UNDERSTANDING THE ERROR IN THE ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’ DOCTRINE (Part 6)

>>> Part 1 here - http://csplalumni.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/understanding-error-in-once-saved.html

>>> Part 2 here - http://csplalumni.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/understanding-error-in-once-saved_16.html

>>> Part 3 here - http://csplalumni.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/understanding-error-in-once-saved_73.html

>>> Part 4 here - http://csplalumni.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/understanding-error-in-once-saved_32.html

>>> Part 5 here - http://csplalumni.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/understanding-error-in-once-saved_20.html

As we conclude this series of articles in this Part 6, it is essential that we draw some important lessons. And, as witnesses of Jesus Christ, it is equally important to stand boldly for the truth of the Gospel as we challenge the false teaching of the ‘Once-Saved-Forever-Saved’ doctrine. As this platform is focussed on the Church in Nigeria, we will use the country as our model in drawing the lessons – though the lessons may be applicable in other countries too.

About 30 years ago, the heretical ‘Prosperity Gospel’ crept in slowly into the landscape of the Church in Nigeria. Unchallenged as it landed in the country, that doctrine has grown into a massive ‘industry’ that today dominates the church scene in Nigeria. Consequently, the falsehood and exploitation spawned by the ‘Prosperity Gospel’ have combined to bring the church into great disrepute in the country today.

When the doctrine landed in Nigeria at that time, most of us reading this article were probably not in a position to have tackled its false teaching as it started spreading slowly like cancer through the Body of Christ. Had we been in a position to tackle the doctrine, we ought to have done so in ‘contending for the faith’ that was once delivered to the saints (Jude 3). Collectively, it is our duty to be watchful for the well-being and advancement of the truth of the Gospel in ANY environment that God plants us. This is what it means to ‘OCCUPY TILL I COME’ (Luke 19:13).

But right now, the next massive wave of doctrinal attack on the Church in Nigeria is already under way. As the eyes of most of God’s people are beginning to open to the deceit in the ‘Prosperity Gospel’, the devil is planning to replace it with another massive doctrinal error that has a broad, mass-appeal. And this is the ‘Once-Saved-Forever-Saved’ doctrine. Slowly, this doctrine, with its numerous variations, is beginning to worm its way into the Body of Christ in Nigeria.

For some reasons that will be outlined shortly, the doctrine has the potential to spread very rapidly and gain a massive following. But as witnesses of the truth of the Gospel of Christ, it will be our responsibility to take a stand against this falsehood. Particularly, this will be in the place of fervent prayers, and also in the place of boldly proclaiming the balanced truth of the Gospel. Our words may, or may not, turn people away from the doctrine, but we would have done our duty as witnesses of the truth. It is not our duty to convert people, or foist the truth on them – we are just called to speak the truth in love and leave the rest to God.

However, to stand with Christ against this doctrine, it is important that we understand some fundamental issues about the doctrine. And these are the issues that we’ll be exploring in this article.

FIRST, WHAT IS THE DOCTRINE?

The doctrine of ‘Once-Saved-Forever-Saved’ is a broad umbrella that covers a wide range of interpretations of the doctrine. But at the heart of all the interpretations is the belief that a believer has no personal responsibility in the matter of salvation. The doctrine teaches that once saved, the grace of God will ensure that ALL those that have received this grace will DEFINITELY end up in the Kingdom of Heaven. Most interpretations of the doctrine add that entering the Kingdom of heaven is irrespective of whatever the believer does, or does not do, after salvation.

WHY IS THE DOCTRINE WRONG?

In Matthew 24:13, the words of Jesus show that NOT ALL BELIEVERS WILL BE SAVED IN THE END. “But he that shall endure UNTO THE END, the same shall be saved.” From these words, it is clear that endurance till the end is A REQUIREMENT for the consummation of salvation. And those that do NOT endure till the end will NOT be saved. This passage alone is enough to completely challenge and nullify the concept of the ‘Once-Saved-Forever-Saved’ doctrine. For here, Jesus is CLEARLY telling us that NOT ALL THAT ARE SAVED WILL BE ULTIMATELY SAVED! This is entirely consistent with His teachings throughout His earthly ministry, and during His interaction with the seven churches of Asia in Revelation 2 & 3 (Please read the full details of this in the article on this link - on.fb.me/1YugRZ6 )

Further, let us look at the words of Apostle Paul, who wrote extensively on the subject of grace. In Colossians 1:21-23, he wrote: “And you … hath he reconciled … 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….” This aligns perfectly with the words of Jesus quoted above. It is ONLY those that CONTINUE and are NOT MOVED AWAY from the hope of the Gospel that will be presented holy, unblameable, and unreproveable. This will NOT be applicable to ALL believers, and so it again confirms that NOT all believers will be saved on the Last Day.

It is important to note that virtually ALL the writers of the New Testament affirm, directly or impliedly, that endurance/continuation till the end of the Christian race is essential in making it into the Kingdom of Heaven on the Last Day. As we outlined in Part 4 of this series (on.fb.me/1S6BUgD), the grace of God (a totally completed and finished divine work) is given to us FREELY at salvation as a seed (as a potential). It is ONLY the believers that utilise this potential (grace) BY FAITH to bear the fruits of the Gospel that will be saved on the Last Day. This is what it means to be saved by grace THROUGH FAITH as we read in Ephesians 2:8, "For BY GRACE are ye saved THROUGH FAITH...." Believers that do NOT use FAITH to be fruitful in the Gospel, by grace, will be DAMNED. For without faith, it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God (Hebrews 11:6).

With this overwhelming clarity of the Scriptures on this subject, on what basis are people being deceived that ALL believers will be saved, and that we bear no personal responsibility in the matter of salvation? And that ONCE SAVED means FOREVER SAVED? And why is the doctrine spreading rapidly in our days? Once we know the answer, we will not be a bit surprised!

