Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Galatians 5:1
Introduction
Eternal security, can we lose our salvation or not? To answer this ask yourself; what liberty do you have if you can lose your salvation? Somehow the question of our liberty in Christ and the eternal security of the believer never get put together. The answer to the question has eluded many in Christianity since the dark ages.
The answer is not difficult to ascertain. The truth in this regard can easily be obtained if we refer to the precept we established in the study, Not Of works. Once we realizes that denying the eternal security of the believer creates a system of salvation based on works it becomes evident that there is a serious problem with a doctrine whereby one can lose their salvation. It being necessary for those who teach the absence of our security to show a reason for the loss, therefore, it must naturally follow that works apply, if not in gaining, at least in maintaining salvation. However, as the precept, Not Of works shows, if at any time works are added to our salvation, either in the obtaining or maintaining thereof, grace and faith go out the window.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
The Bible declares works and grace to be mutually exclusive; one cannot exist with the other. Any teaching that works is involved in obtaining or maintaining our salvation nullifies grace.
Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
Galatians 3:2-3 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
If the gaining of salvation is by God’s grace and not by our works, the maintaining of it must also be by grace and not works. To be given a free gift and then be told you have to pay to keep it disannuls any semblance of free. It is the same with grace and works; works to maintain salvation nullifies the free gift of grace as well as faith, God’s promises and Christ’s death.
Romans 4:14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
Galatians 3:18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Any doctrine that teaches that one can earn grace, either in gaining salvation or maintaining it, is in error.
Romans 4:4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
Galatians 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
In this study, we are going to look at a few of the passages of Scripture; Colossians 1:23, Hebrews Chapters 6 & 10 and II Peter 2:10-21, that are commonly used to promote the teaching that one can lose salvation. Only we will look at these passages with the knowledge of the precepts we have establish and in keeping with our Seven Precepts to Understanding the Bible.
The teaching that one can lose salvation is many times restricted to the tribulation saints or the Old Testament Jews in order to preserve faith without works in this age. Often it is taught, in order to avoid loss of salvation in this age, that the books Hebrews through Revelations are written to the tribulation Jews only and should only be applied to them. Again, I must point to the mutual exclusiveness of grace and works in any dispensation. The Bible was written to all men, and although comprised of many books is one book with one theme and one plan of salvation. There may be parts of Scripture that in application do not belong to the church, such as the old covenant of animal sacrifice, the earthly kingdom given to Israel, except for these types of things everything else applies today to all men everywhere and always has. Sin is still sin and men have always been in need of a Saviour.
Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
Old Testament, New Testament, before Moses, after the rapture, salvation is still through the shed blood of Jesus Christ and obtained by faith alone. For a further treatment on these things refer to the studies,The Methodology of Salvation and Dispensational Salvation.
Unfortunately, you cannot answer most doctrinal questions in a simple verse or two, it takes study and a knowledge of what the whole Bible says. When keeping things in context one has to preserve the context from the basic sentence, the paragraph, chapter, book and the whole of the Bible itself. Most, if not all, false teachings are born out of someone’s inability or lack of patience in studying and simply misreading the Scriptures. Anything less than a sentence in English grammar, or any other language, has no meaning. The sentence is the smallest unit of grammar that possesses definite meaning. A sentence is a trinity, it must have a subject, predicate [verb] and a complete thought. Remember to study it until you comprehend the complete thought.
The following chapters are examples of proper Bible study in accordance with the “Seven Precepts to Understanding the Bible.”
Make the word of God as much as possible its own interpreter. You will best understand the word of God by comparing it with itself. “Comparing spiritual things with spiritual”.
Sir Isaac Newton 1642-1727 English Physicist & Mathematician
Colossians 1:23
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Colossians 1:23
Our first passage of Scripture to be considered, Colossians chapter 1:23. This is one of the many occasions where grammar is neglected, for this passage is not a sentence but only part of one. It must be remembered that the sentence is the minimal unit of grammar that maintains definite meaning. The sentence that this phrase is taken out of runs from verse 21 to verse 29, containing 221 words. Admittedly, this sentence can instill a feeling of apprehension in the student of the Bible as when in grade school as just the word grammar did. Nevertheless, to remove verse 23 from the context of its sentence is to devoid it of any applicable meaning.
The sentence contained in Colossians 1:21-29 reads as follows:
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled, 22In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; 24Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: 25Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 28Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 29Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
This sentence is enough to make a school child tremble. However, it is quite simple, especially if we keep in mind the context of the whole chapter.
Colossians 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
This is one of the many sentences in Scripture that try our heart’s desire to study and must be rightly divided. This sentence simplified, viz. without modifiers and side tracking, and in normal order, reads thus:
He (Christ) hath now reconciled you to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.
As for the phrase in question:
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, …
The subject matter in Colossians has nothing to do with losing salvation; but, as being saved, continuing in righteousness so that our Lord may present you holy, unblameable and unreproveable in his sight. Compare this with Ephesians.
Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
In Colossians 1:21 it states that the Lord reconciled us to himself, this reconciliation was our salvation.
Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespassesunto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Colossians 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
In verse 22 of our text, it states that his purpose is, “to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.” or as Ephesians puts it, “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” We are told that, now being cleansed by the blood of Christ, it is up to us to remain, “unblameable and unreproveable in his sight”.
2 Peter 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
This is what preaching and teaching to the saints is for, to keep us from spotting ourselves, its the washing of our feet.
