Page 244 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

ETERNAL SECURITY

and security is that his salvation is completely between the true believer and the false is the fruit and
dependent upon Jesus Christ and has nothing to do with the evidence (vv. 7-8). (4) Paul plainly states that he is
his own works. What does the verse mean, then? Two of not referring to true believers (v. 9).
its wonderful teachings are these: (1) Salvation has Hebrews 10:26-29. The willful sin in verse 26 refers
evidence (He. 10:38-39). True faith works. Salvation is not to sin in general, but to one particular sin which is
by grace alone through faith in Christ without works described in the rest of the passage. The Bible plainly
(Ep. 2:8-9), but salvation also produces the fruit of good teaches us that Christians do sin after they are saved (1
works (Ep. 2:10). (2) Salvation has different aspects. John 1:8-10; 2:1-2). There is no sinless perfection in the
There is a past, present, and future aspect to salvation. Christian life. Our perfection and righteousness is in
The believer has been saved from the eternal Jesus Christ positionally (1 Co. 1:30; 2 Co. 5:21). The
consequences of sin; he is being saved from the power of sin for which there is no forgiveness is the sin of “counting
sin in this earthly existence; and in his future heavenly the blood of the covenant an unholy thing.” This means to
home he will have been saved from the very presence of deny that salvation is by Christ’s blood and grace alone. In
sin. When 1 Peter 1:9 says the believer will receive the immediate context to which the book of Hebrews was
salvation as the end product of his faith, this is what it is addressed, it refers to the Jews who professed confidence in
referring to. It does not imply that his salvation is Christ; but, because of pressure and persecution, returned
uncertain until the end. to their dead religion and thus gave up confidence in
1 Peter 4:18. The righteous are scarcely saved in the Christ. False religion, both then and now, attempts
sense that salvation is impossible apart from God’s free either to replace Christ’s salvation with a manmade
gift through Jesus Christ. If judged by our earthly lives, system, or to add to Christ’s salvation a manmade
if judged by our works, we will all perish. Even the system. Catholicism is an example of the latter. It
righteous lives of born again Christians fall far short of preaches Christ, but it intermingles its own sacraments
the glory of Christ and the holiness God requires of us. and priesthood and sainthood with the grace of Christ.
Our only hope is the righteousness of Christ which is This is a false gospel which robs Christ of His glory as
offered to us as a free, unmerited gift (2 Co. 5:21). Even the sole Saviour and Mediator. If Christ is not Saviour
the righteousness of the religious Pharisees was wholly and exclusively, He is not Saviour at all. If grace
insufficient (Mt. 5:20). God requires perfect obedience is intermingled in any sense with works, the Gospel is
to His law, and no man can attain to that. Thus salvation perverted, and there is no salvation in a perverted
must be a gift of God’s righteousness provided through gospel (Ro. 11:6; Ga. 1:6-9).
Jesus Christ. Hebrews 12:15-17. To fail of the grace of God does
2 Peter 2:20-22. Though this passage is often used to not mean to lose one’s salvation; it means to fall short of
prove that eternal security is not true, it actually says being saved. The context makes this plain, as the
nothing about losing one’s salvation. The context is false example given is that of Esau. He was not a believer,
teachers who promote damnable heresies and deny the though he was born into a believing family. He was a
Lord (v. 1). It should be obvious that it is not saved men man of the world and cared nothing about the things of
who are the focus on this passage, but hypocrites and God. He thought a bowl of soup was more valuable that
deceivers. Any interpretation which says these are saved his spiritual birthright as the son of Isaac.
men who lose their salvation flies in the face of the How the Book of Hebrews teaches Eternal Security.
context. The fact that “the latter end is worse with them Some think the book of Hebrews poses unanswerable
than the beginning” and “it had been better for them problems for the doctrine of eternal security, but the
not to have known the way of righteousness” does not opposite is true. In the following ways the book of
imply that they were saved and now are lost. They were Hebrews strongly affirms this Bible doctrine: (1) Christ’s
dogs and pigs who were unchanged (v. 22). The fact Purging promises security (He. 1:3). (2) Christ’s Rest
that they return to their wickedness proves that they promises security (He. 4:10). (3) Christ’s Hope promises
were never regenerate. When the context is taken into security (He. 6:17-19). (4) Christ’s High Priesthood
account, there really is no problem in this passage in promises security (He. 7:25, 26). (5) Christ’s Blood
regard to the doctrine of eternal security. promises security (He. 9:12, 26; 10:14). We have
Hebrews 6:4-6. This passage refers to false believers. eternal redemption through His blood (He. 9:21). Sin is
How do we know? (1) They tasted but they did not put away through His blood (He. 9:26). We are
drink and eat (contrast John 6:54). (2) Those who fall sanctified once for all through His blood (He. 10:10).
away cannot be saved again. This shows the error of We are perfected forever through His blood (He. 10:14).
those who teach that a believer can lose his salvation; (6) Christ’s Covenant promises security (He. 8:12;
because invariably they exhort those who allegedly lose 10:16-19).
their salvation to return to Christ. (3) The difference Conclusion to the Lessons on Eternal Security:

244 Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity