In answer to their foolish question and hypothetical situation, the Lord Jesus Christ gave this straightforward reply,

What a precise and powerful reply! What a serious and scathing indictment Jesus Christ made when He pointedly said,

Wow! Our Lord called a spade, a spade! He pulled no punches! He told it like it was. He goes for the Sadducees' spiritual jugular and levels their self-righteous pride by saying "ye do err," You Sadducees; You religious people, You who think you have it altogether. "Ye do err." Literally this could be rendered, "you are continually erring." You are repeatedly mistaken. You are perpetually going astray. You are over and over again missing the beaten path of truth.

But why was this so? What were the root causes for their erring? And what specific reasons does Jesus Christ offer regarding their sad spiritual state?

Two concise observations or answers are given by Jesus Christ which reveal the reasons for the Sadducees erring from the truth.

"Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures..." You, who pride yourselves in being followers of Moses, you do not really understand what Moses taught. They did not perceive the true meaning of Scripture. What condemnation!

Unlike some things in life, biblical ignorance is not bliss; it is a serious blunder. Throngs of people today are biblically illiterate. Sad to say, many could care less. Few theological seminaries today believe or teach that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of the living God. Church-goers are fed a steady diet of "sermonettes for Christianettes," preached from Hallmark cards dosed with social reform and pop psychology; instead of being fed clear, accurate, and practical Bible teaching. Church tradition, "sanctified" entertainment, rote-ritual, religious Madison Avenue techniques – ad infinitum, ad nauseum – dominate church services in our land.

The prophet Hosea's cry is so very applicable today when he proclaimed from God the message,

What a sad spiritual condition exists today when so few know the truth about God, His grace provision of salvation, His plan and purpose for man, etc. How tragic, and how unnecessary when we have access to a completed Bible and the promise of Jesus Christ.

Everyone needs to know God's truth. There is no value in sticking one's head in the spiritual sand. God wants you to know His revealed truth. God wants you to come out of the dark spiritually. This is why He has given you His word. No wonder the Scriptures tell us,

Should it surprise us that 2 Timothy 2:15 says,

Thus the apostle Paul instructed young pastor Timothy to,

Practicing what he preached, Paul was able to explain to the Ephesian elders at Miletus regarding his teaching ministry,

From this sampling of verses, one thing is quite clear. A true understanding and steady diet of the Word of God is essential in our lives. Why did the Sadducees err? Like many in pulpit and pew today, they went astray because they were ignorant of the Word of God. This is the first reason, which then led to the second reason.

"Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God." Their ignorance of Scripture resulted in an underestimation of the power of God. They could not comprehend the power of God almighty which could raise the dead in a future bodily resurrection.

God is omnipotent or all-powerful. He has the inherent or intrinsic power to do anything within the parameters of His nature and will. In fact, Romans 1:20 tells us that through the medium of God's created universe, every day we have revealed His "eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse."

Ironically, God's supernatural power was further displayed in the midst of the Sadducees' dark unbelief by the numerous miracles performed by Christ, climaxed by His own resurrection from the dead. It is essential that we understand the power of God, especially since within the saving message of the Gospel there is unleashed "the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth" (Romans 1:16).

Thus, the indictment of the Lord Jesus Christ to these Sadducees is very clear. "Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God."

Could this be said of you dear friend? Do you know what you believe? Is your belief rooted and grounded in the Scriptures? Do your convictions have the biblical stamp of approval consisting of "thus saith the Lord"? And have you taken into full consideration the supernatural power of God?

I ask these questions of you, dear reader, because these two biblical essentials (the Word of God and the power of God) have everything to do with a correct understanding of our subject in this series – "Is Salvation Forever? or Can It Be Lost?"

Have you ever inquired, "Can a genuine believer in Jesus Christ ever be lost again?" Perhaps you have been asked, "Can someone who is truly saved ever commit a sin or sin to such a degree that they would lose their salvation and be condemned forever?" Or approaching it from another angle, "Can a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ later reject the Saviour and fall away from salvation?" Can anyone know with real assurance they will be saved in one, five, or ten years from now? Or forever?