WHY THE DOCTRINE IS GROWING RAPIDLY

Four reasons combine to explain why the doctrine is thriving, and is likely to continue to spread rapidly. And all the four reasons relate directly to biblical prophecies about the end-time we live in today. The prophecies make it clear that in the end-time:

(a) Deception will be commonplace among God’s people through false prophets, seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils (Matthew 24:12, 1 Timothy 4:1)
(b) Some believers will love SELF more than they love God as we enter a period described as ‘perilous times’ (2 Timothy 3:1)
(c) A huge increase in the level of iniquity will make the love of many believers wax cold (Matthew 24:13)
(d) Many believers will develop itching ears and will be eager to be deceived (2 Timothy 4-5)

In the satanic eagerness to be deceived, MANY BELIEVERS ARE YEARNING FOR THE MESSAGE OF A ‘GOSPEL’ THAT COSTS THEM NOTHING. A ‘gospel’ that does not involve a cross. A ‘gospel’ that assures ALL believers that ALL sins they will ever commit – past, present, and future – have already been automatically forgiven by God. A ‘gospel’ that guarantees that ALL believers will make it to the Kingdom of Heaven on the Last Day. A ‘gospel’ that ducks the believer’s responsibility to work out his salvation with fear and trembling, and pushes all the responsibility to God. This is the ‘gospel’ that the Once-Saved-Forever-Saved doctrine promises. And it is a ‘gospel’ that many believers are quite happy to commit their eternal destinies to.

HOW THE DOCTRINE ENTRAPS BELIEVERS

It is a very simple strategy. The doctrine concentrates almost exclusively on what Jesus Christ has accomplished for us in salvation. It omits or minimises the challenging part of the Gospel that requires the believer to walk in faith and obedience to produce the fruits of the Gospel.

Because most of the passages that are quoted to support the doctrine are actually in the Bible, most believers are not discerning enough to understand that these passages are JUST ONE ASPECT of our salvation story! Truth is a double-edged sword – it offers life for those who choose life, and it condemns those that choose death. Taking ONLY ONE ASPECT of the counsel of God is quite dangerous, and is different from looking at the WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD. It is ONLY in the whole counsel of God that believers will find safety and eternal life (Acts 20:26-27). Whereas it is true that Christ rescued us through His sacrifice on the cross of Calvary, the other side of the truth is that He bids us to ALSO CARRY OUR CROSS AND FOLLOW HIM DAILY (Luke 9:23). In presenting its version of the ‘gospel’, the doctrine of Once-Saved-Forever-Saved focusses almost exclusively on the former, and ignores/downplay the latter. This is a ‘gospel’ of gain without pain. A ‘gospel’ of reigning with Jesus - without suffering with Him (2 Timothy 2:12). It is the ‘sweetness’ of the deal that entraps many believers today.

WHY WE SHOULD AVOID THE DOCTRINE LIKE A PLAGUE

The doctrine operates like a mouse trap. Once the bait is swallowed, the believer is hooked! As the doctrine gains a full entrance in a believer’s mind, it becomes A STRONGHOLD – a fortified system. And, unconsciously, it is through this stronghold that our brothers and sisters that hold the doctrine FILTER and INTERPRET the truth of the Gospel of Christ. This stronghold filters and manipulates the truth that is clearly presented in the Gospel. It does this by twisting such passages to fit the stronghold’s PRE-DETERMINED INTERPRETATION OF THE TRUTH.

Believers that have been entrapped by this doctrine are UNABLE to see the truth as other believers see it. And this is what makes it almost a fruitless venture to attempt to reason the Scriptures with those that hold the doctrine. The stronghold blocks the truth. And for the truth to penetrate, weapons of warfare that are mighty through God would have to be deployed to demolish the stronghold (similar to what we see in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

WHAT TO DO AS A BELIEVER

(a) LOVE, BUT BE CAREFUL: Love is at the heart of our nature as believers in Jesus Christ. And so, it is our duty to continue to love our brothers and sisters that have been taken in by this doctrine. This love may manifest in divers ways – particularly in the place of prayers as mentioned above. But as we continue to love these dear brethren, it is important that we are very, very watchful so that we are not ensnared by the doctrine ourselves. The doctrine is very alluring; and in relation to the Last Days, please remember that Jesus taught us again and again to WATCH and PRAY. It is important to be watchful. Please don’t get entrapped.

(b) PRAY: This is the BEST STRATEGY for dealing with this doctrine. Please pray that the Lord will kindly deliver any of His sheep that may have been ensnared in the mesh of the doctrine. Please pray for more understanding for God’s sheep, so that wolves in sheep’s clothing will not lure them away with strange doctrines (Acts 20:29-30). None of us can shield ourselves, so please let us pray for ourselves that the Lord will kindly protect us from false doctrines and seducing spirits in these Last Days.

(c) WITNESS TO THE TRUTH: As much as the Lord gives us liberty, we must keep proclaiming the whole counsel of God as revealed in the Bible. We cannot preach the Gospel without Christ. And we cannot preach Christ without the cross. Jesus promised that His sheep will hear His voice. As we keep declaring the whole counsel of God, His sheep that still has an ear may hear His word through us and recover himself. But, if we keep quiet…..

To witness effectively, we need to study well; and to pray for the illumination of the Spirit of God that will cause His words to enlighten the understanding of His people. If we all do these faithfully, it is certain that the Holy Spirit will use our feeble efforts to shed light among His people – so that this doctrine does not overwhelm the Church in Nigeria as the false ‘Prosperity Gospel’ did when it crept into the church. We could not do much at that time. But this time, we can all stand up for the truth of the Gospel in our nation. God has a plan for Nigeria; and only the truth of the Gospel will facilitate that plan. Please let us OCCUPY TILL HE COMES.

As we await His glorious arrival, praying that the Lord will keep us all in His love. And keep us in His truth. Amen and Amen.

Thanks for reading, God bless.

UNDERSTANDING THE ERROR IN THE ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’ DOCTRINE (Part 5)

>>> Part 1 here - http://csplalumni.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/understanding-error-in-once-saved.html

>>> Part 2 here - http://csplalumni.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/understanding-error-in-once-saved_16.html

>>> Part 3 here - http://csplalumni.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/understanding-error-in-once-saved_73.html

>>> Part 4 here - http://csplalumni.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/understanding-error-in-once-saved_32.html

As we said in Part 4, the grace package that we receive at salvation can be likened to a SEED. A seed has the in-built capability to turn into a massive oak tree. But to be fruitful, the SEED, first of all, must rest on soil. And the soil in this case is the human heart. You’ll recall that Jesus gave a few parables to express this truth, including the Parable of the Sower.

