Lesson 35 — The Truth About Eternal Security

1. 1 THE TRUTH ABOUT ETERNAL SECURITY

THE TRUTH ABOUT ETERNAL SECURITY

Under the guise of honoring the finished work of Christ on the cross, some teachers lead many to believe that once a person is in grace, he will always be in grace, regardless of how much he sins thereafter. Such teachings masquerade under various names, and are believed by a great many people because they seem plausible; and furthermore they are sometimes championed by Bible scholars of national or worldwide reputation. Regrettably, for too many people the teaching of eternal security becomes eternal insecurity for they lapse into a sinning-saint religion, which will truly bring them disappointments on Judgment Day. Some people accept the arguments because of ignorance of the full scope of Scriptures on the subject, while there are no doubt others who, being willfully blind, praise it because they want an excuse to sin. That there is a true sense in which every believer can have “everlasting life,” and be “eternally secure” cannot be denied—for they are possible whenever God’s conditions are met. The following points will be discussed in this lesson:

I. What is the Question Involved in the Teaching of Unconditional Security?

II. Is Man a Free Moral Agent?

III. What Is Eternal Life?

IV. Can Eternal Life Be Lost?

V. Examples in the Bible of Eternal Life Being Lost.

VI. Is Eternal Life an Unconditional Possession Now?

VII. What Are the Conditions for Keeping Eternal Life?

VIII. Real Bible Assurance and True Eternal Security.

The foremost question involved in the doctrine of the Christian’s eternal security is: On whom does the responsibility rest to bring about this coveted state? To this we may add: finder what conditions, if any, may it be obtained? Are there “any strings attached” as we would commonly say? Could it be unconditional—or is there a possibility that somewhere in the Bible, we are able to find conditions that belong to the doctrine as well as the blessings of security forever?

The Bible does teach conditional eternal security, which is the only kind of security a sane man can expect and a just God can tolerate and promise. But to teach an unconditional eternal security and maintain this position in the face of overwhelming scriptural authority to the contrary is to make God the most unjust tyrant of the universe. To do so, one must manufacture and maintain many other false doctrines to support the sinking-sand foundation of the main false doctrine. One must twist, contort, misinterpret, misapply, take from, and add to many Scriptures to support such teaching.

Every Bible doctrine should be measured by plain facts of Scripture and by plain principles and true examples of life; not by erroneously interpreting a few texts in total disregard of other Scriptures on the same subject. It is vital for one to get God’s thought on the subject as a whole as expressed in all Scripture. The devil has always used Scripture to cloak his teachings, and he can wrest it and twist it until whatever he teaches appears to be quite scriptural. Just because a theory has a few passages that seem to sustain it is no proof that it is scriptural. Any doctrine that is opposed to the true principles of life, or to one plain Scripture, rightly divided, is bound to be wrong.

Teachers of unconditional security, like teachers of other false doctrines, do away with all Scriptures that are not in harmony with their pet theory. Their usual procedure is to explain all Scriptures that plainly contradict such teaching as referring only to the Jews and not to Christians, or as referring to some past age and not to the one in which we live, and to quickly divert attention from other Scriptures written to Christians as of no importance on the question. On the other hand, Scriptures written to both Jews and Gentiles that can be twisted to harmonize with this theory are emphasized beyond all true meaning under the guise of accepting just what the Bible says.

God has so constructed the Bible that no particular passage contains all the truth on any one subject and no passage contradicts another, whether it is on the same subject or not Isaiah 28:9-13. All Scriptures on a subject must be gathered and harmonized with themselves and with all Scriptures on other subjects, before the whole truth can be fully understood. No “Scripture is of any private interpretation”; that is, no Scripture should be isolated from all others and understood by itself as being the whole truth on a subject in total disregard to all other passages on the same subject 2 Peter 1:19. Two or three plain passages are required to establish any single truth, and if there are more than this number on a subject all must bear testimony to the same thing and none of them must contradict themselves or any other passages on any other subject Numbers 35:30Deuteronomy 17:6Deuteronomy 19:15Matthew 18:162 Corinthians 13:1.

We are told to “rightly divide the word of truth” 2 Timothy 2:15 and to compare “spiritual things with spiritual” 1 Corinthians 2:13. When this is done to the very few passages that are used to teach unconditional security, they will be found to be in perfect harmony with the many hundreds of passages that plainly teach conditional security. On the other hand, these many hundreds of passages cannot possibly be harmonized with the wrong interpretations of the few that are used to teach unconditional security. To teach unconditional security is to leave an irreparable breach between two sets of Scriptures, but to teach conditional security is to have perfect harmony between all Scriptures. If every Christian would be willing to believe all Scriptures on the subject and be just as zealous to defend all truth then there would be no division over the question of true Bible security.

The truth is that the Bible does teach a true, just, and lasting security for all believers who will put forth an honest effort to remain secure in Christ. Any man can have true, biblical security if they will meet a few simple conditions of God which are clearly stated, conditions that every man can meet by the means of grace provided in the gospel.

II. Is Man a Free Moral Agent?

This is the first question to settle, for if man is not a free moral agent then God can be held entirely responsible for all sin, rebellion, sickness, and all the effects of sin, as well as for the damnation of men and angels, as unconditional security men teach.

One of these teachers says, “No man is an absolutely free moral agent, for he is either led away by the devil against his will or he is a servant of Christ. I do not simply choose to keep myself in a place where I am secure. God has chosen me and I am secure in His choice.” Another says, “Ownership means lordship. That which is owned has no right of will contrary to the will of the owner . . . Adam was the only true free moral agent. When he sinned he lost free moral agency. No man ever wills to be born in the human race, and equally powerless is he to will to separate himself from the human race . . . Yet it is argued that man can separate himself from God . . . It was not his own will to be born-again, but the will of God John 1:13 . . . Man has as little to do with that as he had to do with his physical birth. As it is impossible for man to separate himself from the human race, so it is equally impossible for him, by a free act, to separate himself from God’s kingdom. There is no such thing as free moral agency in the kingdom of God . . . To say that a man can will to go away from God and be lost is to make the sovereign grace of God subject to the will of man.”

These statements simply mean that man has no power to choose to serve God and consequently no responsibility in any sense in serving God or Satan or in being saved or lost, that it is up to God to choose each one or not, that those God sees fit to choose are secure by His own choice and not by man having anything to do with it, that God is a respecter of persons in not choosing some and in not making all men secure and in saving all men alike, that God is responsible for the sins and damnation of the lost as well as for the security of the few pets some say He delights in choosing, that some men can never be saved due to the fact God has not chosen them to be saved and to be as secure as the others, and that God is responsible for all the sins and sufferings and curses of the universe.

If Adam was responsible for his Fall from grace or favor with God, if he chose to Fall from his former state, if grace and divine nature did not keep him saved and holy, and if God left it up to the free will of man in the beginning, then it is the same with all men today. There is no passage that proves man is not a free moral agent all the days of his life, whether he is saved or unsaved.

Man is absolutely a free moral agent and serves the devil or God as he freely chooses. If man wants to turn to God from the devil he is always free to do so, and if he wants to turn from God to the devil he is always free to do so. Neither master can force man to obey him if man does not freely choose to do so. Man has the free choice until death, of serving either.

Man is ethically obligated by his moral make-up to serve righteousness, live holy, and consecrate himself to the same end that God is consecrated—the highest good of all. Man is not forced to live holy. He is free to consecrate to the end that the devil is consecrated—a life of self-gratification. He is free to choose either end and to use the means of attaining to the end he chooses. He is not forced to choose either end or the means of attaining to that end.

A saved man has the same power of choice as he had before salvation. His desires are changed in salvation, but he can permit the same old desires to take hold of him again. The flesh can gain ascendancy over him once more and he can choose to live in the old sins yet again. If he chooses to sin again he incurs the same death penalty and will be damned as much as if he had never been saved Ezekiel 18:4Romans 6:14-23Romans 8:1-13Galatians 6:7-8James 5:19-20.

In matters outside the moral realm in which man has no choice, as the case where man is not free to choose to be born, such has nothing to do with free moral agency which every man has when he is born. He is, as he grows up, free to choose his own destiny by the choice of the life he lives in serving God or Satan. It is only when man becomes a free moral agent that he is held responsible.

To say that a man has no will power when he chooses to go back into sin and becomes overpowered by sin and Satan is to state a falsehood. This does not prove he is not a free moral agent. It proves man is a free agent or he could not have chosen to sin again. When man chooses to yield to sin again, Satan can make him a captive and can more or less dominate his life, depending on how much the man submits to him. Man can completely submit to demons and become a total slave to them. He can at any moment turn to God by his own free will and defeat the same spirit-rebels by the help of God. If he had no power to choose to live right and turn to God, then we might argue he is not a free agent in the moral realm. Because the Allies overcame the Axis nations in the last World War is no proof that the Axis did not have will power. We were stronger than they were and we were helped by God in their defeat. Their resistance as well as their choice in making war and in choosing to surrender proves they had will power.

If man can resist sin at all it proves will power on his part. If he is exercising will in the least degree concerning moral things it proves he is a free moral agent. To be a servant of Christ does not do away with will power. It proves that the man does have such power or he could not have chosen to turn from Satan and sin. To believe as the above men do would make God an unjust tyrant holding slaves in greater bondage than Satan ever did. It is Satan who tries to enslave men and control their choices. God always gives them freedom of action to serve Him. When they voluntarily turn to God then He delivers them from Satan and sin and permits perfect freedom of action as to whether they will continue to serve Him or go back into sin. It is true men are spoken of as servants to God, but it is a voluntary service. There is nothing arbitrary about it on God’s part.

No freedom of choice to come into existence and no freedom of choice to become nothing again is naturally true, for man is an eternal creature and cannot will to cease to exist. This does not disprove free moral agency for man, who is always free to choose the highest good for himself and others or to choose selfish ends contrary to the highest good.

If we admit actions have certain effects we should also admit that these actions are free moral actions. If man had no free actions concerning moral living and God alone had the choice in man’s actions, then He would be responsible for all evil and its effects. God would be responsible for sin and could not justly judge man for his actions. He would also be responsible for death, the penalty for sin, and could not rightly execute the sentence of the broken law.

Adam or no other man ever lost the power of choice in the moral realm as long as sanity remained. To lose power to be what man was before the Fall does not do away with man’s power of choice. This is simply the result of the Fall and of a wrong choice. Man is still free to choose God and righteousness and come back to the original state where the effects of the moral Fall are erased. Man can be redeemed from the effects of the moral Fall and again do right from free choice. Being overpowered by sin was a willing action to begin with or Adam never would have fallen, unless God can be blamed for it. Since the Fall, it is a willing co-operation with Satan to the same end, to gratify self, for one does not have to serve sin and Satan even one day, if he does not choose to do so.

If man never wills to be saved he will never be saved. This is why some are saved and some are not. It is God’s will that all be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Timothy 2:42 Peter 3:9. If God’s will is done all will be saved, but God will not and cannot save man until he chooses to be saved and calls upon God. God’s plan is to “whosoever will” and God will not operate contrary to His own Word. However, man is not saved by his own choice alone, for there is no saving power in a mere choice. Then, too, salvation cannot be given by God without man’s choice Mark 16:15John 3:15-20John 4:13-22John 14:6Romans 1:16Hebrews 7:251 John 1:91 John 5:1Revelation 22:17. Neither can man continue to be saved apart from his free choice Isaiah 59:2Romans 8:1-132 Timothy 2:121 Corinthians 15:21 Thessalonians 3:8Hebrews 10:26-292 Peter 2:20-21.

This power of choice on man’s part to get saved and keep saved does not make will power more sovereign than God’s own power or grace. It simply means that God, as an intelligent being, having made His plan, which includes free wills for men, granting them the sovereignty of their own wills as to whether they want to be saved or stay saved by grace or not, will not break His own law and act contrary to His revealed plan and save or keep men saved contrary to their own choice. If this is God’s plan, then for God to arbitrarily force men to be saved or stay saved contrary to their wills would be the most unjust action to take and would make God break His own laws.

To teach that man has nothing to do in the new birth and that it is entirely up to the choice of God is to make God false according to His own Word. Man must make a choice in his spiritual birth, because he is in existence with power to make a free choice, but in the natural birth he was not in existence with power of choice to decide whether he wanted to be born or not. God has told us that anyone who is a respecter of persons is a sinner James 2:9, and therefore if it is left up to God alone to save some and damn some as He sees fit, then He would be a sinner Himself. But God is no respecter of persons Romans 2:6-16. If a man cannot exercise will power in the kingdom of God, and if he cannot sin after being saved, then many Scriptures are false, as we shall see in Point IV, below.

Man is a subject of moral law and moral government and is under moral obligation to obey the moral governor of all free wills according to prescribed law. He is subject to the penalties for disobedience and rewards for obedience. If he has no free moral choice to render obedience or disobedience and meet his own moral obligation, his own existence is an act of injustice and abortion on the part of the Creator. That man has intellect, reason, sensibility, and powers of knowledge and choice cannot be doubted as long as man is sane.

The freedom of the will of man in moral action has been denied in theory by those who believe in unconditional security, but it has never been disproved and never will be. Those very ones who deny free will have admitted it in their arguments while trying to disprove it. The fact that they freely choose to deny such a plain fact as free action in man proves they have it and are exercising it. The fact that others who are more logical and do not choose to believe their vain arguments, but are honest enough to admit plain everyday facts also proves that all men have free wills to do as they please.

No man can deny the fact of free action in daily life without incurring the charge of insanity, for he knows in his own daily life that he has freedom of action to do right or wrong, or to be saved or lost according to God’s law. By the necessity of his own nature he himself knows that he is a free agent in the moral realm. If he can hide this fact from himself, or argue himself out of this fact, he can likewise deceive himself about his very existence. He may, in speculation and for the sake of argument deny either fact, but the truth remains that he knows both. That he is and that he is free to choose his own destiny and moral actions in every stage of his life until eternity, are facts well-known by virtue of his own creation and experience in life.

He not only has the power of choice but he has a natural created faculty that dictates to him what choice he should make concerning every moral action of free will. To deny the will is to deny the conscience and by so doing he can soon make himself believe he is not responsible for sin and its effects, even though he may sin every day. However, it will take more than a false doctrine of unconditional security to make him immune from sin and its effects.

Possession of the will and conscience makes man subject to the moral obligation to keep moral law and obey moral government. Every normal man recognizes these powers in himself and in all other men. This assumption is irresistible and universal and cannot logically be called into question, and would not be unless it is for some selfish purpose to prove a point or to excuse one’s self in living in sin, contrary to Scripture. Regardless of why it is called into question man’s free will still remains an established fact of man’s constitutional make-up. The affirmation by millions of men of sound mind that they are responsible for their acts among men and before God, shows beyond contradiction that all men regard themselves, and others, as subjects of moral obligation.

Moral obligation, made possible by the free will and the conscience, extends to the ultimate acts of the will concerning moral law. Man is free to choose obedience to the moral law, although he may be overpowered by sin and Satan in some acts because he wills not to serve God and live spiritually alive enough to resist the effects of a moral Fall. Nevertheless, in these matters he is always free to reject Satan and turn to God to be free from the effects and responsibility of these sinful acts, or he is free to continue to submit to such bondage by his own free will. He has a Helper in God and a deliverance in salvation if he chooses such, but as long as he chooses to remain in rebellion against God he has no claim on such help. Man is absolutely free to choose the end in life to which God is consecrated—the highest good of all, or he is free to choose the end to which Satan and all rebels are consecrated—a life of self-gratification contrary to the highest good of the universe and all societies therein. Man can choose his own end and the means of securing that end. He is free to relinquish, at any moment, his choice of an end as well as the means to that end. He is free to refuse known necessary conditions and means to an end or he is free to accept them. He can always choose holiness as an end and also the means of attaining to that end, or he can choose sin and the means to secure that end. He can choose any object or any means to an end, or refuse both as he pleases. He has absolute preference and choice in all matters pertaining to moral law and moral obligation and can choose the means to obey moral law and live up to moral obligations, or he can reject them. No choice can be made without the mind having a reason for that choice, and in this sense free will extends to the ultimate intention of the mind.

Such freedom of the will and conscience is recognized in young children who justify themselves in their acts in childhood. Grown people also exercise such freedom and make excuses to justify many acts. In many actions some are honest enough to admit wrong although in some acts they are justified by right and voluntary decisions. Courts of justice have always assumed that man is free to choose and they judge him on the basis of the ultimate intention of the will. Only lunatics are regarded as not being responsible for their acts, thus proving the universality of belief in free moral agency as the first truth of reason, as well as of revelation.

The Bible throughout recognizes the freedom of the will and conscience. Moral obligation then extends to everything about us, over which the will has direct or indirect control. Our muscles, intellect, senses, and appetites are all controlled by the will. If one cannot directly do as he wills concerning moral law, then he can choose the means of grace that will enable him to obey the letter of the law. Hence, he is a free moral agent in the highest sense of the term.

The moral action is a voluntary action and moral obligation respects the ultimate intention only. Involuntary acts are not moral actions. Choices concerning the well-being of God and the universe constitute moral obligation and this God demands in His moral law. He cannot excuse breaking this law because He has provided all necessary means to obey it, if man wills to use them. This is why man is as responsible for his sins after he is saved as before. God requires both in the law and in the gospel that free moral agents choose the same end to which He is consecrated, consequently, all obligation consists of the choice to the same end. Virtue consists of consecration to this end, and vice consists of consecration to the wrong end, self-gratification.

The so-called sovereign grace and the will of God are not the basis of moral obligation and free action. The moral law legislates over voluntary action only. It is our moral obligation to will the best good of all regardless of the will of God or of grace, for it is the law of our creative make-up. Whether God commanded it or not we would by nature be obligated to will, choose, and secure the highest good for ourselves and others. God’s will merely reveals to us the rule of action and choice but it never forces the choice in right action. This must be a free choice of man himself. The will of God as expressed in His law, is the rule for all free wills. This law defines the rule of moral action, and the reason to conform to it is the highest good of the universe. If God should command us to do that which our reason tells us is unwise and not for the good of all, it would be impossible for us to feel obligated to obey Him. Thus reason does not regard His law as the foundation of moral obligation, but only as proof that what He commands is wise and best for all and that it is commanded for that reason.

The moral law makes known to free wills what is right and wrong but the whole thing is a farce if man has no choice in whether he should do right or wrong. Any theory concerning moral action that destroys the free moral agency of man is completely illogical, impractical, unnatural, factitious, and unscriptural and must be rejected. All this fallacy of self-indulgence with a dream of Heaven and irresponsibility here and hereafter is a religion of Satan to damn souls and it should be treated as such. To teach it means that we make God the one committing the sins in both saints and sinners and the one responsible for some to be lost and others to be saved.

The Bible never teaches that God saves and keeps any man contrary to his will. Any action that man is responsible for in exercising his own created will power, should he make the wrong choice, does not make God responsible, nor lessen God’s power, will, purpose, or change God’s attitude or plan to help man, should he change to the right choice and accept God’s way and help.

God is limited in blessing man, should he rebel against Him. If He were not then He would be obligated to force all men to be saved alike. If one is lost it only proves failure on the part of man, not God. It is God’s will that all men should be saved, but the question of who will be saved depends on the individual, who must meet the conditions of salvation and of keeping saved 1 Timothy 2:42 Peter 3:9John 3:15-20, 36Revelation 22:17. A saved man no longer belongs to God if he rebels and lives and dies in sin, as we shall see in Point IV, below.

The following statements prove both saints and sinners have the power of free choice and that God holds them responsible for wrong use of this faculty: “Choose you this day whom ye shall serve” Joshua 24:15, “did not choose the fear of the Lord” Proverbs 1:29-33, “I have chosen the way of truth” Psalms 119:30, 173, “They have chosen their own ways” Isaiah 66:3, “he will hold to the one, and despise the other” Matthew 6:24, “I will follow thee” Matthew 8:19, “If any man will come after me” Matthew 16:24, 25, “Whosoever will do the will of God” Mark 3:35Mark 16:16, “ye shall not come to me, that ye might have life” John 5:40, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine” John 7:17John 9:31, “If any man serve me, him will my Father honour” John 12:26, “hath power over his own will” 1 Corinthians 7:37, “If I do this thing willingly” 1 Corinthians 9:17, “not by constraint, but willingly” 1 Peter 5:2, “whosoever will” Revelation 22:17.