Good questions, wouldn't you say? Essential questions, for they address issues that lie right at the heart of the matter of one's understanding of their eternal destiny. I assure you that the Bible speaks very directly and clearly regarding these crucial issues. This is what the subject of "eternal security" is all about.

When this important issue of the eternal security of salvation or these kind of legitimate questions are raised, I have found there are four basic reactions or responses which people generally have regarding these matters.

To some individuals, the issue of eternal security is a...

Some honestly are uncertain and do not know for sure what the Bible teaches regarding this. This is sometimes true of new believers, or of churches where the Bible is not taught. In this same camp, others use the cop-out, "Bible scholars have debated and disagreed on these issues for many years." Dear friends, that is nothing less than skirting the issue.

Seemingly hard to believe, I have even heard of those who seek to walk the middle of the road by saying, "Both sides are right! Salvation is eternally secure, but you can lose it." Now that is theological double-talk.¹ It's like having white blacktop, that is an impossibility. Still others are tossed to and fro on this issue, being blown around like spiritual tumbleweed depending on who they are talking or associating with that day.

In each of these cases, the reaction or response to the issue of eternal security is one of dilemma.

However, though some people view eternal security as an unresolved dilemma, there are a substantial group of people who vehemently oppose and reject this teaching, calling it a...

These folk in pulpit and pew conclude that to know you are saved forever and can never lose it is "satanic" and "straight from the pit of hell." They further conclude that this teaching is a "license to sin" producing careless living among believers. ²

Their concern is an understandable one for God saves a sinner "from" sin, not "to" sin. Furthermore, we know that God hates sin and calls believers to "be ye holy; for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16). ³

Oddly enough, there are those who refuse and reject this so-called "doctrine of the devil" while claiming that they personally have assurance that heaven is their future home and that they shall never lose their salvation. This sounds contradictory and arrogant.

Now while some view the issue of eternal security as a DILEMMA, while others view it as a DAMNABLE DOCTRINE, there is a growing number of evangelicals who have concluded that what you believe about eternal security…

These individuals, many who are pastors, view this issue as secondary and non-essential at best; and controversial and divisive at worst. ⁴

While they may discuss it privately, they avoid teaching on it publicly, not wanting to rock-the-boat of their numerically-growing evangelical church.

Oftentimes, people who attend this kind of church reflect a mixed bag of beliefs, consisting of those who embrace eternal security; those who deny eternal security; and those who just don't know or care.

Unfortunately, the truths of the Word of God regarding this important issue are not taught, leaving people with the impression that it really doesn't matter what you believe about eternal security. Don’t you think it is important to know for sure that you are saved from hell forever or not?

How sad! And how unnecessary, when the Scriptures are replete with numerous verses specifically addressing this subject. This is nothing less than worldly compromise or willful neglect for the sake of psuedo-unity.

The fourth prevalent response to the issue of eternal security is one of...

Many have found the eternal security of salvation to be one of the most comforting, most assuring, and most joy producing of all Christian truths.

I have found that those who understand and believe in the true nature of salvation by God's grace and the sufficiency of Christ's finished payment for all of man's sin, enjoy the assurance of an everlasting salvation. To them, the verses of Scripture we will be considering in this series are a delight. Like the prophet Jeremiah, they exclaim,

What response to this important issue of eternal security do you have? Is it an unresolved dilemma? Then make sure you read carefully the future articles in this series with an open heart, paying close attention to the clear verses of Scripture which we will carefully consider. Remember, "the entrance of thy Word giveth light" (Psalm 119:130)!

Perhaps your response to this issue has been to consider it a damnable doctrine of satanic or human origin. If this is true of you, let me ask you a very probing question that you need to honestly face. Do you reject this teaching based on an objective understanding of all the Scriptures regarding this? Why do you believe what you believe?