But for our illustration, it is to the Parable of the Growing Seed that we will turn in Mark 4:26-29 (ESV), “And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

This is illustrative of the work of the GRACE PACKAGE (THE SEED) in the life of a believer. Once the seed is on the soil, it becomes self-producing. The man ‘KNOWS NOT HOW’. The life is in the seed, and AS LONG AS THE CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT, the seed will bring forth the blade, then the ear, then the full grain. And after that is the harvest. This is a true picture of what happens when grace is allowed in the human heart - it will DEFINITELY bring forth fruits of righteousness. And this will be in a way that is beyond the capacity of the believer. For it is God that works in us to do His will. (Philippians 2:13)

What is the role of the believer in all these? We are the soil, the ground, on which the seed falls. But the conditions have to be right for fruitfulness to occur. At this point, please let us turn to the Parable of Sower, in Matthew 13:1-23, for illustrative purpose. For the first category, the seed (grace) does not even penetrate the heart at all. Satan steals the seed, and grace does not penetrate at all. The man is totally unconverted. For the second category, the seed (grace) enters the rocky ground. But because there was ‘not much soil’ (not much heart in it), the man could not endure the hardship of the cross. And so the seed withers, and is also unfruitful.

In the third category, the quality and depth of the soil were much better than the second category. The only problem was that thorns were also allowed to grow on the same ground. Jesus described these thorns as ‘the care of this world’ and the ‘deceitfulness of riches’. As the seed was blossoming, the thorns choked it to death. In practical terms, this is the same way that worldliness and the pursuit of prosperity are sapping many believers today from fruitfulness. The seed (grace) is there quite alright, but so are the thorns! Indeed has Scriptures said, “He that will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4). WORLDLINESS CHOKES GRACE IN OUR LIVES. And that is why the worldly church of our days has been devoid of the fruit of the Gospel. Today, many believers are also TRAPPED in this category – grace suffocated by thorns.

For the fourth category, there was a 30-fold, 60-fold, 100-fold harvest. What was the condition that facilitated the germination of the seed here? In one word – UNDERSTANDING (verse 23). It takes understanding to know that A SEED is NOT A FRUIT. And that for A SEED (grace) to become fruits, it takes a PROCESS. And a process requires CONTINUITY. This CONTINUITY is the focus of Part 1 of this series of articles. And it is based on over 20 passages in the New Testament that stress the fact that ONLY believers that CONTINUE TO THE END shall be saved.

Salvation is a process – just as a seed requires a process to attain unto maturity (first, the ear; then the blade; and then the full corn, as we saw earlier in the parable). But through it all, the soil has to remain YIELDED to the process. We spoke at length on this in Part 3. Interestingly, Jesus also spoke about ABIDING IN HIM CONTINUOUSLY in John 15:1-11. What was the reason He wants us to abide continuously? For FRUITFULNESS! That is the harmony of Scriptures.

To abide in Christ continuously is to SUBMIT to His Lordship in obedience to His word (1 John 2:5). SUBMISSION is an act of free-will. Submission is NEVER, EVER enforced. Submission that is enforced ceases to be submission – it becomes SUBJUGATION. And God will NEVER subjugate any man; because subjugation is NOT LOVE (remember that God is Love).

In the matter of salvation, God will invite us (“come unto me”), He will woo us, He will love us, He will do everything for us, BUT a response will still be on the basis of PRESENT YOURSELF (Romans 12:1-2), DENY YOURSELF (Luke 9:23), YIELD YOURSELF (Romans 6:18), SUBMIT YOURSELF (James 4:7), HUMBLE YOURSELF UNDER…. (1 Peter 5:6), etc. This is our ‘reasonable service’ in response to grace as Apostle Paul admonishes us in Romans 12:1-2. It is OUR reasonable service, NOT God’s service.

Once we have presented ourselves to God, does He take over our freewill to make us conformed to His image? A CAPITAL NO!!! He will help us all the way, through grace, BUT He wants us to exercise our free-will in following Him on A DAILY BASIS – “…take up his cross DAILY, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Jesus re-emphasised this in another way in Luke 14:27, “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and COME AFTER ME, CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE.”

Salvation is a matter of free-will submission to God on a day-to-day basis. This is what we previously described in Part 3 as ‘a moment-by-moment DEPENDENCE ON GOD ALONE FOR EVERYTHING’. This is the meaning of YIELDEDNESS. Our obedience/yieldedness to the Gospel is not with a view to qualifying for heaven (qualification for heaven is already fully embedded in our GRACE PACKAGE).

Rather, our obedience is to yield to God, so that He can work in our lives to produce the fruits of the Gospel. In yieldedness (with fear and trembling), we can only WORK OUT what GOD WORKS IN – according to Philippians 2:12-13. This is why an aspect of our fruitfulness is called ‘the fruit of the Spirit’. It is His fruit, not our fruit. BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT DOES NOT GROW IN THE AIR – it needs the soil to flourish. And this is what our yieldedness provides. The more yielded we are to God, the more fruitful we become. And the more we do His will.

Conversely, believers that are not yielded to the Lord, can never, ever produce any fruits (John 15:5), and they will be burned in hell (verse 6) - irrespective of the false doctrine of ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’.

When a wife labours to submit to her husband, she is NOT trying to ‘earn’ her salvation. She is YIELDING to the Lord, and it is this YIELDEDNESS that creates the enabling environment for God to work in her home as a part of His Kingdom. When a man loves his wife, that is YIELDEDNESS. When we pray for our enemies, that is YIELDEDNESS for God to work. When we forgive those that hurt us, that is YIELDEDNESS. When we flee fornication, that is YIELDEDNESS - so that the Holy Spirit can abide and work unhindered in His temple. When we dress modestly, that is YIELDEDNESS. When we obey God’s commandments, that is YIELDEDNESS – all so that He can step in and do His will through our lives. And in the end, that is the basis of our rewards in heaven. The yielded ones are the fruitful ones, and these are the rewarded ones – the overcomers.

