Chapter 12
Three Dangers
If you’re an OSAS proponent, before you reject this thesis as a possibility, please closely consider the following Scripturally-based arguments. Don’t let anyone or anything bind you to an unscriptural teaching.
The First Danger: Sin
Paul wrote the churches in Galatia (1:2) and, among others things, listed the acts of the sinful nature in Gal. 5:19-21:
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like (NIV).
Then he immediately issued the most severe warning possible:
. . . I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God (v. 21, NIV).
The words in verse 21, I warn you, as I did before show that Paul regularly taught this truth cited in verses 19-21 to Christians in various churches throughout the region of Galatia.
Furthermore, this warning was of the possibility of them not inheriting the kingdom of God. Ponder the implications of this. Paul repeatedly warned those already saved that various sins could stop them from entering the kingdom of God. This is something that only a person who embraces a conditional security for the believer could do. In other words, Paul could not have been an advocate of OSAS and still warn Christians as he did in this fashion. It’s an impossibility!
We can also conclude from this that a Christian’s doctrine can be 100% sound in every area, yet he will still go to eternal fire if his sinful nature is in control of his life!
The Galatians
Surely OSAS proponents will object and say that Paul wasn’t addressing Christians in the book of Galatians. Therefore, let’s see if the book of Galatians was written to Christians or not.
Paul preached the gospel to them (4:13), they accepted it (1:9), became his spiritual children (4:19), and were running a good spiritual race (5:7) before false teachers came along and threw them into confusion (5:10). Even more clear is Gal. 3:2, which shows in question form that they received the Holy Spirit by their belief (or faith), which would be impossible for the unsaved.
Undoubtedly then, Paul issued this most severe warning multiple times to real Christians, because it was still possible for them to miss heaven!
Notice that Paul did not say they would merely miss out on eternal rewards, treasures and/or crowns, as some say! Neither did he merely say their fellowship with God would be adversely affected! Instead, he said they, who were Christians at the moment, could still definitely miss heaven altogether! Why? Because of certain sins, as he cited.
Paul In Disguise
If Paul in a disguise could stand in many so-called “evangelical” churches today and speak out the exact words of Gal. 5:19-21 for the first time to those present, he would probably be falsely charged with implying that he was teaching we keep ourselves saved by our own good works. Some might even falsely accuse him of not understanding grace or the keeping power of a loving God. Yet others might possibly accuse Paul of downplaying the infinite work of Christ or being legalistic.
Again, no OSAS teacher could ever issue such a helpful and important warning of ultimate spiritual danger to Christians that they could still not inherit the kingdom of God, as Paul did in these verses!
This proves that his understanding of Scriptural grace must have been much different than is being presented today by the OSAS teachers and authors. Since the grace of OSAS is diametrically opposed to Paul’s, then he could not have been an OSAS adherent. In fact, by teaching as he did, he was actually fighting against this type of doctrine.
One OSAS teacher wrote the following about this passage:
The apostle included the sober warning that those ‘who do such things [i.e., habitually practice these sins] shall not inherit the kingdom of God’ (v.21). He was not saying that Christians can lose their salvation by committing any of these sins mentioned but that the habitual practice of such sins would indicate that the people committing them are not saved.[1]
Please note the following:
(1) Levy is right in saying it is a habitual practice of sin in this passage, as the Greek shows. However, other similar passages condemn certain people, who are identified by their related sin, long before it’s a habitual practice! Lev. 20:10 states:
If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and adulteress must be put to death (NIV).
Though we don’t carry out this punishment under the New Testament, nonetheless we can learn from this Scripture. According to that passage, one clearly doesn’t have to habitually practice adultery to be an adulterer or adulteress.
(2) To attribute Levy’s interpretation to this passage is also to ignore the obvious and cloud the issue. Certainly, those who habitually practiced the sins cited are not saved, but that wasn’t the point Paul was making to those Christians. Instead, he was speaking directly to them and warning them, as he had done previously, of a real danger which still existed for them even though they had already been saved. That obvious danger was them not inheriting the kingdom of God because of sin!
Warnings
A real warning is always related to a real danger. Since the Bible is true from cover to cover, then the danger to which Paul referred in verse 21 was real.
Though disturbing, to be warned of a danger is advantageous, for it will put one more on guard. For example, to know that a hurricane, flood, earthquake, forest fire, snowstorm, etc. is about to occur can save lives. To withhold a warning of such is to jeopardize the health and welfare of people. This is one of the dangers latent within OSAS.
The advantage of this type of Pauline warning issued to the Galatian Christians is not only missing, but clearly denied by the OSAS teachers, as Levy demonstrates with his explanation. As a result, spiritual harm, to some undetermined degree, occurs to those who listen to and accept OSAS as Biblical fact.
Advocates of OSAS, therefore, are at a great disadvantage just like in the natural if a warning is omitted or explained away, but in this case much more so because this will stretch throughout eternity. The disadvantage is proportionate to the danger, which in this case, is the ultimate danger of eternal suffering in fire!
Because of various ideas about Scriptural warnings, we need to focus in upon a passage dealing with such:
The LORD warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: “Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your fathers to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.” But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their fathers, who did not trust in the LORD their God. They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their fathers and the warnings he had given them. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the LORD had ordered them, “Do not do as they do,” and they did the things the LORD had forbidden them to do. . . . The Israelites persisted in all the sins of Jeroboam and did not turn away from them until the LORD removed them from his presence, as he had warned through all his servants the prophets. So the people of Israel were taken from their homeland into exile in Assyria, and they are still there (2 Ki. 17:13-23,NIV).
