Saved by Grace_06
May 12th, 2007, 10:29 PM
Perseverance of the Saints
“If you are God centered because you think God is man centered, then you are man centered. But, if you are God centered, because you want to get on board for God’s God-centeredness, then God is God.” – John Piper
God-Centered Theology Vs Man-Centered Theology
I’d like to propose a question. This question, I feel, will not only lead to revealing what you believe about the Bible, but also why. The question is: Why does God forgive and ultimately save anyone? Perhaps the most common quoted scripture, namely John 3:16 is your answer? God does love the world. But why? There is nothing in man to merit God’s love, neither is there anything in man to enthrall God to him. As a matter of fact, the opposite is true. There is only in man thoughts and deeds and desires, worthy of God’s justice and wrath. In the book of Proverbs, chapter 17 and verse 15, we read that “he who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD.” Notice the first half: “He who justifies the wicked is an abomination to the Lord.” We know from scriptures like Exodus 23:7 that “God will not justify the wicked.” We also know that apart from Christ, we were all wicked in the sight of the pure and perfectly holy God. We weren’t just derailed and therefore separated from God because of sin, but also we were dead in sin and our whole lives consisted of sin; for everything we did apart from faith was sin (Romans 14:23). Why then does God justify us?
The Glory of God: For from him and through him and to him are all things.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism, which was completed in 1647, defines the chief end of man as followed: “Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.” Two text that I will use to support this claim is:
1. “I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made. - Isa 43:6-7
2. “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” - Rev 21:3
We know from scripture that all who are called by God’s name are made for God’s glory and that his glory is bound up in the full enjoyment of his people. The one who is infinitely beautiful and infinitely precious and infinitely sublime and infinitely glorious, has made us to behold his wonder forever. And this is eternal life, that we may know the one true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent into the world (John 17:3). What is man that he is mindful of us and how did such an unfathomable and infinitely glorious lot fall upon us?
Unconditional Election on the grounds of a Definite Atonement
“...though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad--in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls...” - Romans 9:11
As we have seen above, God creates people for his own glory and that his glory is bound up in his people’s everlasting enjoying of him. With that established, my aim now shall be to show you why God saves people and how he can save them when it is an abomination for him to justify them. Consider with me the following texts:
“Who is like your people, Israel, a unique nation on the earth? Their God went to claim a nation for himself and to make a name for himself! You did great and awesome acts for your land, before your people whom you delivered for yourself from the Egyptian empire and its gods.” --2Sam 7:23
“For my name's sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off.” - Isa 48:9
“I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.” – 1John 2:12
“But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but Through Isaac shall your offspring be named. This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.” –Romans 9:6-8
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” –Mark 10:45
“Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.”– Isa 53:11-12
“He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” – 1John 2:2
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” –Romans 3:23-26
Using these scriptures as my foundation, I’d like to build my argument that God does everything for his own name’s sake (his glory). First, we see that God chose a people from out of the whole world, namely the people of Israel, and that they are choose by grace (Romans 11:5-6). Moreover, since he has chosen them and pledged himself to them, he has only known them - that is to say, he is intimate only with them - from all of the families out of the whole world (Amos 3:2). Secondly, we see that not everyone born of Jewish decent is really considered “Israel.” Rather, it is the children counted in the promise that God considers Israel (Romans 9:6-8). Third, God has made and eternal covenant with his people, and because he has done this, he is obligated to keep his promise for the sake of his holy name. Therefore, it is “for his own name’s sake that he forgives his people’s sins” (1John 2:12, Isa 48:9). Fourth, God can be just in justifying the guilty because he has been propitiated by Christ’ atoning sacrifice (Romans 3:23-26). Fifth, Christ’ death does not merely provide the opportunity for someone to be saved, but rather his death saves those whom it was designed to save, namely his sheep, his church, those whom the Father has given the son from out of the whole world - vis-a-vis - the elect (Isa 53:11-12, 1John 2:2, Mark 10:45, Hebrews 2:9-18, John 10:11, John 17:2, etc.)
