Apostasy: Should've Seen It Coming...

A few nights ago, upon revisiting a certain blog, I was surprised to see that the author had become an Atheist since I'd last visited! Apparently, his de-conversion came on the heels of me first visiting his blog and corresponding with him via email. As you might imagine, when I returned to his blog to see how he was doing, I was horrified to see him deny the very existence of God!

Having been an Atheist prior to my conversion, I know the darkness and hopelessness that accompanies that worldview. It's a place I could never see myself returning to again. My whole rejection of theism in general was that I thought there was no evidence for God's existence.

After being a Christian for 9 years, I now know that I was previously blind to all the evidence of God's existence. Now see it all around me. After having known God -or rather, being known of Him- I cannot fathom what it would be like to claim He does not exist. For me to ever say that would be as much of a lie as me trying to claim I never knew my mother, or my wife and children!

To see this bright young man openly denying the existence of God; to read his writings about how liberated he feels since casting off Christianity, it truly hurt me to the core. Hundreds of questions raced through my mind. As I read through some of his recent articles, it almost brought me to tears.

As I sat there mourning and mulling over this fellow's apostasy, I decided to conduct a cursory reading of his entire blog archive to see if I could find anything to help explain what happened to him. What I found was quite interesting.

His family religious background was Roman Catholicism. After his "conversion", he gets wrapped up with somewhat cultic denomination that largely teaches against Sola Fide. Then I saw where he's being influenced by Brian McClaren and the Emergent movement. Not long after that, I found him flirting with -and then embracing- Universalism! From there I see him jumping on every wind of doctrine and questioning foundational truths. It even seemed like he was being drawn to a different movement with each passing month.

Finally I got to the root of the problem: Theodicy, also known as "the problem of evil." In fact he finally admits, "I am no longer a Christian because I cannot reconcile the existence of a loving God with the superfluous nature of evil in our world. "

Is that it? Is this topic such a horribly difficult problem that it can overthrow the faith of a Saint in whom the Holy Spirit is supposed to dwell?

The problem of evil is indeed a big problem for human beings outside of Christ, but I assure you, evil is no problem for God! Not a sparrow falls from the sky apart from the Father's will and we can be certain that not one sin occurs in this Universe that's outside of God's sovereign control. Moreover, there's not one sin that God will ultimately fail to judge and punish!

Can we as Christian be so faithless as to think that just because God doesn't eradicate suffering and evil -according to our desires- that He therefore must not exist? Where were we when God framed the Heavens? Are we His councilors? Does God have to dance to our tune?

The way I see it, what we have in this case is a man who decided to judge God according to his flawed human abstraction of "good" instead of trusting that God is in control. Because this man could not reconcile his abstraction with how God runs the Universe, he takes it upon himself to decide that God doesn't exist. My reply to such thinking is summed up well by the words of C. S. Lewis:

"A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship him than a lunatic can put out the Sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell."(1)

I know my non-Calvinist friends might disagree, but as I read through the articles of this apostate blogger, what I see is a false convert. I see somebody who never had the enduring, saving faith that enables a Christian not only to deal with theodicy, but die for the faith if God wills it.

Had I read through his entire blog a few months ago when I first found it, I probably would have been able to predict what was going to happen. The one or two articles I read back when I first visited didn't have anything in them that caught my attention, but had I read more I would've seen that the marks of unbelief were there all along.

This man may have been converted to "Christianity", but I'm certain he never really knew Christ...

"They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us." (1 Jn 2:19 ESV)

(For more information on theodicy, I recommend getting a copy of God and Evil: The Problem Solved, by Gordan H. Clark. and also listening to Albert Molher discuss the issue on his radio program.)



Notes:

1. C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain, p. 41. Quoted in Tabletalk, Jan '08

Image to the left above is the Greek word for atheist, linked back to the wikipedia page where I found it.

Perseverance: Not a License to Sin!

Another helpful clip from the Amazing Grace DVD.



Hopefully you will see that true Calvinists are not teaching the modern version of "Once Saved Always Saved" -that a Christian is free to live like the devil and have hope of Heaven. It's also worth noting the similarities of the Arminian and Roman Catholic teachings on this issue.