From Scripture then, we learn that God’s warnings are:
● real and not just hypothetical;
● don’t always make the subjects warned respond properly; and
● are executed if not heeded, since God is faithful.
This is how we must view Gal. 5:19-21, even though such is antithetical to the OSAS doctrine.
Romans 8:13
A corroborating verse to Gal. 5:19-21 is Rom. 8:13 which reads:
For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live (NIV).
Please notice that the death promised to Christians who decide to live according to the sinful nature has to be spiritual death, and not physical death, since only those Christians who live according to the sinful nature will die in that sense.
Also, according to Jesus, when the Prodigal Son decided to live according to his sinful nature, he did not die physically (or prematurely) but did die spiritually (Lk. 15:24,32)! We know that this is spiritual death because it is equated with being lost in the same verses.
Moreover, the chapter context deals with three different examples of lost people who caused rejoicing at the point of their salvation. Besides the Prodigal, there were the lost sheep and the lost coin.
The true grace teacher in Rom. 8:13 reveals a side of grace that far too many in our day are not aware of and would never want to understand. He was clear and most definite that spiritual death would result if one chooses to live according to the sinful nature (Rom. 8:13). That was very similar to his message in Gal. 5:19-21.
Unlike what some are teaching, Paul taught that even after the Savior’s death, personal sin for the Christian is still such an issue with God that it could exclude him from the kingdom!
Galatians 6:7,8
Paul also wrote:
. . . A man reaps what he sows. 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 (Gal. 6:7,8, NIV).
Though you probably heard these sowing and reaping verses used many other ways, the context limits its usage only to a person sowing to please his sinful nature or sowing to please the Spirit.
Hal Lindsey, however, would declare the aforementioned interpretation (that would jeopardize his OSAS doctrine) as being jerked out of context, while he offers a very different interpretation:
Now some of you may be saying, “All right, Hal, if God never punishes us for our sins, what about Galatians 6:7 which says, ‘Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a mansows, this he will also reap’”?
This verse is jerked out of context by so many Christians that it’s incredible. The verse just before this one says, “And let the one who is taught the Word share all good things with him who teaches” (Galatians 6:6). This context is talking about supporting financially the one who gives himself to studying and teaching the Bible. . . .
This concept of “whatsoever a man sows, he shall also reap” is concerned with investing our money in God’s work and the reward or lack of reward for our stewardship.[2]
Lindsey applies a man reaps what he sows to verse 6 instead of verse 8, which is unfortunate. Verse 6 reads:
Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches (NKJV).
Paul was writing about a different subject in verse 6—supporting a Bible teacher. Verse 7 clearly is linked to verses 8 and 9 by the words reap and sows. Then verse 10 has a concluding comment to verses 7-9 which is easily identified by the word therefore. Verses 7-10 read:
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 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 (NIV).
Paul’s Assurance Message
In Eph. 5:5-7, another very similar truth (as cited in Gal. 5:19-21), was given to the Christians at Ephesus. Paul assured them of the following:
For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them (NIV).
The following observations can be made from these three verses:
(1) God’s wrath is equated with him not allowing the immoral, impure or greedy people into his kingdom. This fact about God is not just limited to him doing so only to those who never had a moment of true faith, but to all who would be disobedient in that fashion!
(2) Any message contradictory to Eph. 5:5-7 is empty words though it might be sprinkled with Biblical terminology from glib, religious teachers in influential positions who speak authoritatively!
(3) Christians can be deceived by this type of empty teaching about sin’s serious consequences. Friend, as Paul wrote, let no one deceive you even if you hear such on TV, radio or from any pastor’s pulpit (even your own)!
(4) A real Christian can indeed commit these sins, and hence forfeit his inheritance.
(5) If one is immoral, impure or greedy he is not saved as his sin shows his heart condition, or his lack of faith and love for God at the moment, though he might have been truly saved in the past, still presently professes to be saved and still attends, as we say in our day, “church.”
Paul repeats this basic truth in yet a different passage, 1 Cor. 6:9,10.
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God (NIV).
There are many Christians today who are deceived about these sins, even though we have these clear Biblical statements. Many have been deceived by OSAS teachers! Under their kind of grace such sins can be committed without any danger of not inheriting the kingdom of God.
Romans 8:35-39
Rom. 8:35-39 is commonly cited in such a way by the OSAS teachers as to convey the meaning to be that even certain sins, though the word sin is not listed, cannot separate Christians from the love of Christ, thereby suggesting that God’s children are unconditionally secure, regardless of their present or future sins.
Cal Beisner wrote:
Nothing can separate the believer from the love of Christ—nothing in all creation, and God Himself will not separate the believer from Him (Romans 8:35-39, cf. vv. 32-34; John 10:27-29)[3] (italics his).
This, however, cannot be the meaning of Rom. 8:35-39 since sin most definitely does separate from God as Isa. 59:2 clearly declares.
But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear (NIV).
Spiritual death is separation from the life of God (Eph. 4:18), but not the love of Christ (Mk. 10:21)! Surprisingly, Jesus loved (agapao) the hell-bound, unforgiven, enemy of God and rejecter of truth commonly called the rich, young ruler.
Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me (Mk. 10:21, KJV).
In other words, unsaved people who now have the wrath of God abiding on them (Jn. 3:36) are loved by Christ too!
Finally, regarding Rom. 8:35-39, Jude 21 says:
Keep yourselves in God’s love . . . (NIV).
[Notice our own human responsibility in keeping ourselves in God’s love.]
