Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Baptists and Eternal Security, or Once Saved Always Saved; Part 1 of 3

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. -Jude 24

Baptists are known for believing in “Eternal Security,” or, “Once Saved, Always Saved.”

More humorously it has been put, “Methodists believe in falling from grace, and Baptists practice it.” Also said, “Arminians know they have it (salvation), but they’re afraid they’re going to loose it. Calvinists know they can’t loose it, but they’re afraid they don’t have it.” In my humble opinion, most Baptists have it just right. We know we are saved, and we know we can’t loose it.

There are good Christian folks who believe you can lose your salvation.

I believe, however, the Bible teaches eternal security or, once saved always saved, for the following reasons.

Note:  First, a quick explanation. I am referring to someone who has really, truly placed their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Just because someone says they are saved, does not mean they are saved. The Bible teaches there are those who falsely profess to be believers (Matthew 7:21-23; 1 John 2:19).

1. Everlasting Life Cannot Be Lost. John 3:16

If it can be lost, then it is not everlasting.
If you have it for a year, and then lose it, it is one year life, not everlasting life.

2. Everlasting Life is something the saved person has right now. John 3:16; 5:24

Well, you say, “Everlasting life may be everlasting, but you do not receive it until you get to Heaven.” No, it is something we possess right now.

John 3:16 - “have” is present tense
John 5:24 - “has” (or “hath”) is present tense

Everlasting life is something the saved person has right now.

3. We are sealed until the day of redemption. Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30

When a king sealed a document, it was as good as already done. No one could break the seal until the proper time.

You yourselves write a decree concerning the Jews, as you please, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s signet ring; for whatever is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring no one can revoke. -Esther 8:8

4. We have been given the Holy Sprit. His is the “guarantee” (or “earnest”) of our inheritance. Ephesians 1:13-14

Guarantee - deposit, earnest money.

When you buy a house you are asked to put down “Earnest Money” to guarantee you are serious and plan to buy the house. The Holy Spirit is our Guarantee of even more things to come when we receive our full inheritance in Heaven. You don’t give a “guarantee” and then take it back.

5. If you could lose your salvation then salvation would be of works. Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:28

Someone says, “No, we are saying that salvation is of grace, and then you have to keep yourself saved.”
Then you are making salvation part of grace and part of works. But for the grace of God AND your good works of keeping yourself saved, you would not make it to Heaven.
Instead of singing “Jesus Paid It All” you would have to sing:
“Jesus paid a part,
Some to Him I owe.
Sin hath left a crimson stain,
We washed it white as snow.”

But salvation is all of grace, not of works lest anyone should boast.

6. You never cease to be a child of your parents. John 1:12

You may disobey your biological parents, but you never cease to be their child. Disobedience hurts your fellowship; but it does not affect your relationship. You are still their child.
After we become children of God, the same is true. You can’t be “un-born again.”

7. Paul said that we have been adopted into the family of God.
Romans 8:14-17, 23; Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:5
Adoption meant you became, in every legal sense, a part of the family. It was viewed as a permanent relationship.
(to be continued)

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, April 17, AD 2012. 

Other Articles:
Basic Baptist Doctrines / Beliefs
Dr. Robert Wring on Baptists and Elder Rule
Pastors, Salaries, Parsonages
Other articles in lower right margin.

19 comments:

  1. Bro. David,
    This may not be what Al Gore had in mind when he invented the internet, but this is blogging as it should be. Inspirational, educational, and edifying.

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  2. Jeff,
    Thanks for your encouraging words.
    David R. Brumbelow

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  3. David, I agree with Jeff. Keep up the good work of inspiration, education, and edification.

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  4. Thanks, Bruce.

    One of my concerns is there are young preachers out there, and laymen, who simply do not know some of the basics about what we believe and why we believe it.

    Too often we just assume they know these beliefs.

    These doctrines need to be taught, over and over.
    David R. Brumbelow

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    Replies
    1. How right you are, David! As the old saying goes, "Repetition is the key to learning." That is one of the values of our congregations not only being taught these things by sermons and Bibe studies, but also by the songs we sing in church services. Whether it is old hymns or new choruses, they have the potential to ground people in the great doctrines of the faith. For example, assurance is taught by the old songs "Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine," and by "Redeemed, How I Love To Proclaim it, Redeemed By The Blood Of The Lamb."

