Alright, this is going to be a very touchy post that is definitely going to rub a lot of people the wrong way. But I want to make it very clear that I in no way am belittling women in the church, and want to make it very clear that this is not a debate over chauvinism or discrimination, but merely over what Scripture says. I am a strong proponent of sola scriptura and believe that God’s word is the ultimate authority. Sure, we often do not like the results that stem from this, but as humans that is expected, but as Christians we are to trust, obey, and follow His word. That being said, let’s take a look at the main passage in question.
1 Timothy 2:11-12: 11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. (ESV)
There is possibly no topic more hotly debated within the church than that of women in ministry, more specifically whether or not women can hold a pastoral position within the church. I did as much research as I could to see what the most authoritative people had to say on this topic, and below I figured it most convenient and efficient to quote what these men have to say. (And please don’t be put off by the fact that these authorities all happen to be men. I am not merely trying to show “one side of the argument”, it just so happens that the men most qualified to tackle the subjects are men.)
The very first place I went to has quickly become my favorite and most trusted resource for insight to biblical interpretation and learning; the ESV Study Bible. The author of the study notes for 1 and 2 Timothy is Dr. Ray Van Neste, who obtained his Ph.D at the University of Aberdeen and is an Associates Director of Christian Studies and the Director at the B.C Ryan Center for Biblical Studies at Union University. Here are his notes on the above passage:
1 Tim. 2:11 Women are not to teach men in the church but are to submit and defer to male leadership (see notes on vv. 12, 13, 14).
1 Tim. 2:12 I do not permit. Paul self-consciously writes with the authority of an apostle (e.g., 1 Thess. 4:1; 2 Thess. 3:6), rather than simply offering an opinion. This statement is given in the context of Paul's apostolic instructions to the church for the ordering of church practice when the church is assembled together. In that context, two things are prohibited: (1) Women are not permitted to publicly teach Scripture and/or Christian doctrine to men in church (the context implies these topics), and (2) women are not permitted to exercise authority over men in church. (The reference for both “teaching” and “exercise authority” here is within the context of the assembled church.) Women teaching other women, and women teaching children, are not in view here, and both are encouraged elsewhere (on women teaching women, cf. Titus 2:4; on women teaching children, cf. 2 Tim. 1:5). Nor does this passage have in view the role of women in leadership situations outside the church (e.g., business or government). The presence of the word or (Gk. oude) between “to teach” and “to exercise authority” indicates that two different activities are in view, not a single activity of “authoritative teaching.” “Exercise authority” represents Greek authenteō, found only here in the NT. Over 80 examples of this word exist outside the NT, however, clearly establishing that the meaning is “exercise authority” (not “usurp authority” or “abuse authority,” etc., as sometimes has been argued). Since the role of pastor/elder/overseer is rooted in the task of teaching and exercising authority over the church, this verse would also exclude women from serving in this office (cf. 1 Tim. 3:2). Thus when Paul calls for the women to be quiet, he means “quiet” with respect to the teaching responsibility that is limited in the assembled church. Paul elsewhere indicates that women do speak in other ways in the church assembly (see 1 Cor. 11:5).
It has often been argued that Paul’s meaning in these verses is merely a reference to a specific event to a specific people at a specific point in time, and thus not applicable to us today, but if we venture further in the text we see that Paul justifies his refusal of permission with a timeless and eternal justification, making his “decree” just as timeless and eternal:
1 Timothy 2:13-14: 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.
So what does this mean to us, exactly? Here is what Dr. Neste had to say:
1 Tim. 2:13 For introduces the biblical basis for the prohibition of v. 12. Paul indicates that the prohibition is based on two grounds, the first being the order of creation (Adam was formed first), and the second being the deception of Eve (v. 14). “Formed” (Gk. plassō) is the same term that the Septuagint uses in Gen. 2:7, 8, which evidently refers to creation (cf. 1 Cor. 11:8–9). Paul's argument indicates that gender roles in the church are not simply the result of the fall but are rooted in creation and therefore apply to all cultures at all times. The meaning of this passage, however, is widely contested today. Some interpreters argue that the prohibition of 1 Tim. 2:12 does not apply today because: (1) the reason for Paul's command was that women were teaching false doctrine in Ephesus; or (2) Paul said this because women in that culture were not educated enough to teach; or (3) this was a temporary command for that culture only. But Paul's appeal to the creation of Adam and Eve argues against those explanations. In addition, the only false teachers named in connection with Ephesus are men (1:19–20; 2 Tim. 2:17–18; cf. Acts 20:30), and no historical evidence exists of women teaching false doctrine in first-century Ephesus. Moreover, ancient inscriptions and literature speak of a number of well-educated women in that area of Asia Minor at that time (cf. also Luke 8:1–3; 10:38–41; John 11:21–27; Acts 18:2–3, 11, 18–19, 26; 2 Tim. 4:19). Finally, some have claimed that this passage only prohibits a “wife” from teaching or exercising authority over her “husband,” since the Greek words gynē and anēr (translated “woman” and “man” in 1 Tim. 2:12) can also mean “wife” and “husband” in certain contexts. Given the immediate context of vv. 8–9, however, the most likely meaning of the Greek words gynē and anēr here in vv. 11–14 would seem to be “woman” and “man” (rather than “wife” and “husband”).
1 Tim. 2:14 Adam was not deceived, but the woman was. Paul's second reason (cf. v. 13). Though Eve sinned first as a result of being deceived, Adam's sin was conscious and willful, with devastating consequences for the whole human race (see Rom. 5:12).
