Chapter Index
Introduction
The day in which we live is both exciting and dangerous. It is exciting because God is bringing a corporate body of saints into the fulness of His nature and divine government. It is dangerous because the enemy is counterfeiting that work. He too is seeking to establish his government, not just externally among the unsaved masses, but internally among God’s people as well.
While Satan cannot stop God from fulfilling His overall plan, he can certainly stop us from being part of that plan if we are not extremely diligent in our spiritual walk. Satan’s counterfeit government will vary in its external and internal manifestations, but one aspect of it will be common to all: it will be based on lawlessness. In Second Thessalonians, the apostle Paul called this lawlessness the "mystery of iniquity."
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [the Day of the Lord] shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition...For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
II. Thessalonians 2:3 & 7
The mystery of iniquity is coming to its fullness right now. Yet,
because our attention is focused in the wrong direction, many cannot recognize
what is really happening. This is because we assume the "mystery"
concerns the unsaved. Indeed, most believers today are watching for the rise of
the Antichrist outside the Church because they do not read what Paul actually
wrote. They read what they are taught by religious leaders. Paul wrote
that a falling away will induce the full manifestation of the Antichrist, but
they read that a catching away will induce it. He talked about the fall
of believers, but they talk about the removal of believers (in the rapture).
Big difference.
Read what Paul actually wrote. He said the Day of the Lord would
not come until the man of sin is revealed, and that the man of sin would not be
revealed until there comes a falling away. What you see in his warning is a
cycle. The mystery of iniquity causes the falling away, yet it is the falling
away that causes the mystery of iniquity to come to its fulness. Therefore, a
correct understanding of the mystery of iniquity and the falling away is
crucial.
Most theologians and pastors maintain that this "falling
away" is not a reference to real Christians. Some say Paul was referring
to the departure of professing Christians (ie., those who think they are saved,
but aren’t) from an external alignment with Christianity. Others say he was
referring to the departure of human governments from superficial morality. The
reason they reject Paul's evident meaning is because they believe a false
doctrine called Eternal Security, which is one of Evangelical
Christianity’s most cherished "sacred cows."
Does it really make a difference how we view this event? You bet!
If we assume the falling away pertains only to the unsaved, our eyes will be
focused on the rise of an individual man within secular governments and
institutions, or perhaps within apostate religious organizations. But if we accept
that it pertains to believers as well, we will be looking for the rise of the spirit
of Antichrist within our own fellowships.
The prevailing assumption, that the great falling away concerns
only unsaved masses and professing (phony) Christians, is religious delusion.
Paul did not use the Greek term "apostasia"
(ap-os-tas-ee'-ah)—which means a defection from or a forsaking of
the truth—to denote professing Christians. Those who profess to be Christians
(but aren’t) cannot possibly fall away from God; they never belonged to Him in
the first place. Professing Christians cannot possibly forsake the truth or
apostatize from the faith; they never actually entered the faith or walked in
the truth to start with.
The purpose of this study is not to deny the fact that a one-world
government is currently being erected among the nations. Such a development is
quite obvious. The purpose of this study is to redirect our focus. Important as
these events are, we need to understand that they do not constitute the heart
of what Paul warned us about. He was talking about something much deeper than a
plot to establish a one-world government and religion. He said it would be a
spiritual falling away that would enable the Antichrist to build such a new
world order. The unsaved cannot fall away from God spiritually! We need
to stop focusing all our attention on today’s political and religious intrigue
and start focusing on the ramifications of what Paul actually wrote.
In referring to this event, Jesus not
only told us what would cause the great falling away, but also, who would be
falling. He said: "because iniquity shall abound, the love of many
shall wax cold" (Matt. 24:12). Many who? Many who once loved God.
Neither the unsaved or professing Christians love God. Therefore, their love cannot possibly "wax cold"—it was never hot. They cannot possibly stop loving God because they never started loving Him. Jesus was telling us that many believers will forsake the truth in the last days, and that this defection will be directly related to the increase of iniquity. But what kind of iniquity was He referring to? Was He talking about the iniquity of the unsaved? Was He saying that the evil of the unsaved will get so bad in the last days that it will cause many of His people to reject Him?
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Matthew 24:9-12
The Lord’s "watchmen" have been warning Christians in
this nation for years that persecution is coming. Naturally, some of those who
have been sounding that alarm believe that when the persecution comes, it will
cause a falling away among those who have been waiting for the rapture—which is
the great majority of today’s believers. It is assumed that they will turn on
God when they realize He has not evacuated them out of the Great Tribulation.
Certainly this will be the case with some. Jesus said many
will be "offended" when persecution comes. But we must remember that
persecution has only served to strengthen the Church throughout the centuries.
Though it is not pleasant and we would rather not experience it, persecution is
good for the Church. We must also remember that two-thirds of the
nations are persecuting Christians right now. For the believers in these
countries, the Great Tribulation has already begun.
Notice that it is not persecution, but religious deception that
causes the increase of iniquity. Jesus said false prophets would arise
everywhere and deceive many. It is religious deception that causes iniquity to
abound, not in the world, but in the Christian community. The increase
of false doctrine, through the acceptance of false prophets, will produce a
sharp increase of iniquity among believers—and that will cause the love of many
to wax cold.
What is the correlation between an increase of iniquity and the
love of the Christian growing cold? The Scripture says the deceitfulness of sin
(iniquity) hardens the heart. (Heb. 3:13) Practicing iniquity not only produces
more iniquity in our lives, it blinds our minds and hardens our hearts. The
more of an allowance we make for known sin, the harder (colder) our heart grows
toward God. That the iniquity Jesus was referring to is not merely the iniquity
of the unsaved becomes apparent when we read His warnings.
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Matthew 7:20-23
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are. Then shall ye begin to say, we have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
Luke 13:24-27
The Lord was talking about our iniquity, not the iniquity of the
world. He was talking about our becoming blind and hard as a result of
listening to false prophets who tell us it is ok to practice lawlessness.
Notice that the ones He told to depart from Him were said to be workers of
iniquity.
The Greek term "ergates" (er-gat'-ace) means "laborers." Figuratively, it means religious teachers. Thus, Jesus is not saying that every person who has ever fallen into iniquity unintentionally will be shut out of the Kingdom of God. He is referring to those who continually practice iniquity. More specifically, He is talking about those who teach others that practicing iniquity is acceptable in God’s eyes.
I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Romans 6:19
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Titus 2:13-14
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
II. Timothy 2:19
Continuing to practice iniquity is definitely not acceptable in the
eyes of God. Jesus came to earth and died on a Cross to "redeem us from all
(not some, not most, but all) iniquity." He didn’t shed His blood to just
forgive our iniquity, though forgiveness is the first step to full redemption.
He died to free us from all iniquity, to purge all iniquity out of our
lives by giving us the power to "depart from" it.
This is the whole purpose of redemption. His blood enables us to stop
yielding our members to iniquity. Christians who continue to practice sin
are not really being "redeemed" from iniquity. To be
"redeemed" from iniquity is not merely to receive forgiveness for
iniquity. To be "redeemed" from iniquity is to receive deliverance
from iniquity. This is the power of salvation. This is precisely why Jesus will
be so hard on Christians who continue to practice iniquity: they deny the power
of His blood.
Notice that these "workers of iniquity" did not perceive
they were workers of iniquity. They did not realize that they were unfit to
enter the kingdom. They thought they were serving God. They were literally
shocked when Jesus said, "depart from me." In fact, they were so
convinced they were ok, they actually began to argue with Him. They said:
"Lord, this can’t be; you are making a mistake. We have prophesied in thy
name, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful
works. We have eaten and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our
streets."
Jesus and Paul were describing a spiritual mystery that seeks to
work among Christians in all three feasts. They were describing a mystery that
will cause an escalation in Christian lawlessness among believers in the last
days. Those who were shut out of the Kingdom were not professing Christians,
for professing Christians do not eat and drink in the presence of Jesus. They
were believers who were engaged in evangelism and deliverance, who had
spiritual gifts, but who got caught up in the mystery of iniquity by coming
under the influence of a strong delusion which says we can continue to practice
sin and still be saved. David Wilkerson touched on this mystery recently, asying
that:
"Satan will seduce masses into depths of lawlessness. The Greek word Paul uses for iniquity in this passage means, literally, lawlessness. Therefore, the mystery is one of lawlessness - meaning, multitudes are going to act without law or restraint. Yet, this lawlessness is not simply a rebellion against the rule of man. It's not about rebelling against civil authority, or about committing robbery, rape or murder. These things do provoke God’s wrath but the mystery of lawlessness goes much deeper. It is an outright rejection of the truth that is in Christ - a casting aside of God's holy word and commands. It is rebellion against the restraints of holy scripture!
This spirit of lawlessness is rampant in our nation today [and] is the same spirit that Satan used to deceive Eve. He told her, in so many words, God is easy - He won’t punish you for disobeying. You can eat the fruit and indulge your lust. You don’t have to pay for it...Satan is using the same lie on Christians today to advance his mystery of lawlessness. Day after day, he’s convincing masses of believers they can indulge their sins without paying any penalty. It’s a demonic scheme to pervert Christ’s gospel of grace, turning it into a message of licentiousness! Tragically, many lukewarm Christians are succumbing to this spirit of lawlessness."
Times Square Church Pulpit Series;
February, 1999
Brother Wilkerson believes the mystery of iniquity is that which
causes both the unsaved masses and the people of God to be seduced by a spirit
of lawlessness. He says that once we are seduced by this spirit we will begin
to cast off all the restraints of Scripture. He is absolutely right. This is
what is happening today. So many doctrines and religious experiences are being
accepted and endorsed by multitudes of Christians that stand in direct
opposition to the written Word of God. But those who are involved in these
errors no longer care whether or not their doctrine and their experience lines
up with the Scripture. They refuse to let the Scripture restrain them.
They refuse to let the Scripture keep them in line. Instead, they use the
Scripture as a religious tool to rubber-stamp whatever error they happen to be
propagating. Many Christians are in rebellion against "the
restraints of Holy Scripture."
The iniquity of the unsaved is no mystery. Since the days of Nimrod there have been demon-possessed rulers who tried to establish a one-world government. The unsaved have always been godless. They have always murdered others to get power and to keep power. They have always lied. They have always been involved in the occult and in lewd and perverted lifestyles, and they have always killed the people of God. The unsaved have always been under the power of Satan and have always manifested his wicked nature to one degree or another. Their iniquity is no mystery. But the iniquity of God’s people is a mystery.
Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
II. Thessalonians 2:4
Paul furnished a clue that should help us recognize this mystery. He said the man of sin will sit "in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." One of the reasons many will fail to recognize the mystery of iniquity is because the only thing they are looking for is the arrival of an individual man in a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. But Paul was referring to the spiritual temple of God. God has determined to give Satan great power and authority in the final hours of this age, and He has recorded what He is now doing in the Scripture.
Again, most Christians do not read what the Scripture actually
says. They only read what they are taught by religious leaders—and one of the
things they are taught is that Satan cannot possibly reside in the spiritual
temple of God. This is a lie—and it has left multitudes of people wide open to
religious deception. The "man of sin" can and will take his seat in
both believers (the temple of God) and unbelievers who continue to practice
iniquity.
Even him [Antichrist], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.
II. Thessalonians 2:9
Paul said the man of sin would gain entrance into the temple
through strong delusion. Once he has entered the temple he will exalt himself
above all that is called God "so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of
God, shewing himself that he is God." This is not a picture of an anti
Christ, in the sense of one who openly fights against God. It is the picture of
a counterfeit Christ, or one who covertly fights God by deceiving
Christians into believing that he is Christ. The way he deceives people is by
strong delusion and counterfeit miracles. He comes in the name of Christ,
proclaiming to be Christ, and produces great and powerful miracles to prove
that he is Christ.
Practically all Christians are watching for an individual man to
enter a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. They expect him to shake his fist at God
while he murders Jews. This is not the mystery of iniquity! Are we
saying that such an event could never happen? Not at all. What we are saying is
that such an event, if it ever happens, will not constitute the heart of what
we were warned about. The mystery of iniquity is much more insidious than we
realize. While we wait for the rebuilding of a literal temple in Jerusalem,
this mystery is advancing unhindered in the Church. While we wait for the
arrival of an individual, external, political Antichrist, the spirit of
Antichrist is taking his seat in multitudes of Christians and few are noticing
it!
