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Bible Question: There
are many scriptures that seem to contradict eternal security. For
example, John 15:2 (key word IN ME), Romans 11:20-22, the parable
Jesus gave in the gospels about salt losing it's flavor, Hebrews
6:4-6, Hebrews 10:24-27, 2 Peter 2:20-22, and many others. These
verses seem to me that if I don't keep up the "good fight of
faith", keep doing my good works, then I could lose salvation.
Bible Answer: True
Christians do not leave the faith! That is the message of the Holy
Spirit in the pages of scripture. Christians do not leave the faith
for several reasons.
God
Protects Us. First, Jesus said that He would not lose any Christian.
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All
that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes
to Me I will certainly not cast out . . . And this is the will
of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose
nothing, but raise it up on the last day . . . No one can
come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I
will raise him up on the last day . . . And He was saying,
For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come
to Me, unless it has been granted him from the Father.
(NASB) John 6:37, 39, 44, 65 |
In these passages, Jesus says that He "will not cast" and
"I will raise him up." The salvation of true Christians
depends on Jesus and not on us. There are other New Testament passages
which say the same thing (John 10:28-29; John 17:11-12; Romans 8:30,
38-39; Philippians 1:6, Jude 1).
The
Evidence of No Faith. Second, Jesus illustrates true faith in
the parable of the sower of the seed (Matt. 13:18-23); those who "hear
and understand the Word" are saved.
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Hear
then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of
the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes
and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the
one on whom seed was sown beside the road. And the one
on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the
man who hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy;
yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and
when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately
he falls away. And the one on whom seed was sown among the
thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry
of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word,
and it becomes unfruitful. And the one on whom seed was sown
on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and
understands it; who indeed bears fruit, and brings forth, some
a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. (NASB) Matt.
13;18-23 |
There
are four different kinds of soil in this parable: soil beside the
road, rocky soil, soil with thorns, and good soil. In each of Jesus'
illustrations about the first three soils, the person heard and did
not understand. Jesus said that only the last soil hears and understands.
It is only the last soil that gives the evidence of true faith since
it produces a lot of fruit. Some have said the first three examples
are Christians who have fallen away. But Jesus says the first three
never understood. Only the last soil type or person heard and
understood. 1 Corinthians 2:10-15 explains why the last person is
a Christian. A person needs the Holy Spirit in order to understand.
This means the first three did not have the Holy Spirit. They were
not Christians.
True
Christians Remain. 1 John 2:19 is the most significant passage
in dealing with this question.
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They
went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they
had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went
out, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of
us. (NASB) 1 John 2:19 |
True Christians remain.
Contradictory
Verses. Explanations of the passages you mentioned can be found
at this site. Your questions about Hebrews
6:4-6 and Heb. 10:24-27
are found by paying careful attention to the Greek language and illustrations
within the verses themselves.
I would encourage you to read the explanations at these links and
then read the follow-up study to Hebrews
6:4-6.
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