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  5. David, I did not mean to equate security with assurance, but my last comment could be understood to do that. They are separate, but related, doctrines. A believer in Jesus Christ is eternally secure in Him, even if they do not have assurance of salvation. But those who are secure in Christ can also have the wonderful assurance of both present and permanent salvation. Perhaps we could say assurance is the experiential aspect of our security in Christ. One diffference between assurance and security is this: assurance can be strong one month, and weak the next month. But our security in the Lord never changes. It has nothing to do with feelings. Christians are secure, even if they do not know it or feel it. But how wonderful it is to both know it and to feel it!

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  6. David,

    Shoot me an email at bob@bobhadley.com

    need to chat with you brother!

    ><>"

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  7. Bob,
    I'll do it. By the way, my email address is nsbc77562[at]LWOL.com
    David R. Brumbelow

    ReplyDelete
  8. Bob,
    I sent you an email and it came back as undeliverable.
    David R. Brumbelow

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  9. Don't you think that it is a problem that there is no evidence in the Early Christian Church of the belief that "once saved, always saved"? In fact, quite the opposite. There are plenty of early Christian pastors and theologians in the first three to four centuries AD who warn Christians not to be complacent in their faith and live a life of willful sin...lest they perish to eternal damnation.

    I grew up evangelical. I witnessed many persons pray the Sinner's Prayer or go forward during an Altar Call and make what seemed to be very genuine professions of faith. These people then went on to witness to others about salvation through faith in Christ, attend Church and prayer meetings, etc. for a number of years.

    They NOW never darken a church door or read a Bible. One person has converted to be a Muslim to marry her Arab husband, completely abandoning the Christian faith. I know of others who became murderers and child molesters and are unrepentant. I know others who are now living lives of sexual immorality and believe that there is nothing wrong with their behavior.

    Do you really believe that if one of these former believers dies...he or she will go to heaven???

    I know one Lutheran mother who's daughter became an evangelical and had a "born again" experience. A short time later the daughter started living with her boyfriend. Her mother warned her that what she was doing is sin, and that ongoing willful sin against God places her salvation in jeopardy. The daughter replied, "Don't worry, Mom. I'm covered. I was born again, and if you are born again there is no way you can lose your salvation no matter what you do. Lutherans are wrong."

    Neither infant baptism nor an adult "born again" experience is a "Get-into-heaven-free" card! Salvation only occurs by the grace of God, received through faith. No faith, no salvation.

    The Christian whose faith and trust is in the Lord need never worry about his eternal security/his salvation. Our salvation is not dependent on how many good works we do. But, the believer who takes his salvation for granted, turns his back on God and lives a life of sin is endangering his soul and very well may wake up one day in hell!

    The doctrine of Eternal Security is an invention of the Calvinists, codified at the Synod of Dort. It is false teaching. It did not exist in the Early Church. It is a license to sin! The Doctrine of Eternal Security is not scriptural!

    I encourage evangelicals to read this Lutheran statement on this issue:

    http://www.hopelcms.org/default.aspx?pg=87ac4963-1ad2-499c-8a26-0304068bf63c

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  10. Have a lot going on right now and don't have time now to answer this comment. I'll be glad to do so in the future.

    In the meantime, I'd encourage you and others to read all three parts to this post.
    David R. Brumbelow

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  11. Many Christians have said the following to themselves during a very difficult period in their life: “Am I really saved?” Here are the thought processes on this issue for an Evangelical and a Lutheran:

    The Evangelical's Assurance of Salvation:

    1. At age ___ I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior. At that moment I asked Jesus to come into my heart to be my Lord and Savior and to forgive me of my sins.

    2. But since I am currently questioning my salvation, maybe I didn't "do it" correctly. Maybe I didn't fully understand what I was doing. Maybe I didn't fully repent. Maybe I didn't really have complete faith. Maybe I did it just because my friends were doing it. Maybe...