A Quick interjection and side bar:
I think it is worthy to mention here, why God allowed the fall of man. In the third chapter of the Westminister Confession of faith, we read: “God from all eternity did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass: yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established. In God’s foreknowledge, he did foresee the fall of Adam and thus saw all of the consequences by which all strife and sorrow and evil, etc., would occur as a result of the fall. Why then did he allow it? Because of the greater good that would come out of it. For what Satan and man meant for evil, God in his providence and absolute sovereignty has changed it for His good. We read in Acts chapter two and verse 23 that “Jesus was delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.” But why? What was the purpose for Jesus’ coming, suffering, sacrificial death, resurrection, etc? What else but the glory of God! For in the coming ages he will show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:7), whereby he will get the glory and we the joy, which is the best of both possible worlds. In God’s wisdom, he has allowed the fall of man and all of the things which it entails, e.g., mankind being dead in sins, mankind being separated from God and unable to please God, etc., so that man may be saved to the praise and glory of God’s grace. Or as Eph 1:3-6 puts it:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
Understanding the Atonement: The Reason for our Assurance
“And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” –Romans 8:30
Notice in the scripture above, there are no dropouts from justification to glorification. All of whom which are called are then justified (because of what Christ did for then on their behalf) and therefore and finally glorified (the end result of God’s people). On what grounds can God make this promise? I think Hebrews 2:9-18 will shed some light. Consider with me the following verses with my comments in red:
Heb 2:9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
[Who is the “everyone in v9?]
Heb 2:10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.
[The “everyone” in v9 is referring to the “many sons” who through suffering, will make their salvation perfect in v10.]
Heb 2:11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, Heb 2:12 saying, I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise. Heb 2:13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold, I and the children God has given me.”
[Again, the “everyone” in v9 are referring to “many sons” in v10 and also called “brothers of Christ” in verses 11 & 12, and are also “the children whom God that Father has given to God the Son” in v13. Verse 13 is a parallel verse to John 17:2 and John 17:6, where we see Jesus speaking about “the children whom the father has given him out of the world.]
Heb 2:14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, Heb 2:15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
[Here we see Christ’ reason for coming: Since the children that the father has given the Son share in flesh and blood, Christ likewise put on flesh and blood, “that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, which is the devil.”]
Heb 2:16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.
[Christ helps the children of Abraham, which is Israel, the promised people saved from out of the whole world by God’s grace alone, through their faith in Christ alone, and to God’s glory alone.]
Heb 2:17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
[Christ became like his brothers, which are those whom the Father has given him v13, so that he would be the propitiation for their sins, thereby freeing them from the curse of the law. Now, therefore, there is no condemnation for those in Christ.]
Answering Objections to Eternal Security
Q 1: Why does the Bible give so many warnings if people cannot lost their salvation?
A 1: The reasons why God gives warnings in the Bible is two-fold:
a.) The Bible realizes the problem of false converts and false Christians, and therefore gives warnings so that people will “examine themselves to see if they are really in the faith” (2Co 13:5) so that they may “make their calling and election sure” (1Peter 1:10).
b.) God uses means to bring about certain ends. And, one of the means by which he is pleased to ensure his people’s growth in holiness, sanctification, and never leaving him, is fear. Notice, for example, the new covernantal promise God made mention of in Jer 32:40:
“And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.”
Q 2: Will not those who adhere to this doctrine become caviler in their Christian walk and therefore have a licence to go on in sin?
A 2: Many have and will continue to twist scripture to their own destruction. Their condemnation is just. This said however, one should not disregard the truth because of its association to antinomians. The truth is, these doctrines have the exact opposite effect on the Christian than the natural man or immature Christian might assume. These doctrines were given to us by God for our assurance and for the one who understands these truths, these doctrines become the motivation for fighting sin and “putting off the old man.” Nothing makes a man hate sin and yarn to kill the flesh more than the man who knows that he is saved solely by sovereign grace. Finally, we may rest in the fact that since God saves for his own names’s sake, he will not have one of his children live in sin. Hence we read in 1John 3:6 that “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him,” and in 1John 3:9...”No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.”
Q 3: What about Hebrews 6:4-6?
A 3: Arminians, I feel, have a problem with this verse. If they contend for a true believer losing his salvation, then according to their understand of Hebrews 6:6, everyone who falls into occasional sins will not be able to repent. And, that would include them. Hebrews 6:4-6, I believe, is dealing with unbelievers.
They had once been enlightened. They had heard the gospel of the grace of God. They were not in darkness concerning the way of salvation. Judas Iscariot had been enlightened but he rejected the light.