Though uncertain, Jude might have written that Holy Spirit inspired passage with Hos. 9:15 in mind:
All their wickedness is in Gilgal, For there I hated them. Because of the evil of their deeds I will drive them from My house; I will love them no more. All their princes are rebellious (NKJV).
Jn. 14:21 tells us something else about God’s love that isn’t commonly taught:
He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him (NKJV).
James 1:14,15
The process from temptation to spiritual death through sin is laid out by James:
But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death (Jam. 1:14,15, NIV).
If certain sins can exclude a Christian from the kingdom (Gal. 5:19-21; 6:7,8; Eph. 5:5-7), and give birth to death (Jam. 1:14,15; cf. Lk. 15:24,32), then sin can separate us from the life of God. Remember these important truths when interpreting Rom. 8:35-39.
With all these clear Scriptures, why then do the OSAS teachers limit sin’s power to the believer? For some it could be that they are so concerned with ministry size and numbers that they do not say anything that might offend a supporter or cause him to leave and go to another congregation, at the expense of truth and souls. Such ministers need to repent!
On the other hand, Paul was very open and forthright regarding his strong message about sin. Unlike Paul, sadly many pastors and evangelists in our hour are unwilling to risk being misunderstood and to be labeled divisive over God’s truth on this issue related to salvation. Because of such, eternal souls continue to be jeopardized.
Washed, Then Goes Back
The Apostle Peter wrote:
If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: ‘A dog returns to its vomit,’ and ‘A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud’(2 Pet. 2:20-22, NIV).
In spite of its clarity, there are some who say this passage does not refer to a person once saved, who afterwards got entangled again in the pollutions of the world and finally ended up again in a lost spiritual condition! Their reasoning is that these were only enlightened lost people who never did accept Christ. They were always dogs and sows and never became sheep:
In this chapter, from verses 1 and 2 it is easily seen that the Lord is not talking to saved people at all but to enlightened lost people who return to their sins and do not accept Christ.[4]
John Murray, who wrote the introduction to a modern version of Calvin’s Institutes and referred to it as the “opus magnum of Christian theology,”[5] similarly stated elsewhere about the people in 2 Pet 2:20-22:
The Scripture itself, therefore, leads us to the conclusion that it is possible to have very uplifting, ennobling, reforming, and exhilarating experience of the power and truth of the gospel, to come into such close contact with the supernatural forces which are operative in God’s kingdom of grace that these forces produce effects in us which to human observation are hardly distinguishable from those produced by God’s regenerating and sanctifying grace and yet be not partakers of Christ and heirs of eternal life.[6]
The way dog and sow are used by Peter makes only the following point: they returned to sin (vomit) just like a dog in the natural does; and went back to a completely sinful lifestyle (wallowing in the mud) just like a female hog after being washed.
Remember, these people in question clearly did, at an earlier point, “escape the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” This is the same kind of description that Peter uses in chapter 1, verses 3 and 4, which clearly refers to the saved.
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires (2 Pet. 1:3,4, NIV).
2 Pet. 2:15 also implies the ones Peter referred to were once saved:
They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness (NIV).
Also, it is unscriptural to declare that one can escape the corruption of the world and remain unsaved!
Moreover, it is only through the blood of Jesus Christ and his wonderful salvation that one can escape slavery to sin and become free (Jn. 8:34-36; Rev. 1:5b). Regrettably, in an effort to explain away 2 Pet. 2:20-22, OSAS teachers imply that Jesus’ cleansing blood isn’t the only way to escape the corruption in the world!
Furthermore, Peter wrote of people who were washed before they returned to sin’s bondages. Again, it is only by the blood of Jesus Christ that one is washed and that occurs at the point of forgiveness (1 Cor. 6:11 cf. Rev. 7:14)!
The spiritual condition of these people whom Peter wrote of went from slaves of depravity to freedom from sin’s bondages to slaves of depravity for the second time (2 Pet. 2:19,20).
When they were free from sin they knew the way of righteousness (2 Pet. 2:21), which is another way of describing Jesus (Mt. 21:32)! Therefore, Jesus enabled them to escape sin’s bondages!
Finally, they turned their backs on the sacred command (2 Pet. 2:21), which is shown in 1 Jn. 3:23:
. . . to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us (NIV).
Clearly, for the people Peter wrote of, their latter slavery to sin is worse and they themselves are unsaved again at this point.
Hebrews 3:12-14
How could anyone improve upon the Holy Spirit inspired words of Heb. 3:12-14, which seem to be a key in understanding this part of our controversy about what sin can do in the life of a Christian:
See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the Living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first (NIV).
Also, the word if in Heb. 3:14 shows a condition to share in Christ in this sense. That condition is to hold firmly till the end, according to this passage.
In contrast to what you just read about the human responsibility of holding firm as in Heb. 3:14, OSAS teaching shifts the responsibility on God:
It is God’s omnipotent, sovereign power that guards us and guarantees our final victory. God, the ultimate Judge, has justified us in Christ, made us heirs with Him, and has given us His Spirit to ensure that the good work He started in us will be perfected (Phil. 1:6). He is able to keep us from stumbling, and to make us “stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy” (Jude 24). Not even Satan himself can condemn us (Rom. 8:33), so rather than fearing the loss of our inheritance we should continually rejoice in God’s great grace and mercy.[7]
God won’t ever neglect his responsibilities and he is certainly able to keep and guard us, but we can neglect our Christian responsibilities, through our own free will, to our eternal loss as many Scriptural examples infer. Obviously, the Prodigal was responsible for his own neglect, which led to his lost condition. Can’t we also conclude the same about Solomon, Saul, those on the rock and others?
