Do I have any Calvinist readers? If so, I’d encourage you to comment on this post. I’d be very interested to hear a persuading argument for the doctrine of eternal security.
An acquaintance of mine attends a Baptist church. He is very convinced that “once you’re saved, you’re always saved.” The funny thing is, whenever I broach the subject, he doesn’t want to argue about it. Something about not wanted to shake my beliefs. Suure... :) Anyway, I’ve never been able to get a persuading answer from him about why he (and other Calvinists) believe in this doctrine.
My church is Wesleyan Armenian. I believe the Bible gives ample evidence that a person can backslide. I know people who were saved and have backslidden. There’s a guy who recently spoke at out church. He was a Holiness preacher, but backslid and lived in sin for years. Finally he came back to the Lord in a camp meeting.
The book of 1st John is littered with verses that I believe support our view. 1st John 1:6 for example states:
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1st John 2:1:
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not...
Obviously we are born sinners. What I am addressing today is the willful act of “sinning in word, thought, and deed” every day. I’m not some wacko that thinks a person can live his whole life without committing a single sin. But to sin every day, willful acts of rebellion, and not repent of them?
1st John 2:3:
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
We know that we know Christ if we keep his commandments, or do what he says. 1st John 2:8 is really good:
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
He that sins is of the devil. God came to destroy sin. How is sin compatible with being saved?
I know some people say that Christians that sin will lose their reward but will still go to Heaven. But where does the Bible support this view?
There are other passages as well. I only listed a few here. Please, I’d welcome friendly discussion over this matter. To any Calvinists out there that would be willing to support their position, I’d really be interested in what you have to say.
All scripture references in this post are from the KJV. I don’t believe it’s wrong to use other versions though. Perhaps I’ll address that issue in a separate post. :)