These and literally hundreds of like passages in the Bible prove free moral agency. The words “choice,” “will,” etc. are used over 4,000 times in Scripture. Other words expressing power of choice in all phases of life are used thousands of times, so to deny free moral agency of all men, saved or unsaved, is the rankest ignorance of all and willful blindness to plain facts.

III. What is Eternal Life?

Eternal life is not the physical life of the body for we have this life only as long as the soul and spirit remain in the body. Death in Scripture means separation from the purpose for which a creature was created. Physical death is the separation of the inner man from the body. When this takes place one loses physical life James 2:26. Eternal life is not the natural immortality or consciousness of the soul and spirit, for both the saved and unsaved exist forever and are fully conscious after physical death Luke 16:19-31Matthew 10:28Matthew 17:3Luke 20:38Luke 23:43Philippians 1:21-232 Corinthians 5:8Revelation 6:9-11Hebrews 12:231 Peter 3:4John 11:24-25John 14:19. The soul exists and is conscious even though it is dead Ephesians 2:1-10Matthew 8:221 Timothy 5:6. Spiritual death is the separation of the inner man from God because of sin Isaiah 59:2. Eternal life therefore could not be the natural eternal life or consciousness of the inner man either in or out of the body. Eternal life could not be the eternal existence or consciousness of eternal souls in eternal Hell, for only the righteous have eternal life by abiding in Christ John 3:15-18, 36John 5:24John 15:1-71 John 2:24, 251 John 5:11. Eternal death is the eternal “separation” from God Matthew 10:28Matthew 25:41, 46Revelation 2:11Revelation 14:9-11Revelation 20:11-15Revelation 21:8Isaiah 66:22-24. Eternal life is the opposite of eternal death—eternal union with God John 17:31 John 2:24-251 John 5:11-121 Corinthians 6:17.

It was Adam in his sinless spiritual state of life who was told “in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” Genesis 2:17Genesis 3:1-19. The Greek word for “life” is zoe and it is used in connection with “eternal” thirty times and “everlasting” fourteen times. One writer tries to prove that believers receive zoe life and that this is not the kind of life Adam had, but 1 Cor. 15:45 states that Adam had zoe (living) soul.

Others argue that Adam’s life was natural and forfeitable, not spiritual and eternal as is that of the believer today, but the word translated “living” is zoe and is used of Adam in the above passage. It is translated “living” in connection with God: “the living [zoe] God” Matthew 16:16Matthew 22:32Matthew 26:63; “living [zoe] water . . . springing up into everlasting life” John 4:10, 14; “living [zoe] bread” that gives eternal life John 6:51, 54; “living [zoe] waters” referring to the Holy Spirit John 7:37-39; and “living [zoe] way” that leads to life Hebrews 10:20. Do God and all these things have natural and forfeitable life? If so, then that was what Adam had.

Eternal life was given to Adam upon condition that he would remain in union with God and not sin, and it was said that if he did sin he would die or be separated from God and lose that life Genesis 2:17. Sin was the only thing that could and did take his eternal life away Romans 5:12-211 Corinthians 15:21, 22. Since Adam could have lived forever if he had not sinned, then he had eternal life. If he had eternal life he lost it by sin. If he could lose it by sin, then all other men who regain it can also lose it again by sin. What kind of life was it that he lost the day he sinned if it was not eternal life? According to Lesson Nine, Point VIII, 4, the penalty for sin was eternal death, thus he had to lose the opposite of eternal death, or eternal life.

It could not be merely natural life that he lost the day he sinned, for he lived 248,652 literal days after that day Genesis 5:5. If Adam’s body did not die the day he sinned, then it must have been his soul that died and was cut off from living forever. Adam’s soul lost eternal life the day he sinned. Since it could not be natural life he lost it must be spiritual and eternal life, which was cancelled by eternal death.

Adam’s soul did not lose its own life or consciousness, or it would have ceased to function. The soul is the life of the body and the body cannot function without the soul and its life. It is certain Adam did not lose physical life for his body continued to function 930 years, therefore, it must have been spiritual and eternal life that he lost. Man’s natural life exists of itself separate and apart from God, for sinners continue to exist separate and apart from God Isaiah 59:2. Spiritual and eternal life cannot be given to man until he is resurrected from sins and united to God’s Spirit 1 Corinthians 6:171 Corinthians 12:12, 23Romans 8:9Ephesians 2:1-9. This proves that spiritual and eternal life are something apart from man’s natural life.

If eternal life were a part of a man it could not be lost without his losing himself also. But as long as a thing is not a part of one it can be lost. The fact that eternal life is God’s life which is given to a person as something separate and apart from himself proves it can be lost. For if it is only in God that men have eternal life, then to be separated from Him is to lose that life. Since only sin separates from God Isaiah 59:2 and causes death Genesis 2:17Ezekiel 18:4, only sin can cause one to lose this life Romans 8:12, 13.

Eternal life is the opposite of eternal death. Since eternal death is eternal separation from God, as proven in Lesson Nine, Point VIII, 4, eternal life is eternal union with God by the cancellation of the eternal death penalty. It is God’s life and it is never our life if we are not dwelling in God. It is ours only when we get into Christ and it is ours only as long as we abide in Him 1 John 2:241 John 5:11, 12. It is therefore something separate and apart from us and is imparted to us only when we are saved and as long as we are saved. Christ is our life and we have it as long as we have Him Colossians 2:6, 7Colossians 3:4John 15:1-7. We are free from the death penalty as long as we live holy and free from sin. When we again go back into sin we incur the death penalty, we die again, and we lose the eternal life that is only in Christ. This will be proven by many Scriptures in Point IV, below. If this separation from sin is only temporary the life with God will be only temporary, but if sin never again separates, then there will always be life with God and never again death through sin. The fact is that saved men can and do go back into sin that separates from God, proving eternal life can be lost.

When the soul sins, it dies, or it is separated from God, and it forfeits the life of God by this sin, hence, it loses the eternal life it could have had if it had remained holy and in union with God. The sinful soul apart from God continues to function, but it is “dead” or “separated” from God whose life the soul enjoyed as long as it remained in union with Him. If it never becomes united with God again it remains forever dead and separated from God and the life which is eternal in God. This is why the soul suffers eternal death or separation from God Mark 9:45Isaiah 66:22-24Revelation 14:9-12Revelation 19:20Revelation 20:10-15Revelation 21:8. The continued life in Hell is not called eternal life for the same reason the sinning soul is considered dead while on Earth Matthew 8:22Ephesians 2:1-91 Timothy 5:6. It is not true normal life in harmony with God. It is only existing out of union with God contrary to the created purpose.

Men are considered dead to sin and Satan when they are separated from them and are in union with God Romans 6:2, 7Romans 8:101 Peter 2:24, and they are also considered dead to God when they are separated from God and in union with sin and Satan Romans 6:1-23Ephesians 2:1-9Colossians 2:13Isaiah 59:2. Faith is even spoken of as being dead when separated from works James 2:17-26.

If the soul loses its own life when it sins, then it would cease to exist, for to be separated from its own life means cessation of existence, and this the Bible never teaches by death, as seen in the above passages. In this case, there would be no need of a resurrection, judgment, or an eternal Hell.

The soul is not the physical blood, for the blood cannot sin of itself like the soul. The soul lives when the blood is gone and the body has decayed. If the blood were the soul then every time any blood is lost, part of the soul would be lost. When one loses his soul he loses himself, not merely the blood Luke 9:25. Sin proceeds from the inner man, not from part of the body 1 Corinthians 6:18Mark 7:19-21.

When God said to Adam, “Ye shall surely die,” he meant it and when He says to saved men today that the soul that sinneth it shall die, He means it. This applies to all men who sin and saved men today are no exception. Both Adam and Eve believed the first teacher of unconditional eternal security, the devil, and lost eternal life. So it is today with all who sin and believe the modern lie of the devil that sinning-saints cannot be lost.

Eternal life does not make us members of the deity, for we would then be equal with God. If we were members of the Godhead we could not sin, because God cannot sin; we could not make mistakes, because God cannot make mistakes. We would be absolutely and eternally holy and would have all the qualities of deity. We know this is not true of human beings who are in Christ, so they cannot be members of the deity. If they are not members of the Godhead when they receive eternal life, then eternal life is not their own life, and therefore, it remains God’s life as long as they are in union with God. They are in union with God until sin again separates from Him Isaiah 59:2Romans 8:12, 13Ezekiel 18:4James 5:19, 20Galatians 5:19-21Galatians 6:7, 8.

Jesus is the only begotten Son of God who has all the qualities of deity and who is a part of the Godhead. He has self-existent life by virtue of being a member of the deity John 5:261 John 5:7, 8John 3:16. Men are merely adopted sons and live as long as the penalty death is not passed upon them because of sin after they get into Christ.

If this is true, then the teaching about security that men in Christ cannot die again regardless of how much they sin is completely false. Similarly, the idea is false that one can lose fellowship but not relationship. What good is relationship if one goes to eternal Hell and suffers the penalty for sin that he would have suffered had he never been saved? As we shall see in Point IV below one can lose eternal life and be lost. In Point VII below we shall see that eternal life is given us upon the condition that we remain in Christ by living free from sin and rebellion against God. We shall see in Point V below that eternal life has been lost and that Lucifer, many angels, demons, and men who were at one time in God’s grace or favor are going to spend eternity in eternal Hell regardless of sonship, fellowship, and relationship with God. When fellowship is lost, relationship means nothing. All angels are called “sons of God” Job 1:6Job 2:1Job 38:7. Fallen angels are still “sons of God” but many of them are in Hell today 2 Peter 2:4 and all of them will finally go to Hell regardless of sonship Matthew 25:41. Not one passage in Scripture ever hints that a man may lose fellowship because of sin and still retain relationship with God and eternal life in Heaven.

Why do not men who teach this doctrine give simple Scriptures that prove their point; that is, furnish Scriptures that do not need to be twisted in order to get the desired meaning? Why don’t they give some concrete examples in Scripture where men have lost fellowship and died out of fellowship and have gone to Heaven? Such Scriptures and examples cannot be found and this is the reason they do not quote them. Why would God want to take free moral agents to Heaven who chose to be out of fellowship with Him? Why would God have fellowship with creatures in Heaven that He cannot fellowship with on Earth? Surely they have committed sin, or they would not be out of fellowship. Where is there one statement that God is under obligation to take such men to Heaven when they die out of fellowship? Where is there any Scripture that He is obligated to bring them back into fellowship before they die?

Let’s take a closer look at this. Suppose a man is suddenly killed before he has a chance to regain fellowship, as has been true of many. Is God obligated to fellowship with him just because he dies? Would not God be broad enough to fellowship with men while they are alive in sin if He has to do it when they die in sin? It is inconceivable that God will fill Heaven with such creatures who are out of fellowship with Him. If He will not fellowship with them on Earth He will not do it in Heaven and there is no Scripture that obligates Him to ever do so.

IV. Can Eternal Life Be Lost?

Those who believe in unconditional security say, “A believer can never be lost. If anyone is lost he was never saved . . . Eternal life would not be eternal if it could be lost. Would salvation be salvation if it could be lost? If a single saved man is ever lost, God has failed . . . Christ is insufficient to keep them saved and God is unfaithful to them . . . Once in grace always in grace and once a son always a son is perfectly scriptural.” These statements from prominent men in religious circles in America are some of the most unwise and unscriptural ones of any that we have ever read. They are the basis of a theory that violates the laws of God, nature, and logic. As a mental proposition such theory assumes an unsound position and is a disgrace to the art of human reasoning. Just because a man is once saved from sin and Hell is no sign that he cannot go back into sin and be lost again and finally go to Hell. No Scripture has yet been found that says he cannot lose eternal life and no one will ever be able to produce a Scripture that says such a thing, so it will take more than statements of men to prove this claim.

A man saved from a certain kind of death may again become the victim of the kind of death he was once delivered from. A man pulled out of a lake and saved from death can again Fall into the same lake and be rescued again and again and then finally be drowned. A man lost in the woods and who has been found can go back into the woods and be lost and found any number of times. One might as well argue that because a man was lost in the woods and died without being found, that he was never out of the woods in the first place, as to argue that a man who is finally lost in Hell was never once saved. One might as well argue that a man was never a man if he was ever lost, as to argue that salvation is not salvation if it could be lost. One might as well argue that an eternal diamond was not eternal should it be lost as to argue that eternal life is not eternal should it ever be lost. Such reasoning is not logical from any standpoint.

One may as well argue that once a child of the devil, always a child of the devil; once a sinner, always a sinner; once alive, always alive; once saved from drowning, always saved from drowning; once full of food, always full of food; or some other illogical principle, as to argue once saved, always saved or once a child of God, always a child of God or once in grace always in grace. Such an argument is out of harmony with all creation and every principle of life. In every phase of life there are certain conditions to meet to maintain that phase of life. Neglect eating food and the body will die; neglect a garden, a home, or anything in the natural realm and it will Fall into decay and ruin.

Nothing in nature ever attains through life processes a state of being from which it can never Fall. Plant and animal life acted upon from above or quickened by the elements under favorable conditions, must be kept alive by the same elements or they will soon die. Let unfavorable conditions arise and the very elements that caused the life to be quickened and sustained will cause it to die. All natural life is dependent upon proper and proportionate air, rain, sunshine, and normal conditions to keep it alive.

So it is with the soul, let it be quickened from above and go back into sin, which causes death, and it will die again. It is not a question of taking the man out of the human family, or of the soul ceasing to be a soul should it go back into sin and be lost but it is a question of the continued life of the soul by continuous quickening from above to keep it from dying again. The law is, “if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” Romans 8:13 and “the soul that sinneth it shall die” Ezekiel 18:4, 19Ezekiel 33:12-20.

Suppose that “once a son, always a son” is true, that would not do away with the fact that a son can die and go to Hell because of sin, as we shall see in the many examples in Point V, below. However, human beings are not sons of God in the sense that Jesus is. He is the “only begotten Son” John 1:14John 3:16-18, hence our new birth is not in the sense of sonship like His. Men are only “adopted” sons from another family Romans 8:14-17Galatians 4:5-7. They are not even “created” sons as were Adam and other beings in the universe Luke 3:38Job 1:6Job 2:1Job 38:7. They are merely the offspring of Adam and belong to his family, and can never become sons of God except by “adoption.” They were not only born sons of man, but spiritually they were born in sin and sons of the devil. Jesus said of sinners: “ye are of your father the devil” John 8:41-44Matthew 13:38. Others call sinners children of the devil Acts 13:10Acts 26:18Ephesians 2:1-31 John 3:8-10.

Hence, if the argument of analogy with the human race be true, and if “once a son, always a son” could not be altered, as is argued, then it would disprove “once in grace, always in grace,” for all men are born sons of the devil out of grace, and they could never become sons of God in grace. For “once a son of the devil and out of grace” would make a man “always a son of the devil and out of grace” and no man could ever change sonships or get into grace. No man could be unborn of the devil and become a son of God. This is just as true in connection with the devil as it would be of God.

If men were born sons of the devil and if “once a son, always a son” cannot be altered, then this would mean a sinner could never be saved. It would mean that one must always be a child of the devil and could not by any means ever be a child of God. Men ought to thank God that such a theory is false. Therefore, being a son then does not prove that one cannot be adopted into another family, or that he cannot be cut off and be disinherited and punished in eternal banishment from all family rights and privileges. What is the advantage of being a son if one is disfellowshipped to the point of being cut off to die and to be sent to Hell. If the relationship holds good and is unalterable in one case, then it certainly must be in the other case also.

Thus, “once a son of the devil, always a son of the devil” makes conversion impossible and the death of Christ of no effect. In fact, it makes His death not necessary at all. It nullifies the whole plan of redemption. Thus the strongest argument of the “once in grace” believer would destroy itself if it were true. So there could be no such thing said of a man as “once a son of God, always a son of God” or “once in grace, always in grace” for no man can ever establish claims of birthright in God or claim grace as a heritage.

In every place where there is a father and a son, there is a household Ephesians 2:19-22. In God’s household Christ is a “son” and also in that “house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end” Hebrews 3:6, 12. We do not have to stay in God’s house any more than we would be forced to stay in any home into which we had been adopted after we became of age. There are, however, conditions we have to meet to stay in God’s house just as there are rules with which we must conform in order to stay in any home into which we have been adopted. These conditions would naturally be that one must be obedient and submissive to the head of the house. The conditions that must be met to remain in God’s house will be fully stated in Point VII, below.

There is, therefore, no such thing as being “once a spiritual son, always a spiritual son” unless one remains spiritual and in Christ. One can lose spiritual sonship with the devil and become a spiritual son of God and one can likewise lose spiritual sonship with God and become again a spiritual son of the devil and be lost in eternal Hell. Backsliders can be renewed again, as proven in Lesson Twenty-three, Point V, 11. There is also no such thing as “once in grace, always in grace,” unless one stays in grace by obedience to the gospel, as we have already proven in Lesson Nineteen, Point I, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. That one can Fall from grace is plainly stated in many Scriptures that are listed in Lesson Nineteen, point I, and in the many Scriptures given in points below.

As we have seen, eternal life is given to man when he gets into Christ and it is his as long as he remains in Christ. He loses it when he is cut off from Christ. Since God has said that man will lose eternal life when he sins, and since He has made abundant provision for man that he does not have to sin, then if he sins God is obligated to cut man off from eternal life to remain true to His Word. God is not to blame. He has not failed. Christ has been all sufficient even though man fails and sins and is finally lost. It is not that the failure is in God or Christ but it is in the man who does not have to sin but who chooses to sin and incur the penalty of the broken law. To lay the blame upon God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, or upon God’s plan, power, purpose, attitude, and will, as being faulty is the height of ignorance. The blame is entirely upon man who fails to let God keep him from sin and who chooses sin and earthly pleasures in preference to God or he would not have repudiated God. God has said that sin separates and kills and this will happen in every case or God is untrue Isaiah 59:2Ezekiel 18:4Romans 8:12-13. This will automatically explain Rom. 8:35-39; Jn. 10:27-29 and all other passages men misinterpret in teaching unconditional security. Paul did not say in Rom. 8:35-39 that sin would not separate from God, but both God and Paul did say elsewhere that it would, so let us be sensible about the question Isaiah 59:2Romans 8:12-15Galatians 5:19-21Galatians 6:7-8. No man has to sin and be lost and he cannot be saved when he sins.

Eternal Life Can Be Lost as Proven by the Following Scriptures:

1. 1 “In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” Genesis 2:17. Adam surely died; he fell from God’s grace or favor; and he lost the eternal life he possessed and could have kept forever, if he had not sinned Romans 5:12-21.

1. 1 Moses said, “If thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me I pray thee out of thy book which thou hast written. And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” Exodus 32:32-33Deuteronomy 9:7-29Deuteronomy 11:13-25.

1. 1 “Defile not yourselves in any of these things (that I cast out the nations for) . . . ye shall not commit any of these abominations . . . whosoever shall commit any of these things shall be cut off” Leviticus 18:24-30.

1. 1 “If ye shall not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments . . . ye break my covenant: I also will do this to you . . . ye shall perish” Leviticus 26:13-39. Many times God said Israel would perish if she sinned Deuteronomy 8:19-20Deuteronomy 11:26-28Deuteronomy 15:4-6Deuteronomy 28:21-22Deuteronomy 30:15-20.

1. 1 “Keep the commandments . . . your eyes have seen what the Lord did because of Baal-peor . . . God destroyed them from among you (24,000 once born-again men were killed for adultery in one day—Num. 25:1-8). . . But ye that did cleave unto the Lord are alive every one of you this day” Deuteronomy 4:1-4.

1. 1 “Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord . . . God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God . . . When thou shalt beget children. . . remain long in the land, and corrupt yourselves . . . do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger . . . ye shall utterly perish . . . be utterly destroyed” Deuteronomy 4:23-31.

1. 1 “When God shall give you great and goodly cities, and houses full of good things . . . when thou shalt have eaten and be full; Then beware lest thou forget the Lord . . . Ye shall not go after other gods . . . lest the anger of the Lord be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the earth. Ye shall not tempt the Lord . . . do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord; that it may be well with thee” Deuteronomy 6:10-19.