They tasted the heavenly gift. The Lord Jesus is the heavenly Gift. They had tasted of Him but had never received Him by a definite act of faith. It is possible to taste without eating or drinking. When men offered wine mixed with gall to Jesus on the cross, He tasted it but He would not drink it (Mat 27:34). It is not enough to taste Christ; unless we eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, that is, unless we truly receive Him as Lord and Savior, we have no life in us (John 6:53).
They had become partakers of the Holy Spirit. Before we jump to the conclusion that this necessarily implies conversion, we should remember that the Holy Spirit carries on a pre-conversion ministry in men's lives. He sanctifies unbelievers (1Co 7:14), putting them in a position of external privilege. He convicts unbelievers of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (Joh 16:8). He leads men to repentance and points them to Christ as their only hope. Men may thus partake of the Holy Spirit's benefits without being indwelt by Him.
They had tasted the good word of God. As they heard the gospel preached, they were strangely moved and drawn to it. They were like the seed that fell on rocky ground; they heard the word and immediately received it with joy, but they had no root in themselves. They endured for a while, but when tribulation or persecution arose on account of the word, they promptly fell away (Mat 13:20-21).
They had tasted the powers of the age to come. Powers here means “miracles.” The age to come is the Millennial Age, the coming era of peace and prosperity when Christ will reign over the earth for one thousand years. The miracles which accompanied the preaching of the gospel in the early days of the church (Heb 2:4) were a foretaste of signs and wonders which will be performed in Christ's kingdom. These people had witnessed these miracles in the first century, in fact, they might have participated in them. Take, for instance, the miracles of the loaves and fishes. After Jesus had fed the five thousand, the people followed Him to the other side of the sea. The Savior realized that, though they had tasted a miracle, they did not really believe in Him. He said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled” (John 6:26).
If they fall away, after enjoying the privileges just enumerated, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance. They have committed the sin of apostasy. They have reached the place where the lights go out on the way to hell.
The enormous guilt of apostates is indicated in the words since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. This signifies a deliberate, malicious spurning of Christ, not just a careless disregard of Him. It indicates a positive betrayal of Him, a joining of forces against Him, and a ridiculing of His Person and work.
“If you are God centered because you think God is man centered, then you are man centered. But, if you are God centered, because you want to get on board for God’s God-centeredness, then God is God.” – John Piper
God-Centered Theology Vs Man-Centered Theology
I’d like to propose a question. This question, I feel, will not only lead to revealing what you believe about the Bible, but also why. The question is: Why does God forgive and ultimately save anyone? Perhaps the most common quoted scripture, namely John 3:16 is your answer? God does love the world. But why? There is nothing in man to merit God’s love, neither is there anything in man to enthrall God to him. As a matter of fact, the opposite is true. There is only in man thoughts and deeds and desires, worthy of God’s justice and wrath. In the book of Proverbs, chapter 17 and verse 15, we read that “he who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD.” Notice the first half: “He who justifies the wicked is an abomination to the Lord.” We know from scriptures like Exodus 23:7 that “God will not justify the wicked.” We also know that apart from Christ, we were all wicked in the sight of the pure and perfectly holy God. We weren’t just derailed and therefore separated from God because of sin, but also we were dead in sin and our whole lives consisted of sin; for everything we did apart from faith was sin (Romans 14:23). Why then does God justify us?
The Glory of God: For from him and through him and to him are all things.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism, which was completed in 1647, defines the chief end of man as followed: “Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.” Two text that I will use to support this claim is:
1. “I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made. - Isa 43:6-7
2. “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” - Rev 21:3
We know from scripture that all who are called by God’s name are made for God’s glory and that his glory is bound up in the full enjoyment of his people. The one who is infinitely beautiful and infinitely precious and infinitely sublime and infinitely glorious, has made us to behold his wonder forever. And this is eternal life, that we may know the one true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent into the world (John 17:3). What is man that he is mindful of us and how did such an unfathomable and infinitely glorious lot fall upon us?