And now ye know what withholdeth [the full revelation of Antichrist], that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [restraineth] will let [restrain], until he be taken out of the way.
II. Thessalonians 2:6-7
Even though the mystery of iniquity was at work in Paul’s day, he
knew it wouldn’t be fulfilled until just before the Day of the Lord. This is
why he said the one now restrains the mystery from coming to fulness will keep
on restraining it until he be taken out of the way. Opinions vary as to who the
"he" is who holds back the fulness of iniquity and the revealing of
the Antichrist. It can be none other than God Himself, for only God has the
power to restrain evil. It is the Spirit of Truth who has been holding
Satan back. All that is necessary for the mystery of iniquity to come to its
fullness is for the Spirit of Truth to step aside.
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause [because they would not receive a love for the truth] God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.
II. Thessalonians 2:9-11
Notice Paul said the Antichrist was coming "in" those
that perish. This reveals that he was not talking primarily about an
individual, external, political entity. He was warning us about a spirit that
can come forth in people. He was talking about being turned over to a powerful
counterfeit Christ who comes to us in the name of God, claiming to be the
Spirit of God, and performs miracles to convince us that He is Christ. He is
talking about an invisible religious spirit who will be given the
authority to come forth in those who receive not a love for the truth—and this
includes believers who forsake the truth.
He also said it would be God who would "send" the strong
delusion on those who receive not a love for the truth. How does God send this
delusion? Think of a lion ready to leap on its prey. But between the lion and
the victim stands a restrainer; someone more powerful than the lion. As long as
the restrainer stands between the lion and its victim, the victim is safe. But
as soon as the restrainer steps out of the way the lion is free to move in for
the kill. The lion is the strong delusion which is advanced by Antichrist and
the False Prophet. God sends that delusion on those who do not love the truth
by stepping out of its way.
Again, most contemporary believers will never accept that a true
Christian can come under the "strong delusion" because those who do
will perish—and they cannot accept that real Christians can perish. We need to
wake up and see what is happening all around us. Some Christians are perishing
right now, and more will follow. Therefore, in the next few issues we will
examine the mystery of iniquity. In this issue we want to focus on the doctrine
of Eternal Security, for this lie (which started in the Garden of Eden) is
quite possibly the greatest hindrance to seeing what Satan is really doing
today. We pray this study will be profitable to those who read it.
Brother Daniel
PART ONE
To
the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it
is because there is no light in them. Isaiah 8:20
Departing
From The Faith
The first issue that must be resolved when studying the mystery of iniquity is the question of whether or not genuine Christians can apostatize from the faith. How we view this matter will largely determine our view of last day’s events as far as the rise of the Antichrist is concerned. It is more than just an academic question. An improper view at this juncture could cost us...eternally. We intend to demonstrate beyond a shadow of a doubt that Christians can end up lost. In addition, we intend to expose the intellectual dishonesty of those who propagate this error because it is extremely difficult to honestly defend it. In order to defend it you must intentionally reject and explain away the obvious meaning of many verses of Scripture.
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.
I. Timothy 4:1
Here Paul warns Timothy that in the latter times some would depart
from the faith. Those who promote the once saved-always saved error must
explain away what he meant; which is, that in the latter times some believers
will depart from the faith. A well known proponent of Eternal Security named
John MacArthur explains the meaning of Paul’s statement this way:
"Those who fall prey to false teachers will abandon the Christian faith...These are professing or nominal Christians who associate with those who truly believe the Gospel, but defect after believing lies and deception, thus revealing their true nature as unconverted." 1
Mr. MacArthur says those who will depart from the faith will not be real Christians. They will be unconverted professing or nominal Christians. The question is, how can a pseudo Christian depart from a genuine faith? Is it not illogical to speak as if a pseudo Christian is actually in the faith? Those who think they are Christians (but aren’t) are not really in the faith—they only think they are. How then can they depart from a faith they have never entered? Since phony Christians cannot possibly depart from a genuine faith, the only kind of faith they can depart from is a phony faith. In other words, Mr. MacArthur is saying unsaved, professing Christians will depart from an external alignment with Christianity. Is this what Paul was really saying? Was he warning Timothy that in the last days phony Christians would depart from their phony faith?
Cut
Out Of The Vine
I am the true vine, and my father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch [in me] that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a 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 15:1-6
In this illustration of the vine and the branches, the meaning of
what Jesus is saying is glaringly obvious. Every branch in Him that beareth not
fruit, the Father taketh away. Again, every branch that abides not in Him will
be cast forth and burned. The attempts to obscure the truth of this passage are
varied. Dr. Charles Ryrie, author of the Ryrie Study Bible, tries to
redefine the meaning of the term "taketh away." He says this term:
"may mean this literally (as "remove" in 11:39) and would therefore be a reference to the physical death of fruitless Christians; or it may mean lift up (as picked up in 8:59) which would indicate that the vinedresser encourages and makes it easier for the fruitless believer, hoping he will respond and begin to bear fruit." 2
Mr. Ryrie came up with these alternatives because, to his credit,
he understands that the branches are real Christians as long as they are part
of the Vine. He knows it is not possible to be part of Christ and yet be
unsaved. Thus, he is faced with a dilemma. He will never accept that a genuine
believer can be eternally lost, regardless of what the Bible states, yet he
knows the branches are saved. So he must find another angle to avoid the truth.
He maintains that the Greek term, "airo"
(ah'-ee-ro)—which the KJV translators rendered "taketh away"—does not
really mean to be cut out of the Vine spiritually. He says it either means
physical separation (ie., physical death), or else it means the branches
receive an intensified cultivation effort by the Lord.
It is ridiculous to suggest that Jesus used "airo" to
indicate a greater cultivation effort. While it is true the term has various
applications, including, away with, bear up, carry, lift up, loose, make to
doubt, put away, remove, take away, and take up, in this instance the context
of the verse makes it crystal clear that He meant removal from the vine.
Moreover, to suggest that Jesus used this term to signify a
physical removal from the vine is just as absurd. In what sense are the
branches connected to the vine in the first place? Was it a physical connection
or a spiritual one? Jesus said: "Now ye are clean through the word which I
have spoken unto you." The disciples were cleansed spiritually, not
physically. We are all brought into Christ spiritually. We are all connected to
the vine spiritually. Likewise, if we are removed from the vine it will be a
spiritual removal.
Mr. Ryrie has no answer for the parallel statement that those who
do not abide in Jesus will be "cast forth" as a branch. This is
because there are times when not even the original languages can be
mistaken—and this is one of those times. Here the Greek cannot possibly mean an
intensified cultivation effort. It can only mean to be cast out of, or cast
away from, something. As was noted, the idea that this removal is a physical
removal rather than a spiritual removal has no basis in the text. Mr. Ryrie is
at odds with other Eternal Security advocates such as W. E. Vine, author of Vines
Dictionary of New Testament Words. Mr Vine does not accept that the
branches are really saved. He says this reference:
"does not contemplate members of the ‘body’ of Christ, but those who (just as a graft which being inserted, does not ‘abide’ or ‘strike’) are merely professed followers, giving only the appearance of being joined to the parent stem." 3
The branches are not believers, says Mr. Vine. But who was Jesus
talking to? Was He not talking to the disciples? Did He not explicitly state
that He was the Vine and they were the branches? Is it not self-evident that He
was giving this warning to them? Those who are part of the vine must abide in
it and bear fruit or they will be cut out of it. That is what Jesus said and
that is what He meant! Dr. MacArthur echos Mr. Vine’s error. He says the
branches represent:
"those who profess to believe, but their lack of fruit indicates genuine salvation has never taken place and they have no life from the vine...This is a picture of apostate Christians who never genuinely believed and will be taken away in judgement." 4
Jesus said every branch that does not "abide" in Him will
be cast forth and burned. Can a person abide in Christ if he is not
"in" Christ to begin with? Can you abide in your house without
actually being in the house? The only person who can possibly bear fruit is the
person who has been brought into Christ, not in appearance only, but in
reality. In order to bear fruit you must first be connected to the vine. You
must first be regenerated and given the Spirit of God. Then you must be given
time to start producing fruit.
Professing Christians cannot abide in Christ or bear fruit because
they have not actually been regenerated or brought into Christ. They are not
really part of the vine. They just think they are. They just look like they
are. Consequently, they cannot be cut out of Christ. Those who have been
brought into Christ by initial repentance and regeneration, but then refuse to
abide in Him and bring forth fruit, will eventually be cut out of Him by the Father.
Another fairly well-known author, Dr. C. S. Lovett, gives his answer as to why
Jesus could not have really meant what He said. Speaking of the branches being
cut out of the vine, he says this entire discourse:
"is not dealing with salvation, therefore, when it speaks of branches being cut away, an explanation other than the loss of salvation is demanded...As pretty [but non-productive] branches are useless to a vineyard owner, so are fruitless disciples of no value to God...This discussion has to do with abiding not salvation. If there is no abiding, there is no fruit bearing. Non-productive Christians are cut off. If not from salvation, what then? From intimacy with Christ." 5
Here is a perfect example of what happens when an Eternal Security
advocate reads a passage that exposes the fallacy of his doctrine. The truth is
automatically rejected because an explanation "other than the loss of
salvation is demanded." Yes indeed, an explanation other than the loss of
salvation will always be demanded, no matter what the Scripture says.
Mr. Lovett says fruitless disciples, like fruitless branches, are of no value to God because they are non-productive. They will be cut off—but not from salvation—only from intimacy. Would not these unproductive branches be the same as unprofitable servants? What happens to unprofitable servants?
And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire...Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
Matthew 3:10; 21:18-19
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 25:29-30
For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
Hebrews 6:7-8
Looks like the non-productive branches are in a bit more trouble
than Mr. Lovett would care to admit. Most of us would view being hewn down,
cursed and withered, rejected, and gnashing our teeth as we are cast into outer
darkness or the fire more than simply losing our "intimacy"
with Jesus!
The writer of Hebrews wasn’t talking
about intimacy. He said "the earth" (the people of God) who fail to
bring forth fruit after drinking the "rain" (the life and blessing
that comes with salvation) which comes upon it "often" will be
rejected, cursed and burned. Do the ideas portrayed by the terms, rejected,
cursed and burned match that of Dr. Lovett’s idea of simply losing our intimacy
with Jesus?
Falling From Grace
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. I have confidence in you through the lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
Galatians 5:1-10
Here is another passage that Eternal Security advocates do not
like. This one deals with saved Gentiles who were falling from grace. The
meaning of Paul is so clear in this passage it is hard to devise a sensible
alternative. But this does not stop Mr. MacArthur from trying. He describes the
situation like this:
"People who argue that a believer can fall from grace...base that conclusion on Galatians 5:4...Paul did say it was possible to fall from grace, but notice to whom he said it. Paul was addressing people who tried to be saved by law...those kind of people have fallen from grace - from the grace principle of salvation. So Galatians 5:4 gives us a commentary on the fate of those who attempt to come to God in some other way than through grace. A Christian standing in grace cannot fall out of grace." 6
He admits that it is possible to fall from grace, but maintains
that it is not possible for a genuine Christian to fall from grace. He tells us
not to think too much about the fact that people can fall from grace. Rather,
we should look at who was falling from grace. Supposedly, the ones who were
falling from grace were those who were trying to come to God in some other way
than through grace.
Obviously, those who are trying to come to God are not saved—that’s
why they are trying to come to God. He is saying only the unsaved can fall. He
wants us to believe that the people who were "falling" were those who
were trying to get saved the wrong way. According to this view, Paul was not
using the term "grace" to denote our current position in Christ, but
the path to Christ. This is why Mr. MacArthur calls it the "grace
principle." Those who were unsaved were trying to get saved the wrong way
(through legalism)—they fell from the grace principle.
To say this theory is asinine is to put it mildly. Paul was not
writing to the unsaved. He was writing to Galatian Christians. He starts
off by saying, "stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath
made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."
What does the phrase "be not entangled again" mean? It
means that these people were once entangled in a yoke of bondage but they got
un-entangled from that bondage as a result of entering the covenant of grace.
Now they were becoming entangled in a yoke of bondage again. The recipients of
Paul’s letter were already saved. They were already standing in grace. He said,
"ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the
truth?" These people were standing in liberty, they did run well, they
were obeying the truth. Yet we are to believe they were unconverted legalists
who were trying to get saved by a means other than grace. Mr. MacArthur is not
the only "scholar" to promote such a ridiculous idea. Dr. Spiros
Zodhiates, editor of the Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible, shares his view.
