Problems With the Doctrine of Unconditional "Eternal Security" ~ Domenic Marbaniang

The Doctrine of “Eternal Security” teaches that a person who has come to a salvific knowledge of Jesus Christ will never turn away from Christ and “lose” his salvation. The doctrine violates several scriptural assumptions and assumes, among many things, that God is ultimately responsible for evil in the world. Contrary to that position, we maintain that a person who has come to know Christ can depart away from faith in Him and lose the privilege of salvation. While the controversy is a large one (with roots dating back to the Augustinian-Pelagian controversy related to depravity and freedom), it is evident from all scriptural, rational, and empirical facts that the doctrine of eternal security violates key assumptions of scripture, reason, and experience. While we respect the religiosity of peoples, religiosity and zeal are not evidences for truthfulness of doctrine (Rom.10:2). One can have zeal for emphasis on the grace of God and still be misinterpreting the grace of God in a way that is against the revelation of God. One can be zealous for his opinion out of ignorance. This strongly beckons each of us to pay careful attention to our study of scriptures; that we do not blindly follow a theological system unwarrantedly, when the Word is in our hands for personal perusal.

Following are some reasons why the doctrine of unconditional security cannot be considered as biblically tenable:

Salvation is not a gift apart from Christ. Therefore, to lose faith in Christ means to lose Christ and His salvation.
To be “born again” doesn’t mean constitutional regeneration; neither the body nor the soul nor the spirit undergoes involuntary [constitutional] transformation in this event. To be born by the word means to respond by faith to the word (Heb.4:1,2). To be born by the Spirit is to respond to the voice of the Spirit in the positive (Jn.3:3,7). Regeneration is not involuntary in the faith-response aspect. However, regeneration in the resurrection or transformation of this vile body to conform to His glorious one will be by the act of God on the Final Day (Phil.3:21).
Justification is not apart from Christ. To deny Christ by works means to return to the unjustified position.
God desires all men to be saved; however, only those who believe (by free choice, not by mechanical compulsion) receive eternal life and the right to be called the sons of God.
Eternal life is not apart from the life of the Triune God- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
To have the Spirit means to have love, which is the fruit of the Spirit; he that doesn’t have love doesn’t have life (1Jn.3:15).
Christians are asked to watch against the root of bitterness, which can destroy self and others (Heb.12:15).
Jesus warned of ravenous wolves that came to destroy the sheep (Matt.7:15); if the destruction was not possible, the warning would be meaningless.
To argue that God is playing a game in which the dices move, but they are ultimately moved by God is to reduce the moral world into a mechanical system, which in turn reduces God into a sadist sovereign, if “moral freedom” is still insisted upon. To say that God gives people moral freedom but arranges things in a way that they will always fall into sin is to ultimately point at God as the author of evil. This is blasphemy against God.
Some non-biblical traditions maintain that the life, nature, and destiny of humans has been predetermined by either past events, by forces of nature, by some impersonal law, or by the writ of God. For such, freedom and determinism are compatible. However, no law court will accept the theory of determinism in condemning the guilty for making evil choices in their right mind. Even if one were to say that he was just a "cog" in the evil machine or system, every person is held responsible for the acts that he chooses. If events are predetermined, then all thought-events are also predetermined. If thought-events (of thinking) are predetermined, then truth is a property of causality. If truth is a property of causality, then any conclusion would be true, as in pluralism. If two contradictory statements (say, Calvinism and non-Calvinism) are true at the same time, then the law of non-contradiction must be false. But, the only way one can say that the law of non-contradiction is false is by asserting the law. Therefore, the law of non-contradiction stands, unless one resorts to a form of supra-rationalism that turns to a mystic supra-experience believed to transcend this-worldly experience, which, this-worldly experience, some regard as illusory and insufficient (as in forms of Eastern mysticism). But, the Bible strongly upholds propositional truth, and propositions submit to the law of non-contradiction.Therefore, again, predeterminism cannot be seen as compatible with freedom, and freedom is the property of truth.
To maintain that we have freedom and yet are compelled [as in compatibilism] is to remove the basis of truth and try to hang it upon nothing. While one notes the epistemic possibility of both freedom and determinism in the mind, as in the Kantian Antinomies, reason demands that truth be unaffected by the causal relations of the world and possess the property of freedom. The Laws of Logic (of Identity, Non-contradiction, and the Excluded Middle) are fundamental to truth-commitment (or else one can't be singular in assertion; if everything can be true, then nothing is true). The either/or exclusion is an essential condition of truth. So, while our coming to knowledge of truth is contingent on several events (hearing, understanding, communication principles..), the faith-response (or truth-commitment) as a voluntary act cannot be both determined (involuntary) and free (voluntary) at the same time; it is either/or.
To say that freedom doesn’t exist is to commit the same error of removing the basis of truth and asserting something as true at the same time. If freedom doesn’t exist, truth and error no longer exist as free categories of perception. But, if truth doesn’t exist, the statement “We are irresistibly compelled and yet free” becomes self-contradictory. How does one know that the statement is true if truth is no longer absolute and transcendent?
The doctrine of eternal security is not open to falsification, violating an empirical principle of verification. How can you refute a statement if it is constructed in a way that doesn’t admit of refutation? But, this limitation is only empirical and not scriptural. For instance, if we point out a person and say that “See, he was saved but now is lost,” the objection would be “He is lost because he was never saved in the first place.” Such a definition doesn’t admit of empirical falsification. However, we have many scriptural assertions that testify against the presuppositions, assumptions, and conclusions of the doctrine of eternal security.
The “Be not deceived” warnings in the Bible are directed towards Christians warning them to watch against deception so that they don’t perish (1Cor.6:9-10; Gal.6:7-8).