Unconditional Election on the grounds of a Definite Atonement
“...though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad--in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls...” - Romans 9:11
As we have seen above, God creates people for his own glory and that his glory is bound up in his people’s everlasting enjoying of him. With that established, my aim now shall be to show you why God saves people and how he can save them when it is an abomination for him to justify them. Consider with me the following texts:
“Who is like your people, Israel, a unique nation on the earth? Their God went to claim a nation for himself and to make a name for himself! You did great and awesome acts for your land, before your people whom you delivered for yourself from the Egyptian empire and its gods.” --2Sam 7:23
“For my name's sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off.” - Isa 48:9
“I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.” – 1John 2:12
“But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but Through Isaac shall your offspring be named. This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.” –Romans 9:6-8
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” –Mark 10:45
“Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.”– Isa 53:11-12
“He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” – 1John 2:2
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” –Romans 3:23-26
Using these scriptures as my foundation, I’d like to build my argument that God does everything for his own name’s sake (his glory). First, we see that God chose a people from out of the whole world, namely the people of Israel, and that they are choose by grace (Romans 11:5-6). Moreover, since he has chosen them and pledged himself to them, he has only known them - that is to say, he is intimate only with them - from all of the families out of the whole world (Amos 3:2). Secondly, we see that not everyone born of Jewish decent is really considered “Israel.” Rather, it is the children counted in the promise that God considers Israel (Romans 9:6-8). Third, God has made and eternal covenant with his people, and because he has done this, he is obligated to keep his promise for the sake of his holy name. Therefore, it is “for his own name’s sake that he forgives his people’s sins” (1John 2:12, Isa 48:9). Fourth, God can be just in justifying the guilty because he has been propitiated by Christ’ atoning sacrifice (Romans 3:23-26). Fifth, Christ’ death does not merely provide the opportunity for someone to be saved, but rather his death saves those whom it was designed to save, namely his sheep, his church, those whom the Father has given the son from out of the whole world - vis-a-vis - the elect (Isa 53:11-12, 1John 2:2, Mark 10:45, Hebrews 2:9-18, John 10:11, John 17:2, etc.)
A Quick interjection and side bar:
I think it is worthy to mention here, why God allowed the fall of man. In the third chapter of the Westminister Confession of faith, we read: “God from all eternity did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass: yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established. In God’s foreknowledge, he did foresee the fall of Adam and thus saw all of the consequences by which all strife and sorrow and evil, etc., would occur as a result of the fall. Why then did he allow it? Because of the greater good that would come out of it. For what Satan and man meant for evil, God in his providence and absolute sovereignty has changed it for His good. We read in Acts chapter two and verse 23 that “Jesus was delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.” But why? What was the purpose for Jesus’ coming, suffering, sacrificial death, resurrection, etc? What else but the glory of God! For in the coming ages he will show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:7), whereby he will get the glory and we the joy, which is the best of both possible worlds. In God’s wisdom, he has allowed the fall of man and all of the things which it entails, e.g., mankind being dead in sins, mankind being separated from God and unable to please God, etc., so that man may be saved to the praise and glory of God’s grace. Or as Eph 1:3-6 puts it:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
Understanding the Atonement: The Reason for our Assurance
“And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” –Romans 8:30
Notice in the scripture above, there are no dropouts from justification to glorification. All of whom which are called are then justified (because of what Christ did for then on their behalf) and therefore and finally glorified (the end result of God’s people). On what grounds can God make this promise? I think Hebrews 2:9-18 will shed some light. Consider with me the following verses with my comments in red:
Heb 2:9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
[Who is the “everyone in v9?]
Heb 2:10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.
[The “everyone” in v9 is referring to the “many sons” who through suffering, will make their salvation perfect in v10.]
Heb 2:11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, Heb 2:12 saying, I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise. Heb 2:13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold, I and the children God has given me.”
[Again, the “everyone” in v9 are referring to “many sons” in v10 and also called “brothers of Christ” in verses 11 & 12, and are also “the children whom God that Father has given to God the Son” in v13. Verse 13 is a parallel verse to John 17:2 and John 17:6, where we see Jesus speaking about “the children whom the father has given him out of the world.]
Heb 2:14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, Heb 2:15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
[Here we see Christ’ reason for coming: Since the children that the father has given the Son share in flesh and blood, Christ likewise put on flesh and blood, “that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, which is the devil.”]
Heb 2:16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.
[Christ helps the children of Abraham, which is Israel, the promised people saved from out of the whole world by God’s grace alone, through their faith in Christ alone, and to God’s glory alone.]