Not Just The Unbelieving
William Pettingill wrote:
And on the other hand, it is clear from Scripture that the unsaved sinner, unless he gets saved, will finally be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death (Rev. 20:15; 21:8).[8]
Like other OSAS proponents, Pettingill limits Rev. 21:8 to only the unbelieving, that is, for them one who never gets saved. But that verse does not put such limitations on who will be thrown into the lake of burning sulfur:
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death (Rev. 21:8, KJV).
Please note how clear it is that the unbelieving are not the only group that will be thrown into the lake of fire.
While Jn. 3:18 might seem to imply this, Rev. 21:8 supplements that verse with added truth. The cowardly, sexually immoral and all the liars, just to mention three, will be there too. Therefore, for the OSAS adherents to say that unbelief in Christ is the only sin that will send one to hell is unscriptural!
Also, unbelief in Christ is not blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, as Mk. 3:29,30 show.
The Final Warning To Christians
The Bible ends with a warning to Christians:
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to them the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book (Rev. 22:18,19, NIV).
It is clear that this warning applies to the saved, for only a saved person can have taken away from him his share in the tree of life and the holy city, New Jerusalem! The KJV says book of life instead of tree of life.
We further learn in Rev. 2:7 that Jesus promises those already saved, if they overcome they will have the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. But this same person (the overcomer) can later have this negated, according to Rev. 22:18,19!
Moreover, only those who have their names written in the Lamb’s book of life have access to the holy city, New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:27). All others will be thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15). Yet one can lose his share to the holy city if he takes words away from this book of prophecy (Rev. 22:18,19)! Clearly, then, the believer’s security is conditional and not unconditional.
Finally, the warning of Rev. 22:18,19 was written to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of the book of Revelation, which certainly included millions of Christians over the centuries. This should be especially apparent since Revelation was directly written to the seven churches in Asia (1:11)!
We should not be surprised that OSAS defenders like Pettingill would write:
It is not to believers but rather to rebels that God addresses the terrible warning of verses 18 and 19.[9]
Just the mere fact that such a warning holds a very real danger for Christians, as previously shown, disproves OSAS. If OSAS was true, such a warning to real Christians could never be issued, since it would be an impossibility for them to lose their share in the holy city.
For additional information on sin, see the Chapter 7, The Truth About Sin.
The Second Danger:
False Doctrine About Salvation
Does false doctrine about salvation carry with it the potential of causing one to lose eternal
life? Paul, writing to Christians, declared,
Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace (Gal. 5:2-4, NIV).
Clearly, the doctrine of justification (or salvation) is the focal point here.
After Paul left the area of Galatia, these real Christians were actually deserting God by turning to a different gospel (1:6) that was preached by people who did perverted the gospel of Christ (1:7). It seems that their false salvation message included observing special days and months and seasons and years (Gal. 4:10), circumcision (5:2,3,6,11,12; 6:12-15) and trying to be justified by observing the law (3:10; 5:4). That type of message carried with it the ultimate danger, even for Christians. Hence, this led to Paul’s Holy Spirit inspired anathemas in Gal. 1:8,9 for anyone who would preach a wrong plan of salvation!
Please reread Gal. 5:2-4 again and focus in upon the following facts:
(1) Christ will be of no value to them at all if they accept this false salvation plan, even though they were saved in the past. No value at all must include their salvation from the lake of fire, since one can’t be saved from this horrible place without Christ.
(2) They would be alienated from Christ to the place where they have fallen away from grace. (You can’t fall away from grace if you were never in it to begin with!) Since we are clearly saved by grace (Eph. 2:8,9), then they would no longer be saved, since they would have fallen away from the very thing that brings salvation (Titus 2:11).
Notice what OSAS authors wrote about falling from grace.
Many who profess to believe fall away, but they do not fall from grace for they were never in grace. True believers do fall into temptations, and they do commit grievous sins, but these sins do not cause them to lose their salvation or separate them from Christ.[10]
What is falling from grace? Is it losing one’s salvation? No.[11] (bold emphasis his).
In other words, in contrast to Paul’s God-given report, OSAS declares that it is impossible for a real Christian to lose his salvation by falling from grace and no kind of sin can negate our salvation. (By the way, one does not fall from grace through sin, but by accepting a wrong plan of salvation after initial salvation. This was Paul’s concern in this passage.)
Furthermore, to say one doesn’t lose his salvation through falling from grace is to say that one can have salvation without having Christ! Gal. 5:2 states that for the same people who fall from grace (v. 4), Christ will be of no value at all. This can only mean no salvation.
Paul’s Gospel Of Grace
The type of warning you just read from Paul, regarding receiving a false plan of salvation, was even part of his gospel message declared everywhere! In 1 Cor. 15:2 Paul wrote:
By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain (NIV).
First, Paul stated that we are saved by the gospel, but only if we continue to hold firmly to the word he preached, that is, the true gospel. The human responsibility of holding firm to the gospel for salvation’s sake was clearly and openly attached to the original gospel of grace. It, therefore, can’t be a violation of true grace to do this!
Second, if we don’t continue to hold firmly to the true doctrine of salvation, then we who have believed in Christ believed in vain, according to Paul. Only a Christian could believe in vain, as Paul called it. So again we see that the Apostle Paul could not have believed in OSAS, as is also evident by this clear passage.