1. 1 “All the commandments. . . shall ye observe and do, that ye may live” Deuteronomy 8:1-6.

1. 1 “If thou do at all forget the Lord, walk after other gods, and serve them . . . I testify against you this day that ye shall utterly perish; because ye would not be obedient” Deuteronomy 8:19-20.

1. 1 “If thou shalt . . . do all his commandments . . . all these blessings shall come upon you (21 different blessings, Deut. 29:1-14). But it shall come to pass if thou wilt not . . . observe to do all his commandments . . . that all these curses (122 curses, Deut. 28:15-68) shall come upon thee . . . till thou be destroyed, because ye did not keep the commandments . . . because thou servedst not the Lord . . . until thou be destroyed . . . as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to naught; and ye shall be plucked from off the land Deuteronomy 28:1-68.

1. 1 God said that any man who turns his heart away from Him and says “I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst (go head-long into sin): the Lord will not spare him . . . then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven” Deuteronomy 29:18-28.

1. 1 “The Lord said to Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this (born-again) people will rise up, and go a whoring after other gods . . . and will forsake me, and break my covenant . . . then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured” Deuteronomy 30:16-20.

1. 1 Moses wrote this song: “They have corrupted themselves . . . They sacrificed to devils, not to God . . . Of the Rock that begat thee . . . thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God . . . when the Lord saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons and daughters . . . They have moved me to jealousy . . . provoked me to anger . . . a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell . . . l will heap mischiefs (calamities) upon them” Deuteronomy 32:1-44. According to this Scripture born-again men who are sons and daughters of God can backslide, Fall from grace, forget God, provoke Him to anger, and cause Him to abhor them and destroy them in the lowest hell.

1. 1 “The anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel . . . The Lord said, Israel hath sinned . . . neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you” Joshua 7:1, 10.

1. 1 “If ye do in any wise go back . . . then shall the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly” Joshua 23:12-16.

1. 1 “If ye forsake the Lord . . . and serve other gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good” Joshua 24:2-20.

1. 1 “Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua . . . (then) Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Balaam: and forsook the Lord . . . and followed other gods . . . And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel . . . God sold them into the hands of their enemies . . . when the Lord raised up judges, then the Lord was with the judge and delivered them out of the hands of their enemies all the days of the judge because of their groanings . . . when the judge was dead, they returned and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way. And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel . . . because that this people transgressed my covenant, and have not hearkened unto my voice” Judges 2:1-23Judges 3:1-4. This sinning and repenting went on for more than 450 years. During that time Israel experienced eight servitudes to other nations lasting 8 to 40 years each, while in a backslidden state; and between times they served God and were in His grace and favor.

As in the period of the judges, Israel “did evil in the sight of the Lord” many times during the period of the kings, and God destroyed them 1 Kings 14:221 Kings 15:26, 341 Kings 16:72 Kings 17:1-17. Furthermore, the prophets speak of Israel as being cut off, consumed, destroyed, and rejected of God because of sins; and so, eternal life can be lost through sin, and by sin only (Isa. 5:24-25; 28:7-8, 13-22; 63:10; 64:5-7; Jer. 2:5-37; 3:1-25; 4:1-31; 5:1-31; 6:1-30; 7:1-34; 9:13-16; 12:14-17; 14:7-16; Jer. 15:1-7; 16:11-18; 17:4-13; 18:7-17; 19:4-7; 21:8-14; 22:9; 23:1-40; 25:5-9; 26:3-6; 29:19-23, 32; 32:26-36; 35:15-17; 26:7; Lam. 1:8-9; 2:7; 5:22; Ezek. 13:1-23; 14:6-11; 20:7-13; 22:28-31).

1. 1 “Let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them and that I may consume them” Exodus 32:10, 12Exodus 33:3, 5Numbers 16:21, 45Deuteronomy 7:16, 22Jeremiah 8:13. God did consume many of the elect of Israel because of sin Numbers 11:1Numbers 14:35Numbers 16:26, 35Numbers 32:13Deuteronomy 2:15-16Joshua 5:6. God vowed that He would consume all who would forsake Him and live in sin Isaiah 1:28Isaiah 64:7Jeremiah 5:3Jeremiah 9:16Jeremiah 14:15Ezekiel 5:12Ezekiel 22:31. Paul said that we must “have grace to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire” Hebrews 12:28-29.

1. 1 “Is it a light thing for Judah to commit these abominations . . . to provoke me to anger . . . I also will deal with them in fury; my eye will not spare, neither will I have pity” Ezekiel 8:17-18.

1. 1 “If ye forget my commandments . . . then I will pluck them up by the roots” (2 Chron. 7:19-20); “if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy” Jeremiah 12:14-17Jeremiah 18:7-17Jeremiah 22:24-26Jeremiah 31:28-30Jeremiah 45:4Ezekiel 17:9. In the N. T. we learn that God will not pluck up the one who “Hears the voice of Christ and follows Him.” See Jn. 10:27-29.

1. 1 “When a righteous man [Jew or Gentile, under law or under grace] doth turn from righteousness, and commit iniquity . . . he shall die . . . Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live . . . When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity . . . All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die . . . for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die” Ezekiel 3:20, 21Ezekiel 18:24-32.

1. 1 “The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not Fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth . . . he shall die for it . . . When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby” Ezekiel 33:12-20. Such simple language does not need interpretation. These passages are God’s own words and they prove a righteous man dies again when he sins and he will be lost if he dies in has sins.

1. 1 “Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book” (Exod. 32: 30-35). God said this and He means it. Again we read, “Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous” Psalms 69:28. This is a prophecy of Judas, as proven by a comparison of Acts 1:20 and Ps. 69:25-29. In Revelation we read, “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life” Revelation 3:5. This passage teaches that if men did not overcome, their names would be blotted out.

1. 1 “Not every one that saith, Lord, Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” Matthew 7:21. If one ceases to do the will of God he loses eternal life and will not enter the kingdom of God unless he comes back to repentance and godliness again.

1. 1 “He that endureth to the end shall be saved” Matthew 10:22. It is possible not to endure to the end, or this Scripture is meaningless.

1. 1 “Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” Matthew 24:12. When love waxes cold one has lost Christ and eternal life and will be spued out Revelation 2:4-5Revelation 3:15-16. One who has lost love has lost God, and if one has lost God he has lost grace as stated in 1 Jn. 4:8, 12, 16, 21; Gal. 1:6-8; 5:4; Heb. 12:15.

1. 1 “When ye (disciples) stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any . . . But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses” Mark 11:25-26Matthew 18:21-35. Even this then, will cut off eternal life.

1. 1 “If any man defile the temple of God (the body), him shall God destroy” 1 Corinthians 3:16-171 Corinthians 6:19-20Hebrews 12:15. Regarding things that defile we read: “Out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, deceit, lasciviousness, a evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and defile the man” Mark 7:21-23.

1. 1 “They hear, receive the word with joy . . . which for a while believe, and in the time of temptation Fall away” Luke 8:13.

1. 1 “The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him . . . and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers” Luke 12:46Revelation 21:8Revelation 22:15.

1. 1 “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him” John 6:66.

1. 1 “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” John 8:31. If you do not continue, the opposite is true: you are not His disciple and do not have eternal life.

1. 1 “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not for ever (does not have eternal life): but the Son (who does not commit sin) abideth for ever (has eternal life). If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” John 8:34-36.

1. 1 “If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death” John 8:31John 14:15, 21John 15:9-14. If one does not keep His saying, the result of course, will be death.

1. 1 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them (that follow me) eternal life; and they (that follow me) shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them (that follow me) out of my hands. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them (that follow me) out of my Father’s hand” John 10:27-29. This gives eternal security and eternal life to all who follow Christ, and nothing to them that do not follow Him and do not hear His voice, that is, obey it, and heed what He says. To claim the benefits promised means nothing if we do not literally and daily hear His voice and follow Him. Note that the passage simply states that no “man,” that is, no other human can pluck a person out of the hand of God; but, if a person sins, God, Himself has the right and can pluck and truly does pluck such a sinning person out of His own hand, for He is Holy and cannot tolerate sin, as we have seen in point 20, above.

1. 1 “Every branch in me [being in Christ makes one a new creature and a holy branch, 2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 11:16] that beareth not fruit he taketh away [not taketh to Heaven or be laid on the shelf] . . . he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned” John 15:1, 2. To teach from this passage that all men are “in Christ” is to teach that all men are “clean” for to the same men He said, “ye are the branches . . . Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” John 15:3, 5. The same ones that were “branches” and were “in Christ” also had Christ in them John 15:4-7. This statement could never be made of sinners, for Paul said, “Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates” 2 Corinthians 13:5 and “if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness” Romans 8:9, 10.

To teach, as ultra-graceists do, that “in me” means the universal sense of being in Christ and “taketh away” means taken to Heaven is to teach that all men are saved, that God is pruning all men, that all men are “clean” by the Word, that God is the “Father” and “husbandman” of all men, and that all men will be taken to Heaven. If these things are true then these teachers ought to quit worrying about the security of any one, for all are saved, and if all are saved and no saved man can be lost, then all have eternal life and will go to Heaven. If this is true, then we do not need churches or preachers and we should get rid of both.

The more these men twist and deny Scripture to prove some unscriptural doctrine, the more they become inconsistent with themselves and the Bible. If Jn. 15 does refer only to saved men, then it is certain that they can get out of Christ, be cut off and be burned, and if this does not mean the loss of the soul it means nothing. If the branches can be cut off, then it proves holy people can be cut off and be burned, for Rom. 11:16 says, “If the root be holy, so are the branches.” If holy men can be lost through sin then saved men can be lost, and once saved, always saved is false.

1. 1 “If any man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned” John 15:6. This much is certain: the branches that wither and become fruitless were once in the vine, otherwise they would not be branches of the vine. The responsibility of staying in the vine (Christ), lies with the branches who can bear more or less fruit as they obey God and yield to Him to bring forth fruit. Thus, one can become out of Christ by his refusal to obey God and bring forth fruit.

1. 1 “Thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. Those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them (that thou hast given me, and that I have given eternal life to) is lost, but the son of perdition” John 17:2, 12. Here Christ acknowledges that power had been given Him to give eternal life to every man whom God had given Him, and Judas is recognized among those who had been given Him; therefore, Judas as well as the others had been given eternal life. It just so happened that Judas was the only one among this particular group whom Christ did not keep, and who was lost. Judas, at one time, had an apostleship but lost it, and by transgression fell Acts 1:20, 25 If he fell from the ministry and the apostleship by transgression, then it should be clear that he was a truly saved man before this transgression. This will be proven fully in point V, 23, below.

1. 1 “When they knew God, they glorified him not as God . . . their foolish heart was darkened . . . they became fools . . . God gave them up to uncleanness . . . God gave them up unto vile affections . . . God gave them up to a reprobate mind . . . Being filled with all unrighteousness . . . they are worthy of death” Romans 1:21-32Romans 2:1-5.

1. 1 “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness . . . the end of those things [committing sins] is death . . . For the wages of sin is death” Romans 6:16-23.

1. 1 “Through their Fall salvation is come to the Gentiles . . . if the Fall of them be the riches of the world . . . how much more their fulness? . . . For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? . . . because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear. For if God spared not the natural branches (elect Israel when they sinned), take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity, but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shall be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again . . . so all Israel shall be saved” again Romans 11:11-32.

1. 1 “All our fathers . . . did eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ (proving they were born-again, Deut. 32:15-19). But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye as some of them . . . and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples . . for our admonition . . . Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he Fall” 1 Corinthians 10:1-13.

1. 1 “The gospel . . . by which ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain” 1 Corinthians 15:1-8.

1. 1 “I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” 2 Corinthians 11:1-3Colossians 2:8-19.

1. 1 “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him (Christ) that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel” Galatians 1:6-7.

1. 1 “If I build again the things which I destroyed (gave up for Christ), I make myself a transgressor,” that is, I will revert back to the old life of sin and be lost again Galatians 2:18.

1. 1 “I do not frustrate (set aside, render useless) the grace of God” for the law program; for, “then Christ is dead in vain” Galatians 2:21.

1. 1 “My little children of whom I travail in birth again (as I did once before) until Christ be formed in you” Galatians 4:19.

1. 1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” Galatians 5:1.

1. 1 “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace” Galatians 5:4. For a person to be “fallen from grace” by any means or for any cause, he would need to be in grace first, in order to Fall from it.

1. 1 “If a man be overtaken in a fault (sin), ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” Galatians 6:1—and go back in sin.

1. 1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” Romans 8:1. Some argue that these words are interpolated and they try to prove there is no condition to meet in order to be free from condemnation. Suppose they are not in the original in this verse, nevertheless they are not interpolated in Rom. 8:4, thus proving the same condition of no condemnation in Christ Jesus as in Rom. 8:1. What benefit is such an argument, since Paul says in 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:10, 20 that anyone living after the flesh cannot inherit the kingdom of God? If one has to walk after the Spirit to be saved, as in Gal. 5:16-26, he has to do this to be free from condemnation. Paul continued in Rom. 8 by saying, “Therefore, brethren [saved men], we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” Romans 8:12-13. Saved men then will die again spiritually and eternally if they go back into sin Galatians 5:19-21Romans 1:29-32.

1. 1 “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself be a castaway” 1 Corinthians 9:27. One writer says of this verse, “castaway means a cracked pot put on the shelf.” So Paul says in effect, “I do not want to be a cracked pot!”

We have often wondered what to call backsliders and now we know what to call them. We can call them cracked pots. However, the meaning of Paul goes beyond being a mere cracked pot laid aside. He says, “if ye live after the flesh ye shall die” and that ye “shall not inherit the kingdom of God,” so why argue that God will take such men to Heaven when God said He would not? Romans 8:13Galatians 5:19-211 Corinthians 6:9-11Ezekiel 18:4, 24Ezekiel 33:16-20.

The Greek word adokimos , translated “castaway” in 1 Cor. 9:27, might have been lost to some men for centuries, but it has been in the Bible all this time. Its meaning is made very clear in the passages where it is used. It is used and translated “reprobate” in Rom. 1:28; 2 Cor. 13:5-7 (three times); 2 Tim. 3:8; Titus 1:16 and “rejected” in Heb. 6:8. It can be seen by these passages that the word has a deeper meaning than merely being disapproved in the sense of losing a crown as one writer says, or being a cracked pot laid on the shelf as another one says.

Paul did not say that I am afraid that my works should be “castaway” but that “I myself be a castaway.” Suppose we make mere cracked pots laid on the shelf of all the people in these passages, or interpret the word “castaway” to mean that works were going to be unrewarded. We would have to understand that the reprobates of Rom. 1:29-32 will be saved. How could such men be saved and their works only be lost who are reprobate in mind and “filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death”?

The pots have too many cracks in them for a child of God even to want to be on the shelf with them, much less go to Heaven with them. Such reprobates are not only cracked pots but they are “broken cisterns, that can hold no water” Jeremiah 2:13. They are clouds without water and trees, twice dead, plucked up try the roots (Jude 12-13). How could the “reprobates” (cracked pots or castaways) of 2 Cor. 13:5-7 be saved and go to Heaven when Paul said, “Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates”? If Christ is not in cracked pots or a person castaway, then it is clear that Paul feared losing his own soul, and in this respect he would not make a good modern ultra-grace man at all.

How could the “reprobates” or cracked pots of 2 Tim. 3:8 and Titus 1:16 be saved and go to Heaven when Paul said they “resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the truth . . . They profess to know God; but in works deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate”? Paul said of them, “But they will proceed no further.”

Did Paul mean by the word “reprobate” that it was time for them to be laid on the shelf until God took them to Heaven? How could they be saved and go to Heaven when Paul classed them as “rejected” in Heb. 6:8? He spoke of them as bearing thorns and briers and whose end is to be burned. Is God going to burn all cracked pots and all who are laid on the shelf and take them to Heaven also? That voice from the silent centuries does not speak the truth, so we had better reject it and believe the present thundering voice of God which says, “if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die,” not be laid on the shelf until God takes you to Heaven Romans 8:12-13.

When Paul was afraid of being a “castaway” he literally meant he was afraid of losing his soul in Hell with all other reprobates and rejected men. When he told us what he had to do lest he should lose his soul, he wanted us to know that true security is in bringing the body under subjection as in Rom. 8:13 and in living right instead of living in sin every day, as advocated by those who believe in unconditional security Galatians 5:16-24Romans 8:1-131 Corinthians 6:9-112 Corinthians 5:172 Corinthians 7:12 Corinthians 10:4, 5Galatians 2:20Galatians 6:14Philippians 3:7-142 Timothy 4:7, 8Hebrews 12:14. Note in these passages that Paul not only lived a holy life, but he showed the way that all others should live in the same manner. He was not a believer in unconditional security. He taught conditional security, which is the only true security in Scripture.

1. 1 “For now we [Christians] live, if [on condition that] ye stand fast in the Lord” 1 Thessalonians 3:8. This clearly states the condition of continued eternal life.

1. 1 Do not choose a new convert as a deacon, “lest being lifted up with pride he Fall into the condemnation of the devil,” that is, Fall by pride as Satan did 1 Timothy 3:6Ezekiel 28:11-17. Beyond doubt: if deacons are saved men, then saved men can Fall as Satan did and be lost.

1. 1 “Many shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” 1 Timothy 4:1.

1. 1 “He has denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” 1 Timothy 5:8.

1. 1 “They have erred from the faith” 1 Timothy 6:9-10, 21James 5:19-20.

1. 1 “Who concerning the truth have erred . . . and overthrow the faith of some” 2 Timothy 2:17-18.

1. 1 “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil” 2 Timothy 2:25-26.

1. 1 “Give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip . . . How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation” Hebrews 2:1-4.

1. 1 “But with whom was he grieved . . . whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? And to whom he sware that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief” Hebrews 3:17-19. “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it” Hebrews 4:1-2. “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man Fall after the same example of unbelief” Hebrews 4:11.

1. 1 “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God (Fall from the grace of God); lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled” Hebrews 12:15. Thus, not only can man Fall from grace and fail of grace so that he does not have it, but he can be destroyed because he is defiled 1 Corinthians 3:16-17.

1. 1 “Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sins and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death James 1:13-16.

1. 1 “If ye have respect of persons ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law and offend in one point, he is guilty of all” James 2:9-13 Can a saved man ever fail in one point? Then he is guilty of all and must confess or be lost.

1. 1 “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins” James 5:19-20. This is written to saved men, to brethren, who can err from the truth, become sinners again, and die spiritually (lose eternal life), because of sin. If one does this he needs conversion again; and if he is so converted again, then he is saved from the error of his way, he is saved again from death, and his sins are hidden again by being blotted out and forgiven. These facts truly make the possibility of backsliding and having a new birth again very clear.

1. 1 “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never Fall” 2 Peter 1:4-10. And only, “if ye do these things, ye shall never Fall”— not to do these things can result in a Fall.

1. 1 “Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam” 2 Peter 2:15-18.

1. 1 “If we deny him, he also will deny us” 2 Timothy 2:12. This is a plain lie if God will not damn saved men should they sin and deny Him.

1. 1 “Beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, Fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” 2 Peter 3:17-18.

1. 1 “These things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” 1 John 2:1-2. Saved men can sin and be lost if, when they sin, they do not use their advocate.

1. 1 “When they [saved women] have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; having damnation, because they cast off their first faith” 1 Timothy 5:11, 121 Timothy 6:19, 202 Timothy 2:17, 182 Timothy 4:10. These Scriptures are also lies if they do not mean what they say. They say that saved people can be damned if they destroy their faith.

1. 1 “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him” 1 John 3:15. What about these backsliders or cracked pots who hate their brothers? Do they have eternal life? Who is right, God or man?

1. 1 “Whosoever committeth sin is of the devil,” not of God, regardless of past salvation 1 John 3:8.

1. 1 “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness . . . the end of those things [committing sins] is death . . . For the wages of sin is death” Romans 6:16-23.

1. 1 “He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption” and not eternal life Galatians 6:7, 8. This means saved men can be lost if they sow to the flesh.

1. 1 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11Galatians 5:19-21Romans 1:29-32. Those who believe in unconditional security admit that saved men, even preachers, have failed God and have gone back to a life of sin in the flesh. Then how do they expect to see such men go to Heaven if they die in this state? They had better “be not deceived” and quit such unscriptural teaching.

