False Teachings Regarding the Eternal Security of Willfully  Sinning Christians

 Can Christians Lose Their Salvation?

QUESTION: Can a Christian who continually sins against God lose their salvation?

ANSWER from false teacher: My belief in salvation is based on the Power and Purpose of God. I rejoice that my salvation has nothing to do with the kind of person I am or the things I can do. None of us has the power within ourselves to save ourselves or keep ourselves saved. What we do is humbly accept God's Gift of Eternal Life and love and serve Him forever. Our actions can displease God. That's obvious from the Words of Christ and the Apostles' letters. Displeasing God led Him to cut off people from their future in the past. He will do so again in future days. Will God cut off Christians from their salvation? I don't see it.
Paul told the Corinthian Church to hand a brother over to Satan "so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord." (1 Corinthians 5:5) Paul wrote the Corinthians again several months later and asked them to forgive and comfort the man so he wouldn't be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Paul urged them to reaffirm their love for him. "The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him." (2 Corinthians 1:5-11Paul told the Corinthian Church to hand a brother over to Satan "so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord." (1 Corinthians 5:5) Paul wrote the Corinthians again several months later and asked them to forgive and comfort the man so he wouldn't be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Paul urged them to reaffirm their love for him. We ministers of the Gospel should call every Christian to the purest of lifestyles. Nothing less is worthy of our Lord. Paul calls on Christians to live holy lives and he meant business. He gives no quarter. He stands for no shenanigans. He lifts the standard high and does not allow it to move an inch lower. But Paul doesn't damn Christians to hell. He doesn't frighten them with the horror of losing their very souls for acts of sinful indulgence. He warns them of the misery sin will bring them in this life, but he doesn't strip them of the Holy Spirit and send them headlong into the Pit.

That is not our message. That is not our Gospel. We preach the Gospel of God's Love and Grace. We also preach a message of holiness and purity. We preach a Gospel of excellence and truth and nobility and righteousness and justice. We preach a message that is praiseworthy. We know that as we practice our Gospel "the God of peace will be with you."

That's our hope, our joy, our life. I am forever encouraged by the purity of His Word.--end quotation

This writer wrote: "My belief in salvation is based on the Power and Purpose of God. I rejoice that my salvation has nothing to do with the kind of person I am or the things I can do."

Lisa's comments:

What is the power and purpose of God in salvation? To be conformed to the image of his dear Son (Rom. 8:29), to be God's workmanship created UNTO good works (Eph. 2:10), to be led by the Spirit of God (Rom. 8:14), to be delivered from the power of darkness (Col. 1:13), to be free from sin and servants of righteousness (Rom. 6:18), to be subject to Christ (Eph. 5:24), to , deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world (Titus 2:12), to depart from iniquity (2 Tim. 2:19), walk in the light (1 Jn. 1:7), walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4), walk after the spirit (Rom. 8:1), led of the Spirit (Gal. 5:18) and more.

Salvation has everything to do with the kind of person Jesus Christ has made you--a new creation in Christ Jesus in which "ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."

To continue quoting the writer: 

"None of us has the power within ourselves to save ourselves or keep ourselves saved. What we do is humbly accept God's Gift of Eternal Life and love and serve Him forever." Lisa's comments- Yes, it is God who can keep us from falling: Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,-Jude 1:24. But obedience within his keeping is strongly evident in scripture. We must stand fast: "Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle."-2 Thess. 2:15; "For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord; "Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.-Phil. 4:1; Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong." and others.

The writer asserts: 

"Our actions can displease God. That's obvious from the Words of Christ and the Apostles letters. Displeasing God led Him to cut off people from their future in the past. He will do so again in future days. Will God cut off Christians from their salvation? I don't see it." 

Lisa's comments: Paul used the words, "cut off" when he cautioned Christians to "continue in his goodness": 

"Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.-Rom. 11:22 

Please read this verse in context and you will discover that contiuing in his goodness refers to continuing in his holiness. This definitely refers to the believer's salvation.

This writer then went on to say: 

"Paul told the Corinthian Church to hand a brother over to Satan "so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord." (1 Corinthians 5:5) Paul wrote the Corinthians again several months later and asked them to forgive and comfort the man so he wouldn't be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Paul urged them to reaffirm their love for him."

 Lisa's comments: 

This procedure, better known as church discipline, is rarely done in churches today. And yes, this procedure is for the purpose of restoring the believer to the Lord and to his brethren. By the way, the phrase "sinful nature" is not in the real Bible, the King James. The phrase is really "destruction of the flesh", and that is what happens if a godly congregation executes this righteous judgment. The believer thus "handed over" will have much trouble in his flesh and find Satan to work against him rather than aid and reward him in his fall from the Lord. God actually makes Satan an unwilling servant in the restoration of the Christian.

The writer continued:

"Paul wrote the Corinthians again several months later and asked them to forgive and comfort the man so he wouldn't be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Paul urged them to reaffirm their love for him."'

Lisa's note: This is exactly what must be done if the believer has repented.

The writer then wrote something so far from scripture but merges with the flow of modern teaching today:

"Paul calls on Christians to live holy lives and he meant business. He gives no quarter. He stands for no shenanigans. He lifts the standard high and does not allow it to move an inch lower. But Paul doesn't damn Christians to hell. He doesn't frighten them with the horror of losing their very souls for acts of sinful indulgence."

-Lisa's comments:

 I have no problem with the beginning portion of this statement. This is scriptural truth. Paul did lift the standard high and he wrote as moved by the Holy Ghost. But the writer's assertion that Paul didn't frighten believers with the horror of losing their own souls for acts of sinful indulgence is a doctrine of devils because it is devilishly untrue! Paul warned believers what sinful indulgences would guarantee that they would not inherit the kingdom of God! Paul did not, of course, damn anyone to hell, but he did WARN the believers to be not deceived about engaging in unrighteous behavior because they would go to hell: "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."-1 Cor. 6:9-10

There are other verses where Paul warns that those participating in these sins will NOT inherit the kingdom of God (they will go to Hell): Gal. 5:21, Eph. 5:5.

It is a lie that Christians will not reap what they sow. It is a lie that grace replaces obedience. It is a lie that grace offers us an escape from hell while we continue to engage in the pleasures of sin. It is a lie that grace covers sin that is not repented from and continually indulged in! It is a doctrine of devils that believers are eternally secure without standing fast, without obeying God's Word, without denying ourselves and picking up our cross, and without suffering persecution! It is a LIE that Christians that continually sin against God can not forfeit their salvation!

Paul explained plainly that God is NOT mocked and that whatsoever a man reaps that shall he sow. If he sows to his flesh he will reap corruption and if he sows to the Spirit he will reap everlasting life. Only believers have the ability to choose what they will sow to. Unbelievers will sow to the flesh and they will reap corruption. Believers can choose to sow to the flesh OR to the spirit. Grace does not enable believers to mock God and not be held accountable for it! We are not held accountable for our past sins (before salvation), because we committed them in ignorance of the grace of God. But now we are the sons of God and as such have the Spirit of God. Those who are the sons of God are able to be led by the Spirit of God. If we allow the Spirit of God to lead us, we will not live to please our flesh and thus mock God. God makes every provision for us to be kept eternally secure if we would only submit to his word.

We recommend the book, Secure in Christ, by Dr. Cathy Burns. 

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