How long does it take to figure out what doctrine to believe?

[JonasDaniels]

I want to find out whether eternal security is really true. I want to believe yes. There are people however who claim to have lost their faith, they say it was due to sin and they can no longer believe anymore even if they want to. That is concerning to hear, and also then there are those who simply just stopped believing.

How can we believe in eternal security with these kind of testimony?

I highly recommended that you find a copy of Martin Luther's commentary on the book of Galatians.
And read it prayerfully.

You will find so many conflicting points of view and long winded responses in this forum, its sure to make your head spin. When its all said and done you are likely to be even more confused than when you began.

Start with Luther. I think you'll find what you are searching for.

 

[Hoping2]

Where in the Scripture does it say that? One becomes saved the moment Jesus Christ says 'your sins are forgiven'.

Gal 6:8..."For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
Matt 25:44-46..." Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
Your eternity will be the results of your life, at its end...and not at some past time.

Let's have a look at what happened at the cross.
Jesus Christ died and paid for sins of every believer. Either Christ is your Saviour, He washed your sins, paid for them fully, He reconciles you to God...or He did not.
This does not depend on us, but on God alone. There's nothing we can do about it, only to pray God to have mercy on us.

God has given us a life in which to manifest who we serve.
Those who serve God, will inherit eternal life.
Those that serve sin, will inherit eternal destruction.
Which will you be serving on your last day ?

 

[SavedByGrace3]

I want to find out whether eternal security is really true. I want to believe yes. There are people however who claim to have lost their faith, they say it was due to sin and they can no longer believe anymore even if they want to. That is concerning to hear, and also then there are those who simply just stopped believing.

How can we believe in eternal security with these kind of testimony?

1 John 2:19 KJV
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

Matthew 7:23 KJV
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Sadly not long enough.

It seems folks prefer to own the thoughts of others too quickly rather than getting inspiration for themselves. I read nothing but scripture for 5 years straight to gain a devotional sense of the message and the themes.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Satan hates confident Christians and fights tooth and nail to challenge assurance of salvation.

Eternal life is eternal life. If this is the gift we receive the question is settled.

 

[Aaron112]

If

 

[Carl Emerson]

27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

 

[BNR32FAN]

I want to find out whether eternal security is really true. I want to believe yes. There are people however who claim to have lost their faith, they say it was due to sin and they can no longer believe anymore even if they want to. That is concerning to hear, and also then there are those who simply just stopped believing.

How can we believe in eternal security with these kind of testimony?

We really can’t know for sure if someone was truly saved and fell away from faith but what we can do is look at the examples in scripture that deal specifically with those whom we know for a fact were saved and yet we’re still completely capable of losing their salvation. I would suggest reading 2 Timothy 2:11-13 and James 5:19-20. I actually did a commentary video on 2 Timothy 2:12 where I refuted Bob Wilkin’s commentary on the passage explaining in detail why the passage does refute eternal security.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

I want to find out whether eternal security is really true. I want to believe yes. There are people however who claim to have lost their faith, they say it was due to sin and they can no longer believe anymore even if they want to. That is concerning to hear, and also then there are those who simply just stopped believing.

How can we believe in eternal security with these kind of testimony?

The fact is you don't need to believe in eternal security to have God's forgiveness. People who feel they have outsinned God's grace, have believed a lie from satan. While we are willing to seek the LORD, He is willing to forgive. This is because the cross covers a lifetime of sins.

Heb 9:27-28 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.​

2Ch 15:2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: "Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.​

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Jas 5:19-20 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.​

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1Jn 5:16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that.​

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1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.​

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Eze 18:32 For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord GOD. "Therefore turn and live!"​

Eternal security is not of God either, a person can walk away from God, and if they die in sin can not be restored.

Heb 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.​

Note Hebrews 6 states the believer who falls away is "crucifying Christ again", the only way for the cross to not be available is if they have died in sin. Because according to Heb 9:27-28 the cross covers a lifetime of sins, a righteous life, for a sinful one. Hebrews 6 then is not referring to a person who may have fallen into sin, and is seeking restoration, by one who walks away from God is overcome by sin and does not return.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Do…

Satan hates confident Christians and fights tooth and nail to challenge assurance of salvation.

