Eternal security: Truth or a Lie
Eternal security, aTruth or a Lie
Why is it an important doctrine, as it can lead to someone taking
lightly biblical warnings about sin and the devil. If one is an overcomer and
one believes in eternal security, it is not dangerous to him because he is
having a genuine faith. It however matters what you believe if you are teaching
others which can cause them to take salvation for granted by practicing a
sinful lifestyle.
Many who believe in eternal security quote the following verse
Romans 8: 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us
from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b]
neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers
of hell can separate us from God’s love.
Response:
Nothing can separate
us from the love of God except our own will and sin!
Our own will chose
salvation. Our own will, will lead to separation and rejection.
2 Timothy 2:
11-13
11 It is a
trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; 12
If we endure, we will also reign with Him;
If we deny Him, He
also will deny us;
13 If we are
faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.
Matthew 10:32-33
NASB1995
“Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him
before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I
will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
What happens if we willfully keep on sinning after being born again and
saved?
Hebrews
10:26-39
26 For if we go
on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there
no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a terrifying expectation
of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. 28
Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony
of two or three witnesses. 29 How much severer punishment do you think he will
deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as
unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit
of grace? 30For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.”
And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a terrifying thing to
fall into the hands of the living God. 32 But remember the former days, when,
after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, 33 partly
by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and
partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. 34 For you showed
sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property,
knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one. 35
Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For
you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may
receive what was promised. 37 For yet in a very little while, He who
is coming will come, and will not delay. 38 But My righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in
him. 39 But we are not of those who shrink back to
destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
————
Can believers go
apostate? Reject Christ? Defect to the enemy? Yes Bible does prophecy about it.
It’s one of the prophecies of the end times.
“Let no one in any
way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes
first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who
opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship,
so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being
God.”
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
NASB1995
You can not fall away
if you’re not part of something.
apostasia: defection,
revolt
Original Word: ἀποστασία, ας,
ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun,
Feminine
Transliteration: apostasia
Phonetic Spelling: (ap-os-tas-ee'-ah)
Definition: defection,
revolt
Usage: defection,
apostasy, revolt.
1
Timothy 4:1-5 NASB1995
“But
the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away
from the faith, paying attention to
deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of
liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage
and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully
shared in by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God
is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it
is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.”
A lot people quote
Abraham as righteousness by faith. Which is true, we are made righteous because
of faith.
Romans 4
1 What then shall we
say that Abraham, [a]our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if
Abraham was justified [b]by works, he has something to boast about, but not [c]before God. 3 For
what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS
RIGHTEOUSNESS.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wage is
not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does
not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is
credited as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing
on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 “BLESSED ARE THOSE
WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN,
AND WHOSE SINS HAVE
BEEN COVERED. 8 “BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.”
9 Is
this blessing then on [d]the circumcised, or on [e]the
uncircumcised also? For we say, “FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” 10 How then
was it credited? While he was [f]circumcised, or [g]uncircumcised? Not while [h]circumcised, but
while [i]uncircumcised; 11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a
seal of the righteousness of the faith which [j]he had while uncircumcised, so that he
might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that
righteousness might be credited to them, 12 and the father of
circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow
in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which [k]he had while
uncircumcised. 13 For the promise to Abraham or to his [l]descendants that he
would be heir of the world was not [m]through the Law, but through the
righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are [n]of the Law are heirs,
faith is made void and the promise is nullified; 15 for the Law brings
about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation. 16 For
this reason it is [o]by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so
that the promise will be guaranteed to all the [p]descendants, not only to [q]those who are of the
Law, but also to [r]those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17
(as it is written, “A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU”) in the presence of Him whom he
believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and [s]calls into being that
which does not exist. 18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he
might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken,
“SO SHALL YOUR [t]DESCENDANTS BE.” 19 Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own
body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the
deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he
did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and
being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. 22
Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 23 Now not
for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, 24 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, 25 He who was delivered over
because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our
justification.
It is very important
to understand that Genuine faith is a transformative faith. It will lead to
transformation, it wont lead to sinful lifestyle.
James 2:
14 What use is it, my
brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can [n]that faith save him? 15
If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16
and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, [o]be warmed and be filled,” and yet you
do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17
Even so faith, if it has no works, is [p]dead, being by itself. 18
But someone [q]may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your
faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19 You
believe that [r]God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But
are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is
useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he
offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was
working with his works, and [s]as a result of the
works, faith was [t]perfected; 23 and the
Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED
TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is
justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not
Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and
sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit
is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
We are justified by
faith alone, true faith will be evident in the fruit we bear, fleeing from sin
and living an overcoming life, not perfect but blameless (willfully chosing not
to sin), transformed lives proves the faith is genuine. Just as Body without
Spirit is dead so also faith without works.
You shall know them
by their fruits:
Matthew 7:15-23
NASB1995
““Beware of the false
prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous
wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not
gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree
bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce
bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does
not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So
then, you will know them by their fruits. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord,
Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father
who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did
we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your
name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew
you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’”
Can someone’s name be
erased from the Book of life? Something to remember that only those whose names
are written in the Lamb’s book of life shall have eternal life.
“and they will bring
the glory and the honor of the nations into it; and nothing unclean, and no one
who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only
those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
Revelation 21:26-27
NASB1995
“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.”
Revelation 3:5
NASB1995
What happens for
those who don’t overcome? Their name will be erased from the book of
Life.
Can the devil devour
a Christian?
1 Peter 5:8
NASB1995
“Be of sober spirit,
be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion,
seeking someone to devour.”
What happens if we
offer our bodies to sin? Can we still say we have grace? If we don’t repent, we
will become slave to sin for which we will be paid wages eventually,
death.
