There are two words that are floating around religious circles in this day and age that I believe are very detrimental to a soul of a man if they take these words to heart and claim it as a biblical truth. Those two words are Eternal Security.

 

It is a false claim that is being made by many of our Churches of today that has been bought and believed by many honest, unknowing people that just takes whatever the preacher says to heart.

 

This is a fabrication or clever invention that I and many other men of God like me believe that was formed directly in the bowels of Hell by the devil, the father of liars himself to accomplish exactly what it has been doing. To lead men and women astray from the true foundation of making heaven their home and that is bible holiness, not eternal security sinfulness.

 

Many will disagree with me on this matter and I am fully prepared to take any criticism as long as you promise to soulfully and prayerfully search the scriptures with me on the topic. If after the lesson you can biblically prove me wrong I will be more than willing to accept the truth, but I will not accept anything less than the word of God.

 

I do understand that one verse of scripture is sufficient to form a bible doctrine, but I also realize that some doctrines are formed from one verse that is taken out of context. So it is my wish with the help and the grace of God to biblically and biblically only prove that Eternal Security is not a true bible doctrine, but a scheme by the devil to lead souls into Eternal Hell not Eternal Security.

 

1.) Parables of Jesus that show the possibility of backsliding:

 

(A) The sower of the seed. (Matthew 13:1-23 “20-21”;

Luke 8:4-15 “13”)

We all know that the seed is the word of God and the word we believe is Christ and Matthew says that they where some that received the word with joy and endured or were saved for a while, but then troubles and persecutions arose and they where offended.

 

The word offended in the Greek means:

4624 skandalizo (skan-dal-id'-zo) ("scandalize");

[Transitively] or entice to sin, apostasy or displeasure):

KJV-- (make to) offend.

So this means that they where once Christians but troubles and persecutions enticed them back to sin or apostasy means to desert or abandon ones religious belief or principle, so they deserted Christ which to me means backsliding or falling from grace.

 

Luke literally says that they once believed and then in time of trouble they fell away.

 

What else could they be speaking of other than someone once being saved and now due to sin they are not?

 

(B) The Vine and Branches. (John 15:1-8 “V.2” “V.8”)

Verse two tells us that the branches that that are in the vine of Christ that don’t bear fruit God the husbandman takes it away or cuts it off.

 

In other words the men and women that accept Christ as their savior but does not bear the fruit of a Christian or live the life acceptable to God and his son are cut off from the vine.

 

Verse six says that the ones that don’t abide in Christ are cast into the fire and burned.

 

Other words for abide are to stay, remain, or remain faithful. So this verse tells us that it is possible not to stay in Christ, and even possible not to remain faithful to Christ, and the consequences are being cast into Hell.

 

(C) The Lost Sheep. (Matthew 18:12-14)

The man in this parable is Jesus our great shepherd and we see that the sheep was at one time with the shepherd but is now gone astray or is lost. But we also see that he was brought back.

 

Now some would argue that the sheep was secure for he was still called a sheep holds no water, because we have to relate the parables to that day and age. And in that time it was very dangerous for a sheep to get away from the shepherd for the danger of being devoured by the enemy the lions and bears and such like.

 

It is very important today that we stay with our shepherd Jesus for if we stray from him we are lost sheep and are in danger of being devoured by the devil.

 

As a sheep without its shepherd is not secure, neither is a person that is not in the will of Christ.

 

This clearly points out that the sheep was once safe guarded by the shepherd but then strayed away into the danger that it came from.

 

In Luke 15:4-7 the same story is told but Jesus goes on further to say that likewise or just as the parable there will be more joy in heaven over the one sinner or lost sheep that was once in the fold than there will for the 99 that stayed faithful and needed no repentance.

 

(D) The Fruitless Fig Tree. (Luke 13:6-9)

This parable sets forth the same truth that the one of the fruitless vine does. But with a closer look we can see another truth in it as well.