Perhaps because 1 Cor. 15:2 is so clearly a problem verse for OSAS proponents, it is somewhat common to see such proponents avoid or skip over it when referring to Paul’s description of the gospel from 1 Corinthians 15. This is usually done with ellipsis:
Only one declaration is required while going through customs. “I declare unto you the gospel . . . that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day” (1 Cor. 15:1,3,4).[12]
That Word is the gospel defined in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: “I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and in which ye stand; By which also ye are saved . . . that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”[13]
Sometimes 1 Cor. 15:2 is just plainly omitted when reporting the gospel. Dave Hunt has done this after he started to cite verse 1:
Any other gospel than the true gospel will not save but will damn. Paul tells us what the true gospel is. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verses 1 through 4. He says, “I am reminding you of the gospel that I preached unto you that you received wherein you stand and by which you are saved. How that Christ died.” He says, “I delivered to you what I also received,” the same thing he said to the Galatians. He received it from Christ. “How that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” That’s the gospel. It’s very simple.[14]
Hunt’s gospel, which he defends, has no room for Paul’s conditional security for the believer, as cited in verse 2. Hence, as with other OSAS defenders, this verse has been obviously avoided.
John Declares The Same
But what about the other apostles of Christ, did they all teach the same way as Paul did regarding the danger of a Christian accepting a false plan of salvation? The answer is an obvious yes.
Perhaps the clearest similar stand alongside Paul comes from the Apostle John. In 1 Jn. 2:24,25 John wrote:
See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us—even eternal life (NIV).
Clearly, the context from verses 21 through 27 reveals that John’s concern was false doctrine being taught by false teachers.
Notice the conditional word if in verse 24. John believed a danger existed through false doctrine about salvation that could affect Christians not remaining in the Son and the Father.
Furthermore, since Christ is our hope of glory (Col. 1:27), to be without him is to be without the hope of entering the kingdom of God! Obviously, the Apostle John wasn’t an OSAS adherent either!
John also wrote the following to “the chosen lady and her children” (2 Jn. 1):
Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son (2 Jn. 9, NIV).
The implications are obvious—we must continue with certain doctrine or we will not continue to have God.
According to these clear Biblical passages stating the necessity of continuing in the truth about salvation, if a true Christian in our day would convert over to a religious system that teaches a wrong plan of salvation (or another gospel), and believe that plan of salvation, then he/she would fall from grace and no longer remain in Christ.
Of course, this could only be contradicted by OSAS teachers. The deceased Walter Martin has done this with Christians getting involved in the most serious false doctrines, without losing their salvation:
Christians are not immune to having their minds corrupted. The Bible says that you will not lose your soul. But the Bible says your mind can be corrupted from the simplicity that’s in Christ. 2 Corinthians chapter 11 says you can be deceived and led astray. I have met Christians who have been led astray by psychic phenomena, who have been led astray by the kingdom of the cults and the occult.[15]
Based on OSAS, even if a Christian gets deceived by the cults and the occult, he cannot lose his salvation. Hence, this implication of OSAS would lead one to think there are some Christian cultists and Christian occultists! Wow.
Another similar teaching, because of OSAS, pertains to baptismal regeneration:
The conclusion of this study must be that baptismal regeneration teaches “another gospel” by adding a requirement for salvation which Scripture does not teach.
But does this mean that all members of groups teaching baptismal regeneration are “accursed” (Galatians 1:8-9)? No. Those who, though they now believe otherwise, began by believing that they were saved entirely by grace through faith remain saved (John 10:27-29; 1 Peter 1:4-9). They are simply in error.[16]
There’s an infinite difference between the OSAS simply in error and Paul’s fallen from grace and believed in vain. John would side with Paul regarding those who doctrinally defect to this degree by his statement that such do not have God.
The difference here between OSAS and the Lord’s apostles is as great as the kingdom of God is from the lake of fire.
The seriousness of a Christian accepting a false plan of salvation after his own conversion is not only reflected in Gal. 5:2-4; 1 Cor. 15:2; 1 Jn. 2:24,25 and 2 Jn. 9, but also inferred from Acts 15. The false teaching presented to the Christians was:
Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved (v. 1, NIV).
Paul and Barnabas reacted with a sharp dispute and debate with them (v. 2). Why? Their false message about salvation, if accepted, would cause those already saved to fall from grace, as already shown (Gal. 5:2-4)! Hence, Paul was being a faithful shepherd by publicly standing against this false doctrine about salvation.
From this section of our study, it should be clear that sound doctrine is extremely important, especially when it is, directly or indirectly, related to the salvation message!
Regarding the importance of sound doctrine, Paul told Titus:
You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine (2:1, NIV).
Also, one of the Scriptural requirements to be an elder is:
He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it (Titus 1:9, NIV).
To refute those who oppose sound doctrine, therefore, cannot be divisive as some wrongly claim!
The Third Danger: Persecution
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3:12, KJV).
Also, Jesus said:
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also (Jn. 15:20, KJV).
These passages immediately make the subject of persecution very relevant to the Christian, since such will definitely come his way in one form or another.
Persecution Is A Test
Regarding this, a very important parable (the Parable of the Sower) declares there are four different types of people who hear the word of God. The second type mentioned “believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away” (Lk. 8:13, NIV). In Mt. 13:21, the explanation of this type of person is given:
But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away (NIV).
This type of person does not continue to live spiritually because of persecution.
