to Christ in salvation when the Father calls them (John 6:44), and the very Spirit of God leads His beloved to repentance (Romans 8:14). What a comfort it is to know that the gospel of Christ will penetrate our hard, sinful hearts and wondrously save us through the gracious inward call of the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 5:10)! God reaches out to the sinner rather than the other way around; and He alone makes it possible for the sinner to choose Him. If he chooses Christ, who is responsible for saving him and keeping his salvation secure? Fortunately, God is! He gets all the credit for saving a person, causing him to be regenerated to bear good fruit, causing him to grow in grace, and keeping his salvation secure eternally. Those who refuse to accept Jesus remain condemned and destined for eternal death in hell. They would have to face judgment for their sins since the blood of Christ would not cover them. How can they be held responsible for their sins and face the judgment of God? John 3:19-20 explains it well. It says, "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed." After one accepts Christ what does it mean to be saved? It means no longer being under the condemnation of God, and no longer being subject to His wrath (Romans 8:1). Those who accept Jesus Christ by faith receive eternal life (John 3:16, 36). Salvation is a gift wholly from God. Jonah 2:9 says, "Salvation is from the LORD". Salvation is granted by the grace of God through faith, apart from good works on our part. "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9) Being saved means being brought from a lost condition by Christ (Colossians 1:13) into a saved condition that provides the believer with great blessings the moment we trust Him. These blessings are very comprehensive, for our "salvation includes every divine undertaking for the believer from his deliverance out of the lost estate to his final presentation in glory conformed to the image of Christ" (L.S. Chafer, Systematic Theology [Dallas: Dallas Seminary Press, 1948], 3:6). Paul declares that God has already blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Some of the principal blessings of salvation include first of all, regeneration, which is an immediate work of the Holy Spirit in originating a new nature in the believing sinner so as to transform the believer from a state of spiritual death to spiritual life (John 3:5; 10:10, 28; 1 John 5:11-12). Secondly, justification, by which God declares the believer righteous since clothed in the righteousness of Christ (Romans 3:21-26). A third blessing of salvation is freedom from the dominion of sin (Romans 6:2-14). A fourth blessing is being given as a gift from the Father to the Son (John 17:2-24). And a fifth blessing includes being a member in the spiritual body of Christ, the church (1 Corinthians 12:13). There are many other blessings associated with salvation, many more positive acts of God that transform the lost, unregenerate sinner into a vessel of the Holy Spirit--a person being conformed into the image of Christ. But the question remains: Can a Christian lose his salvation? Can a person once saved, having received God's free gift of eternal life and having been born into the family of God, again return exactly and completely to the position of being a lost and guilty sinner in the eyes of God? Of course not! The very nature of the spiritual life that has been received is eternal, and God, the source of that life is more than strong and able to Himself "confirm, strengthen, and establish" the believer to salvation (1 Peter 5:10). This Biblical doctrine that a person who has received Jesus Christ, been born into the family of God, and justified by faith, can never again be lost is sometimes called eternal security. Others speak of it as the perseverance of the saints. The latter expression might better be termed the perseverance of God in behalf of the saints, because the security of our salvation does not rest on us but on God. 1 Corinthians 1:8 says that it is Jesus Christ who confirms the believer to the end. "For a believer to lose his salvation would demand a reversal and an undoing of all the preceding works of the Father, Son, and Spirit. The key issue in the discussion of the believer's security concerns the issue of who does the saving. If man is responsible for securing his salvation, then he can be lost; if God secures the person's salvation, then the person is forever secure" (Paul Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology [Chicago: Moody Press, 1989], p. 341). Some important questions to consider would be the following. If one is truly saved by grace apart from works through faith in Christ, do good works allow one to "keep" his salvation? If so, where would the focus be? On Jesus, or on personal performance? Can one be assured of his salvation by looking at his personal performance? Scripture says one cannot! "Nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified." (Galatians 2:16) "Because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20) How many of our sins were nailed to the cross with the Lord Jesus? The answer is all! How many of our sins were future when the Lord Jesus died? The answer again is all! There are, however, those today who would agree to all of this, and yet teach that it is possible for a true born-again believer through sin, backsliding, or some other means, to lose his salvation. It is true that the Bible never uses the phrase "eternal security" as such. It does however use some better terms: "eternal redemption" (Hebrews 9:12), "eternal salvation" (Hebrews 5:9), and "eternal life" (John 3:16). The next section will demonstrate from Scripture that believers are called, justified, and glorified; that believers are kept secure by the power of God; and that believers are sealed until the day of redemption, and have the absolute assurance that their sins are forgiven. The issue of sin and godly living will also be discussed. | ||
| Rolaant McKenzie |
How Secure Is Salvation?, Part 2 of 7 by Rolaant McKenzie 2. God's Preservation of Believers Some today live their lives according to the belief that they must work in order to be saved. They have a hard time accepting that God could bestow forgiveness and salvation for free. This way of life stems from the unfortunate fact that in dealings with our fellow human beings, it is very rare that something is truly given for free. So it is not surprising that some people who become Christians fail to understand and accept that Jesus' life, death on the cross, and resurrection was for our salvation apart from our works. Salvation is seen in terms of buying a house. Jesus provides the down payment for our home loan, and we must continue making payments on the remainder of the loan in order to keep the house. In order to prevent it from being re-possessed. Fortunately, that is not what John 19:30 says. Jesus said on the cross, "It is finished!" The Greek text uses the word tetelestai, which means "paid in full", not "here is the down payment". This is like saying, "Yes, I am saved by grace, but I have to work to keep my salvation!" And such a person who thinks