Are You Really Saved?

Some have taught that Christians should never question their salvation, but the Scripture speaks otherwise. I believe when one surveys the modern Evangelical Community, there's many reasons to question if many who profess to be Christians are in fact born of the Spirit at all.

It wasn't all that long ago that a woman confessed to me that she thought she had been saved for many years, but in fact, she now knows that it was only recently that she truly repented of her sins and trusted in Christ alone to save her! All that time she was lost, but assumed she was saved!!!

What about you dear reader? Have you been called by Christ? Are you one of Christ's sheep? To state it more plainly: Are you truly saved?

With this thought in mind, I encourage you to visit Living Waters and listen to an online sermon entitled "True and False Conversion" by Evangelist Ray Comfort.

Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. (2 Peter 1:10 ESV)

Augustine on Foreknowledge and Predestination

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Romans 8:29 ESV

Often we hear that when Paul says God "foreknew" those whom He predestined, it meant that God simply knew that in the future some would choose to follow Christ and then predestined them accordingly.

Aurelius Augustine of Hippo (354-430 A.D.), in his On the Gift of Perseverance, saw things quite differently. The extensive quote below comes from chapter 47 of his treatise:

"These gifts, therefore, of God, which are given to the elect who are called according to God’s purpose, among which gifts is both the beginning of belief and perseverance in the faith to the termination of this life, as I have proved by such a concurrent testimony of reasons and authorities,--these gifts of God, I say, if there is no such predestination as I am maintaining, are not foreknown by God. But they are foreknown. This, therefore, is the predestination which I maintain. [XVIII.] Consequently sometimes the same predestination is signified also under the name of foreknowledge; as says the apostle, “God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew.” [Rom. xi. 2] Here, when he says, “He foreknew,” the sense is not rightly understood except as “He predestinated,” as is shown by the context of the passage itself.

For he was speaking of the remnant of the Jews which were saved, while the rest perished. For above he had said that the prophet had declared to Israel, “All day long I have stretched forth my hands to an unbelieving and a gainsaying people.” [Rom. x. 21 et seq.] And as if it were answered, What, then, has become of the promises of God to Israel? he added in continuation, “I say, then, has God cast away His people? God forbid! for I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.” Then he added the words which I am now treating: “God hath not cast away His people whom He foreknew.”

And in order to show that the remnant had been left by God’s grace, not by any merits of their works, he went on to add, “Know ye not what the Scripture saith in Elias, in what way he maketh intercession with God against Israel?” [Rom. xi. 4 et seq.] and the rest. “But what,” says he, “saith the answer of God unto him? `I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee before Baal.’” [Rom. xi. 5] For He says not, “There are left to me,” or “They have reserved themselves to me,” but, “I have reserved to myself.” “Even so, then, at this present time also there is made a remnant by the election of grace. And if of grace, then it is no more by works; otherwise grace is no more grace.”

And connecting this with what I have above quoted, “What then?” [Rom. xi. 7] and in answer to this inquiry, he says, “Israel hath not obtained that which he was seeking for, but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.” Therefore, in the election, and in this remnant which were made so by the election of grace, he wished to be understood the people which God did not reject, because He foreknew them. This is that election by which He elected those, whom He willed, in Christ before the foundation of the world, that they should be holy and without spot in His sight, in love, predestinating them unto the adoption of sons.

No one, therefore, who understands these things is permitted to doubt that, when the apostle says, “God hath not cast away His people whom He foreknew,” He intended to signify predestination. For He foreknew the remnant which He should make so according to the election of grace. That is, therefore, He predestinated them; for without doubt He foreknew if He predestinated; but to have predestinated is to have foreknown that which He should do."

Soli Deo Gloria!

Picture from Wikipedia.

What is There to Fear for the Calvinist?

Some Christians believe that the Reformed doctrine of Perseverance will lead to sinful living because a Calvinist "has nothing to fear."

That's not true...