    3. I don't know...maybe I should "do it" again, just to be 100% sure.

    The Lutheran's Assurance of Salvation:

    1. Have I been baptized into the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, thereby receiving God's promise of the forgiveness of my sins, salvation of my soul, faith, and eternal life?
    Answer: Yes.

    2. Have I outright rejected Christ as my Lord and Savior?
    Answer: No.

    3. Am I living a life of ongoing sin in willful disobedience and defiance of my Lord?
    Answer: No.

    Therefore, I KNOW I am saved!

    When your assurance of salvation is based on what GOD did and not what you did, it makes all the difference in the world!

    http://www.lutherwasnotbornagain.com/2013/10/salvation-is-much-simpler-than.html

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  12. You may not be a five-point Calvinist, but if you believe in "Once Saved, Always Saved" you are still a Calvinistic Baptist. This false teaching is sending a lot of Baptists and evangelicals to hell due to a false sense of assurance.

    The Back-Slidden Baptist's Salvation Check List:

    Just as there are many orthodox Christians, including Lutherans, who, to their eternal damnation, rely on their infant Baptism as their "Get-into-heaven Free Card" as admission into heaven, I believe that there are many Baptists and evangelicals who rely on their one time "Decision for Christ" as their automatic ticket into heaven.

    Just to be clear, I am sure that there are many, many Baptists and evangelicals who are much better Christians than I am. As Paul, I am the first among sinners. But I believe that the teaching of Decision Theology accompanied with the horrific teaching of "Once Saved, Always Saved", has damned just as many Baptists and evangelicals to hell as "Once Baptized, Always Saved" has damned many poorly catechized orthodox Christians.

    I was taught growing up fundamentalist Baptist that a born-again Christian who stops going to church, reading the Bible, praying, etc. is a "back-slider". He has back-slidden into sin.

    So let's review the "Back-Slidden" Baptist's and (Baptistic) Evangelical's Salvation Check-list:

    1. Have I attended church in the last twenty years: No.
    2. Have I partaken of the Lord's Supper in the last twenty years: No.
    3. Have I read my Bible in the last twenty years: No.
    4. Have I prayed (other than, "Lord please help me win the Powerball!") in the last twenty years? No.
    5. Have I shared the Gospel with a non-believer in the last twenty years. No.
    6. Did I pray the Sinner's Prayer twenty-one years ago in a Baptist altar call. Yes.

    Conclusion: SAVED!

    Now, if you present this to a Baptist or evangelical of the Baptist persuasion, he or she will say that the person above was never saved. That is why we do not see any "fruit of the Spirit".

    They have a much harder time, however, using that explanation when the "back-slider" is a prominent conservative Baptist or evangelical pastor or evangelist who has "won many souls to Christ" and has preached great moving sermons for years. "How could the person who led me to Christ have been a non-believer??" Situations such as these really rattle these "Once Saved, Always Saved" Christians.

    Gary
    Luther, Baptists, and Evangelicals
    an orthodox Lutheran blog

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    Replies
    1. Christians can be out of fellowship with the Lord, If you can be Unsaved and saved and Unsaved, then Jesus to have to continue to die on the cross and you could only be saved by works, SAVED by GRACE Once and FOR ALL. Baptism saves NO ONE

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  13. Hebrews 10:26. If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,. There it is. Once saved always saved is a falsehood. Period. You must ask forgiveness for your sins daily. We ALL will stand before God and be judged. If once saved always saved then we don't have to be judged.

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  14. Well done. Our armenian brothers who believe that one can lose their salvation once they've been truly saved are in a real pickle with the verses they cite errantly in order to "prove" salvation can be lost. Because those same verses also teach then (if what they say were true) that once lost, you'll NEVER get it back. Thank God that the Good Shepherd not only knows how to keep His sheep, but is also strong enough to do so. If by chance one may veer off course, He'll leave the 99 to find the 1. And He WILL FIND all He searches for.

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  15. Print powerful FREE gospel tracts here! Sound Printable BIBLE TRACTS for Christian evangelism and soul winning. These gospel tracts & flyers are biblical gospel tracts free

    ReplyDelete
  16. Evangelical Christian apologist and former Catholic provides biblical facts and answers about salvation, the gospel, NO eternal security etc
    Once saved always saved

    ReplyDelete

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