this way may be in danger of consciously or unconsciously falling into the quagmire of legalism or self-righteousness. And both are not spoken of too well in Scripture. No, atonement for our sins was done once for all on the cross. It was not a down payment. The full price was paid at that time. God is not a loan company and His grace is not a loan. His grace is a gift. It is like realizing that we cannot pay our way to heaven in even the least bit, and accepting God's full payment on our loan (our sins), which sets us free from debt. If we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior our salvation is secure. In such a case, we would be covered by His righteousness and not our own. Our salvation is secure because the blood of Christ cleanses us, and continues to cleanse, from all sin (1 John 1:7). We cannot take any credit for our salvation. Only Jesus can because He accomplished everything for us through His blood. When Jesus said "It is finished" on the cross, that meant our salvation was complete and there is nothing anyone can do to add to it or take away from it. John writes about God's will. "This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day." (John 6:39) Jesus Christ accomplished salvation for us on the cross totally apart from any work or effort on our part. "But He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified." (Hebrews 10:12, 14) Those who place their trust in Christ can take hope and be confident in these promises. "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6) "Who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 1:8) Who perfects the believer until the end? Who confirms the Christian to the end? It is God who does the keeping of the believer. God's work in saving a person is done by Him alone and lasts forever. "I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him." (Ecclesiastes 3:14) When a person trusts Christ and is born again, it is not a conditional or temporary thing. God renews that person's spirit; that person becomes a new creation. "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." (Romans 11:29) This verse means that God will not save a person today and tomorrow change His mind and take it back. The believer is secure and can depend on the faithfulness of God. In John 11:25-26, the Jesus Christ states that the believer will never perish. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand." (John 10:27-29) When Jesus uses words like "never perish", and "no one is able", this indicates that God will use His power to keep the believer secure. Also the Lord Jesus gives eternal life and not partial life. When the Lord Jesus Christ saved us, He did it to the uttermost (Hebrews 7:25). Being saved to the uttermost means we are kept at the point of salvation through to heaven and glory without any being lost. The last part of the verse states that the Jesus Christ ever lives to make intercession for us. He constantly prays for His own and His prayers never fail. Another good example of the fact that God keeps the believer can be found in the prayer Jesus to the Father that all who believed on Him would be kept and that they would see Him in heaven in His glory. "I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world." (John 17:11, 24) When the Lord Jesus prays do you think His prayers get answered? Of course they do, and the Lord Jesus prayed for all believers to be kept and to make it to glory. Therefore, how is the Christian kept? Is it by his walk after salvation or is it by God's power? Peter answers this question. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:3-5) Jude also answers by saying: "Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ ... Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy." (Jude 1, 24) Again notice that the Christian's preservation, security, and keeping is not dependent upon himself, but upon God. It is good news that the Christian is kept by God's love and power. That salvation is completely apart from the works and merits of the believer. Nowhere in the Bible is the Christian given the responsibility of keeping himself saved and maintaining, under penalty of loss, his salvation. A direct challenge to the ability of God to fully save and keep His own is made when someone maintains that a believer can lose his salvation. This would indicate the belief that God did not provide a complete atonement on the cross, but a partial one, which would need to be continuously maintained by good works after salvation. | ||
| Rolaant McKenzie |
How Secure Is Salvation?, Part 3 of 7 by Rolaant McKenzie 3. Sealed for Redemption Believers are saved solely by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. As a result of acceptance of this grace by faith, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantor of our salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14). When God seals a person it is a permanent seal which no one is able to break. What God has sealed man cannot break. The story of Daniel in the lions' den is an Old Testament example of what a seal is what it is meant to be. The seal was placed on the stone over the mouth of the den "so that nothing would be changed." "Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions' den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, 'Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.' A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel." (Daniel 6:16-17) Another example is in the New Testament when Jesus was placed in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. A seal was ordered by Pilate to be placed on the tomb to keep it secure. "And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone." (Matthew 27:66) It is clear from these two examples that the main purpose of the seal is to not only identify the authority of the one placing it, but to hold something secure. When a person comes to Christ he comes under the jurisdiction of the Holy Spirit, making him a child of God. The Spirit then keeps the believer secure in Christ. "Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge." (2 Corinthians 1:21-22) When a seal is given in the Bible it is given with a purpose and is unchangeable. Now if the seal of a mere man is given with a binding, unchangeable purpose, how much more when God seals something? Can men break God's seal? This passage shows that the Holy Spirit of promise makes Christians firm in the faith of the Gospel, allowing the believer to live a life pleasing to God, and providing assurance of salvation. "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14) God has made known to believers through Christ, the Spirit of truth, this promise of salvation. Through Christ, God and humanity formerly estranged, are now reconciled; and the penalty of sin is satisfied for the wrong which caused the separation. He brought about, by His Spirit, the benefits of faith and love, whereby we are united with God. The sanctifying and comforting influences of the Holy Spirit seal or designate believers as the children of God, and the beneficiaries of eternal life. God's seal guarantees our salvation because we are sealed to the day of redemption. All to the glory of God. If we are sealed until the day of redemption, does that mean that some will lose their salvation before reaching that day? Scripture says no. When God says in His word that the believer is sealed until the day of redemption, that is exactly what He means. Persons reborn, regenerated, made new by the Holy Spirit will remain saved and make it to the day of redemption because God says so. | ||