1. 1 “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men” Matthew 5:13-14.

1. 1 “We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard [the gospel], lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” Hebrews 2:1-3. No person can neglect something that he does not have. Paul here warns saints that every sin will be judged by God and that it is possible to let the truth and salvation slip away. This certainly shows sinning-saints will come before God in judgment as well as sinners.

1. 1 “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth . . . hath both the Father and the Son” (2 Jn. 9, 10). Those that do not abide have neither the Father nor the Son, so will be lost unless they repent.

1. 1 “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God . . . If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” 1 Corinthians 3:16-181 Corinthians 6:9-11, 19. This passage applies only to Christians, as sinners do not have the Holy Spirit Romans 8:9. This is an untruth if God would not do what He said through Paul. Some did defile themselves and they lost eternal life Hebrews 12:12-15Revelation 3:4, 5Revelation 21:27.

1. 1 The statements of 2 Pet. 2:20-21 prove that men can sin and be lost. One writer says, “one really not born-again may follow a little while outwardly, but they are like dogs who turn to their own vomit again . . . If a dog had ever been regenerated and become a sheep, if the sow had ever been changed and become a lamb, neither would have gone back to the filth . . . A dog is always a dog, and a sow is always a sow. One saved can never be lost.”

This argument is illogical and unscriptural. In the first place, the writer should know that no man is ever turned into another kind of creature, as a dog, a sheep, or a lamb by the new birth. Unsaved men are compared to sheep as well as are saved men Isaiah 53:6Luke 15:1-10. A literal sheep can never be a man and a man can never become a sheep by the new birth, much less a dog or a sow. The new birth does not make him either, nor does backsliding.

Peter is merely comparing a backslider to a dog going to his vomit again and a sow to her mire again, to show that a saved man can go back into sin again and be worse than in the beginning. He never dreamed men would ever get so illogical as to think that he taught that a dog or a sow could ever be anything else, but he did expect men to have sense enough to understand a simple illustration or comparison of a saved man going back into sin again.

To say 2 Pet. 2:20, 21 refers to false teachers who have never been saved is to deny plain facts in this passage. There certainly is nothing in this passage or any other to support such an argument. Just the opposite is plainly stated here. The ones to whom Peter refers, as well as their followers, had at one time encountered real experiences and were once saved, as proven by the following facts:

(1) “Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray” 2 Peter 2:15, 16. The Greek word for “forsaken” is kataleipo , meaning “to abandon,” “forsake” and “leave behind.” It refers to leaving something of which one is a part such as a wife Matthew 19:5Ephesians 5:31, a city Matthew 4:13, a country Hebrews 11:27, etc. Forsaking the way of righteousness would then mean leaving something of which one had been a part. One could not leave the right way if he had not been in the right way. This is too obvious to deny. The phrase “gone astray” further proves this. This phrase is always used of something that has been in the right way at one time and then departed from it Exodus 23:4Deuteronomy 22:1Psalms 119:67, 176Proverbs 28:10Ezekiel 44:10-15Ezekiel 48:11Matthew 18:12-132 Peter 2:15.

(2) These false teachers mentioned by Peter had forsaken the right way, and had gone astray. They allured through the lusts of the flesh other saved men that had “clean escaped from them that live in error.” (If those they allured by lusts were clean escaped from living in error, then they were once saved men.)

(3) “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them . . . Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found in him in peace, without spot, and blameless . . . beware, lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, Fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” 2 Peter 2:20-222 Peter 3:14-18.

It matters not whether they were false prophets of the Jews or Gentiles, the fact remains that the ones referred to had once escaped through the knowledge of Jesus. They had known the way of righteousness, had received the holy commandment and had turned away from it later. Their latter end was worse than the beginning. It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness. Peter used their backslidings to warn men who were still saved that they had better “be diligent,” “be without spot, and blameless” and “beware” lest they also Fall into sin again and be lost 2 Peter 3:14-182 Peter 1:5-10.

The fact that “angels” were given here as an example, showing the punishment of those who turn back into sin, is enough to prove that the ones referred to were once holy and had lived free from sin and bondage as did the angels at one time 2 Peter 2:4. If one can prove that the angels were not at one time holy just because they sinned and are in Hell, then he can also prove that these false prophets and the ones they cause to backslide were not once holy and saved men. If one can prove that the fallen angels could not sin and that those who did sin are still holy and fit for Heaven, then he can prove the same thing of men who were once saved and who go back into sin. If one can prove that all men were not righteous in Adam and that the Fall does not make them sinners and lost men, then he can also prove that men who regain righteousness and Fall into sin will not become sinners and be lost again Romans 5:12-21.

Peter himself proves that escape from the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Jesus means to be saved. In the first chapter of 2 Peter he said, “According as his divine power hath given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him . . . having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” Then he laid down the program for those that have escaped. They were to give “all diligence” and “add” Christian graces to their life daily. He added, “But he that lacketh these things is blind . . . and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. . . . for if ye do these things, ye shall never Fall” 2 Peter 1:4-10. It is unbiblical to teach that men can escape the sins of this world and still not be saved.

The Greek word for “knowledge” in 2 Pet. 2:20 is epignoses and means “to acknowledge,” “own,” “accept,” “profess,” “endorse” and “recognize” Ephesians 1:17Ephesians 4:13Colossians 3:10. These false prophets and those who had “clean escaped” from error and went back into bondage again had once acknowledged, owned, endorsed, professed, accepted and recognized the Lord and by these means escaped the pollutions of the world.

The word “entangled” proves that men can go back into sin and be lost: “Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage [referring to the sins of the flesh] . . . they that do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” Galatians 5:1, 16. Both Paul and Peter say that a man can be “entangled again” after being saved and they must become untangled again or be lost.

The Greek word for “pollutions” is miasma and is from the root word miaino, which means “to dye with another color,” “to stain,” “to defile,” “soil” and “contaminate.” If men escape the dye and stain of the world through the knowledge of Jesus and become “entangled again” in it, God will not take them to Heaven in such defilement. If one cannot be saved again and be cleansed from this defilement, as these teachers of false security say, then he will be eternally lost.

This Greek word is translated “defile” in Titus 1:15; Heb. 12:14, 15; Jude 8, and “uncleanness” in 2 Pet. 2:10, so “pollutions” means “the sins of the flesh.” If those referred to escaped without Jesus and His knowledge, then there is another way to be saved from sin other than by the gospel, but this the Bible does not teach. If they did escape, as is plainly stated here, then it had to be by Jesus thus proving they were once saved.

If they were once saved and became entangled again, they were sinners again, and it is understandable how the “latter end is worse than the beginning” and how “it had been better not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them 2 Peter 2:20-22.

They were lost and going to Hell in the beginning (before they were saved) and their latter end in Hell will be worse due to greater light and inexcusable failure in becoming entangled again when they could have been kept in salvation by the power of God which they previously had experienced. All men are worse after they backslide than before. If not, then all men had better backslide in order to better themselves.

1. 1 Hebrews 4:4-6; 10:26-29 refer to apostates; to men who were once saved, but had become apostates and beyond redemption again. Whether they be all Jews or a mixture of Jews and Gentiles whom Paul is writing about, that is not worth arguing about. For the sake of argument, grant that they were all Jews. These passages still prove that a saved man can sin and be lost, as proven by the following:

(1) They were “once enlightened” Hebrews 6:4. This could not refer to all men as sinners being mentally enlightened with gospel truth, for they would still be enlightened. “Once” implies past enlightenment and refers to the saving knowledge of the gospel. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon says it refers to “those who have been made Christians.” Paul wrote to saved men in other places using the same word: “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened” Ephesians 1:18, “after ye were illuminated [enlightened], ye endured a great fight of afflictions” Hebrews 10:32.

The word “enlightened” is used of conversion in Ps. 19:7, 8; Lk. 11:34-36. Sinners and lost men are spoken of as being “darkened” from gospel light 2 Corinthians 4:4Ephesians 4:18Ephesians 5:8Colossians 1:131 Thessalonians 5:51 Peter 2:91 John 1:61 John 2:8-11. Saints are called “children of light” Ephesians 5:8Colossians 1:121 Thessalonians 5:5 and only saved men are spoken of as being in the light Matthew 5:14-16Luke 16:8John 3:20, 21John 8:12John 12:36Romans 13:12Ephesians 5:14Colossians 1:121 John 1:71 John 2:9, 10. Thus it is illogical to argue that being “once enlightened” refers to men who were never saved.

(2) They had “tasted of the heavenly gift . . . the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come” Hebrews 6:4, 5. The Greek word for “tasted” is geuomai, literally, “to eat food,” but used here figuratively “to experience.” It is used in other Scriptures of the experience of “death” Matthew 16:28John 8:52Hebrews 2:9 and to experience “the Lord” 1 Peter 2:3. The taste “of the heavenly gift” means to experience Jesus Christ. To taste “the good word of God” is to be saved, as proven in the following passages Matthew 13:20-23Luke 8:13-15John 15:3Acts 2:41Acts 4:4Acts 8:14Acts 11:1Acts 17:11Romans 10:9, 10Ephesians 5:26James 1:18-251 Peter 1:18-23.

Not one Scripture ever says that an unsaved man receives the Word of God and remains unsaved and continues in sin. To taste “the powers of the world to come” means to experience “eternal life.” Every time such a statement is found it refers to eternal life Mark 10:30Luke 18:30Luke 20:35. This is proof that “those” Paul was speaking about had experienced Christ, the Word of God, and eternal life. Even “once in grace” men admit “those” referred to are lost, so if they had once experienced these things and will be lost, then other saved men can sin and be lost.

(3) They had been “made partakers of the Holy Ghost” Hebrews 6:4. No sinner is ever made a partaker of the Holy Ghost Romans 8:9-16. When men argue that this refers to sinners it only proves their utter lack of understanding of the simplest gospel truths. The Greek word for “partakers” is metochos and means “a participant or sharer with,” “an associate with,” “fellow,” and “partner.” It is almost blasphemy to accuse the Holy Ghost of being a partner, sharer, participant and associate with ungodly, Christ-rejecting Jews, as those who believe in false security teach.

This Greek word is translated “partakers of the heavenly calling” Hebrews 3:1, “partakers of Christ” Hebrews 3:12-14, “partakers of the Holy Ghost” Hebrews 4:4, “partakers” of chastening which is given only to sons of God Hebrews 12:8—thus proving these men had really experienced the Holy Ghost.

Jesus said the world (sinners) cannot receive the Holy Ghost John 14:17. Paul said that sinners do not have the Holy Ghost Romans 8:9, 141 Corinthians 12:3, 122 Corinthians 1:222 Corinthians 5:5. Jude said of sinners that they did not have the Spirit (Jude 19). Thus, these men Paul refers to in Heb. 6 had once experienced the Holy Ghost and had become lost, and the same will always be true of apostates, and even ordinary backsliders if they die in their sins.

(4) They (who had all the above experiences) were in danger of falling away or becoming apostates, and “If they shall Fall away [apostatize], to renew them again unto repentance [it is impossible, Heb. 6:4] seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame . . . that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected [Greek, adokimos, “castaway,” “reprobate,” as in Point 2, above] . . . whose end is to be burned. But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you” Hebrews 6:6-9. No man could apostatize or Fall away from something he was not in; no man could be “renewed again” if he had not been renewed once; no man could have the above experiences without being saved; and no man could lose those experiences and reject them as untrue without being eternally lost.

The Greek word for “Fall away” is parapipto, meaning “to apostatize,” “desert,” or “throw overboard all faith in the experiences of the gospel and deny them.” Here men are warned not to do this, proving such is possible, and if they do apostatize it is impossible to renew them again to repentance because of rejecting the only sacrifice that could renew them to repentance and save the soul. If such will be “rejected,” “castaway” and “burned” then saved men can again become lost and go to Hell because of sin.

(5) Men can “sin willfully” and “despise” the gospel and their former experiences Hebrews 10:26-31. Such will receive “judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries,” which is considered a “much sorer punishment” than destruction “without mercy” under the Law of Moses. The Greek word for “despised” is athleteo, meaning “to set aside,” “disesteem,” “violate,” “cast off,” “disannul,” “frustrate,” “reject” and “bring to nought.” When a man did this under the law, there was no mercy shown. Paul here warns men under grace and who had been saved that if this happens to them and they “despised” the gospel they will receive a worse judgment and punishment than men did under the law.

Atheteo is translated “reject” Mark 6:26Luke 7:30John 12:48, “cast off” 1 Timothy 5:12, “despise” Luke 10:161 Thessalonians 4:8Hebrews 10:28, “bring to nothing” 1 Corinthians 1:19, “disannul” Galatians 3:15, and “frustrate” Galatians 2:21. To “sin willfully” then means to throw overboard all gospel faith as seen above in Heb. 6:4-9. The people referred to here in Heb. 10:26-31 had the following experiences:

A. They had “received the knowledge of the truth,” which is the same as “tasting the good word of God,” as in Point (2) above, so they must have been saved Hebrews 10:26.

B. They had been “sanctified” by “the blood of the covenant” Hebrews 10:29. Mere ceremonial sanctification or the kind in 1 Cor. 7:14 cannot be done by the blood of Jesus. This refers to personal holiness by the blood, as proven in Heb. 13:12, 20; 1 Jn. 1:7; Eph. 1:7; Rev. 1:5. So the statement “hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith HE WAS SANCTIFIED [not could have been, but WAS SANCTIFIED], an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto [blasphemed] the Spirit of grace” proves that a saved, sanctified and holy man can backslide and be lost. “For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord will judge his people.” If God said He would recompense and judge His people who sin, then it is true and unconditional security is false.

1. 1 It is definitely stated in 1 Jn. 2:24, 25 that it is entirely left up to us to let eternal life abide in us and that it does as long as we continue in the Son and in the Father. The Person that was from the beginning referred to in these verses is Christ who is our eternal life 1 John 1:1, 2John 17:2, 3. It would be foolish to ask men to “Let that abide in” them if it were impossible for them to do otherwise.

1. 1 “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul” Hebrews 10:38, 39. If any man could not draw back and go to perdition this is a waste of words like the many hundreds of other passages that state a man dies when he sins.

1. 1 If we hold fast to the end “we are of God’s house” Hebrews 3:6; “we become partakers of Christ eternally” Hebrews 3:11-14; “we enter into eternal rest” Hebrews 6:19Hebrews 4:1-11; “we will not Fall as did others” Hebrews 4:11; “we shall inherit the promises” Hebrews 6:11, 12Hebrews 10:23, 35; and “be saved eternally” Hebrews 10:38, 39Hebrews 12:14, 151 Peter 1:5, 92 Peter 1:3-102 Peter 3:17, 18; but if we do not hold fast to the end we shall be lost. These passages are lies if there are no conditions to meet to be saved in the end.

1. 1 “The soul that sinned it shall die” Ezekiel 18:4. Both the righteous and wicked are referred to in Ezek. 3:18-21; 18:4-32; 33:11-20, SO if both classes are addressed as dying when sin is committed, it is foolish to contradict God. The same thing was said to Adam Genesis 2:17, SO if he died when he sinned, then the righteous today will also die for committing sin. It simply means that any man who sins will be sent to Hell, for eternal Hell is the death penalty.

1. 1 Jude speaks of some who were “twice dead” (Jude 12). Men are born dead in sins, so to die a second time would have to be after the new birth. This proves men can die more than once and therefore they can be made alive more than once, as proven in Lesson Twenty-three, Point IV, 14.

1. 1 “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do thy first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent” Revelation 2:4-5. See also Rev. 2:16, 20-23; 3:3-4.

1. 1 “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” Revelation 2:10.

1. 1 “He that overcometh . . . I will not blot out his name out of the book of life” Revelation 3:5Revelation 22:18-19Exodus 32:32-33Psalms 69:28. If one does not overcome we can expect then, that his name will be blotted out of the Book of Life.

These many scriptures above plainly say that saved men when they sin will die and be lost. Are we going to believe these and many other scriptural facts or believe the false theory of unconditional security so we can still live in sin? If the above passages do not refer to the saved then they do not mean what they say, for sinners could not: be called “brethren,” be “in the Lord,” “in Christ,” be “just,” and be the ones Christian letters were written to. Sinners could not “wax wanton against Christ” or “cast off their first faith.” They could not again go after Satan unless they had first turned to God Acts 26:18.

In the Bible we not only have many passages plainly stating that eternal life can be lost and that the saved who sin will die and be damned, but we have many concrete cases of men and angels who once had eternal life and were in grace and favor with God, and who sinned and will be damned in Hell forever, regardless of their sonship and past union with God in grace.

1. 1 Lucifer, better known as Satan and the devil, and over one-third of God’s holy angels sinned and are to be dammed in a Hell especially prepared for them Matthew 24:41. It would be folly for any one to argue that they were not once holy and sinless and in God’s favor or grace. Angels are definitely called “sons of God” Genesis 6:1-4Job 1:6Job 2:1Job 38:7. These sons of God in Job could not be men, for they were present when God laid the foundations of the Earth long before man was created Job 38:4-7. If these “sons of God” fell and are to be damned then the childish argument of some that if a man is once a son he cannot be lost or else salvation is not salvation and eternal life is not eternal life, is proven to be a false theory. If God will damn some of creation who were in grace and who are called “sons,” then He will also damn others if they sin, else God is unjust and a respecter of persons.

Lucifer is spoken of as being “perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee” Ezekiel 28:11-17. We read in Isaiah that Lucifer led an invasion into Heaven to dethrone God but was defeated and cast back to the Earth Isaiah 14:12-14Luke 10:18. This rebellion of Lucifer and the Earth he ruled over, together with the angels of God who followed Lucifer, caused the judgment on the Earth before Adam Genesis 1:2Jeremiah 4:23-262 Peter 3:4-8. Although Rev. 12:3-9 refers to the future tribulation when Satan will be cast down to the Earth it does tell how many angels of God originally fell with Lucifer. (See Lesson Seven.)

1. 1 Demons—disembodied spirits who were one time in God’s favor or grace, and as sinless in the beginning as all other creatures created by God. That they sinned and are doomed to eternal Hell is clear by their own admission Matthew 8:29Luke 4:33-34Luke 8:31. Many are now in the abyss (Rev. 9).

1. 1 Abaddon—Apollyon—the king of the bottomless pit who leads the demon locusts of Rev. 9:1-11. Like the angels and demons mentioned above, he was once in grace or favor with God from which he fell, or he would not be confined to the abyss, and thus doomed.

1. 1 Demon-locusts—another kind of creatures, once sinless and perfect who fell from grace and favor with God and are now confined to the abyss in torment. Their bodies are described and their intelligence is referred to as being capable of tormenting certain men, and not others Revelation 9:3-6.

1. 1 Demon-horsemen—intelligent creatures, 200 million in number who will take orders and be led by four angels to slay one-third of men at a certain hour of a certain day Revelation 9:12-21. They, too are now confined to the abyss in torment because of their sins which caused them to lose favor with God.

1. 1 Four angels—a special group, though perfect to begin with, now bound in the river Euphrates, being punished by God, for sin Revelation 9:13-16. What particular sins were committed by all the creatures mentioned above, is not stated in each case; nevertheless, the cause of their Fall from grace or favor with God is the same—sin, transgression of the law of God, rebellion, and refusal to obey Him and consecrate themselves to the best good of being and of the universe. See studies about spirit-beings in Lessons Four and Six.

1. 1 Pre-Adamites—the inhabitants of the Earth before the days of Adam over whom Lucifer ruled until the Earth was first hooded and all life existing upon it, was totally destroyed Genesis 1:2, 27Isaiah 14:12-14Jeremiah 4:23-26Ezekiel 28:11-17Matthew 13:352 Peter 3:5-6. They are called “nations” Isaiah 14:1-14; “man” Jeremiah 4:23-26; and they were subject to drowning which proves that they were mortal creatures the same as present man 2 Peter 3:5-6. At one time they were in God’s favor or grace, but being totally destroyed proves that they fell from His favor or grace which could only be through sin.