On the Last Day, a brother walks up the pearly gates with a seed in his hand. The seed is his GRACE PACKAGE. “I was a partaker in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ”, he announces joyfully to the angels, “His sacrifice for me has saved me once-and-forever, this seed is the proof.” He was shocked when he was confronted with the truth that it is ONLY those that allowed grace to yield the fruit of righteousness in their lives that will be allowed into the Kingdom of heaven. Those are the ones that had FAITH – with evidence. As the darkness slowly engulfed him outside the pearly gates, this brother saw the five foolish virgins on his left side, and on his right side was the slothful servant that had buried his talent. And the door was shut against them all. Forever.

Brother and sisters, it is crucial to our salvation that we YIELD to the Lord on a daily basis. As Apostle Peter advised, please let us give diligence to make our CALLING AND ELECTION SURE: for if we do these things, we shall never fall (2 Peter 1:10). May the Lord grant us the grace to be followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the fullness of the promise of God in the Gospel of Christ (Hebrews 6:12).

Thanks for reading, God bless.

(PS – Part 6 will take a quick overview of Parts 1 – 5, and point out why the ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’ doctrine is popular today, why it will continue to grow, and what you need to do about it in practical terms. As an ambassador of God’s Kingdom here on earth, we must join hands to contend for the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pls look out for Part 6. Thanks.)

UNDERSTANDING THE ERROR IN THE ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’ DOCTRINE (Part 4)

>>> Part 1 here - http://csplalumni.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/understanding-error-in-once-saved.html

>>> Part 2 here - http://csplalumni.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/understanding-error-in-once-saved_16.html

>>>Part 3 here - http://csplalumni.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/understanding-error-in-once-saved_73.html

The doctrine of ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’ has a very broad spectrum of varying interpretation. But there is a COMMON THREAD that runs through the core belief system of our brothers and sisters that hold the doctrine. And this is the common thread – ‘Man has no personal responsibility in the matter of salvation, the grace of God is the all-in-all of our salvation experience. And ALL those that have received this grace will DEFINITELY end up in the Kingdom of Heaven’. (Most interpretations of the doctrine add that entering the Kingdom of heaven is irrespective of whatever the believer does, or does not do, on earth.)

There is, of course, an element of truth in this claim – the grace of God, brought to us by the Lord Jesus Christ through the Gospel, is indeed an awesome, jaw-dropping phenomenon in our salvation. HOWEVER, the other side of this truth (for truth is a two-edged sword) is that God holds all of mankind responsible for how we (1) respond to the Gospel of grace, and (2) how we engage with the Gospel. First, those that respond negatively to the Gospel, by rejecting the Lordship of Jesus Christ, are condemned already (John 3:18).

Second, for those that respond positively, the level of their engagement with the Gospel of grace is extremely important. Those that are unserious with it, or receive it half-heartedly, will lose it sooner or later. But those that hold on firmly TILL THE END, utilising the grace of God for the purpose for which it was given, will be saved and rewarded. In conclusion, receiving the grace of God is DEFINITELY NOT an automatic or everlasting ticket to heaven. For sure, some will receive it and lose it – in this life, or in the world to come.

Once the Lord grants us a clear UNDERSTANDING of the meaning of grace, and HOW IT FUNCTIONS, it will be impossible to fall for the error of the ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’ doctrine.

As we explore the meaning and function of grace in this article, and for ease of reference, please let us view grace as a PACKAGE from God. In this GRACE PACKAGE is contained the totality of God’s unmerited love and favour in the salvation of mankind. As we said earlier, the content of this package is both jaw-dropping and overwhelming in its richness. For included in this package are: forgiveness of sin through the sacrifice of Jesus at Calvary; a ‘deposit’ of the Holy Spirit as a confirmation of our status as purchased possession; justification; sonship by adoption; a New Man that is renewed after the image of God; a seat in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, far above all principalities and powers; sanctification; spiritual gifts; angelic ministration; divine provision; and lots more. All these, and much more, are included in this GRACE PACKAGE.

It is this fabulous package, as a single unit, that the Lord gives us as believers at salvation. According to Ephesians 2:8-9, we are saved by this grace package THROUGH FAITH. At salvation, we did not get the package as a result of any good work we had done, it is a FREE GIFT of God – so that none of us can ever boast of deserving the package. It is ALL entirely by God’s mercy.

It is important to note that it is through the comprehensiveness of the GRACE PACKAGE that we are saved (Ephesians 2:8), are being saved (2 Corinthians 2:15), and will be saved (Acts 15:11). HOWEVER, it is important to know that this grace package has A PRACTICAL APPLICATION in the life of the recipient. So, grace is NOT an end in itself – it is a means to an end. Very helpfully, someone has defined GRACE as the empowering presence of God that enables us to be (1) who He created us to be, and (2) to do what He has called us to do.

In this respect, we need to understand a crucial aspect of the practicality of the grace package. As complete as the GRACE PACKAGE is, God gives it to us in salvation as a POTENTIAL. Grace is an excellent PACKAGE that may, or may not, be developed by the recipient. Furthermore, the PACKAGE is an INVESTMENT that has the in-built capacity to yield huge dividends for God. In this sense, we can call the package a SEED. We will return to this shortly.

But first, let us look at several Scriptures that highlight the grace package as a POTENTIAL. First, Acts 20:32 tells us: “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, WHICH IS ABLE TO build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” We can see that the ‘word of his grace’ did NOT build us up instantly as we received it at salvation. Rather, IT IS ABLE TO BUILD US UP. This means it has the POTENTIAL capacity TO BUILD US UP. This is how grace operates. Like a SEED.

Let’s look at eight more Scriptures that confirm this point, and prove that, at salvation, the grace in us (though completely whole and finished) is a POTENTIAL. 2 Corinthians 6:1 tells us that grace can be received in vain (that is, potential unrealised). Galatians 2:21 shows us that grace can be frustrated (potential hindered). Jude 1:4 tells us that grace can be perverted (perversion of potential). Hebrews 10:29 warns us that in working out the potentials, the Spirit of grace can be insulted or outraged. (Other passages also warn us that He can be grieved and quenched in a life). And Hebrews 12:15 makes it CRYSTAL CLEAR that we can FAIL OF THE GRACE OF GOD (potential that is quashed and quenched).