R.L. Dabney explains:

"In conclusion, we believe that all the supposed licentious results of the doctrine of perseverance result from misapprehension; and that its true tendencies are eminently encouraging and sanctifying. (a.) How can the intelligent Bible Christian be encouraged to sin, by a doctrine which assures him of a perseverance in holiness, if he is a true believer? (b.) So far as a rational self–love is a proper motive for a sanctified mind, this doctrine leaves it in full force; because when the Arminian would be led by a backsliding, to fear he had fallen from grace, the Calvinist would be led, just as much to fear he never had had any grace; a fear much more wholesome and searching than the erring Arminian’s.

For this alarmed Calvinist would see, that, while he had been flattering himself he was advancing heavenward he was, in fact, all the time in the high road to hell; and so now, if he would not be damned, he must make a new beginning, and lay better foundations than his old ones (not like the alarmed Arminian, merely set about repairing the same old ones). (c.) Certainty of success, condition on honest efforts, is the very best stimulus to active exertion. Witness the skillful general encouraging his army. (d.) Last: Such a gift of redemption as the Calvinist represents is far nobler and more gracious’ and hence elicits more love and gratitude, which are the noblest motives, the strongest and best.

Just so far as the Calvinist is enabled scripturally to hope that he is now born again, he is, to that extent, entitled to hope that his triumph is sure; that death and hell are disarmed, and that his heaven is awaiting his efforts. To him who knows the weakness of the human heart, and the power of our spiritual enemies, the Arminian’s adoption, beset by the constant liability to fall, would bring little consolation indeed. It is love and confidence, not selfish fear, which most effectually stimulates Christian effort. Let the student see how St. Paul puts this in (1 Cor. 15:58)."

From Systematic Theology, by R.L. Dabney. Ch 26.

Will Christ Know You?

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness." (Mat 7:21-23 ESV)

Friend, I don't know about you, but to me this is one of the most ominous passages of Scripture in the Bible! To think that a person might live out their days, believing they are a Christian, only to eventually hear Christ say "I never knew you; depart from me you worker of lawlessness" ought to cause all of us to "be all the more diligent to make [our] calling and election sure"! (2 Pet 1:10 ESV) It matters not to me whether ye be a pastor or a youth group member, the Bible is clear that you should "examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith" (2 Cor 13:5 ESV).

As a Calvinist, some might wonder why I would even bring up such a scary passage of Scripture. I mean, after all, isn't this a proof-text against our understanding of Perseverance? Doesn't this prove that true Christians can be truly saved and later forfeit their Salvation and be cast away at the judgment? No. I don't believe so...

One thing about this passage that I want to call your attention to, is that Jesus says that He will tell the workers of lawlessness "I never knew you." For Christ to say this is very interesting. As God, we know that He actually has perfect knowledge of all sinners and saints that have ever lived, or that will ever live. When Christ tells them that He "never knew" them, the type of knowledge in which He is speaking cannot possibly be the knowledge in which He has from Omniscience, or else Christ would be lying. Therefore, Christ must be speaking in some other sense of the word.

Have a look at John 10: 14-15. Jesus said:

"I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep."

Here we see Christ proclaim that he KNOWS His sheep and that His sheep KNOW Him. The Greek word for "know" in these verses is "ginōsko." Strong's Concordance defines it as "to 'know' (absolutely), in a great variety of applications and with many implications." Our Lord takes things even further when He says that that this mutual knowledge is "just as the Father knows me and I know the Father." This is obviously speaking of a close relationship, and a very intimate realtionship at that.

Those who believe that the "workers of lawlessness" in Matthew 7 were at one time true Christians, now have a problem. When Jesus tells them "I never knew you," the word for "know" is the very same Greek word used in John 10: 14. In addition, the problem is multiplied when we understand that the word for "never" is the Greek word "oudepote" which Strong's defines as meaning "not even at any time, that is, never at all: - neither at any time, never, nothing at any time." In essense, Christ is saying is "Never at any time -never at all- did I know (have a close intimate relationship with) you, depart from me you workers of lawlessness."

If in John 10, Christ says, that He knows His sheep and His sheep know him, I ask now (as I have asked in previous articles): Can Christ lie? Is there duplicity in the Godhead? If these people had ever been a part of Christ's flock, would Christ be able to tell them that He never at any time knew them at all? Obviously not. He would have to say "I once knew you, but now I do not" or "I knew you at one time, but I forgot you."

