10 Common Misconceptions
About A Conditional Security
(by Dan Corner)The following are misconceptions and strawman arguments that eternal security people use to falsely accuse and discredit Christians like us who teach a conditional security for the believer. Certainly, sometimes the eternal security teachers will intentionally imply any, some or all of the following to dishonor our beliefs when they are teaching. Here is what they slanderously say about us:
Such people don’t believe in grace.
- Such people don’t believe in the blood of Jesus.
- Such people don’t believe in the infinite work of Christ.
- Such people don’t believe in the free gift of eternal life.
- Such people believe in a works salvation.
- Such people are in legalism
- Such people believe in sinless perfection.
- Such people are trying to save themselves.
- Such people are unsaved.
- Such people think they lose their salvation every time they sin.
Setting The Record Straight
Let’s review that list again but this time supply Biblical answers/comments to clear away these misconceptions about Christians who embrace a conditional security:
Such people don’t believe in grace.
We believe and know without a doubt that we are saved by grace, as the Bible declares (Acts 15:11; Eph. 2:5, 8, etc.). But after we do get saved we also know we can fall from grace (Gal. 5:2-4). If such occurs, then Christ has become of no effect unto such people, according to Scripture (Gal. 5:4). We also know there are other ways in which we can lose our salvation, according to Scripture.
Such people don’t believe in the blood of Jesus.
We believe it is only by the blood of Jesus that we can be purged from our sins (Heb. 1:3) and set free from its slavery (Rev. 1:5). We contact Jesus’ precious, saving blood at the point of a trusting-submitting faith in the Lord Jesus when we turn from all sins and get born again. But we also know some have treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them (Heb. 10:29) and have since become enemies of God with raging fire awaiting them (Heb. 10:27). See also James 4:4.
Such people don’t believe in the infinite work of Christ.
We know our redemption was paid for in full at the cross by Christ alone when he said, It is finished (John 19:30). But we also know the Lord Jesus and his apostles taught those already saved that they would have to endure and remain faithful to God to the end to be saved and not be hurt by the second death (Mt. 10:22; Rev. 2:10,11; Heb. 3:14).
Such people don’t believe in the free gift of eternal life.
We believe that eternal life is a gift, as Rom. 6:23 declares. But we also believe the previous verse which describes a real Christian, and what leads to holiness resulting with eternal life:
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 6:22,23).
Eternal life is gift, but it is also a hope, yet to be reaped in the age to come, for the ones who persist in doing good and don’t give up sowing to please the Spirit of God (Titus 3:7; Mark 10:30; Rom. 2:7; Gal. 6:8,9; etc.).
Such people believe in a works salvation.
As already stated we believe we are saved by grace. But we also believe grace is best described in the following passage:
It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:12).
Paul also believed and wrote about salvation (by grace) and gave the following to those who had already been saved:
The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers (Gal. 6:8-10).
Such people are in legalism.
Paul taught against legalism, yet taught the aforementioned facts about salvation, which the eternal security teachers cannot reconcile with their security-in-sin “gospel.” In other words, those Scriptures, and others like them, are under the umbrella of grace, not legalism.
Such people believe in sinless perfection.
We do not believe in sinless perfection, as some have in the past. All sins are not the same in their effect on our souls. Some sins are greater than others (Jn. 19:11). One type is eternal (Mk. 3:29), while others are not. Another type of sin is uniquely against our bodies, while other sins are outside our bodies (1 Cor. 6:18). 1 Jn. 5:16 declares there is a sin that does not lead to death while there is a sin that leads to death. Sins such as worry (Phil. 4:6), unthankfulness (Col. 2:7, 3:15; Lk. 17:11-18) and not being completely humble and gentle (Eph. 4:2) are not included in any of the lists of sins that will send people to the lake of fire, even if they were once saved. However, other sins certainly will send any person to hell if they die unrepentant, even a person who was once saved. (See 1 Cor. 6:9,10; Rev. 21:8; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:5,6; Jude 7; Rev. 22:15; etc.).
Such people are trying to save themselves.
We are not trying to save ourselves. Jesus is the only Savior (Acts 4:12) and our eyes are on him for our salvation. All 100% of our trust is in Jesus alone for salvation and not our good deeds too, even though we have good deeds. We are his sheep, and have salvation, as long as we continue to follow him (John 10:27). Because our faith is alive we have good deeds (James 2:17).
Such people are unsaved.
We are not unsaved because we reject eternal security. Such an untruth cannot be tied to any Scripture. We do acknowledge that Christian people can become unsaved, though, by believing/preaching a false gospel, committing certain types of sin or disowning Jesus during persecution (1 Cor. 15:2; 1 John 2:24,25; Gal. 1:8,9; Rev. 21:8; Eph. 5:5-7; Gal. 5:19-21; Mt. 10:33; etc.).
Such people think they lose their salvation every time they sin.
We do not believe we lose our salvation every time we sin. There are many sins that will not damn any Christian to eternal fire if committed, such as: worry, not being completely humble and gentle and not overflowing with thanksgiving. Never are such sins included in any Biblical list which states who will not inherit the kingdom of God and/or be thrown into the lake of fire such as the sexually immoral, drunkards, idolaters, murderers, liars, etc. (1 Cor. 6:9,10; Eph. 5:5-7; Rev. 21:8).
We get all 100% of our beliefs from the Bible and sincerely have studied it for decades with a willingness to change accordingly. Our beliefs are backed up with appropriate Scripture used in its proper context as well as other supporting Scriptures. We have found the eternal security proponents to be the ones who don’t understand the Bible and will misrepresent our beliefs to make their own seem more credible, as just shown.
For much more information on eternal security consult our 801 page book, The Believer’s Conditional Security. This book has never been and never will be refuted. It is the dread of the eternal security teachers. GOD BLESS YOU.
The Believer's Conditional Security Book
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