He says:
"This text is often misused as teaching that one can fall from God’s saving grace. The passage must be read in its total context. Paul is talking about the freedom that the believer has in Christ Jesus in verse 1. In verse 2 he says that if a person trusts in the ordinance of circumcision as more important than trusting in Christ, then Christ would be of none effect...The exact translation of this verse [verse 4] is, ‘you were rendered useless as far as Christ is concerned’...not that you belonged to Him at any time; you were never His...This expression actually means that you could not be justified by grace since you sought your justification in or through the law or a set of rules." 7
Mr. Zodhiates says the exact translation of this verse is,
"you were rendered useless as far as Christ is concerned." He says
this means that they were never Christ’s to begin with. This is the exact
opposite of what Paul said. Paul said Christ has been rendered useless to
you because you are moving your justification off of the foundation of
grace and placing it on the foundation of legalism. It is doubtful that there
is a translation in existence that supports Mr. Zodhiates’ "exact
translation." Below is a sampling of various readings.
New American Standard Bible: You have been severed from
Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from
grace.
New International Version: You who are trying to be justified
by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
New Revised Standard Version: You who want to be justified by the
law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
The Amplified Bible: If you seek to be justified and
declared righteous and to be given a right standing with God through the law,
you are brought to nothing and so separated (severed) from Christ. You
have fallen away from grace (from God’s gracious favor and unmerited blessing).
A Literal Translation by J.P. Green: You who are justified by law are deprived
of all effect from Christ - you fell from grace.
The Living Bible: Christ is useless to you if
you are counting on clearing your debt to God by keeping those laws; you are
lost from God's grace.
An Expanded Translation by Kenneth Wuest: You are without effect from
Christ, such of you as in the sphere of the law are seeking your
justification. You have lost your hold upon [sanctifying] grace.
Weymouth’s New Testament: Christ has become nothing to any
of you who are seeking acceptance with God through the Law: you have fallen
away from grace.
TEV Good News Bible: Those of you who try to be put
right with God by obeying the Law have cut yourselves off from Christ.
Tyndale’s New Testament: Ye are gone quite from Christ,
as many as are justified by the law, and are fallen from grace.
The New Jerusalem Bible: Once you seek to be reckoned as
upright through the law, then you have separated yourself from Christ,
you have fallen away from grace.
The Modern Language Bible: All of you who aim at justification
by the law are severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
The Rotherham Emphasized Bible: Ye have been set aside from
Christ, ye who by law are to be declared righteous - out of His favour ye
have fallen.
Young’s Literal Bible Translation: ye were freed from the Christ,
ye who in law are declared righteous; from the grace ye fell away.
The Jewish New Testament: You who are trying to be declared
righteous by God through legalism have severed yourself from the Messiah!
You have fallen away from God’s grace!
Paul was talking to those who were already saved. All who
are part of Christ, but who revert to legalism as a basis for justification,
cut themselves off from Christ. They separate themselves from Him. His work on
the Cross is rendered useless to them as the result. Mr. Zodhiates also says we
should read Galatians 5:4 in its total context. Let’s do that.
In verse one
Paul says, "stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made
us free." Who is he talking to, believers or unbelievers?
In verse two
he says, "I say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit
you nothing." Who is the "you" Paul is referring to, believers
or unbelievers? Is he talking to unsaved legalists who are trying to get saved
the wrong way, or is he talking to those Galatian believers who were beginning
to observe months and days, and submit to circumcision to insure that their
justification was genuine? Both MacArthur and Zodhiates claim Paul is talking
to unconverted legalists at this point. However, there is no justification to say
he was addressing believers in verse one, but unbelievers in verse two. He is
still talking to Galatian believers.
In verse three he says, "For I testify again to every man that is
circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law." Who is Paul talking
to here, believers or unbelievers? He is talking to every man that is
circumcised—Jew, Gentile, believer and unbeliever. Anybody who becomes
circumcised in relation to obtaining justification can’t stop at circumcision.
He has become a debtor to the whole Law of Moses and must walk in obedience to
all the commandments and rituals contained therein.
In verse four Paul says, "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever
of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." Who is Paul
talking to, believers or unbelievers? Mr. Zodhiates wants us to believe he was
talking to unbelievers, but he was clearly talking to believers. Two verses
later he says to these same believers: "Ye did run well; who did hinder
you that ye should not obey the truth?" Do unconverted legalists run well?
Do unconverted legalists obey the truth? Only those who want to believe a lie
can seriously maintain that the people who were falling from grace were unsaved
to begin with.
As in the previous case regarding the vine and the branches,
Eternal Security advocates disagree over who can fall, what they can fall from,
and what falling means. Mr. MacArthur and Mr. Zodhiates maintain that only unbelievers
can fall, so they don’t mind consigning them to eternal damnation. But Mr.
Lovett thinks they are believers—and since he will never accept that a believer
can be eternally lost, he will never accept that a believer who falls from
grace has committed a fatal act. He says this verse is not teaching:
"...that a born again Christian can lose his salvation by accepting circumcision and submitting to the Jewish code...The believer who voluntarily places himself under the legal yoke does not forfeit his sonship, but he does fall from the higher estate which his sonship brought him - freedom...Whereas, Christian sonship is not negotiable, Christian liberty can be traded for legalism anytime. The Christian who falls from grace (freedom) not only abandons his precious liberty, he also forsakes the privilege of growing in Christ." 8
Mr. Lovett says Christians who fall from grace merely abandon their
spiritual liberty and forsake the privilege of growing in Christ. Paul said
Christ becomes of no effect to Christians who fall from grace. Big difference!
Can you have Jesus Christ become of "no effect" to you and still be
saved? Hardly. Those to whom Jesus has become of no effect have lost more than
their freedom or their privilege of growing spiritually; they have lost their
Savior!
Only intentional blindness can obscure the plain meaning of Paul’s
words in this passage. You don’t have to be a scholar or a theologian or an
ordained minister to believe and accept the truth Paul taught. You just have to
have an honest heart and a willing mind. He stated very clearly that those who
get entangled in legalism as a means of justification after being justified
"by faith" in Jesus’ blood, fall from grace. They have chosen to go
back to a system of justification that is inferior to grace and worthless.
Returning To The World
For if after they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the lord and saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them 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. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
II. Peter 2:20-22
Here is another warning that is hard to explain away. This time the
problem is not believers returning to legalism, but believers returning to the
world. Once again, the meaning of the warning is so obvious it is hard to
devise a rational alternative. Once again, this does not stop people from
trying. Peter said it is possible to return to the world like a pig to the mud
and a dog to his vomit. Anyone who does so and is overcome in that
state, their latter end will be worse than their original condition. Speaking
of those who had escaped the pollution of the world, Mr. MacArthur says:
"Peter notes that at some point in time these false teachers and their followers wanted to escape the moral contamination of the world system and sought religion, even Jesus Christ. But these false teachers had never genuinely been converted to Christ. They heard the true gospel and moved toward it, but then rejected the Christ of that gospel." 9
Peter said these people escaped, past tense, the pollution of the
world. Mr. MacArthur says they tried to escape at one point but never
made it. Peter said they escaped through the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Mr.
MacArthur says they moved toward that knowledge but never really
accepted it and as a result, were never really converted. Peter said if these
people "are again entangled therein" and overcome, their latter end
will be worse than their original condition. To be "overcome" after
becoming entangled in the world again is to be brought back into a permanent
state of subjugation to the pollution they had been delivered from. It could
also mean dying physically while in that state, which would seal their fate for
all eternity.
Do the words "again entangled therein" sound like these
people never got free from the pollution in the first place? Can you get
re-entangled in something that you never actually got un-entangled from? Can a
pig "return" to his mud-hole if he never left that mud-hole? Can a
dog return to his vomit if he never walked away from it?
Mr. Zodhiates has an interesting way of getting around the obvious
meaning of Peter’s words. He says the very fact that Peter used a dog and a pig
in his illustration shows that he was not talking about real Christians. If he
was talking about real Christians he would have referred to them as
"sheep." This means that the dog never really left his vomit and the
pig never really left the mud-hole; they just appeared to leave them. He says:
"Those who merely profess [to be Christians] are compared here to the dog and the pig, but not to the sheep which is used to designate the true Christian. The dog sets forth one who, through the action of the Word of God, gives up what his evil flesh formerly fed upon, who turns from it for a time, only to return and devour the evil again...The pig represents one externally washed, who reforms outwardly, but has never been born again. A sheep receives eternal life, and shall never perish...A pig may be washed, but its unclean nature still remains." 10
These people never had a saving knowledge of Jesus, according to
Mr. Zodhiates. They only experienced external behavior modification as a result
of hearing the Scripture. Since there was no real internal regeneration, they
eventually went back to the corruption their flesh formerly craved, just as
dogs return to their vomit.
He also says these people, who escaped the corruption of the world
through a knowledge of Jesus Christ were really pigs all the time because they
were only washed externally. No genuine conversion transpired. He says a pig
may be washed (externally), but its "unclean nature still remains."
Since the pig’s unclean nature remained, it eventually returned to the things a
pig’s nature craves—once a pig, always a pig.
Eternal Security advocates always produce the same answer. They say
those who return to the world, or who fall away, or who end up cut out of
Christ, or who return to legalism, were never saved in the first place. They
just appeared to be saved.
Again, the question any thinking person should be asking themselves at this point is: if these people (pigs) were merely washed externally, if they only experienced external behavior modification, if they remained pigs (unregenerate) on the inside, why does Peter say their latter condition will be worse than their original condition? When they return to the mud or the vomit they are as they were originally—no better, no worse. Maybe Mr. Zodhiates believes that external washing and outward reform makes a dog less a dog or a pig less a pig. Maybe he thinks that external washing makes the sinner less lost.
An unsaved religionist is just as lost as an unsaved pagan.
Likewise, the fate of the unsaved religionist is the same as the fate of the
unsaved drunk, thief, murderer or rapist. The latter condition of
"professing" Christians is no worse than their former condition. They
were lost pigs before they were washed externally, they are lost pigs after
they are washed externally, and they are lost pigs when they return to
the mud. An unregenerate pig is a lost pig no matter what he does! His fate
never changes.
Peter never said these people represented pigs and dogs (as opposed
to sheep). He merely said that after being delivered from the pollution of the
world through the knowledge of Jesus (which is a saving knowledge), they
returned to the corruption they were once delivered from. Then he named two
animals who exhibit the same behavior.
Obviously, the reason he did not liken their behavior to
"sheep" is because sheep do not practice that type of behavior. Today
we say people are "as cute as a teddy bear," or "as quiet as a
mouse," or things "roll off their backs like water off a duck’s
back." Does this mean we are saying they are not saved because we
don’t compare them to sheep? This whole line of reasoning is unworthy of a
Greek scholar. It serves only to show just how stubborn and absurd those who
promote the once saved-always saved error can be. They would rather believe the
most idiotic notions than the evident meaning of the apostles.
We need to realize that the scholars who promote Eternal Security
are not interested in truth. They have already come face to face with the truth
and have rejected it. They want to believe this lie, so nothing will ever make
them change their mind. Even if Paul had plainly said, "Brethren, it is
possible for a genuine Christian to fall away and end up in hell," they
would still reject the warning and try to explain it away because they believe
all their future sins have already been forgiven and covered by the
blood of Christ. Therefore, they have no fear of rejecting the truth and
replacing it with foolish speculations.
It is truly a pathetic situation. These men are totally deceived.
They believe they are being faithful to God and helping the saints when they
deny the obvious meaning of the Scripture. They are totally oblivious to the
fact that they are debasing the Scripture and helping Satan deceive God’s
people. Nor do they realize that they are going to be held accountable for the
blood of multitudes who go to eternal destruction as a result of accepting
their "help." Until they are brought before the Great Judge, they
will not understand that they must be punished for all these things.
Falling Away
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Hebrews 6:4-6
Here is another passage the pied pipers of Eternal Security do not
like. It is hard to seriously maintain that a person who has been enlightened,
and tasted of the heavenly gift, and made a partaker of the Holy Ghost, and
tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come is still lost.
Mr. Zodhiates gives an very interesting explanation of this passage. First he
defines the five experiences mentioned by the writer of Hebrews. Enlightenment,
he says, refers to being "enlightened by God Himself."