Christians are warned that those who sow to the flesh and live according to the flesh will reap corruption and death (perdition); but, they who sow to the Spirit and mortify the deeds of the body by the Spirit will reap everlasting life (Gal.6:8; Rom.8:13).
The Sovereignty of God in Romans 9 doesn’t contradict faith as the condition for salvation. God has the right to save anyone who responds to His call and enters His vineyard. He has the right to equally reward the first-comers (Jews) and the latecomers (Tax collectors, sinners, gentiles) alike. (Rom.9; Matt.20:1-16).
In the empirical, we know who is Christ’s sheep and who is not by their faith-response to Jesus, the sheep hear His voice (Jn.10:26-27). However, this doesn’t mean that some have been created as Christ’s sheep and some are created as not His sheep. The truth is that everything and everyone has been created by Christ and for Christ, giving Him the sole right of redemption of the whole flock. However, only those who make the choice to choose Christ are His sheep, and they stand and fall by their choice.
Humanity fell by one man’s choice; but, each human is saved by his own single choice.Therefore, in the resurrection, the saints are a multitude of sons (not sons, grandsons, and great grandsons).
A number of compellers do exist behind every choice; however, they do not absolutely determine a person’s choice; therefore, a person is ultimately responsible for the choice that he makes (either between good and evil; or between a lesser evil and a greater evil). It means God doesn’t predestine human choices.
The election of people like Cyrus (Isa.44:28), Jeremiah (Jer.1:5), John (Lk.1:13), and Paul (Gal.1:15) is according to God's foreknowledge and purposes. The ever-present Spirit who appoints, empowers, and leads God's servants is the eternal Spirit with God transcending time. His acts in time are, therefore, also complete from the foundation of the world. Thus, God doesn't just foreknow things that are going to be, but also foreknows (or say intimately knows) what He will do (as done and complete) in history (Heb.4:3). "For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past.." (Ps 90:4). Thus, "God will choose", "God chooses," and "God chose", while tenses of temporality to us, are one and the same in divine knowledge. He doesn't need to remember and recollect things as if in time; He knows and His knowledge is complete, including His own actions in history, without compelling world-events mechanically but providentially controlling events by His immanent presence and power in the world. Yet, this control doesn't conflict with human free-will when it comes to their freedom to choose between God and self. God knows beyond time, those who obey His Spirit in time and those who are appointed by Him in time. The knowledge is one and indivisible. It is not like God decides He is going to create a Cyrus who would not fail to exactly do what God desires; but, it is that there is a Cyrus in history, among those God created, whom the Spirit identifies and appoints for the work of God, and this is known to God before the foundation of the world. It is not that His knowledge before the foundation of the world (or beyond time) is different from His knowledge after the end of the world. God's knowledge is complete, indivisible, and eternal.
Jesus commanded people to strive to enter in at the narrow gate (Matt.7:13; Luke 13:24) before the gate shuts down. It implies that humans are responsible for choosing life or death.
Jesus warned that not all who say “Lord, Lord” shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of the Father. This implies that man is morally held responsible for “doing” the will of the Father. (Matt.7:21)
Jesus tells to the others who don’t do the will of the Father, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity”. If God ordained these people to perdition, then it would mean that God ordained them to work iniquity in order to condemn them; which is a blasphemous thesis, for it depicts God as the author of sin.
Jesus pronounced woe upon Chorazin and Bethsaida and the other cities because they did not repent though God had given them greater evidences to compel repentance than He had given to Tyre and Sidon (Matt.11:21,22). It implies that God expected these cities to repent, but they chose not to repent and so inherited a greater woe. The woe was commensurate with the degree of evidences God gave.
In the Parable of the Sower and the Seed (Matt.13:1-8, 18-24), it is evident that Jesus doesn’t treat the human heart as a passive ground; but, as a volitional faculty. The Parable is descriptive but not normative. It uses “ground” as an illustration, not as an example.
The tares in the Parable of Wheat and Tares (Matt.13:24-30) are sown by the enemy while men slept. It is a picture of unbelievers mixed up with believers in the kingdom of God, and a reminder that before the End of the Age, the visible kingdom of God will be a mixed multitude. This anticipates the final separation of wheat from tares at the End of the Age. It certainly does not mean that God created a greater segment of humanity as tares and handed it over to Satan to sow among the wheat of the Son of God. That is absurd.
In the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matt.18:23-35), a forgiven man's forgiveness became invalid and was withdrawn the moment it was found that he violated the principles of mercy by behaving according to the law and not according to mercy with regard to others. His forgiveness was withdrawn the moment it was found he failed to forgive others. How can one be forgiven and then be "unforgiven" again? We have the answer in this Parable.
The terms “children of the wicked one” (Matt.13:38), “of that wicked one” (1Jn.3:12), “of the devil” (1Jn.3:8), and “your father the devil” (Jn.8:44) do not imply that these people were created by the devil or originated from the devil. They also don’t mean that God created these for the devil. For, the Bible is very clear that “all things were created by Him, and for Him” (Col.1:16).
The Bible nowhere looks at unbelievers as lesser-than-human or a little-higher-than-animal beings. The "regenerate-unregenerate" view of Calvinism implies that unbelievers are beings whose spirits are dead and who are, in a constitutional way, inferior to believers in matters of spiritual and ethical ability. However, this view is not supported by Scriptures, which states that all humans are made in the image and likeness of God, and expects everyone who hears the voice of the Spirit (for without the Spirit no one can say "Jesus is Lord"), to respond to the Spirit. Even those who believe are not excusable; for if they don't continue in faith, they will be cut off (Rom.11:19-21). The difference between unbelievers and believers is not physical-spiritual constitution but faith. The unbelievers do not have faith; the believers have faith. This must be the reason why evangelism is urgent in order that those who do not have faith will clearly and correctly hear the word of faith and believe.
Jesus said, “he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matt.24:13); He DIDN’T SAY “he who is saved shall endure to the end.”
The blessed will inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world, not because the kingdom was prepared for them, but because they clothed Christ when He was naked, visited Him when He was sick, and came to Him when He was in prison (Matt.25:31-40). In other words, God has prepared the kingdom for those who would choose to inherit the kingdom by walking and working towards and not against the kingdom.
People are ultimately responsible for having their hearts hardened to the effect that having eyes they do not see and having ears they do not hear (Mark 8:17,18).
Divine abandonment of those who harden their hearts to the testimony of God in creation and through the Spirit doesn’t mean that God created them as the abandoned; but, God abandons them because God sees that they have made an irreversible choice to reject God (Heb.3:7; Rom.1:21-28;2Thess.2:10-12).
Grace is resistible. God's grace is God's gift and this gift is only given to those who receive it by faith (Rom.4:16). The word of God is the word of faith that a person receives in order to believe (Rom.10:8). People can resist this word of faith (Acts 7:51).
Jesus said that unless people repented, they would all perish (Luke 13:3). In other words, salvation is not unconditional but conditional; the condition is repentance and faith.
In the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree, Jesus intercedes for the fig tree to be given more time for it to bear fruit. It proves that God gives everyone opportunity to repent; such an opportunity would be meaningless if the opportunity didn’t exist (in the sense that there was no possibility for the fig tree to bear fruit). Those who argue that God gives the opportunity to prove to the lost that they are inherently lost, are hinging their arguments on the “justice” of God rather than on the “mercies” of God. However, the fact that God gives opportunity to repent is proof of His mercy, for His justice is already evident without the opportunity to repent. He is longsuffering because He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (Luke 13:6-9; 2Pet.3:9).
John 3:16 says that God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son. Here the word “world” means all humanity. Jesus did not come to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved (Jn.3:17). If only the “sheep” were intended here, then the word “world” would not be used; for, again it says in verse 19, “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light….”
People reject the light of God not because they are created for condemnation; they reject the light because their deeds are evil and therefore they hate the light that exposes their wickedness (Jn.3:19-20). It refers to people who know the truth and still reject it. However, those who know the truth and respond positively come to the light and are not afraid to come into the light (Jn.3:21).
Even though Jesus is the Son of God, yet in His ministry in flesh on earth, He submitted to the Father and to the election of God. Therefore, He said, “All that the Father gives me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” (Jn.6:37). In fact, Jesus Himself is sent by the Father, i.e. in obedience to the sending. Therefore, He says again, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (Jn.6:44). These verses do not mean that the Father has chosen some to be saved and appointed some to be lost. They only recognize the Father as the Designer, the Elector, the Commissioner, and the Sender. He is the Chief Architect of our salvation. Thus, while people are saved by their faith-response to Jesus, it is the Father who has the sole authority to give these to Jesus because it is the Father who primarily teaches them (Jn.6:45-48), and anyone who accepts the Father will certainly accept Christ (Jn.8:42).
“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand....” (John 10:28-29) does not mean that a person himself will not choose to drift from and neglect this great salvation (Heb.2:1-2). Jesus meant to say that whoever commits himself to Him is protected by Him and no one can snatch anyone who commits to Christ from His hand. This does not rule out the possibility of the sheep exercising their freewill to depart from Christ, in which case they will no longer can be identified as belonging to the flock. John 10 asserts the omnipotent power of Jesus Christ. The Jews were desiring to kill Jesus the True Shepherd (which in human terms would mean the destruction and scattering of the sheep); however, Jesus asserts that no man can take His life; it is He who lays His life down and takes it back again (Jn.10:17,18). He has power over His life and power to give life to His sheep; He is a Shepherd who will not fail to keep His sheep. However, again, those who reject faith in Christ are not identified as sheep, because being sheep (a figure used) here is not an independent quality apart from Christ, it is the quality of relationship with Christ.
The salvation relationship with Christ is compared to the relationship between a vine and its branches (John 15). God removes every branch that does not bear Christ-like fruit (Jn.15:2). Anyone who chooses to not abide in Christ becomes as castaway (Jn.15:6).
Jesus refers to future believers in Him as “those who will believe in Me” (Jn.17:20), indicating divine foreknowledge as not predetermining faith, but being a foreknowledge of those who will believe.
“And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48) becomes clear when read along with Acts 13:45-47: “But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, ‘It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. “For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’’ The Jews thought that they were the only chosen ones; however, it was they who rejected everlasting life (Acts 13:46); but, the Gospel that they rejected was embraced by the Gentiles who were despised by the Jews. But, even the Gentiles were appointed for eternal life. In other words, God had from the foundation of the world foreknew and set apart “those who will believe” and appointed them for eternal life, and these appointed ones were from among both Jews and Gentiles (Rom.8:29,30).
Acts 16:14 talks about God opening the heart of Lydia to heed the things spoken by Paul. This verse means that God gave Lydia understanding of the words that Paul was speaking (1Jn.5:20; 2Cor.3:16; 4:6). God will only give understanding to those who seek understanding; but, those who choose to not listen to the voice of God will be abandoned to the hardening of their hearts (Jn.3:19-21; 2Thess.2:10-12; Heb.3:13)
It is a fact that while everyone is expected to have faith, not all have faith. The reason is simply that they don’t believe. Divine faith is not based on something (like a predestination or logic or set of circumstances or evidence). Faith itself is the ground and evidence (Heb.11:1; Col.1:23). A person’s choice to not believe is the final reference of responsibility for his act of unbelief. It is the ground of his action and the fruit that he reaps.
Faith is certainly a gift of God and there is also a special gift of faith (Eph.2:8; 1Cor.12:9); however, it is possible to reject faith (1Tim.1:19).
No one can say "Jesus is Lord" without the Holy Spirit (1Cor.12:3); however, it is possible for someone to also reject the Holy Spirit(Heb.3:7; 10:29; 6:4-6).
Romans 2:4-5 reminds us that God’s goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering is intended to lead us to repentance; however, there are those who harden themselves and become subjects of divine wrath. If God had created some people as vessels of wrath, then His forbearance would become meaningless.
Romans 2:7-11 points out that God will judge people according to their actions, whether they are of faith or of unbelief. Those who seek for glory, honor, and immortality through their patient continuance in good actions will inherit eternal life; but, those who are self-seeking and disobedient to the truth will inherit tribulation and anguish. God is impartial in His judgment, which impartiality takes into account all ontological (nature of being), circumstantial (situations of life), and teleological (purpose) aspects of a person.
Divine mercy is not a contingent quality of God. God doesn’t need to display wrath on many in order to display mercy on some. Divine mercy is an infinite quality in the same manner that divine wrath is of infinite nature. Those who choose divine wrath (i.e., rebellion and disobedience) inherit infinite condemnation; those who seek divine mercy inherit eternal life.
Only those who believe are justified freely by His grace (Rom.3:22-26; 4:13-16), apart from the law. The Bible never connects volitional faith with boasting (as if volitional faith undermines the sovereignty of God). The very presence of faith excludes boasting, because faith is an act of surrender, not an act of personal merit (Rom.3:27). The law of works includes boasting. The law of faith excludes boasting.
God is the prime witness of Himself. He speaks to every heart through His created things, His goodness, His wisdom, and His word. His witness to each heart is well-timed so that His revelation is clear in the moment when it pleases Him to reveal (Gal.1:15-16). His witness is particular to each person, and sufficient to convince one fully of the truth; so, that those who reject the revelation of God, reject it willfully. If one is unconvinced by other means, He can break through in a personal revelation that is irrefutable (1Tim.1:16). The divine witness is irrefutable; therefore, the world is without excuse (Rom.1:20).
While all men inherit death because of Adam’s sin, all men will not unconditionally inherit life because of the righteousness of Christ (Romans 5). Faith is the condition for justification. While in Adam, death “spread to all men” (Rom.5:12), in Christ righteousness is “imputed” to those who believe (Rom.4:24). In Adam, one talks of generations to whom death is passed by one man. In Christ, every person is given the opportunity to make his/her personal, independent, choice and be justified. Those who make this second, independent, Adamic choice to persist in the autonomy of Adam will inherit Second Death. Those who accept the Death of Christ (the Last Adam) will inherit the newness of eternal life of the Resurrected Second Man (1Cor.15:47).
Obedience is not mechanical but voluntary and those who make the voluntary choice to become slaves to sin are led by sin to death; but those who choose obedience are led by obedience to righteousness, have fruit to holiness, and in the end, inherit everlasting life (Rom.6:16,22).
Justification and walk in the Spirit go hand in hand, because justification is in accordance to the law of the Spirit of life (not the law of sin and death); faith is conglomerate with spiritual mindedness (Rom.8:1-14).
Predestination follows foreknowledge; not vice versa (Rom.8:29). God foreknows His children eternally; thus, His knowledge of His children is immediate and intimate, irrespective of time. While in a human sense we speak of Him as foreknowing those “who will believe”, this foreknowledge of God is unlike human knowledge that is subject to the passage and duration of time. Those who respond with faith to Christ and receive the right to be called the children of God are, thus, eternally known to God as His children; but, they don’t become children because He foreknows them (this is impossible); He foreknows them because they make the choice to obey the Spirit; this response to the Spirit is eternally known by God.
Romans 9 is still dealing with the Jewish-Gentile issue. Paul wishes to clarify that the perishing of many Jews is only because they fail to understand that “those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as seed” (Rom.9:8). For, if the physical seed was in view here then God would not have rejected Esau when He accepted Jacob, for both were the physical children of Isaac, the child of promise. But, God rejected Esau because He had elected Jacob. Similarly, the physical nation of Israel cannot claim salvation because they are the physical seed of Jacob. Nor can they claim salvation because they have been given the law. The mercy of God is not based on our physical race or meritorious religion; the very concept of mercy implies that all of us are in the state of condemnation. Grace cannot be given to those who trust in their own righteousness to deliver them. Grace is given to the humble who come to His throne seeking mercy, not rewards (Rom.9:31,32; James 4:6; Lk.18:9-14).
“I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion” (Rom. 9:15) asserts that no man can claim divine mercy on the basis of his physical origin or religious works. The very call of God is His act of grace. As in the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matt.20:1-19), God reserves the right to give to those who respond to His call as He chooses to give. In this matter, the Jew has no advantage over Gentile, except in the fact that they were entrusted with the words of God (Rom.3:1).
“He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens” (Rom.9:18) doesn’t mean that God created some people with hardened hearts or He hardens the heart of some people so that they never get even one opportunity to make a free decision to obey Christ. On the other hand, He withdraws His grace from those who choose not to submit to Him, thus resisting His Spirit of grace (2Chr.36:13;Heb.10:29; 2Thess.2:10-12; Dan.5:20). Ultimately, it is the one who hardens his heart who is responsible for hardening his heart (1Sam.6:6; Psa.95:8; Matt.13:20,21). God hardens the hearts of people by speaking to them His word; the same word that melts the hearts of some, hardens the hearts of others. People harden their heart because the moment the hear the word, it stands in conflict with their lusts and pride and they raise walls and assault against the word because they choose not to believe the word (Dan.5:20; 2Kgs.17:4; Jer.19:15; Heb.3:13).
“Who has resisted His will?” (Rom.9:19) means that no one can resist the personal and purposive will of God, what He wishes, prefers, intends, and chooses to do. It doesn’t mean that people cannot resist the prescriptive will of God; for, people do choose to disobey the will of God.
When interpreting illustrations and parables, one must watch against attribute-confusion. For instance, in the Parable of the Sower and the Seed, the human heart is likened to the ground; however, it does not mean that the human heart is passive like the ground. The human heart possesses the attribute of freewill which the ground does not possess. It is dangerous to use a parable or illustration as proof of a doctrine by interpreting every aspect of the story or illustration as an element of doctrine. The purpose of an illustration is to help one come closer to an understanding of the truth. Thus, when Romans 9:21-23 talks about vessels of mercy and vessels of destruction, one must not imagine that humans are passive, moral vessels created by God with good and evil natures; that would be self-contradictory. The clay is not a moral being; but, a human is. God creates moral beings, but He does not create morally evil beings or morally good beings. For, the very concept of “morality” carries with it the condition of freedom of choice. God fashioned all people alike (Psa.33:15; Eccl.7:29); however, each person is responsible for choosing to be a vessel of honor or a vessel of dishonor (2Tim.2:20-21).
The point of Romans 11 is clear when it warns Christians to beware of pride and negligence: “Because of unbelief they [Jews] were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.” (Rom.11:20-22). While the analogy helps us to understand to some extent our relationship with Christ, the doctrinal statement makes it very clear that we, as branches, possess the free choice to abide or to not abide in His goodness. Our salvation is conditional upon our faith. Similarly, the ones who “do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again” (Rom.11:23). God will only graft in those who believe.
Justification cannot be separated from righteous living; in fact, as righteousness is by faith, so by faith does one also live righteously (Rom.6:16-20). Righteous living is the proof of justification (Rom.8:1).
One doesn’t lose life as long as the foundation is Christ; however, if one defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him (1Cor.3:14-17). In other words, there is only one foundation, Jesus Christ, and there is no salvation for anyone apart from Christ. Salvation is not like a candy that someone gives as a gift to a person; salvation is more like a foundation of a house or like a tree. Only the person who stands on the foundation called Christ and who abides in the Vine will be saved. Immaturity is not the reason for loss of salvation. The Corinthians were exercising spiritual gifts, but they were still not strong and mature. Paul says that such people will lose their reward; however they themselves will be saved, yet so as through fire. Jesus told that those who practice charity in order to be seen by men will lose their reward (Matt.6:1-3); Paul said that if he preached the Gospel willingly, he has a reward (1Cor.9:17). Thus, the Bible does talk about having rewards and losing rewards on the Day of Judgment. However, those who defile the temple, i.e. work against Christ and bring corruption in the Body of Christ, like Jezebel did in the Church of Thyatira, will be destroyed (Rev.2:20-23; 2Cor.11:13-15). There is a difference between immaturity and sinful rebellion. The former relates to ignorance of truth and weakness of will; the latter is willful persistence in sin. The epistle warns against both, which means both are possible states that Christians can be in.
1Corinthians 5:5 talks about delivering a sexually immoral person to Satan so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. This is a reference to church discipline. It does not indicate that a person who is removed from Christian fellowship, and persists in his sinfulness without any repentance, will not lose his original salvation but be saved on the Last Day. That is abuse of Scripture; for the Scripture is very clear in this matter that the goal of church discipline is to lead the sinner to repentance (not to a hardened heart), without which there is no entry into the kingdom of heaven (2Cor.2:5-11; 7:9-11; Rev.2:5).
Paul gives Old Testament examples to warn that those who do not continue in faith will be destroyed like the Israelites were destroyed in the wilderness (1Cor.10:1-12). It is impossible for someone to act in rebellion against God in this life and expect to still be saved in the hereafter.
Paul says that he disciplines his body and brings it into subjection lest, when he had preached to others, he himself should become disqualified (1Cor.9:27); then he goes on to give examples from the Old Testament of people who were saved, baptized, and partook of Christ, but were destroyed because of a lack of discipline.
Paul warns the Galatians that those who practice the works of flesh such as adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal.5:21).
The epistle to Ephesians declares the counsel of God to the Church and declares the mystery of His will by which God chose, in Christ, the saints (both Jew and Gentile) before the foundation of the world. However, Christians are warned to not be deceived by empty words that try to take God’s grace for granted; they are warned that “no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” and so to not let anyone deceive them with “empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience;” therefore, Christians are commanded to not partake with them (Eph.5:5-7).
Christians are called upon to don the whole armor of God so that they may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil in the evil day (Eph.6:10-8). If there was no threat, then this exhortation would be meaningless. It is clear here that Christians have personal freedom and responsibility to act in order to stand against the tactics of the devil.
Though Peter was about to deny Jesus three times, Jesus prayed for Peter that he may not be lost. He set an example for us so that we would also help those who are weak and, though they love Christ, fall down sometimes (Lk.22:31; Gal.6:1). However, Jesus did not pray for Judas Iscariot, because Judas had made an irreversible decision to betray Jesus. There are some who commit the mortal sin (1Jn.5:16; Jer.7:16).
Christians are commanded to work out their salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that it is God who works in them both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Phil.2:12-13). Thus, while salvation is not by works of the law (not the result of obedience to the law), yet there can be no salvation without works (fruits of repentance and faith). Sinners who try to keep the letter of the law in order to be saved forget that the law was originally given to them because of their sins (1Tim.1:9) and because of their hardness of hearts (Matt.19:8). The law exposes sin and condemns the sinner (Rom.3:20). To work unto salvation and to work out salvation are two different things. To work unto salvation means to be in a state of sinfulness and, then do things in order to merit salvation; which is impossible, because the wages of sin is already death. To work out salvation means to do works from the position of salvation; it implies that the person has already been justified and must now continue in his faith and repentance in order to receive the end of his faith, i.e. the salvation of his soul (1Pet.1:9).
Paul himself testified that he regards earthly things are rubbish for the sake of the knowledge of Christ and presses forward in order to attain to the resurrection from the dead (Phil.3:8-21). However, those who walk with their minds set on earthly things are the enemies of the cross of Christ and their end is destruction (Phil.3:18-19).
We are told that only those who continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the Gospel will be presented holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight (Col.1:22-23).
Each Christian is responsible for his own sanctification, that he should abstain from sexual immorality, from passion of lust, and from defrauding his brother; because God is the avenger of all such; for, He has called us to holiness. Therefore, anyone who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has given to us the Holy Spirit (1Thess.4:4-8). It is antithetical to say that one has accepted the Holy Spirit when one is openly acting in a defile manner. God proved the seriousness of this matter when He struck Ananias and Sapphira dead for conspiring to lie against the Holy Spirit in Acts 5.
Mere confession with lips is not enough; confession through works is important (Tit.1:16).
The “washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Tit.3:5) do not refer to constitutional regeneration in the sense that one substantially becomes a new creation when he accepts Christ. Those who believe in constitutional regeneration now argue that it is impossible for those who have been regenerated to become un-regenerated again. However, the Bible talks of constitutional regeneration as only a future event at the time of rapture and resurrection. The “washing of regeneration” refers to the washing of sins, i.e. justification through faith in Christ by identifying with His death and resurrection (Rom.6). Those who have believed in God are called to be careful to “maintain good works” (Tit.3:8). After the resurrection, there will be no possibility of losing salvation. However, in this life, salvation in the sense of constitutional regeneration is a future event towards which we are called to move by faith. Constitutional depravity cannot be compartmentalized into depravity of soul, spirit, and body. Depravity affects the entire man. The very fact that Christians still have the “shame perspective” that was the result of the fruit of knowledge is proof of the presence of depravity. God still uses linen, lightning, and shadowy symbols to communicate with man. At present, no man (not even John and the apostles) have seen the resurrected Christ, the New Man, as He is, because we are still in the body of death. But, at the resurrection, we shall be as He is for we shall see Him as He is (1Jn.3:2). At present, we only see Him through the eyes of faith. The Gospel of Salvation is not just about believing in Jesus and going to heaven; it’s about the hope of resurrection, the new life. Those who have this hope purify themselves (1Jn.3:3; Rom.12:1,2).
Salvation is eternally secured to us, objectively, by the perfect work of Christ (Heb.9:12; 10:10,14); however, we can only, subjectively, stand in it by faith (Heb.10:26-27,35).
Calvinism usually argues that it is impossible for someone who is “born-again” to become “unborn-again”; however, this argument is based on a false conception of “born-again” as an event of constitutional regeneration of the spirit, as if eternal life can be possessed apart from the life of Christ. On the contrary, the Bible asserts that constitutional regeneration is a future event that will happen at the Second Coming of Christ. To be “born again” now means to receive newness of life by being justified and sanctified by the blood of Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit who indwells those who receive Jesus (Rom.8:15; Tit.3:5). Therefore, falling away bears more serious consequences (Heb.10:29).
Calvinism also is skeptical of how it could be possible that once God has become our Father, He could return to not being our Father (if salvation can be lost). This again is based on the false notion of God becoming our Father in addition to being the Father of Christ, which is preposterous. We are only children of God by faith in Christ Jesus (Gal.3:26). One cannot claim to be a child of God if he no longer submits to Christ, as Jesus said to the Jews, “If God were your Father, ye would love me…” (Jn.8:42). The central Person, the Source and the Mediator of our salvation is Christ; apart from the Son there is no sonship.
The guarantee of the Spirit (Eph.1:14; 4:30) does not mean the guarantee of salvation despite of our falling away from faith. The guarantee is invalidated when the testimony of the Spirit is resisted and denied. Rejection of the testimony of the Spirit concerning Christ is the sin unto death.
Salvation and Calling is not according to our works but according to God's purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began (2Tim.1:9). Condemnation is the just result of our works; but, God purposed to save us and provided for us salvation and calling according to this purpose and grace before time began.
Christians are warned against drifting away from the things they have heard for, one cannot afford to neglect so great a salvation (Heb.2:1-2). People can slowly drift away from the faith of Christ by falling prey to the seductions of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Therefore, these warnings exist.
Our present, past, and future partaking of Christ is conditioned by the following warning: “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God [warning]; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” [present] lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ [present perfect] if we hold the beginning of our confidence [past] steadfast to the end [future]” (Heb.3:12-14, parenthetics mine). In other words, the partaking is nullified if one does not hold the beginning of confidence steadfast to the end. Also, the voice of the Spirit is always present as “Today” with the warning “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts…” In other words, repentance, faith, and obedience to the Spirit must be a daily experience till the end. We are called to live and walk in the Spirit.
The Bible commands us to be diligent to enter the rest of God (the work that He has completed from the foundation of the world), and warns us against falling due to disobedience like the Israelites fell in the wilderness (Heb.4:1-11). "Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it." (Heb. 4:1). The promise still remains, and we are warned lest we seem to have come short of it as the Israelites did and perished in the wilderness. "Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience" (Heb.4:11).
The Bible states that it is impossible for those who have been enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit (not just in appearance, but in reality), and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame (Heb.6:4-6). To crucify is an act of rejection; to be crucified with is the act of identification. Those who reject Christ after having tasted the heavenly gift are guilty of willful rejection (or apostasy, which is different from original rejection), an act deserving more severe punishment (Heb.10:29). In original rejection, a person rejects Christ at the outset and, thereby, never tastes "the heavenly gift"; in apostasy, the person accepts the Gospel, but later on turns his back on Christ in a willful rejection, committing the sin of betrayal. It is impossible to renew such a person "again" to repentance, because he crucifies "again" for himself the Son of God, and puts Him to an open shame. Therefore, it is important that we keep the first faith; that each one of us "show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end," (Heb 6:11 )
The earth that bears thorns and thistles instead of herbs to the one who cultivates it is rejected (Heb.6:7-8).