By examining the Greek words in these passages, we see that the people who Christ will tell to depart are those within the visible church that profess to know Christ, but were never Born Again. Had they been one of His sheep, He would know them on that day. Had they truly known Christ they would have followed Him (John 10:27) and would not have been "workers of lawlessness."

Now, I want to draw your attention to John 10: 27-28, where our Lord says:

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

As I have noted in a previous article, Christ clearly teaches that a person whom He knows (ginōskō) will follow Him and they will "never perish". The Greek word for "never" in this verse is a bit different from the word used in Matthew 7: 21-23. Here the Greek word is "oo may." Strong's Concordance defines the word as "a double negative strengthening the denial; not at all: - any more, at all, by any (no) means, neither, never, no (at all), in no case (wise), nor ever, not (at all, in any wise)." Here Christ is telling us that it is utterly impossible for one of His sheep to perish.

When we compare Matthew 7: 12-23 to the passages I cited from John 10, we can clearly see that the truly redeemed cannot perish. Those who will be told to depart were never known to Christ in the sense of having a New Covenant relationship with Him. For Christ to tell a single one of His sheep to depart, would be for Him to contradict everything He says in John 10: 27 & 28. It would also contradict what He says in John 6:37, because there he plainly declares "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never [oo may] cast out."

Dear reader, I now ask you: Does Christ know you? Do you know Christ? Will Christ know you on that Day? If so, your life will demonstrate it. You will follow Him; you will obey Him; you will do His Father's will; you will abide in Him! If you are in Him and He is in you, you can be assured that you will never perish. If He knows you today, He will know you then. If you are a pretender; if you are a worker of lawlessness hiding behind your outward show of "good works," you are not fooling Christ and on that day he will surely say unto you "I never knew you, depart from me you worker lawlessness."

How do we know that we know Christ? That's simple. The Apostle John has addressed this question also:

"And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked." (1 John 2:3-6 ESV)

Soli Deo Gloria!

Thoughts on Conditional Security and Predestination

As I am able, I plan to continue pointing to reasons why I believe that a true Saint of God cannot forfeit his/her Salvation. In this article I want to write about a controversial, but Biblical, doctrine known as "Predestination."

The passage I want to look at today is one that I would often skip over -or explain away- back when I was an Arminian. The passage is Romans 8: 29 & 30 (ESV):

29. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Notice if you will that this passage says "those WHOM [God] foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son." What this passage says is very plain. Some will counter by saying that it means that God used his omniscience (or prescience) to see what was going to happen (what men would choose concerning Christ) and then planned everything accordingly. I used to believe this too, but after thinking about it and studying the Reformed perspective, the Arminian scheme no longer makes sense.

First of all, it says "WHOM He foreknew," not "WHAT He foreknew". Of course God has foreknowledge of all facts past, present, and future; however, this passage is speaking of God foreknowing PEOPLE, not just the facts about people. It speaks of God having a intimate personal knowledge of a person. You will recall that the Bible says Adam "knew" Eve and she conceived. This is the same idea in Romans 8: God had an intimate personal knowledge and relationship with the Elect before the world began (c.f. Eph. 1:4 & 5). For example, look at what God said to Jeremiah:

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5 (ESV)

Secondly, I would like you to notice the progression of Paul's statement concerning those whom God has foreknown and predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ. Theologians have called this the "Golden Chain of Salvation". In this passage we see those whom God predestined (a.k.a. the Elect) would be "called," "justified," and "glorified." Had Paul thought there was a chance of God's Elect forfeiting Eternal Life, he would not been able to write like he did in this passage. Had Paul been an Arminian (pardon the anachronism), the passage would have read much differently.

The "Conditional Security Version" of this passage would read like this:

Those whom God foreknew would choose to be saved he also predestined to the possibility of being conformed to the image of his Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And some of those whom He predestined He also called and some of those whom he tried to call hopefully will choose to be saved so they can be justified, and of those who might be justified, peradventure some of those could be glorified unless they mess it up somehow.