On the positive side, we have these Scriptures. 2 Timothy 2:1 encourages us to be strong in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ (that is, maximise the potential). Similarly, 2 Peter 3:18 urges us to grow in grace (upscaling the potential). Finally, we see all these in a practical perspective from the testimony of Apostle Paul: “But by the grace of God I AM WHAT I AM: and his grace which was bestowed upon me WAS NOT IN VAIN; BUT I LABOURED more abundantly than they all (I MAXIMISED THE GRACE): yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10)

All these show us very clearly that the grace of God is NOT an end in itself – it is a means to an end. And the end is this: that we may do THE WILL OF GOD (as we expounded in more details in Part 3 of this series of articles). Contrary to what the false doctrine of ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’ teaches, the grace of God is NOT an automatic ticket to heaven for all believers. It is a FINISHED WORK that is given to us FREELY to appropriate BY FAITH to achieve the divine will. It is BY FAITH that we lay hold on the package and run with GOD’S PURPOSE FOR SAVING US. This is what it means to BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST as stated in John 3:16. This is what it means for grace not to be bestowed upon a man IN VAIN.

So, the next question is this: “How do we MAXIMISE the POTENTIAL in this grace package so that we can MAKE OUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE according to 2 Peter 1:10?” This will be our focus in Part 5 of this series.

Thanks for reading, God bless.

UNDERSTANDING THE ERROR IN THE ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’ DOCTRINE (Part 3)

>>> Part 1 here - http://csplalumni.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/understanding-error-in-once-saved.html

>>> Part 2 here -http://csplalumni.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/understanding-error-in-once-saved_16.html

Before reading this article any further, may I request that you kindly pause for as long as necessary to reflect on this question and then answer it. “What is the supreme goal for which God gave us the Lord Jesus Christ?”

Until we answer this question correctly, we may never really understand the fundamental error that lies beneath the doctrine of ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’. Most times, when the doctrine is discussed, the debate usually revolves around how the forgiveness that Christ procured for us at Calvary has led to the justification of the believer, and ultimately qualifies him automatically for heaven.

This is why our brothers and sisters that believe the doctrine are quick to point out that all sins that a believer commits – past, present, and future – have already been paid for. And that as a consequence of that, no believer in Jesus Christ can ever go to hell on the account of his sins.

But is the matter of sin the core issue at stake? Is dealing with sin the fundamental reason that Christ came? Is sin the issue that determines both the evidence of our salvation, and the rewards therein? I postulate that the answer to all these questions is a capital NO.

In getting a clear answer in this respect, please let us start from the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:21. “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.” Let us also add 1 John 2:17, “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but HE THAT DOETH THE WILL OF GOD ABIDETH FOR EVER.”

It is from these words of Jesus, and numerous similar passages, that we take the premise of this article. And it is this: The supreme reason for which Christ came, is to reconcile us back to the Father, so that we can DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER. It is in doing the will of the Father that He is glorified in our lives.

And it is DOING HIS WILL that confirms/proves our submission to His Lordship and sovereignty. The affirmation of the Lordship and sovereignty of God is NOT in lip-service – it is in a demonstrable proof. And the proof lies in DOING THE WILL OF THE FATHER. Jesus made this point clearly in Luke 6:46, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” So, obedience to the will of the Father is the proof of our submission to His Lordship.

Any believer that toys with sin in any form, or continues in sin, clearly does not know God as 1 John 2:3-4 says. For “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). But as important as dealing with the question of sin is, we must realise that it is just A PATHWAY to a greater goal – the goal of DOING THE WILL OF THE FATHER. “… be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.( Isaiah 52:11).

Whereas the matter of holiness (in the common usage of the word) is part of the will of the Father for our lives – IT IS NOT ITS TOTALITY. The will of the Father has deeper connotations. It encompasses the sum total of God’s purpose for creating an individual, and sending him into the world. Let us illustrate this point with the life of Christ. Jesus lived a sinless life all through His days. But it was not until the final phase of His life that we saw an open conflict between His will and the will of the Father. With much prayers, and divine assistance, Jesus overcame and did the will of the Father. He went to the cross and died a shameful death. Now, let us look at the other side of the coin. If Jesus had continued with His 100% sinless life, and yet bypassed THE CROSS (Matthew 26:39), would His life have truly glorified the Father? Of course, the answer is NO. And that is the point of this article. Doing the will of the Father is bigger than the issue of dealing with sins in a believer’s life.

For Jesus Christ, the foundation for doing the will of the Father in the matter of the cross was laid in the place of obedience and yielding to the Father in the smaller areas of life. And it is only believers that have learnt to be faithful to God in the smaller areas of life that will be empowered by God to manifest faithfulness in the bigger spheres of doing His will. This is an undeniable and irrevocable spiritual law. “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much….” (Luke 16:10) And yieldedness is the key.

Here is the testimony of Jesus: “For I came down from heaven, not to do MINE OWN WILL, but THE WILL OF HIM THAT SENT ME” (John 6:38). Also, “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do THE WILL OF HIM THAT SENT ME, and to finish his work.” (John 4:34). This is the ultimate example of what it means to DENY SELF to do THE WILL OF THE FATHER. It is NOT about me, it is all about the Father. It is NOT about what I want, it is all about what the Father wants. And this is the example that Jesus instituted for all those that will follow His steps in doing the will of the Father. We see it in Luke 9:23, “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” That is how to follow His steps in doing the will of the Father daily.

A genuinely saved life is the life that is dedicated to living for God, and depending on Him minute-by-minute. A life that has no desires of its own outside the desires of the Father. A life that has no ambition of its own outside the Father. A life that has no opinion of its own outside the Father. All these are the foundation principles of obedience and yieldedness to God as Apostle Paul admonished in Romans 12:1-2 – PRESENT YOURSELVES, and this is the goal “… that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, WILL OF GOD.” It is ONLY believers that actively DENY SELF of its natural cravings- for relevance, for acceptance, for fame, for wealth, for position, etc - that will EXPERIENCE THE WILL OF GOD.

The believer that is not earnest in ACTIVELY seeking and doing the will of God, (thinking that he is forever saved because the blood will always cleanse him) DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF SALVATION. And will be shocked on the Last Day - unless he repents. It is our sonship privilege to seek cleansing through the blood when we mistakenly fall into unrighteousness. That is the purpose of the blood. It was NOT designed to be a get-out-of-jail card for believers that choose to luxuriate in the lap of sin. Conscious yieldedness to the will of the Father is the key. And this yieldedness comes from the place of moment-by-moment dependence on the Father - to discern and to do His will IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.