 

Some may think that we are without mistakes or without error, but I don’t believe that is true. And I think that this parable shows us that God has patience with his people to a certain extent.

 

He had come for three years to get figs off the tree and it never gave any. So he asked the dresser why he was allowing the land to lay waste, and told him to cut down the tree.  But the dresser asks him to give it another year and then if it didn’t bear fruit they would cut it down.

 

God is like that with us many times. We make our mistakes and he forgives them but it is the ones that he comes and sees on our tree year after year that he cuts us down for.

 

All part of forgiveness is forsaking the sin and not allowing it to bloom again. But if God continues to see the poisonous fruit he will cut down the tree.

 

I am not a teacher of the belief that we have to be perfect in human standards for we all will have bad days, make mistakes and such like. But we are not permitted to continue in the life style that the bible calls sin and call ourselves Christians.

 

(E) The Ten Virgins. (Matthew 25:1-13)

We can see that all ten of the virgins had their lights and their oil and they where ready to meet the bridegroom. Or in other words they were all ten saved and had the light of Christ burning within them. But the bridegroom tarried and there was more oil required than what they got at first - 5 had enough but 5 didn’t.

 

The 5 that didn’t have enough oil reminds me of the ones that get saved and come to church just every now and then, they never read their bibles, never pray. They believe that since they were saved that is all that they need. But we need fresh anoitings, or refilling from time to time with the oil of God.

 

We see a lot of people that depend on a child’s baptism, or being saved a earlier age but never being committed, but that ain’t going to do it. You had better make sure that your oil doesn’t run out.

 

At one time they were prepared but now they are standing without crying lord, lord.

 

 

2.) Some Did Backslide:

The second point that I want to make in our study of Eternal Security is to prove biblically that some men and women in the bible did in fact backslide.

 

(A) Peter (Matthew 26:69-75;)

These verses tell us point blank that Peter lied, cussed and denied Christ, and one that does those things could not ever be considered a Christian.

 

We have ample biblical proof that Peter was once a Christian or follower of Christ in Matthew 4:18-20, Mark 1:16-18, Luke 5:10-11. We see that in each of these passages that Peter and the others had to forsake what they had and follow Jesus, what do we do when we get saved? Forsake our sins and follow Christ, right! So we could most definitely say Peter was a Christian.

 

So when he lied, denied, and cussed Christ that would have made him a backslider.

 

We all know that in Matthew 26:34 that Jesus prophesied that Peter would deny him three times before the night was out, but we can also see in Luke 22:32 that Jesus also prophesied his conversion. Doesn’t it make sense that if he knew he was going to fall that he would also know that he would be reconverted.

 

Jesus was telling Peter that the devil wanted to shift Peter as wheat, but he was going to pray that his faith would not fail him, for if he kept his faith that Jesus was the Christ there would always be the possibility of recovering.

 

It is my thought that we can read of Peter’s conversion back to Christ in John 21:7.

 

Peter had went back to his old ways again and was not profiting much but they saw Jesus standing on the shore and John told Peter it was Jesus Peter jumped out of the boat and ran to Jesus. In other words he forsake what he was doing to go back to Christ.

 

This shows us that we can backslide and also be reconverted again.

 

(B) Judas (Matthew 26:47-50)

We can make the same argument about Judas that we did Peter. Judas was called of Christ to be his disciple in Matthew 10:2-4, Luke 6:13,16,

In Acts 1:17 Luke says that he was one of them and obtained part of the ministry.

 

In Mark 3:14-19 says that he ordained twelve and gave them all the same powers and Judas was named among them.

 

If he had not been a Christian I do not believe that Christ would have used him in this manner. So we can plainly see that Judas was a Christian.

 

But we can also see biblically that Judas fell because of transgression. If Judas was not allowed to carry on as a follower of Christ because he sinned, why do we believe that we should be able to today?

 

The bible plainly states that he fell or in the Greek it says to go contrary to, it does not say that he just felt dirty or bad but that he fell or went against God because he sinned.

