Eternal Insecurity

The doctrine of eternal security has been debated for centuries. Calvinists strongly defend it and Armenians just as strongly denounce it. I am not a theologian and I don't have a doctorate in anything. I do however have a basic knowledge of reading. I mean something either says something or it doesn't. Can you feel me? Seriously, if I write a sentence and say , "the sky is blue".
That is the total verbiage of my thoughts. Whaddya think? Do you think the sky is blue? Or maybe, you could just play around with it a little. Like, the sky is blue, unless clouds get in the way, and then it is kind of gray. Or maybe the sky is blue now, but tomorrow it may not be blue. Does that make you see things more clearly? I didn't think so. Some people are very dogmatic about this subject.

1. The most known and recited verse in the Bible
Jesus tells us in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish but have everlasting life."

Now, we could roll up our sleeves and begin to systematically dissect this verse and see what the original Greek words meant, or how many dangling participles there may be, or maybe even to see if "begotten" is used in the correct tense. I can't read anywhere in the Bible where it says to do all of that literary autopsy. Believe what you read if you are a Christian. I can understand sinners having problems understanding since they don't have the Holy Spirit inside their hearts to help guide them. But you Christians should really believe what your Lord and Savior says and not what your granddaddy said that he meant. That could be the root of the problem. Many people are rooted in their ancestry to such a level that whatever they said was true.

The only condition Jesus put in that verse was "that whosoever believeth in him". He added nothing else. So why do we? Well, it looks too easy. Well Pastor Cliff, it's just a license to sin. Both points well taken. Now take your seat please. It is very easy to say "I believe in Jesus". That is all well and good to say that. The catch is that you must believe it in your heart. It cannot just be lip service. Either you believe that He died for you and has to power to forgive your sins or you don't. You must take your pick. At the end of the day it doesn't matter how many banks your robbed, how many homes you burgled (yes that is a real word), or how many people you murdered. At that point the only thing that matters is 'what did you do with Jesus'. Your disbelief will send you to hell without parole, not all of the felolnies you were guilty of. Is that too hard to wrap your mind around?

Armenians believe that since salvation is not eternal, you can somewhere along the way lose it (your salvation that is). By losing it I mean having it taken from you from your Father in Heaven. Meaning, that since you were saved you have done something than didn't muster up to the standards. Meaning God's Grace is no longer sufficient for the hour. Without grace, we are looking at a salvation by works.
That's no good, read this:

2. Salvation is received by Grace alone (through faith)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph 2:8-9 ESV). Now I have the KJV'ers (those who won't talk to you about anything unless it's from the good ol' King James Version) up in arms at me. That was from the English Standard Version (my heretical genes are taking over again).

So let's see it from the KJV: 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 2:8-9 KJVR) . Says pretty much the same thing, won't you agree? So God is now an Indian Giver. Gives you a free gift and now wants it back. Taking away something that is impossible to earn (by God's own words) by you now not being deserving of this gift. Taking back eternal (which means forever) salvation, thus making it temporal. Interesting.

3. To Know or Not to Know

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Mat 7:23 KJVR)

Notice that He says "never knew you". He doesn't say "you once believed but then you stopped". He doesn't say "I used to know you but you have done some things which displease me so depart from me". He doesn't say "I used to know you but now I don't". How can you rationalize that verse with your Armenian brethren?

4. The Paternal Instincts
Listen, God is a father. I too am a father, and so are some of you who read this blog. "Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (Matt 7:9-11)

I don't know what kind of parent you are, but I wouldn't turn my back on any of my children, no matter what they did. I mean it! Some things can become ugly, but blood is thicker than water. God is about a billion times better as a parent than either you or I. If you were saved you have God's royal blood coursing through your veins. Be happy, be privileged, be confident in knowing you are going to heaven.

There are three things I want you to take with you when you finish reading this entry.

• God said "Eternal life"
• Eternal means without end
• God cannot lie

Remember we can always agree to disagree. But if you do not believe in eternal security, we have a discrepancy up on us. I know I am going to Heaven, but you will just have to wait and see.