The California Collection/TheCaliforniaCollection.cdr/his119/security.arj/SECURITY.TXT

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                             ETERNAL SECURITY


  I. Introduction

     In 1978 as I struggled with the content of the gospel and how it would
     affect my life as a Roman Catholic, I found that the one facet of it
     that "boggled" my mind was Eternal Security.  I could not believe that
     once a person was "saved" that there was no way to ever "lose" that
     salvation.

     It seemed "crazy" to believe that I could become a
     Christian today and then commit all kinds of "gross" sins tomorrow and
     still have a secure future in the eternal home!  I remember asking Bob
     Hey, the Christian who shared the gospel with me, "Bob, do you mean
     that if I accept Jesus as my Savior and Lord, and later in my life
     commit murder, adultery, theft, or even commit suicide, that I would
     still go to heaven?"  His answer was a resounding yes.

     Today I understand about the security of the believer and realize that
     it is God who "elects" us and "calls" us and then "holds" us until the
     day we join Him in the Heavenly Paradise.  I have no more affect over
     my security of salvation then I had over God's decision to elect me to
     salvation.

 II. Importance

     Is the study of eternal security an important issue in the Christian
     faith.  Yes, for if there is a chance of "losing" our salvation then
     it would make all the difference in the world and in eternity.
     Knowing that our destiny may change tomorrow would certainly affect
     both the inner peace we now experience and our behavior on this earth.
     How anxious we would be.

     Eternal Security has often been labeled one of those doctrines that we
     shouldn't break Christian fellowship over.  In other words, we do not
     try to convince those who believe that they can lose their salvation;
     we just let them go and believe what they do, because they believe in
     Jesus.  If they are wrong and are secure and cannot lose their
     salvation then it really will be ok in the end because they have it
     and just don't know it.  I used to agree with that logic and "kid" my
     Nazarene Brothers about the fact that they don't believe in eternal
     security.  But then I came to realize the real danger of such a
     doctrine.

     There are many false gospels in the world today, but they all have one
     aspect that they unite on--a works salvation.  In other words, The
     false teachers agree that in order to get to heaven you must do your
     "works" and if they are "good enough" then God will "let you in."
     Each has their own "twist" but essentially they are the same.  Let's
     look at two of the most popular false gospels in our country for
     examples of this:

     A. Roman Catholic's Gospel - You are saved by Grace that was acquired
        by the death of Jesus on the Cross.  But you receive the grace as
        you "do your works" (i.e., sacraments, rosaries, prayers, etc).
        The more works you do then the more grace you receive.  If you die
        in the "state of grace" then you won't go to hell.  In time you
        will go to heaven, after a pause in Purgatory to "pay for your
        sins!"

     B. Morman's Gospel - You are saved if (1) You believe in Jesus.  (2)
        You are baptized by an Apostle (Morman of course).  (3) You do
        good works.   If you do all these things first then you will be
        saved.

     Notice that the overriding ingredient is man's "works" to obtain or
     secure salvation.  False teachers seek to convince people that "works"
     done before salvation gain some credit with God.  A "new twist" to
     that gospel is the one that says, "You are saved by faith and faith
     alone (initially), but you are secure in that salvation only as you do
     your good works."  In other words, God saves you initially by Grace,
     but then you are responsible to "stay saved" by your works.  That
     gospel is just as false as the ones that claim "works" are necessary
     for initial salvation.  When Jesus said, "I am the Way, and the Truth,
     and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through Me," He meant
     not only does He save us initially but also "brings us" through our
     Christian Life to the Father, by His Power and Grace alone--not by our
     works.  A person believing that they "maintain" their salvation is
     believing a false gospel that will condemn them to the eternal fires.

     Let us look at the various Biblical Passages that teach eternal
     security, later we will deal with the various objections that critics
     of eternal security have raised.

III. What the Bible Says.

     A. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith. . ."

        That quote comes from the Book of Ephesians, Chapter 2, Verse 8.
        It reminds us how we "got saved"--by grace.  The faith we had did
        not save us; rather, it merely brought the grace which had the
        power of salvation.  What is grace?  Grace is God's unmerited favor
        by which He saves us and makes us righteous.  It is based solely on
        His love as displayed through the death of Jesus on the cross.  Our
        works had nothing to do with it; in fact, we were nothing but
        sinners when God saved us for, "God demonstrates His own love for
        us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
        (Romans 5:8).