The Gospel is all about raising believers that DEPEND ENTIRELY ON GOD ALONE FOR EVERYTHING. For the definition of their lives. For the provision for their lives. For the direction of their lives at every turn. Believers that depend ONLY on God to be their Justifier when they are wronged. To be their Comforter when they are ill-treated. Men and women that GOD ALONE will be their ALL-IN-ALL.

In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus gave a parable that teaches importunity in the place of prayer. In addition to this great lesson, there is something else that we can learn from that parable. The widow was camped continuously at the gate of the unjust judge for justice. Apart from the judge, she had NO OPTIONS. And so she waited on him. In the final analysis, Jesus used her story to highlight the type of faith that He’ll love to see on earth on His return - men and women that have NO OPTIONS but GOD ALONE. That is the desire behind the rhetorical question: “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Verse 8)

This rhetorical question defines the pursuit of end-time disciples whose hearts truly pant after God. Disciples that are sold out to depending entirely on God; SEEKING HIS WILL and, by grace, DOING HIS WILL – for their lives, for their families, for their nations, for their generations. The word ‘SEEKING’ is crucial. For unlike our initial salvation, knowing the will of God is not a free gift. It is a pursuit. It is an aspiration (Colossians 1:9). It is a prayer (Colossians 4:12). And many careless believers may die not fully understanding THE WILL OF GOD for their lives – talk less of doing it.

As we look inwards, what sort of disciples are we? Are we disciples that are concerned with nothing else but the will of God in all situations? Disciples that are not in competition to outrun, outshine, or outwit anybody else in life? Disciples that are contented to be confined within the parameters that have been set for our lives by the WILL OF GOD? As we daily seek to know Christ more, are these our greatest pursuits in life? Are we willing to continue these pursuits TILL THE END in spite of trials, tribulation, persecution, chastisement, etc. This is what it means to be a genuine disciple of Christ.

“Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” (Revelation 3:3)

Jesus is coming back for a WAITING AND WATCHING people. May our eyes be opened to His great purpose in saving us. And may His love continually draw us closer to His heart until we see Him in glory. Amen.

Thanks for reading, God bless.

UNDERSTANDING THE ERROR IN THE ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’ DOCTRINE (Part 2)

(Part 1 of this article is available on this link – http://csplalumni.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/understanding-error-in-once-saved.html )

“You are trying to EARN/KEEP your salvation by works!!!”

This is the standard accusation that our brothers and sisters that hold the doctrine of ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’ usually throw at believers that strongly hold the biblical view that fruit-bearing is ESSENTIAL for a believer that will end in glory.

To be fair, their accusation may be valid in a few instances. In the instances where believers do not fully understand that Christ has already paid the full price for our redemption. Believers that strive to ‘make heaven’ by fulfilling some shadows of the law. They forget that Christ is the end of the law for those that believe (Romans 10:1-5). This was the mistake made by the Galatian church, a mistake that nearly caused them to fall from grace (Galatians 5:4). If we fall into the same trap, it is a mistake that may be very costly for us too. We’ll look at this in more details in a forthcoming article, God willing.

But apart from that, the accusation of ‘earning your salvation by works’ is quite often baseless. And it stems from a lack of full understanding of our salvation in Jesus Christ. For it is indeed a critical component of our salvation that we MUST accept PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY for engaging with the Gospel (Romans 12:1-2). Our engagement with the Gospel will produce the fruits of righteousness unto God (Romans 7:4). It is ONLY believers that take this PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY seriously that will be saved on the Last Day as explained in Part 1 of this series of articles.

For a better understanding of the subject, we need to know that our salvation, though A SINGLE PACKAGE, is actually a three-phase process: it has A BEGINNING (the call to salvation), A MIDDLE (continuation phase), and AN END (consummation).

We can see these three distinct phases in Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:1-13. In verse 3, it is clear that He was speaking to His disciples (already called). And then in verse 13, He tells them, “But he that shall endure (continuation phase) unto the end, the same shall be saved (consummation).” From the words of Jesus here, it is obvious that it is only the CALLED person that ENDURES till the END that shall be saved. Not every called person shall be saved (Matthew 22:14). It is not ONLY the call that guarantees the consummation – the continuation phase is ESSENTIAL to consummation. These are the words of Jesus Christ Himself.

So, in essence, salvation is a SINGLE PACKAGE with three different phases. This same concept is displayed throughout the New Testament where we can clearly see that WE ARE SAVED (Ephesians 2:8), WE ARE BEING SAVED (2 Corinthians 2:15), and WE SHALL BE SAVED (Acts 15:11).

Let us look at this notion in practical terms in the Bible. When Jesus rescued the woman that was about to be stoned in adultery in John 8:1-11, her salvation did not end there. He moved her to the second stage, He told her, “Go, and sin no more”. This is the continuation stage of the salvation process. Please note that she did not do ANYTHING to deserve the rescue by Jesus. Her salvation was a completely free gift, she did nothing to earn it. Now, please imagine this: The woman goes about her life, obeying Christ’s injunction to ‘go and sin no more’ (equivalent to ‘work out your salvation with fear and trembling’ - Phil 2:12-13). Then some people see her and accuse her of trying to ‘earn’ her salvation. Ludicrous, isn’t it? Her salvation has been given to her FREELY. She didn’t earn it. It was a free rescue. A free gift for a helpless woman. And this is how God found us all as sinners – weak, lost, and helpless. We were saved FREELY by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). We did absolutely nothing to deserve the salvation. But this is NOT the end of our salvation! It is just the beginning of the Christian race. The trigger point of our Christian experience.

Next, we also get our ‘GO, AND SIN NO MORE’ directive. This is our CONTINUATION phase. In giving this directive, God did not leave us to wrestle with sin in our own strength, neither did he tell us to ‘struggle to make heaven’ (Philippians 2:13). He simply put us in heaven in Christ Jesus, and told us to continue to ABIDE IN CHRIST (Ephesians 2:4-7). We also saw this in several passages in Part 1 of this article, where we spoke about the CONTINUATION phase of our salvation experience. Because Christ is seated in heavenly places, EVERY believer that CONTINUES TO ABIDE IN HIM is already in heaven. Positionally, God places us in heaven at the beginning of our Christian race. And our directive is very simple – ABIDE IN HIM. This is the continuation phase of our salvation experience. And all those that continue like this will have their salvation consummated on the Last Day.