Eternal life is eternal life. If this is the gift we receive the question is settled.

Eternal security can also lead to lawlessness. It is no good to be confident in salvation if a person is in sin. They must be told to repent, not to feel safe.

Jud 1:22-23 And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.​

A balanced view of scripture shows we can walk away and be lost.

2Pe 2:20-22 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A DOG RETURNS TO HIS OWN VOMIT," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire."​

 

[Aaron112]

How can we believe in eternal security with these kind of testimony?

Don't.
Simply listen to Jesus' Voice, in total agreement with the Bible.
That is more than all but a couple people you know are able to do.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Eternal security can also lead to lawlessness. It is no good to be confident in salvation if a person is in sin. They must be told to repent, not to feel safe.

Jud 1:22-23 And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.​

A balanced view of scripture shows we can walk away and be lost.

2Pe 2:20-22 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A DOG RETURNS TO HIS OWN VOMIT," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire."​

We will have agree to disagree on this. Salvation is to be celebrated as an eternal promise and certainly does not have to lead to lawlessness. One can hardly have the joy of the Lord and be in fear of hell at the same time.

 

[BibleBeliever1611]

Someone who says he lost his faith was never saved to begin with and is lying. Done. Next question.

 

[fhansen]

I want to find out whether eternal security is really true. I want to believe yes. There are people however who claim to have lost their faith, they say it was due to sin and they can no longer believe anymore even if they want to. That is concerning to hear, and also then there are those who simply just stopped believing.

How can we believe in eternal security with these kind of testimony?

God does His part-all you need in order to be saved. You must still do your's- picking up your cross and following-daily.

 

[Aaron112]

Written to believers: Do not fear man, who can destroy the body but cannot touch the soul;
rather fear the Creator Everlasting who can destroy both the body and the soul.

 

[Hoping2]

One can hardly have the joy of the Lord and be in fear of hell at the same time.

Why not ?
My fear of where I was heading while in sin was enough to prod me into seeking His righteousness.
I won't forget from whence I came.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

I want to find out whether eternal security is really true. I want to believe yes. There are people however who claim to have lost their faith, they say it was due to sin and they can no longer believe anymore even if they want to. That is concerning to hear, and also then there are those who simply just stopped believing.

How can we believe in eternal security with these kind of testimony?

Hi John,

I guess the question needs to be asked, "Why do you want to believe in eternal security"? Is it the fact that you fear falling away?

As a side note you may also be interested in an online resource I have created on Predestination vs Free will at
The Way and Free Will it is rather long, but I recommend the sections on the Early Church Fathers, and Romans 9.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Why not ?
My fear of where I was heading while in sin was enough to prod me into seeking His righteousness.
I won't forget from whence I came.

That is not the same thing.

One can hardly have joyous expectation of God honouring promises of salvation and have fear of hell at the same time.

Perfect love casts out all fear.

In fact faith in God destroys the fear of death and eternal punishment.

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and for ever. Amen.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

That is not the same thing.

One can hardly have joyous expectation of God honouring promises of salvation and have fear of hell at the same time.

Perfect love casts out all fear.

In fact faith in God destroys the fear of death and eternal punishment.

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and for ever. Amen.

Hi Carl - what you say is true, a person genuinely walking in the light should have no fear. However, if a Christian takes his or her salvation for granted and gets entangled in sin they "can" fall away. OSAS is NOT biblical.

For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A DOG RETURNS TO HIS OWN VOMIT,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.” (NKJV, 2 Peter 2:20-22)​

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. (NKJV, Hebrews 6:4-6)​

 

[Carl Emerson]

Hi Carl - what you say is true, a person genuinely walking in the light should have no fear. However, if a Christian takes his or her salvation for granted and gets entangled in sin they "can" fall away. OSAS is NOT biblical.

For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A DOG RETURNS TO HIS OWN VOMIT,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.” (NKJV, 2 Peter 2:20-22)​

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. (NKJV, Hebrews 6:4-6)​

If you were correct I would not be saved.

As it is, I am a prodigal son having been given a second chance.

Like the believer excommunicated by Paul was later restored.