Heb 2:17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
[Christ became like his brothers, which are those whom the Father has given him v13, so that he would be the propitiation for their sins, thereby freeing them from the curse of the law. Now, therefore, there is no condemnation for those in Christ.]
Answering Objections to Eternal Security
Q 1: Why does the Bible give so many warnings if people cannot lost their salvation?
A 1: The reasons why God gives warnings in the Bible is two-fold:
a.) The Bible realizes the problem of false converts and false Christians, and therefore gives warnings so that people will “examine themselves to see if they are really in the faith” (2Co 13:5) so that they may “make their calling and election sure” (1Peter 1:10).
b.) God uses means to bring about certain ends. And, one of the means by which he is pleased to ensure his people’s growth in holiness, sanctification, and never leaving him, is fear. Notice, for example, the new covernantal promise God made mention of in Jer 32:40:
“And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.”
Q 2: Will not those who adhere to this doctrine become caviler in their Christian walk and therefore have a licence to go on in sin?
A 2: Many have and will continue to twist scripture to their own destruction. Their condemnation is just. This said however, one should not disregard the truth because of its association to antinomians. The truth is, these doctrines have the exact opposite effect on the Christian than the natural man or immature Christian might assume. These doctrines were given to us by God for our assurance and for the one who understands these truths, these doctrines become the motivation for fighting sin and “putting off the old man.” Nothing makes a man hate sin and yarn to kill the flesh more than the man who knows that he is saved solely by sovereign grace. Finally, we may rest in the fact that since God saves for his own names’s sake, he will not have one of his children live in sin. Hence we read in 1John 3:6 that “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him,” and in 1John 3:9...”No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.”
Q 3: What about Hebrews 6:4-6?
A 3: Arminians, I feel, have a problem with this verse. If they contend for a true believer losing his salvation, then according to their understand of Hebrews 6:6, everyone who falls into occasional sins will not be able to repent. And, that would include them. Hebrews 6:4-6, I believe, is dealing with unbelievers.
They had once been enlightened. They had heard the gospel of the grace of God. They were not in darkness concerning the way of salvation. Judas Iscariot had been enlightened but he rejected the light.
They tasted the heavenly gift. The Lord Jesus is the heavenly Gift. They had tasted of Him but had never received Him by a definite act of faith. It is possible to taste without eating or drinking. When men offered wine mixed with gall to Jesus on the cross, He tasted it but He would not drink it (Mat 27:34). It is not enough to taste Christ; unless we eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, that is, unless we truly receive Him as Lord and Savior, we have no life in us (John 6:53).
They had become partakers of the Holy Spirit. Before we jump to the conclusion that this necessarily implies conversion, we should remember that the Holy Spirit carries on a pre-conversion ministry in men's lives. He sanctifies unbelievers (1Co 7:14), putting them in a position of external privilege. He convicts unbelievers of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (Joh 16:8). He leads men to repentance and points them to Christ as their only hope. Men may thus partake of the Holy Spirit's benefits without being indwelt by Him.
They had tasted the good word of God. As they heard the gospel preached, they were strangely moved and drawn to it. They were like the seed that fell on rocky ground; they heard the word and immediately received it with joy, but they had no root in themselves. They endured for a while, but when tribulation or persecution arose on account of the word, they promptly fell away (Mat 13:20-21).
They had tasted the powers of the age to come. Powers here means “miracles.” The age to come is the Millennial Age, the coming era of peace and prosperity when Christ will reign over the earth for one thousand years. The miracles which accompanied the preaching of the gospel in the early days of the church (Heb 2:4) were a foretaste of signs and wonders which will be performed in Christ's kingdom. These people had witnessed these miracles in the first century, in fact, they might have participated in them. Take, for instance, the miracles of the loaves and fishes. After Jesus had fed the five thousand, the people followed Him to the other side of the sea. The Savior realized that, though they had tasted a miracle, they did not really believe in Him. He said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled” (John 6:26).
If they fall away, after enjoying the privileges just enumerated, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance. They have committed the sin of apostasy. They have reached the place where the lights go out on the way to hell.
The enormous guilt of apostates is indicated in the words since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. This signifies a deliberate, malicious spurning of Christ, not just a careless disregard of Him. It indicates a positive betrayal of Him, a joining of forces against Him, and a ridiculing of His Person and work.