While the comment on v. 14 is pretty simple, the notes on v. 13 are very thorough and important as they refute many arguments at once:
• Women teaching false doctrine in Ephesus
• Women of the culture not educated enough to teach
• Temporary command only for that culture
• Only refers to a wife and husband situation, as the Greek words gynē and anēr can sometimes mean that
Dr. Neste makes it abundantly clear that these verses do apply today and it holds that women are not to hold pastoral/authoritative positions over men in the church.
The next reference I found myself reading was John MacArthur’s Bible Commentary. John obtained his Master’s of Divinity from Biola University’s Talbot Theological Seminary, graduating with honors, and has served as pastor/teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California since 1969. Clearly a well qualified man, having written literally hundreds of Bible based works, and complete list and timeline of which can be found at http://www.gty.org/Meet/JohnMacArthur. Here I will only focus on verse 12 and 13, since this is the basic area that discusses the topic at hand.
1 Timothy 2:12- I do not permit. The Greek word for permit is used in the NT to refer to allowing someone to do what he desires. Paul may have been addressing a real situation in which several women in Ephesus desired to be public preachers. to teach. Paul used a verbal form of this Greek that indicates a condition or process that is better translated: “to be a teacher.” This was an important, official function in the church (see Acts 13:1; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11). Thus, Paul if forbidding women from fulfilling the office and role of pastor or teacher. He is not prohibiting them from teaching in other appropriate conditions and circumstances (cf. Acts 18:26; Titus 2:3, 4). to have authority over. Paul forbids women from exercising any type of authority over men in the church assembly, since the elders are those who rule (5:17). They are all to be men (as is clear from the requirements in 3:2, 5). [Blogger’s Note: I can’t say I agree with his choice of words, referring to the elders as those who “rule”, but rest assured, it is not meant to sound as it does.]
1 Timothy 2:13-14- A women’s subordinate role did not result after the Fall as a cultural, chauvinistic corruption of God’s perfect design; rather, God established her role as a part of His creation (v. 13). God made woman after man to be his suitable helper (see note on Genesis 2:18; 1 Cor. 11:8-9). The Fall actually corroborates God’s divine plan of creation (see notes on Genesis 3:1-7). By nature Eve was not suited to assume the position of ultimate responsibility. By leaving Adam’s protection and [assuming] his headship, she was vulnerable and fell, thus confirming how important it was for her to stay under that protection and leadership of her husband. Adam then violated his leadership role, followed Eve in her sin, and plunged the human race into sinfulness- all connected with violating God’s planned roles for the sexes. Ultimately, the responsibility for the Fall rests with Adam, since he chose to disobey God apart from being deceived (Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15:21-22).
Since his notes on verses 13 and 14 are a bit tough to follow, I want to try and make it clearer here. Basically what he is saying is that man and woman are each pre-programmed to fulfill certain leadership roles, and when we as humans try to go against or even reverse the planned roles, bad things happen, and while the consequences were obviously more immediate and noticeable here, this doesn’t mean the same will be for every situation where the church decides to elect a female pastor.
The third and final reference source I am going to use in this blog is a ministry called GotQuestions.org. GotQuestions has become well known for their authoritative biblical interpretation and their easy to understand articles on tough subjects. Since it is already very easy to read, I am merely going to reprint the article here, or if you want, you can read it yourself at their site at http://www.gotquestions.org/women-pastors.html.
Question: "Women pastors / preachers? What does the Bible say about women in ministry?"
Answer: There is perhaps no more hotly debated issue in the church today than the issue of women serving as pastors/preachers. As a result, it is very important to not see this issue as men versus women. There are women who believe women should not serve as pastors and that the Bible places restrictions on the ministry of women, and there are men who believe women can serve as preachers and that there are no restrictions on women in ministry. This is not an issue of chauvinism or discrimination. It is an issue of biblical interpretation.
The Word of God proclaims, “A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent” (1 Timothy 2:11-12). In the church, God assigns different roles to men and women. This is a result of the way mankind was created and the way in which sin entered the world (2 Timothy 2:13-14). God, through the apostle Paul, restricts women from serving in roles of teaching and/or having spiritual authority over men. This precludes women from serving as pastors, which definitely includes preaching to, teaching, and having spiritual authority over men.
There are many “objections” to this view of women in ministry. A common one is that Paul restricts women from teaching because in the first century, women were typically uneducated. However, 1 Timothy 2:11-14 nowhere mentions educational status. If education were a qualification for ministry, the majority of Jesus' disciples would not have been qualified. A second common objection is that Paul only restricted the women of Ephesus from teaching (1 Timothy was written to Timothy, who was the pastor of the church in Ephesus). The city of Ephesus was known for its temple to Artemis, a false Greek/Roman goddess. Women were the authority in the worship of Artemis. However, the book of 1 Timothy nowhere mentions Artemis, nor does Paul mention Artemis worship as a reason for the restrictions in 1 Timothy 2:11-12.
A third common objection is that Paul is only referring to husbands and wives, not men and women in general. The Greek words in the passage could refer to husbands and wives; however, the basic meaning of the words refers to men and women. Further, the same Greek words are used in verses 8-10. Are only husbands to lift up holy hands in prayer without anger and disputing (verse 8)? Are only wives to dress modestly, have good deeds, and worship God (verses 9-10)? Of course not. Verses 8-10 clearly refer to all men and women, not only husbands and wives. There is nothing in the context that would indicate a switch to husbands and wives in verses 11-14.
