Eternal Insecurity?

 

Eternal Insecurity

          A man on Facebook proclaimed that the “once saved, always saved” doctrine of eternal security is “leading people to hell!”  He didn’t give any reasoning for his statement, but is there any truth in his words?  A man hears a sermon, says a sinners pray and the preacher states “once saved, always saved”.  Then for the next 30 years, he doesn’t return to church.  The fruit of the spirit are not seen in his life.  He does not reach out to God because he thinks his ticket has been punched for the pearly gates.  He takes the preachers word on it.  Is he trusting in God or trusting in a mere procedure?  Do procedures save?

          Does our friend fall into the Ezekiel 18:24?  “But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live?  All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.”  Is our salvation-confident friend hell-bound?

          Is he in the lukewarm category?  Revelation 3:16 says, “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”  Is our friend going to be spat out and rejected?

          Is our friend in the “never knew you” category?  Matthew 7:21-23 states, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

          Romans 8:35-39 tells us that circumstances do not separate us from the love of God.  “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?.... neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Is it possible to be always loved by God and on the fast track to hell at the same time?  Can we have unconditional love for those who are going the wrong way?

          So what about the preacher’s words?  A man raised his hand, walked the aisle, repeated a sinner’s prayer and the preacher stated “once saved, always saved”.  Is this saying, inadvertently, leading our overly-confident, complacent friend to the gates of hell?