[Personal Testimony of Backslider] I want to thank you [Evangelical Outreach] for all of your wonderfully thorough teachings focused on providing a comprehensive refutation to the dangerous false doctrine of eternal security [also known as OSAS and The Perseverance of the Saints in ostensibly Calvinistic circles] and I want to share a bit of my story with you.
A while back; I went through an agonizing break- up which ended my ebullience for God [including a great passion for scripture- I have a great breadth of theological and scriptural knowledge] and caused me to lose my salvation. Soon after, I experienced tortuous suicidal thoughts and an indefatigable proclivity to self-hatred. In the midst of all this, I was all committing a whole host of other sins as well including a horrible problem with lust; [Matthew 5:27-28]; which therefore made me an adulterer and thus guilty of sexual immorality according to 1 Cor 6:9-11, Gal 5:16-25, Eph 5:1-7, 1 Thess 4:3-8; Rev 21:6-8, Rev 22:15, etc. However, a miracle occurred much earlier this year when my time as a backslider came to end and I was saved again. I was instantly delivered from my sin addictions [Romans 6:19-23]; became fully sold out and committed to following the Lord Jesus and doing his will [Matthew 16:24-27]; experienced a radical change and became a new creation inChrist [2 Cor 5:17] and I have received peace and rest for my soul by going to the Lord Jesus [Matthew 11:28-30]. I am making every effort [Luke 13:22-24, Hebrews 12:14-17; etc] to enter through God’s kingdom door; and striving to keep myself pure [1 Timothy 4:15-16; 1 Timothy 5:22, etc] so that I can enter in after my physical death. Your website and teachings have been instrumental in keeping me on the right path after my return to salvation. Your ministry is one of very few that I fully trust. Truth be told, there is so much false teaching out there these days; even from people who purport to teach holiness and to reject OSAS!
For example: I recently had an e- mail exchange with a man who rejects OSAS; but denies that salvation can be lost through sin. Instead, he believes sin can only be lost if one chooses to disown Jesus or apostatize from the Christian faith. Although
disowning Jesus will certainly cause one to lose his or her salvation [Matthew
10:32-33; 2 Timothy 2:12, etc]; to deny that sin can also [in certain cases immediately, and other cases much more gradually] is to pervert God’s grace into a license for immorality [which we are commanded to contend against in Jude 3-4 among various other places in scripture]; and to make one guilty of disseminating another gospel according to 1 Cor 15:1-2; Gal 1:6-9, 2 Jn 8-9, etc. Therefore, even if he was once saved; he is now lost again for teaching and believing another gospel. This is a supposedly Bible College/Seminary- educated man; which only makes me fear for the poor spiritual state of our institutions of theological learning today, including [but obviously not limited to] the ones that say they reject the false teaching of eternal security!
Thank you for helping me to know the truth and to act upon it for my soul’s sake
[James 1:21- 25, etc]; and I ask that you would continue to pray for my spiritual
well-being and growth. And long may your mighty ministry of soul- winning and no-nonsense holiness preaching continue. God bless you. Remember Hebrews 3:7-15.
[Bible Answer] Dear Brother ___, your gracious testimony and kind words made our hearts leap for joy! It was very kind of you to share what happened and your sound bible-based beliefs. (Many ministry friends don’t tell us how we have helped them.) Your renewed freedom from sin’s addiction and slavery and radical change to holiness are WONDERFUL! THANK YOU JESUS. We rejoice with you. The real gospel still works when a person sincerely and humbly accepts it to repent and serve God.
The intensity of our spiritual warfare is great and the casualties are greater! Many are back on the road to hell again, but think they are irrevocably bound for heaven because of the demonic LIE of eternal security. We were just talking with a staunch OSAS proponent yesterday who thinks there are Christian heroin junkies, but that goes with that license for sin doctrine, as you know.
It was also great to read that you have observed the nonsense and poison coming from many so-called holiness preachers of our day and those who say they reject once saved always saved! In that regard, Charles Finney was NOT nearly as sound as what many have been told about him. Also, David Wilkerson doctrinally apostatized in his latter years and left his church to Carter Conlon, an eternal security teacher! SHOCKING AND HORRIBLE, but they continue to be exalted! Our days are dark and our hearts especially go out to new converts, who need fed and warned of the many spiritual dangers around.
We will pray for you and send you holy hugs in Jesus. Please remember, the devil’s single goal for you is to damn you to hell! Take no chances with your soul. Also, never forget that you have the best this life can offer BECAUSE YOU HAVE JESUS, who is eternal life (1 John 1:2).