Thirdly, when it comes to Predestination, it doesn't make sense to say that God "looked into the future" to see how men would act and then predestined them accordingly. If that scheme was true, it would make God a mere observer who was bound to predestine (and then create) things based upon that in which He had no ultimate control. If God simply "looked into the future" and saw how things were already predestined to occur, why then would he have to predestine anything?? The notion of "prescient predestination" is illogical, untenable, and an insult to the Sovereignty of God!

Fourthly, the Arminian must admit that even if men are predestined because God looked into the future, then people are already predestined to go to Heaven or to Hell, from the foundation of the world, whether they like it or not! Ultimately, the Arminian (and Open Theist) schemes are simply ways to deny that God is Sovereign determiner of "all things whatsoever come to pass." (See 1689 Baptist Confession Ch 3)

I believe the Arminian view of God (whether they realize it or not) teaches that God leaves salvation up to chance. However, the God of the Bible, by His very nature, cannot leave anything to chance. In fact, Proverbs 16:33 (ESV) tells us that "the lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD"!! As R.C. Sproul says, "chance is not a thing: chance is nothing!" If the eternal destiny of one microbe is left to chance or luck; if one atom in the entire Universe is not under the control of it's Creator, if chance or luck play any part in God's plan of salvation, then God is not Sovereign and our entire belief system is a flimsy house of cards.

The fact is, God already knows who will -and who will not- be saved. Even some Arminians will admit this fact. God can know these things not simply because of His prescience, but because ultimately, it was His choice! He chose whom He chose for His own reasons and for His own Glory. Ephesians 1: 5-6 (ESV) confirms this:

"He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved."

You see, the plan of Salvation is an infallible PLAN of Salvation. God's not sitting up in Heaven wondering how things are going to turn out. Nay my friends, God is in control and things will turn out exactly as He has decreed.

Those whom God set his affections upon in eternity past have been Predestined to salvation and will be infallibly Called, Justified, and Glorified; none of the Elect will ever perish! Christ will be the firstborn among many brethren because His Father has ordained it to be so! If we serve a Sovereign God, how can His plan to redeem His people go any way but according to His perfect plan? How can the Good Shepherd lose any of His sheep?

Sol Deo Gloria!

Answering the Reformed Challenge

The Reformed Mafia has been placed under arrest! We have been placed in the dock by J.C. Thibodaux to answer for the crime of preaching the doctrine known as Perseverance of the Saints! (see this also) It's a most interesting case because the evidence that Mr. Thibodaux has brought against the Mafia is not something we have said or written, but rather, his own eisegesis of Matthew 5:27-30, Hebrews 4:9-11, Revelation 22:18-19! He believes these three passages are somehow the death of the Reformed doctrine of Perseverance.

The prosecutor seems to believe he has an air tight case against us. However, the Mafia, acting as their own attorneys, have already began to dismantle the prosecution's evidence and it looks as if the whole case against the Mafia is beginning to crumble (please see the links to their responses below).

I may take some flak from the Prosecution for what I am about to do, but I have decided that I would rather approach this case, not by swinging at his supposed proof-texts, (others in the Mafia are doing a good job of that already), but by showing Mr. Thibodaux a couple things that our Lord said which prove his interpretation of the aforementioned passages cannot be correct. In fact, I intend to show solid proof that a true Christian cannot forfeit the gift of Eternal Life.

Have a look at John 10: 26-30 (ESV) for example. Jesus said:

"But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”

Did you get that? Did you see what Jesus plainly said? It reads very "Calvinistic", eh? His Sheep hear His voice, they follow Him, they are given Eternal (not temporary) Life, and "they shall NEVER PERISH." Neither can anyone snatch them out of His or His Father's hand!

This passage is crystal clear. TRUE Christians (Christ's sheep) will never perish (underline the word NEVER in your Bible!). Christ, with His own words, totally overthrows any possibility of the the true believer losing his/her Salvation. If no other passage in the Bible said a single solitary thing about the security of the Christian, this one passage alone is enough for us to contend for the doctrine of Perseverance forever and ever.

Not enough? Okay. Look at John 6: 35-40 (ESV):

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."