Yet another frequent objection to this interpretation of women in ministry is in relation to women who held positions of leadership in the Bible, specifically Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah in the Old Testament. This objection fails to note some significant factors. First, Deborah was the only female judge among 13 male judges. Huldah was the only female prophet among dozens of male prophets mentioned in the Bible. Miriam's only connection to leadership was being the sister of Moses and Aaron. The two most prominent women in the times of the Kings were Athaliah and Jezebel—hardly examples of godly female leadership. Most significantly, though, the authority of women in the Old Testament is not relevant to the issue. The book of 1 Timothy and the other Pastoral Epistles present a new paradigm for the church—the body of Christ—and that paradigm involves the authority structure for the church, not for the nation of Israel or any other Old Testament entity.
Similar arguments are made using Priscilla and Phoebe in the New Testament. In Acts 18, Priscilla and Aquila are presented as faithful ministers for Christ. Priscilla's name is mentioned first, perhaps indicating that she was more “prominent” in ministry than her husband. However, Priscilla is nowhere described as participating in a ministry activity that is in contradiction to 1 Timothy 2:11-14. Priscilla and Aquila brought Apollos into their home and they both discipled him, explaining the Word of God to him more accurately (Acts 18:26).
In Romans 16:1, even if Phoebe is considered a “deaconess” instead of a “servant,” that does not indicate that Phoebe was a teacher in the church. “Able to teach” is given as a qualification for elders, but not deacons (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:6-9). Elders/bishops/deacons are described as the “husband of one wife,” “a man whose children believe,” and “men worthy of respect.” Clearly the indication is that these qualifications refer to men. In addition, in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:6-9, masculine pronouns are used exclusively to refer to elders/bishops/deacons.
The structure of 1 Timothy 2:11-14 makes the “reason” perfectly clear. Verse 13 begins with “for” and gives the “cause” of Paul’s statement in verses 11-12. Why should women not teach or have authority over men? Because “Adam was created first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived.” God created Adam first and then created Eve to be a “helper” for Adam. This order of creation has universal application in the family (Ephesians 5:22-33) and the church. The fact that Eve was deceived is also given as a reason for women not serving as pastors or having spiritual authority over men. This leads some to believe that women should not teach because they are more easily deceived. That concept is debatable, but if women are more easily deceived, why should they be allowed to teach children (who are easily deceived) and other women (who are supposedly more easily deceived)? That is not what the text says. Women are not to teach men or have spiritual authority over men because Eve was deceived. As a result, God has given men the primary teaching authority in the church.
Many women excel in gifts of hospitality, mercy, teaching, and helps. Much of the ministry of the local church depends on women. Women in the church are not restricted from public praying or prophesying (1 Corinthians 11:5), only from having spiritual teaching authority over men. The Bible nowhere restricts women from exercising the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12). Women, just as much as men, are called to minister to others, to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and to proclaim the gospel to the lost (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15).
God has ordained that only men are to serve in positions of spiritual teaching authority in the church. This is not because men are necessarily better teachers, or because women are inferior or less intelligent (which is not the case). It is simply the way God designed the church to function. Men are to set the example in spiritual leadership—in their lives and through their words. Women are to take a less authoritative role. Women are encouraged to teach other women (Titus 2:3-5). The Bible also does not restrict women from teaching children. The only activity women are restricted from is teaching men or having spiritual authority over them. This logically would preclude women from serving as pastors/preachers. This does not make women less important, by any means, but rather gives them a ministry focus more in agreement with God’s plan and His gifting of them.
So here it has been shown that every objection to this stance that I know of can and has been refuted, that women are not to take an authoritative role over women, and that women do have a special place in ministry (just not as pastors or other positions over men). I know that there are many who object, but if this is the case, then please present an argument that shows that I, along with these very smart, very authoritative resources, are wrong. Don’t simply complain about how my position is outdated or how chauvinistic or politically incorrect I am being. Nothing is more annoying than such useless and un-intelligent responses (no offense is meant, but that’s really all that those are). If you know of an objection to this stance that was not dealt with here, please let me know, so I can find what needs to found.
I also want it to be mentioned that I am good friends with many people who hold to the opposing position and even a woman who, under her denomination, holds the title of pastor. I still love them all with the love of Christ, just simply don’t condone nor agree with their stance. Thank you for reading, and God bless.
Showing posts with label biblical. Show all posts
Showing posts with label biblical. Show all posts
Monday, November 2, 2009
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The fact of "Once Saved, Always Saved" (OSAS)- a biblical response to Brother D
Recently my (ex)girlfriend and I had gotten into a discussion about the OSAS ordeal and she pointed me to a blog on this very site, and I read it, and even wrote a piece by piece rubutal to it. Yeah, it was that bad. But instead of posting that rediculously long piece of work here, I decided to do something else. I decided to post the 6 most asked questions concerning the topic and answer them using a combonation of good eisegesis (biblical interpretation) and common logic. So, I hope you enjoy it as much has I enjoyed writing it.
Can a Christian Lose Salvation?
First we must determine what we mean by Christian. It is not someone that just looks the part, but a person who has, by faith, received and fully trusted Christ as the only Savior (John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9)
With this definition in mind, let us look at some examples of what the Bible says about salvation and look at what losing salvation would entail.
A Christian is a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17) This verse speaks of a person becoming and entirely new creature as the result of being “in Christ”. For a Christian to Loose salvation, the new creation would have to be canceled and reversed.