| Rolaant McKenzie |
How Secure Is Salvation?, Part 4 of 7 by Rolaant McKenzie 4. Forgiven Completely The question was posed in the first section regarding the extent of forgiveness. How many sins does the blood of the Lord Jesus cover? The Bible affirms that His blood covers all of them. Those who deny eternal security must also deny that a believer's future sins were paid for by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Those who believe that a Christian can lose his salvation are really saying that only past and present sins are forgiven when a person accepts Jesus as Savior and Lord. Furthermore, according to this view forgiveness for future sins is conditional and is dependent upon the Christian. If a person continues in sin without repentance, there comes an undefined time when he has sinned too much and he loses his salvation and becomes an unsaved, unforgiven sinner again. He is then unborn again and unadopted by God. There are two schools of thought embraced by those who believe in conditional salvation: (1) Some believe that such a person is now lost and it is impossible for him to be renewed again to repentance and re-saved. (2) Others hold that if the person repents and turns back to God with all his heart, he can be re-forgiven, re-saved, re-born again, re-adopted by God, and restored as a new creature again. But does Scripture support any of these two views? It does not. The salvation that God provided cleanses from all sins, not just a few. "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace." (Ephesians 1:7) "But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:7) These verses state that the blood of the Lord Jesus cleanses us from all sins. Now how many sins are "all"? Does "all" include past sins? Does "all" include present sins? Does "all" include future sins? Yes to all three questions! "All" would include the whole amount of sins and exclude none. "All" sins include past, present, and future sins. Consider the following Scriptural passages. "When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high." (Hebrews 1:3b) "But now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." (Hebrews 9:26b) "'THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART, AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM', He then says, 'AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.'" (Hebrews 10:16-17) "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." (Psalms 103:12) "I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins." (Isaiah 43:25) "'They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them', declares the LORD, 'for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.'" (Jeremiah 31:34) "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21) Notice these verses include all sin, not just a few. God says that He not only forgives our sin, but he wills not to remember them any more. The Bible also teaches that God imputes His righteousness to all that trust in the Lord Jesus as Savior. "For what does the Scripture say? ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness Therefore IT WAS also CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead." (Romans 4:3, 5, 22-24) To summarize at this point, God has dealt with the sin of the believer because the penalty and all judgment for sin was put on the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary. God now deals with the Christian as one of His children. He deals with His children in discipline and not by wrath and eternal punishment. | ||
| Rolaant McKenzie |
How Secure Is Salvation?, Part 5 of 7 by Rolaant McKenzie 5. A License to Sin? Does eternal security give the Christian the right to sin and rebel with no call of holiness and righteousness on his life? Those who oppose eternal security often say that this doctrine allows Christians to sin as much as they wish without any concern or fear of punishment. This, of course, is based on a misunderstanding of what the Bible teaches regarding sin and the believer. God commands His people to live separated, righteous, and holy lives in the face of a world that rejects Christ. "Therefore, 'COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,' says the Lord. 'AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you.'" (2 Corinthians 6:17) "But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, 'YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.'" (1 Peter 1:15-16) "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age." (Titus 2:11-12) However, Christians are not perfect and those who say they have no sin deceive themselves (1 John 1:8). When a Christian sins God wants him to admit he has sinned, and turn away from that sin. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) Please note that this verse does not say the believer must ask for forgiveness. Since Jesus paid for sin in full on the cross, forgiveness of sin is a settled matter. The passage refers to the fellowship of the believer with God. When a Christian sins, a barrier of guilt comes up between the Christian and God, hindering fellowship. Confession of sin is God's method for removing that barrier so the Christian can resume his close walk of fellowship with Him. Another important point is that it is not God's will that His children sin, but if they do, Jesus Christ intercedes for them on the basis of his full payment for sin on the cross (1 John 2:1-2). In light of God's provision for sin in the believer's life, does this mean that the Christian can go out and sin as much as he wants with no consequences? Consider what Romans 6 has to say. "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? ... Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts ... What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? ... For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death." (Romans 6:1-2, 12, 15-16, 20-21) 1 Corinthians 5 provides a prime example of a believer who got involved in gross sin and would not repent. According to those who profess conditional salvation, that person would be lost. But does this example indicate this? "It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father's wife. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst. For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." (1 Corinthians 5:1-5) Notice that the penalty for this Christian's rebellion is not the loss of salvation but the destruction of the body that the spirit may be saved. His spirit "may" be saved means that he is saved and will still go to heaven. If there is any question about the word "may", look at 1 Corinthians 15:28: "When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all." The word "may" in this verse does not mean, maybe God will be all in all or maybe He won't. It means He will be all in all, just as the rebellious Christian is saved even though his body should be destroyed by Satan. Chastisement on the personal level is a tool used by God for believers only (Hebrews 12:5). God's discipline is based on love, and serves to bring the believer to acknowledgement of his sin, to confession in order to be restored to fellowship to Him (Hebrews 12:6). "FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES." (Hebrews 12:6) Discipline does not mean a loss of salvation (Galatians 3:26; Hebrews 12:6; 1 Corinthians 11:32). It is chastisement for sins of the believer in the immediate context of the sin that was committed. And discipline is removed by confession of sin (1 John 1:9). Suffering may well be part of the chastisement, and confession does not remove suffering. However, when suffering continues after the believer has been restored to fellowship, the suffering is for a positive purpose. If a believer continues in sin and refuses to repent and confess, the chastisement will become more and more severe. Certain sins may result in compounded discipline, particularly those sins in which the believer is acting as a stumbling block to others. In extreme cases, the believer could suffer the "sin leading to death" (1 John 5:16-17). The believer can avoid divine discipline through a consistent exercise of the principles of Christian living outlined in the Word of God, as illustrated in Hebrews 12. "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, 'MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.'" (Hebrews 12:1-6) To summarize, when Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, He paid for them all. Past sins, present sins, and future sins. The blood of Christ does not cleanse us of only past and present sins, but "all" sin (1 John 1:7). This does not mean, however, that Christians can sin as much as they want without facing negative consequences. Divine discipline is designed to restrain us from sin and to teach us lessons which will result in sanctified growth. "All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." (Hebrews 12:11) The next section will deal will with common objections to eternal security posed by those who hold to conditional salvation. | ||
| Rolaant McKenzie |
How Secure Is Salvation?, Part 6 of 7 by Rolaant McKenzie 6. Common Objections to Eternal Security While this section is not meant to be exhaustive, it will deal with some of the common passages used by those who object to the doctrine of eternal security. The passage will be listed along with its relation to eternal security. 1 Samuel 16:14 "Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him." This verse reveals to us that the Spirit of God was taken away from Saul and seems to dispute the orthodox teaching of the Spirit being the very earnest (pledge) which guarantees God will finish our salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14; Philippians 1:6). However, the seal of the Holy Spirit is only a New Covenant blessing that was graciously extended to the Gentiles to provoke the Jews to jealously (Romans 10:19-20). The outpouring of the Spirit of the New Covenant as described in Ezekiel 36:25-27 was originally just a covenant given to the Jews. Our death and marriage to Christ (Romans 7:1-4) has made us heirs of the promise and broken down the walls between Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2:14). The body of Christ now takes the place of the torn vail of the temple (Matthew 27:51) that we ourselves might become the temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19) and worship Him there (Hebrews 10:19-20). Since we are vailed by Christ, there is no chance that the Holy Spirit will ever be taken from us who are under the New Covenant. In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit could leave a person because of sin and return to the temple behind the vail since the body of Christ could not yet vail them. This in no way nullified Saul's justification as 1 Samuel 28:19 seems to indicate. Proverbs 28:13 "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion." We should confess our sins and repent of them lest we are chastised by our Father (Hebrews 12:5-11). Chastisement's purpose is to correct us, if we repent and turn from the sin there is no need for chastisement. 1 Corinthians 11:29-32 where we are exhorted to judge ourselves lest God judge us, notice it is said that some sleep because of their sin. Sleep refers to a believer who has died (John 11:11-12; Acts 7:60; 1 Corinthians 15:6, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15), they were not sent to Hell, but there life was taken from them. Stern rebukes do not necessitate eternal condemnation." If we consider the Old Testament covenant, it becomes apparent that our salvation is not dependent upon our continual confession of sins. In the Old Testament covenant, the Holy Spirit stayed with Israel through the tabernacle or temple. God was not willing to treat individuals as temples because they committed sins every day. The Israelites were daily offering sacrifices in order to make atonement for those sins. The question is why the Spirit does not leave us (Ephesians 1:13-14 says were sealed with the Spirit) when we sin and come back when we confess our sins. The key lies in how God dealt with our sin. In the Old Testament, the lamb died in the place of the person offering the sacrifice. In the New Testament we died (Galatians 2:20) with the lamb (Jesus) so our sin is dealt with in one stroke. In God's eyes were all dead, and no longer commit sins (1 John 3:9). We live through Jesus, who is completely righteous, so God may give us His Spirit. Christ simply testifies that we are dead in Him, that is why he is able to save us to the uttermost (Hebrews 7:25). The reason we repent today is to restore fellowship with the Spirit whom we have grieved (Ephesians 4:30). Otherwise, we will be disciplined as mentioned above. So as God the Father we still commit sins that need to be disciplined, but as God the Judge we are dead in Christ and commit no sins. If this was not the case, the Holy Ghost would not be able to tabernacle with us. Matthew 6:14-15 "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions." The ability to forgive is a sign of a true believer (Ephesians 4:32; John 2:10-11). Matthew 8:11-12 "I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." The "sons of the kingdom" here are the Jews in the nation Israel. One of the key teachings of the Gospels is the rejection of Jesus Christ by His own people, the Jews. Time and again Christ warns and rebukes the Jews and their leaders, but most of them reject him. The first half of Matthew, in particular, documents this fearful situation. Matthew 10:22 "You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved." This verse as well as Matthew 24:13 re-affirms the perseverance of Christians during tribulation (also see Romans 8:35). Note also that the day's are shortened for the elect's sake (Matthew 24:22) and that it is not even possible to deceive the elect (Matthew 24:24). Matthew 10:33 "But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven." Certainly those who do not confess Jesus as Lord are not saved since it is necessary for our