Eternal Security...
What do YOU think?
Well, I ran across that doctrine last week at a college student Christian meeting. I do not claim to have studied it in depth, but I do believe there are some straight forward reasons against it. I'll present a few thoughts, and would be happy to hear others.
1. It is apparently possible to begin following Christ and to then cease to do so:
"And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Luke 9:62
2. Paul told the Corinthians to deliver the fornicator (chapter 5:5) to Satan "that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." This implies that the spirit might not be saved otherwise, and furthermore gives the point of final salvation as the second coming of the Lord. It is not until all is said and done that we are either damned or saved.
3. What about Jesus' teaching on the Vine in John 15? He spoke of a branch (verse 2) that was indeed in the vine and then stated that if the branch was not bearing fruit, it would be removed from the vine. That sounds like a person who was a Christian, who ceased to obey the Word and who therefore was no longer a Christian.
4. I must confess my sins to be saved. If I stop confessing my sins for good, I am no longer part of God's family and I am no longer forgiven. If I am no longer forgiven, I cannot go to heaven.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 Jn 1:9
6. I must walk in the Light to be cleansed from my sin. A person cannot be working works of darkness and still be part of God.
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 Jn 1:7
7. It is possible to "fail of the grace of God." Heb 12:15
8. The Lord spoke of a few in Sardis who had not defiled their garments -- it was they who would be finally saved, not those who defiled their garments.
The whole concept of overcoming suggests people who have entered in Christian battle and who must persevere to the end to be saved. (Revelation 2, 3 & Matt 10:22)
9. "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." Heb 10:38
10. And then there's the parable of the sower. Some hearts responded for a while and then gave up. Some even bore fruit but eventually ceased. If we do not have the fruit of the Spirit, we do not have the Spirit and we are not part of God. (Matt 13)
11. If we love the things of the world, we do not possess the Father's love and I really do not think we will go to heaven. (see 1 Jn 2:15-17)
12. "If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father." 1 Jn 2:24, 25 "If" -- a small word with a lot of meaning.
13. "Envyings, murders, [et cetera]... they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Galatians 5:21 It makes no difference whether they have previously given their hearts to Christ.
14. "If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, he will die for it." Ezekiel 33:18 Some might argue that this only applies to the Old Testament... but I think it is supported by the New.
Anyway... please excuse the verbosity... it was good for me.
Well, I ran across that doctrine last week at a college student Christian meeting. I do not claim to have studied it in depth, but I do believe there are some straight forward reasons against it. I'll present a few thoughts, and would be happy to hear others.
1. It is apparently possible to begin following Christ and to then cease to do so:
"And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Luke 9:62
2. Paul told the Corinthians to deliver the fornicator (chapter 5:5) to Satan "that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." This implies that the spirit might not be saved otherwise, and furthermore gives the point of final salvation as the second coming of the Lord. It is not until all is said and done that we are either damned or saved.
3. What about Jesus' teaching on the Vine in John 15? He spoke of a branch (verse 2) that was indeed in the vine and then stated that if the branch was not bearing fruit, it would be removed from the vine. That sounds like a person who was a Christian, who ceased to obey the Word and who therefore was no longer a Christian.
4. I must confess my sins to be saved. If I stop confessing my sins for good, I am no longer part of God's family and I am no longer forgiven. If I am no longer forgiven, I cannot go to heaven.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 Jn 1:9
6. I must walk in the Light to be cleansed from my sin. A person cannot be working works of darkness and still be part of God.
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 Jn 1:7
7. It is possible to "fail of the grace of God." Heb 12:15
8. The Lord spoke of a few in Sardis who had not defiled their garments -- it was they who would be finally saved, not those who defiled their garments.
The whole concept of overcoming suggests people who have entered in Christian battle and who must persevere to the end to be saved. (Revelation 2, 3 & Matt 10:22)
9. "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." Heb 10:38
10. And then there's the parable of the sower. Some hearts responded for a while and then gave up. Some even bore fruit but eventually ceased. If we do not have the fruit of the Spirit, we do not have the Spirit and we are not part of God. (Matt 13)
11. If we love the things of the world, we do not possess the Father's love and I really do not think we will go to heaven. (see 1 Jn 2:15-17)
12. "If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father." 1 Jn 2:24, 25 "If" -- a small word with a lot of meaning.
13. "Envyings, murders, [et cetera]... they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Galatians 5:21 It makes no difference whether they have previously given their hearts to Christ.
14. "If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, he will die for it." Ezekiel 33:18 Some might argue that this only applies to the Old Testament... but I think it is supported by the New.
Anyway... please excuse the verbosity... it was good for me.
posted by Claire at 17:14
2 Comments:
Maybe your study was not "in depth", but it is certainly not lacking in apparent evidence. Now I would like to see an itemized refutation from the other camp.
OK everyone, I happen to know that I am not the only person reading this blog (hence I am confidently addressing all of you, whoever you are). I think it's about time that someone other than yours truly (who happens to be the author's brother) reply to these great* posts. Please....
*Of course I'm somewhat biased, but I strongly imagine (!) that an objective analysis would support my view. : )
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