“Those who believe and are truly saved can lose their salvation by failing to keep up their faith, etc. All Arminians have not been agreed on this point; some have held that believers are eternally secure in Christ - that once a sinner is regenerated, he can never be lost”- Jacobus Arminius 1560-1609
“All who are chosen by God, redeemed by Christ, and given faith by the Spirit are eternally saved. They are kept in faith by the power of Almighty God and thus persevere to the end”. John Calvin 1509-1564
The doctrine of eternal security (sometimes called the preservation of the saints) is among the most controversial doctrines of the Christian faith. Godly men and women on both sides of the controversy have debated this subject throughout church history. Proponents of this doctrine argue that because we did nothing to save ourselves, we can do nothing to keep ourselves, ergo our security lies solely in the hands of God. Of course opponents of this doctrine respond with equal fervor - arguing that while we are saved by faith, it is up to us to remain saved through holy living. Should we return to a lifestyle of sin, we forfeit our salvation and run the risk of being eternally lost. Obviously both schools of thought cannot be right. Someone is wrong!
The purpose of this article is not to lambaste the belief of others nor argue whose right or wrong; but to state my position on the subject and proffer the biblical references that I believe support that position. This of course is in obedience to 1 peter 3:15, which admonishes us to always be ready to answer questions concerning our faith, in a gentle and respectful manner. Let me therefore state as gently as possible that I am a stanch supporter of eternal security. That’s right, I am one of those disfavored calvinist, who believes that the gift of salvation, once received, is forever and cannot be lost or forfeited.
If this comes as a surprise to some of you, believe me I understand your incredulity. After all I am the pastor of a foot stomping, drum banging, tambourine playing non- denominational church and belief in eternal security runs contrary to the ethos of many such persuasions. Nevertheless, doctrine must be based upon the revelation of God’s word and not upon any denominational creed. And so it is without reservation or compunction that I affirm my belief in eternal security. I believe that God has guaranteed through His written word that those who are saved and sanctified by His Holy Spirit cannot completely fall away but are eternally preserved by His unfailing mercy and unconquerable might.
But I have not always held this view. There was a time, long ago, when I criticized and rejected the doctrine of eternal security - labeling it as a doctrine of demons and judging its supporters to be carnal believers who cleverly manufactured this heresy to be used as a license to sin. But that has since changed. I suppose the obvious question is “how?” How did I come to this shameful end? How did I who once stood upon the lofty summit of Arminism, plummet to the depths of calvinism? How could I who was once enlighten, transverse to the dark side and embrace the much maligned doctrine of “once saved always saved?” Three factors precipitated my change of heart: I asked until it was given. I sought until I found. I knocked until the door was opened.
I ASKED UNTIL IT WAS GIVEN
The flame of spiritual knowledge is often ignited by the spark of curiosity. Is there life after death? By whose hand did the sun,moon and stars come into being? Is there a God and how can I know him? These questions and others of this ilk have started men on a quest for spiritual knowledge that have shaped our understanding of life, death and even God Himself. My quest to understand the gift of salvation, began with a question of equal erudition - “What good is a salvation that I have to keep?” A salvation that I have to struggle to hold on to is of no use to me. At times I grow weary and my confidence declines - My hope wavers and my persistence is prone to wane. What if the vicissitudes of life causes my grip on salvation to weaken. If salvation is beyond human achievement than certainly so great a gift cannot be trusted to human tenacity. I need a salvation that keeps me. A salvation that holds me with an indefatigable grip through the ups and downs, through my successes and failures. A salvation that is strong enough to keep me, when I am powerless to keep myself.
As a child I remember holding my mother’s hand as we stood at an intersection waiting for the light to change. For whatever reason, I decided I would pull away from my mother and dart across the street, dodging each moving vehicle until finally resting on the other side of the street in a rousing display of courage and agility. When I determined that the time was right, I loosened my grip and dashed toward the street. It was then that I learned that while I had let go of my mother’s hand, she had not let go of mine. I am here today because of my mother’s unshakable grip. This is the type of salvation I need. A salvation that will hold me fast and not let go. A salvation that will keep me when my grip weakens or when rebellion causes me to pull away. A salvation that holds me with one hand and chastises me with the other. Anything less than that is unavailing.
More Questions to ponder
My initial question, “What good is a salvation I have to keep?” seemly gave birth to a host of other questions such as: How does one lose his salvation? How does one know when he has lost his salvation? And Is our salvation so fragile that a signal sin can render it null and void? We all know that a lie of any color is a sin (Lev. 19:11). If therefore I tell a lie have I lost my salvation? And if not, how many lies do I have to tell before I lose my salvation? In addition to lying, the bible also states that no thief shall inherit the kingdom of God (1Cor. 6:10). If therefore I deliberately take some paper clips or an ink pen from my employer, have I then lost my salvation? Or is there a monetary threshold that has to be reached - Let’s say anything over one hundred dollars and our salvation suddenly goes kaput? Pardon my sardonicism, but you get my point. If it is up to us to stay saved, we need to know what actions threaten our salvation. Does a christian cease to be saved if he commits any type of sin, or is moral sin alone the forfeiter of salvation? Do we lose our salvation immediately following a sin or is there a delay from the time we sin to the time we cease to be saved? Furthermore, once our salvation has been lost, how do we get it back? Do we repent of our sin and immediately our salvation is restored? If so, that means that theoretically, we can be saved and lost several times a day. For me the prospect of such a salvation is frightening.
What good is a salvation that I can have one minute and loose the next, regain ten minutes later and then loose an hour later, regain the next day and then loose again several hours later in never ending episodes of now I have it now I don’t? If this is the case, how can any of us truly say we are saved? To say we are saved implies a finished work. It means we have been delivered from the guilt of sin (past tense), the power of sin (present tense) and the eternal penalty of sin (future tense). But if the threat of loosing our salvation continually hangs over our head like the proverbial sword of Damocles, than the best we can say is “ I don’t know if I’m saved.” “I think I’m saved.” “I hope to be saved”, or “I am trying to be saved.” The possibility of losing our salvation robs us of the assurance of salvation and credits our future glory, not to the grace of God, but to our ability to remain saved. This is a far cry from the salvation presented in scripture:
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast - Eph. 2:8
In response to my many questions concerning eternal security God gave me a fervency to know more about this precious unmerited gift known as salvation. My search lead me to where else but the lush green pastures of God’s word. There I found a wealth of precious passages and heart warming narratives that prove to my satisfaction, that the born again believer in Christ is not only saved but eternally safe. In part 2 of this article we will examine some of the passages that I believe supports the doctrine of eternal salvation.