On the other hand, you may be of the opinion that the issue of eternal security doesn’t matter. But if you are willing to search the Scriptures to see if it matters to God, will you change your mind?

Lastly, you might be thinking, "I believe that my salvation is eternal and secure." Great! Could you support your beliefs from the Scriptures? And could you communicate your convictions clearly to someone else?

Whether you realize it or not, your beliefs are based on some authority, standard, or evidence which you hold to be valid or right. What is it? Think it through! Evaluate!

Is your conviction based on your human experience so that you reject this teaching as a fabrication of men's fantasies? Is it because you say to yourself, "I knew a person once who claimed to be saved? Later, he did such and such a sin. I'm sure he lost his salvation." How do you know for sure he was genuinely saved to begin with? And if he was saved by God's grace, how do you know he lost his salvation? What is your standard? And what if someone else had just the opposite human evaluation or experience? Who is right?

The apostle Peter makes it clear to us that the Word of God, not human experience, is the final determiner of truth.

Your human experience is an unreliable final authority for God's truth, just as is human emotion. Listen closely when people discuss this issue. They oftentimes will say, "well, I feel..." Realistically, the final determiner of truth is not what we feel, but what God's Word says! I don't always feel very alive, but all the vital signs are still there.

Or perhaps your beliefs about eternal security are based on human opinion. When this is the case, you will find yourself saying, "I had a friend once who told me I could lose my salvation. This must be right." Or perhaps this unreliable guide masquerades by such statements as, "I personally think...," or "I heard Mr. Evangelist once say ..."

Still others uphold church tradition as a reliable determiner of truth. Jesus Christ ripped this conclusion to shreds when He declared,

Dear friend, the final determiner of truth is not one's human experience, no matter how real it may seem. Neither is it one's human emotion, regardless of how sincere it may be. Nor is it one's human opinion, no matter how credible it is. Neither is it church tradition, regardless of how long and popular it is. The final court of appeal in determining God's truth is found solely in the Holy Scriptures.

Remember what Jesus Christ said in Matthew 22:29?

Jesus Christ also affirmed the absolute authority of Scripture in John 17:17 when He prayed,

We have in the Scriptures the inspired, infallible, and inerrant source and record of divine truth so as to know with certainty what God has to say on these matters. And when God says it – that settles it, no matter what anyone feels or thinks about it.

The gavel of truth stands or falls not on what John Calvin or Jacob Arminius taught about eternal security, but on what the Scriptures reveal and teach.

In fact, I encourage and challenge you to put to the acid test of Scripture everything in this series of articles. Be like these noble Bereans of Paul's day, who...

Footnotes:

1. Pat Robertson of CBN fame writes, "So we should have a feeling of security. But at the same time there should be a healthy fear of falling." (from CBN Frontlines 1992)
2. This has been the perspective of a number of Pentecostal or Charismatic pastors and evangelists.
3. The official doctrinal statement of the Assembly's of God (Article VIII, Section 1) reads, "In view of the Biblical teaching that the security of the believer depends on a living relationship with Christ (John 15:6); in view of the Bible's call to a life of holiness (1 Peter 1:16; Hebrews 12:14); in view of the clear teaching that a man may have his part taken out of the Book of Life (Revelation 22:19); and in view of the fact that one who believes for a while can fall away (Luke 8:13); The General Council of the Assemblies of God disapproves of the unconditional security position which holds that it is impossible for a person once saved to be lost."
4. There are various denominations or fellowships which fail or refuse to take a stand on eternal security in their official doctrinal statements such as the Evangelical Free Church of America, the Christian and Missionary Alliance, The Evangelical Covenant Church, the Baptist General Conference, etc.

Dennis Rokser has been involved with the Duluth Bible Church for the last 17 years, serving as pastor-teacher for the last fourteen years.