"I just can't bring myself to tell my congregation that they're eternally secure," the pastor told me. "If I do that, they'll think it's okay to sin, and I just can't let them go through life thinking that. It's better to scare them a little."
I was involved in a ministry with this particular church, and was very disappointed in his comment, but possibly not for the basic reason it might be suspected. There are believers who believe scripture teaches that a Christian can fall from grace, as well as those (like myself) who believe that we are eternally secure in our salvation. I have good friends who believe differently than I do on this, and we are able to have peaceful conversations, and maintain respect for each other.
The reason I believe in eternal security, or the "once saved, always saved" position, is because I believe scripture teaches it--not just as a doctrine (though certainly as that), but also as a pattern of how God has worked with His people throughout the Bible. God is the author of our salvation. He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). He started the work and will continue it (Philippians 1:6). He loved us before we ever chose to love Him (First John 4:19). He chose us--not the other way around (John 15:16). Many verses tell us that we have everlasting life, or eternal life. If it's eternal, you can't lose it, or it wasn't eternal to begin with. There are many other elements to my belief in this doctrine, but that isn't the focal point of this post. If you want to chat more about this, let me know, and I'll write more about it. You can check out some of my other posts on the subject as well.
Is there biblical support for the idea of losing one's salvation? I don't believe there is, and what little appears to be there doesn't fit with all the other scriptures that teach to the contrary. However, to be fair, the scripture that appears to teach that a person can lose their salvation is Hebrews 6:4-6. This passage talks about how it is impossible to restore someone who has fallen away after having "tasted of the heavenly gift, been partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the age to come." That sounds like it's saying this type of person has lost their salvation. I think this verse it talking about someone who was never saved, but was close to God's power at work. Maybe they came close to a decision, but didn't make it, or maybe they hardened their heart against God. Pharaoh in the book of Exodus might fit this. He witnessed God's power, but hardened his heart, and there eventually came a point when God hardened Pharaoh's heart (Exodus 9:12). There is no evidence anyone in the Bible who had genuine salvation ever lost it. In fact, we are told instead in Second Timothy 2:13, If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot disown Himself.
If someone tells me they believe we can lose our salvation based on those verses in Hebrews, I would disagree with their interpretation of those verses, but I would respect the integrity of how they arrived at that. However, this pastor I mentioned at the beginning wasn't using any scriptures at all to support his teaching. He was saying that he teaches against eternal security because his people might think sin is okay. That would put it in the category of a white lie. Denying true doctrine to protect another teaching. It is never right to withhold correct doctrine from people. Worrying they might misuse it is no excuse. The truth is the truth. And if they think they remain saved because they're avoiding sin in their lives, then it's a works-based salvation anyway. We are saved by His grace, and we are kept by His grace. No one who has the Holy Spirit in them gets pleasure out of sin the way an unbeliever does. Romans 6:1 says, 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? As believers, we have a new nature, new desires. We are dead to sin. God is at work in us to make us more like Jesus. Believing that God keeps us should motivate us toward wanting to please Him. If someone has the attitude of, "I can do whatever I want, because I'm saved and God can't send me to hell now," I would question their heart. The truth is, I have never met anyone who said this. In my entire life, I have always attended churches that believed we are eternally secure, and I have never been taught or led to think that sin is okay. I think this pastor's fear is unfounded.
On the other hand, I have known those who believe we are secure use more of a "front door" approach to cause doubt. If someone isn't living a good Christian testimony, they might raise the question, "Is this person really saved? He probably didn't really understand or mean it." They might say it is impossible to lose their salvation, but they almost make it almost impossible to get that salvation in the first place! Why? They don't want people to take sin lightly or think it is "okay." The motive is the exact same as the person who thinks someone lost it.
As we can see, believers from all theological positions have a fear of letting people think they have license to sin. In reality, how we act has nothing to do with our salvation. It's not what we do. It's not what we don't do. It's what's already been done by Jesus. When He said "It is finished," He meant it. Salvation is available for all who believe (Romans 1:16). We are saved because of what we believe, not what we do. It is the gift of God! Not a result of works so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:9). Making it about works or behavior (whether we doubt they were ever saved, or whether we think they lost it), reveals that we are operating under a works-based mentality, instead of the free grace God offers us! We carry a burden God never intended. Jesus' burden is easy and light (Matthew 11:30). The prodigal son (Luke 15) and the woman at the well (John 4) were both examples of people who received forgiveness by faith, not actions. Neither of these people said, "Here's all the good stuff I intend to do," or "Here's a list of all the things I'm going to change." They were forgiven because they received it by faith. We are not told of their works after they received it.
In all of this, is sin acceptable? Does grace mean we let sin go? No. Picture this scenario. A man keeps breaking into people's homes every night and stealing from them. Is it showing grace to just let him keep doing this? Not at all! It's allowing him to harm other people, as well as himself. We all need to be held accountable. It isn't grace to just ignore sin. It just means that sin isn't related to our salvation. I have felt very unsafe at times when people wanted to extend "grace" to the person who was harming me by ignoring it and allowing their sin to continue. This was a misuse of grace. Grace doesn't say sin is okay. Grace says sin is forgiven, and then enables the sinner to have victory over it. Grace doesn't free us to sin. It frees us from the power of sin! You technically never have to sin again once you are saved (but we do, because we have a sin nature).
The pastor I mentioned at the beginning had good intentions to worry his congregation would indulge sin. As someone who wanted to see them growing in holiness, he had a genuine concern. However, unless he believed scripture teaches that we are not eternally secure, he was telling his people little white lies. Avoiding certain truths because of how they might be used or misused isn't a reason to avoid teaching them. Remember what Jesus said, the truth will set you free.
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