1. 1 Adam and Eve and the whole race were once in God’s favor or grace, but they sinned and died because of sin Genesis 2:17Genesis 3:1-19Romans 5:12-21. Adam is called “the son of God” in Lk. 3:38, so here is another concrete example of a “son of God” falling from grace and losing eternal life by sin. Those who fell into sin in Adam must be born-again to regain favor with God and live again. If they died once because of sin and can live again, then if they Fall again they can once more be brought back to life by the gospel. If it can happen once it can happen again and again if it becomes necessary, as proven in Lesson Twenty-three, Point IV, 14.

1. 1 The Antediluvians—human beings who lived between the time of Adam’s creation and Noah’s flood. “When they knew God, they glorified him not as God.” They did not want to retain God in their knowledge, so they sinned, changing the glory of God into images; and God gave them up Romans 1:21-32. As stated in Rom. 1:32 they became “worthy of death.” Paul told elect Israel in his day, that if they committed the same sins as the Antediluvians they too would receive like judgment of God Romans 2:1-5.

1. 1 The Postdiluvians—persons living in the time between Noah and Abraham, a period of 427 years. The Bible says that “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” Genesis 6:8; therefore the whole race (Noah and his household) was again in God’s grace and favor. They had a new contract of righteousness with God Genesis 9:1-18, but before the period came to an end had gone into idolatry and other sins, to such an extent that they had to be cut off Genesis 11:1-9Joshua 24:14-15.

1. 1 Abraham’s descendants—many who went into sin during the 430 years of the period between Abraham and Moses. They lacked faith in God Exodus 2:11-14Exodus 14:1-9, and were in rebellion in the land of Egypt when God called Moses to lead them out. At the time of Moses they received the born-again experience and were healed bodily until there was not a feeble person in all their tribes Deuteronomy 32:18-19Exodus 15:26Exodus 23:25Psalms 105:37Psalms 107:20. After that they went into idolatry and other sins at Sinai and in the wilderness, until God pronounced them “a stiffnecked people” who had “corrupted themselves” and He wanted to “consume them” Exodus 32:7-10. At this time He vowed, “Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” See Exod. 32:32-33.

1. 1 Aaron and all Israel as sinners regained God’s favor and were blessed spiritually and physically Exodus 29:43, 44Exodus 31:13Leviticus 11:44, 45Leviticus 20:8, 15Leviticus 22:9Exodus 15:26Exodus 33:12-17. Moses testified that they were begotten of God Deuteronomy 32:18. They had their names written in Heaven Exodus 32:32, 33. When they sinned God said, “Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book” Exodus 32:33. God would have destroyed them in a moment in their sin if it had not been for the intercession of Moses Exodus 32:9-14Deuteronomy 9:20. He did later destroy the ones who afterwards did not believe (Jude 5).

Israel is spoken of as having been “redeemed” by God Exodus 15:13Deuteronomy 9:26Deuteronomy 15:15Deuteronomy 21:82 Samuel 7:23Psalms 71:23Psalms 77:15Psalms 106:10Psalms 107:2Isaiah 29:22, as having had the gospel Galatians 3:6-14Hebrews 4:2, and as having had every transgression they committed punished Hebrews 2:1-41 Corinthians 10:1-18. The whole redeemed nation were destroyed because of sin and unbelief; that is, the old generation Hebrews 4:11. See Lesson Eighteen, Point IX for the many spiritual blessings of Israel before they were cut off because of sin and unbelief. This proves they were in grace and were saved but were finally lost. If the many thousands were destroyed in plagues in the wilderness, as stated in 1 Cor. 10:1-18, then their souls were also lost.

1. 1 Nadab and Abihu, priests and holy men of God, were cut off because of sin Leviticus 10:1-20Numbers 3:4. The past favor or grace of God did not save them in the day of their sin. God soon proved to them that “once in grace, always in grace” was not true when sin is committed.

1. 1 Korah, Dathan, Abiram, priests and holy men of God, as well as 250 princes and many common people in the redeemed nation of Israel, were in God’s favor or grace, but were cut off in the day of rebellion (Num. 16).

1. 1 Saul, who was in God’s favor or grace and who had the Holy Spirit, lost that favor and was destroyed because of sin (1 Chron. 10:13-14). He committed suicide and must be lost, for no murderer has eternal life 1 Samuel 28:7-251 Samuel 31:1-61 John 3:15Galatians 5:19-21. To argue that he was never a saved man is to demonstrate ignorance of Bible truth. “God gave him another heart . . . and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied” 1 Samuel 10:9-13. If this was not an experience of the saved man then it was nothing. It is also recorded how the Spirit of God left him when he sinned 1 Samuel 16:12-23. He went into spiritualism and God said He would cut off the man who did this Leviticus 19:31Leviticus 20:6Deuteronomy 18:11. He was a very humble and godly man to begin with, but he did not end this way 1 Samuel 10:21-24.

No one who believes in unconditional security could claim a better spiritual experience than Saul had, for they boldly testify they live in sin every day and at least Saul and every sinner could claim this much of a Christian experience. If Saul had the Holy Spirit he also had life, for all eternal life comes by the Spirit John 6:63Romans 8:10-132 Corinthians 3:6Galatians 6:7, 8Revelation 11:11. If the Spirit left Saul, then he lost the eternal life he had by the Spirit. It is impossible to have the Spirit and not have eternal life, according to the above passages. Saul then had eternal life and lost it by sin.

1. 1 The nation of Israel—multitudes who failed in the 1,700 year period between Moses and Christ, known as The Law. In this time Israel had many revivals and backslidings, many restorations to grace and many falls from grace, and those who died in sin and rebellion were lost, as individuals. See the following Scriptures: Num. 11:1-9; 16:22-27, 46-50; 21:4-9, 23-34; 25:1-13; Deut. 30:1-10; 32:19-35; Josh. 7:1-26; Judg. 2:1-23; 3:5-7; 8:23-24; 10:6-16; 1 Sam. 2:35-36; 3:11-14; 1 Ki. 9:3-9; 11:1-8, 30-39; 2 Ki. 14:22-24; 17:1-20; 21:19-26; 2 Chron. 12:13-14; 14:1-11; 15:2-16; 17:1-6; 19:3-11; 20:13-34; 21:6-20; 23:1-21; 24:1-27; 25:1-28; 26:1-21; 27:2; 28:1-26; 33:1-25; 34:1–35:7; 36:1-23; Mt. 23:1-39; Lk. 21:20-24; 1 Cor. 10:1-13; Rom. 11:11-22.

1. 1 Balaam—a true prophet of the Lord until he sinned and rebelled against the Lord, falling from His grace and favor. He schemed to get his reward and was killed by the sword of Israel Numbers 22:22-35Numbers 23:4-5, 12Numbers 24:4, 16Numbers 31:162 Peter 2:15Revelation 2:14.

1. 1 Achan—a man in the days of Joshua whose sin was so great that God refused to bless the nation of Israel further until the sin was judged. If he had been a sinner before this God would have punished him before this; therefore, we know that he was in God’s grace until he broke the law and was executed Joshua 7:11-15, 22.

1. 1 Jeroboam—a man in God’s grace who was promised the ten tribes to reign over; and his house was to endure forever. All this was on the basis of: “if thou wilt hearken to all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that which is right in my sight . . . as David did” 1 Kings 11:30-39. Instead of doing this, Jeroboam made golden calves as gods and set up a rival worship to Jehovah. He went into the depths of sin, being afraid he would lose his kingdom over Israel 1 Kings 12:16-33. Because of his sin he fell from grace and favor, and God cursed him and cut off his whole family and kingdom 1 Kings 13:2-31 Kings 14:7-161 Kings 15:30, 341 Kings 16:1-4, 191 Kings 21:221 Kings 22:522 Kings 3:32 Kings 9:92 Kings 10:29, 312 Kings 13:2-132 Kings 17:21-222 Kings 23:152 Kings 25:1-30. Jeroboam never did regain grace and favor with God.

1. 1 Amaziah—a king of Judah who turned to God and did that which was right for awhile. He thus regained grace and favor with God who blessed him (2 Chron. 25:1-12). After that he found new gods in Edom and fell from grace by worshipping them (2 Chron. 25:14-16). For this apostasy God cursed him and he died out of grace (2 Chron. 25:20-28).

1. 1 Many disciples of Jesus went back into sin and were lost for they followed Him “no more” John 6:66. To argue that these people were not saved does not disprove the plain fact that they were “disciples” and had eternal life up to the time they went back Hebrews 10:26-39.

If they went back, then they had something to go back from. They had something that caused them to follow Jesus in His persecutions. They were like the class in Lk. 8:13 who “received the word with joy: and . . . for a while believe, and in time of temptation Fall away.” To believe in Christ for a moment brings eternal life and makes one a son of God John 1:121 John 5:1. Even advocates of false security teach that one act of faith all that a man must ever do to be saved eternally. So they, above all, should believe that these disciples who believed for a while had eternal life at one time. Jesus said the unprofitable servant would be cast into Hell Matthew 24:45-51Matthew 25:14-46Revelation 3:14, 15. Of course, if choose to believe modern teachers we cannot believe the Bible in its entirety, so we have to make our own choice of whom to believe.

1. 1 The apostle Judas is an outstanding example of a man who was once saved and then lost because of sin. The Scripture states that Judas was to be a man who was a “familiar friend” of Christ who ate of His bread, which is an idiom of close friendship Psalms 41:9. He was not an enemy of Christ, but an equal in grace, a guide, and a sweet acquaintance Psalms 55:12-13. He was to have his habitation desolate and be blotted out of the book of the living Psalms 69:25-28, and he was to have “another take his place” in the Christian ministry and in the kingship over one of the tribes of Israel Psalms 109:8. These passages were fulfilled in Judas according to Mt. 26:24; Jn. 13:18; Acts 1:16-25.

In Mt. 10 we have the facts recorded that Judas as one of the “twelve disciples” received power over demons, sicknesses and diseases and was called to preach the gospel. Of these twelve (Judas included) it is said that Christ gave them power and sent them forth, and commanded them to preach and heal the sick. Christ said to Judas and all the twelve, “freely ye have received, freely give . . . I send you forth as sheep . . . it shall not be ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you” Matthew 10:1-20.

These statements prove that Judas was once chosen as a genuine apostle. He was once a true believer, a saved man, one divinely empowered for service and equal in every sense to the others, a called preacher, a destroyer of Satan’s works, an obedient man, a sheep, a man filled with the Spirit, and one who had God as his “Father.”

In Mk. 6:7-13 we read that the twelve (Judas included) went “forth two by two . . . and preached that men should repent. And they (Judas included) cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.”

This proves that Judas was a divinely efficient man, a successful preacher who was endued with power to heal. If he was not a saved man and could have performed all these miracles as a sinner, then it would seem that modern Christians who claim to be saved (regardless of how they live), should be able to do as much as Judas. It is unreasonable to accuse Jesus of choosing an unsaved man to preach repentance and holiness, heal the sick, cast out devils, and represent the kingdom of God among men. Such men would rather hold on to this sinning-saint heresy than to cease accusing Jesus of such an unholy precedent whereby they make God’s Word a lie. The only proof some men give to prove Judas was never saved is their own belief that Judas was not a saved man at one time because he was finally lost. They do not give one Scripture that proves he was never saved, but they cite Jn. 6:64-70 which passage does not say that Judas had at all times been a devil and unsaved. In this Scripture Jesus was speaking of “some” of His disciples that believed not. “For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.” The first part of this statement refers to the “some” that did not believe and does not include Judas, for after these had left Jesus, Judas was still with the twelve whom Jesus asked, “Will ye also go away?” Only the last part of this statement refers to Judas. Jesus not only knew who did not believe, but He also knew who would betray Him. He did not say that Judas did not believe or that he was a devil from the beginning and therefore was not a saved man.

Judas did believe as proven in the facts above concerning his power and success in casting out devils and healing the sick. One cannot do these things unless he does believe. Even those who believe in unconditional security cannot do these things after their one act of faith, which they contend is all that is necessary to be saved. Judas had to repent, believe, and be baptized in water to become a disciple, especially to be chosen as an apostle to do miracles.

The Holy Spirit through Luke records that Judas “by transgression fell” Acts 1:15-25 and if men would be as anxious to believe the Holy Spirit as they are to believe men, and if they would be as anxious to believe all Scriptures as they claim to believe some, they would show some consistency and honesty regarding the whole Word of God. Judas not only had a moral Fall, but sin caused it.

Judas was not always a “devil” and a “thief.” He became both after he had been saved for some time. His weakness was the love of money and this caused his Fall John 12:6Luke 22:5Matthew 26:14-16. He would have been better off if he had been truthful with the disciples from the beginning, admitted that money was his weakness, and refused to be their treasurer. He had seen Christ escape the mob many times and he no doubt thought that the Lord would escape again and he himself would be $19.20 to the good.

The Greek word diabolos translated “devil” in Jn. 6:70 is also used of men. It literally means “adversary.” Any human or spirit-adversary of Christ is a devil. It is translated “false accusers” 2 Timothy 3:3, “slanderers” 1 Timothy 3:11, and “devil” elsewhere. It teaches that Judas became an adversary, accuser, and slanderer of Christ. He was not a devil from the beginning as many teach. No such statement is found in the Bible of Judas, or anyone else. Even Satan was not a devil from the beginning. He was a sinless angel Ezekiel 28:11-17.

It was not until the end of Christ’s ministry that Judas began to pilfer and grow cold in his love for Him. It was not until the last supper that the devil entered into him, that is, became united with him in the same crime. It was two days before the Passover that he put it into the heart of Judas to go to the enemies of Jesus to betray Him into their hands Matthew 26:1-5, 14John 13:2. It was at this time that he openly broke with Christ and sought opportunity to betray Him.

Judas was sorry afterwards for his betrayal Matthew 27:3-5. He could have been forgiven as much as any of the others who cursed Christ, denied His name, and fled like cowards in the test. But being of a disposition to do so, he brooded over his Fall and yielded to temptation to commit suicide.

Judas then is a specific example of a New Testament man who was once saved and in God’s favor or grace, but who lost this favor and went to Hell because of sin Matthew 25:24Acts 1:16-25. Jesus, Himself, acknowledged to the Father that of those whom the Father had given Him, Judas was the only one whom He had lost John 17:12. Christ could not have lost Judas if He had never had him to lose. Jesus further testified that to every one (including Judas) that the Father had given Him, He had given eternal life John 17:2. Judas had this eternal life as much as the others but he became “lost” later and “by transgression fell” Acts 1:25.

1. 1 Ananias and Sapphira were both killed by the power of God because of covetousness and lying to the Holy Ghost Acts 5:1-14. That they were once saved is clear from Acts 4:32–5:1, for Ananias and his wife were classed with “the multitude of them that believed” and “were of one heart and one soul . . . as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles’ feet . . . But a certain man [of those who believed and were of one heart and one soul] named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession.” If these two were believers that had been saved and were in the church, then it cannot be disputed with any degree of honesty that they were once saved and then lost. To deny they were once saved is to deny truth and it is not worth the price one has to pay.

1. 1 Many Galatians who were saved and had “received the Spirit,” who had “begun in the Spirit,” who were “redeemed and justified by faith,” and who were “sons” of God by being made free from sin Galatians 3:2-4Galatians 3:13, 24Galatians 4:4-7Galatians 5:1-26, fell “from grace” and Christ became “of no effect” unto them Galatians 5:4, 5. They were “removed from him” and “from grace,” so once in grace, always in grace is not biblical unless one stays in grace Galatians 1:6Galatians 3:1-5Galatians 5:1-9. They were plainly told that to go back under the law and into sins of the flesh, meant to “frustrate [cause to fail, nullify, make void] the grace of God” and that in such case they were not in grace and would reap corruption Galatians 2:21Galatians 5:1-9Galatians 6:7, 8. They were told that if they built again the things of sin that were “once destroyed” they were transgressors and sinners Galatians 2:17-18. They were taught that true eternal security was by walking in the Spirit and not fulfilling the works of the flesh Galatians 5:16-26Galatians 6:7, 8. Paul did not tell them that if they ever got in grace their responsibility as to sin was over. He accused them of falling from grace Galatians 5:4, so such must be possible.

1. 1 Many other men who were formerly saved have gone back into sin and have been lost. This fact is clear from such statements as: “some having put away concerning the faith have made shipwreck . . . he hath denied the faith. . . . when they begin to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith . . . and turned aside after Satan . . . But they that will be rich Fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition . . . they have erred from the faith . . . and overthrown the faith of some . . . If God will peradventure give them repentance . . . that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil” 1 Timothy 1:19, 201 Timothy 5:81 Timothy 5:11-15, 201 Timothy 6:1, 102 Timothy 2:8-16.

Each one of the statements above would disprove the doctrine of “once in grace and faith, always in grace and faith” and “once saved, always saved,” but here in 1 and 2 Timothy are many such statements in only two small books of the Bible. Teachers of false security go to any length in trying to explain away these simple passages because they so clearly contradict their theory. Some of them go so far as to deliberately mistranslate the Greek and quote self-made translations of men to prove that such simple statements do not mean what they say. For example, they mistranslate “they have cast off their first faith” to “they have broken their former promises” as if this proves a person cannot be lost. The Greek word pistin from pistis is never translated “promises” out of the hundreds of times it is used in the New Testament. It is translated “faith” 222 times and is referred to as the saving faith in Christ in Rom. 1:5, 16, 17; 3:25; 4:5-20; 5:1, 2; 10:17; Gal. 2:20; 3:24-29; Eph. 2:9; 4:5; etc. Thus, the “faith” that they “made shipwreck” of, “denied,” “cast off,” “erred from,” and did “overthrow” is the true saving faith and has no reference to some promise that the people made themselves. They could not cast off, deny, and make shipwreck of this saving faith if they had not once had it. They could not get into the snare of the devil again unless they had once been delivered from him. They could not again be taken captive by the devil if they had always been his captives. They could not have “turned aside” again after Satan, if they had not been following Christ. They could not have erred from the faith through the hurtful lusts that “drowned in destruction and perdition” if they had not been once in the faith and free from such lusts. They could not have their faith overthrown if they had none to overthrow.

Other translations of the Bible such as Moffatt, the Concordant Version, the Centenary Translation, Weymouth, etc., use stronger terms than does the King James Version, such as: “repudiated,” “gone astray from,” “failed,” “thrusting away,” “disowned,” “strayed away from,” “swerve from,” “cast aside,’ “led astray from,” “overthrowing the faith,” etc. If any of these things happen to one’s saving faith he will no longer be saved, and will longer have the new life, which is only kept in him by faith Galatians 2:20Hebrews 10:38-39Galatians 3:11Romans 11:20.

Advocates of unconditional security argue that the word “damnation” does not mean the loss of the soul, but means that one is condemned. The Greek word krima is translated “judgment to come” Acts 24:25, “eternal judgment” Hebrews 6:2, and in many other places it is used of the future judgment of God, at which time men will be sent to Hell. It is translated “avenge” Revelation 18:20, “condemnation” 1 Timothy 3:6, “damnation” Matthew 23:14Mark 12:40Luke 20:47Romans 3:8Romans 13:21 Timothy 5:12, and “to be condemned” Luke 24:40. One can see by these Scriptures that it means “the loss of the soul” as in 1 Tim. 5:12. Changing the word “damnation” to “condemnation” does not change the final result, for all that are condemned will be sent to damnation and eternal Hell John 3:17-19Romans 5:16-18Romans 8:12 Peter 2:6Revelation 20:11-15Matthew 25:41, 46.

1. 1 “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world” 2 Timothy 4:10. He was a preacher according to Col. 4:14; Phl. 24. He could no longer be a child of God and have the love of God in him when he loved the world, for “if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him,” for God is love and He could not be in the life when love was not there 1 John 3:151 John 4:8, 16.

1. 1 Many in the seven churches in Rev. 2–3 who were fallen from grace were required to repent and do their first works or else be cart off in sin and be lost. Jesus was not a good “once in grace” man or a defender of unconditional security according to His own words to these churches. He kept rebuking, warning, and commanding Christians to meet certain conditions if they were to be saved, as we shall see in Point VII, 8 and 9, below.