salvation (Romans 10:9). Matthew 25 The parables of the ten virgins and of the talents are given in the context of Christ's coming and of the establishment of the kingdom of God in Israel (Matthew 25:31-34). The foolish virgins do not have to picture true believers. One has to read this into the parable. Likewise, the wicked and lazy servant of the parable of the talents does not have to picture a true believer. Again, one must read this into the parable. I believe, in light of everything the New Testament promises to the child of God, that the foolish virgins must be those who are unsaved. As I have said before, to interpret this otherwise is to throw multitudes of clear Scriptures into confusion. The wicked and lazy servant is not a true believer. First, he did not know the Lord. He considered the Lord "a hard man." It is obvious that he did not know the blessed Lord Jesus Christ! The fact that he is called a servant does not mean necessarily that he is saved. The Jews are called the Lord's servants, but they were not all saved (Isaiah 43:10). It is not wise to establish doctrine upon parables. Parables have one central point, and if one tries to push every detail of the parable one can have all sorts of doctrinal problems. Luke 15:11-32 "And He said, 'A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.' So he divided his wealth between them. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. But when he came to his senses, he said, "How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! 'I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.' So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and 0embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate. Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.' But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. But he answered and said to his father, 'Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.' And he said to him, 'Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.'" Applying theological terminology to a parable is very difficult. Many parables do not lend themselves to this kind of exegesis. It should be kept in mind that parables are generally taught with one message in mind. In the very next chapter of Luke we read about the parable of the unjust steward. Some try to say the king in the parable is God as in other parables, but this king actually commends the servant for his wickedness (Luke 16:8). And certainly Christ is not saying we should behave as the unjust steward and cheat those above us. The parable seems to just teach we should use our money wisely. A similar way of understanding the parable of Luke 15 can be used. The parable simply reveals that God is willing to forgive sinners and backslidden sons despite their actions. The fact that the Pharisees are portrayed as sons does not mean they were saved either (Matthew 23:33). Also notice that the sudden famine (Luke 15:14) could be God's chastisement (Hebrews 12:5-12) to insure that the son would indeed return. If we feel absolutely compelled to treat this passage theologically, perhaps it is best to see the two sons as representing Israel (the first being the common man and the second representing the priest). Several times the Old Testament (especially the book of Judges) tells us that the next generation did not hold on to the faith of their forefathers and became spiritually dead. Later Israel would remember God and seek Him during their time of tribulation because foreign enemies would oppress them. This corresponds exactly to the parable and teaching of Jesus, that He came to seek that which was lost (Luke 19:10). This interpretation also has the advantage of not equating sonship with salvation since the Pharisees (represented by the older son) were Jewish but not necessarily saved. Luke 21:34 "Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap." The context here is the Great Tribulation and the coming of Christ. Some would say that this passage teaches that we must prove ourselves in order to be worthy to escape the judgments to come. But such an interpretation contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture on the matter of personal salvation. It is therefore an impossible interpretation. Those who are overtaken by the Day of the Lord are contrasted repeatedly with the believers, who are not destined to wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:1-10). John 15:1-6 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned." This passage teaches that the evidence of true faith in Christ is the bearing fruit for His glory. The vine gives the life to the branches. If the branch bears no fruit, then it is not given "life" by the vine. It shows that that branch wasn't given "life". It is Jesus who gives the life that bears fruit. If one is not given life, he will not bear fruit. Many will experience God's grace, but not all will experience His saving grace. Acts 8:22-23 "Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity." Whether Simon was saved or not is questionable, regardless the rebuke Peter gave was appropriate to make sure the man was saved." Romans 8:13 "For if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live." Paul simple warns the church that believers are not after the flesh but in the Spirit (verses 8-9). Who we serve, sin or God, reveals whether we have been regenerated or not (Romans 6). Romans 11:17-21 "But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that t is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, «Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in. Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either." This whole chapter talks, in a general sense, about the Jewish people losing their position as God's chosen people because of unbelief, and God opening salvation up to the Gentiles (although it actually always was open to them). This passage does not refer to individuals falling away, but the entire Jewish people. Today God has temporarily turned away from the Jews and is calling a people for His name from among the Gentile nations. The day will come when God will again turn to the Jewish nation to fulfill His promises to them. Verses 24-26 make this plain. Paul is speaking in a general sense, not in a personal sense. A careful reading of this chapter illustrates this. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God." These passages do not teach that a believer can lose his salvation, unless salvation is by works. These two passages list several sins and then says at the end that those who do such sins will not inherit the kingdom of God. Most scholars agree that Paul is describing someone who has not escaped from the bondage of sin through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:10, 14; 2 Peter 1:4). The whole epistle to the Galatians is an apologetic against works-based salvation and repeatedly states that the law can in no way justify us before God (Galatians 2:16, 3:3, 5:4). Note especially in Galatians 3:3, which asks, "If after starting in the Spirit, are we made perfect through the flesh?" Salvation through works is complete and utter heresy and the apostle says let those be accursed who would pervert the gospel to preach another Galatians 1:6-9. They in effect have made Christ dead in vain, according Galatians 2:21. This applies specifically to the legalist, since faith plus works happened to be the same false doctrine being preached at Galatia. 