There's that word NEVER again!!! If Jesus himself says that all the Father gives to Him will come to Him, and those who come to Him will NEVER be cast out. How can anyone dispute that? Can Christ lie? Can the Good Shepherd lose any of His Sheep? It doesn't appear to me that Jesus believed any such thing! If Mr. Thibodaux's interpretation is correct, then Christ has lied to us in these two passages. However, because Christ never lied, and because there are no contradictions in Scripture -and no duplicity within the Godhead- I have to conclude that the passages Mr. Thibodaux has presented against us cannot possibly support his position. Whatever the passages do teach, it cannot possibly be that a true Christian can forfeit the gift of Eternal life.

Here's my challenge to Mr. Thibodaux. As a former Arminian (who can totally relate to where you are coming from), I would like to purchase and send you either a copy of the book called "Why I am Not An Arminian", or a copy of the Amazing Grace DVD: which ever you chose. All I ask is that you actually read (or watch) it. No strings attached. No reply needed. If your position is truly what the Bible teaches, you have nothing to fear from what I am offering you. Please email me at rhettswhips@yahoo.com if you would like to take me up on the offer.

Mafia Responses to the Challenge:

Gordan: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3,

Josh: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4,

I'll continue to update the responses from the Mafia as they are posted!

I would also like to submit the following resources to those open to studying this controversial topic with an open Bible and an open mind:

• Chapter 26 of R.L. Dabney's Systematic Theology
• Chapter 38 of J.P. Boyce's Abstract of Systematic Theology
• Chapter 17 of the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith

Soli Deo Gloria!

A Perversion of Perseverance

Of all the doctrines I ever despised in the past, the doctrine of Eternal Security, or "Once Saved, Always Saved," had to be at the top of the list.

I can remember teaching Sunday school during my days in the Church of God of Prophecy, ranting and raving about how Baptists in particular "believe a person can get saved and live like the devil for the rest of their life and still go to Heaven."

To make matters worse, I could look around and see plenty of examples of Baptist folks who were not living up to the faith they professed on Sunday morning. I had seen people who professed faith in Jesus and later became hard hearted "backsliders," therefore I had all the evidence I needed to repudiate the doctrine of Eternal Security -or so I thought....

When I finally decided to investigate the doctrine of Eternal Security, it was because I saw some things in Scripture that I couldn't reconcile with my old semi-Pelagian theology. I began a journey to seek after truth, instead of what fit the mold of my theological tradition. I wanted to understand why seemingly decent Christian people believed that their salvation was eternally secure, while others seemed to use it as a cloak for their sinful living.

I began my search to understand Eternal Security by getting a copy of Charles Stanley's Eternal Security: Can You Be Sure?. I had thought Stanley would be a good source because much of what I had heard him teach sounded okay. As I read his book, some of the arguments made sense to me. Some almost convinced me. Then I hit a big snag...

The snag was in chapter 8. It was there that I could no longer follow Stanley's line of reasoning. You see, in chapter 8, Stanley argues that once a person has made a profession of faith, the person can go as far as totally losing all faith in Christ and yet be Heaven bound!

Stanley compares salvation with getting a tattoo:

"If I choose to have a tattoo put on my arm, that would involve a one-time act on my part. Yet the tattoo would remain with me indefinitely. I don't have to have to maintain an attitude of fondness of for tattoos to ensure that the tattoo remains on my arm. In fact I may change my mind the minute I receive it. But that does not change the fact that I have a tattoo on my arm. My request for the tattoo and the tattoo itself are two entirely different things. I received it by asking and paying for it, But asking for my money back and changing my attitude will not undo what is done. Forgiveness/salvation is applied at the moment of faith. And its permanence is not contingent upon the permanence of one's faith."

Before I was a Baptist I rejected such theology and now that I am a Baptist I still reject such theology!!! In my opinion, this sort of nonsense is why the Southern Baptist Convention has millions of absentee members as well as churches full of false converts!

If Dr. Stanley's theory is true, then even Dan Barker, the faith healing evangelist turned apostate God hating atheist, is just as bound for Heaven as the most God fearing saint alive! Stanley's theology is pure Antinomianism. It's nothing more than "Easy believe-ism," plain and simple. Thankfully, I was able to find out that Stanley's version of Perseverance is not in line with the Bible, nor with historic Baptist theology. It is a perversion of perseverance.