1. 1 The church at Ephesus—a church that enjoyed God’s favor and grace at one time or it could not have fallen as indicated when Christ said, “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent” Revelation 2:4-5. One losing his first love loses God, as is clear from 1 Jn. 4:7-8 which shows that if one does not have love he does not have God, for God is love. Any one who does not have God or love does not have grace. Having fallen from all of this, the church at Ephesus was ordered to repent and do its first works or have the candlestick removed, which means that the whole church would be removed, for the candlestick represents the church Revelation 1:20. The church, completely destroyed for centuries, apparently did not do the first works again. As the case is, with any other backslider, the latter end is worse than the beginning Luke 11:24-262 Peter 2:20-22. Christ demanded other churches to “repent” of idolatry, fornication and adultery Revelation 2:14-15, 19Revelation 3:19, and urged them to be on fire for God again, or be spued out of “my mouth” Revelation 3:15-16.

Thus we have many plain scriptures stating that eternal life can be lost and many concrete examples of men who have lost eternal life through sin.

VI. Is Eternal Life an Eternal Unconditional Possession Now?

One advocate of unconditional security writes, “We base eternal security upon the fact that the sacrifice of Christ abides . . . upon the perseverance of the Holy Spirit . . . He will not begin a work in us that He does not finish . . . upon the fact that the believer now possesses eternal life.”

This argument is really worthless in view of the many plain scriptures teaching that men are going to be lost regardless of what Christ did on the cross Hebrews 6:4-6Hebrews 10:26-29Mark 16:15, regardless of the persistent work of the Holy Spirit to save men Matthew 12:31, 32Acts 5:3, 32Acts 7:511 Corinthians 3:16, 17Hebrews 10:26-29, and regardless of the work God begins in all who believe, as we shall see.

Because the sacrifice of Christ is eternal and the Holy Spirit is tireless in His efforts to save men is no proof that the believer is saved eternally without meeting certain conditions. God has revealed in His plan that Christ’s sacrifice is eternal and that the work of the Spirit will be carried out, but He has also revealed that the saved man can be lost again and go to Hell if he goes back into sin and dies in sin, as proven in Points IV and V, above. The sacrifice of Christ abides and the Holy Spirit works whether anyone is ever saved or not.

God will work only according to His plan, and that is based upon helping man according to man’s will and cooperation. This is one of the clearest facts in the Bible. The cry of believers in false security is, “Is God’s plan a failure? Is not the power of God sufficient to keep one saved even while sinning? Is Christ insufficient to save a man eternally regardless of sin? Can God be a God of love and be Almighty and still allow a saved man to be lost?”

Raising these questions seems conclusive to some people who do not understand the first principles of life and of the plan of God. But when one recognizes that God created man to be a free moral agent, he can see that God cannot save man against his will, and that the only thing that stands between God and man is sin and failure to cooperate with God in His plan.

There is no room for argument about the fact that God has not kept man from sin. If God can keep man from sin against his will after he is saved, then He could and would have done it before the Fall. We also know that God does not forcibly keep men saved should they choose to go back into sin. Therefore we have to conclude that God is not responsible should man sin and be lost.

No man could believe that it was God’s will for man to sin, and that He would have permitted it if man was a mere machine and not a free moral agent. But since man is a free agent and God cannot keep him from sin against his own will, then He cannot prevent him from being lost through sin against his will. This fact demands that God cannot save man without man’s free choice in cooperation with God. Therefore, salvation is conditional, and if it is conditional then the teaching of unconditional eternal security is false and the doctrine of conditional eternal security is true.

Unconditional security does not deal with sin in man, either in theory or in experience. Thus it ignores the greatest enemy of God, because sin is the whole reason for man’s Fall and separation from God. The advocates of unconditional security teach that a man can still sin and remain saved, which, if true, would mean that the atonement does nothing to change either the condition of the person or his attitude toward God. This position would make the atonement accomplish nothing, for the sinner is just as sinful after salvation as he was before the atonement was made. What good is redemption if it does not stop sin? If man can sin and still be in harmony with God, then sin does not cause him to be out of harmony with God to begin with. Such teaching makes salvation and the atonement pure nonsense. On the other hand, if sin separates from God, the one sinning must stop by being saved from it before he can be in union with God.

We know that when a man is really born-again a real change takes place in his life, a change which saves from all sin 2 Corinthians 5:171 John 1:7-9. He must give up sin and take a different attitude toward sin and God. Salvation deals with the sin question, or it is worthless. It deals with sin, not in theory but in experience, for we know that when a person backslides he goes back into sin and loses that change that the new birth wrought in his life. What made the change in his life? It certainly would have to be the life of God. If men lose this change in their lives when they backslide then they lose the life of God. It should be evident to any sound mind that will face facts of experience, as well as of plain Scripture, that saved men who sin lose the life of God, which is eternal.

The only way men try to get around these plain facts is to argue that it is the body that sins and not the soul and spirit, and this is the position that advocates of false security hold. But this position does not help them out of their dilemma. They still have the same principle to face. If it is only the body that sins, it is bound to be the body that sinned before salvation because the actions and results of sin are the same as before. If the body could sin after salvation and continue to be saved, then man could not have become unsaved to begin with, so redemption is worthless. The Bible teaches that it is the soul that sins, as proven in Point IV, above. There can be no such thing as the soul being saved and living free from sin while the body continues to live in sin. The following Scriptures prove that one must be holy and sinless in body as well as in soul and spirit Romans 6:6-23Romans 8:10-131 Corinthians 3:16-171 Corinthians 6:13-201 Corinthians 9:272 Corinthians 5:172 Corinthians 7:12 Corinthians 10:4-7Philippians 1:20Colossians 2:11-12James 3:2-6. Note how holiness of “body” is emphasized in these passages. Note also how freedom from the works of “the flesh” is demanded of men in the following Scriptures if one is to be finally saved Romans 8:1-13Romans 13:142 Corinthians 7:12 Corinthians 10:2-7Galatians 5:13-24Galatians 6:7-8Ephesians 2:1-10Colossians 2:11-12Colossians 3:5-171 John 2:15-17.

Eternal life is not absolutely and eternally the possession of one until the next life, for one can make a failure before then and be lost just as Adam did in the beginning. That eternal life is not an eternal possession until the end of a life of holiness is clear from the following statements of both Christ and the apostles: “he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time . . . and in the world to come eternal life” Mark 10:29, 30; . . . he shall “receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting” Luke 18:29-30; he “shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life” Matthew 19:28, 29; “who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory . . . and immortality, eternal life” Romans 2:7; “the end of those things [sins committed] is death. But now being made free from sin, and become the servants of God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life” Romans 6:21-23; “even so might grace reign through righteousness [not daily sin] unto eternal life” Romans 5:21; “he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” Galatians 6:7, 8; “believe on him to everlasting life” 1 Timothy 1:16; “having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” 1 Timothy 4:8; “fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life . . . that they may lay hold on eternal life” 1 Timothy 6:12, 19; “In hope of eternal life . . . according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 1:2; 3:7); “who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time . . . Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls . . . hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” 1 Peter 1:5, 9; “heirs together of the grace of life” 1 Peter 3:7; “this is the promise that he hath given us, even eternal life” 1 John 2:25; “keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 20-24); “many of them that sleep . . . shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt” Daniel 12:2; “all that are in the graves shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” John 5:28, 29; “these shall go into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life” Matthew 25:46; “narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life” Matthew 7:13, 14; “enter into life” Matthew 18:8, 9Matthew 19:17; “and they shall inherit everlasting life” Matthew 19:29Mark 10:17Luke 10:25Luke 18:18Hebrews 6:12Hebrews 9:151 Peter 1:4-9, 13.

Thus, if eternal life is an inheritance for the next life; if it is something for which we must seek; if it is a reward for a life of holiness; if eternal life is the “wage” to be received at the end of life, as “death” is the “wage” of sinners at the end of life; if we “reap” it as the harvest of a life of sowing to the Spirit; if one must lay hold of it; if eternal life is a hope; if it is the end of our faith; if we look earnestly for it; if we enter into it at the resurrection; if it takes doing good to attain to it; and if the narrow way leads to it, as in all the above passages, then the believer has it now and can keep it only on condition of remaining in Christ during his period of probation.

Jesus did not say that He would give eternal life to those who did not follow or who ceased to follow Him. Neither did He offer eternal life to those who followed Him just through one act of faith, or for a while, but it was to be a “daily” cross bearing to the end Luke 9:23-26. A believer has eternal life now and can keep it forever if he will follow Jesus “daily” until he enters the next life and into the eternal state and receives life as an eternal possession, as explained in the above passages.

While the life itself is eternal, one does not have it eternally until he inherits it as an eternal possession when his period of probation is over and he has proven himself worthy of it. Any eternal thing can be lost even though it is in itself eternal. A diamond is an eternal piece of material, yet it can be lost. One might as well argue that a diamond is not eternal if it can be lost, or that one did not have a diamond if he ever lost it, as to argue that eternal life could not be eternal if one ever lost it.

Even those who believe in unconditional security should be able to understand the difference between an eternal thing and the eternal possession by a man of an eternal thing. Anything that is eternal is eternal at all times, whether a man possesses it or not. Thus possession of something eternal is not the factor that makes it eternal, nor does losing this possession cause it to cease being eternal. There is no Scripture anywhere in the Bible that states that man possesses the eternal life of God unconditionally and can never lose it, or that if he did lose it the life would cease to be eternal. This kind of argument is too childish to have any weight as proof of a doctrine.

Paul said, “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” Romans 8:24, 25. If eternal life is a hope as stated in Titus 1:2; 3:7, then we do not see it or have it as an eternal possession until it is inherited eternally at the end of a life, faithful to God and His Word. All such passages as Jn. 3:16, 36; 5:24; 6:47, 54; 10:28, 29 used to teach that eternal life is now an eternal possession must be understood in harmony with it being a hope that is not yet seen. It is now a possession, but on the condition that one will continue to be faithful to the end as we shall see in many passages in Point VII, below. There is no question but what eternal life is really ours now, but there is also no question but what it can be lost by sin at any time before the end of life if one chooses to go back into sin Romans 12:13Ezekiel 18:4Galatians 6:7-8. If one had unconditional eternal life he could not inherit it as an eternal possession in the next life. He would not have to seek it, he could not receive it as a gift at the end of a life of holiness, he could not reap it at the same time others reap corruption, he could not have it as a promise in the world to come, he would not have to lay hold of it or fight the fight of faith for it, he could not receive it at the end of a life of faith, he could not look for it, he could not awaken to it in the next life, and he would not have to walk the narrow road leading to it, as plainly stated in all the above Scriptures.

The sinner gets eternal death as wages at the end of life. He has death now on condition of remaining dead by rejecting Christ unto the end of life. He can escape death any day he accepts life in Christ. So it is with the Christian. He has life now on condition of remaining in Christ and he will get eternal life as a gift at the end of life. He can die again any day he rejects Christ.

Suppose a man gave another the largest eternal diamond in the world and plainly stated that it would become his forever at a certain time when specific conditions were met. Suppose these conditions were plainly stated many times in different parts of a contract. Then in another part of the same contract it says, “My friend will hear me, for I know him, and he will follow me: and I give unto him this eternal diamond: and he shall never lose it, neither shall any man be able to take it from him.” One would be foolish to claim that this man did not have any conditions to meet in order to keep the diamond. All conditions as in the different parts of the contract must be met in order to get the diamond as an eternal possession. One would thus fail to get eternal life if he took the promise of it and ignored the conditions and failed to qualify for it.

The Scriptures stating that man does get eternal life now do not say that there are no conditions to meet in order to “inherit” it as an eternal possession later. The illustration given above showed that certain conditions would naturally have to be met if a man wanted to keep the diamond. The diamond is under no obligation to be kept, and the giver is under no obligation to keep it for the one who received it. Any failure on the part of the one who received it would not be the fault of the diamond or the giver. Then, too, it does not cease to be eternal if the man should lose it. In the same way, neither is God responsible or at fault if man fails to keep eternal life by the means of the gospel and by co-operation with God, as we will make clear in the next point.

VII. Conditions for Keeping Eternal Life

Defenders of unconditional security believe a saved man can never commit sins that will incur the death penalty, for they say, “the sins of the believers materially differ from the sins of unbelievers—they are not real sins . . . God will not and cannot impute sin to the saved . . . a true child of God cannot be condemned for his sins . . . He is able to keep us saved who may be sinning . . . my future sins are put away for all eternity . . . It is questionable that any Christian has ever died with all sins confessed.” These are some of the most blasphemous statements from men of great influence in the Christian churches that we have ever read. That there are conditions for getting saved and keeping salvation and eternal life is clear from the following:

1. 1 The following passages prove that one must continue in the grace of God to be saved: “Keep the charge of the Lord thy God; to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies . . . that the Lord may continue his word” 1 Kings 2:3, 4. This is just one of many like passages in the Old Testament (Lev. 26; Deut. 28; etc.). There are also many Scriptures of a similar nature in the New Testament: “By patient continuing in well doing, seek for . . . eternal life” Romans 2:7; “If ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed” John 8:31; “If thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou shalt be cut off” Romans 11:20-24; “To present you holy . . . in his sight. If thou continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel” [which is the hope of eternal life, Col. 1:22, 23; Titus 1:2; 3:7; Rom. 8:24, 25]; “Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein . . . this man shall be blessed in his deed” James 1:25; “Continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love” John 15:9, 10; “persuaded them to continue in the grace of God” Acts 13:43; “exhorting them to continue in the faith” Acts 14:22; “continue in prayer” Colossians 4:2; and “continue in them [doctrines of grace]: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee” 1 Timothy 4:11-16; “Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning [Christ is our eternal life, as proven in 1 Jn. 1:1, 2]. If that . . . shall remain in you, ye shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life” 1 John 2:24, 25.

No words could be more clear to prove that one must continue in grace and faith, and permit eternal life to continue in him or else he will be lost. The word “let” in this passage teaches that eternal life will not continue in one, if he does not want it to. God cursed men when they did not “continue” in His covenants Galatians 3:13Hebrews 8:9Acts 1:25Hebrews 2:3Hebrews 4:1-11Hebrews 6:4-9Hebrews 10:26-39.

It is sheer nonsense to talk about unconditional promises and covenants. There is not one jot or tittle in Scripture that teaches such a thing. Just because God does not repeat all conditions in every promise is no proof that some promises are unconditional. In every contract the terms and conditions are set forth in some special part of the contract. The terms of contract do not have to be repeated over and over every time some promise is made. The very fact that we have a New Covenant with God proves there are terms and conditions which we must meet in order to reap the promised benefits. It is common knowledge that a contract would serve no purpose if it did not have terms and conditions. It is also a well-known fact that laws without penalties are of no value. God’s contracts always have been conditional and His laws have always had penalties and to argue to the contrary is to demonstrate ignorance of truth and willful rebellion against God and His Word.

1. 1 Statements that have the word “faith” in them prove it must be continued in and obeyed to the end to be saved: “exhorting them to continue in the faith” Acts 14:22; “for the obedience to the faith among all nations” Romans 1:5Romans 16:26; “the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him” Romans 1:17Galatians 3:11Hebrews 10:38, 39; “make the faith of God without effect” Romans 3:3; “Because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith” Romans 11:20-24; “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith” 1 Corinthians 16:13; “for by faith ye stand” 2 Corinthians 1:24; “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith” Ephesians 3:17; “If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel” Colossians 1:23; “Holding faith” 1 Timothy 1:19; “some shall depart from the faith” 1 Timothy 4:1; “reprobate concerning the faith” 2 Timothy 3:8; “through faith and patience inherit the promises” Hebrews 3:6, 12Hebrews 4:11Hebrews 6:11, 12Hebrews 10:23-39; “receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls” 1 Peter 1:5, 9.

1. 1 Statements that contain “unbelief “ prove men can be lost because of it after they have been saved: “Because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith . . . take heed lest he also spare not thee . . . they also if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in again” Romans 11:20-24; “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” Hebrews 3:12-19Hebrews 6:6, 11.

1. 1 Statements with “Fall” and “fell” prove that saved men can sin again and be lost: “For a while believe [this brings the new birth, Jn. 1:12; 1 Jn. 5:1], and in time of temptation Fall away” Luke 8:13; “Through their Fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles” Romans 11:11-24; “let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he Fall” 1 Corinthians 10:13; “lest being lifted up in pride he [a bishop, and surely New Testament bishops were saved] Fall into the condemnation of the devil” (like the sinless angel, Lucifer, fell and became the devil, 1 Tim. 3:6); “they that would be rich Fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition” (the saved are no exception, 1 Tim. 6:9, 10); “lest any man Fall after the same example of unbelief” Hebrews 6:11; “If they Fall away” (apostatize, they cannot be renewed to repentance, Heb. 6:4-6); “if ye do these things [add Christian graces to experience and be diligent to make salvation sure] ye shall never Fall” 2 Peter 1:5-10; “beware lest ye Fall from your own steadfastness” 2 Peter 3:17; “Ye are fallen from grace” Galatians 5:4; “to his own master he [saved man] standeth or falleth” Romans 14:4; “unto him that is able to keep you from falling” (Jude 20-24); “on them that fell, severity” Romans 11:22; “from which [the apostleship] Judas by transgression fell” Acts 1:25; “except there come a great falling away first” 2 Thessalonians 2:3; “Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works, or else” Revelation 2:5, 6.

1. 1 The words “fail” and “cast off” as used of saved men prove they can be lost: “when ye fail” Luke 16:9; “that thy faith fail not” Luke 22:32; “lest any man fail of the grace of God” Hebrews 12:12-15; “because of unbelief they were broken off . . . if thou continue in his goodness; otherwise thou shalt be cut off” Romans 11:20-24.

1. 1 Statements that use the words “endure” and “end” prove that men must endure to the end to be saved Matthew 10:22; “the end of those things [sins of the flesh] is death” Romans 6:21-23, “If we hold fast the hope until the end” Hebrews 3:6, 12Hebrews 6:11, 121 Peter 1:5, 9Revelation 2:7, 11Revelation 3:5, 12Hebrews 10:23, 35.

1. 1 The word “if” is used 1,522 times in the Bible and implies conditions to meet throughout Scripture to be finally saved. All of God’s covenants and promises are based upon conditions in both Testaments (Gen. 4:7; Exod. 15:26; Lev. 26; Deut. 4:29, 30; 6:25; 7:12; 8:19; 11:13, 22, 27, 28; 15:5; 28:1-58; 30:10; Josh. 24:20; Mt. 16:24; Lk. 9:23-25; Jn. 7:17; 8:24; 12:26, 47; 14:15, 23; 15:9, 10; Rom. 8:9-17; 10:9, 10; 1 Jn. 1:7-9; Heb. 6:4-9; 10:26; 2 Pet. 2:20-22; 1 Jn. 2:15-17). The word “lest” implies the same condition as “if” and is used many times warning saved men to stay saved or be lost 2 Corinthians 2:112 Corinthians 11:2-4Romans 11:20-241 Corinthians 10:12Galatians 2:2Galatians 4:11Galatians 6:1Colossians 2:4, 81 Thessalonians 3:5Hebrews 2:1-3Hebrews 3:12-13Hebrews 4:1, 11Hebrews 12:3, 13. Some of the most disputed passages of this kind are Heb. 6:4-6; 10:26-29; 2 Pet. 2:20-22, which we have already considered in Points III, 26 and 27, above.

1. 1 Statements of Jesus before the cross prove that we must meet certain conditions to keep saved: “Sin no more lest a worse thing come upon thee” John 5:14; “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed . . . whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” John 8:31, 34; “from that day many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him . . . will ye also go away?” John 6:66, 67; “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away [not taken to Heaven or laid on a shelf as advocates of unconditional security teach]. He is cast forth AS a branch, and is withered; and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned” John 15:1-6; “Those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition” John 17:12. If Judas was given to Jesus by God then Judas had eternal life according to Jesus in the same prayer: “that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him” John 17:2, 3. Judas could not have been lost if he had never been given to Christ and if Christ had never had him to lose.

1. 1 Statements of Jesus after the cross to saved men in the churches prove that men had to meet certain conditions or be lost. Statements were made to the various churches as follows: To Ephesus, “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do thy first works; or else I will . . . remove thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent” Revelation 2:4-5; To Smyrna: “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” Revelation 2:10; To Pergamos: “Thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied the faith . . . But I have a few things against thee . . . Repent; or I will come unto thee and will fight against thee” Revelation 2:13-16; To Thyatira: “I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel . . . to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds . . . I will give everyone of you according to your works . . . Hold fast till I come” Revelation 2:20-25; To Sardis: “Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God . . . hold fast and repent. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they [only they] shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy” Revelation 3:1-4; To Philadelphia: “Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” Revelation 3:11; To Laodicea: “Thou art neither cold nor hot, . . . So then because thou art neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth . . . be zealous therefore, and repent” Revelation 3:15-19.