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 "Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain." This passage discusses the resurrection and the condemnation of those who do not hold to this truth. Paul uses the chapter to show why Christ's resurrection was essential for our salvation and simply questions the salvation of those who do not believe in it (verse 2). This is brought out more clearly in verse 17 where Paul says, "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins." Believing in the resurrection is essential for our salvation as Romans 10:9 indicates. Galatians 5:4 "You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace." Note that this verse does not say they had fallen out of grace, but from grace. To lose one's salvation, one would have to move out of grace, which is God's unmerited favor directed towards people. Those being spoken here have returned to the law for their justification. The phrase "fallen from grace" refers to those who tried to mix faith and works. Grace simply is not grace if works is mixed in with it (Romans 11:6). They were never justified because they failed to understand what grace means and instead trusted in the deeds of the law for their salvation. This being the case, they were still under the curse of the law (Galatians 3:10). Once God has established a relationship with a person that is based on His grace, that person cannot undo it, for he did nothing to merit it in the first place. Another view way of looking at this text is this. To fall from grace is to fall from favor. While some extend this fall from favor to loss of salvation, it is not at all necessary from the context. The severing is simply the disruption of fellowship and the nullifying of the power of Christ in their lives. To return to the law is to return to a system of righteous requirements with no power to meet them. When Paul says that "Christ shall profit you nothing" he is again speaking not of salvation, but of the assistance we receive when we rely on Him. This may be a variation on the theme of walking after the Spirit vs. walking after the flesh. To return to works is to rely on the flesh which is doomed to failure, since there is no way to please God when we operate in the flesh. Regardless of which of the two views above one considers, the attempt to get loss of salvation from this passage is to force a meaning on it that contradicts the very words of Jesus regarding the security of those whom God has given to Him (John 6:39). It also makes Paul contradict his own inspired declaration that nothing can separate us from the love of God. (Romans 8:37-39) Galatians 5:19-21 "Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Timothy 5:15 "For some have already turned aside to follow Satan." This verse should give stern warning to women to root their salvation in Christ rather than men. The passage seems to say that certain women were marrying men to make them the focus of their life instead of Christ. 2 Timothy 2:12 "If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us." The issue is rejecting Christ, not committing certain sins. Paul is probably using "we" in the widest sense of the word -- all people. Those who believe in Jesus receive certain benefits. Those who deny him will be denied by him, as Jesus warned in Luke 12:8-9 (to a mixed audience). Hebrews 3:14 "For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end." Is the writer teaching what a person must do to remain in the House and in Christ; or is he declaring what the mark of a genuine believer is? Following the latter interpretation, if the recipients return to Judaism as they are considering, it will demonstrate they were never really in the House and in Christ to begin with. So a mark of one who has been genuinely saved is perseverance to the end (1 John 2:19). Hebrews 6:4-6 "For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame." In order to have a proper understanding of the teaching of Hebrews 6:4-6, it is necessary to study the context. In Hebrews 5:10, the Lord Jesus is referred to as "a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek." Continuing on in verses 11-14 it says, "Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil." Then comes the exhortation of the opening verse of the sixth chapter, in which the writer calls upon his Hebrew brethren, who have not yet received Christ although they have come to a knowledge of Him, to declare themselves openly for Christ. The Old Testament was their elementary school, their kindergarten, the place of first things or principles. The time had now come for them to graduate. The law was their schoolmaster to lead them to Christ that they might be justified by faith (Galatians 3:24). He writes now to them saying, "Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity [the same Greek word as is in the proceeding verse is translated "full age"], not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment." (Hebrews 6:1-2) All these are Old Testament doctrines. The apostle is exhorting the Hebrews to move forward to Christ, to whom all these doctrines pointed. "And this we will do, if God permits. For in the case of those who have once been enlightened [as the Hebrews had been] and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of [literally, companions, those who go along with] the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God [this had come to them through the ages by the prophets] and the powers of the age to come [these were the miracles they had witnessed], and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame." (Hebrews 6:3-6) The Hebrew recipients of this letter were probably convicted of the truth of the gospel message without actually fully accepting it. So in that case they would not be genuine believers. The writer of Hebrew's warning in this passage is similar to that of Hebrews 4:11. Hypocrites among the recipients of the gospel have heard the truth repeatedly without an appropriate response. If they proceeded in their plans to return to Judaism, it would be "impossible" for them to genuinely repent since their hearts would have become hardened. There is nothing in this passage which speaks of a born-again person losing his salvation. This passage teaches there is no salvation for anyone unless they are found under the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. If this passage was teaching that a true believer could loose his salvation, then it also would be teaching that once someone has been saved, then lost, he cannot be re-saved. This would counter the idea some Christians hold that one could fall away, and repent later and return to Christ to be saved. Those who "fall away" are like the people the apostle John spoke about in 1 John 2:19: "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." One can come to the presence of God in apparent repentance without ever having a genuine fellowship with Him. (Luke 8:13, 13:27) Even Pharaoh repented for a season. But his returning to rebellion against God showed that his repentance was not genuine. (Exodus 9:27, 10:16-17) But of those who truly come to Christ in faith and are born again, Peter says: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:3-5) "After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you." (1 Peter 5:10) Finally, the author of Hebrews indicates the impossibilty of true believers losing their salvation. Hebrews 6:9 says, "But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way." One of the "things that accompany salvation" is perseverance (Romans 15:5). Hebrews 10:26-27 "For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES." The language of this paragraph is powerful (it continues through verse 31). But remember, this epistle is being written to people who have been involved in a Christian community but who are now thinking about returning to Judaism. During this time, they would have heard and made a profession of faith in the gospel. This could qualify as having "receiving a knowledge of the truth." But the important question is, "Was this a genuine profession?" The author is sternly warning them of the disastrous results if it was not (2 Corinthians 13:5). James 5:19-20 "My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." When this passage is compared with 1 Corinthians 11:30, "death" here can be understood to refer to physical death. But another view is that those who stray from the truth are unregenerate persons, in spite of their profession of faith (1 John 2:19), and the believer who helps such people come to a saving faith in Christ save them from eternal death. Either way, this passage does not teach that a regenerate person can be lost. 2 Peter 2:20-22 "For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. It has happened to them according to the true proverb, 'A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,' and, 'A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.'" Though this passage is often used to prove that eternal security is not true, it actually says nothing about losing ones salvation. The context is false teachers who promote damnable heresies and deny the Lord (verse 1). It is not saved men who are the focus on this passage, but hypocrites and deceivers. The fact that "the last state has become worse for them than the first" and "it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness" does not imply that they were saved and now are lost. They were dogs and pigs who were unchanged (verse 22). The fact that they return to their wickedness proves that they were never regenerate. This passage describes people who have heard about Jesus and recognize that His way is the way to go. But notice that they were never actually saved. They heard the gospel, recognized it as truth, but it never took hold in their life. They turn over a new leaf, but they never receive a new life. They become entangled in the world. The word entangled literally means to weave something into a pattern. Their way of life is woven into the pattern of the world. Even though they know the truth, they do not allow the truth to change them. They are in bondage to sin, and while exposure to the gospel may bring them an occasional sweet glimpse of truth, as soon as church is over they immediately head back into the morass of sin. They never live out what they know to be true. They live with failures and regrets, saddened by the fact that they will never really turn to Christ. That's why Peter says it would have been better for them if they had never heard the gospel. 1 John 5:16 "If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this." Here John does not say that the sin here leads to loss of salvation. And this would be a reasonable view since any sin leads to eternal death (Romans 6:23). John is referring to physical death rather than spiritual death. Revelation 3:5 "He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels." Christ promises that a truly saved person will not be erased out of the book of life. Those who overcome are simply those who are truly born again and who therefore follow Jesus Christ because they have true faith (John 10:27; Hebrews 6:9; Revelation 12:11). To say that this verse teaches that a believer can be blotted out of the book of life if he does not maintain a certain level of obedience is to commit two serious errors. First, such an interpretation is contrary to the method of salvation, which is by grace through faith apart from works (Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 3:24, 4:1-8, 11:6; Titus 3:5-7). Second, such an interpretation is contrary to the promise of salvation. John 3:16 and hundreds of other verses promise "that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." Revelation 21:6-8 "Then He said to me, 'It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.'" This passage contrasts the saved with the lost. The saved are overcomers (verse 7). The lost continue in their sin (verse 8). A twin doctrine to that of eternal security is the perseverance of the saints. The Bible plainly teaches that those who are truly born again will evidence their salvation and will continue on with the Lord (John 10:27-28; 1 Corinthians 15:1-2; Colossians 1:21-23; Hebrews 6:4-9, 10:38; 1 John 3:3). The one who permanently falls away demonstrates that he did not belong to the Lord in the first place (Hebrews 12:5-8; 1 John 2:19). This passage is not talking about an act of sin but a way of life of sin. If this is referring to an act of sin, then no one can be saved, since even one sin can condemn someone to hell. It is clear from other passages that it is possible for a Christian to commit any act of sin, including idolatry and adultery (1 John 1:8-10). This is why believers are often warned not to commit these evils (1 Corinthians 6:18, 10:6, 14; 1 John 5:21). Salvation requires perfection, and the only perfection a believer can ever have is that which is receive from Jesus Christ because of the propitiation He purchased on Calvary. Even one sin will keep a person out of Heaven, but believers do not have any sin in Christ. He has taken it all away forever. Revelation 22:19 "And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book." This is certainly a severe warning to the higher critics and modernist that seek to cast doubt on the Bible or particular passages of the Bible. True sons of God will not tamper with His divine revelation. | ||
| Rolaant McKenzie |
