I found it as quickly as you did.
He also makes claims that are largely unsubstantiated or difficult to verify. Here is the opening from that page:
For those who are regular listeners of his broadcasts, to hear eternal security taught, directly or indirectly, is not uncommon! This is so because to him, the gospel itself is very closely connected with the teaching of eternal security. Stanley has put forth his view of this with these words:
“The very gospel itself comes under attack when the eternal security of the believer is questioned.[3] … the very foundations of Christianity begin to crumble once we begin tampering with the eternal security of the believer.”[4]
“Yet I reject the notion that eternal security is just a Baptist doctrine. As you read, I believe it will become apparent that this doctrine is first and foremost a biblical one.”[5]
“You see, it isn’t just good news. It is good news about Jesus Christ, Who paid our sin debt in full to a holy God Who required death for sin and the shedding of His blood, satisfied that requirement, and made it possible for you and me to be accepted in the eyes of God and to be eternally secure in Him. That’s why He called it the grace of God.”[6]
A close examination of these aforementioned statements from Charles Stanley clearly reveals his views on eternal security. To him it is: (1) intrinsically linked to the gospel, (2) foundational to Christianity, (3) a first and foremost Bible doctrine and (4) included under the grace of God!
The following is his definition of eternal security:
“… eternal security is that work of God in which He guarantees that the gift of salvation once received is possessed forever and cannot be lost.”[7]
NOTHING ABOVE comes anywhere close to contradicting my claim that the Bible teaches ...
God grants "eternal salvation" and not "conditional salvation".
NOTHING ABOVE states anything remotely resembling the claim that was made that we Reformed / Calvinists teach ...
“God saves us to be able to live the most selfish, self centered, and sinful life possible, with no repentance, and remain in Christ”.
We are asked to "take your and his word" for Mr Stanley's apostasy based on:
One of the objectives of this booklet is to precisely identify what Stanley means when he says that our salvation “once received is possessed forever and cannot be lost.” Remember, this internationally known religious figure has linked this concept to the gospel and the grace of God. The following elaborates his view:
“The Bible clearly teaches that God’s love for His people is of such magnitude that even those who walk away from the faith have not the slightest chance of slipping from His hand.”[Eternal Security Can You Be Sure? (P. 74)]
“Even if a believer for all practical purposes becomes an unbeliever, his salvation is not in jeopardy.”[Ibid. (p. 93)]
“… believers who lose or abandon their faith will retain their salvation ….”[Ibid. (p. 94)]
By these statements, Stanley’s gospel shockingly declares someone still “saved” who becomes an apostate, that is, one who “becomes an unbeliever” or “lose or abandons their faith.” In other words, one’s salvation is always “possessed forever and cannot be lost” even if such a person no longer believes.
We are offered no context and, in most cases, we are not even given the benefit of complete sentences.
How can anyone seriously evaluate such "proof"?
Here we have a quote from Charles Stanley that does offer enough to guess at the context:
- “… You can’t sin and live like the devil down here and get by with it even as a believer. The Bible says you will lose your reward but you’ll be saved so as by fire. You won’t lose your salvation, but there’s a whole lot to lose, brother, by sinful living.”[Eternal Security You Can Be Sure, Tape #3, MH190.]
- 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 [NLT] 12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials--gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person's work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.
- 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 [NASB20] 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each person must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 each one's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each one's work. 14 If anyone's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet only so as through fire.
Shall we condemn Paul for HIS message as well? Like Stanley, Paul said a Christian can loose a reward and still be saved?
For what it is worth, I think Mr Stanley is incorrect in his understanding of Grace and may have ventured into error that needed correction. I simply object to the slandering of Christian brothers without evidence of any wrong or, worse, with false statements. I feel as strongly about those that spread lies about Wesleyan Arminian teachers (Methodists and Church of God) with whom I disagree on soteriology.