Every one of these statements was made years after the so-called “super-grace” was supposed to have been given by Paul, under which, according to defenders of false security, no man needs to or can repent, confess sins, lose eternal life, be lost or have his name blotted out of the Book of Life. They believe future sins may be taken care of without meeting certain conditions (so they say), but these poor souls in the early churches were required to meet all these conditions or be lost. They had to be faithful to the end and meet certain conditions to be saved.

Modern saints may think they cannot fall (and if some do they believe they were really not saved to begin with), but Christ accused the early saints of falling and required them to repent and do their first works again or be removed.

The modern saints may not be able to deny the faith after one act of faith, but the early ones were accused of doing so. They may say they cannot die in sin again, but early saints were told they would die if they did not get more spiritual strength. They may not be able to defile their garments of righteousness and be lost by sin, but the early ones were told that only those who do not defile their garments will walk with Christ in white raiment (the righteousness of the saints, Rev. 19:8). Modern saints also may think they will not lose their crown of life, but the early ones were told that some men could take their crown. They may not be able to be spued out of the mouth of Christ, but early ones could be. They may not have to keep clean and live right to be Christians, but the early ones were required to do so. The sin-business had to be put out of their lives.

Where was Paul’s super-grace in the day of Christ’s dealings with the churches? Why was not the sacrifice of Christ abiding then? Why did not the Holy Spirit keep these saints perfect so they would not be guilty of all these accusations, if He is supposed to be responsible for all acts of saints who have no free moral agency to act for themselves? We can logically ask these and other questions of those who argue for unconditional security. Why did God permit early saints to get into so many troubles if He was responsible for their personal acts? Why did Christ require them to repent if repentance is an error, as some teach today? Why would repentance be required after one is saved and not also at the time he is saved?

It will be noted that at the end of each of the seven letters to the churches that Christ promised rewards only to those who overcome. Not one thing was promised to the ones who would not overcome, except to be hurt of the second death which is the Lake of Fire. They would not be able to eat of the Tree of Life, their names would be blotted out of the Book of Life, and they would not be able to enjoy Heaven and the other blessings promised to those who overcome Revelation 2:7, 11Revelation 3:5, 12. To every church Jesus laid down certain conditions and gave certain warnings of failure. If being hurt of the second death, having names blotted out of the Book of Life, etc., does not constitute being lost, then we do not know what “being lost” means.

The eternal life referred to in Jn. 10:27-29 is given exclusively to those who continue to follow Christ and only for as long as they follow Him: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” Nothing is here promised to those who do not follow, and if one follows he naturally will meet the above conditions. If one hears Jesus he will obey and meet the conditions of eternal life laid down by Him, and this IS eternal security and all the security one needs. All these things certainly imply continued faith, obedience, and faithful living if they mean anything.

1. 1 The theory that only one act of faith is all that is necessary for a person to be saved eternally is contradicted by many Scriptures: “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition [destruction]; but believe [continue to believe] to the saving of the soul” Hebrews 10:38, 39; “Whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope [of eternal life, 1 Tim. 1:16; 6:12, 19; Titus 1:2; 3:7; 1 Jn. 2:25; Jude 20-24] unto the end . . . Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end” Hebrews 3:6, 12; “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief [they had one act of faith but failed later]. Let us [saved men] therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man Fall after the same example of unbelief” Hebrews 3:19Hebrews 4:1, 11“We desire that everyone of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end. That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises . . . so after he had patiently endured, he received the promise . . . we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul” Hebrews 6:11, 12; “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised . . . cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise” Hebrews 10:23, 35Hebrews 11:1.

Many other words such as: “abide,” “continue,” “remain,” “let,” “lest,” “beware,” “be diligent,” “repent,” “cast off,” “deny,” “sin willfully,” “hold fast,” “except,” “whosoever will,” “take heed,” “be not,” “mortify,” “sow,” “abstain from,” “follow,” “yield,” “forsake,” “gone astray,” etc. are used in Scriptures many thousands of times. These words imply that there are conditions and a power of free choice on the part of the saved or they mean nothing.

If man is not a free moral agent, but is a mere machine and a slave to God and cannot get out of grace and cannot Fall and be lost, then the above statements are some of the most deceiving and untrue of the whole Bible.

What Born Again Men did to God in Becoming Backsliders:

1. They provoked God to anger more than 77 times over a period of 1,800 years (Exod. 4:14; 32:22; Num. 11:1, 10; 12:9; 22:22; 24:10; 25:3-4; 32:1-4; Deut. 4:25; 6:15; 7:4; 9:18-19; 13:17; 29:20-28; 31:17, 29; 32:16-22; Josh. 7:1, 26; 23:16; Judg. 2:12, 14, 20; 3:8; 10:7; 2 Sam. 24:1; 1 Ki. 14:9, 15; 15:30; 16:2-13, 26; 22:53; 2 Ki. 13:3; 17:11-17; 21:6-15; 22:17; 23:10, 26; 24:20; 1 Chron. 13:10; 2 Chron. 25:15; 28:25; 33:6; 34:25; Neh. 4:5; Ps. 78:58; 106:20; Isa. 5:25; 13:9, 13; 65:3; Jer. 4:8, 26; 7:18-20; 8:19; 11:9; 12:14; Zeph. 2:2-3; 3:8; Zech. 10:3).

2. They forgot God who “begat” them, so He vowed they would burn in the lowest hell Deuteronomy 32:18-32. In this passage they are called “sons and daughters;” they were therefore born-again believers. Ten times or more God accused them of forgetting Him Isaiah 17:10Jeremiah 2:32Jeremiah 3:21Jeremiah 13:25Jeremiah 18:15Jeremiah 23:27Ezekiel 22:12Ezekiel 23:35Hosea 8:14Hosea 13:6.

3. Born-again Israel “forgot the Lord and served Balaam and totem pole gods Judges 3:71 Samuel 12:9Psalms 78:11Psalms 106:13, 21Hosea 2:13.

4. They “forsook God” over 8 times Deuteronomy 32:15-19Judges 2:12-13Judges 10:61 Kings 9:92 Kings 21:222 Kings 12:1Isaiah 58:2.

5. They tempted God Deuteronomy 6:16Numbers 14:22Psalms 78:18, 41Psalms 95:9Psalms 106:14Acts 5:1-91 Corinthians 10:9.

6. They repeatedly forsook the Lord, and made Him jealous to the point of destroying them Judges 2:11-15Deuteronomy 32:16-211 Kings 14:22Psalms 78:58Psalms 79:5Isaiah 42:13Ezekiel 8:3-5Ezekiel 16:38, 42Ezekiel 23:25Ezekiel 36:5-6Zephaniah 1:18Zephaniah 3:81 Corinthians 10:22.

7. Born-again Israel, falling from grace, did evil in the sight of the Lord repeatedly, until His anger waxed hot to destroy them many times Judges 3:5-30Judges 4:1-5Judges 8:27-35Judges 10:1-16Judges 11:1-121 Samuel 2:30-311 Samuel 3:12-14.

8. They broke God’s covenant, refused to walk in His law, provoked and tempted Him, spake against Him and believed Him not, and trusted not in His salvation so that He slew many Psalms 78:6-8, 10.

9. They soon forgat His works, forgat God their Saviour (which proves they were once saved), causing Him to abhor them so that He brought them low for their sins Psalms 106:13-46.

10. They deeply revolted against God Isaiah 31:1, 6.

11. They vexed His Holy Spirit, so that He turned to be their enemy and fought them, hiding His face from them, and consuming them Isaiah 63:10Isaiah 64:5-7.

12. They ignored God and provoked Him continually to His face, so that He recompensed them by the sword Isaiah 65:1-14.

13. Born-again Israel provoked God to repentings on many occasions until He said at last that He was tired of repenting Jeremiah 15:6Jeremiah 18:8Jeremiah 26:3, 13Hosea 11:8Exodus 32:14Deuteronomy 32:36Judges 2:181 Samuel 15:352 Samuel 24:16Psalms 90:13Psalms 106:45Psalms 135:14Amos 7:3, 6. Between repentings, when they would repent and turn back to Him, God would forgive Israel and bring them back into His grace again. This—repenting and turning back to Him—He would always demand before grace would be restored Ezekiel 14:6Ezekiel 18:30Matthew 3:2Matthew 4:17Mark 1:15Mark 6:12Luke 13:1-5. This is what Christ demanded of believers who, through backsliding, fell from grace Revelation 2:5, 16Revelation 3:3, 19.

14. Going far away from God by walking in vanity, supporting false prophets, they changed God’s glory to shame, and turned their back on Him, so that He destroyed them Jeremiah 2:5-37Jeremiah 3:1-25.

15. They caused God to be full of fury by rejecting His words, falling from grace and viewing His provision as a stumblingblock; and so, they were destroyed Jeremiah 6:1-30Ezekiel 3:20Ezekiel 14:3-7Romans 11:91 Corinthians 1:23.

16. They not only served other gods, but turned their back to God, set up abominations in the temple to defile it, built high places of idolatry and committed sex crimes, and sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire to idols Jeremiah 32:26-36Ezekiel 16:1-55.

17. Both Israel and Gentiles of the church insulted and rejected God by refusing to remain in Christ John 15:1-61 John 2:23-24.

18. Many grew cold in their love for God Matthew 24:12Revelation 2:5Revelation 3:15-16.

What God Has Vowed to Do to Backsliders:

1. In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Genesis 2:17Romans 5:12-21.

2. That my wrath may wax hot, and that I may consume them in a moment Exodus 32:7-10.

3. Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book . . . I will visit their sin upon them Exodus 32:32-34Psalms 69:28Revelation 3:5Revelation 22:18-19.

4. I will by no means clear the guilty (without repentance, Exod. 34:7).

5. You will be spued out of my mouth Leviticus 18:28Leviticus 20:22Revelation 3:16.

6. Whosoever shall commit any of these abominations shall be cut off Leviticus 18:29.

7. I will appoint you all these curses Deuteronomy 28:15-68.

8. I will set my face against you Leviticus 26:17.

9. I will punish you seven times more for your sins Leviticus 26:18, 21.

10. I will break the pride of your power Leviticus 26:19.

11. I will make your heaven iron and your earth brass Leviticus 26:19Deuteronomy 28:23.

12. I will walk contrary to you in fury Leviticus 26:22, 28. . . Pour out my fury Ezekiel 20:8, 13.

13. I will send famine, sword, and war Leviticus 26:26, 31Deuteronomy 28:30-44.

14. I will send pestilence until you are consumed Leviticus 26:25Deuteronomy 28:21.

15. I will abhor you Leviticus 26:30Deuteronomy 28:19-26. . . reject you Hosea 4:6.

16. YOU shall utterly perish Leviticus 26:38Deuteronomy 4:26Deuteronomy 8:19-20Deuteronomy 11:13-17Deuteronomy 28:22.

17. I will send utter destruction Deuteronomy 4:26Deuteronomy 6:15Deuteronomy 7:4.

18. I will curse your blessings Malachi 2:2.

19. I will pour out my wrath Deuteronomy 11:16-20.

20. I will send poverty . . . hunger, thirst, nakedness, and want Deuteronomy 28:48-52.

21. Rejoice to pluck you up and destroy you, as God has rejoiced to do you good Deuteronomy 28:63-68Jeremiah 12:14-17Jeremiah 22:24Jeremiah 31:28.

22. The Lord will root them out in anger Deuteronomy 29:22-28; forsake them in anger Deuteronomy 13:17Jeremiah 23:39.

23. I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured Deuteronomy 31:17, 18.

24. Many evils and troubles shall come upon them Deuteronomy 31:17-21.

25. I will heap mischiefs upon them, and bitter destruction until their memory will cease among men . . . I will devour with bitter destruction Deuteronomy 32:24.

26. If you do in any wise go back into sin God will curse you until you quickly perish Joshua 23:12-16 . . . If you forsake the Lord, then he will turn to do you hurt and consume you, after that he has done you good Joshua 24:20. See also 1 Ki. 9:6-9; 2 Ki. 17 and 25.

27. I will cast you out of my sight 1 Kings 9:7Jeremiah 7:15Jeremiah 15:1 . . . Out of my presence 2 Kings 24:20Jeremiah 23:39.

28. YOU will be consumed 1 Samuel 12:24-25Isaiah 1:28Isaiah 64:7Isaiah 66:17Jeremiah 5:3Jeremiah 9:16Jeremiah 14:12Jeremiah 16:4Jeremiah 26:35Jeremiah 49:37.

29. Send unquenchable wrath Colossians 3:5-10.

30. Pluck up by the roots (2 Chron. 21:12-15) . . . Utterly pluck them up and destroy them Jeremiah 12:17.

31. Forsake (2 Chron. 24:20) . . . cast down Jeremiah 6:15 . . . cast you out Jeremiah 16:13 . . . turn my back upon them Jeremiah 18:7-17 . . . utterly forget them Jeremiah 23:39.

32. I will destroy them Psalms 106:23Jeremiah 12:17Jeremiah 15:7Jeremiah 23:39 . . . and devour them Isaiah 1:19-20Isaiah 24:20.

33. I will lay a stumbling block before them Jeremiah 6:21Ezekiel 3:20.

34. I will bring evil upon them . . . consume them . . . pour their wickedness upon them . . . recompense their sin double Jeremiah 11:11Jeremiah 14:12, 16Jeremiah 21:14.

35. I will feed with wormwood and gall Jeremiah 23:15.

36. God will cast them away Hosea 9:17Romans 11:151 Corinthians 9:27.

37. YOU shall die Romans 8:12-13Ezekiel 18:4-24Ezekiel 33:7-17.

38. If a man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy 1 Corinthians 3:16-171 Corinthians 10:1-13Mark 7:19-21.

39. He that sows to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption Galatians 6:7-8.

40. Shall not inherit the kingdom of God 1 Corinthians 6:9-10Galatians 5:19-21Ephesians 5:5-7Colossians 3:5-14.

41. The wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience Colossians 3:5-7.

42. They shall utterly perish in their own corruption . . . the latter end worse with them than the beginning 2 Peter 2:12, 19.

What backsliders must do in order to be saved once again, in order to be in grace again, is stated in many places in Scripture, as in Psalms 51:10; 80:3, 7, 19; 85:6-8; Isaiah 55:6; Jeremiah 3:1, 3, 5; 25:5; 26:13; 35:15; Micah 6:8; Zechariah 1:3-4; Hosea 10:12; Amos 5:4-14; Acts 2:38; 3:19; Luke 13:1-5; Galatians 4:19; 6:1; 1 John 1:9; 2:1-2; Revelation 2:5, 16, 21-22; 3:3, 19.

Things Men Can Do Resulting in Being Saved or Lost:

1. Repent and believe the gospel Mark 1:15Mark 16:16Luke 13:1-5John 3:16Acts 2:38Acts 3:19Romans 1:16Romans 10:9-101 John 1:9.

2. Accept the gospel of their own free will John 1:11-12John 3:16-18Romans 1:161 Timothy 2:42 Peter 3:9Revelation 22:17.

3. Follow Christ Matthew 16:24Mark 8:34Luke 9:23John 10:27John 12:261 Peter 2:21.

4. Stumble at the Word of God 1 Peter 2:8.

5. Cast off their first faith 1 Timothy 5:12.

6. Cast away confidence in Christ Hebrews 10:35.

7. Fall from grace Galatians 1:6-8Galatians 5:4Hebrews 12:15Jeremiah 16:13; Fall from their own stedfastness 2 Peter 3:14-18.

8. Fail of the grace of God Hebrews 12:15.

9. Become entangled again in the affairs of this life 2 Timothy 2:4; and in the sins of the flesh 2 Peter 2:20-22.

10. Become worse after knowing God and then backsliding Jeremiah 7:26Jeremiah 16:12Matthew 12:43-45Luke 11:26John 5:142 Peter 2:20-22.

11. Turn from God and be lost Deuteronomy 28:18-28Galatians 1:6-8Galatians 5:42 Peter 2:20-22Hebrews 6:4-9Hebrews 10:26-38.

12. Go astray after being born-again Proverbs 28:10Ezekiel 14:11Matthew 18:12-131 Peter 2:252 Peter 2:15.

13. Leave their first love and be removed from Christ Galatians 1:6-8Revelation 2:5-6, 16Revelation 3:3, 19.

14. Wax cold because of iniquity Matthew 24:12.

15. Forget they were ever purged from their old sins 2 Peter 1:4-10.

16. Err from the faith 1 Timothy 6:10, 21James 5:19-20. Err from the truth James 5:19-20.

17. Make shipwreck of faith 1 Timothy 1:19.

18. Neglect salvation and fail to escape wrath Hebrews 2:1-3.

19. Be renewed after backsliding Psalms 51:10Galatians 6:1James 5:19-20. If not an apostate Hebrews 6:4-9Hebrews 10:26-38.

20. Depart from the faith 1 Timothy 4:1; depart from God and from God’s Word 2 Samuel 22:22, 23Isaiah 59:13Hosea 1:2.

21. Depart from iniquity by turning to God 2 Timothy 2:19.

22. Depart from following God Psalms 18:21Psalms 119:102.

23. Depart out of the way Malachi 2:8; depart from God in the heart Jeremiah 17:5Hebrews 3:12.

24. Let the Word of God depart from the heart Deuteronomy 4:9Hebrews 2:1-4.

25. Commit sin until the Holy Spirit departs 1 Samuel 16:14.

26. Refuse to obey God and rebel Isaiah 1:20; refuse to hear His Word Jeremiah 13:10; refuse to keep God’s commandments Exodus 16:28Nehemiah 9:16-17; refuse to return after backsliding Jeremiah 5:3Jeremiah 8:5Hosea 11:5.

27. By patient continuance seek for eternal life Romans 2:7.

28. Continue or discontinue following God 1 Samuel 12:14-16; in the Word John 8:31; the love of Christ John 15:9; in grace Acts 13:43Galatians 1:6-8Galatians 5:4Hebrews 12:15, in faith Acts 14:22Colossians 1:231 Timothy 1:191 Timothy 2:151 Timothy 4:11 Timothy 5:121 Timothy 6:10, 21; in God’s goodness Romans 11:22; and in the truth 1 Timothy 4:16.

29. Let eternal life continue in them 1 John 2:24-25 or have it cancelled by sin Ezekiel 3:17-21Ezekiel 18:4-24Ezekiel 33:17-23Romans 6:14-23Romans 8:12-13Galatians 5:7-8.

30. Lightly esteem God after their salvation Deuteronomy 32:15-20.

31. Allow themselves to be corrupted again after escaping corruption Exodus 32:7Deuteronomy 4:15, 25Deuteronomy 9:12Deuteronomy 31:29Deuteronomy 32:5Ephesians 4:292 Peter 1:42 Peter 2:12, 19. Corrupted from the simplicity in Christ 2 Corinthians 11:3.

32. Be drawn away of their own lusts to die again and be lost James 1:13-15James 5:19-20.

33. Draw back unto perdition instead of progressing with salvation Hebrews 10:38-39.

34. Turn their back on God Jeremiah 2:27.

35. Slide back with a perpetual backsliding Jeremiah 8:5; and like a backsliding heifer Hosea 4:16.

36. Look back and be unfit for the kingdom of God Luke 9:62.

37. Go back and walk no more with Christ John 6:66.

38. Backslide and be filled with their own ways Proverbs 14:14.

38. Play the harlot again Jeremiah 3:6; commit adultery Jeremiah 3:8 and not inherit the kingdom of God 1 Corinthians 6:9-11Galatians 5:19-21Revelation 22:15.

40. Return (to be converted again) to God Jeremiah 3:12, 22.

41. Be bent on backsliding Hosea 11:7; be healed of backsliding if they will return to God Jeremiah 3:22Hosea 14:4; increase their own backsliding Jeremiah 5:6; have many backslidings Jeremiah 14:7; go backward, or forward as they choose Jeremiah 7:24.