A Christian is redeemed. (1 Peter 1:18-19) The word redeemed means something being purchased, and a price being paid. For a Christian to lose salvation, God would have to revoke His purchase that He paid for with the precious blood of Christ.
A Christian is justified. (Romans 5:1) To justify means to declare righteous, so all who receive Jesus are declared as such. For a Christian to lose salvation God would have to go back on His Word and un-declare what He had previously declared.
A Christian is promised eternal life. (John 3:16) The promise of eternal life is a promise of eternity in Heaven with God, but for a Christian to lose salvation eternal life would have to be taken away. If a Christian is promised to live forever, how can God break His promise taking eternal life away?
A Christian is guaranteed glorification. (Romans 8:30) Glorification refers to a Christian receiving a perfect resurrection body in Heaven, but if a Christian can lose salvation, Romans 8:30 is in error because God could not guarantee glorification for all those whom He predestines, calls, and justifies.
There are many more examples, but these all adequately share that a Christian cannot lose salvation. Most, if not all, of what the Bible says concerning a person that receives Christ as Savior would be invalidated if salvation could be lost. But salvation cannot be reversed; a Christian cannot be un-newly created, redemption cannot be undone, eternal life cannot be lost and still be considered eternal, and if a Christian can lose salvation, then God would have to go back on His Word, something Scripture says He never does.
Here are the two most frequent objections that will also be discussed later:
1. What about those who are Christians and continually live an immoral lifestyle?
2. What about those who are Christians but later reject the faith and deny Christ?
The underlying problem with both of these is the assumption “are Christians”.
1. The Bible says a Christian will not continue an immoral lifestyle (1 John 3:6)
2. The Bible declares that anyone who departs the faith is demonstrating that he/she never truly was a Christian (1 John 2:19)
So after examining these examples, the answer is simply no, a Christian cannot lose salvation. According to Romans 8:38-39, nothing can separate us from God’s love, and nothing can remove a Christian from God’s hand according to John 10-28-29. In Jude 24-25, we are shown that God is both willing and able to guarantee and maintain the salvation status He has given us.
Is Eternal Security a “License” to Sin?
The most frequent objection to the idea of eternal security is the idea that it will allow for Christians to do what they want when they want without consequence. To examine this, we must determine how a Christian should live and what a person must do to receive salvation.
The Bible is clear that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (John 3:16; John 14:6; Ephesians 2:8-9). Once a person believes in Christ, they are secure in that salvation; it is not that salvation is gained by faith and then maintained by works. Paul addressed this situation directly in his letter to Galatia when he said, “Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” (3:3) If we are saved by faith, our salvation is secured and maintained by faith. We cannot earn our own salvation; therefore we cannot earn the maintenance of our salvation either. It is God who maintains our salvation, as exampled in Jude verse 24. It is God’s hand that holds us firmly in His grasp (John 10:28-29) and it is God’s love that nothing can separate us from (Romans 8:38-39).
Any denial of eternal security is pretty much saying that we must secure our salvation by works. This is very antithetical to salvation by grace. We are saved because of Christ, not our own (Romans 4:3-8) and to claim that we must obey God’s Word to live a godly life to keep our salvation is equal to saying that Jesus’ death was not sufficient to pay for all of our sins. Jesus’ death was, however, sufficient to pay for all our sins, past, present, and future; pre-salvation and post-salvation (Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
So does this mean that a Christian can live and do as they please? This is a hypothetical question when one considers Scripture as a whole. The Bible makes it clear that a true Christian will not live anyway they want; they are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17); they demonstrate the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), not the acts of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). 1 John 3:6-9 tells us that a true Christian will not live in continual sin. In response to the accusation that grace promotes sin, the Apostle Paul addresses this in Romans 6:1-2 when he says "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"
Eternal security is not a license to sin, but it is the security of knowing that God’s love is guaranteed for those who trust in Christ. Knowing and understanding God’s tremendous gift of salvation accomplishes the opposite of license to sin. How could you when you know the price that Jesus paid for us go on to live in sin (Romans 6:15-23)? How could you when you understand God’s unconditional and guaranteed love for those who believe, take that love and throw it back in God’s face? Such person does not demonstrate eternal security but rather that they have never truly experienced salvation through Christ (1 John 3:6).
Once Saved Always Saved?
When people come into a relationship with Christ, they are bought into a relationship with God that guarantees their salvation as eternally secure. Many verses of Scripture declare this fact, as will be shown here:
a) Romans 8:30 says, “And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.” This verse tells us that from the moment God chooses us, it is as if we are glorified in His presence in heaven. There is not a single thing that can prevent a believer from one day being glorified because God has already purposed it in heaven. Once a person is glorified, his salvation is guaranteed and he is secure as if he’d already been glorified.
b) In Romans 8:33-34, Paul says, “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” Who will bring charge against God’s chosen? No one, because Christ is our advocate. Who will condemn us? No one will, because Christ is the one who condemns. We have both the advocate and the judge as our savior.
c) Believers are born again, or regenerated, when they believe (John 3:3; Titus 3:5). For one to lose their salvation, he would have to be un-regenerated, but the Bible gives no evidence that the new birth can be taken away.
d) The Holy Spirit indwells all believers (John 14:17; Romans 8:9) and baptizes believers into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). For one to become unsaved, he would be un-indwelt and detached from the body of Christ.
e) John 3:15 states that whoever believes in Christ will have eternal life. If you believe in Christ today and have eternal life, but lose it tomorrow, then it was never eternal at all. So if you lose your salvation the promise of eternal life in the Bible was in error.
f) The most conclusive argument is found in Romans 8:38-39, and it’s so good, that I gotta list here for you to read. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The same God who saved you is the same God who will keep you, and once we are saved, our salvation is eternally secure.