 

(C) Hymaenaeus and Alexander ( 1 Timothy 1:19-20)

Paul was charging Timothy to stay in good standing with God and his word, and gives him examples of ones that threw it away.

1 Timothy 1:19  PP5

Who had the faith but thrust it away; who had a good conscience through believing, but made shipwreck of it. Hence, we find that all this was not only possible, but did actually take place, though some have endeavoured to maintain the contrary; who, confounding eternity with a state of probation, have supposed that if a man once enter into the grace of God in this life, he must necessarily continue in it to all eternity. Thousands of texts and thousands of facts refute this doctrine.

(from Adam Clarke Commentary)

 

If Time would permit I could give you others that once served God but deserted the faith, but these are sufficient enough to prove that it is possible to fall back into sin after conversion.

  

We talked last week about the parables that prove the possibility of falling from the grace of God or backsliding. And we also saw the a few people in the word of God that had actually backslide.

 

Tonight I want to look at some more verse of God’s infallible word and prove not by opinion but by fact that Eternal Security is not a bible teaching.

 

 

3.) Scripture proof of possible backsliding:

 

 A.) Ezekiel 18: 20-26

We see right off that it tells us that the soul that sinneth shall die. This verse also tells us that righteousness of the righteous will be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him. In other words for each his own, we will have no one to blame.

 

V.21-22 gives the sinner hope though because it gives them the promise that if they turn from their sins and do  what is lawful and right ( blood redemption was not yet available) he shall not die but live, and his sins will not be mentioned but only the righteousness that he done or lived after he turned from sin.

 

V.24, 26 lets us know that it is very possible that a righteous man to turn from his righteousness and go back to sinning. Or Ezekiel says; doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth.

 

V.26 tells us that a man that was once righteous but turned back to iniquity died in that state then he dies in his sins.

 

Ezekiel says that just like the sins will not be mentioned about the one that turned from his sinful ways, neither will the righteousness of the ones that turned on God and went back to sin.

 

If it was not possible for a righteous man to fall from Gods grace back into a life of sin, then why did God tell Ezekiel to warn the people in Ezekiel 3:20-21

 

B.) Ezekiel 33: 12-13, 18

God is telling Ezekiel to warn or tell his people that the past good that they had done will not stand good for the iniquity that they are now committing.

 

God wanted the people to be aware that if any man trusted his past righteousness to cover or protect him in his present sinful state he was dead wrong, because his sins will be remembered not his past righteousness.

 

When we go into the judgment God does not see the condition that you were in when you were such in such an age but he sees the condition that you are in at the present time. That is why it is important not to lay on the past or try and live in the future but take it one day at a time.

 

C.) Romans 11:20-21

We learned last week that we are the branches on the vine of Christ and God is the husband that prunes the vine and verse 17 says that some of the branches have been cut off, why because of unbelief and a Christian must stand by faith.

 

You have to believe before you can be a Christian but when they lost their faith they where cut off of the branch.

 

We need to take heed that we are not cut off as these were.

 

D. 1 Corinthians 9:27

As great a man of God that Paul was he realized that he could backslide.

 

The word castaway in the Greek is adokimos (ad-ok'-ee-mos); and it means to be rejected or unapproved, to be considered unworthy.

 

So Paul was in full understanding that if he didn’t finish the Christian race that he could be rejected or considered unworthy of heaven by God.

 

E.) Galatians 5:1-9

Paul is talking to a group of people that had received Christ but they were trying to incorporate the law in with Grace. He tells them that Christ has set them free of bondage so don’t get tangled back up in it, (V.1) because if they did Christ meant nothing to them, and he said that they had fallen from Grace.

 

They could not hold on to the law and still have grace.

 

Still thousands of years later the words ring clear that you can not be entangled in the world and have Christ, for if you are in the world you have fallen from Grace.