Romans 6:1-23
NASB1995
“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? Or do you not know that all of
us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore
we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was
raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in
newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His
death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing
this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin
might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he
who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe
that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from
the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the
death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He
lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God
in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you
obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments
of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead,
and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be
master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 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? But
thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from
the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been
freed from sin, you became slaves of
righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of
your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to
lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as
slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. 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. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to
God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome,
eternal life.
For the wages of sin
is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
What does the Bible
talk about those who go back to sinful lifestyles?
2 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there
will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly
introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master
who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2 Many
will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the
truth will be maligned; 3 and
in their greed they will exploit you with false
words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is
not asleep.
4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast
them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for
judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world,
but preserved Noah, a [a]preacher
of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the
world of the ungodly; 6 and if He condemned
the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to
ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; 7 and if He rescued
righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men 8 (for
by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living
among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day
by their lawless deeds), 9 then the
Lord knows how to rescue the godly from [b]temptation,
and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and
especially those who [c]indulge
the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority.
Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when
they revile angelic [d]majesties, 11 whereas
angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment
against them before the Lord. 12 But these,
like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and
killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in [e]the
destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, 13 suffering
wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel
in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their [f]deceptions,
as they carouse with you, 14 having
eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable
souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children; 15 forsaking the
right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam,
the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but
he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute
donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet.
17 These are springs without water and mists driven by a
storm, for whom the [g]black
darkness has been reserved. 18 For
speaking out arrogant words of vanity
they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who
barely escape from the ones who live in error, 19 promising
them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a
man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 20 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. 21 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. 22 [h]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.”
What does Paul say about Christian’s living in moral sin? Lying,
fornication, adultery:
Ephesians 5:1-21
5 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk
in love, just as Christ also loved [a]you
and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God [b]as
a fragrant aroma.
3 But immorality [c]or any
impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among [d]saints; 4 and there
must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting,
which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For
this you know with certainty, that no [e]immoral
or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the
kingdom of Christ and God.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these
things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore
do not be partakers with them; 8 for you
were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk
as children of Light 9 (for the
fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and
righteousness and truth), 10 [f]trying
to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Do
not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even [g]expose
them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of
the things which are done by them in secret. 13 But
all things become visible when they are [h]exposed
by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. 14 For
this reason [i]it
says,
“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.”
15 Therefore [j]be
careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 [k]making
the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So
then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do
not get drunk with wine, [l]for
that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking
to [m]one
another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing
and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always
giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to [n]God,
even the Father; 21 [o]and be
subject to one another in the [p]fear
of Christ.
1 Peter 4:15-19 NASB1995
“Make sure that
none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome
meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to
glorify God in this name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the
household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for
those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty
that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man
and the sinner? Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God
shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.”
1 John 3:4-10
NASB1995
“Everyone who
practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. You
know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. No
one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. Little
children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices
righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who
practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the
beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy
the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because
His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By
this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone
who does not practice righteousness is not of God,
nor the one who does
not love his brother.”
The Blood of Jesus
Christ, the Word of God and the Spirit of God Sanctify us. Do you know
bitter root of unforgiveness can defile us?:
Hebrews 12:14-17
NASB1995
“Pursue peace
with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.
See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root
of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;
that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his
own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when
he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for
repentance, though he sought for it with tears.”
So if one is defiled
after being sanctified where does one end up if the person is unrepentant?
What if you do not
forgive those who have sinned against will your heavenly Father forgive you?
Matthew 6:14-15
NASB1995
“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.” We go to heaven when God forgives us, where
would we go if God doesn’t forgive us? Was Jesus Talking about Christians or
unbelievers, unbelievers know him as God only Christians know Him as our
Father.
About end
times:
Matthew 24:9-14
NASB1995
““Then they will
deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all
nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray
one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will
mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow
cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony
to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
So what happens to
those who do not endure until the end? Will they be saved?
Matthew 7:21-23
NASB1995
““Not everyone who
says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who
does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say
to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your
name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will
declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice
lawlessness.’”
So those who called
Jesus Lord, who did miracles in His name, cast out demons, prophesied did not
enter the kingdom of Heaven because they were not doers of God’s will, they
were practicing lawlessness, not obeying the word.
So what saves us
works or faith?
Answer is Faith alone, if one’s faith is genuine then the
evidence will be true repentance, and a walk of righteousness, not perfection
but a blameless walk. Willfully, intentionally not practicing sin.
Sin is darkness, word
is the light we cannot walk in darkness and claim to have fellowship with the
light. If we have fellowship with darkness unless we repent of our sins the
blood of Jesus Christ won’t cleanse us of our sins. Only when we walk in the
light, expose our sins to God and fellowship with one another then the blood of
Jesus cleanses us from all sin. If we excuse our sins and are not repentant
then the blood won’t cleanse us. If the blood does not cleanse us we are guilty
and condemned for our sins.
1 John 1:5-10
NASB1995
“This is the message
we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there
is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and
yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 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. If
we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in
us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned,
we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.”
Can we be
disqualified? Yes!
1 Corinthians 9:25-27
NASB1995
“Everyone who
competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to
receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a
way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I
discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have reached to
others, I myself will not be disqualified.”
adokimos: failing to
pass the test
Original Word: ἀδόκιμος, ον
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: adokimos
Phonetic Spelling: (ad-ok'-ee-mos)
Usage: failing
to pass the test, unapproved, counterfeit.
John
15:5-11 NASB1995
“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. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish,
and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much
fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have
also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My
commandments, you will abide in My love; just as
I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things
I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be
made full.”
If
is a conditional statement, if we don’t keep His commandments we will not abide in His
Love.
Seven letters to
seven churches makes a contrast between overcomers and non-overcomers.
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