Page 241 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

ETERNAL SECURITY

Does Eternal Security cause people to live carelessly? obscure portions of Scripture to overthrow the plain. To
The very opposite is true. The Bible teaches that the interpret the following passages as saying that a born
grace of God motivates believers to serve God with a again child of God can lose his salvation flies in the face
thankful heart (1 John 4:19; Ro. 2:4; Ep. 3:14-19; Titus of hundreds of clear passages of Scripture. When the
2:11-12). The more a believer understands the context of a Bible passage is plainly directed to the
unfathomable love God has for him in Christ and the subject of salvation, there is never a question about the
more he understands how secure He is in God’s grace, security of the believer.
the more he wants to please God. Second, a key problem in this matter is reading the
Who has Eternal Security? (1) Those who continue in doctrine of insecurity into various passages. This is called
the word (Jn. 8:31-32). (2) Those who follow Christ isogesis (reading into the Scriptures), as contrasted with
(Jn. 10:27-28). (3) Those who bring forth fruit (Jn. the proper method of exogesis (interpreting out of the
15:2; Lk. 3:9). (4) Those who are led by the Spirit of Scriptures). Most passages which are put forth to
God (Ro. 8:14-15). (5) Those who have been born again support the idea that salvation can be lost have
(2 Co. 5:17; Ep. 2:10; Ga. 6:15). (6) Those who are absolutely nothing to do with such a thing if approached
sanctified from an unrighteous way of life (1 Co. without preconceived ideas.
6:9-11). (7) Those who depart from iniquity (2 Ti. Third, many who teach eternal security do so in an
2:19). (8) Those who maintain their confidence in unbiblical manner. To fail to emphasize the necessity of
Christ (He. 3:14). (9) Those who have a convinced faith repentance, to fail to warn the casual “professor” that
(He. 4:10-11). (10) Those who show the “things that profession is not the same as possession, to comfort and
accompany salvation” (He. 6:9-12). (11) Those who are impart security to a professor who has no evidence of
looking for Christ’s return (He. 9:28). (12) Those who regeneration is to do injustice to the biblical doctrine of
remain patient and steadfast in tribulations (He. eternal security. The Bible frequently warns about the
10:35-39). (13) Those who are in the truth and who possibility of appearing to be saved while actually being
continue in the truth (1 Jn. 2:19-21; 2 Jn. 1-2). (14) lost, about coming close to salvation without actually
Those who are purifying themselves (1 Jn. 3:1-3). (15) being saved. Those of us who teach eternal security
Those who love the brethren (1 Jn. 3:14). must not ignore the solemn charges of the Word of God
If the disobedient believer does not lose his salvation, such as John 8:47 and 1 John 3:10.
what does happen to him? (1) The sinning Christian is An example is the soul winner who leads an
out of fellowship with the Lord and his people (1 Jn. unbeliever in a sinner’s prayer after a short presentation
1:3-7). (2) The sinning Christian is helped and loved by of the “Roman’s Road,” then gives him assurance right
the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Jn. 2:1-2). (3) The sinning then and there, before there has been any evidence that
Christian is chastened by the Father (He. 12:5-11). (4) the person is genuinely born again.
The sinning Christian loses irreplaceable opportunities Now to some of the passages most frequently used to
for service and fruit (Ep. 5:14-17; Mt. 9:36-38; 1 Th. undermine eternal security:
5:4-10). The sinning Christian can be forgiven, but he
cannot regain the lost opportunities and the harm he Matthew 7:21. This has nothing to do with a believer
causes by his sin. (5) The sinning Christian will suffer losing his salvation. To do the will of the Father is
loss at the judgment seat of Christ (1 Co. 3:11-15; 2 Co. certainly not the way to heaven. It is the evidence of
5:10; 1 Ti. 6:17-19; 1 Jn. 2:28). genuine faith in Christ; it is the proof of regeneration.
Matthew 8:11-12. The “children of the kingdom”
ETERNAL SECURITY AND PROBLEM PASSAGES here are the Jews in the nation Israel. One of the key
The following introductory comments offer a teachings of the Gospels is the rejection of Jesus Christ
background for dealing with the “problem passages.” by His own people, the Jews. Time and again Christ
First, the few passages which present apparent warns and rebukes the Jews and their leaders, but most
problems with the doctrine of eternal security must be of them reject him. The first half of Matthew, in
interpreted carefully in light of the context. It is a fact that particular, documents this fearful situation.
the New Testament promises eternal security to the true Matthew 25:1-13. The parable of the ten virgins is
believer. I do not believe God would have given so much given in the context of Christ’s coming and of the
plain and simple teaching on the eternal nature of establishment of the kingdom of God in Israel (see Mt.
salvation only to overthrow it with a couple of relatively 25:31-34). The foolish virgins are not true believers but
obscure passages. We interpret the less clear passages in are unbelievers who knew about Christ’s return but did
light of those which are crystal clear. This is a working not act on it. (1) They didn’t have any oil (vv. 3, 4), but
principle which I believe is honoring to the Word of the oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit (Ro. 8:9). (2) They
God, and it is the proper way to handle it. False wait until it is too late to obtain salvation (v. 9; 2 Co.
teachers, on the other hand, delight in using the more

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