Is Eternal Security Biblical?
When one becomes saved, they are bought into a relationship with God the gives them eternal security. Jude 24 says, “To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy.” God’s power is able to keep the believer from falling, and it is up to Him, not us, to present us before His glorious presence. Our eternal security is a result of God keeping us, not us maintaining our own salvation.
The Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand" (John 10:28-29b). Both Jesus and the Father have us firmly grasped in their hand. Who could possibly separate us from the grip of both the Father and the Son?
We are sealed for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30), but if believers did not have eternal security then the sealing could not truly be unto the day of redemption, but to the day of sinning, apostasy, or disbelief. John 3:15 says that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life, but if one is promised eternal life and can then have it taken away, it was never eternal to begin with. If eternal security is in error, then so is the idea of eternal life in the Bible.
Again, the best argument comes out of Romans 8:38-39, because it is so obvious and straightforward. It clearly tells us that not a single thing can separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus. It is based on God’s love for those who He has redeemed, and our eternal security is purchased by the Son, promised by the Father, and sealed by the Holy Spirit.
If our salvation is eternally secure, why does the Bible warn so strongly against apostasy?
The reason the Bible warns against apostasy is because conversion is measured by spiritual fruit. When John the Baptist was baptizing people in the Jordan River, he warned those who thought they were righteous to bear fruit in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3:7). Jesus told them that every tree could be identified by its fruit (Matthew 7:16) and that every tree that does not bear fruit will be cut down and burned (Matthew 7:19).
These are meant to counter what has been called “easy-believism”, meaning that following Jesus is more than saying you are a Christian. Anyone can claim Christ, but those who are really saved bear visible fruit. So what is meant by fruit? The clearest example given is in Galatians 5:22-23 where Paul gives us a description of the fruits of the Spirit; love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There are more, such as praise and winning souls for Christ, but this list provides a good summary of Christian attitudes. True believers will manifest these in their lives to an increasing degree as they progress in their Christian walk (2 Peter 1:5-8).
It is these disciples that have the guarantee of eternal security, and they will persevere to the end, and there is so much Scripture that bears this out. Romans 8:29-30 outlines the golden chain of salvation by pointing out that those foreknew by God were predestined, called, and justified, with no loss along the way. Philippians 1:6 says that the work of God began in us, and He will also finish. Ephesians 1:13-14 says that God sealed us with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our inheritance until we have it. John 10:29 says that no one is able to take God’s sheep out of His hand. There are many other verses that say the same thing, that true believers are eternally secure in their salvation.
Passages warning against apostasy serve two purposes. First, they exhort true believers to double check their calling and election. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 13:5 to examine ourselves to see whether we are in faith. If believers are fruit bearing followers of Christ, then we will see evidence of their salvation. Christians bear fruit in varying degrees based on their obedience and spiritual gifts, but they all bear fruit, and we should see the evidence of that when self examined.
Now there will be times in a Christian’s life when they sin that there will be no visible fruit due to their disobedience, but what happens during this time of prolonged disobedience is that God removes the assurance of salvation from us, but not the actual salvation itself. That is why David prayed in Psalm 51 to restore him to the “joy of salvation” (verse 12). We lose this joy when we live in sin, and that is why we must examine ourselves. When a true Christian examines them self and sees no recent fruit, it should lead to serious repentance and a returning to God.
The second big reason for the passage is to point out apostates, or someone who abandons their religious faith. It is clear in the Bible that these are people who made professions of faith in Christ, but never really received Him as Savior. Matthew 13:1-9 illustrates this point greatly for us. A sower sows seeds onto four types of soil, and each type is a different response to gospel. The hard soil represents pure rejection, and the other three are levels of acceptance. The rocks and weeds are people who initially respond to the gospel, but when persecution comes (rocky) or cares of the world bear down (weeds), the person turns away. Jesus makes it clear with these two types of responses that they will initially accept, but will never bear fruit. “Not everyone who says, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom.” (Matthew 7:21)
It seems unusual for the Bible to warn against apostasy and at the same time say that a true believer will never do it, but that is what it says. 1 John 2:19 specifically states that those who do apostasize are demonstrating that they were not true believers, so the biblical warnings against apostasy must be a warning to those who are in the faith without truly having received it. Scriptures such as Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-29 are warnings to pretend believers, telling them to examine themselves and realize that if they are considering apostatizing, they are not truly saved. Matthew 7:22-23 indicates that those pretenders that God rejects are rejected because of the fact that God never knew them, not because they lost faith.
Many want eternal life, and will thus identify themselves with Him, but Jesus warns us to count the cost of discipleship. True believers count those costs, fake ones do not, and apostates are people who, when they leave the faith, show that they never were saved in the first place (1 John 2:19). Apostasy is not a loss of salvation, but a revealing that salvation never really happened.
Does Hebrews 6:4-6 mean we can lose our salvation?
Hebrews 6:4-6 states, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” This is one of the Bible’s most difficult passages to interpret, but one thing is clear—it does not teach that we can lose our salvation.
There are two valid ways to look at this verse:
One says that this passage refers to unbelievers who are convinced of the basic truths of the gospel but have not placed their faith in Christ. They are persuaded in the mind, but not spiritually committed.