Tasting of the heavenly gift refers to those who have responded to God’s initiative and
have "exercised their choice to taste the heavenly gift of God."
Being made a partaker of the Holy Ghost refers to "the result of man
receiving God’s free gift of salvation...indicating that he who accepts [the]
offer of salvation, by virtue of that reception, is made a partaker of the Holy
Spirit, [who] comes to indwell and become a part of the believer."
Tasting the good word of God refers to those who have come to a place of
"responding to God’s Word [as] the Holy Spirit energized man to receive
[it] as something that is good."
Tasting the power of the next age means being "energized by the Holy Spirit [to]
understand [that] God’s future exercise of power is going to be for the benefit
of the believer and not for his destruction." 11
Well then, does all this mean that these people were really saved?
It would appear Mr. Zodhiates thinks they were. He says they were enlightened
by God and responded to that enlightenment by receiving His free gift of
salvation. As a result, they became partakers of the Holy Ghost by having Him
become part of them and indwell them. They also became capable of receiving and
understanding God’s Word and viewing it as good, and of seeing that God’s power
would be exercised for their benefit.
After demonstrating that they are saved, he proceeds to say that
because they are saved, and because it is impossible for believers to be lost,
this whole passage is just a "reductio ad absurdum"—a philosophical
term which means a reduction to an absurdity.
"This is what we call in philosophical language ‘reductio ad absurdum,’ or reduction to an absurdity. From a false assumption we deduce absurd conclusions. It is false to suppose that we could fall, because that would invalidate the crucifixion of Christ." 12
In other words, the warning is only theoretical. Believers are in
no real danger of falling because if they fell, this would invalidate the
crucifixion of Christ. Since he assumes it is impossible for believers to fall
away, and since he also assumes the people being referred to were believers, he
is forced to conclude that warning them of the possibility of falling away is a
false assumption. To further speculate it is possible to fall away so
completely they can never be restored is a "reduction to an
absurdity." Finally he says:
"The great difficulty with this whole question is that we interpret our own decision to follow Christ as salvation per se. But our acceptance of God’s offer of grace is not salvation. We are truly saved when God sees that our repentance of our sin is genuine and accepts us and makes us part of his body...Therefore we should never speak of salvation as a decision of ours only, but rather as God’s acceptance of a truly repentant sinner. If He accepts someone whom He is not able to keep to the very end, then Christ has failed. Only that decision which is man-initiated and constitutes merely man’s emotion, and not God’s acceptance of that decision, can be ineffective."13
According to Mr. Zodhiates, the whole problem with this passage is
that we don’t understand what it takes to be saved. He says our acceptance of
God’s offer of salvation does not actually bring salvation. We are not saved
until God sees that our repentance is genuine. If He sees it is genuine, then
He accepts us and makes us part of the body of Christ. Therefore, we should
never speak of salvation as a decision of ours only, but as God’s acceptance of
a truly repentant sinner.
It may not be apparent to the reader just how brilliant a piece of
double-talk this explanation really is. He says in order to be saved we not
only have to accept God, but God also has to accept us. If God accepts someone
whom He is not able to keep saved to the very end, then Christ has
failed. The only kind of salvation that can be ineffective is the one that is
man-initiated. It is the one that merely constitutes an emotional response and
not God’s acceptance of that decision. Redemption does not depend on our
accepting the salvation God offers us, it depends on whether or not God accepts
our acceptance of that salvation.
Again, the salvation experience of one who accepts God’s grace and
who is also accepted by God and made part of the body of Christ cannot
be ineffective. They are eternally secure. On the other hand, the salvation
experience of one who accepts God’s grace but has not been accepted by
God and made part of the body of Christ can be ineffective. Those whom God does
not accept are not eternally secure for He is under no obligation to keep them
from falling.
His explanation of Hebrews 6:4-6 boils down to this: the ones
referred to were real Christians and as such, they cannot fall away. The
warning about what will happen to them if they do fall away is simply
"reductio ad absurdum"—theoretical and meaningless. But just in case
you know someone who was once a Christian and has actually fallen away, don’t
point to this passage as proof that they were ever really a Christian. If they
fell away it only proves that they were never really accepted by God and placed
into the body of Christ. Accordingly, God was under no obligation to keep them
from falling, so they fell.
Time for a reality check! Suppose there are two people at an
evangelistic crusade and they both accept the free gift of salvation
when the altar-call is given. Now suppose that only one of these two men were
actually accepted by God and placed into the body of Christ. Suppose, for
whatever reason, God did not accept the other man. What is the status of the
man who was not accepted by God? If he was not accepted by God and made part of
the body of Christ, is he saved or not? According to his own definition, Dr
Zodhiates must say no, for he himself has stated clearly that we are not truly
saved until God accepts us and makes us part of the body of Christ.
Yet that man will certainly walk away from that meeting thinking he
was accepted. No doubt the evangelist on the platform will have assured him of
this fact, since he came to the altar when the invitation was given. But was he
really saved? Not if Mr. Zodhiates’ view of salvation is correct. What then is
the status of this man? His status can only be that of a "professing"
Christian. He will be one who thinks he is saved when in fact he is still
unregenerate. The point of Mr. Zodhiates’ explanation was to inform us that
those whom God accepts are eternally secure, but those whom He does not accept
are not secure. Excuse me! Those whom God does not accept are not even
saved—they only think they are. They cannot be kept at all, let alone to the
end.
This brings us back to our original question. How can a pseudo
Christian fall? From what can a pseudo Christian fall? Certainly not the grace
of God; he never got into the grace of God to begin with. Certainly not the
Christian faith; he never got into the faith to begin with. Talk about
"reductio ad absurdum!" Is it not absurd to talk about God not
keeping those who are not His to begin with? To his credit, Mr.
Zodhiates stands practically alone among his fellow Eternal Security advocates
in his view of what it means to become a "partaker of the Holy
Ghost." While they deny that becoming a partaker of the Holy Ghost means
the Spirit indwells a person, Zodhiates says it means precisely that.
Dr. Cyrus Scofield, an early defender of Eternal Security and
author of the famous Scofield Study Bible, is one of the many biblical
scholars who disagree with Mr. Zodhiates. He says these people cannot possibly
fall away from a state of actually being saved because those who are actually
saved can’t possibly fall away. But we can fall away from a state of almost
being saved. His explanation of this passage is that these people are:
"...Jewish professed believers who halt short of faith in Christ after advancing to the very threshold of salvation, even ‘going along with’ the Holy Spirit in His work of enlightenment and conviction. It is not said that they had faith. This supposed person is like the spies at Kadesh-barnea who saw the land and had the very fruit of it in their hands, and yet turned back." 14
Mr Scofield says these people are not believers because it was not
expressly said they "had faith." It doesn’t matter that the writer
spoke of them as being redeemed in various other places in Hebrews. Because he
did not expressly state that fact in this one portion, Scofield assumes they
were not saved. He also assumes that partaking of the Holy Ghost is not a
reference to the Holy Spirit actually coming to dwell in one who has become a
believer. Instead, he says that this experience is a pre-salvation
"enlightenment and conviction" process designed to eventually lead
people to Christ.
Here Mr. Scofield manifests the dishonesty that is so prevalent among many Greek scholars. The Greek word "metochos" (met'-okh-os) means "a participant." It means one who shares something with someone else; an associate, a fellow, or a partner. Interestingly enough, this very term is used several other places in the book of Hebrews.
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus...For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end...For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Hebrews 3:1 & 14; 12:10
None of our eminent scholars would dare claim those who become
metochos (partakers) of Christ, or metochos (partakers) of the heavenly
calling, or metochos (partakers) of His holiness are not really saved. None of
them would say that partaking of Christ, of His holiness, and His heavenly
calling are pre-salvation "enlightenment and conviction"
experiences. Yet they will deny up and down that those who have been made
metochos (partakers) of the Holy Ghost are genuine believers, even though the
same exact Greek term is being used in the same epistle by the same author!
Paul used this term when appealing to Corinthian believers to
separate from unbelievers. He said, "be ye not unequally yoked together
with unbelievers: for what fellowship (metochos) hath righteousness with
unrighteousness..." (II. Cor. 6:14)? It was rendered fellowship because
one of its meanings carries the connotation of union. To become a partaker in
the Holy Ghost means more than coming under a pre-salvation illumination
process. It means having union with the Holy Spirit. Mr. Lovett follows Mr.
Scofield’s error pretty closely—though he tends to do a bit of double-talking
along the way. He starts off by saying:
"The gospel which offers fellowship with Jesus, insight into this life and the next, as well as spiritual power, is the best God has to offer. When a person enjoys this blessedness for a time and then decides he doesn’t want any part of it, God has nothing else to offer him. For that reason, the writer flatly states that it is impossible for such a rejector to come back to Jesus." 15
He says that God has nothing left to offer the person who has enjoyed the blessedness of fellowship with Jesus, insight into this and the next life, and spiritual power for a time, but then afterward decides he doesn’t want it. Next he explains that there are three possible interpretations of this difficult passage. (1) The people are real Christians who fall away completely; (2) they are real Christians, but the warning itself is merely hypothetical; (3) they are pseudo Christians. After explaining the three main views he says:
"The first of these views we probably should reject because there are too many passages which definitely teach the security of the saints...The second view has much to commend it, but the warning appears weakened if it is only a hypothetical case. The third view seems more preferable to me...But the question lingers. How can a person experience all this and not be saved? Easily. There is a great work that God does in people to bring them to salvation, even to experiencing the Holy Spirit’s power...This process is called pre-salvation illumination and consists of the five things listed in verses four and five." 16
The five experiences are simply a pre-salvation illumination
process according to Mr. Lovett. Obviously, if these five experiences
constitute a pre-salvation work, then those who experience them are not yet
saved. Yet, he said those who experience them enjoy "fellowship with
Jesus." Is fellowship with Jesus part of the pre-salvation process?
Claiming that unregenerate men can have fellowship with Jesus Christ before
they are saved is a serious error.
Mr. MacArthur explains this passage by saying there are three
separate groups of Jews being referred to in Hebrews. The first group are
believers. The second group are those who are "intellectually convinced of
the gospel" (i.e. unbelievers who think they are saved). The third group
are those who are "attracted to the gospel...but had reached no final
conviction" about it (i.e. unbelievers who do not think they are
saved).
He says passages like Hebrews 2:1-3, 10:26-29, 12:15-17, and 6:4-6
are addressed to the second group of Jews—professing Christians. He also says
the "failure to acknowledge these groups leads to interpretations
inconsistent with the rest of Scripture." 17 Let’s check these references
and see if MacArthur’s interpretation is "consistent" with the
Scripture.
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.
Hebrews 2:1-3
This is addressed to phony Christians? Is Mr. MacArthur reading the same Bible we are? In these verses the writer of Hebrews uses the term "we" five times and the term "us" once. He says we (the people of God) should give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard lest we (the people of God) should let them slip. For if we (the people of God) let them slip we will be punished more severely than those who lived under the Law because we are accountable for more light than they had.
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Hebrews 10:23-29
This is addressed to pseudo Christians? The writer says if we who
have received the knowledge of the truth continue to sin willfully there remains
no more sacrifice for that sin. The only thing to look forward to is judgment
and fiery indignation. He says if those under the Old Covenant died without
mercy when they kept transgressing, what shall our fate be, we who have been
given more light and more spiritual power to obey God? If the terms
"us," "our," "we," "ye,"
"ourselves," and "one another" do not signify that the
writer was talking to the believers in that fellowship, what on earth
would?
Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
Hebrews 12:12-17
This is addressed to fake Christians? Is the writer of Hebrews
really telling the unsaved to follow peace with all men and holiness? Is
he telling unbelievers to lift up the hands which hang down, and the
feeble knees, and make straight paths for their feet? Is he telling the unconverted
to look diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of
bitterness springing up trouble them? He said, watch out, lest any root of
bitterness defile you. What "you" is the writer taking about if not
you in the congregation?
Saying these verses were written to unsaved professing Christians
is an insult to our intelligence. Indeed, it takes quite a bit of audacity to
try and pass this kind of garbage off as Biblical scholarship! Next Mr.