John 13:10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
Colossians 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Works have nothing to do with salvation; everything to do with whether we remain holy, unspotted and blameless.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Corinthians 5:10
Hebrews Chapters 6 & 10
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
Hebrews 6:4-7
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Hebrews 10:26-27
Our second set of biblical passages to examine as we continue our study on eternal security are Hebrews chapter 6 verses 4-6 and chapter 10 verses 26-27.
The explanation of these verses is really, again, not very difficult, it simply requires that we keep everything in context. These verses cannot be taken without some small amount of thought. All one has to do is look and they will see that there is no explanation within any one of the verses to explain who they are talking about. Therefore, we must put them back in context. The old questions once taught in school, whether they still do I know not, still apply; who, what, where, when, why and how. Before you can understand a verse of Scripture you must have the answers to all of these questions.
I had six honest serving men,
They taught me all I knew,
Their names were Where and What
and When And Why and How and Who
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) English Journalist, Writer,
The secret, for lack of a better word, to understanding the book of Hebrews, to rightly dividing the book, is comprehending that there are no major divisions in it. There is no change of topic or subject. The entire book, except for the salutation and closing, is concerned with the same subject from the first chapter to the last.
Although written from a Jewish viewpoint the book is for everyone, it is the book of Romans chapters 1-7 from a Jewish perspective. It is a simple comparison between the old covenant and the new. It begins with telling how God spoke under the old, in the past, and how he now speaks through his Son. It goes on to explain who the Son is and how he is worthy of more glory than Moses or angels. It compares the Old priesthood with the new priesthood of Christ, the blood of bulls and goats with the blood of Christ, It shows that the way was not shown, under the first covenant, into the holy of holies. It compares the imperfection of the law and its requirements to that of the body, Jesus Christ, that God hath prepared for an acceptable sacrifice. Hebrews also demonstrates that the Old Testament saints were saved by faith just as the New, chapter 11.
However, the great comparison in the book of Hebrews is the comparison between belief and unbelief, faith in God and not having faith in God. If you will keep the verses in question in the context of their chapters and in the context of the entire book it is easy to see that this comparison is the subject of the passages questioned here. Take chapter 10 and look at the last verse:
Hebrews 10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
It tells you plainly that it is not the saved who are being spoken about “looking for a fearful judgment”, in verses 20 and 21, no one has lost it. The “drawing back unto perdition” is not believing unto salvation. Who are those then being spoken of? They are compared to those that “despised Moses law”.
Hebrews 10:28-29 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
The comparison is between believers and non-believers. We are they who have believed to the saving of our souls, they are they who are equated with those who “despised Moses’ law” and who have treated God’s Holy Spirit of grace contemptuously and have “trodden under foot the Son of God”.
Let us look and determine the context of the entire book of Hebrews:
Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Hebrews 3:19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Hebrews 4:6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
Hebrews 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
The whole book of Hebrews is an exhortation to believe the gospel.
Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
Yes, the gospel was preached, and rejected by those spoken about being condemned in 10:26-27. Chapter six is no different, it is a continuation of the belief-unbelief comparison.
Hebrews 6:9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
The better things are things that “accompany” or are brought about by salvation. All Israel was enlightened and tasted the heavenly gift and were partakers of the Holy Ghost, but many did not believe and fell away from the truth. The world and especially this nation has tasted also.
Hebrews 6:18-19 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
There should be no need to say more. If you will read the book of Hebrews through from start to finish a few times without stopping and get the context settled it is self-evident. Too many people read the Bible one verse at a time and never put anything into context.
II Peter 2:20-21
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. 21For 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.
2 Peter 2:20-21
We will close our current study of eternal security with II Peter chapter 2, verses 20-21. This passage is one of the staples of the lose your salvation teaching.
We are going to find that the same thing is true here in this chapter as in our other passages, the verses are taken out of context. The subject of the chapter is as there were false prophets, there are false teachers. Again, it is a comparison, a double comparison; the false teachers of chapter two contrasted against the holy men of the preceding chapter and being comparable with the false prophets of the Old Testament.
2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Verse nine gives us the comparison again.
2 Peter 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
Again, we are told who is being spoken about in verses 20 & 21?
2 Peter 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
2 Peter 2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
2 Peter 2:17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
This is not the description of the saved; these never understood. It is the false teachers; it is their judgment being spoken of.
2 Peter 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
If you will really put a little effort in our study and read chapter one, you will see that chapter two is just a continuation and the comparison is between those holy men God spoke to, who accepted God’s word and these false teachers that do not. To further cinch my contention that no one is losing their salvation the Lord gives us the example of Lot for us to understand the security of the believer.
2 Peter 2:7-8 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;
What is Lot’s testimony of faith toward God? He certainly is not one of the hero’s of the faith of Hebrews chapter eleven. He was greedy, materialistic and his family so unaccustomed to righteous living and teaching about God that the one time he is shown to preach the truth his children think he is drunk or out or his mind. He had chosen to live and remain among the sodomites for his own personal gain, to the detriment and lose of his own family. One time and one time only is Lot shown to have had faith in what God said, when he was told to flee the wrath to come. He did not live godly before or after, yet is describe as a “righteous ”man. He is put here to emphasize that God is not condemning the saved. No one is losing salvation in this chapter nor anywhere else in the Scriptures.
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
When the Spirit of God made his abode in us, we passed from being under the wrath of God to being under his grace, passing from death unto life; there is no going back.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
If I were to take the Scriptures out of their context like so many others, I would be forced to conclude that the only way to lose your salvation would be to try and keep it by works.
Galatians 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
One can make the Bible teach anything by taking its passages out of their context.
context, Context, CONTEXT
Introduction – Colossians 1:23 – Hebrews 6 & 10 – 2 Peter 2:20-21
Views: 0