        When we first received salvation we were "wicked sinners" who had
        nothing to offer God.  Yet God saved us.  Why would a God who saved
        "worthless sinners" decide to take away that salvation because of a
        sin?  Before, when we were God's enemies He saved us.  Now we are
        children of God.  Would He treat us less graciously than He does
        His enemies?  No, in fact, He realizes that even though He saved us
        we are still subject to sins, and reminds us that the grace that
        saved us will continue to "save" us unto eternal life, because,
        ". . .where sin increased, grace increased all the more. . ."
        (Romans 5:20).  God's grace continues to "cover" whatever sins we
        commit.  It does not matter how great a sin we commit--His grace is
        sufficient to cover it.  The unbeliever has never humbled himself
        before God by asking for that saving grace.  But, as Christians, we
        have received the living and saving grace of God.

     B. God "keeps" us from falling out of salvation.

        Jude writes, "To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to
        present you before His glorious presence without fault. . ." (Jude
        24), which affirms that we do not keep ourselves in salvation by
        our works.  Rather, it is God who "keeps us from falling."  We
        cannot fall out of grace.  God continually gives us His gracious,
        undeserved, unmerited forgiveness to cover our sins.


        Think of illustrations in the Bible of Christians who fell into
        serious sin.  Moses, who was called by God to lead the God's Chosen
        people to the Promised land, fell into immediate sin by the killing
        of an Egyptian.  Did God throw him out of the Kingdom?  No, he was
        immediately covered with more grace.  David, God's anointed King
        over Israel, was the spiritual leader of the people of Israel, yet
        committed adultery with Bathsheba, and then murdered her husband.
        God not only forgave him, but allowed him to continue to rule
        Israel and to write many of the Psalms found in the Old Testament.
        Lastly, look at Peter, who publicly denied any association with
        Christ, by saying that he was not a disciple of Jesus.  Yet he also
        was "kept" in the kingdom and given great responsibility over the
        new Church.  God will keep us from falling away despite our sins.

     C. "I give them eternal life."

        Jesus, when referring to those who would believe on Him said, "My
        sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give
        them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch
        them out of my hand.  My Father who has given them to me, is
        greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand."
        (John 10:27-29).  There is no more security than the security of
        being in God's grip!  Who are those who would try to take believers
        out of God's hand?  The one who is a thief and a destroyer, known
        as Satan and his followers.  But even they cannot "yank" a
        Christian away from God.  The evil ones can tempt and sometimes
        cause us to fall into grievous sins, but never can they remove us
        from the hand of God.

        Jesus said He gives His sheep eternal life.  What makes eternal
        life eternal?  The simple fact that it will never end.  If he gives
        us eternal life today and then takes it away tomorrow because of
        sin, then it was not eternal but only "temporary eternal life,"
        which is no eternal life at all.

     D. "You were marked in Him with a seal."

        When we first believed something happened that we could not see or
        feel--we were marked as a Child of God.  ". . .you also were
        included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of
        your salvation.  Having believed, you were marked in Him with a
        seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our
        inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's
        possession--to the praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14).
        Christians are marked with the Holy Spirit, who is the "down
        payment" God made when He bought us with His Blood.  A deposit is
        the "earnest money" that guarantees that the purchase will be
        completed at a time yet future.  God guarantees us that we are His
        possession, and the indwelling Spirit is His proof.

     E. "He who began a good work. . ."

        When we were saved it was not a chance happening.  God had planned
        from eternity past to save us and our salvation was a partial
        fulfillment of His overall plan.  The Apostle Paul assures us that
        what God begins--God finishes, ". . .He who began a good work in
        you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
        (Philippians 1:6).  Note it is God who "carries on the good work."
        He is the one sanctifying us and we merely try to co-operate with
        Him.  We continually will fall short of the glory of God, but will
        keep confessing our sins and receiving His precious grace.