Please realize, therefore, that persecution doesnot come to build us up or promote growth, as some OSAS teachers wrongly proclaim. Neither does it come to weed out the mere professing believers from the real Christians, as others teach. The word of God is given to build us up (Acts 20:32) and for growth (1 Pet. 2:2). Persecution comes as a test (Lk. 8:13 cf. Mt. 13:21; Acts 20:19; Rev. 2:10) which will cause some genuine Christians to fall away or die spiritually!
Furthermore, the Scriptural meaning of fall away in context is die as evidenced by the withered plants. To fall away is equated here with ceasing to believe. The seed (or word of God) produced (spiritual) life, for there was a living plant that afterwards withered, or as Jesus taught, such “believe for a while, but in the time of testing, they fall away.”
Notice: after they initially believed through the word of God in such a way as to produce life, they ceased believing. Such occurred because of the persecution or trouble in their lives that came from the word of God. Clearly then, persecution for godly living can potentially be spiritually fatal to the real Christian!
Again, from the Parable of the Sower, we see that it is possible for a Christian to have a genuine, life-producing faith that doesn’t continue, as evident in Jesus’ words, believe for a while.
The OSAS teachers are wrong to say it was “a temporary faith,”[17] meaning that such people never had a true faith, since it didn’t endure. One can only wonder, how could a temporary faith be equated with a false faith, since such did produce spiritual life?
Similar to that faulty interpretation is what we read in the notes for Lk. 8:13 of The NIV Study Bible. It wrongly states:
This kind of belief is superficial and does not save. It is similar to what James calls ‘dead’ (Jas 2:17,26) or ‘useless’ faith (Jas 2:20).[18]
The point made by Jesus regarding this type of person, is that there was real spiritual life produced by the word of God and personal faith that didn’t endure. It wasn’t a dead faith, as James 2 mentions, for it produced genuine, spiritual life that lasted until the persecution came and the spiritual life, at that point, was terminated. In other words, it wasn’t a dead faith, but a living faith that became dead!
Unfortunately, besides The NIV Study Bible, other study Bibles (and reference Bibles) slip in OSAS from time to time. The Ryrie Study Bible, MacArthur Study Bible and the Scofield Reference Bible are some other examples.
See the chapter entitled, Eighteen Biblical Examples for more information on this type of person.
Endure For Salvation’s Sake
Mt. 24:9,10 is another passage which teaches us about the potential danger of persecution. Jesus said at the end of this age:
. . . they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another (NKJV).
Why will many turn away from the faith? Because they were persecuted for being Christians. Also, verses 12 and 13 read:
Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved (NIV).
Some try to limit this passage to only the Jews during the Tribulation period, but can this justly be done? Isn’t verse 10 clear in saying many will turn from the faith?
Mt. 10:21,22 is much clearer in showing Christians will have to endure to the end to be saved.
And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved (KJV).
Those words were directed to real Christians—the Twelve who would be hated because of Christ. Though they were already Christians (Mt. 10:1,2 cf. 12:49,50), they would have to endure (any and all persecutions) to the end to be saved, in the sense of entering God’s kingdom, according to the ultimate teaching authority!
Several verses later, in verse 28, Jesus declared the following:
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (KJV).
Implied is the danger that persecution could cause us to disown Christ, thereby forcing God to disown us. Consequently, our souls and bodies would be cast into eternal fire.
Jesus wasn’t joking when he declared these powerful truths about the necessity of us enduring till the end of our lives to be saved, yet many with Bibles in our day are unaware of it.
In contrast, Jesus spoke the truth cited in Jn. 10:27,28 only once, yet multitudes of professing Christians know the last half of this passage like they know their names, but faultily interpret it with a total disregard to the immediate context. How sad!
To learn the whole truth, read and reread the entire New Testament for yourself very carefully! Don’t just rely upon a favorite teacher, author or even a family member to inform you, for he might be wrong even though he’s sincere. The stakes are too high to trust another’s interpretation.
A common OSAS misinterpretation for Mt. 10:22 is:
The “end” to which He was referring in each case was the same end, that is, the end of the Great Tribulation period, just preceding His coming in judgment. This is true even in Matthew 10:22.[19]
Getting back to Mt. 24:13, John R. Rice wrote the following:
To the careless reader, this Scripture seems to teach that salvation depends upon holding out faithfully or enduring to the end. But if you read carefully the chapter, you will see that Jesus is talking about the Great Tribulation period at the end of this age, that the salvation mentioned is salvation of the flesh, not salvation of the soul. Verse 21 says, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” This time mentioned here is the Great Tribulation time. And verse 22 says, “and except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved.” The salvation mentioned here is the salvation of the flesh, that is, the rescue of literal Jews from physical death during the Great Tribulation.
Take the Bible at face value. You see that this Scripture does not teach salvation by works or by holding out faithfully.
To those Jews who will be so terribly persecuted in the tribulation period Jesus says in effect, “If you are able to endure these persecutions to the end of the tribulation period, I will come and rescue you out of the hands of the Antichrist.”[20]
John Rice not only falsely implies his opponent is a careless reader if he differs with him about the interpretation of Mt. 24:13, but also, most seriously, infers that such who differ teach salvation by works! If this was true, then every person is believing in “another gospel” who understands this verse as meaning Christians must remain faithful to the end of their lives without disowning Jesus to inherit God’s kingdom. This is the implication Rice leaves us with.
Moreover, Rice leaves no room for the careful reader of Scripture, who believes we are saved by grace apart from all works, yet believes our salvation can be negated during a time of persecution by disowning Christ!
By the way, to be consistent with OSAS, if one ever believed on Jesus, he still remains saved even though he would afterwards believe in a salvation by works! So, hypothetically the person who believes in a conditional security is still safe, even if OSAS would be true.