Salvation is in no way analogous with getting a tattoo! A tattoo is only skin deep, but Biblical salvation is a work that takes place in the very soul of a man. For God himself tells us "a new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." (Eze 36:26-27)

Salvation is not a "one time act" on our part: it's a new beginning! It's the temporal realization of what God planned to do in the life of an individual sinner in eternity past! It's a New birth! A life changing experience! Though Stanley's doctrine allows for a person to totally apostatize and eventually be saved, the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith says something quite a bit different:

"And though they may, through the temptation of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins, and for a time continue therein, whereby they incur God's displeasure and grieve his Holy Spirit, come to have their graces and comforts impaired, have their hearts hardened, and their consciences wounded, hurt and scandalize others, and bring temporal judgments upon themselves, yet shall they renew their repentance and be preserved through faith in Christ Jesus to the end." (LBCF 17:3) emphasis added

Stanley believes a person can totally lose his or her faith and still persevere, yet historic Baptist teaching says despite their shortfalls, the believer will be "preserved through faith in Christ Jesus to the end!!!" Quite a difference if you ask me!

Stanley's version of Eternal Security denies that God is "able keep [us] from falling, and to present [us] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy! (Jude 24) It overlooks the fact that we "are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Peter 1:5). Once a person has truly met Jesus Christ, they can never be the same. Apostates and those who forsake Christ for "another gospel" show that they were never truly saved to begin with! (1 John 2:19) "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new!" (1 Cor 5:17)

Our security is not based upon our ability to hang on and hold on, but rather we are secure because God is working to "make [us] perfect in every good work to do His will, working in [us] that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ." (Heb 13:21) God has not saved us so that we can live like the devil and abuse his marvelous Grace, but on the contrary, "we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Eph 2:10)

R.C. Sproul sums up my position well:

"The perseverance of the saints could more accurately be called the preservation of the saints... The believer does not persevere through the power of his unaided will. God's preserving grace makes our perseverance both possible and actual. Even the regenerated person with a liberated will is still vulnerable to sin and temptation, and the residual power of sin is so strong that without the aid of grace the believer would, in all probability, fall away. But God's decree is immutable. His sovereign purpose to save his elect from the foundation of the world is not frustrated by our weakness"

Rejoice dear reader! For if you have been truly saved, you can be "confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ!!!" (Phil 1:6)

Soli Deo Gloria!

A Tale of Two Converts

In this article I will try to illustrate something that I believe is a common mistake within churches today. Though my story is fiction, it is based on observations I have made and situations I have seen. In setting this up, I need you to use your imagination for a few minutes and let me take you to a imaginary town in the "Bible Belt" of the Southeastern United States. In our small imaginary town there are two churches. One is called the Antinomian* Fellowship Church and the other is called the Arminian* Fellowhip Church.

On a certain Sunday, each of the churches had wonderful services. The two pastors delivered glossy sermons on how God loves sinners and has a wonderful plan for their lives. The preachers make clear that this offer is for all who will simply believe in Jesus Christ. In each of the services, as the invitation is given, a young man approaches the front and prays the "Sinner's Prayer".

Needless to say, both of these churches are happy to have a new convert and within weeks each new convert is baptized and becomes a member of their respective churches. Both the Arminian Fellowship and the Antinomian Fellowship do all they can to nuture and instruct their new converts. All seems to be going well at first. The two converts attend their respective church services regularly, begin paying tithes, and are very helpful around the church. However, after a while, some things start to change! The two stop attending church, stop fellowshiping with other believers, and before long they are both living in outright sin! The two young men eventually renounce Christ and claim their time as Christians was "just a phase" they went through!

When the pastor of the Antinomian Fellowship Church is asked by his members about what became of the convert that left the church, he reassures them that the young man is still saved and on his way to Heaven because God remains faithful to His promises even when man does not. When the pastor of the Arminian Fellowship Church is asked the same questions about the young man who left their church, he warns the church members that the young man has probably lost his salvation and needs to repent and return to the fold if he is to ever expect to make Heaven his home.

