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Among people who call themselves Bible-believing, born again Christians there are primarily two different salvation messages (gospels) that are proclaimed. The gospel associated with eternal security would have you believe that:
Salvation begins in a moment’s time and is guaranteed to continue.
There is no salvation maintenance on man’s part. God will keep you, hold you and has already sealed you by His Spirit at the point of salvation assuring an entrance into the kingdom of heaven.
Sin can never bring a Christian to his spiritual death, regardless what sin is committed or false doctrine is believed.
Eternal life is a gift that can’t be lost or returned and a present tense possession for the Christian, guaranteeing an entrance into God’s kingdom.
Reaching heaven for the Christian is absolutely certain just as though he has already been in heaven for 10,000 years.
Some Christians are adulterers, drunkards, thieves, etc.
In contrast, the real gospel which rejects eternal security states that:
Salvation begins in a moment’s time and continues on, but only as long as we follow Jesus. This implies the possibility that something can adversely interfere with it, as has happened in the lives of Solomon, Saul, Judas and many others.
After getting born again (initial salvation) there is salvation maintenance on man’s part, which is under Biblical grace. If this is neglected, the Christian will inevitably drift away, turn lukewarm, grow unfruitful, become unloving and unforgiving as well as regress spiritually in other ways to the point that spiritual life is no longer present within his spirit. Man cooperates with God and enables Him to keep and hold us spiritually safe. Though God is sovereign, He will never violate man’s free will, even if it is to man’s detriment and damnation. Christians can put to death the misdeeds of the sinful nature (flesh) by the Spirit of God—never by their own ability or strength.
Sin can defile, corrupt, contaminate, soil and even bring the Christian to his spiritual death. The seal of the Holy Spirit can be broken. Consequently, we must be on our spiritual guard at all times, as we look to God for his strength and power. The Christian life is a war, fight and struggle against the deceiving forces of darkness and personal sin.
Eternal life is much more than just a gift and a present tense possession. It is also a hope (Titus 3:7) and promise (1 Jn. 2:24,25), yet to be reaped (Gal. 6:8,9), in the age to come (Mk. 10:30), but only for those who persist in doing good (Rom. 2:7) and who don’t grow weary and give up sowing to please the Spirit of God and not the sinful nature (Gal. 6:8,9).
The only salvation assurance the Bible offers is a present tense salvation assurance for the person who is presently following Jesus and trusting in Him for his own personal salvation (1 Jn. 5:11-13). In other words, the faith needed to enter God’s paradise kingdom is a trusting, submitting and enduring faith. To enter God’s kingdom, we must endure hardships and persecutions as we continue to live holy as Jesus’ disciples in this wicked and adulterous generation. Sadly, continuing in the faith and holiness has not always happened for others in times past.
It is impossible to be a Christian at the same time as being an adulterer, drunkard, thief, or such as is cited in 1 Cor. 6:9,10; Rev. 21:8; Eph. 5:5-7; Mk. 7:20-22. To teach that such is possible is to twist the holy image of being a Christian (a saint) into something which allows for wickedness. Eternal security is a dangerous myth, which has many on the road to hell thinking they are on the road to heaven because they once had a moment of true faith which brought regeneration. Please see our book, The Believer’s Conditional Security for much more information.
The gospel based on eternal security is built upon partial truths presented as the whole truth and various Scriptural distortions, as well as misrepresenting the true Christian gospel and grace. Jude was adamant and clear in his epistle about those who change grace into a license for immorality. He said they are godless people, who don’t have the Spirit of God and for whom blackest darkness has been prepared. Paul stated that to preach a false gospel (another gospel) is cause enough for eternal condemnation. OSAS doctrine is a false gospel, as well as a heresy.