According to this, “once enlightened” means to some level of instruction in biblical truth, but understanding the words in Scripture is not the same as being regenerated by the Holy Spirit. For example, John 1:9 describes Jesus, the “true Light,” giving light “to every man”; but this cannot mean the light of salvation, because not every man is saved. Through God’s sovereign power, every man has enough light to be held responsible. What it does is either leads to complete acceptance of Christ, or produces condemnation in those who reject it. The people here in Hebrews are of the latter group, unbelievers who have been exposed to God’s truth and have made a profession, but never exercise saving faith.
According to this, the phrase “tasted the heavenly gift” is referring to a momentary experience, akin to Jesus’ “tasting death” (Hebrews 2:9). This brief moment with the heavenly gift is not seen as equivalent to salvation, but it is likened to the second and third soils in Jesus’ parable (Matthew 13:3-23).
Finally, according to this view, “falling away” is a reference to those who have tasted the truth, but fall away from the revelation they have been given because of their lack of faith. They have to come all the way to Christ in complete repentance and faith, or they re-crucify Jesus and treat Him contemptuously. Those who sin against Christ in such a way have no hope of restoration because they reject Him with full knowledge and experience, but have concluded that Jesus should have died and they stand His enemies. It’s impossible to renew such to repentance.
The other says that this passage is written about Christians and true believers.
According to this view, the key word is in verse six when it says If a Christian falls away, and sets up a hypothetical question. The point being made is that it would be impossible (IF a Christian falls away) to renew salvation because Christ died once for sin (Hebrews 9:28) and if His sacrifice is not good enough, then there is no hope at all.
The passage then presents an argument based on a false premise (that a true Christian can fall away) ad follows it to its senseless conclusion (that Jesus would have to be sacrificed over and over again). The absurdity of the end points to the impossibility of the premise, using a reasoning called reduction ad absurdum, which is a premise disproved by showing that it logically leads to absurdity.
Both these interpretations support the security of believers; the first presents unbelievers rejecting Christ and losing their chance at salvation, and the second view presents the very idea of believers losing salvation as impossible. Many verses make it abundantly clear that salvation is eternal (John 10:27-29; Romans 8:35, 38-39; Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:4-5) and this passage confirms that doctrine.
I hope this has both helped you understand the severity of this subject and has helped you reach a biblical conlusion on the matter. This is the kind of things I do. People ask questions nad I do the best to give them firm, biblical answers. If you have a question, either message me here any way you can (still learning the ropes aroudn here) or email me at godstruth4you@yahoo.com
Can a Christian Lose Salvation?
First we must determine what we mean by Christian. It is not someone that just looks the part, but a person who has, by faith, received and fully trusted Christ as the only Savior (John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9)
With this definition in mind, let us look at some examples of what the Bible says about salvation and look at what losing salvation would entail.
A Christian is a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17) This verse speaks of a person becoming and entirely new creature as the result of being “in Christ”. For a Christian to Loose salvation, the new creation would have to be canceled and reversed.
A Christian is redeemed. (1 Peter 1:18-19) The word redeemed means something being purchased, and a price being paid. For a Christian to lose salvation, God would have to revoke His purchase that He paid for with the precious blood of Christ.
A Christian is justified. (Romans 5:1) To justify means to declare righteous, so all who receive Jesus are declared as such. For a Christian to lose salvation God would have to go back on His Word and un-declare what He had previously declared.
A Christian is promised eternal life. (John 3:16) The promise of eternal life is a promise of eternity in Heaven with God, but for a Christian to lose salvation eternal life would have to be taken away. If a Christian is promised to live forever, how can God break His promise taking eternal life away?
A Christian is guaranteed glorification. (Romans 8:30) Glorification refers to a Christian receiving a perfect resurrection body in Heaven, but if a Christian can lose salvation, Romans 8:30 is in error because God could not guarantee glorification for all those whom He predestines, calls, and justifies.
There are many more examples, but these all adequately share that a Christian cannot lose salvation. Most, if not all, of what the Bible says concerning a person that receives Christ as Savior would be invalidated if salvation could be lost. But salvation cannot be reversed; a Christian cannot be un-newly created, redemption cannot be undone, eternal life cannot be lost and still be considered eternal, and if a Christian can lose salvation, then God would have to go back on His Word, something Scripture says He never does.
Here are the two most frequent objections that will also be discussed later:
1. What about those who are Christians and continually live an immoral lifestyle?
2. What about those who are Christians but later reject the faith and deny Christ?
The underlying problem with both of these is the assumption “are Christians”.
1. The Bible says a Christian will not continue an immoral lifestyle (1 John 3:6)
2. The Bible declares that anyone who departs the faith is demonstrating that he/she never truly was a Christian (1 John 2:19)
So after examining these examples, the answer is simply no, a Christian cannot lose salvation. According to Romans 8:38-39, nothing can separate us from God’s love, and nothing can remove a Christian from God’s hand according to John 10-28-29. In Jude 24-25, we are shown that God is both willing and able to guarantee and maintain the salvation status He has given us.
Is Eternal Security a “License” to Sin?
The most frequent objection to the idea of eternal security is the idea that it will allow for Christians to do what they want when they want without consequence. To examine this, we must determine how a Christian should live and what a person must do to receive salvation.
