10 different NT warning-types against eternal security

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In the NT, there is a wide variety of warning-types against eternal security.
After all, variety is the spice of life!
Please forgive me for only posting one example for each warning-type.

Warnings about losing eternal life
Luke 9:23-25 ● “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will
lose it (eternal life), but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit
is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost (eternally)?”

Hi Zachary,

I have to confess, I love these sorts of posts! It was these sorts of posts, and blogs, and books, that I set myself to for years to know the truth of this issue.

I've never found a single Scripture which anyone has offered as Biblical evidence that the born again, those who have faith in Jesus and are born from above, not one single passage of Scripture which teaches that the born again can die again.

I've looked at every single passage I can think of that relates, and every single passage that anyone I can find presents against this point of view, and there are none - not one - that actually teaches that the children of God can cease to be His children. Not one.

It was actually doing that study that left me completely convinced that we are safe in Him forever. And that knowledge is key to releasing us from our fleshy performance-driven desire to, at the end of it all, take the responsibility off of God, Who claims it for Himself, and to take it to ourselves. But that will inevitably turn into trying to keep some sort of code of behavior so that you can remain acceptible to God, and that empowers sin.

Can we look at these together? Will you be patient to hold to the course?

Warnings about gaining eternal death

Romans 6:16-23 ● “… you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether (slaves)
of sin leading to (eternal) death, or (slaves) of obedience leading to righteousness”

As children of God, we are slaves to righteousness.

20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Your were a servant of sin, and now you are a servant of God. This passage actually teaches that we've been changed into something new, no longer slaves to sin, but now slaves of God.

So while it is completely true that the servants of sin die, we've been made servants of God, and now will receive everlasting life.

Where in this passage does God teach that the born again might die again? The only transitional state given in this passage is someone who was a servant of sin becoming a servant of God. This passage actually teaches that we have been made free from sin, not still entangled it the condemnation of it.

But there is no transitional state here for the alive in Christ becoming dead in sin.

Much love!

 

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Warnings about losing eternal life
Luke 9:23-25 ● “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will
lose it (eternal life), but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit
is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost (eternally)?”

In this instance, the warning is given to those who desire to save their lives. As children of God, we are already crucified with Christ, so we're past that.

You can even try to gain the entire world as your profit, but that is no profit, if you don't have eternal life.

But simply put, this warning is not given to the born again. We have chosen to follow Him.

much love!

 

[justbyfaith]

Acceptence based on your behavior?

??

Eph 5:27, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Acceptance based on your level of purity and holiness.

 

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Warnings about being shut out of the kingdom of God
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ● “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit
the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters,
nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous,
nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”

None of these will inherit.

But let's not stop reading there.

11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Apparently no longer, would you agree?

Even though God still tells them to . . .

18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

They used to be those things. Those who would not inherit. But now they are not. Even though, it seems, that they still may do some of those wrong things. Where in this passage does it say, after telling us, "such WERE some of you", where does it say, "and you will be again"?

It does not.

Much love!

 

[Zachary]

Acceptance based on your behavior?

ABSOLUTELY!
Of course, if you really have true saving faith ...
then you love Jesus and are obeying Jesus' commandments, etc.
Maybe you take all this for granted.
In which case, you think I'm some kind of nut case.

Butski, I'm here to warn those so-called "believers" who are
deceived into grace-only, hyper-grace, easy-believism, etc.
In which case, they believe in OSAS, eternal security, etc.
.

 

[Zachary]

'For I am persuaded,
.. that neither death,
.... nor life,
...... nor angels,
........ nor principalities,
.......... nor powers,
............ nor things present,
.............. nor things to come,
................ nor height,
.................. nor depth,
.................... nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.'
(Romans 8:38-39)

Did you leave out you, or did I miss you?
.

 

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ABSOLUTELY!
Of course, if you really have true saving faith ...
then you love Jesus and are obeying Jesus' commandments, etc.
Maybe you take all this for granted.
In which case, you think I'm some kind of nut case.
Butski, I'm here to warn those so-called "believers" who are
deceived into grace-only, hyper-grace, easy-believism, etc.
.

If you mean someone who is not reborn, who thinks that to read a prayer off a card punches their ticket and they are glory bound, that's something different. But if you mean the spirit born child of God can die, then I will oppose that heartily.

Seriously, not a single one of these passages actually teach that, and I don't mind going one by one through them all to demonstrate that.

We are accepted in the finished work of Christ, not our own works.

Much love!

 

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Warnings about being shut out of the New Jerusalem
Revelation 22:14-15 ● “Blessed are those who do His commandments,
that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through
the gates of the city. But outside are the dogs and sorcerers and sexually
immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.”

Same objection as the Corinthians 6 passage. It does not identify the born again, God's children, as being these dogs and sorcerers and so on.

We do His commandments. We believe on Jesus, and we love each other. Best we can. This is a very serious warning to those who have not obeyed the command of the Gospel, and have never been recreated, and remain the corrupted and dead children of Adam.

Nothing here teaches that the born again can die again.

Much love!

 

[Zachary]

11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified,
but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

What do we do with the idea that some were those terrible things, and some were NOT?
Hey, we have 2 groups of people here.
Does this mean that some were NOT washed, sanctified, justified?
I'm havin' a temporary brain freeze here ... maybe I need more sleep.
.