MacArthur says:
"By far the most serious interpretive challenge is found in 6:4-6. The phrase, ‘once enlightened’ is often taken to refer to Christians, and the accompanying warning taken to indicate the danger of losing their salvation if ‘they fall away’ and ‘crucify again for themselves the Son of God.’ But there is no mention of their being saved and they are not described with any of the terms applied only to believers (such as holy, born again, righteous, or saints)." 18
He says the most serious interpretive challenge is found in Hebrews
6:4-6. In other words, it's very hard to get around the obvious meaning of the
passage. He says we should not view these people as true believers because
there is "no mention of their being saved, and they are not described with
any of the terms applied only to believers" (such as holy, born again,
righteous, or saints). This is reminiscent of Scofield’s anemic argument, and
also of the moronic dog, pig and sheep argument given by Zodhiates. The believers
in that assembly were said to be "partakers of Christ,"
"partakers of the heavenly calling," and "partakers of His
holiness." In these instances there is no specific mention of their being
saved, born again, righteous or saints, yet nobody seriously claims they are
unbelievers because these descriptions were not mentioned.
Before leaving this passage we must answer the question that is
continually put to those who reject the Eternal Security lie by those who
advance it, regarding the impossibility of restoring those who fall away. They
say, if these people were real Christians and they fell away, then the
inescapable conclusion is that a believer who falls away can never be restored,
for the writer uses the word impossible. This is partially true. People like
those described in this passage can never be restored. This is because
the falling away here is not a reference to a general backsliding or falling
away. Rather, it is talking about a specific kind of apostasy, one that is
directly related to those who have come out of Judaism.
The whole book of Hebrews is centered around one basic point: the
superiority of the New Covenant (Grace) over the Old Covenant (Law). The whole
reason the book was written was because this fellowship of believing Jews was
very unstable. They had been in the faith for a long time, yet they were still
very immature. The writer describes their poor spiritual condition quite
frankly. He says, "ye are dull of hearing...For when for the time ye ought
to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first
principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk,
and not of strong meat." (Heb. 5:11-12)
We need to understand that we are dealing here with a congregation of Jewish believers who have not only failed to leave the first principles of the faith and advance, they were losing their understanding of those elementary principles. By the time this epistle was written they should have advanced far enough in the faith where they could be teaching others those first principles. But their condition is so serious, they themselves needed to be taught the first principles again.
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit.
Hebrews 6:1-3
What needs to be understood is exactly what that hypothetical group
of people in 6:4-6 fell away from. They fell away from more than just
the five experiences referred to by the writer. They fell away from the first
principles of the Christian faith; and the very first of those first
principles is listed as "the foundation of repentance from dead works and
of faith toward God." The principle of repentance from dead works and of
faith toward God is the foundation upon which our faith must be built. That is
why Paul said, "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid,
which is Jesus Christ." (I. Cor. 3:11) No other foundation than
justification by faith (as opposed to dead works) can be laid.
Dead works is an apt description of trying to be justified through
the Law of Moses. Where would a Jewish person who was falling away from
the foundation of justification by faith fall to? He would fall back into
Judaism—and that is what this frightful warning is all about. Hebrews 6:4-6 is
talking about those who have experienced the blessings of salvation, but have
regressed or drawn back to such a point that they finally reject the first
foundation of redemption, which is justification through faith in the blood of
Messiah.
It is talking about people who reject the whole Christian system of
redemption and return to Judaism. Choosing the Old Covenant over the New
Covenant, after you have experienced the blessings and life of the New Covenant,
is the ultimate kind of apostasy. It is the same as spitting in the face of
Jesus and nailing Him up on the Cross yourself. Those who become guilty of this
kind of falling away have no hope of ever being restored. They have tasted the
life of Grace, yet have chosen to return to the life of Law. They have tasted
of both Messiah and Moses and have decided that Moses is better. What
can be done for such a person? They are a hopeless cause.
This is the direction the believers in that congregation were heading. This is why they needed such a strong warning. They needed a spiritual slap in the face. They needed a strong dose of reality and Godly fear—an incentive to stop them from regressing any further. This frightful warning was given to make these believers realize that they were not "eternally secure" regardless of how far they drew back. It was given to make them realize they could draw back unto perdition (eternal damnation). It was given to make them see that even though they once enjoyed the highest favor of God, they could sin so grievously against the Spirit that they would perish eternally.
Broken
Off The Olive Tree
And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The [Jewish] branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
Romans 11:17-22
Yet another warning was given to Gentile believers in Rome. Here
Paul states that salvation is conditioned upon remaining in the goodness
of God. The state of the Gentile believers in this assembly must have been
reaching a point similar to the condition of many in the present Church. First,
they were looking down their noses at the Jews who were cut off the Olive Tree
because of unbelief. Second, they were assuming the same thing could never
happen to them because they were under the covenant of grace.
Paul is very blunt. He says, "what are you Gentiles doing? You
have no reason to boast against the natural branches. The same thing that
happened to them could happen to you! Be not high-minded. Consider God's
severity and take heed. Look at Israel and learn by their mistake. Understand
that you must continue in the goodness of God, otherwise you too will be cut
off."
This passage is probably the clearest and most explicit denial of
Eternal Security in all of Scripture. Yet, once saved-always saved advocates
brush it aside like they do all the others. Mr. MacArthur explains what Paul
really meant this way:
"God will judge the apostate church just as surely as He judged apostate Israel...Those who accept His gracious offer of salvation experience His goodness; those who reject it experience His severity...Genuine salvation always perseveres...God will deal swiftly and severely with those who reject Him."19
God will judge the apostate church, says MacArthur. Very true. But
who is the apostate church? He says the apostate church are those who reject
God and His offer of salvation; meaning, His initial offer of salvation. In
other words, the apostate church does not contain any people who were genuinely
saved at one time, but who fell away. It is made up of those who never accepted
God’s initial offer of salvation.
Oh really? Was Paul really warning the unsaved (apostates)
to fear God? Was he telling the unsaved not to boast against the
branches whose place they had taken? Was he telling the unsaved that
they had to remain in the goodness of God? Is it not the height of willful
ignorance to say Paul was addressing an "apostate" Roman fellowship?
Who in their right mind would warn an apostate church that they had to remain
in the goodness of God?
As absurd as MacArthur’s argument is, Mr. Lovett puts forth an even
more bizarre explanation. He claims the reference to Gentile branches being
grafted into the good Olive Tree really has nothing to do with individual
Gentiles being brought into Christ. Rather, it is a reference to unsaved
Gentile nations taking the place of the Jewish nation. He says:
"It should be noted that Paul is not dealing with the Church in these chapters (9-11). Individual salvation is not at issue...He is here dealing with nations...It would be a serious error to lift out any of these verses and relate them to the born-again Christian...You will spare yourself much confusion if you keep in mind the context is dealing with nations only...These chapters do not pertain to the church, but to Israel as a nation. Her task of running the salvation store has been take away from her and given to the Gentile nations...Therefore this is not a salvation tree. It can’t be. Why? For 1400 years it was filled with unbelieving Jews. Now it is full of unbelieving Gentiles. The tree represents access to salvation. It is the tree of opportunity. While the Gentiles are in the tree, it is their turn to run the salvation store and offer the blessing of Abraham to the world." 20
Mr. Lovett proposes that the good Olive Tree is not a salvation
tree. Rather, it is a salvation store. For 1400 years unsaved Jews managed the
salvation store. Everyone who wanted to be saved had to come to Israel. After
God had enough of their rebellion He cut the Jewish nation out of the tree,
then grafted unsaved Gentile nations into it and put them in charge of the
store. Now everyone has to come to unsaved Gentile nations to get saved.
Paul said the Gentile branches who have been grafted into
the Olive Tree have been grafted into it by faith. To these supposedly unsaved
Gentile "nations" he said, "thou standest by faith." Then
he proceeds to tell these unsaved Gentile nations that they must continue in
that faith or else they too will be cut out of the Olive Tree, just like the
Jews were cut out of it. Yet Mr. Lovett wants us to believe that unsaved
Gentile nations are now part of the tree and are in charge of the salvation store!
What kind of minds would conceive such asinine arguments? The answer is, minds that have no respect for God’s Word, minds that refuse to be restrained by Scripture. They possess the mind of a scoffer—which should not surprise us—for the Scripture predicts that in the last days Christians will be willingly ignorant of the truth (II. Peter 3:3-5). Although this was a reference to those who would scoff at the idea that God will come back to judge the world, we are dealing with the very same spirit of scoffing when it comes to those who brazenly turn a deaf ear to the warnings given in the Scripture.
Many Bible commentators, scholars, theologians and preachers are
willingly ignorant (which is the same as being stupid on purpose!) of what
happened to the nation of Israel. They intentionally ignore the fact that Paul,
who was part of the nation to which this horrible event happened, warned New
Testament Christians that God will do the same thing to them if they do not
remain faithful. If Peter and Paul were alive today, they would be warning
Christians everywhere to stay away from the ignorant and unstable teachings
of men like MacArthur, Ryrie, Zodhiates, and anyone else who promotes the once
saved-always saved delusion, for it is impossible to defend this lie unless you
ignore and pervert the Scripture.
Vomited
Out Of Christ
And unto the angel of the church of the laodiceans write; these things saith the amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.
Revelation 3:14-17
In the book of Revelation, Jesus addresses New Testament churches
that were under the New Covenant through the apostle John. To the believers in
the Church that was at Laodicea the Lord said, "I will spue thee out of my
mouth." It is difficult to get around the obvious implications of this
statement!
Can you spew something out of your mouth that is not even inside
of you? You see, it is not possible to be spewed out of Christ unless
you are part of Christ to begin with. But this reality does not phase
those who are willfully ignorant of the truth. Mr. Lovett explains the
situation of Laodicea this way:
"Here was a church that professed to be Christian, but excluded the Lord. It had no spiritual life. It was blind to its spiritual bankruptcy. A person who does not profess to be a Christian, but is aware of his lost condition, is far better off than these Laodiceans...The church fathers came to use the term ‘lukewarm’ to describe unsaved people who professed to be Christians." 21
Mr. Lovett says the Church at Laodicea was an unsaved
Church—which means it was not really a church at all. He says this group of
lukewarm individuals were actually unregenerated "professing"
Christians. To these unsaved people Jesus said, "As many as I love, I
rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent" (Rev. 3:19). Is this
statement really a reference to unconverted religionists? Notice the similarity
of this statement to the words in Hebrews:
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Hebrews 12:6-8
It is explicitly stated that God does not
"chasten" those who are not His to begin with. "Professing"
or "nominal" Christians are not really children of God—they just
think they are. In reality, they are spiritual bastards. If the
congregation of Laodicea were bastards (professing Christians), Jesus would not
bother chastening and rebuking them. It is obvious to all but those who are
stupid on purpose that Jesus was rebuking His own children. They did not become
lukewarm because they were almost saved. They became lukewarm through
financial and material prosperity, just as many contemporary believers have,
and they were in danger of being spewed out of Christ, just as many of today’s
Christians are.
Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless 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 2:1-5
What about the Ephesian congregation? Was this a
"professing" church too? Is Jesus talking to believers or
unbelievers? There is no doubt that He is addressing Christians. But they had
"fallen" from a spiritual position they once held, which He defines
as their first love. Notice what the Lord said to these real Christians. He
said, "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent, and do
the first works, or else." Or else what? Or else, "I will come unto
thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his place."
The seven candlesticks were the seven churches of Asia. They were
the body of Christ in that area. Jesus was in the midst of the seven churches,
which means they were all true churches. They were in Christ. To have their
candlestick removed meant they would be removed from the body of Christ in that
region. If Jesus removed their candlestick they would no longer have any light
or gospel message to preach. They would no longer have His presence to impart
to others. Their light would be put out. They would be cut out of the vine.
The Spirit did not put all these warnings in the Scripture for
nothing. God is not mocked. Those who reject the truth contained in His Word
will pay dearly for their arrogance. Do not let yourself be carried away with
the error of unstable men who wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction.
PART TWO
For
there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to
this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into
lascivousness... Jude 1:4
The
Apostolic Mind-Set
But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Galatians 4:9-11
For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain. But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you:
I. Thessalonians 3:5-6
Isn’t it amazing? The apostle Paul did not believe in Eternal
Security! This means that those who promote the "once saved-always
saved" error are faced with a major problem. While they can (try to)
explain away certain "key" verses of Scripture which expose their
delusion, it is impossible to hide the mind-set and the attitude of the
apostles. The fact that they did not believe or teach the lie of Eternal
Security pops out everywhere. It comes out in unguarded statements and in
nuances that are often overlooked by scholars who are trying to hide the truth.