So what does it mean to CONTINUE TO ABIDE IN CHRIST? (This is very important to us, for this is what GUARANTEES our final salvation). The Bible supplies a helpful answer in 1 John 2:5-6, “… whoever says he ABIDES IN HIM ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” Very simple concept. Do you want to ABIDE IN CHRIST in practical terms? OBEY HIM and walk as He walked. And how do we walk as He walked? Again, very simple answer. Follow His steps (1 Peter 2:21). To follow His steps is to walk as He walked. The next question is this, how do we follow His steps? Fortunately for us, Jesus Himself gave us an undisputable way of following His steps in Luke 9:23. It reads: “And he said to them all, If ANY man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

And this is what gives us the clearest biblical view of what it means to continue to ABIDE IN CHRIST. To abide in Christ is to deny ourselves, take our cross daily, and follow Him. There are several biblical passages that affirm this simple truth. We’ll find a very good model in Romans 12:1-2. After thoroughly explaining the subject of grace and election in Romans chapters 1 – 11, the very FIRST THING Apostle Paul appeals to us to do in response to grace is to YIELD OURSELVES as a sacrifice that is acceptable to God. To YIELD OURSELVES, in a manner of speaking, means exactly the same thing as to DENY OURSELVES as Jesus mentioned in Luke 9:23.

Without yielding ourselves, denying ourselves, we CANNOT abide in Christ (for two captains cannot be in the same boat). And without abiding in Christ IN THIS WAY PRESCRIBED BY GOD, no man can make it on the Last Day – irrespective of any false hope produced by believing in the false ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’ doctrine. Jesus makes this same point in Luke 9:24: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it”. It is ONLY by losing our lives (yielding ourselves, denying ourselves to follow Jesus) that we’ll find our lives on the Last Day. These are the words of Jesus Christ.

Denying SELF, by walking in the Spirit, facilitates our ABIDING IN CHRIST where God placed us at our initial salvation. ABIDING IN CHRIST is exactly the same thing as ABIDING IN THE VINE as Jesus mentioned in John 15:1-11. And it is this act of ABIDING that results in our FRUITFULNESS. Here is something very important to note. The fruits that we produce as we abide in the vine, IS NOT WHAT QUALIFY US FOR HEAVEN. (We are not ‘earning’ our salvation). Rather, it is just THE EVIDENCE of our status as heavenly citizens that are abiding in the vine. Therefore, believers that are NOT manifesting the fruits of the Gospel will END UP IN HELL as Jesus concluded in John 15:6. Then, He added this in verse 7: “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” It is clear that fruitless believers, whose lives do not glorify God, will end up in hell. The doctrine of ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’ only gives a FALSE HOPE.

Another great error that ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’ entails is this: “Any believer that is not manifesting the fruit of the Gospel is just showing that s/he never got saved in the first place”. This is very, very incorrect! It is quite possible to have believers that, for one reason or another, are not producing the fruits of the Gospel – until they are called back to repentance. The Corinthians church was walking in carnality at a stage, until Apostle Paul quickly called them to repentance. Yet they were believers. In the same way, the church in Galatia was saved; yet they were beginning to slip into the error of legalism before Paul quickly called them to repentance.

There are many reasons that could cause a sincere believer not to bear the fruits of the Gospel in spite of being genuinely born again. Some of these include:

(1) They have not been properly taught the genuine Gospel that features the message of the cross of Christ at the CENTRE (the situation in most of our contemporary churches)

(2) They have been derailed in their Christian walk by erroneous teachings and false doctrines (Galatians 5:4)

(3) They need rebuke, and sound instruction (Titus 1:13 and 2:1-15)

(4) They need encouragement because they have become weary in the Christian walk – in the continuation stage (Hebrews 12:12-13)

(5) They have been drawn away from Christ unto men/denominations by false pastors (Acts 20:29-30)

(6) They are careless, worldly, etc (Matthew 13:20-21). This last point is particularly important because many want to follow Christ today, and still follow the world. They want the glory of the Gospel without the accompanying cross and shame (Hebrews 12:2). We dealt with this subject in more details in an article titled ‘THE ALLURE OF CHRISTLESS CHRISTIANITY. It is available on this link on.fb.me/1MEI33h

Believers in these six categories can still get back on track. All they need is constant and continuous exposure to the TRUTH OF THE WORD OF GOD, and a call to repentance. That is ALL they need. That was all the Corinthians got, and by the time we get to 2 Corinthians 7:9-11 we see how they had become revitalised and fruitful in the gospel. The truth of the word of God is the seed that AUTOMATICALLY leads to fruitfulness in hearts that are GENUINELY YIELDED to the Lord.

Bearing the fruits of the Gospel is an AUTOMATIC outcome of YIELDEDNESS. The fruit is a product of the Spirit. It is not by effort. Fruitfulness is in the seed, all we are called to do is to prepare the ‘soil’ of our hearts by YIELDING to the Lord. Wherever there is yieldedness, there will be harvest of 30-fold, 60-fold, and 100-fold (Matthew 13:23). It is because the devil does not want some believers in the six categories listed above to wake up to their responsibility in the Gospel, and seek the truth, that is why He lulls them into a false sense of confidence with the ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’ doctrine.

As we walk in this Christian journey, the flesh will cause us to trip sometimes. Perhaps, we may even trip many, many, many times. This is part of the journey, and God has made adequate provision for our cleansing through the blood of Jesus. But it is important to note that this provision is for Christians that WALK IN THE LIGHT (1 John 1:7). Believers that persist in walking in darkness, for any of the reasons listed above, will be surprised on the last day to find out that their sins are waiting for them yonder. This is why Jesus will tell them that He never knew them. This means they were never intimate with Him – though they were working and flourishing in the church.