Now back to reality for a few minutes... This scenario is not uncommon in todays church world. However, the question must be asked: Which of the pastors in the story above is correct? Did the one fellow from the Arminian Church backslide, renounce Christ, and lose his salvation? Is the other fellow from the Antinomian Church still saved in spite of his backsliding and renouncing of Christ? Obviously both pastors cannot be correct! It is not an option to accept such contradiction. What if there's something both the pastors in my story fail to understand?

I propose that both the Arminian view and the Antinomian view do not take in account one very vital thing: False Conversion! What the pastors in my story miss is this: Every person who "walks the isle" and prays the "sinner's prayer" may NOT actually be Born Again! Sometimes there are false conversions. Often these false conversions are wrought of the flesh and by the manipulation of silver tongued preachers, and not by the power of the Holy Spirit! There is no change of heart (or Regeneration) in the sinner and therefore no genuine faith or repentance. There has been no change! The "converts" in my story were never "new creatures in Christ"!!

A hog returns to the mud because he's just a hog! It is his nature to wallow in the mud. Unless a hog (the sinner) is changed in his inner most being by the power of God, he will return to the mud (the life of sin) at some point. Only "new creatures in Christ" will endure to the end! Therefore the Antinomian pastor is in error for proclaiming his former member is still saved and going to Heaven -thus giving the backslider and the church false assurance. At the same time, the Arminian pastor -while correct in assuming the person is not saved- also errs in saying the fellow was truly saved to begin with! In this situatuion the theological positions of both the pastors leave no room for what really happened in this case. Both pastors failed to discern the Bible's teaching on false conversion!

You see, the fact of the matter is that when we harvest souls there will always be some tares mixed in with the wheat. The tares may look much like the wheat at first, but they will never yield any true fruit. Many of our Lord's parables illustrate true and false conversion though I think many miss this vital teaching. In Matthew 13, the Lord Jesus illustrates true and false conversion very clearly in the Parable of the Sower. In this parable, there are 4 types of ground. All the various "ground" except the "good ground" represents false conversion. This is proven by the fact that none but the good ground ever yielded fruit! All the rest "fell away" because nothing genuine happened within their souls. The ground of their hearts had not been properly prepared to receieve the seed!

I agree with Evangelist Ray Comfort when he teaches that one of the failures of the modern church and reasons for the high "fall away rate" in churches, is due to the fact very few actually preach the high and holy standards of God's moral law. The majority of churches today may preach "the good news", but they leave out the reason why the good news is so good: that's because we have all sinned against a Holy God and deserve nothing but Hell! All humanity has broken His moral law and we are unfit for Heaven. Unless we repent of our sins and truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven! A proper understanding of this truth will help a person see what makes the Gospel such "good news"!

Many of today's churches and preachers are too worried about offending people with preaching God's Word. Sermons are being watered down or turned into some sort of self help psycho-babble. The sinfulness of man and his need for salvation is replaced by messages about prosperity, finding "purpose in life", or how to have "your best life now". Preaching the whole council of God is frowned upon and deemed to be old-fashioned by the modern pulpiteer. The aim of the modern sermon to create a "warm fuzzy" feeling and maybe a "decision for Christ" instead of repentance unto Life!

For a great handling of this topic, please visit the link below and listen to the message "Hell's Best Kept Secret". May God bless you and empower you as you do!

http://www.livingwaters.com/learn/hellsbestkeptsecret.htm

-Rhett

footnotes:

* Antinomianism- also known as "No Lordship theology"- is the belief that Jesus can be a person's Savior and not Lord. Antinomians often teach that Christians who are saved by Grace are under no obligation to observe the moral laws of God. Antinomians usually teach a twisted version of Perseverance that allows a "convert" to go on living in gross sin or even denying Christ without fear of Hell. This theology in effect makes Grace a licence to sin. Charles Stanley of In Touch Ministries is a good example of an Antinomian. His book "Eternal Security" is full of Antinomian teachings.

* Arminian Christians often affirm genuine God wrought Salvation can be lost through disobedience on the part of the believer.