Eternal Security In
Obedience
by Joseph R.
Chambers
The believer has "eternal
security" in obedience. He does not have "eternal security" in disobedience.
John Calvin himself did not preach "eternal security" in sin, rebellion, or
disobedience. The controversy between Calvinism and Arminianism has been
elevated far beyond the teaching of either of these great men. The devil himself
loves a debate as foolish as this one.
To suggest that God excuses the sin in a
believer so that he remains under God's grace regardless of his sin is blasphemy
to God's Word. Also, to suggest that a believer can be in grace one day and
bound for hell the next is equally foolish. The believer, when he is sealed by
the Holy Ghost, will not practice sin and must literally turn from God, break
the seal of the Holy Ghost, and trample over the mercies of God to go back to
the beggarly elements of the world. God always gives His children space to
repent and then after such a display of Holy Ghost conviction, the once obedient
child is blotted out of God's Book of Life. "He that overcometh, the same
shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the
book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his
angels." (Revelation 3:5).
The Bible teaches "responsibility" in our
life, not "irresponsibility". When we tell people that they are secure in
salvation even when they are living in sin, we violate every truth about God's
holiness in Scripture. The bottom line of the believer's responsibility is found
in the Sermon on the Mount. "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they
shall see God." (Matthew 5:8).
The grace of God does not make you pure
in disobedience, the grace makes you pure in obedience. Apostle Paul nailed that
truth to the wall in his letter to the Romans. "What shall we say then? Shall
we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are
dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were
baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried
with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead
by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For
if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also
in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified
with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not
serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin." (Romans
6:1-7).
The church is full of "sinning saints"
and the House of God has fallen into reproach. The Paw Creek family must make a
difference.
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