| What About Eternal Security? Is Salvation Conditional? Or Eternal? |
| Question: [I agree with Arminism,]... that salvation is being guaranteed in our walk with Jesus because when we look at Hebrews 6:6 it states the dangers of falling away and if this applied to non-Christians how can you fall away from something you never had to begin with in the first place? ...when you look at types of salvation in the bible Lots wife looked back [She desired her former life} and was destroyed. Our Response: Bro. ___ most of us here, come from a Pentecostal background so we are very familiar with the Arminian stand. We have to read all Scriptures in context. If we go back two verses to Hebrews 6:4-5, it explains the possibility that a person may be enlightened, and have tasted, and even participated, by listening to the testimony of the Spirit concerning Christ, and seen miracles, the powers of the age to come--without having fully accepted the offered salvation. (These are the same people the Lord will say to them, "Depart from me...I Never knew you"...notice Christ does not say, "I knew you at one time" but He never knew them.) The verses in Hebrews do not speak of them as children of God, as justified by faith, nor does it even imply such things; (for such would contradict the rest of the Epistles) and after describing these partakers, the Apostle immediately adds, as to those whom he is addressing; 'But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, even things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.' This verse clearly shows us that the intended meaning did not apply to the Saints but to those who professed Christ for a season...they were partakers...not true converts. As Believers, our standing is IN CHRIST. That is the theme of Ephesians and respectively, the rest of the Epistles. When the Heavenly Father looks upon us, He sees us in His Beloved Son. Our works cannot maintain our salvation. It is Christ alone who saves and keeps us in right standing with God. You mentioned Lot's wife but let's discuss Lot....here was clearly a man not living for the Lord and who wanted to give his two virgin daughters to the demonic crowd to ravage... yet the Lord spared him and his family to leave. Why? Because Lot was not saved by works but by faith. Lot's wife was disobedient and for that she died. Christians who refuse to obey the Lord also die and there is a sin unto death but their souls are spared for they are spiritually secure in Christ. He is our Great High Priest. The Lord Jesus said that He is our Shepherd. We, His sheep, hear His voice. When a sheep wilfully wanders away from the Shepherd, Jesus goes after that sheep; He does not leave that sheep alone to his own demise. Once His sheep, always His sheep. Until you understand this, you cannot fully understand the Cross of Christ and His high office as Great High Priest. We are His. That is why it is no light thing to receive Christ. These new evangelists who present Jesus as a "friend to fill the empty space" are producing false converts. He is Savior...from beginning to end. We are bought with a price and we are His. Our body and our spirit are God's: 1Cor 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 1Cor 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. For the true believer, not merely a professor but a true believer, it is Christ who keeps us from falling...He is able. We hear His voice and we follow Him. Jude 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, Jude 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. I could write all day on this subject but I know how hard it is to see things from a different perspective. I was such a person who believed as you do. [I was taught that salvation was contingent upon my good works in maintaining my salvation by staying faithful] but I now truly believe that it is Christ Alone-- from the day I got saved until the day I go to be with Him forever....no effort in eternal salvation can be made on my part. We are His-- we are saved. He saves completely, not in part. In our daily lives, we are simply to yield to God so that He can produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Ephesians 1:13-14 tells us that; "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." 2Tim 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Ephesians 2:10: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Bro.___may the Lord richly bless you and keep you and may we all look unto Him who is able to keep us from falling. Our faith does not lie in our obedience but in His faithfulness. We are His workmanship. Praise the Lord Jesus! ©2006 Cobblestone Road Ministries All Rights Reserved ---------------------------------------------------- Dr. A.C. Gaebelein wrote in his commentary concerning Hebrews 6: "The things mentioned in verses 4 and 5 show the possibility that a person may be enlightened, and have tested, and even participated, by listening to the testimony of the Spirit concerning Christ, and seen miracles, the powers of the age to come--without having fully accepted the offered salvation." "The warning here has been a sore perplexity to many who are far as possible from the condition which is here contemplated. The description of these apostates, solemn as it is, does not speak of them as children of God, as justified by faith, or in any way which would imply such things as these; and the apostle, after describing them, immediately adds, as to those whom he is addressing; 'But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, even things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.' This is the most distinct assurance that he had no thought of one who had known salvation incurring the doom of an apostate" Numerical Bible. L.M. Grant's commentary says the following concerning verse 4: Let us note this well, that here is a class of persons whom "it is impossible to renew again to repentance." These are not merely ignorant souls who have been linked with some denomination, then lost interest in it. Nor are they true believers who have become lax in their ways and have "left their first love," needing to he restored to the joy of their salvation. But they are those once privileged with all the outward blessings of a Christianity that at that time was pure, fresh and vigorous, and have known its precious truths; then have callously, deliberately refused it. First, "they were once enlightened," but though mentally enlightened, the light had not penetrated the heart. Secondly, they had "tasted of the heavenly gift." But in tasting they had not eaten; and having tasted they knew what they were refusing. Thirdly, "were made partakers of the Holy Ghost." The word for "partakers" may be rightly rendered "companions," and implies that they had intimate association with the manifest power of the Spirit in the early church; but in spite of so great witness, had not "received the love of the truth," so that Romans 5:5 was never true of them: "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us." They were partakers in an outward sense merely, never had the Spirit of God indwell them. Fourthly, "and have tasted the good Word of God." Here again, tasting was not receiving, no actual assimilation of it, no "drinking in" (Cf. vs. 7). The fifth of these privileges which gave them such responsibilities is that they had tasted "the powers of the world to come." Miraculous powers had accompanied the institution of Christianity particularly in Jerusalem, - powers that have their place properly in the Millennial age: they had witnessed these, so that any desertion of Christianity in this case could only be deeply culpable guilt. Further Reading: Eternal Security in Christ Jesus - Many Scriptures The Work of Christ - As The Only Resting Place Assurance of Salvation By J. Vernon McGee Jewels - We Are Precious To God The Grounds Of Grace - By William Kelly Self-Examination As It Relates To Assurance What About Grace? Answering The Pentecostals Wrapped In God's Love Believers "Made In" Christ Jesus |
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