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Perseverance of the Saints
I read your story and was quite puzzled about
your references to Christians going to hell. It seems as though you
beleive that our Eternal Salvation has something to do with what we do
instead of what we believe. Christ was clear in saying that if you
believe on me (Christ) you shall be saved. . . . Please read the parable
of the 10 virgins in Mathew and ask yourself why is the the Kingdom
of heaven likened to 10 virgins even the foolish ones. and why is outer
darkness in Heaven and why would an unbeleiver be on their way to the wedding
feast. Could outer darkness be a place where Christians go (5 foolish ones)
for a time to receive there punishment for not gaining the oil (yes maybe).
Do you REALLY see loss of salvation in this verse or were these people
not saved to begin with, if not why are they in heaven already. Non-beleivers
are never judged with believers. . . . I just think it is time for Christians
to follow the one new commandment that Jesus said, To Love One
Another. It is not up to us to stand and judge this Christain or that
Christian to HELL. . . . ~ Steve Hazen (emphasis added, ler)
John Calvin (1509-1564) popularized some religious tenets
so well that together they are commonly referred to as “Calvinism.”
The five cardinal doctrines of Calvinism are easily remembered by the acrostic,
TULIP: Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement,
Irresistible Grace and Perseverance of the Saints. Several religious
groups adopted Calvin’s theological system. The querist, a portion
of whose question appears above, evidently subscribes to Calvin’s theology,
too. Doubtless the querist is sincere in his religious conviction,
though with all due respect, I submit that he is mistaken in that belief.
The Bible does not substantiate the doctrine of Calvinism, and in particular
for our purposes, the tenet of “Perseverance of the Saints.”
First, “Is it possible for a Christian to sin so as to
be eternally lost?” The querist argues, “No!” What does the
Bible teach? The following biblical illustration very graphically
argues that the child of God can be lost, though he once was saved.
“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. But it is happened unto
them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit
again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire” (2 Peter
2:20-22).
Further, in Acts Chapter Eight, Simon became a Christian,
after which he sinned and was in danger of being lost.
“And when Simon saw that through laying on of
the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying,
Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive
the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because
thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou
hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in
the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God,
if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive
that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity” (Acts
8:18-23).
The Calvinist usually retorts that Simon was never really
a Christian. Likewise, in the interest of defending the theological
posture of “Perseverance of the Saints,” when a religious person who subscribes
to Calvinism commits sins that cannot be overlooked, one of two explanations
are offered. (1) The offender was never really a Christian;
the offender may have thought he was a Christian, and his peers may have
mistakenly believed he was a Christian, but he really was not.
(2) Despite the aggravated sin of which a Christian may actually be guilty
(e.g., adultery, theft, murder, etc.), there is nothing that a child of
God can do that will imperil his immortal soul. Both of these excuses
are pitiful apologies for confidence in the Calvinistic tenet of “Perseverance
of the Saints.” In truth, Simon did exactly what the Samaritans did
when they became Christians. Therefore, whatever spiritual attainment
those Samaritans enjoyed was also realized by Simon. Simon, however,
sinned after becoming a Christian, which if sin were not repented by Simon
and forgiven by God, Simon would be eternally lost.
“But when they believed Philip preaching the
things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they
were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and
when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding
the miracles and signs which were done” (Acts 8:12-13).
Every warning to a child of God implies that there is a consequence
for failure to repent. “For the wages of sin is death . . .” (Romans
6:23). There are said to be well over a thousand such warnings to
the children of God in the New Testament. One such warning reads:
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.
Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye
be reprobates?” (2 Corinthians 13:5). The preceding verse was penned
to Christians.
Second, there is a common misconception that “belief”
does not involve “obedience.” Therefore, the querist writes:
“It seems as though you beleive that our Eternal Salvation has something
to do with what we do instead of what we believe.” Contrary to erroneous
notions about “belief” or “faith,” these words are synonyms. Sometimes
a translation of the Bible can contribute to such a misunderstanding:
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that
believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth
on him” (John 3:36, KJV). Compare the same verse in the American
Standard Version: “He that believeth on the Son hath eternal
life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the
wrath of God abideth on him.” Two different Greek words are used
in the verse, though the KJV English translation does not reflect that.
The American Standard Version, though, does correctly reflect this.
The Greek word for “believeth not” in the KJV and “obeyeth not” in the
ASV is apeithon. It is the word for “disobedience.”
Even without Greek resources, the Bible student can easily
see the essential nature of obedience to be pleasing to God. Consider
the following passages, just a few that could be cited. “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” (Matthew
7:21). “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things
which I say?” (Luke 6:46).
“Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience
by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the
author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Hebrews
5:8-9).
“And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord
Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming
fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the
gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his
power” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
Third, the Parable of the Ten Virgins really is a passage,
when handled correctly, that teaches the possibility of the children of
God being lost. The thrust of the parable is to teach the necessity
for adequate preparation to enter heaven. If, however, as the querist
supposes, the child of God cannot fail to enter heaven, then what would
it really matter how well a Christian prepared or practiced Christianity?
The illustration Jesus used in Matthew 25:1-13 drew from
common scenes in Jewish life relative to a wedding celebration. The
groom would arrive at his bride’s home and receive her from his father-in-law.
From that point and along a course from there to the groom’s house, friends
of the bride and groom would join the procession. The procession
would conclude upon arrival at the groom’s home, at which time a celebration
would begin. In the parable, some of the friends of either the bride
or the groom waited outside the groom’s home for the unknown arrival of
the groom, his bride and the procession of friends who joined them along
the way. Five of the virgins failed to anticipate the delayed arrival
of the procession and had to leave to acquire more oil for their lamps.
While they were gone, the groom and bride arrived. All who were prepared
entered the home and the celebration began. The five virgins who
came late were not admitted.
In the parable, all the ten virgins were, as Jews, in
a covenant relationship with God. They were all the children of God.
The period of waiting is comparable to life on earth awaiting the Second
Coming of Jesus Christ. The celebration occurring inside the groom’s
home is comparable to eternal heaven. The five unprepared virgins,
though children of God, were not admitted. In order for the querist’s
formula for delayed, but eventual eternal redemption to work with this
parable, the groom would have to had, after awhile, relented and let the
five unprepared virgins enter the celebration, too.
Fourth, I am not sure what to make of the statement:
“Non-beleivers are never judged with believers.” There will be a
universal resurrection followed by a universal judgment.
“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming,
in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall
come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and
they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:28-29).
The same biblical standard of righteousness is applied by
God to all accountable souls. Otherwise, Christians could commit
the same sins with impunity which when committed by non-Christians would
condemn their souls. The apostle Paul wrote:
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in
sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to
sin, live any longer therein?” (Romans 6:1-2).
It is a horrible doctrine that permits Christians to commit
sin with a false sense of safety. Romans 6:23 still says that “the
wages of sin is death,” without distinction either in the type of sin or
the persons committing the sin.
Fifth, the following statement is grossly misleading and
biblically untrue. “I just think it is time for Christians to follow
the one new commandment that Jesus said, To Love One Another.
It is not up to us to stand and judge this Christain or that Christian
to HELL.” According to Jesus, love necessitates a predictable activity,
namely obedience.
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.
. . . He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that
loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will
love him, and will manifest myself to him. . . . Jesus answered and said
unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father
will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which
ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me” (John 14:15, 21, 23-24).
The American Standard Version renders John 14:15, “If ye
love me, ye will keep my commandments.” So, love obeys! Disobedience
is evidence of the lack of love.
It is true, of course, that Christians do not have the
right to consign any soul to hell. The sentencing at the judgment
bar of God belongs to the Godhead. However, Christians are obligated
to judge in the sense of discernment, comparison of their lives and the
lives of others to the Word of God. Following that type of judgment,
each soul needs to amend his life where deficient and warn his fellows.
Contrary to popular thought, for instance, Matthew 7:1-5 only condemns
unrighteous judgment. Most people stop with Matthew 7:1 and fail
to read and apply the following four verses. Notice some of the verses
that enjoin righteous judgment on the children of God.
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in
sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. By their fruits
ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree
bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither
can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not
forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Therefore by
their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:15-20).
Not only are we to be “fruit inspectors,” false teachers
are to be publicly marked and avoided (Romans 16:17-18) and immoral persons
are to be shunned or disfellowshipped (1 Corinthians 5:1-13). According
to the 1 Corinthians 5 passage, Christians are obligated to “judge.”
Second Thessalonians 3:6 and 14 require Christians to discern the spiritual
misbehavior of other Christians and spiritually punish them. It is
not true love that leads one to ignore and otherwise overlook sin in the
lives of either non-Christians or Christians. True love compels one
to warn his fellows of their sins, lest they fail the final, no-make-up-test
before the judgment bar of God.
In summary, even Christians can be lost. Therefore,
it behooves each soul, including Christians, to practice faithfulness.
God will not save any soul in open rebellion to his revealed will. “.
. . Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life”
(Revelation 2:10).
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