Writing to those who are explicitly said to be in the faith—even by
the novel standard of Mr. Zodhiates, who says we must accept God and be
accepted by God—Paul said he was afraid that after having known God, that after
being known by God, they were turning again to the weak and beggarly elements
of legalism. To these saved individuals he said, "I am afraid that I have
bestowed labour upon you in vain."
There isn’t much ambiguity in that statement. To labor in vain over
a fellowship can mean only one thing: the labor was for nothing. Anyone who
would turn back to legalism after experiencing the liberty and freedom of
Paul’s gospel, anyone who would turn back to legalism after knowing God and
being known by God is a lost cause. They would be doing the same thing as that
hypothetical group in Hebrews chapter six. In such a case Paul’s effort and
labor to establish them in the gospel of grace would have been a complete
failure.
Of course, the Galatian believers heeded the strong warning of
Paul, just as the Jewish believers heeded the strong warning of the writer of
Hebrews. No doubt the words, "Christ is become of no effect unto you"
and "ye are fallen from grace" made a great impact on their hearts
and minds. Those warnings helped the Galatian brethren break free of the
influence of the Judaizers in their midst. In the end they did not fall, they
stood fast in the liberty. In the end they kept running well and kept obeying
the truth.
But the point is, Paul was afraid for them! He was afraid that his
labor had been in vain. He was beginning to wonder if these believers were
going to end up lost—and that reveals a mind-set that is diametrically opposed
to the lie of Eternal Security. Had he taught a once saved-always saved gospel
like so many claim he did, he would have said: "Brethren, I see that you
are returning to legalism. This would concern me greatly if I didn’t know that
you were eternally secure. But since I know you can’t be lost I’m not
concerned. I know God will bring you around to the gospel of grace again,
sooner or later. He has to, or else Messiah is proven to be a failure."
To the believers in Thessalonica he said, "I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain." He didn’t send to find out whether they were true Christians or pseudo Christians. He sent to see if they were still in the faith. The Thessalonians were going through persecution. Paul had only been with them a short time and then had to leave them alone. He was afraid these new Christians might be offended by that persecution and fall away. So he sent to find out how they were bearing up under the pressure. Of course, they remained steadfast. But once again, the point is, Paul was worried. Again he was wondering if his labor over a different fellowship of Gentiles had been in vain. He is not acting like an Eternal Security advocate at all!
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
Acts 20:29-31
Here Paul is really demonstrating a lack of faith. He didn’t say
wolves might come, he said I know they will come. Of course, these wolves will
not be real Christians. They will be false prophets. But they will wreck havoc
among real Christians. He also said, "of your own selves shall men arise,
speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." You can’t
possibly get any more explicit than that. Clearly, the of-your-own-selves group
are not wolves, they are sheep—even shepherds (elders)—who arise from within
the fold. Not only are they sheep, they draw away many other sheep after them.
Paul’s attitude does not support the claim being made by people like Vine, Scofield, Ryrie, MacArthur, Lovett, and a hundred others, that he preached a once saved-always saved gospel message. Indeed, the gospel of grace which Paul preached bears little, if any, resemblance to the gospel of grace that is being preached by these scholars. They may be able to twist and pervert the words of the old apostle, but they will never be able to conceal the mind-set or the outlook he possessed. They will never be able to obscure his hopes and fears. In order to do that they would have to expunge large chunks of the New Testament. The life of Paul proves that this lie comes straight from Satan’s mouth, just as it did 6000 years ago when he spoke it to Eve.
But 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. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
II. Corinthians 11:3-4
Again Paul was afraid for a fellowship of Gentile believers—this
time for Gentile Corinthians. He said, "I am afraid that if one comes into
your midst and starts preaching another Jesus, or promotes another spirit, or
preaches another gospel, you might put up with him. You might begin to listen
to what he is saying and come under the influence of the same spirit, the same
Jesus, and the same gospel that he himself walks under." Here Paul is not
only saying that it is possible for real Christians to accept another
spirit, another Jesus, and another gospel after they have accepted the real
Jesus, the real Spirit, and the true gospel, he is actually afraid the
Corinthian believers might do so. What’s wrong with this guy, Paul? Not only is
he not an Eternal Security advocate, it turns out that he was afraid everyone
was going to fall! He was not alone.
Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.
NIV II. Peter 3:15-17
The apostle Peter warned his "dear friends" (real
Christians) to be on their guard so they would not be carried away from the
faith by error. He warned them to be on guard so they would not fall from
their "sterigmos" (stay-rig-mos'), a Greek term which means
"stability." The King James translators rendered this term
"steadfastness" while the NIV translators rendered it "secure
position." Spiritual stability was the point Peter was getting at. If we
are on guard against all such error it will never overtake us and carry us away
from the truth. We will maintain our secure position in Christ. However, if we
don’t keep watch we could be carried away from the truth and become
de-stabilized spiritually. Once a believer becomes unstable he is no longer in
that secure position. Once he becomes unstable he can end up like those
"ignorant and unstable people" who distort the writings of Paul, and
the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
II. Peter 2:1-2
This warning is very inconsistent with a man who supposedly preached Eternal
Security. Peter said that just as there were false prophets among God’s Hebrew
children in the Old Testament, so there will be false teachers among God’s Gentile
children in the New Testament. He didn’t say these false teachers would be
among the Mormons, or the Jehovah’s Witnesses, or the Moonies. He said they
would be among "you" (true Christians). They will secretly introduce
damnable heresies and many shall follow their pernicious ways. Many who? Many
of you in the fellowships; many of you who are real Christians.
Think about it. Why would Satan waste his time trying to deceive
those who are already his? Why would he try to deceive the lost masses. They
are already deceived. Why would he waste his time trying to deceive
"professing" or "nominal" Christians. They are already
deceived. In fact, professing Christians are much harder to reach than good old
fashioned pagans. The hardest person to win to Christ is the one who already
thinks he is saved. No, Satan is not after pagans and professing Christians. He
is after the real thing. He is after real Christians—and the best way to
destroy real Christians is to send deluded religious leaders into their
midst to deceive them, de-stabilize them, and eventually carry them away from
the faith entirely.
It would be easy to fill volumes of pages with these kinds of
examples. There are many outbursts like the ones cited, which show beyond a
reasonable doubt that the apostles did not believe or teach Eternal Security.
How is it that the majority of contemporary scholars, theologians, Bible
commentators and pastors have missed the obvious? It can only be because they
want to miss it. The lie of Eternal Security appeals to the our lazy, deceitful
self-centered, flesh natures.
The result of this defection has been the perversion of the
Apostolic view of redemption. Every facet of salvation has been twisted,
contorted and bent so it will fit into the theological framework of a once
saved-always saved gospel. The modern Church has done what Paul was
afraid the Corinthians would do: it has accepted another gospel, another
spirit, and another Jesus. Deceived shepherds are teaching the sheep error on
top of error. As a result, modern Christians have very little understanding of
just what the covenant of "grace" really is. They are drowning in a
sea of false doctrines and religious traditions.
Our Responsibility
As was already stated, the gospel that was preached by the apostles, and particularly by Paul, has been totally perverted. Paul taught repeatedly that we carry a certain amount of responsibility in our own salvation. This truth has been rejected by many theologians and scholars. An example of this can be seen in Dr. Zodhiates statement that if a Christian ends up lost, it would "invalidate the crucifixion" and prove that Jesus Christ "has failed." In other words, God is totally responsible to keep us secure regardless of, and independent of, our decisions and actions. If He cannot keep us secure, then the sacrifice of Jesus supposedly becomes invalidated. Once we enter the covenant of grace nothing can get us out of it. Different scholars have arrived at this false view from different approaches. Dr. Scofield explains it this way:
"The New Covenant, the last of the eight great covenants of Scripture, is ‘better’ than the Mosaic Covenant, not morally but efficaciously (Heb. 7:19; cp. Rom. 8:3). It is established upon ‘better’ (i.e. unconditional) promises...[It] rests upon the sacrifice of Christ and secures the eternal blessedness, under the Abrahamic Covenant (Gal.3:13) of all who believe. It is absolutely unconditional and, since no responsibility is by it committed to man, it is final and irreversible." 22
Mr. Scofield says the New Covenant is better than the old one because it is established on better promises, which is true. He then says what makes the better promises "better" is that they are now "absolutely unconditional" because they rest on the sacrifice of Christ. What does he mean? He means that "no responsibility is by it committed to man." Once we have entered the New Covenant, all the responsibility for keeping us saved has been committed to God, and because of this, our standing in grace is "final and irreversible." This is not true. Look how the writer of Hebrews defined the betterness of the better covenant of grace.
If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?...For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God...But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
The writer of Hebrews says the betterness of grace has to do with perfection.
He asks this rhetorical question: if perfection could have been attained
through the Levitical priesthood, why was there still need for another priest
to come? In other words, nobody could come to perfection while under the Law.
In order for perfection to be reached, a better priest with a better ministry
had to come and inaugurate a better covenant which was established on better
promises.
He is saying that what makes the covenant of grace
"better" is that it is able to produce something that was not
possible under the Old Covenant. The thing that was not possible under the Old
Covenant was our perfection. But Scofield is saying the New Covenant is better
because under it, all the responsibility for our security has now been passed
to God. Reaching a goal that was previously unattainable was not even a
consideration for him, even though the writer of Hebrews said this was the
whole reason a better covenant had to be established. Instead of understanding
that the purpose of grace is to bring us to a goal that was not possible under
the Law, Scofield only saw that we can now totally miss that goal
without having to worry about losing our salvation.
Apparently Mr. Scofield did not know the difference between
responsibility and merit. Merit has to do with earning salvation through good
deeds or righteous living. This is legalism. We can never earn God’s salvation.
Neither can we earn the offer. The offer of salvation is based solely on the
sacrifice of Jesus. Nevertheless, once God offers us that salvation we are
totally responsible for the decision to accept or reject it. Whether or not we
accept it determines whether or not God will save us. The responsibility has
been placed in our hands by God.
The same holds true after our conversion. On the basis of Jesus’
sacrifice, God initiates a process of transformation in our lives. We
did not do anything to earn that work, but we are totally responsible for the
choice to yield or not yield to it. If we yield to the process it will produce
fruit in our lives. If we do not yield, no fruit will ever be produced.
Yielding to the initial offer of salvation is an issue of responsibility, not
merit. Likewise, keeping ourselves connected to the vine is an issue of
responsibility, not merit. Mr. MacArthur arrives at the same conclusion as Mr.
Scofield, but from a different perspective. He asks:
"How does God maintain His relationship with us? Jesus not only reconciled us to God, but also maintains that relationship. That is His high-priestly work. He keeps on cleansing us from all sin (I. John 1:7) We are forever at peace with God because every sin we will commit has already been paid for by Christ. Therefore nothing can destroy our relationship with Him. Every day that we sin, the Lord keeps cleansing us - maintaining our relationship with Him - through the past act of Christ on the cross and His present mediation at the right hand of God." 23
Notice that Mr. MacArthur makes no
mention of the need for repentance. He simply states that we are automatically
cleansed by Jesus. This cleansing is done independent of any actions on our
part. He then refers us to First John 1:7. No mention is made of the necessity
of confession of those sins, or of the need to turn from them. Yet these things
are mentioned in the very teaching he refers us to. Maybe he does not
really understand what the apostle John is teaching, or maybe he is hoping that
the reader will be too busy to stop and compare his interpretation of what John
wrote with what John actually wrote. In any case, he is only telling us half
the story, and by doing so he has changed the whole meaning of John’s teaching.
Let’s look at what John actually wrote.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin.
I. John 1:7
John said if we walk in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ
His Son cleanseth us from all sin. He did not say that the blood of Jesus keeps
cleansing us from all sin regardless of our actions, as was inferred by Mr.
MacArthur. The terms "if" and "as" are terms of condition,
and they would be understood as such under any normal situation. For instance,
if you go out and hire a contractor to build a house and these terms are
included in the contract, everyone would know what they mean. They are terms of
condition. If the contractor finishes the house as agreed upon by
both of you, then you are obligated to pay the agreed price. If
he does not finish the job, or if he does not do the job as
specified in the agreement, then you are not under any obligation to pay
the agreed price. In all circumstances of real life, everyone would agree that
the terms if and as are terms of condition. Yet when it comes to doctrine and
theology, suddenly they mean nothing!