 IV. Answering the Critics.

     Those who argue against eternal security raise these arguments
     to prove their case against an eternal salvation.  They are:

     A. Eternal Security - Gives a license to sin.

        Answer - Neither the grace of God nor the security of salvation
        gives the believer divine permission to sin (Rom 6:1-2; 1John 2:1).
        If a person has the idea that eternal security gives him a license
        to sin, then he probably is not saved, since a truly saved person
        will not make a practice of sinning. (1John 3:9).  Even if a person
        is a genuine Christian and tries living in sin because he cannot
        lose his salvation, God will chasten the sinning Christian even to
        the point of physical death in order to restore him to proper
        fellowship.  (1Cor 11:31-32; Heb 12:5-11; 1John 5:16-17 with
        examples in Acts 5:1-11; 1Cor 5:1-5; 11:27-32; 1John 5:16-17).


     B. Eternal Security - Destroys motivation for Christian living and
        service.

        Answer - The Bible appeals to the Christian to live for Christ and
        to serve Him, not to gain or to keep salvation, but because
        salvation is an assured possession and secured for eternity. (Psalm
        37:28; John 10:27-29; 1John 5:13).  It is a hindrance to Christian
        service if the Christian is continually worried about keeping or
        losing salvation.

     C. Eternal Security - Contradicts the experience of certain
        individuals in the Bible.

        Answer 1) King Saul--Scripture infers that Saul was a saved man.
        (1Sam 10:7, 9-10).  However, rather than losing his salvation, it
        appears that Saul was chasten of God in the severest form, that is,
        by physical death because of his continual disobedience to God.
        (1Sam 28:18-19; 31:3-4).

               2) Judas--He is an example of a person who was lost and
        never had experienced salvation in the first place. (John 6:64; 70-
        71; 13:10-11; 17:11-12; Psalm 41:9; Matt 11:19; 26:50).

     D. Eternal Security - Contradicts certain Biblical passages.

        Answer 1) 1Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15--These verses refer
        to lost persons who are habitually characterized by the attitudes
        and/or actions expressed by these sins rather than referring to
        saved people who supposedly lost their salvation by committing one
        or more of these sins as an incident uncharacteristic of their
        general tenor of life.  Otherwise, Abraham (lying), Moses (murder),
        and David (adultery and murder) would not inherit the kingdom of
        God. (1Cor 6:9-10).

               2) Hebrews 6:4-6--The persons referred to in this passage
        are unbelievers, notice especially Hebrews 6:7-9; 10:26-39.

               3) Matthew 24:13--Endurance or salvation is evidence of a
        genuine salvation. (Phil 1:6; 1John 2:19).

               4) Ezekiel 3:20; 18:24, 26; 33:12-13, 18--The righteous
        being referred to in this context may only be self-righteousness.
        In the context of this passage, it is also possible that the death
        referred to is physical rather than spiritual.

               5) John 15:2,6--These verse refer to persons who may profess
        to be saved but actually are not genuine believers.  Every true
        believer bears some fruit (Matt 7:20; 13:23) as a result of at
        least some abiding in Christ, although admittedly the degree of
        abiding and fruit-bearing may vary from individual believer to
        individual believer.  The "branch in Me" (verse 2) is used in a
        figurative illustration.  Judas would be an example of such a
        branch who was in the circle of Christ's chosen disciples and yet
        was not a true believer.  Others interpret John 15:2,6 as believers
        who experience severe chastisement.

               6) 2Peter 2:20-22--The context indicates that false teachers
        and not true believers are in view here.

  V. Conclusion

     Eternal security is a reality for everyone who believes.  When Jesus
     died on the cross He "paid" for all of os chasten of God in the severest form, that is,
        by physical death because of his continual disobedience to God.
        (1Sam 28:18-19; 31:3-4).

               2) Judas--He is an example of a person who was lost and
        never had experienced salvation in the first place. (John 6:64; 70-
        71; 13:10-11; 17:11-12; Psalm 41:9; Matt 11:19; 26:50).

     D. Eternal Security - Contradicts certain Biblical passages.

        Answer 1) 1Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Rev 22:15--These d terribly, but he was genuine, and one look from
Jesus sent him out weeping bitterly; his heart was broken to think
that he had so dishonored his Lord.  But Judas companied with the Lord
almost three and a half years, but was a devil all the time; he was a
thief, and was seeking his own interest.  He was even made the
treasurer of that company, and he held the bag, but we read, "He bare
away what was put therein" (John 12:6), as this has been literally
translated.  At last remorse overtook him, not extracted from class notes taken from Dr. H. W. Holloman's class
     on Theology at Talbot Theological Seminary.)