Salvation by Faith, Assurance by Works I

One of the more controversial issues in the believing church is the issue of “eternal security”. The question concerns whether or not you can loose your salvation.  To outline the two basic sides, one says 'once saved always saved (no matter what you do)', the other side claims that you can gain and loose your salvation, and then gain and loose it again.  So what do the Scriptures say?  There are  two sets of Scriptures we should examine.  Lets call them set A and set B (you would have to know I am a Mathematician!).  One side takes a set A of verses,  and uses them to explain that set B cannot possibly mean what they say,  because set A makes the principle clear. The other side uses the same argument,  but just replaces A with B and B with A.

Some of the “A” verses here would include I John 5:12 “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life,” and “No one can pluck you out of my hand”.  The “B” verses include “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins ..." (Hebrews 10:26).

Before we go further, I need to make a point about interpretation. People tell me all the time that the Bible contradicts itself. Let's look at one such “contradiction”. This one is rather startling, since the two verses are side by side. Proverbs 26 verse 4 says "Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him". Verse 5 says "Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes".

Sounds like a contradiction right? Wrong, you need to look at the context. There are two dangers to be avoided.  Lets look at two possible scenarios.  For the first,  the fool has the gift of the gab, could talk the read end off a horse, and you are easily lead astray.  Perhaps you are a young Christian and want to get your former friends saved, but are not yet fully established in the Faith.  You are in grave danger of being persuaded to follow him.  Best to stay away. This is the context of verse 4.

Scenario number two,   the fool is your son, you love him.  Not to show him the error of his ways, leaves him to the school of hard knocks. If you do not say anything to him, he is likely to remain wise in his own eyes (he may anyway). This is the context of verse 5, and the reason you would need to answer him according to his folly.  What wise and loving parent would not want to do this?

So then, you encounter a fool, which piece of advice do you follow? In context, each piece of advice is sound. Which context fits the situation? You need wisdom, you may need to know yourself, you could ask the Holy Spirit and older Christians to guide you.  You may need to learn the hard way, that you are not yet strong enough. But is there a contradiction in the Scriptures?  No, its just that the Bible is more complex than we have even begun to realize in our overly simplistic one shoe fits all, interpretations/applications.  The point is in the context in which they are intended to be applied,  each verses give sound advice.

The two “shoes” in the "to answer or not to answer" question are obvious.  The two answers in the eternal security debate are not so clear. Let me again suggest two scenarios.  Scenario one, in his  zeal  a young Christian has persuaded buddy A, that all he as to do to be saved, is to repeat the sinners prayer after him (Jesus I am a sinner, come into my heart). In his hurry to get buddy A saved, the young Christian has forgotten (or not properly understood) the need for repentance. Buddy A is sorry he got caught, does not like the consequences of his poor choices (sin), but has no desire or intent to change. He just wants to get rid of the pain. So buddy A goes through the motions, repeats the prayer and is then persuaded by his friend that  he is saved. But there is no repentance, no encounter with God, no change in his life.  He believes in his head that there is a God, but there is no heart encounter.   “I am going to heaven”, he tells himself, “the Bible tells me so”.  But he continues to live for the devil.   Some theologians call this cheap grace.

Scenario two. Buddy B is an alcoholic, his father before him, and his father's father before him were alcoholics.  Buddy B has a real heart encounter with God. His life changes, by God's grace, he gives up the booze. His relationships starts to change for the better. For the first time in ages, he is clean. "I can do this", he tells himself. "I don't need to drink anymore". He starts to tell his drinking buddies about Christ. “You can give it up”,  he tells them. “I did”. The Scriptures tell us “Let he who thinks he stands, take care lest he fall”.   The trials come, a friend dies, he is laid off work, he feels abandoned by God. In his pain he is persuaded to have “just one drink",  just to ease the pain. “Just one” is not going to hurt right? One drink leads to two, and two to three, and next thing you know he is right back into his alcoholism. “And the latter state of the man is worse than the first” (Matthew 12:45).  Add one more t-shirt to my collection.  The devil tells buddy B, that he has really blown it now, and since he has been reading his Bible, points him to the Hebrews passage above.

You are called to council (at different times) both of these buddies. The intent is to build them up.  "A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient.." (2Timothy 2:24). What will you tell them?  (more to come).