How Important is Eternal Security to the Gospel of Christ?

 

     Is it possible to present the gospel of Christ without including the truth of eternal security?  No it is not. I did not say that you must include the terms “eternal security” as these terms are not found in the Bible. I said you must present THE TRUTH of eternal security or you cannot possibly preach the Gospel of Christ.  What is THE TRUTH of eternal security?  In Biblical language it is the truth expressed by the terms “eternal life” and  “saved.”

     Eternal security is simply a synonym for  “eternal life.” Life is either temporal or eternal there are no other options. Any gospel without the hope of eternal life is no gospel. Any salvation without eternal life is no salvation.  Any attempt to define the terms “eternal life” apart from the truth of eternal security perverts the gospel of Christ.

     The conclusion of the gospel message is if you repent and believe then you are SAVED! Eternal security is simply the addition of  “d” to the term “save.” Now either you are “saved” (grace) or you are trying to be (works) there is no in between.  Any gospel without this “saved” conclusion is no gospel at all.  The Biblical terms “justified without works” cannot be truthfully explained without expressing the truth of eternal security. You are either justified without works (eternal security) or by works there is no in between. The Biblical term “grace” cannot be truthfully explained without teaching the truth of eternal security.  You are either saved by unmerited favor or you must merit it – there is no in between. Any attempt to define any of these Biblical terms without expressing THE TRUTH of eternal security is false doctrine and a distortion of the gospel of Christ.

      When it is understood that the primary purpose of the gospel is to present a sufficient Savior and a sufficient salvation for the purpose to ETERNALLY save, then it will be recognized how inseparable this truth is from the gospel.

 

 

Can A Person Be Saved and Reject Eternal Security?

 

     Can a person be saved that does not understand the truth of eternal security? If the gospel must include this truth then to some extent the hearer must believe in this truth in order to be saved. To what extent must a hearer of the gospel believe in eternal security?  The sinner must believe in this truth to the extent that they embrace Christ as a SUFFICIENT Savior to completely SAVE them from their sins. The sinner must understand that the gospel is the offer of ETERNAL life through Jesus Christ. The new believer may not understand these concepts fully nor may he later be consistent with them in his theology but he must initially embrace them to this extent for salvation.  John 3:16 includes these simply truths of eternal security – “whosoever believeth SHALL NOT PERISH but have EVERLASTING LIFE.”  If the simplest gospel text in the Bible includes this truth so must any true presentation of the gospel include it as well as any true profession of salvation.

 

 

What About I John 5:13?

 

      Some object and refer to I John 5:13 as proof that a person does not need to understand the truth of eternal security in order to be saved.  However,  this is not the intent of I John 5:13.  The epistle of First John was written to provide certain well defined experiential tests which would either confirm or deny that they were in possession of eternal life. John was offering proofs for eternal life rather than informing them of the existence of eternal life. This epistle has been used in Baptist churches for years where every member knows about eternal security but needs to know the evidences of it in their life so that they can make their calling and election SURE.

 

 

Eternal Security is the difference between Justification by grace and justification by works:

 

     Eternal security is the ultimate distinctive between the doctrines of justification without works and justification by works. You cannot believe in justification WITHOUT works and deny the doctrine of eternal security and neither can you believe in justification BY works and accept the doctrine of etenal security.  You cannot believe in the sufficiency of Christ and deny eternal security nor can you deny the sufficiency of Christ and accept the doctrine of eternal security.

     Deny the doctrine of eternal security and you remove any distinction between justification by grace and justification by works. Deny eternal security and you deny any final conclusion to the gospel that distinguishes it from justification by works.

     Therefore, just as the bottom line between a true and a false gospel is the truth of grace, the bottom line between grace and works is the truth of eternal security.

 

 

Denial of Eternal Security is the Mark of False Churches and False Gospels

 

      Today the earmark of all ministries that preach another gospel  is denial of eternal security. This denial is the open assertion of justification by works as any denial of eternal security demands justification by works.

     Can you preach the gospel of Christ without understanding or denying  the truth of eternal security? Yes and there are many in this category. There are many who preach the sufficiency of Christ in the simplest terms and yet in their minds have not connected what they preach and what they experienced in their own salvation with the truth of eternal security.  When asked if they believe in eternal  security there is usually a confused and uncertain reply that indicates they are unsure and searching. They don’t deny it and usually inclined to it but they are not sure of all that it means.

     Can ministries that openly deny eternal security be considered gospel ministries simply because people get saved under them?  No! Almost all “cults” use the gospel verbiage while redefining the gospel terms. Do they preach the gospel when they use the Biblical verbiage?  No!  Why? Because the definitions and explanations that characterize their ministry reveal their gospel message.  If people are saved, it is in spite of them not because of them.

    Seventh Day Adventists are an example of such a deceptive and perverted gospel ministry.  Often Seventh Day Adventists will stress in their preaching that you are saved by trusting in Christ by grace WITHOUT works but like the Roman Catholic verbiage such statements are void of grace meaning and definition.

      Balaam is a case in the Old Testament where God changed the words in the mouth of the Prophet so that he could not utter what he wanted. He wanted to curse Israel but God would not allow him to utter those words but instead overruled the intent of the prophet and made him speak the truth.  God can do this and probably does in many such churches.  However, Balaam did not become a true prophet by this act of God nor could you consider his ministry as a true gospel ministry.

    In conclusion, let me restate very clearly once again the significance of the doctrine of eternal security in regard to justification in these words:

      Just as the bottom line between a true and a false gospel is the truth of grace, the bottom line between grace and works is the truth of eternal security. Therefore the doctrine of eternal security is essential in order to define grace and/or justification without works as neither can be explained without eternal security being the conclusion of that explanation.

      To preach that salvation is by faith ALONE in Christ ALONE by grace ALONE is the doctrine of eternal security. To believe that salvation is not by faith ALONE in Christ ALONE by grace ALONE is the doctrine of justification by works and the rejection of eternal security.