How Secure Is Salvation?, Part 7 of 7 by Rolaant McKenzie 7. Conclusion The security of the believer is a Biblical doctrine of great spiritual value to the those who have accepted Jesus Christ by faith. The safekeeping of the Christian by God, and not by our performance (works), allows the believer to truly experience salvation rest in Christ. The believer's life in Christ is said to be everlasting or eternal. That is, it will never end, (John 3:16; Romans 6:23). Believers will never parish, nor will anyone be able to pluck them out of the Father's hand (John 10:28-29). They are said to be "kept by the power of God" (1 Peter 1:5); kept for Jesus Christ (Jude 1). Christ declared that all who believe have eternal life, and shall not come into condemnation (John 5:24). He is able to save them to the uttermost" (Hebrews 7:25). The entire Trinity is involved in the safekeeping of Christians. The Father has given believers to the Son (John 17:9), the Son has asked that they be kept (John 17:11, 20), and the Holy Spirit dwells within every believer forever (John 14:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19). These revealed truths are according to God's divine purpose and promise. Passages which seem, to some, to contradict eternal security are found to be related to rewards, chastisement, and the fact that an absence of good works reveals a lack of genuine faith (Philippians 2:12-13). Those who believe in conditional salvation must now consider whether they, in fact, have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Could it be that some are trusting in their own performance in the Christian life to keep their salvation rather than trusting in the finished work of the Jesus on the cross? The conditional view of salvation not only denies God's word, but it also produces a legalistic, fear-inspiring, and experience-oriented Christian walk. How can one share the riches of God's grace to the unsaved when he believes his own salvation is not sure? Charles Stanley, noted pastor and Bible teacher, said in his book Eternal Security--Can You Be Sure?, "If my faith maintains my salvation, I must ask myself, 'What must I do to maintain my faith?' For to neglect the cultivation of my faith is to run the risk of weakening or losing my faith and thus my salvation." If good works are necessary to maintain faith, and the maintenance of faith is necessary for salvation, how can one avoid the conclusion that believers are saved by their good works? "And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life." (1 John 5:11-13) The apostle John wrote this so that we as Christians may know in our hearts and minds that eternal life is ours now since we have accepted Jesus Christ by faith. Such an assurance supplies the basis for joyful prayer and fellowship with one another, and provides us with the knowledge that God loves us. A knowledge that tells us we do not have to work in order for God to save us. We cannot work for salvation or take the smallest bit of credit for it. It is solely by the grace of God. | ||
| Question |
Salvation seems complex when you make it so long with seven parts. Salvation is simple and found in the simple message of the Gospel. Thanks for helping, but tell us about salvation in just a few words so all will take the time to read it and understand. | ||
| sherry |
Thank you, Question. I have to agree. | ||
| Jeff H |
Rolaant thanks for that thorough look at scripture it was very enlightening. Max what do you mean by "their eternity was secure but not in the way they thought"? Do you mean there eternity was in hell? | ||
| Patti |
I don't understand your ridicule of Rolaant's worthy efforts. I am impressed with the depth and scholarliness of his post. If you don't want to read, then don't read; if you disagree, then disagree and give your reasons, but I see no reason to publicly disdain his thoroughness. | ||
| Jeff H |
I agree patti | ||
| Maryann |
Hi Y'all My take: Some need it simple. Some accept the simple. Some accept that they are simply saved. Some need is really spelled out to the inth degree. Some peoples backgrounds are such that they can't accept the simple truth simply presented. My Mom for one, can't accept the simple truth! She needs it spelled out in long and tedious detail and even then fights it! This Forum caters to both types of individuals and everything in between. Therefore; when someone gives the long version of a simple truth, we aught to applaud the time they took to make it possible for some poor deceived soul to grasp truth!! If all people could accept the simple truth, there wouldn't be an SDA left on the face of this earth! Maryann | ||
| Question |
Ralph: Your desire to squash me is showing. I just asked our friend Rolaant to post something a bit shorter than the book of Revelation on the subject of salvation. I thanked him for his work and asked him for a readers digest version of it. (the rest of this post was erased because it was out of the scope of this web site. It was erased by the author because of the grace of God.) | ||
| Question |
Jeff: You agree that I rediculed my friend Rolaant? Hardly! I thanked him for his post and envited him to give a condenced version of it. Be careful of joining a spirit of something you and others on this forum may not understand -yet. | ||
| Max |
Hi Jeff, It is obvious from the text that God judged these people in a way that was contrary to their recorded course of action. God acts from out of eternity and God judges people to eternity. God sometimes may judge a person here and now in four-dimensional space-time (4DST). But we cannot thrust our minds out of our extremely limited 4DST to embrace the thoughts and purposes of God who exists onside of 4DST as well as within it. In humility we must recognize that we just don't "know it all." Nor do we have the capacity -- although we do sometimes have the arrogance -- to think to second-guess the eternal judgments of God. We must in humility recognize that even as the heavens are higher than the earth, God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts and his ways are higher than ours. We must recognize that his ways are past finding out. Else we cannot know his "peace that passeth understanding." Out of the storm God really rattled Job's cage (Job 38-41 NIV) -- not to mention those of his three "intellectual" friends: "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?" "Where were you when I laid earth's foundation?" "Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness?" "Have you ever given orders to the morning?" And Job, who had been extremely arrogant in his "perfect and upright" stance, despite his misfortunes at the hands of Satan, whom God had allowed in his presence to do his (God's) bidding. God had to humiliate Job before Job could be broken of his self-righteousness and learn to accept and experience God's grace. All this is to say that your question not only cannot be definitively answered. It is also to say that if we try to define, explore, or reach conclusions about the judgments of God we risk committing the greatest sin of Satan: Subbordinating God. (Humans do it all the time, by the way.) Whatever else God is, such as love, he is also mysterious. We in scientific, Western society don't like this aspect of God. We love to make sweeping conclusions. Such as the "omni series." God is: Omnipotent. Omniscient. Omnipresent. When we don't have "a caugh in a hurricane" idea what we're talking about. The Bible is not a book of human science, human logic, human history, or human anything else (except as Jesus Christ was fully human as well as fully divine). So where do we get off with all our high and mighty human theology? Just the fact that all of the greatest theologians of all time have been in almost mortal conflict with each other ought to offer us some kind of a clue. Bottom line: Let God be God. Sincerely, Max |