 

Paul goes on to say in verse 7 that they did well for a while and he was wondering who had hindered them that they should stray from the truth.

 

And in verse 8 he says that this persuasion is not from the one that called them.

 

Verse 9 says that a little leaven will leaveneth the whole lump. Or in other words a little false doctrine will corrupt the entire soul if not corrected.

 

F.) 1 Thessalonians 3:5

I have proven to you before in the 1^st chapter of 1^st Thessalonians that these people that Paul was writing to were Christians or saved.

 

So in 3:5 he tells them that he sent Timothy unto them because he was worried about how that they were doing spiritually for he realized that the devil would be after them.

 

If a person was still a Christian after they fell to the devil through his temptations, then why did Paul worry about those Christians at Thessalonica, and wondered if his labor in getting them was in vain?

 

Because Paul knew that it was not enough to start the race but they had to finish.

 

G.) Hebrews 3:6,12,14

V. 6,14 tell us that we are partakers of Christ if we hold on to our confidence unto the end.

V.12 says that that any that has a evil heart of unbelief is departed from the living God.

 

H.) Hebrews 4:11

We are encouraged here to labor until we enter into our rest, so that we don’t fall as some did to unbelief or my bible says disobedience.

 

V.1 says that we should fear so that none will fall short.

 

If we were eternally secure how in the world could we fall short of heaven.

 

 

I.) Hebrews 12:15

It says here to be careful, constantly be on guard that you don’t fall from the grace of God which is salvation.

 

The reason for the fall was the root of bitterness. The Hebrews called any plant that was poisonous bitter, and if it is taken in will trouble you.

 

If we are not careful we can very easily spiritually digest the bitter root of false doctrines that will hinder us to the point of backsliding.

 

Ever sense the beginning of time lies and false teachings have cost man a complete relationship with God.

 

J.) James 5:19-20

James says if any one does err from the truth - why would he ask such a question if it was impossible to do such, needs a second conversion, or needs to be saved again.

 

K.) 2 Peter 2:20-22

Peter also admits that it is possible to be freed from sin and then get back entangled to it.

 

It is like a dog turning to his own vomit.

Here is a sad proof of the possibility of falling from grace, and from very high degrees of it too. These had escaped from the contagion that was in the world; they had had true repentance, and cast up "their sour-sweet morsel of sin;" they had been washed from all their filthiness, and this must have been through the blood of the Lamb; yet, after all, they went back, got entangled with their old sins, swallowed down their formerly rejected lusts, and re-wallowed in the mire of corruption. It is no wonder that God should say, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning: reason and nature say it must be so; and divine justice says it ought to be so; and the person himself must confess that it is right that it should be so. But how dreadful is this state! How dangerous when the person has abandoned himself to his old sins! Yet it is not said that it is impossible for him to return to his Maker; though his case be deplorable, it is not utterly hopeless; the leper may yet be made clean, and the dead may be raised. Reader, is thy backsliding a grief and burden to thee? Then thou art not far from the kingdom of God; believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved. (from Adam Clarke Commentary)

It is harder for a man or woman to come back to Christ than it is to come the first time.

 

L.) Revelations 3:14-16

We are either lost or saved, saint or sinner. There is no middle ground.

 

Either we live totally for God or we live totally in sin.

 

We can not serve God and mammon.

 

 

4.) Saving faith and obedience are linked together:

 

A.) Matthew 24:13

The ones that stay true to God through whatever may come up on them are going to be the ones that are saved.

 

Not the ones that are here and there spiritually, use God as a sparer tire, live like the devil except on Sundays. These will be cast into the lake of fire.

 

B.) Romans 2:6-11

We are told that by our deed we are judged and if we are obedient and do good deeds and continue in Christ then we get eternal life.

 

But failure to continue will bring and goes back to doing evil they get punishment.

 

God is no respect of person, so it is impossible for him to take one to heaven and send one to Hell for the same act.

