Page 242 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

ETERNAL SECURITY

6:2). In light of everything the New Testament promises in a personal sense. A careful reading of this chapter
to the child of God, the foolish virgins MUST be those illustrates this.
who are unsaved. To interpret this otherwise is to throw 1 Corinthians 9:27. The context here is not Paul’s
multitudes of clear Scriptures into confusion. salvation, but his Christian service. Paul was concerned
Matthew 25:14-30. (1) The man’s concept of the Lord that he would be castaway in the sense that he would be
shows that he is a lost man. He considered the Lord “an put on a shelf in this life or that his service would be
hard man” who reaped where He had not sown. It is rejected or disapproved at the judgment seat of Christ.
obvious that he did not know the blessed Lord Jesus The same Greek word is translated “rejected.” Paul was
Christ! The Lord is exactly the opposite of how this man not afraid that he would be lost. In the same epistle he
described Him. He is gracious and merciful and patient taught that Christ preserves the believer (1:7-9). What
and meek and lowly in heart; He gives us MUCH more he feared was falling short of God’s high calling for his
than we deserve. The fact that this man is called a life. The context makes this plain. He is talking about
servant does not mean necessarily that he is saved. The running a race and winning a prize. To confuse this
Jews are called the Lord’s servants, but they were not all passage with salvation is to misunderstand the Gospel of
saved (Is. 43:10). (2) The man’s destiny also shows that Jesus Christ. Salvation is not a reward for faithful
he is a lost man. He is cast into outer darkness, which is service. The Bible plainly states that salvation is by
a description of hell (2 Pe. 2:17; Jude 13). Nowhere in grace, and grace is the free, unmerited mercy of God
Scripture is a child of God said to be in outer darkness. (Ep. 2:8-9). Anything that is merited or rewarded, is not
The Bible says believers are children of light and are not grace (Romans 11:6). On the other hand, after we are
of darkness (1 Th. 5:5). Further, the weeping and saved by the marvelous grace of God, we are called to
gnashing of teeth are associated with eternal damnation serve Jesus Christ. We are created in Christ Jesus “unto
and hell (Mt. 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; Luke 13:28). It is good works” (Ep. 2:10). If a Christian is lazy and carnal,
not wise to establish doctrine upon parables. The he will be chastened by the Lord (He. 12:6-8), and if he
parables have one central point, and if you try to push does not respond, God will take him home (Ro. 8:13; 1
every detail of the parable you can create all sorts of Co. 11:30; 1 John 5:16).
doctrinal problems. Philippians 2:12. This verse does not say that the
John 15:6. This passage does not say that a true child of God must work FOR or work UP his salvation; it
believer will be cast into hell; it says that the person says he must work OUT his salvation. These are very
who is not a a true believer will be cast into hell. Those different things. To work up or to work for my salvation
who teach that this applies to a believer read that would mean that I have a part in my salvation and that
interpretation into it. The rest of John’s Gospel makes unless I do my part, I will not be saved. On the other
this matter very plain. Consider John 1:12, 13; 3:14-18, hand, to work out my salvation means God has given
36; 4:14; 5:25; 6:37, 40, 47; 10:27-30; 11:25; 17:2, 3; me eternal salvation as a free gift in Jesus Christ, and it
20:31. Whatever, therefore, the meaning of John 15:6 in is His will that I obey Him, not in order to save myself
reference to the child of God, it CANNOT mean that the or in order to help God save me, but BECAUSE I am
true believer will be rejected and cast into hell. That already saved. Verse 13 makes this clear, that it is God
would make the promises of Jesus Christ to the believer who provides the complete salvation. Obedience, holy
into a lie. Christ is referring here to the difference living is the evidence of salvation. The Christian life is a
between sincere and insincere, true and false believers. miracle of God that is wrought from within. The power
He mentions such a thing in other passages in John’s of the Christian life is the indwelling Holy Spirit, but the
Gospel. Consider John 2:23-25 and 6:64. John 15 is a Christian is not passive. He is to be controlled by the
warning that the evidence of true faith in Christ is to Spirit (Ep. 5:18), to be led by the Spirit (Ro. 8:14), to
bear fruit for His glory. walk after the Spirit (Ro. 8:4; Ga. 5:25), to mind the
Romans 11:19-23. Consider the context: Paul is not things of the Spirit (Ro. 8:5).
addressing the subject of personal salvation. He is Philippians 3:9-14. How do we know that verse 11 is
addressing the matter of the Jews and their place in the not referring to gaining one’s salvation through diligent
program of God. Paul is speaking in a general sense of effort? (1) The context refers not to Paul’s salvation, but
Gentiles and of the Jewish nation. Today God has to his calling. He endeavored to fulfill God’s perfect will
turned temporarily from the Jews and is calling a people for his life. Verses 10 and 14 leave no question about the
for His name from among the Gentile nations. The day meaning of the passage. To divorce it from the context,
will come when God will again turn to the Jewish claiming that Paul was unsure that he possessed eternal
nation to fulfill His promises to them. Verses 24-26 salvation, denies the plain teaching of Scripture and
make this plain. Paul is speaking in a general sense, not throws the Bible into contradictory confusion. (2) Paul
said he was trying to earn a “prize” (Ph. 3:14), whereas

242 Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity