[Bible Question] My name is ______________. Before asking my question, I would love to give a self-background to clarify who I am. I came in America seven years ago from Tanzania, East Africa, and I now live in ___________. Born in a Christian family, I became a Christian at age twelve after my heart dedication, accepting JESUS CHRIST as my Savior and my LORD, and was baptized 2005…This year, I started to listen to American preachers and pastors and have noticed something unusual about their teachings. It seems as if they tend to influence a lot what they call *”Internal Security” [eternal security]. In other words, that once you’re saved, you cannot lose your salvation. Truly, this kind explanation, I had never experienced it until this year, here in America. However, I am one of those people who do not take word by word explanations of scriptures from others unless I can read it myself because I have a strong background or understanding on how rhetoric works in this world. Such reasoning led me to eager to read the whole bible to find out where it clearly says that one cannot lose his or her salvation once saved. I have not find single scripture that express such statement; therefore I started to realize that it is an implied concept people trying to imply to scriptures to make it better fit what they think the scripture is trying to communicate. For instance, I truly believe that we are saved by grace not our works. That is absolutely the bottom line in a true Christianity belief. However, some people, especially in America have taken the word “grace” in different scopes. And often they imply their own reasoning and philosophies. Yes, of course, none can forgive their own sins unless alone the blood of JESUS CHRIST.
However, my concern is, can GOD forgive you unless you repent your sins? Or since we are saved by grace through faith, isn’t it possible for one to lose their faith in GOD? Knowing that salvation comes through faith, and that people can lose their faith, in that case, how can the this puzzle fit to the reasoning of not losing salvation? For example, take into an account, people who start believing in GOD, once saved, but in the long run lost their faith in GOD and started to go in opposite direction and eventually die in their sins without repenting. What happens?… I know those who believe in “Internal Security” would answer, referring to 1 John 2:19, those kind people were never saved. If they were once saved, they would have remained in their faith. Also they would say that, the blood of Jesus covers their sins before, and after; they would still inherit heaven because heaven is not determined by your works, only rewards in heaven are determined by works. I call that an empty logical reasoning not only because it lacks biblical authority or explanation, but it also contradicts, Ezekiel 18:24, Hebrews 6:4-8, the teachings of Jesus CHRIST, to name few. What is your stand behind this, and how do would you go about explaining such misunderstanding and misuse of the word “grace” in the term of salvation and forgiveness and rewards in heave? They often use two processes, “Justification and Sanctification” Can you still make it to heaven if you have Justification but lack sanctification by the time you die? or what if you lack justification but you are sanctified? Or does it take both, regardless whether have one or not? Thank you Best Regards
[Bible Answer and more Bible Answers] Greetings in Jesus’ name. It is a blessing to read that you can see some of the glaring problems with eternal security (or once saved always saved). We believe it is the devil’s best lie that he ever infiltrated into Bible believing circles! It is a glaring license to sin, but at times presented with a mixture of false converts and never saved to begin with, which confuses the issue for some of the unwary. Of course, the false convert has nothing to do with the issue of once saved always saved. One must be truly saved (not a false convert) to qualify for any salvation security! 1 John 2:19 is not related to this. Those referred to in that passage were false teachers who didn’t believe Jesus was the Christ (v. 22)! They were glaring NON Christians! (Don’t let them confuse the issue of OSAS by citing 1 John 2:19.)
To even get born again one must repent (Lk. 13:3,5; 2 Pet. 3:9; Gal. 5:24; etc.). After he has been saved, his saving faith can be destroyed, shipwrecked, etc. (Lk. 8:13; 1 Tim. 1:19; 2 Tim. 2:18; Rom. 11:19-22). There have been many lethal spiritual casualties over the centuries and all sin is not of the same degree.
GRACE has been twisted and distorted by their teachers to conform to the heresy of once saved always saved – shocking but true! In fact, they have even done the same with the gospel itself! That is clear proof that their eternal security teaching is another gospel and those who preach it (Charles Stanley, James White, etc.) are indicted by Gal. 1:8,9. The real grace of God is explicitly described in Titus 2:11,12 as: “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” The false grace of once saved always saved ALLOWS FOR and PERMITS ungodliness and worldly passions and salvation too! Furthermore, to be precise, eternal security teaching allows for sexual immorality and salvation, while the Bible does NOT (1 Cor. 6:9,10; Eph. 5:5-7; Rev. 21:8; Gal. 5:19-21; etc.). Once saved always saved teachers, under their perversion of the “sin unto death” teach one can die in heinous unrepentant sin and be taken to heaven in such wickedness! They have a double message, but proponents seem unaware of such as long as they can continue in such a false security in their sins. They are GRACE changers, which Christians are to contend against (Jude 3,4).
Regarding loss of rewards, it is totally unlike what the eternal security teachers declare! The only passage which deals with this subject in detail is Mt. 6:1-18. Loss of rewards, according to Jesus, occurs when a righteous act (praying, fasting or giving to the poor) is done with the wrong motive, that is, to be honored by man here and now. It has nothing to do with adultery, suicide, etc. as Charles Stanley and others say!
By teaching the lie of eternal security, the holy image of a Christian has been smeared and the sin-liberating power of the gospel has been destroyed to allow for a Christian, bound for heaven, who can disown Jesus, visit prostitutes like the prodigal, commit adultery and murder like David, turn to idolatry like Solomon, etc. Again, Rev. 21:8 is most clear, but those people want their ears tickled, rather than the stirring truth. The devil has done a good job and multitudes with Bibles in their hands remain on the road to hell believing they are bound for heaven!
Are you aware of our 801 page book, which thoroughly refutes eternal security? It will help you much better understand this salvation-related issue. It has over 700 footnotes, detailing the exact teachings of their leaders. If you are interested, you can order here. YES, I Want To Buy The Believer’s Conditional Security Eternal Security Refuted. We provide prompt shipment with FREE additional related materials. Remember, “We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.” (Heb 3:14)
