As normal when this subject comes up it generates much debate, and this is good a well structured and throughout debate is a wonderful way to learn. To that end I have noticed that one person regularly post verses as proofs against the doctrine of eternal security so in this post I will endeavor to take these passage and show that they in fact do not disprove eternal security.
We will begin our survey in the Gospels with Matthew chapter 3, the one verse that was pointed out was verse 10, however as any student knows we must look at a verse within its context this we will do taking Matthew 3:1-12
[font="](NKJV) Matthew 3:1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.' " 4 And John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 "and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as [our] father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 "And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 "His winnowing fan [is] in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."[/font]
As we can see this verse in context has nothing to do with eternal security this falls within John the Baptists reproach of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The reference is to the apostate sty of the leaders of the Jews. The public ministry of Jesus is fixing to start and the New Convenient ushered in. Thus this verse has nothing to do with the subject at hands.
Next we will look at Matthew 10:38 which our friend has brought up.Again we must find the context for this verse, which falls within chapter 10 verses 32-39.
[font="]32 [/font][font="]" Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 "But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. 34 " Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 "For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; 36"and 'a man's enemies will be those of his [own] household.' 37 "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. [/font]
As is clear this verse falls within the context of Jesus teaching about Himself and what it is to be His follower. In this passage He is talking about those you are coming to Him and what it takes to be a true believer and has nothing to do with the subject at hand.
We will next turn our attention to the verses from Dr. Lukes Gospel starting in chapter 8 the verse that was sighted is verse 13. We will look now to the context for a full understanding of what is being communicated. The context we find is verses 4-15.
[font="]4 [/font][font="]And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable: 5 "A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 "Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. 7 "And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. 8 "But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold." When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" 9 Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?" 10 And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest [it is given] in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.' 11 " Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 "Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 "But the ones on the rock [are those] who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14 "Now the ones [that] fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 "But the ones [that] fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep [it] and bear fruit with patience. [/font]
Here we have the Parable of the Sower and its explanation by Jesus Himself and I am not worthy to go any further with this as Jesus has clearly explained what He means and it does not deal with the subject at hand.
The next verse that is brought up is Luke 15:4, the context we find this verse in is 15: 1-10
[font="](NKJV) Luke 15:1 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them." 3 So He spoke this parable to them, saying: 4 "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 "And when he has found [it,] he lays [it] on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 "And when he comes home, he calls together [his] friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' 7 "I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. 8 " Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds [it?] 9 "And when she has found [it,] she calls [her] friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!' 10 "Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." [/font]
This verse not only does not discredit eternal security but I believe clearly shows the reality of the doctrine of eternal security and the joy of all of Heaven when a person comes to the point of repentance and comes to Jesus as Lord and Savior.
The next verse brought up is Luke 24 the context for this verse is 11-24. At this time I will depart from the usual format and comment on this passage now rather than later. This passage just reinforces the last passage if you will it is an extension of the same thought.
[font="]11 [/font][font="]Then He said: "A certain man had two sons. 12 "And the younger of them said to [his] father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls [to me.'] So he divided to them [his] livelihood. 13 "And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14 "But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15 "Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 "And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him [anything.] 17 "But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 'I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 "and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants." ' 20 "And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put [it] on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on [his] feet. 23 'And bring the fatted calf here and kill [it,] and let us eat and be merry; 24 'for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry. [/font]