42. Forsake God’s covenant at will Deuteronomy 28:25Joshua 24:15-22; forsake the commandments of God 1 Kings 18:18; forsake the right way 2 Peter 2:15; and forsake God Deuteronomy 32:15Judges 10:10-13Judges 12:101 Kings 11:332 Kings 22:17Isaiah 1:4Jeremiah 2:12.

43. Sin until God will not have mercy or give grace again Deuteronomy 29:20Jeremiah 13:14Ezekiel 5:11Ezekiel 7:4-9Ezekiel 8:18Ezekiel 9:10Ezekiel 24:14Romans 11:20-212 Peter 2:4-6.

44. Endure to the end if they want to Matthew 10:22James 1:12James 5:11.

45. Be moved away from the hope of the gospel Colossians 1:23.

46. Live and walk in the Spirit if they choose to do so Galatians 5:16-26; or sow to the flesh and reap corruption instead of everlasting life Galatians 6:7-8.

47. Become a castaway or reprobate without Christ in them 1 Corinthians 9:272 Corinthians 13:1-5.

48. Become haters of God and full of sin Romans 1:21-32.

49. Backslide to the point of despising and abhorring God Leviticus 26:15.

50. Walk contrary to God Leviticus 26:21-23.

51. Refuse to go on with God Deuteronomy 28:58-63Romans 6:16-23Romans 8:12-13.

52. Provoke God to wrath Deuteronomy 32:15-20.

53. Turn their hearts away from God Deuteronomy 30:17-20; turn again to the things of the world and sin Galatians 4:91 John 2:15-17; turn away their ears from the truth 2 Timothy 4:1-4; turn aside after Satan again 1 Timothy 5:15; and turn from their righteousness and die in sin again Ezekiel 3:20Ezekiel 18:24-26Ezekiel 33:12-18Romans 8:12-13Galatians 5:10-21Galatians 6:7-8.

54. Endure for a time, then Fall away and be lost Mark 4:17-19Luke 8:13.

55. Remember and profit by Lot’s wife, Lucifer, angels, demons, and men who have fallen from grace never to regain it again Luke 17:32.

56. Abide in Christ it they want to, or not abide in Him, and be burned John 15:1-61 John 2:24-25.

57. Be bewitched not to obey the gospel Galatians 3:1Galatians 5:1-7.

58. Deny God and be denied by Him 2 Timothy 2:12.

59. Love this present world again and be lost 2 Timothy 4:101 John 2:15-17.

60. Have an evil heart of unbelief in departing from God Hebrews 3:12.

61. Be hardened through deceitfulness of sin Hebrews 3:12.

62. Be defiled again and be lost Hebrews 12:151 Corinthians 3:16-17.

63. Become blind and forget they were once purged from sin 2 Peter 1:9.

64. Repent and do their first works over again if they are backslidden Revelation 2:5, 16Revelation 3:3, 19Leviticus 26:40-42Deuteronomy 4:29-30Deuteronomy 30:1-101 Kings 8:33-34Isaiah 1:18-20Jeremiah 3:4-22Jeremiah 4:1-2, 14Jeremiah 6:16Hosea 14:4Malachi 3:7Matthew 23:37.

65. Hate a man and lose eternal life 1 John 3:15.

66. Sin again and become a servant of sin again, and not a son forever John 8:32-36.

67. Serve the right master to be saved, and the wrong one to be lost Matthew 6:24Romans 6:16-23Romans 8:12-13Galatians 6:7-8.

68. Live after the flesh and die spiritually again, after being born-again Romans 1:29-32Romans 6:16-23Romans 8:12-13Galatians 5:19-21Galatians 6:7-8James 5:19-20.

69. Commit sin and be of the devil again, after being saved 1 John 3:8-10.

70. Be deceived into thinking they can inherit the kingdom of God and remain saved while living in the sins that damn the soul Romans 1:21-32Romans 6:16-23Romans 8:12-131 Corinthians 6:9-11Galatians 5:19-21Galatians 6:7-81 John 3:8-10.

71. Continue to hold fast to the end Hebrews 3:6, 11Hebrews 4:11-12Matthew 10:22.

72. Be led away with the error of Satan 2 Peter 3:14-18.

73. Become apostates and past any hope of salvation Hebrews 6:4-9Hebrews 10:26-39.

74. Be sanctified by the blood of Christ, then trample it under their feet Hebrews 1:26-29.

75. Become unbelievers again Luke 8:13Hebrews 3:12Hebrews 4:111 Timothy 4:11 Timothy 5:121 Timothy 6:10, 21James 5:19-20.

76. Build again the things that were once destroyed in order to be saved Galatians 2:18.

77. Labour for eternal life John 6:27Luke 9:23Hebrews 4:11.

78. Forget God after knowing Him as Saviour Deuteronomy 8:11-14Deuteronomy 32:18Proverbs 2:17Ezekiel 23:35.

79. Frustrate the grace of God in their lives Galatians 2:21.

80. Be moved away from the hope of the gospel Colossians 1:23.

81. Be beguiled to turn away from Christ Colossians 2:18-19.

82. Deny the faith that was once accepted 1 Timothy 5:8.

83. Wax wanton against Christ 1 Timothy 5:11-12.

84. Harden their hearts against God and be cut off Deuteronomy 15:71 Samuel 6:6Psalms 95:8Hebrews 3:8-15Hebrews 4:7.

85. Be deceived by sin and Satan Hebrews 3:13Revelation 12:9.

86. Refuse to keep under the body and thereby become a castaway 1 Corinthians 9:27. A castaway is a reprobate 2 Corinthians 13:1-5.

87. Serve sin again, therefore being of the devil again John 8:31-34Romans 6:16-23Romans 8:12-13James 5:19-201 John 3:8.

88. Wither like a branch to be cut off and burned John 15:1-6. No branch could wither if it was never a branch in the vine.

89. Remain in God’s house, and be a partaker of Christ, by holding firm and steadfast to the end Hebrews 3:6, 12.

90. Let the truth slip from them after having it Hebrews 2:1.

91. Show diligence to the end, not neglecting salvation, so as to escape punishment and not be lost Hebrews 2:3Hebrews 6:11.

92. Labor to enter into eternal rest Hebrews 4:11John 6:27.

93. Fall away and be lost Hebrews 6:4-9; Fall through unbelief as did many others Hebrews 4:11Hebrews 6:61 Corinthians 10:1-13.

94. Become slothful and fail to inherit eternal life and fail to inherit the promises Hebrews 6:12.

95. Lay hold on eternal life Hebrews 6:18-191 Timothy 6:12, 191 John 2:24-25.

96. Hold to God or Satan as they choose Matthew 6:24Luke 16:13; hold fast to deceit and refuse to return to God Jeremiah 8:5; hold the truth down in unrighteousness and be lost Romans 1:18-32; hold fast that which is good 1 Thessalonians 5:21; hold fast the profession of faith or let it go Hebrews 4:14Hebrews 10:23; hold fast, and repent Revelation 3:3; hold fast their crowns lest others get them Revelation 3:11; and hold fast unto the end to be saved Revelation 2:25.

97. Stand fast or give in to Satan 2 Thessalonians 2:151 Timothy 1:13.

98. Sin willfully after they have received the knowledge of the truth and have been sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ Hebrews 10:26-29.

99. Lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily besets them Hebrews 12:1.

100. Make straight paths for their feet or be turned out of the way Hebrews 12:13.

101. Look diligently so as not to fail of the grace of God, permit bitterness that will damn the soul, or become a fornicator as Esau Hebrews 12:15-16.

102. Refuse God and incur His wrath to destruction Hebrews 12:25.

103. Draw back from God and go to perdition, or have grace again to serve Him Hebrews 10:38-39Hebrews 12:28-29.

104. Flee for refuge and lay hold of hope Hebrews 6:18Hebrews 3:7Romans 8:24-25.

105. Follow peace and holiness or partake of sin and be lost Hebrews 12:14.

106. Gird up the lions of the mind and wait for salvation 1 Peter 1:13.

107. Fashion themselves to their former lusts again, and be lost 1 Peter 1:14.

108. Lay aside all malice and sin, or live in them, and be lost 1 Peter 2:12 Peter 3:17.

109. Sin and die spiritually again, or live free from sin, and have eternal life Exodus 32:32-33Ezekiel 3:17-20Ezekiel 18:4, 24Ezekiel 33:13-16Romans 1:21-32Romans 6:16-23Romans 8:1-131 Corinthians 6:9-11Galatians 5:19-21Galatians 6:7-8Colossians 3:5-10James 5:19-20.

110. Transgress the doctrine of Christ and be lost (2 Jn. 9-10).

111. Walk after the flesh and be lost, or live in the Spirit and be saved Romans 8:1-13Galatians 5:16-26Galatians 6:7-8.

112. Put off the old man and be saved eternally, or refuse to do so and be lost Ephesians 4:22-32Colossians 3:5-101 John 3:8.

113. Enter the straight gate and walk the narrow way Matthew 7:13-14.

114. Forsake all for Christ Matthew 19:29Luke 18:28-30; and follow Him daily all through life Matthew 16:24Luke 19:23John 10:27John 12:26.

115. Do the will of God daily Matthew 7:21Matthew 12:50Mark 3:35.

116. Sin no more John 5:14John 8:31-36Hebrews 12:141 John 1:7-91 John 2:291 John 3:6-101 John 5:1-4, 18.

117. Keep the N.T. commandments 1 Corinthians 7:19James 2:101 John 2:31 John 3:221 John 5:2-3Revelation 14:12Revelation 22:7, 14.

118. Remain converted or born-again, by remaining in Christ and in grace John 15:1-6Colossians 1:23Colossians 2:6-7Hebrews 2:1-4Hebrews 6:1-32 Peter 1:4-102 Peter 3:17-18Acts 11:23Acts 13:43Acts 14:22.

119. Use the weapons of spiritual warfare to overcome sin 2 Corinthians 10:4-5Ephesians 6:10-18.

120. Repent and do first works if they lose their first love Revelation 2:4-5, 16Revelation 3:3-5, 19.

Things the Bible Does Not Say About Salvation and Eternal Life

1. There are no conditions that man must meet to get saved or to stay saved.

2. Salvation is the work of God alone, and should a saved man be lost God is solely responsible.

3. There is no human element in salvation.

4. A man cannot be punished for the sins Christ died on the cross to forgive.

5. God forgives at one time all the sins of the believer, past, present, and future.

6. It is not necessary to live right, or to be faithful to the end to be saved.

7. No believer will ever be cut off from God by sin.

8. A saved man cannot commit sin, and even if he could he would not be lost.

9. Confession of sin, repentance, seeking God, or praying to be saved are not necessary to be saved, and preaching such is not preaching the gospel.

10. No man can repent of all his sins, for he cannot remember them all.

11. There is no Scripture that requires repentance or confession of sins as a condition of salvation.

12. Israel was commanded to repent, confess sins, pray and seek the Lord, but the same commands were not give to the Gentiles since the crucifixion.

13. Under no circumstance can true faith be destroyed, shipwrecked, cast off, or departed from.

14. God cannot and does not see the sins of the saved, for they are not real sins.

15. It is not a part of the work of the Holy Spirit or salvation to improve human nature.

16. A born-again man can be as filthy as a barnyard in body, and still be saved and be holy in spirit.

17. It is impossible for any man to really repent.

18. One chosen, elected, and predestinated to be saved is just as much saved before salvation as afterward or saved while living in sin as much as he would be if saved from his sins.

19. The promises and covenants of God with man are unconditional.

20. Man is not a free moral agent and cannot choose of his own will to be saved and to live right.

21. A man loses free moral agency when he is born-again. He becomes an irresponsible slave to God.

22. Saved men are still saved while they are committing sin.

23. The death penalty is forever cancelled for the saved regardless of death penalty sins committed after salvation.

24. God will always cause backsliders to return to Himself if they were really saved.

25. If a person who was once saved becomes lost in the end, this would prove that he never was saved.

26. God’s Word is untrue if He ever fails to save eternally any man who backslides.

27. God is the only one responsible for the salvation and damnation of all men.

28. Redemption is faulty and deficient if any “once saved” man is lost because of his sins.

29. Sin can never reign over the saved man again.

30. God’s grace would cease to be sovereign if a saved man is ever lost.

31. A saved man does not die spiritually when he sins.

32. God will never damn one of His sons.

33. Eternal life would not be eternal if it were ever lost.

34. Eternal life is unforfeitable life or it would not be eternal.

35. No man will ever have his name blotted out of the Book of Life.

36. There is no example of any one ever falling from grace who was ever in grace.

37. One may backslide and lose fellowship, but not relationship.

38. A believer will never come into condemnation or be judged for his sins.

39. No man can choose to be saved or choose to stay saved.

40. Adam was the only real free moral agent.

41. A man cannot separate himself from God any more than he can separate from the human race.

42. If a saved man could will to go away or could go away from God, he would be more powerful than God.

43. No divine act of God in salvation can be lost by any human act of sin.

44. God is able to keep one saved even while living in sin.

45. If sin could overcome God then sin is more powerful than God.

46. One does not have to continue in faith to be finally saved.

47. If a man could be born-again or be converted more than once Christ would have to die for him more than once.

48. God will not begin a work in one that He cannot finish.

49. The soul and spirit can be holy and the body sinful and corrupt.

50. For a saved man to be lost it would mean the death of the life God gave him.

51. It dishonors the blood of Christ to teach one can be forgiven of past sins only, and should he commit sin again he must be converted again.

52. When one is born-again his responsibility for committing sins is over for all eternity.

53. One is not perfect only as long as he is faithful to God.

54. We do not choose to be saved, we are saved by His choice.

55. Confession of sin is for sinners and not for saints who sin.

56. All future sins of believers are charged to Jesus Christ, not to the one who commits them.

57. We can sin against, grieve, resist, and quench the Holy Spirit, but we cannot drive Him away. One can never lose the Holy Spirit or salvation.

58. Sin is inseparable from man in this life. It is unchanged and unchangeable in a saved man.

59. Eternal life does not depend upon our faithfulness or unfaithfulness to God and His Word.

60. If a believer could sin and perish then he would suffer for the sins Christ suffered for. For God to punish two persons for the sins of one man would make Him an unjust tyrant.

61. The unsaved are not damned for the sins which Christ has borne, how much less could a child of God be condemned for his sins.

62. The new creation can never be lost, because the head of the new creation can never fail.

63. God will not damn a saved man when he sins.

64. Adam was never given eternal life. This is why he could sin and be lost.

65. Eternal life would not be a free gift if God would take it back again because of sin.

66. A saved man can never be disinherited in the kingdom of God.

67. No saved man needs to hold fast to the end, or keep all the commandments to be saved.

68. Eternal life is not a hope or a forfeitable possession now.

69. There can be no real assurance of salvation and no true eternal security unless they are absolutely and eternally unconditional.

70. God will never forsake a saved man, even if the saved man forsakes Him.

71. Man can never get out of Christ. He will not allow it.

72. Eternal life is not a life to come or an inheritance in the next life.

73. It is questionable that any man has ever died with all his sins confessed.

74. God does not accept or reject a man on the basis of obedience to the gospel.

75. Grace is an unconditional work of God and is not governed by personal faith and conduct or by the free will, and it does not demand or recognize personal responsibility as to sin and salvation.

One can find hundreds of plain scriptures that contradict the above-statements in the many points above in Lessons Nineteen, Twenty-three, Twenty-four, Thirty-three, and Thirty-five.

There is Literally No Such Thing Taught or Even Hinted in the Bible As:

1. An unconditional covenant with God.

2. An unconditional promise from God.

3. An unconditional eternal salvation by God.

4. An unconditional eternal security in God.

5. An unconditional eternal life in grace.

6. An unconditional assurance from God.

7. An unconditional eternal grace in God.

8. An unconditional unforfeitable eternal life.

9. An unconditional life of sowing and reaping.

10. An unconditional election and predestination.

11. An unconditional guarantee of relationship to God.

All these blessings are promised and guaranteed by God on the basis of man meeting a few simple conditions that any person can meet, so there is no excuse to rebel against God or be lost in eternal Hell. Conditional eternal security is abundantly assured every person who will believe and conform to the gospel.

10 WAYS A SAVED MAN CAN BE LOST:

1. By committing any death penalty sin Ezekiel 3:17-21Ezekiel 18:4-29Ezekiel 33:7-20Mark 7:19-23Romans 1:21-32Romans 3:1-51 Corinthians 6:9-11Galatians 5:19-21Galatians 6:7-8Colossians 3:5-10.

2. By being removed from Christ Galatians 1:6-8Galatians 5:4John 15:1-82 Corinthians 13:1-5.

3. By falling from grace Galatians 1:6-8Galatians 5:42 Corinthians 7:1.

4. By provoking God to anger and tempting Him 1 Corinthians 10:1-13Hebrews 3:16.

5. By refusing to hear and obey Christ and follow Him John 10:27-29.

6. Refusing to deny self and take up His cross daily Luke 9:23.

7. By failing to do the things that guarantee one never to Fall 2 Peter 1:1-10.

8. By refusing to walk in the light 1 John 1:7Ephesians 5:152 Corinthians 7:1.

9. By refusing to make things right with God when sin is committed 1 John 1:91 John 2:1-2James 5:19-20Revelation 2:5, 16Revelation 3:5, 15.

10. By refusing to keep the body under subjection Romans 6:16-23Romans 8:12-131 Corinthians 3:16-171 Corinthians 6:19-202 Corinthians 7:1Galatians 5:19-21Ephesians 4:24Colossians 3:5-10.

VIII. Real Bible Assurance and True Eternal Security

The believer can be assured “that he now has eternal life” 1 John 5:13John 3:16, 36John 10:27-29; “that he can keep it eternally by remaining in Christ” John 15:1-61 John 2:24-25Colossians 1:23Colossians 2:6-7; “that it is given by Christ John 10:10, 28 and God” Romans 6:23; “that it is by believing in Christ” John 3:161 John 5:11 and on Him” John 3:36John 6:471 John 5:13; “that one need never perish” John 10:27-29; “that Christ is our eternal life” John 17:3Colossians 3:41 John 1:1, 21 John 2:24-251 John 5:11-13; “that we have redemption” Ephesians 1:71 Peter 1:18-23Hebrews 9:12; “that we are righteous” 1 Corinthians 1:301 John 3:7; “that we are reconciled to God” Colossians 1:212 Corinthians 5:17-21Romans 5:10; and “that we have passed from death to life” 1 John 3:14Ephesians 2:1-9.

The Bible also gives us the assurance that we have “peace” Romans 5:1Ephesians 2:14Colossians 1:20; “atonement” Romans 5:11; “an inheritance” Ephesians 1:11, 181 Peter 1:4; “hope” Hebrews 6:191 Peter 1:31 Peter 3:7; “access to God” Romans 5:2Ephesians 2:18Ephesians 3:12; “liberty” Galatians 5:1; “a good conscience” Acts 24:161 Timothy 3:91 Peter 3:16; “an unction” 1 John 2:27; “an advocate” 1 John 2:1; “a high priest” Hebrews 4:14-16Hebrews 7:25Hebrews 9:24; “the mind of Christ” 1 Corinthians 2:162 Timothy 1:7; “confidence” 1 John 5:14; and “salvation” Acts 4:12Romans 1:16.

As believers we can know that we are “forgiven” 1 John 1:9; “justified” Acts 13:39Romans 5:1; “sanctified” 1 Corinthians 6:11; “born-again” John 3:1-81 John 5:1, 18; and that “we are saved and Christ abides in us and we in Him” Matthew 1:21John 15:1-72 Corinthians 5:17Romans 8:9, 10, but all these things are based upon conditions. Otherwise, if it is on an unconditional basis that we experience and keep all these blessings, and if it is solely God’s choice and man has nothing to do with it, God would be obligated to bless all men alike. In this case no man could lose his soul, but this is not true. Conditional eternal assurance is the only kind in Scripture and the only kind of assurance we can know. The unconditional kind cannot be known, because it could not be real assurance. Anyone who wants unconditional security so that he can do as he pleases and still be saved is not right at heart. There is no possible righteous motive in such an attitude. If the purpose is not to give one an excuse to continue in sin, then what is the purpose? If one’s purpose is to have assurance that he can be saved eternally (which is the purpose of the conditional security teaching), he can have this kind of security. That is the principle we contend for and what the Bible teaches, so there need not be the slightest doubt that one can continue eternally saved by means of grace that is provided in the Gospel through Jesus Christ.