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Let's say the doctrine of once-saved-always-saved, as Calvinists and Calv/Arminians present it, is true. (Let's ignore the fact that many Scriptures make it seem to hang by very slender threads.) Let's consider a pragmatic question: Does this teaching ravish the heart of a person
who is burdened with highly stigmatized iniquity/patterns/bondages/ addictions with a real sense of security in God's love? (And let's also bypass the issue that this doctrine is intended to bring a sense of security only for one's SELF, and NOT in regards to one's loved ones.)Now let's remember the cosmic "scenario" out of which this doctrine emerges, as well as recalling some other factors found in Scripture...
(1) God (Who Is Never-Failing Love--thanks Laird!:-) has planned from eternity past to consign the vast majority of His human offspring (perhaps infants included) to endless fiery agony. That includes many "Christians" who turn out not to have been "truly" saved in this lifetime.
(2) Uh oh! It is apparant that a good number of folks will merely THINK they have the "inner witness" in themselves that they have been truly saved. For Jesus says that many, not few, will say to Him on that day, "Lord have we not prophesied...and done many wonderful works in your name?" (See all of Matt.7:21-23 for the rest of the story!) Also don't forget John's words: "They went out from us that it might be made manifest that none of them were of us." (1Jn.2:19)
(3) So we read in 1 Pet.1:5-11 that we must make our calling and election SURE. (To escape endless hell fire, so popular religiosity tells us.) Uh oh... There goes "resting in God's grace" out the window! Why? Even if once-saved-always-saved IS (technically) "true", one cannot be too careful, can one? Give me a break! We're talking about *eternal destinies* here. We're talking about YOUR eternal destiny. We're talking about a god who is (To escape endless hell fire, so popular religiosity tells us.) Uh oh... There goes "resting in God's grace" out the window! Why? Even if once-saved-always-saved IS (technically) "true", one cannot be too careful, can one? Give me a break! We're talking about *eternal destinies* here. We're talking about YOUR eternal destiny. We're talking about a god who is planning to burn most people alive--forever. So in ALL EARNESTNESS we're therefore talking about the DIRE URGENCY of shunning the *very appearance* of evil...Furthermore, bearing in mind that we all teeter on the brink of an
eternal hell in which most of earth's myriad billions willsuffer indescribable anguish, these words take on an urgency that we dare not minimize--"NEVERTHELESS, THE SOLID FOUNDATION OF GOD STANDS, HAVING THIS SEAL: 'THE LORD KNOWS THOSE WHO ARE HIS', AND, 'LET EVERYONE WHO NAMES THE NAME OF CHRIST--*DEPART*--FROM EVIL!'" (2Tim.2:19)
(4) Also, let's remember that confession and belief of Christ's Lordship must come from one's HEART if one is to be saved. (Rom.10:9) But can WE know our own heart? Can we be 100% certain that we have
confessed Christ from the heart? The Bible says, "The heart is desperately wicked, who (but God alone) can know it?" (Jer.17:9) Morever let's remember that Proverbs 28:26 warns us that "only a fool
trusts in his own heart."So we can easily see here why we can find some of the most "legalistic" Christians on earth in the Calvinist camp. There just is no way to have a coherant "grace doctrine" under the belief paradigm of once-saved-always-saved. Not if your SERIOUS about YOUR sin and your ETERNAL DESTINY, there isn't.
But please don't take my observation about Calvinistic legalists as a put down, okay? I ADMIRE these people; they are the most HONEST Calvinists of all. How so? These folks whom "grace-oriented" Calvinists call "legalists" are actually those who take their hell-fire doctrine SERIOUSLY. Yep. They keep it in mind--in everyday practice. Of course, some Calvinist folks (perhaps, unconsciously) feel that their level of private (?) and public conduct "qualifies" them as fitting the profile of one who has been "truly" saved. If one falls into that catagory, then it would be easy to be a "grace-oriented" believer in once-saved-always- saved, wouldn't it? :-)
Closing out... I know of a well-known Evangelical preacher here in the the U.S. (noted for his gracious heart, demeaner, and prayer life) who recently died--CURSING GOD. According to the doctrine of most believers in "eternal security" that means that poor man probably had NEVER been "truly" saved.
QUESTION: If you are a Calvinist, on what basis can you be *certain* that you may not die in the same way?
If you do not (yet) believe that Christ will eventually draw all men to Himself (Jn.12:23-32) and justify THE heathen (Gal.3:8, Eph.1:9-11) all I can say is--
You HAD BETTER walk--softly!
Very...very...softly.
Yours Celebrating our World-Savior's Never-Failing Love,
Charlie
P. S.
Pride versus humility can be such a hilarious subject, can't it? I heard of a fellow whose church awarded him a pin for his lapel that stated "I'm George Bucketmouth, the most humble man in this church!"
But when he wore it the next Sunday, they took it away from him! :-)
However, the point is this: If Unfailing Holy Love plans to write off most ot the human race, then there are only TWO kinds of Christans who can "believe" this and at the same time "rest in God's grace" and never lose any sleep over it:
(1) One who actually has no sin, and no loved ones who have any sin.
(2) One who *thinks* that he or she knows his or her own heart. One who *thinks* his or her sins (and that of their loved ones) is not as "serious" as those of most the "skuz buckets" of the world.
If someone falls under the latter catagory, would it be inaccurate to suggest that a ROOT OF PRIDE is working in that one?
Just for prayerful reflection...