 

[Zachary]

Revelation 22:14-15 ● “Blessed are those who do His commandments,
that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through
the gates of the city. But outside are the dogs and sorcerers and sexually
immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.”

The churches are full of so-called "Christians" ...
who are NOT even trying to obey Jesus' commandments.
Believe it, or not.

Question:
Can BACs get away with doing these things,
whilst non-believers cannot get away with doing them?
To me, that would be total insanity!
FYI, I don't think God is insane.
.

 

[justbyfaith]

The churches are full of so-called "Christians" ...
who are NOT even trying to obey Jesus' commandments.
Believe it, or not.

Question:
Can BACs get away with doing these things,
whilst non-believers cannot get away with doing them?
To me, that would be total insanity!
FYI, I don't think God is insane.
.

true BACs are inclined towards righteousness; we are new creatures in Christ: the old has gone; behold, all things are become new!

So I think that you throw around the term BAC (Born Again Christian) too loosely.

 

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Warnings about being blotted out of the Book of Life
Revelation 3:5 ● “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments,
and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life”
Please note: the “overcomer” of 1 John 5:4-5 only overcomes “the world”,
which is the world of unbelievers in John’s writings!

And where does this say that the born again may be among those blotted out? And why would the born again be blotted out?

We need to understand about justification. Justification is the non-imputation of sin.

God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses against them.

Blessed is the man to whom God will not impute sin! The man whose sins are forgiven.

Let me ask you this . . .

Will our Holy God Who is a consuming fire abide with those who sins remain? How does a Holy God unite Himself to people who are "part sinners"?

Much love!

 

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Warnings about NOT being an overcomer
Revelation 21:7-8 ● “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his
God and he will be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers,
sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the
lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Please note: in Revelation 3:21, Jesus defines who an “overcomer” is!

Again, nothing here that teaches the born again may die again.

This only applies if you go in with the presupposition that the unbelieving were once believing. But without that presupposition, the unbelieving are exactly that, not the believing, not the reborn.

Much love!

 

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Warnings in conditional “IF” verses
1 Corinthians 15:1-2 ● “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel
… by which you are saved, IF you hold fast that word which I preached to you
unless you believed in vain.”

15 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 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: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Let me ask you. Do you take credit for your good works? As if these were something that you of your self have done? We have received the walk of works that God ordained for us, and that we - no, not we - He. The works that He ordained, and that by the grace of God that is in us works through us. By God's grace, this is me. And it wasn't for nothing. God's grace is effective.

By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

And if you do not? Not a saving faith. Not born again.

You can believe in vain, which is to say, you can have an empty belief. If that is you, then you will not continue.

But nothing in this passage tells us the born again can die again. What it does teach us is that Jesus died for our sins. Simplicity itself. Only believe!

Much love!

 

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Warnings about failing to remain in Jesus and produce fruit
John 15:1-10 ● “I am the true grapevine, and My Father is the gardener.
He (Father God) cuts off every branch of Mine (Jesus) that doesn’t produce fruit,
… Anyone who does not remain in Me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.”

15 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 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.
5 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.
6 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.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Three sorts of people spoken of here.

Those who are in Christ, but do not bear fruit. These the Father carries away.

Those who are in Christ, and do bear fruit. These the Father tends, so they will increase in fruitfulness.

Those who do not live in Christ, and are cast out.

Notice . . . those who are In Christ, these are not cast out. Whether or not they are bearing fruit.

The Lord knows those who are His.

Much love!

 

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Warnings about not loving and obeying Jesus
John 14:15-23 ● “If you love Me, keep My commandments …
He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me
… If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him,
and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
He who does not love Me does not keep My words”
Who gets into heaven who does NOT love Jesus?

This is not about "getting into heaven", it's about being born again.

and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

This is spoken to the one in whom Jesus and the Father do not live. Jesus is offering that they will come live with them who love Him and keep His Word. This is teaching about being born again, not about the born again dying again.

I maintain that not one of these passages teaches that the born again may die again. Or that our God is unable to keep His promise to protect us until that final day.

Much love!

 

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Warnings about falling away from the faith
Hebrews 10:36-39 ● “ ‘Now the just shall live by faith;
but IF anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.’
But we are not of those who draw back to perdition”
.

35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

We, God's children, don't do that. We are they who believe.

Much love!

 

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(1) Some believers ("those") obviously had drawn back to perdition.

Would you like to show that specifically from the text? I don't see that, and it does not seem obvious to me.

But I don't care so much whether something seems obvious to me, obviously I can miss things. So I look for God's teaching in His very Words.

But I don't see those words here.

God tells us the just will live by faith, but not all want to live by faith. Some want to live according to works. Those who draw back from faith will be destroyed. But the just, by faith, they live.

Much love!

 

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What do we do with the idea that some were those terrible things, and some were NOT?
Hey, we have 2 groups of people here.
Does this mean that some were NOT washed, sanctified, justified?
I'm havin' a temporary brain freeze here ... maybe I need more sleep.
.

Not everyone was an adulterer, or not everyone was a thief.

Such were Some of you . . . but you have been washed . . . all were washed, this is plural "you", all were washed, all were sanctified, justified. And some of them were alduterers, but are not now, so God tells them to flee from fornication. Don't act like the person you used to be.

Much love!

 

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In which case, they believe in OSAS, eternal security, etc.

I prefer to state this as "the permanence of rebirth".