The Bible is clear that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (John 3:16; John 14:6; Ephesians 2:8-9). Once a person believes in Christ, they are secure in that salvation; it is not that salvation is gained by faith and then maintained by works. Paul addressed this situation directly in his letter to Galatia when he said, “Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” (3:3) If we are saved by faith, our salvation is secured and maintained by faith. We cannot earn our own salvation; therefore we cannot earn the maintenance of our salvation either. It is God who maintains our salvation, as exampled in Jude verse 24. It is God’s hand that holds us firmly in His grasp (John 10:28-29) and it is God’s love that nothing can separate us from (Romans 8:38-39).
Any denial of eternal security is pretty much saying that we must secure our salvation by works. This is very antithetical to salvation by grace. We are saved because of Christ, not our own (Romans 4:3-8) and to claim that we must obey God’s Word to live a godly life to keep our salvation is equal to saying that Jesus’ death was not sufficient to pay for all of our sins. Jesus’ death was, however, sufficient to pay for all our sins, past, present, and future; pre-salvation and post-salvation (Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
So does this mean that a Christian can live and do as they please? This is a hypothetical question when one considers Scripture as a whole. The Bible makes it clear that a true Christian will not live anyway they want; they are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17); they demonstrate the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), not the acts of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). 1 John 3:6-9 tells us that a true Christian will not live in continual sin. In response to the accusation that grace promotes sin, the Apostle Paul addresses this in Romans 6:1-2 when he says "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"
Eternal security is not a license to sin, but it is the security of knowing that God’s love is guaranteed for those who trust in Christ. Knowing and understanding God’s tremendous gift of salvation accomplishes the opposite of license to sin. How could you when you know the price that Jesus paid for us go on to live in sin (Romans 6:15-23)? How could you when you understand God’s unconditional and guaranteed love for those who believe, take that love and throw it back in God’s face? Such person does not demonstrate eternal security but rather that they have never truly experienced salvation through Christ (1 John 3:6).
Once Saved Always Saved?
When people come into a relationship with Christ, they are bought into a relationship with God that guarantees their salvation as eternally secure. Many verses of Scripture declare this fact, as will be shown here:
a) Romans 8:30 says, “And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.” This verse tells us that from the moment God chooses us, it is as if we are glorified in His presence in heaven. There is not a single thing that can prevent a believer from one day being glorified because God has already purposed it in heaven. Once a person is glorified, his salvation is guaranteed and he is secure as if he’d already been glorified.
b) In Romans 8:33-34, Paul says, “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” Who will bring charge against God’s chosen? No one, because Christ is our advocate. Who will condemn us? No one will, because Christ is the one who condemns. We have both the advocate and the judge as our savior.
c) Believers are born again, or regenerated, when they believe (John 3:3; Titus 3:5). For one to lose their salvation, he would have to be un-regenerated, but the Bible gives no evidence that the new birth can be taken away.
d) The Holy Spirit indwells all believers (John 14:17; Romans 8:9) and baptizes believers into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). For one to become unsaved, he would be un-indwelt and detached from the body of Christ.
e) John 3:15 states that whoever believes in Christ will have eternal life. If you believe in Christ today and have eternal life, but lose it tomorrow, then it was never eternal at all. So if you lose your salvation the promise of eternal life in the Bible was in error.
f) The most conclusive argument is found in Romans 8:38-39, and it’s so good, that I gotta list here for you to read. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The same God who saved you is the same God who will keep you, and once we are saved, our salvation is eternally secure.
Is Eternal Security Biblical?
When one becomes saved, they are bought into a relationship with God the gives them eternal security. Jude 24 says, “To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy.” God’s power is able to keep the believer from falling, and it is up to Him, not us, to present us before His glorious presence. Our eternal security is a result of God keeping us, not us maintaining our own salvation.
The Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand" (John 10:28-29b). Both Jesus and the Father have us firmly grasped in their hand. Who could possibly separate us from the grip of both the Father and the Son?
We are sealed for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30), but if believers did not have eternal security then the sealing could not truly be unto the day of redemption, but to the day of sinning, apostasy, or disbelief. John 3:15 says that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life, but if one is promised eternal life and can then have it taken away, it was never eternal to begin with. If eternal security is in error, then so is the idea of eternal life in the Bible.
Again, the best argument comes out of Romans 8:38-39, because it is so obvious and straightforward. It clearly tells us that not a single thing can separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus. It is based on God’s love for those who He has redeemed, and our eternal security is purchased by the Son, promised by the Father, and sealed by the Holy Spirit.
If our salvation is eternally secure, why does the Bible warn so strongly against apostasy?
The reason the Bible warns against apostasy is because conversion is measured by spiritual fruit. When John the Baptist was baptizing people in the Jordan River, he warned those who thought they were righteous to bear fruit in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3:7). Jesus told them that every tree could be identified by its fruit (Matthew 7:16) and that every tree that does not bear fruit will be cut down and burned (Matthew 7:19).
These are meant to counter what has been called “easy-believism”, meaning that following Jesus is more than saying you are a Christian. Anyone can claim Christ, but those who are really saved bear visible fruit. So what is meant by fruit? The clearest example given is in Galatians 5:22-23 where Paul gives us a description of the fruits of the Spirit; love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There are more, such as praise and winning souls for Christ, but this list provides a good summary of Christian attitudes. True believers will manifest these in their lives to an increasing degree as they progress in their Christian walk (2 Peter 1:5-8).
