Security is Eternal Only for Those Whose Faith is Eternally Fixed on Jesus
Those who read the record of the Gospels carefully will find repeated authority from Jesus to renounce the doctrine of eternal security. In
Luke 12:42-46 Christ described in another parable how a faithful servant could turn into an unfaithful one. After asking,
"Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household . . . ?" Jesus answers His own question:
"That servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing . . . he will make him ruler over all that he hath." Then Christ explains how that servant could lose his reward.
"But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers." Verses 45,46.
Here is a perfect example by the Master Teacher as to how a faithful and wise servant can be punished with the unbelievers. Jesus was talking about a man whom He had seen faithful enough to trust with heavy responsibilities. Undoubtedly, this servant represents those who carefully served the Lord as true believers. But what happened? That very faithful servant departed from the path of faithfulness and reaped eternal ruin and death. Does this not also remind us of the words of
Hebrews 10:38,
"Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." The servant in the parable, who was a believer, is now punished with the unbelievers. The faithful can draw back to perdition.
Salvation Can Be Forfeited
One more parable of Christ spotlights the fact that continued forgiveness is conditional for the believer. The story is found in
Matthew 18:21-35, and revolves around the forgiveness of God. A certain king responded to the pleas of his servant and forgave him a large debt. That servant went out and found a fellow servant who owed him a small amount and showed no mercy, throwing him in prison because he could not pay. When the king heard what had happened, he rescinded his cancellation of the large debt and had his servant thrown to the tormentors till he paid in full.
No one can deny the obvious teaching of this parable. Even though God graciously forgives those who apply for it, that forgiveness is not without conditions for the future. We can lose that forgiveness by being unmerciful to others. This is in harmony with the words of the Lord in
Ezekiel 33:13,
"When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it." The principle is repeated in
verse 18,
"When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby."
The secret lies in maintaining the righteous relationship with the Source of salvation. Jesus said,
"He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Matthew 24:13. No one will be saved finally who does not hold out against a course of deliberate sin in the power of God. Those who do not endure to the end will have their names blotted out of the book of life. Advocates of eternal security deny it could ever happen, but read the frightening possibility for yourself in
Revelation 3:5,
"He that overcometh . . . I will not blot out his name out of the book of life." The implication is clear that those who are not
overcomers - who do not endure to the end - will have their names blotted out.
All these verses are really saying the same thing. Willful sin shatters the relationship by which eternal life is obtained. There is an eternal
"if" in every consideration of eternal security.
"If we walk in the light . . . the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7.
"If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father." 1 John 2:24.
"If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." Hebrews 10:38.
"If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch." John 15:6.
"If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death." John 8:51.
"If thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." Romans 11:22.
"If ye do these things, ye shall never fall." 2 Peter 1:10.
"For we are made partakers of Christ, If we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end." Hebrews 3:14.
"If we endure, we shall also reign with him: If we deny him, he also will deny us." 2 Timothy 2:12 (RSV).
"If we sin willfully . . . there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins." Hebrews 10:26.
"If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." 1 John 2:15.
"Ye are my friends, If ye do whatsoever I command you." John 15:14.
"If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die." Romans 8:13.
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