 

C.) Romans 6:1-2

When we gain life through Christ we die out to sin. So if one continues in sin that is proof that they are not a Christian.

 

D.) 6:12-16

The proof of being a Christian is the life that one lives. And if you are yielding your service to the devil then you are of the devil.

 

Paul ask if we should live in sin since we are under grace and he answers God forbid.

 

That should be proof enough right there.

 

V.22 says that we are now free from sin and we became servants of God and our fruits will be unto holiness, not sinfulness.

 

E.) 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Don’t be fooled, there will be no sin to enter into the Kingdom of God. Any that that does such is left out.

 

F.) Galatians 6:7-8

Don’t allow anyone tell you any different, one that lives like the world will receive the wages of the world, death, (Romans 6:23) And the one that lives for Christ shall receive everlasting life in Heaven.

 

G.) James 2:14-26

You can claim to believe in Christ all that you want, but if you are truly one of his you will have works of righteousness to go along with your profession of faith.

 

H.) 1 John 3:6-10

These verses are very detrimental to any advocate of Eternal Security.

 

It tells us that whoever sins don’t know God right from the get go. We are told that whosoever sins are of the devil for the devil is the father of all sin.

 

John says that the purpose for Christ Jesus was to destroy the works of sin. So if he was sent to destroy sins works, why would we be allowed to continue to live in sin and follow him.

 

Verse 9 says that he that is borned of God does not commit sin. And it goes on to say that the one that is borned of God cannot sin. Does that mean that we are perfect? No.

I Jn 3:9

9          No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.

(NIV)

What is being said here in my opinion is he that is born of God will have the nature of God in his heart and will not have the desire to sin but do righteousness.

 

As long as the seed of God remains in use sin will not be present, but as soon as sin arrives God does to.

 

H.) 1 John 3:6-10 continued:

Verse 10 says that the children of God are manifested by a righteous life, manifest means clear, evident or unmistakable.

 

And the children of the devil are evident, or unmistakable by the acts that they commit as well.

 

WE know the sinner by the sin that they do, and the righteous by their righteousness.

I Jn 3:10

10        By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.

(NAS)

I Jn 3:10

10        This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

(NIV)

I Jn 3:10

10        By this it may be seen who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not do right is not of God, nor he who does not love his brother.

(RSV)

I Jn 3:10

10        So now we can tell who is a child of God and who belongs to Satan. Whoever is living a life of sin and doesn't love his brother shows that he is not in God's family;

(TLB)

 

 

5.) Explanation of certain text supporting Eternal Security:

 

A.) John 10:28-29

We are all well aware that no man is able to snatch us away from God but, if we will allow it to, sin will separate us from him.

 

Read Matt. 7:21-23 and Hebrews 12:14

 

B.) Romans 7:14

All through this chapter Paul is showing a before and after picture of a man’s soul.

 

He is showing us the insufficiency of the law compared to grace. The law revived sin the gospel cured it. And he is here saying that before grace he was in bondage to sin.

 

C.) Romans 8:35-39

Just as we know that man cannot separate us from God neither can any of these things as long as we allow God to be in control.

 

As mere men we are unable to overcome all of these things, but with God all things are possible, Matt. 19:26

 

We so often see people lose their soul over such problems as these because they chose not to follow God.

 

We accept Christ voluntarily, and we can also reject him by another voluntary act.

 

God will never leave you or forsake you, he will never lead you down a path of sin, but we can chose to take our own paths and leave him. But this will be the only way that we can be separated. 

 

D.) 1 Timothy 1:15

Many people want us to think that Paul was saying that he was still a sinner. But really what he was doing was to try and get the pagan people that he was talking with to realize that if God sent Christ to save a sinner as bad as he was, he is just to do the same for them.

Read verse 12-16

 

 

*The above notes are from Pastor Anthony Molihan’s teaching regarding Lessons on the False Claim of Eternal Security taught during several Wednesday night services during the Fall 2005 at Stanton First Church of God.