It is these disciples that have the guarantee of eternal security, and they will persevere to the end, and there is so much Scripture that bears this out. Romans 8:29-30 outlines the golden chain of salvation by pointing out that those foreknew by God were predestined, called, and justified, with no loss along the way. Philippians 1:6 says that the work of God began in us, and He will also finish. Ephesians 1:13-14 says that God sealed us with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our inheritance until we have it. John 10:29 says that no one is able to take God’s sheep out of His hand. There are many other verses that say the same thing, that true believers are eternally secure in their salvation.
Passages warning against apostasy serve two purposes. First, they exhort true believers to double check their calling and election. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 13:5 to examine ourselves to see whether we are in faith. If believers are fruit bearing followers of Christ, then we will see evidence of their salvation. Christians bear fruit in varying degrees based on their obedience and spiritual gifts, but they all bear fruit, and we should see the evidence of that when self examined.
Now there will be times in a Christian’s life when they sin that there will be no visible fruit due to their disobedience, but what happens during this time of prolonged disobedience is that God removes the assurance of salvation from us, but not the actual salvation itself. That is why David prayed in Psalm 51 to restore him to the “joy of salvation” (verse 12). We lose this joy when we live in sin, and that is why we must examine ourselves. When a true Christian examines them self and sees no recent fruit, it should lead to serious repentance and a returning to God.
The second big reason for the passage is to point out apostates, or someone who abandons their religious faith. It is clear in the Bible that these are people who made professions of faith in Christ, but never really received Him as Savior. Matthew 13:1-9 illustrates this point greatly for us. A sower sows seeds onto four types of soil, and each type is a different response to gospel. The hard soil represents pure rejection, and the other three are levels of acceptance. The rocks and weeds are people who initially respond to the gospel, but when persecution comes (rocky) or cares of the world bear down (weeds), the person turns away. Jesus makes it clear with these two types of responses that they will initially accept, but will never bear fruit. “Not everyone who says, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom.” (Matthew 7:21)
It seems unusual for the Bible to warn against apostasy and at the same time say that a true believer will never do it, but that is what it says. 1 John 2:19 specifically states that those who do apostasize are demonstrating that they were not true believers, so the biblical warnings against apostasy must be a warning to those who are in the faith without truly having received it. Scriptures such as Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-29 are warnings to pretend believers, telling them to examine themselves and realize that if they are considering apostatizing, they are not truly saved. Matthew 7:22-23 indicates that those pretenders that God rejects are rejected because of the fact that God never knew them, not because they lost faith.
Many want eternal life, and will thus identify themselves with Him, but Jesus warns us to count the cost of discipleship. True believers count those costs, fake ones do not, and apostates are people who, when they leave the faith, show that they never were saved in the first place (1 John 2:19). Apostasy is not a loss of salvation, but a revealing that salvation never really happened.
Does Hebrews 6:4-6 mean we can lose our salvation?
Hebrews 6:4-6 states, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” This is one of the Bible’s most difficult passages to interpret, but one thing is clear—it does not teach that we can lose our salvation.
There are two valid ways to look at this verse:
One says that this passage refers to unbelievers who are convinced of the basic truths of the gospel but have not placed their faith in Christ. They are persuaded in the mind, but not spiritually committed.
According to this, “once enlightened” means to some level of instruction in biblical truth, but understanding the words in Scripture is not the same as being regenerated by the Holy Spirit. For example, John 1:9 describes Jesus, the “true Light,” giving light “to every man”; but this cannot mean the light of salvation, because not every man is saved. Through God’s sovereign power, every man has enough light to be held responsible. What it does is either leads to complete acceptance of Christ, or produces condemnation in those who reject it. The people here in Hebrews are of the latter group, unbelievers who have been exposed to God’s truth and have made a profession, but never exercise saving faith.
According to this, the phrase “tasted the heavenly gift” is referring to a momentary experience, akin to Jesus’ “tasting death” (Hebrews 2:9). This brief moment with the heavenly gift is not seen as equivalent to salvation, but it is likened to the second and third soils in Jesus’ parable (Matthew 13:3-23).
Finally, according to this view, “falling away” is a reference to those who have tasted the truth, but fall away from the revelation they have been given because of their lack of faith. They have to come all the way to Christ in complete repentance and faith, or they re-crucify Jesus and treat Him contemptuously. Those who sin against Christ in such a way have no hope of restoration because they reject Him with full knowledge and experience, but have concluded that Jesus should have died and they stand His enemies. It’s impossible to renew such to repentance.
The other says that this passage is written about Christians and true believers.
According to this view, the key word is in verse six when it says If a Christian falls away, and sets up a hypothetical question. The point being made is that it would be impossible (IF a Christian falls away) to renew salvation because Christ died once for sin (Hebrews 9:28) and if His sacrifice is not good enough, then there is no hope at all.
The passage then presents an argument based on a false premise (that a true Christian can fall away) ad follows it to its senseless conclusion (that Jesus would have to be sacrificed over and over again). The absurdity of the end points to the impossibility of the premise, using a reasoning called reduction ad absurdum, which is a premise disproved by showing that it logically leads to absurdity.
Both these interpretations support the security of believers; the first presents unbelievers rejecting Christ and losing their chance at salvation, and the second view presents the very idea of believers losing salvation as impossible. Many verses make it abundantly clear that salvation is eternal (John 10:27-29; Romans 8:35, 38-39; Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:4-5) and this passage confirms that doctrine.
I hope this has both helped you understand the severity of this subject and has helped you reach a biblical conlusion on the matter. This is the kind of things I do. People ask questions nad I do the best to give them firm, biblical answers. If you have a question, either message me here any way you can (still learning the ropes aroudn here) or email me at godstruth4you@yahoo.com
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