Two verses later John says, "If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness" (I. John 1:9). If we "confess" our sins,
Jesus is faithful and just to forgive them and cleanse us. Here again, the
cleansing is not done regardless of whether we confess our sins or not. It is
conditional. If we confess our sins Jesus will cleanse us. If we
do not confess our sins Jesus will not cleanse us.
The term "confess" entails some important actions on our
part—actions without which, its meaning is rendered irrelevant. To confess a
sin assumes a recognition that what we are doing is indeed sin. No one is going
to confess something they do not perceive as being a sin. It also assumes a
desire to be forgiven for that sin. Again, if we assume that all our sins are
automatically forgiven, such a reality will be non-existent. Why should I
confess the sins I currently indulge in? Jesus has already forgiven all
my past, present and future sins? Finally, it assumes a desire to be set free
from that sin. Only those who care whether or not they sin, who recognize when
they sin, who are genuinely sorry when they realize they sin, and who actively
seek to overcome that sin will confess their sins. Only those who
confess their sins are cleansed by the blood of Christ.
Mr. MacArthur says we are forever at peace with God because every
sin we will ever commit has already been paid for by the blood of Jesus.
Therefore, nothing can destroy our relationship with God. By this he means that
once we have been reconciled to God by Jesus, nothing we do after that, no
amount of sin we practice, can ever undo this work. He means that nobody can
out-sin the grace of God because Jesus keeps on cleansing, keeps on forgiving,
keeps on covering our sin, and keeps on reconciling us to God automatically,
regardless of what we do because that is His job as our High Priest. Since He
will be a High Priest forever, He will automatically cleanse us forever.
Mr. MacArthur is very adept at putting a false spin on the
statements of the apostles. One of his favorite tactics is to only tell half
the story. The fact is, the future sins of all men have already been paid for,
yet not all men are saved.
The issue is not payment, the issue is
appropriation of what was paid for. In the case of the unbeliever, he
must appropriate the forgiveness of the sins that are past though faith in
Messiah’s atonement. For the believer, he must appropriate the
forgiveness of the sins that are present through repentance and confession of
those sins. If he continues to confess and seek deliverance from the known sin
that he is currently practicing, then the sins that he is currently involved
in, but which are unknown to him, are covered by the blood. Next he says:
"In His high-priestly ministry ‘he ever liveth to make intercession for [us]’ (Heb. 7:25). How long does Christ make intercession? For as long as Jesus Christ lives - and He lives forever. When a person embraces Christ by faith, the spotless Son of God makes him one with God...Ephesians 2:14 says of Christ: ‘He is our peace.’ As long as He lives, which is forever, He will maintain our peace with God. God is satisfied with Christ’s sacrifice for our sin, His wrath is gone, and we are at peace. Nothing can change that. In Hebrews 8:12 God says, ‘I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." 24
As long as Jesus lives says MacArthur, He will maintain our peace
with God. While it is true that Jesus is God’s High Priest forever, and it is
also true that He is ever before the Throne of Mercy making intercession for
us, it is not true that He will continue to make intercession for us regardless
of our actions. MacArthur does not realize that it is the Father, not the Son,
who has the final authority and determines the final destiny of those who are
in Christ.
He spake also this parable; a certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: and if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
Luke 13:6-9
The "certain man" in this parable is the Father. The
"vineyard" is His people. We are His garden. The "fig tree"
represents those who are part of God’s people but who are not producing any
fruit. In this instance it could represent Israel. But regardless, it applies
to all those who are God’s people, including those who are presently part of
Christ. The "dresser" of the vineyard is our great High Priest. We
see the Father’s attitude toward those who have been given the Spirit, but who
will not allow the Spirit to bring forth any fruit in their lives. Then we see
our great High Priest, the Lord Jesus, pleading on our behalf.
Look at our High Priest. Although He intercedes on our behalf, He
remains subservient to the overall will of the Father. He says, "let the
tree alone for a while and I will give it special attention. I will go the
extra mile to make it fruitful. If it bears fruit, well; if it doesn’t, then
cut it down." Jesus is a faithful High Priest. He will plead our cause and
do everything possible to make us fruitful. But the Father has the final
authority over the branches. Jesus’ priestly ministry remains subservient to
that authority because the vineyard is the Father’s vineyard. It is the
Father who comes looking for fruit. The Son intercedes for us only as long
as there is a chance we will bear fruit.
Grace - A Conditional Covenant
Assuming that all the responsibility for our security is now on the
shoulders of God leads to the logical (but erroneous) conclusion that the New
Covenant is an unconditional covenant. Since Eternal Security advocates do not
understand redemption as taught by the apostles, they naturally do not
understand the position of those who stick with the Scriptural view.
Consequently, they are often guilty of misrepresenting what we believe. Mr.
MacArthur says:
"the doctrine that claims a person can lose his salvation makes salvation conditional. It says that since God has saved us, we will maintain our salvation as we continue to match up with God’s standard. But if we fail at any point we lose it. That is a works-righteousness perspective." 25
He says, "the doctrine that claims a person can lose his
salvation makes salvation conditional." Who said salvation is not
conditional? Certainly not the New Testament! It contains many
conditions. The apostles said we have to continue in the faith, be grounded in
the faith, be settled in the faith, keep in memory what was preached to us,
endure to the end, and hold fast our original confidence until the end.
Conditional salvation? You bet! There
are conditions all over the place. The only reason Christians don’t see them is
because they assume—just as does MacArthur, Scofield, Vine, Zodhiates, Lovett,
and most scholars and pastors you will ever meet—that they can never be lost
because grace is an unconditional covenant. However, ignoring and perverting
the truth does not change it.
But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end...For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.
Hebrews 3:6 & 14
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
I. Corinthians 15:1-2
The writer of Hebrews said we are part of God’s house if
(there’s that nasty little word again!) we hold fast our confidence and our
hope unto the end. In Corinthians Paul made a very interesting statement.
Notice that the people he addresses here are not merely "professing"
Christians. They are real Christians. He explicitly says they had received the
gospel, that they were currently standing in grace, and that they are saved.
To these believers he said, you are saved if (there it is
again!) you keep in memory what I preached unto you originally. He says even
though you are now standing in grace you must keep in memory what I have
preached to you because if you don’t, if you let the things which you have
heard slip, you will have believed in vain. There is no way around this
passage. He explicitly states that receiving the gospel and standing
in grace can be brought to nought.
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: if ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister.
Colossians 1:21-23
To the Colossians he said, "you...hath he
reconciled." He was not talking to pseudo Christians, or those who only
appeared to be part of the Vine, or those who were only partaking of a pre-salvation
experience. He explicitly states that these brethren have been reconciled by
the blood, then tells them why they have been reconciled. They were
reconciled in order that they might be presented "holy and unblameable and
unreproveable in His sight." Then he assures these brethren who were
standing in grace that if they continue in the faith, if they remain grounded
and settled in the faith, if they are not moved away from the hope of the
gospel, then God will finish the work He has begun in them and present them
holy and unblamable in His sight. Friends, you can’t possibly get any more
conditional than that. If these statements do not present us with a picture of
conditional salvation, we need to toss out the very definition of the word
conditional.
For you were called to freedom brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another...but I say walk in the spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh...[which are] fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, [believers] as I warned you before, that those [of you] who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
NAS. Galatians 5:13,16,19-21
I warn you, as I warned you before, Paul said to believers in the
Galatian fellowship. Those of you who use your freedom in Christ as an
opportunity to indulge in fornication, idolatry, anger, selfishness, etc., will
not inherit the Kingdom of God. He said you who are saved, you who are
justified, you who have been reconciled to God, you who are currently standing
in grace, you who are now free in Christ; if you think that because you are
under the covenant of grace you can now live in the flesh and remain
eternally secure—wake up! Those of you who "do such things" will
never inherit the Kingdom of God.
Could Paul have been more blunt? Why do so many refuse to heed his
warning? They won’t listen because they are mesmerized by the pied pipers of
Eternal Security, one of whom is John MacArthur, who says all who reject this
lie are promoting a "works-righteousness perspective" of redemption.
Well, Jesus said those who do not abide in Him or bear fruit will be cut out of
Him. When you are in Him you are saved; when you are cut out of
Him you are lost. Is this really a works-righteousness perspective? If so,
guess what? Jesus was preaching a works-righteousness perspective!
MacArthur also says those who refuse to believe the once
saved-always saved error think that after we are saved we must maintain our
salvation by matching up with God’s standard, and that if we fail at any point,
we lose that salvation.
Again, this appraisal is based in ignorance. Bearing fruit has
nothing to do with "matching up" to God’s standard. Matching up to
God’s standard, or any religious code for that matter, is based on external
religious works. Bearing fruit has to do with manifesting the life that flows
through the vine.
To compare the concept of bearing fruit with the concept of
measuring up to some kind of external religious standard is like comparing
airplanes and watermelons. The two concepts have nothing to do with each other.
Abiding in Christ comes as a result of cultivating a personal,
intimate relationship with the vine, not as the result of trying to live up to
some kind of legal code or religious standard. Nobody bears fruit as a result
of obeying the laws and regulations found in either the Old or the New Covenant.
Nobody bears fruit as a result of keeping the traditions of the Church, or by
trying to match up with God’s standard of holiness. By the same token, nobody
will ever get cut out of Christ for failing to "measure up" to these
things. Those who are cut out of the vine are not cut out of it because they
made one mistake, twenty mistakes, or a hundred-thousand mistakes. They are not
cut out because they failed at one point or at many points to measure up to a
standard, however it is defined. They are cut out of the vine only if they have
produced absolutely no fruit—and it takes quite a bit of doing to produce no
fruit.
As God’s people, we have everything going for us. We have been
given the Spirit and He is always present to convict and guide us. We have been
given a "new man" that loves righteousness. All we have to do is
learn to yield to that new man and we will bear fruit. We also have a faithful
High Priest who makes intercession for us. We have a God who is committed to
"finish" the work He has "begun" in us and will do
everything possible to finish it. Under these kinds of conditions it takes
quite a bit of negative effort on our part to bear zero fruit! We have to be an
extremely careless and an extremely self-centered person in order to keep the power
of God from producing any fruit in our lives. Those who manage to do so will,
and should be, cut off.
The reason Mr. MacArthur accuses those who reject Eternal Security
of holding a works-righteousness perspective is because, like Scofield and
Zodhiates, he thinks God bears all the responsibility for keeping us secure. He
deduces that if a person can do something to ruin his salvation, that salvation
was not really based on grace. It was based (at least in part) on our
accomplishments. Just like Mr. Scofield, Mr. MacArthur does not know the
difference between merit and responsibility. On the basis of what Jesus
accomplished at Calvary, the Father connects us to the vine and initiates a
process whereby the life of the vine begins to come to us. That life is given
for the express purpose of causing us to bear fruit. The fruit we should be
bringing forth is the image and character of Christ.
From start to finish, the entire salvation process is based on
the sacrificial work of the Son and is accomplished by the power of God.
But this does not mean that we are no longer responsible to yield and respond
to the work He is performing in us. Neither does it mean that this work will be
completed in us regardless of whether or not we continue to yield and respond.
How we respond to the process that produces fruit actually
determines whether or not we will bear fruit—and that determines whether or not
we remain connected to the vine. Responding and yielding are not external
religious works. God is not, and never will be, responsible for our yielding.
That is our choice and our responsibility alone. To take that responsibility
away from us would be to destroy our free will. This is a line God will never
cross.
If we continue to respond to the life that comes from the vine,
sooner or later we will end up bearing some measure of fruit. Our future place
in the Kingdom of God will be proportionate to the amount of fruit we bear. But
if we stop responding we will fail to bear fruit, or else the fruit we have
begun to bear will wither away. When the Father comes into the vineyard looking
for that fruit, the presence or absence of it declares whether or
not we have been responding to the cultivation process. It reveals whether we
have been abiding in the vine and receiving His life, or abiding in our own
life.
In the last analysis, the determining factor of whether we remain
part of the vine or end up cut out of the vine is the choices we have
been making while connected to the vine. This is precisely why the mystery of
iniquity is such a mystery. While we are in Christ, while we are in the light,
while we are free, while we are reconciled and justified, how can we make
choices that are so spiritually destructive that we end up cut off from Christ?
Of course, men like MacArthur, Scofield, Zodhiates, Vine, and just
about everyone else, declare solemnly that the branches who end up cut out of
the vine will not be cut out because of their own choices—their choices are
irrelevant you see—for Jesus keeps on cleansing their sin and maintaining their
peace with God regardless of their choices.