In his explanation of Mt. 24:13, John Rice somehow neglected to mention that Mt. 10:21-23 is a parallel passage which has the same exact wording:
All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved (Mt. 10:22, NIV).
Such implies for the disciples hatred, betrayal, and persecution because of me [Jesus], just like Mt. 24:9-13! Please note that this hatred, betrayal, and persecution is because of Christ in both passages (Mt. 10:22; 24:9). Therefore, this is not trouble coming on the literal Jews, as Rice or Pettingill say, but trouble coming on disciples of Christ because they are Christians, as Mt. 10:22 shows with crystal clarity. It is impossible for his literal Jews interpretation of “he who stands firm to the end will be saved” to fit Mt. 10:22! Rice has read into Scripture something that is not there, because of his doctrinal biases.
Like many who firmly embrace OSAS, Dr. Rice must come up with some answer, as absurd as it may be, to defend his doctrine, though he must neglect a parallel passage with the same exact wording and overlook the clear, explanatory words because of me in Mt. 24:9 to do so! This is bad enough but he goes even further by implying people who believe in a conditional security are teaching salvation by works in an effort to immediately discredit such a position and silence all vocal Christians who hold to this view.
Keep Reminding Them . . .
Paul wanted Timothy to frequently repeat certain basic spiritual truths to Christians:
Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself. Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen (2 Tim. 2:11-14, NIV).
What did Paul tell Timothy to keep reminding the Christians of? In part it was, “if we disown him, he will also disown us.” Since Peter had done this three consecutive times because of fear of persecution (Mt. 26:34), Paul knew a real Christian could disown Jesus! The if in verse 12 must, therefore, not be understood as presenting anything less than a real possibility, as Peter’s life proves.
Obviously, one can’t disown something or someone unless he first owned it! In other words, Jesus could not disown us, in the sense of Mt. 10:33, unless we first belonged to him (Rom. 14:8; Gal. 5:24), which is only possible if one is a Christian, as Peter was.
Paul’s grace teaching was, if we would disown Jesus, he in turn would disown us, the same as what the Lord himself warned on more than one occasion before he went to the cross (Mt. 10:33; Lk. 12:9)! Dr. Robert Young renders this Greek word as found in Mt. 10:33 and 2 Tim. 2:12 in the KJV as: To deny, disown.[21]
Also, we must endure now to reign with Jesus in the future (2 Tim. 2:12). Reigning with Christ in his kingdom is for all Christians, not just some (Rev. 20:6; 22:5)! Christians must endure any and all types of persecutions to be overcomers and enter God’s kingdom. But this is not an automatic guarantee after salvation. Jesus said:
To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations (Rev. 2:26, NIV).
Peter’s Denial
Regarding Peter’s thrice denial of Jesus, Luke 22:31,32 is sometimes used by the OSAS adherents to weaken the force of it. But usually verse 32 is never cited! These verses read:
Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers (NIV).
It is suggested that Peter’s faith didn’t really fail, even though he denied Jesus, because of Jesus’ prayer for him. However, the words when you have turned back seems to be overlooked by the OSAS proponents. Remember, one can’t turn back unless he first turned away!
Also, the Greek word used here is the same Greek word found in Acts 3:19; 28:27; and Jam. 5:20 when turning is used in reference to salvation! The KJV uses the word converted in Lk. 22:32, which is very clear.
(Regarding Jesus’ powerful prayer for Peter, please see the Chapter 16 entitled, We Demolish Arguments.)
Rev. 2:10,11 spoken by the Lord after Calvary is also clear about persecution:
Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death (NKJV).
We must overcome any suffering and even death through persecution to be faithful to the end of our lives. Only he who overcomes after this test won’t be hurt by the second death! (The second death is the lake of fire, Rev. 21:8.) This warning was issued directly to the Christians in Smyrna, a very good church in Asia Minor at that time! Ponder this stirring truth spoken by Jesus after his death on the cross.
When Heads Start To Roll
The days surrounding the reign of the Antichrist will be filled with idolatry, demon worship, murder, etc. (Rev. 9:20,21). When the image of the beast is the focal point of worship the false prophet will “cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed” (Rev. 13:15). About the same time, the mark of the beast will be issued, which will be needed to buy or sell anything (Rev. 13:16,17). Decapitation will especially be the form of execution used at this future time (Rev. 20:4,5). Imagine what it will be like then when the heads of the faithful Christians start to roll!
Now with all this in mind, focus in upon Rev. 14:9-11:
A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name” (NIV).
Will Christians be there at this point in time? Verse 12 could not be more clear in supplying an answer:
This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus (v. 12, NIV).
Please note that for the saints who do not remain faithful to Jesus, that is, they receive the mark of the beast and worship his image—their future is described as:
. . . tormented with burning sulfur . . . the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever . . . no rest day or night.
Clearly, for the saints who do not remain faithful to Jesus and do receive the mark of the beast, that single sin will certainly bring forth spiritual death, as is evident by their future in burning sulfur. This would be impossible if OSAS was true!
Please be comforted in the fact that it only takes little spiritual strength not to deny Jesus’ name (Rev. 3:8). Also, no temptation, including persecution, will ever come to a Christian without him being able to stand up against it with the help of God (1 Cor. 10:13).
In light of the Scriptures found in this chapter alone, OSAS cannot be true, because a Christian can nullify his own salvation through sin, believing a false plan of salvation and by renouncing his faith in Jesus during his test of persecution.
Ponder This . . .