We are commanded to show the same diligence as we have shown in the past to the full assurance of hope until the end (Heb.6:11). In other words, a reference to a past diligence in the way is not enough; one must be diligent in this way to the end.
The sluggish, the unbelieving, and the impatient cannot inherit the promises of God (Heb.6:12).
There is no salvation for the person who sinned willfully after having received the knowledge of truth, who “trampled the Son of God under foot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace” (Heb.10:26,29). This is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The very fact that this person was sanctified by the blood of Christ, which he now counts as a common thing, is proof that someone who is sanctified by the blood can willfully fall away and fall into the vengeful hands of the living God.
Those who draw back out of lack of endurance, draw back to perdition (Heb.10:36-39).
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but can be justified by grace through faith in the blood of Christ (Rom.3:23-25); however, anyone who falls short of the grace of God will find no place for repentance (Heb.12:15-17).
Those who refuse Him who speaks, i.e. Christ, cannot escape judgment (Heb.12:25). This statement was written to Christians.
Hebrews 10:14 states that Christ has, by His one sacrifice, perfected forever them that are sanctified. This refers to the sufficiency and perfection of Christ’s atoning sacrifice which He offered by the eternal Spirit (Heb.9:14), thus eternally nullifying the writ of law against us, and also granting to us eternal life. It does not mean that people become perfect in spirit when they accept Christ. Christians are complete in Christ, not complete in themselves (Col.2:10).
Christians are called to be diligent to make their call and election sure, so that they may not stumble, and so that an entrance will be supplied to them abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2Pet.1:10-11).
There are those who had earlier escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but became entangled in them and overcome by them again. Peter says thatit would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them (2Pet.2:20,21). These are the ones who try to allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have “actually escape from those who live in error” (2Pet.2:18). The latter end is worse for them than the beginning.
Peter warns Christians to be sober and vigilant, because the devil prowls about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1Pet.2:8). The Bible indicates that there are people who fall prey to the devil due to pride or because of their lustful cravings and lack of self-control (1Tim.3:6; 1Cor.7:5;1Tim.5:12,15;
In the eternal foreknowledge of God, those who fall away are sons of perdition, not because they have not actually known Christ, but because though they knew Christ, they willfully denied Him(1Jn.2:19; 2Tim.2:19; Jn.17:12; Rom.1:20-32).
“Born again” is a present term related to the “Today” voice of the Eternal (not past-present-future conditioned) Spirit. Though we can talk of a past point of having received the Word, the Word gives incorruptible life because it is eternally present and incorruptible, it “lives and abides forever” (1Pet.1:23). Therefore, anyone who has been “born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God” (1Jn.3:9), not in the sense of temporal generation, but impartation of God’s eternal life. This goes along with the following declarations too: “For as many as are led by the Spirit [by the “Today” voice of the Spirit], these are the sons of God” (Rom.8:14, parenthetics mine), “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus [relationship akin to Vine and branches], who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Rom.8:1, parenthetics mine), “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Rom.8:13), “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh” (Gal.5:16).
2Peter 2:1 refers to false prophets and false teachers as among those whom Christ bought; however, they perish because they deny the Lord.
Therefore, those who walk according to the lusts of the flesh and do not have the fruit of the Spirit, do not actually have eternal life (1Jn.3:14,15).
Jude asks Christians to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints and to guard against ungodly men who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. He reminds that “the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe” (Jude 1:5).
Philippians 1:6 promises that He who has begun a good work in us will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. However, the Christian must also note that God will not complete the good work that He started in us unless we also work out our salvation with fear and trembling; for, if He were solely responsible for our salvation, then He would not have destroyed the Israelites in the wilderness for their unbelief.
The objection is raised that if one says that salvation can be lost, then anytime a person sins, he becomes unsaved and every time he repents, he becomes saved again. Suppose a person suddenly died during one of these “unsaved” moments, he would end up in hell. This they say is not in keeping with the sovereignty and mercy of God. However, this objection proceeds from the erroneous view that every act of sinning means falling away from faith, which is not true. For instance, Peter denied Jesus, but it didn’t mean he had rejected Christ. Therefore, he wept bitterly later and Christ was able to restore him back after His resurrection. Christians are told to restore a person who is overtaken in a fault, being watchful lest they themselves are tempted (Gal.6:1). Not all sin is unpardonable; the only sin that is unpardonable is the sin of unbelief, because there can be no pardon except through faith.
The presence of doubts at times doesn’t make one an unbeliever, because doubt is not committed unbelief. A person might observe some doubts arise in his mind at times, however, they are soon quelled and put to silence as he seeks the Lord. One good example of this is the situation of Asaph in Psalm 73, and the situation of Job in the book of Job. Similarly, one who has not heard the Gospel message clearly has not been given the clear-cut chance to choose unbelief. However, those who know and choose not to believe suffer condemnation (Jn.3:16-20; Jude 1:5). Thus, a person who does not have the faith of Christ may fall into, at least, one of these three positions: ignorance, or doubt, or unbelief. The Bible says that God overlooks sins during the times of ignorance (Acts 17:30); however, that does not excuse people from judgment according to conscience (Rom.1:19-32; 2:12-16). The situation of doubt is a temporary time of suspension and not of decision; it is volatile and can lead to either belief or unbelief. However, those who choose unbelief forfeit the salvation of God. Is it possible for someone who has accepted the Gospel to forfeit faith and salvation? Yes, it is. People can drift away from faith (Heb.2:1), make shipwreck of their faith (1Tim.1:19), and can fall away from faith (2Pet.3:17; Heb.6:6; 2Thess.2:3).