CHRISTIANITY IS ALL ABOUT JESUS CHRIST. We are called to focus on a Person (Jesus Christ), not to focus on a place (Heaven). It was the ardent prayer and labour of Apostle Paul that He would be FOUND IN CHRIST, not having His own righteousness according to the law, but the righteousness that is by faith in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:7-9). That is exactly where we should all PRAY AND LABOUR to be found - in Christ Jesus. Because it is all about Him (Colossians 1:15-20).

“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” (I John 2:3-4)

Thanks for reading, God bless.

UNDERSTANDING THE ERROR IN THE ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’ DOCTRINE (Part 1)

For a thorough understanding of the subject of ‘Once-Saved-Forever-Saved’, there is a major point we must always bear in mind. And it is this: there are two distinct, but overlapping views in the Bible on the issue of ‘WHO WILL BE SAVED ON THE LAST DAY.’ First, there is God’s view. God DEFINITELY knows those who will be saved on the Last Day. This is because known to God are all His works from the beginning of the world (Acts 15:18). In addition, the Bible also states this categorically in 2 Timothy 2:19, “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, THE LORD KNOWETH THEM THAT ARE HIS….” It is a seal. An inscription.

And it is from this entirely divine viewpoint that we get Scriptures like Romans 8:29-30. The truth is that IT IS ONLY GOD THAT KNOWS those whom He foreknew and pre-destinated to be conformed to the image of His Son as stated in the passage. These are the ones that will be justified and glorified on the Last Day. Only God, in His omnipotence, knows the final, full list. From this entirely Divine Viewpoint (DV), there is no variableness, all is absolute. And those who are foreknown and pre-destinated, will be ultimately glorified. There is no question about this.

This leads us to the second point. Because God has NOT shared the absolute knowledge of those that will be saved with man, He gave us a second viewpoint that incorporates the element of FAITH into the Divine Viewpoint. Let us call this second viewpoint ‘BELIEVER’S VIEWPOINT’ (BV). So, the Believer’s Viewpoint takes the Divine Viewpoint and mixes it with faith to give us a true picture of how God wants us to view the subject of Eternal Salvation from our perspective.

From this Believer’s Viewpoint, given by God, we can understand the words of Jesus when He said, “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). The ‘chosen few’ in this parable are the believers that accepted the call, and by faith, complied with the conditions of the call - which is to put on the wedding gown. The one that accepted the call, but did not comply with the condition was weeded out and cast into hell. This is exactly how God wants believers to view our call to salvation – start from the Divine Viewpoint, mix it with faith by complying with the conditions, and all will end well in eternal salvation.

First, let us illustrate this principle from the Old Testament as applied to New Testament believers by Apostle Paul. We see it in Hebrews 4:1-11: “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it…. (11) Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” So, there is a divine call to a rest. This rest is a finished work from the foundation of the world. BUT to enter that rest, faith is needed TO LABOUR. That was the condition. And in verse 11, the apostle applied this principle to New Testament believers – comply with the condition, otherwise ANYONE that does not do so, will fall like they did.

Next, let us look at the condition (if any) imposed on the eternal salvation of a New Testament believer. We’ll take it from Jesus and Apostles Peter, Paul, and John:

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, IF YE CONTINUE in my word, then are ye my disciples INDEED….” (John 8:31)

“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 11:21-22)

“And you … now hath he reconciled … 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…. (Colossians 1:21-23)

“Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. IF that which ye have heard from the beginning SHALL REMAIN (CONTINUE) IN YOU, YE ALSO SHALL CONTINUE IN THE SON, and in the Father.” (1 John 2:24)

“For if after they have escaped the pollutions 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.” (2 Peter 2:20-21). Here, these men started as saved souls, but they TURNED AWAY FROM (DID NOT CONTINUE IN) the holy commandments, and they degenerated into false teachers.

Please note that ALL the passages quoted here contain the conditional phrase ‘IF YOU CONTINUE’. This conditionality introduces the element of PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY in ensuring that we CONUTINUE to hold on (though it is God’s grace, through the power of the Holy Spirit, that will facilitate the continuation as we see in Hebrews 4:16).

This is how Apostle Peter highlights the PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY conditionality (please note the word ‘IF’ again): “Wherefore the rather, brethren, GIVE DILIGENCE TO MAKE YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE: FOR IF YE DO THESE THINGS, YE SHALL NEVER FALL: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:10-11). Getting an entrance into the everlasting kingdom is dependent on ‘doing these things’ to make the calling and election SURE. So, WE MUST GIVE DILIGENCE to make our calling and election sure. It is a personal responsibility.

In summary, our eternal salvation is NOT unconditional. Rather, it is conditional on CONTINUITY. This makes the doctrine of ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED completely incorrect. Our salvation is dependent on fulfilling, through God’s grace, the prerequisite condition. Therefore, a more correct and balanced view is this: OUR ETERNAL SALVATION IS GUARANTEED AS LONG AS WE CONTINUE, BY GOD’S GRACE, TO ABIDE IN CHRIST TILL THE END. This aligns perfectly with the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:13, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

Our brothers and sisters that advocate the ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED doctrine are presenting a half-truth that is capable of misleading, and derailing a man's salvation. Please recall the example of the man that was ejected for not having the wedding gown in the parable we quoted earlier in Matthew 22. Maybe while getting ready for the banquet, somebody had told him 'ONCE-CALLED-FOREVER-CALLED'. Maybe that was why he did not 'labour' to put on the wedding gown. He was told a half-truth, and by the time he realised that he had been misled, it was too late! He was thrown out and cast into hell fire.

That is the risk that is today posed by advocates of ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED. They look at only ONE SIDE of the truth (the Divine Viewpoint), and neglect to RIGHTLY DIVIDE THE WORD OF TRUTH (2 Timothy 2:15) by balancing the two views that God gave us for our own good in this Christian race – that is, the Divine Viewpoint and the Believers Viewpoint.

This is just one aspect of the subject. In the second part of this article, we’ll apply the principle discussed here in a practical way to our salvation experience. For instance, we said it is important ‘TO CONTINUE’ in order to guarantee our eternal salvation. What exactly does this mean? Is there a wrong way ‘TO CONTINUE’? In addition to explaining this, we’ll also show how the ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED doctrine is gaining grounds by confusing several issues in the salvation package. Please watch out for it.

Thanks for reading, God bless.