Somebody Has A Grossly Distorted View Of The Scriptures
Charles Stanley wrote:
The question of whether or not salvation is forever is not an isolated one. One’s answer to this question affects every facet of one’s theology.[22]
This statement is true! If a person is subjected to an OSAS teacher or ministry, he, his family and friends will be exposed to soteriology (the doctrine of salvation) that is dangerously different than what the Scriptures actually teach.
For example, for someone to teach OSAS, he must embrace a faulty understanding of:
1) At least seven of the Lord’s parables:
● the prodigal (Lk. 15:11-32).
● the sower (Lk. 8:5-15).
● the fruitless fig tree (Lk. 13:6-9).
● the faithful and wise manager (Lk. 12:45,46; Mt. 24:45-51).
● the unmerciful servant (Mt. 18:21-35).
● the ten virgins (Mt. 25:1-13).
● the talents (Mt. 25:24-30).
2) All of the warnings cited in the gospels and epistles given to Christians, which refer to their possible loss of salvation (Mt. 5:22; 10:22; 10:28; 10:33; 18:1-3; Rom. 11:19-23; Gal. 5:19-21; 6:8-10; Eph. 5:5-7; Rev. 2:10,11; 22:19; etc.).
3) All of the other Scriptures that teach that sin can bring a true Christian to his spiritual death (Rom. 8:13; Jam. 1:14,15; Gal. 6:8,9; etc.).
4) All of the specific examples of saved individuals who, after their regeneration, became temporarily lost again or totally and finally fell away and never returned to the Lord (Saul, Solomon, the Apostle Judas Iscariot, etc.). See Chapter 13.
Again, all of these Scriptures must be avoided or distorted by the OSAS teachers to the point where OSAS will not be jeopardized by their clear meaning. Then on the other hand, all of the Scriptures used as proof texts for OSAS must be mishandled somehow to declare OSAS! This would include Scriptures like Jn. 10:28; Rom. 8:38,39; Jude 24; etc. With all of this in mind, there very well could be hundreds of verses which have been avoided, distorted or misinterpreted by OSAS teachers to support their false gospel and grace message. (See HERE for other unscriptural OSAS distortions and conclusions.)
------------------
[1] David Levy, Israel My Glory, October/November 1993, Vol. 51, No. 5, Victorious Christian Living, p. 25.
[2] Hal Lindsey, Satan is Alive and Well on Planet Earth (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1973), pp. 193, 194.
[3] Cal Beisner, Can the Believer Lose His Salvation?, tract (Christian Research Institute, 1979), p. 2.
[4] John R. Rice, Can a Saved Person Ever be Lost? (Murfreesboro, TN: Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1943), p. 8.
[5] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, translated by Henry Beveridge (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Reprinted 1995), first page of Introduction.
[6] John Murray, Redemption—Accomplished and Applied (Grand Rapids 3, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1955), p. 191.
[7] John MacArthur, Jr., Our Sufficiency in Christ (Word Publishing, 1991), p. 51.
[8] William L. Pettingill, Bible Questions Answered (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1979), p. 106.
[9] Ibid., p. 108.
[11] Pettingill, Bible Questions Answered, p. 104.
Notes
[1] David Levy, Israel My Glory, October/November 1993, Vol. 51, No. 5, Victorious Christian Living, p. 25.
[2] Hal Lindsey, Satan is Alive and Well on Planet Earth (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1973), pp. 193, 194.
[3] Cal Beisner, Can the Believer Lose His Salvation?, tract (Christian Research Institute, 1979), p. 2.
[4] John R. Rice, Can a Saved Person Ever be Lost? (Murfreesboro, TN: Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1943), p. 8.
[5] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, translated by Henry Beveridge (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Reprinted 1995), first page of Introduction.
[6] John Murray, Redemption—Accomplished and Applied (Grand Rapids 3, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1955), p. 191.
[7] John MacArthur, Jr., Our Sufficiency in Christ (Word Publishing, 1991), p. 51.
[8] William L. Pettingill, Bible Questions Answered (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1979), p. 106.
[9] Ibid., p. 108.
[10] David N. Steele and Curtis C. Thomas, The Five Points of Calvinism (Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing Co., 1984), p. 56.
[11] Pettingill, Bible Questions Answered, p. 104.
[12] Bill Jackson, C.E.C. Journal, March 1996, p. 16.
[13] Renald Showers, Israel My Glory, December/January 1994/95, Vol. 52, No. 6, p. 11.
[14] Dave Hunt, Roman Catholicism—Is It Another Gospel?, debate with Gerry Matatics, tape #1 of 3, 1/21/92, RC 01.
[15] Walter Martin, Psychic Phenomena—Biblical and Contemporary (Santa Ana, CA: Vision House Publishers, Inc., 1977), audiotape.
[16] Cal Beisner, Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation? (Santa Ana, CA: Christian Apologetics: Research and Information Service, 1980), Conclusion.
[17] Charles Spurgeon, All of Grace, Classic Books for Today (Newton, KS: Herald of His Coming, 1994), No. 171, p. 27.
[18] The NIV Study Bible, New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: The Zondervan Corporation, 1985), p. 1,554.
[19] Pettingill, Bible Questions Answered, p. 94.
[20] Rice, Can a Saved Person Ever be Lost?, p. 13.
[21] Robert Young, Analytical Concordance to the Bible (New York: Funk & Wagnalls, Reprinted 1973), p. 245.
[22] Charles Stanley, Eternal Security: Can You Be Sure? (Nashville: Oliver-Nelson Books, 1990), p. 8.