According to these scholars, the branches will be cut out of the
vine because they were never really part of the vine to begin with. They only
appeared to be part of it. They only thought they were part of it. They tried
to escape the pollution of the world, but alas, since they only experienced external
washing and outward reform they never actually escaped. They were cut
out of Christ because they were almost saved! This mindless, over-worked answer
raises another important question: how does one become a Christian? What is
required to be connected to the vine?
Getting Connected To The Vine
The Scripture is God’s Word and God does not make mistakes. His
doctrines do not contradict one another. If we stick faithfully to that Word
our theology will be the same way. The draw-back in twisting the Scripture is
that unless you pervert it as perfectly as God originally gave it, you will end
up with all kinds of inconsistencies.
Examining the views of those who promote Eternal Security reveals
many such inconsistencies. Not only are the ideas they promote illogical and
senseless, not only do they not understand what salvation really is, the views
they hold contradict each other. A prime example of this conflict can be seen
when answering the question: how is one saved in the first place? What does it
take to get connected to the vine? Mr. Ryrie defines clearly what is necessary
to become a Christian. He says:
"Salvation is conditioned solely on faith in Jesus Christ. Nearly 200 times faith, or belief, is stated as the single condition in the N.T. (John 1:12; Acts 16:31). That faith must be placed in Christ as one’s substitute for the Savior from sin. It is not easy to believe someone whom you have never seen about the most important matter of eternal destiny, but this is the only way to be saved...Through the ages other requirements in addition to faith have been wrongly added. Some of these are; surrender to the Lordship of Christ, Baptism, Repentance, Confession." 26
According to Mr. Ryrie, getting connected to the vine is
conditioned solely on belief. Surrender (making Jesus Lord), baptism,
repentance, confession of sins, none of these things are necessary to be saved,
though they should be present. If it is true that we are saved solely on the
basis of belief, then it is also true that while all these other things should
be present, they don’t have to be present. When we "believe" in Jesus
we are saved.
This view is shared by Mr. MacArthur. In his explanation of what is
necessary to become a Christian he relates how the Jewish people found it
impossible to understand salvation by faith alone because they had been reared
on a works-righteousness system of salvation. He says:
"They believed that by doing certain works they could gain God’s favor. Virtually all other world religions teach the same thing: that man must live up to some religious code or ethical standard to be saved. Unredeemed man finds it difficult to comprehend that salvation is a free gift of God’s grace, unearned and undeserved, appropriated by faith alone...Justification by faith...initially ushers us into salvation. When you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ you obtain salvation and an inheritance...If one wholeheartedly believes in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, he is justified (made right with God). There is no work or self-effort involved - it is simply a matter of believing what God has done in Christ." 27
Pretty clear. Getting connected to the vine is "simply a
matter of believing what God has done in Christ." In a discussion on
whether or not repentance (sorrow for sin) is necessary for salvation, a
well-known leader in the Evangelical world named Dwight Pentecost, who is also
an Eternal Security advocate, says that Biblical repentance is not defined as
emotional sorrow. Rather, it is defined as a turning of the mind from unbelief
to belief in the gospel. It is a mental thing. As far as he is concerned, all
that is required in order to get connected to the vine is that a person believe
(assent mentally to) the truth of Jesus. He says:
"It is here that the great doctrinal battle has been fought as to whether salvation is by faith alone, or whether salvation is by faith plus something. There are approximately 150 passages in the New Testament that tell us that salvation is by faith alone; that salvation is the gift of God to one who will accept Jesus Christ as his personal Savior...The word of God makes it very clear that salvation is based upon the value of the death of Christ apart from anything that the individual might add to it." 28
Mr. Pentecost says there has been a great doctrinal battle going on
between scholars as to what is necessary to be saved. Though it is refreshing
to know that someone is opposing all these Eternal Security advocates, it is an
unpleasant fact that those who are opposing them are a minority. Unfortunately,
it is not this minority who are training and certifying (ordaining) the pastors
of our churches. It is not their view which is propagated in millions of books
published by the big publishing houses and distributed in all the Christian
bookstores. Still, it is good to know someone is out there fighting for the
truth of the Scripture.
So the big debate is, are we saved by faith alone—which is defined
as belief (mental assent to the truth)—or are we saved by faith plus something?
The concept that there are any conditions other than mental assent to the truth
in order to be saved is a concept that many Eternal Security advocates not only
reject, but militantly and self-righteously oppose. Dr. Ryrie says:
"The importance of this question cannot be overestimated in relation to both salvation and sanctification. The message of faith only and the message of faith plus commitment of life cannot both be the gospel; therefore, one of them is false and comes under the curse of perverting the gospel or preaching another gospel." 29
Mr. Ryrie believes that "faith plus commitment of life"
is the false Gospel. Yet the Scripture teaches that commitment of life is the
product of faith. Eternal Security advocates speak as if commitment, obedience
and transformation are all external additions to faith which, when viewed as
absolutely necessary for salvation, turns simple faith into faith plus works.
This is because what they are calling faith is not genuine faith. The Scripture
defines faith as a whole lot more than just mental assent to doctrinal truth.
But Mr. Ryrie thinks Biblical faith is merely believing with the mind.
Consequently, he assumes that mental assent is all that is necessary to be
connected to the vine.
It is important to understand what these well-known leaders are
saying. Four times Mr. MacArthur said the only condition of salvation is
that a person believe in Jesus Christ. Three times Mr. Pentecost said
the only condition of salvation is that a person believe in Jesus Christ. Twice
Mr. Ryrie said the only condition of salvation is that a person believe
in Jesus Christ—and he accuses everyone who does not agree with him of
"preaching another gospel." That means that we who do not believe in
Eternal Security are cursed, for that is what Paul said of those who preach
"another" gospel.
What of our standing once we have believed in Jesus? It has been
said again and again, once saved-always saved. Speaking of God’s grace
(unmerited favor) by which He keeps us saved, Mr. MacArthur states that
security:
"is not the result of any worthiness on our part. Once we are saved we stand in grace...Many people believe that once someone is saved by grace he has to keep himself saved by keeping the law. But Romans 5:2 says that once we are truly saved, we stand in grace - firmly fixed in an environment of grace...We abide in an environment of grace. We’re secure in that environment. We didn’t do anything to get in; we can’t do anything to get out." 30
Mr. MacArthur says, "once we are truly saved we stand in
grace, firmly fixed in an environment of grace...we abide in the environment of
grace [and] we’re secure in that environment. We didn’t do anything to get in;
we can’t do anything to get out." How then do we get into this secure
environment of grace? According to all these Eternal Security advocates the
answer is, by believing in Jesus Christ. Believing in Jesus is the only
condition that is required to enter the covenant of grace. Once we enter
the environment of grace we are eternally secure because we can’t do anything
to get out of it.
If this is the Scriptural view, on what basis do Eternal Security
advocates declare people who end up cut out of the vine were never really saved
to begin with? How do they know the one who falls away never really believed on
Jesus? They will say what Mr. MacArthur says: if they were true Christians they
would not have fallen away. Real Christians persevere to the end. Why? Because
God is responsible to see that they persevere. If He cannot keep Christians
secure, Jesus is a failure. Only those who were never saved to begin with can
fall away.
"We prove we belong to God when we hold firm our confidence in that hope. Perseverance is the proof of salvation. Those who are truly part of the house of god will not depart from the faith. The one who wanders into sin and believes he’ll be glorified no matter how he lives proves he never belonged to the household of God." 31
MacArthur says perseverance (not belief in Jesus!) is the proof of salvation.
Yet he has said repeatedly that salvation is conditioned solely on belief! How
can he use the lack of perseverance as a spiritual yardstick to judge
whether someone who falls away was ever really part of the Vine? All these
Eternal Security advocates have stated repeatedly that nothing else is required
to be reconciled to God except belief (mental assent) in Jesus—not repentance,
not baptism, not confession of sin, not making Jesus Lord, not bearing fruit,
not abiding in the Vine, nothing—only belief is required to be brought into the
unconditional covenant of grace.
Well, isn’t requiring perseverance the same as adding another
condition to the single condition of belief? In using the lack of
perseverance to judge whether or not one is a true Christian, are they not
using a spiritual yardstick other than the single condition of belief in
the Vine? To claim in one breath that mental accent to the truth is the only
condition for salvation, but then turn around and add the condition of
perseverance, is to practice hypocrisy. If mental assent is the only condition
that is required then it is the only condition! To use any condition other than
mental assent as a test is to indulge in theological double-talk.
Mr. MacArthur stated explicitly that once we are truly saved we stand
in grace, are firmly fixed in an environment of grace, abide in
the environment of grace, and are eternally secure in that environment.
After entering that environment nothing can get us out. Naturally then, the
question is, how can I be sure that I am "truly" saved? How will I
know when I have entered that irrevocable environment of grace?
Mr. MacArthur 's answer is, "believe the gospel. This is the
only condition of salvation—except that you must also persevere to the end
because perseverance is the proof of salvation." Now isn’t that a
comforting answer! If perseverance is the proof that you are truly saved, and
if you have to persevere to the end in order to qualify as one who has
indeed persevered (and are therefore saved), then what he is saying is that you
can’t know for sure that you are truly saved until you die in the faith.
Perseverance is not the only additional condition to
salvation, added by Mr. MacArthur. He said, "the one who wanders into sin
and believes he’ll be glorified no matter how he lives proves he never belonged
to the household of God." What does this mean? It means that just because
you have entered the unconditional covenant of grace by believing in Jesus, and
just because it is true that once you have entered that irrevocable standing in
grace, nothing you do can negate your salvation, this does not mean you can
live any way you want to. The person who draws that conclusion or lives that
way only proves that they do not really belong to God.
Simply put, you must live like a Christian in order to be one. If
you do not live like a Christian, it proves that you are not really a
Christian. Notice that Mr. MacArthur has just added another condition to the
single condition of "belief" in Jesus. That condition is the
condition of living like a Christian.
Now there are actually three things that are required in order to
be truly saved: (1) we must believe in the gospel, (2) we must persevere to the
end, and (3) we must live like a Christian. If we fail at any of these three
points it proves we were never really a believer in the first place. Looks like
Mr. MacArthur is preaching "conditional" salvation after all!
Is it wrong to require perseverance and a Christian lifestyle of
true Christians? Not at all. Real Christians should persevere. They should live
like Christians. The error of these men is not that they are requiring
perseverance and holy living from Christians—though requiring these things does
contradict their own statements. Rather, their error lies in the claim that all
who stop living like a Christian, after they have done so for a period time,
never believed in Jesus in the first place.
Those who can look at a person who has served the Lord at one time,
but has back-slidden, and declare that they are no longer serving God because
they were never saved to begin with know not the Scripture. Moreover, they are
moving in arrogant religious pride.
To Be Continued
|
References 1. The MacArthur
Study Bible, p. 1866 2. The Ryrie
Study Bible, p. 1630 3. Vine's
Expository Dictionary, p. 1129 4. A Synopsis Of
Bible Doctrine - The Ryrie Study Bible, p. 1950 5. Lovett’s
Lights On John, pp. 247 & 248 6. MacArthur’s
Bible Studies - Eternal Security, p. 28 7. Hebrew-Greek
Key Study Bible, p. 1435 8. Lovett’s
Lights On Galatians, p. 61 9. The MacArthur
Study Bible, p. 1957 10. Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible, p. 1497 11. Ibid., p. 1496 12. Ibid., p.1497 13. Ibid., p.1497 14. The Scofield Study Bible, p. 1295 15. Lovett’s Lights On Hebrews, p. 129 16. Ibid., p. 130 17. The MacArthur Study Bible, pp. 1895 & 1896 18. Ibid., p. 1896 19. Ibid., p. 1715 20. Lovett’s Lights On Romans, pp. 294 & 295 21. Lovett’s Lights On Revelation, pp. 64 & 65 22. The Scofield Study Bible, p. 1297 23. MacArthur’s Bible Studies - Eternal Security, pp. 13
& 14 24. Ibid., p. 14 25. Ibid., p. 8 26. The Ryrie Study Bible, p. 1950 27. MacArthur’s Bible Studies - Eternal Security, pp. 9,
10, 26 28. Things Which Become Sound Doctrine, pp. 69, 70, 71 29. Balancing The Christian Life, p. 170 30. MacArthur’s Bible Studies - Eternal Security, pp. 18
& 19 31. Ibid., p. 33 |