Sovereignty of God doesn’t imply that there can be no free creatures who may be given freedom to freely exercise moral choices in the world of God. Sovereignty only means that God is all in all, and anyone who opposes the sovereign power of God is judged by God because God is the sovereign Judge of the universe (Dan.4:17; Psa.96:10; 98:9; Acts 17:31). Sovereignty means that there is no power above God and God is the Most Supreme.
However, anyone who persists in sin without a trace of repentance, shows by his actions that he neither has the love of Christ nor has faith in Christ. One cannot say one loves Christ unless he shows by his actions that he obeys Christ’s commandments (Jn.14:15,21; 15:10; 1Jn.5:3).
The Book of Revelation is very crucial to understanding the end of our faith, the salvation of our souls. Faithfulness, endurance, witness, and an overcoming life are important truths that are emphasized and must not be ignored. The Book begins with a vision of Jesus to John and letters to 7 Churches of Asia Minor. Each of the books speaks in connection with God’s plan of salvation. The Church of Ephesusis praised for her works, labor, patience, righteousness, wisdom, and perseverance; however, she is given the warning that she has left her first love and is commanded to repent and do the first works, or else Christ would come quickly and remove her lampstand from its place (Rev.2:1-5). She is told that it is the overcomer who will be given to eat from the tree of life. In other words, those who do not live an overcoming life will be disqualified from partaking of the tree of life, which is a symbol of partaking of eternal life.
The Church of Smyrna is told that he who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death (Rev.2:11). It implies that those who do not overcome will be hurt by second death. To overcome here, of course, means to stand fast in the faith and love of Jesus Christ to the end.
The Church of Pergamos is told to repent and warned that Christ will come and fight against those hold on to the doctrine of Balaam who taught compromise with the world and spiritual adultery (Rev.2:14-15). Only those who overcome will be given the hidden manna and a white stone with a new name that no one knows except him who receives it (Rev.2:17). God is a jealous God and will not tolerate any form of spiritual adultery with the world (James 4:4). The hidden manna and the white stone speaks of the intimacy of Christ with the church, who is to Christ a garden enclosed, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed (Song 4:12).
To the Church in Thyatira, He says that He appreciates their works, love, service, faith, and patience; however, He is against their toleration of Jezebel, the false prophetess who was teaching and seducing Christ’s servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things offered to idols. He warns that He would come and give to each one according to their works. He tells the Church to hold fast what she has till He returns. The overcomer, that is the one who keeps Christ’s works until the end, will be given power over the nations and the morning star (adoption, redemption of our body, manifestation of the sons of God, the glorious liberty of the children of God, Rev.2:18-29, Rom.8:19,21,23; Job 38:7;2Pet.1:19, Rev.22:16). Each time we are called to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
The Church in Sardis is called to strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, and is warned that if she doesn’t watch, Christ will come upon her as a thief (Rev.3:2-3). He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments (a sign of readiness at His coming) and Christ will not blot his name from the Book of Life (Rev.3:5). In other words, those who do not overcome will be blotted out of the Book of Life.
Christ tells the Church in Philadelphia that He will make the overcomer a pillar in the temple of God and write on him the name of His God and the name of the city of God, the New Jerusalem, and write on him Christ’s new name (Rev.3:12). Though the overcomer had a little strength, he kept Christ’s word and did not deny His Name; therefore, Christ will make him the strongest portion of the temple, the pillar; and since he didn’t deny His name, Christ will write on Him the names of God, of the city of New Jerusalem, and Christ’s new name. Evidently, those who deny Christ (especially through their actions) will not inherit any of these things. This is not just about rewards, but about a place in the City of God.
The Laodicean Church is reproved for her lukewarmness and is warned that Christ will spit her out.Only those who overcome will be granted to sit with Christ on His throne (Rev.3:16,21). All these warnings, reproofs, and exhortations convey the message that salvation is not a once-saved-forever-saved thing; it is a relationship with Christ of intimate love (Ephesus), of faithfulness unto death (Smyrna), of purity in life (Pergamos), of keeping Christ’s works until the end (Thyatira), of readiness and watchfulness (Sardis), and keeping Christ’s word until the end (Philadelphia), and of passion with Christ and not a status quo, apathetic relationship with the world (Laodicea)
Revelation 21:7-8 promises that the Christian who overcomes shall inherit all things and God will be his God and he shall by God’s son, but the cowardly (who abandon Christ out of fear), unbelieving (who abandon Christ because His sayings are too difficult), abominable (who do things that are hateful in God’s eyes), murderers (who are governed by hate), sexually immoral (who practice perversion and infidelity), sorcerers (who partner with demons), idolaters (who reject God’s person and turn to created objects), and liars (deceivers and self-deceived) will have their part in the lake of fire which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Rev.21:8).
John warned that if anyone adds to the prophecy of the book, God will add to him the plagues written in the book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of God’s prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in the book (Rev.22:18-19).
Mark 10:21-22 indicates that though Jesus loved the rich young man, yet He could not save him as long as the man didn't do things above the requirements of the law. The rich young man claimed to keep the law, but the works of the law cannot save a person. One had to deny self, take up his cross, and follow Christ in order to enter life. Denial and following Christ are not works of law, but works of faith.
Jesus states that it is difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of God; but, it what is impossible for man is possible for God. This doesn't mean that God will compel some rich people to involuntarily make a voluntary faith-response; this is self-contradictory. It also does not mean that with God it is possible to save those who trust in riches than trust in God (Mark 10:24); for God cannot do unrighteousness. "With man it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible" must be understood along with "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." (Mark 9:23). This applies not just to healing but to all aspects of our receiving from God (Gal.3:2,5).

Domenic Marbaniang

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