••A Continuation..!
Usually, the first attack on the perceived thought of Sinlessness from one who stands firmly on the Eternal Security doctrine, would be such questions as…
“Hasn’t he forgiven you more than 70×7 times..? Or …
“Are you claiming you have never sinned?”; “Surely, there is none who can live without sin..?”
If a believer goes 10 years and continues struggling with the same things, then he must recognize there is a fundamental problem.
Let’s say he is dealing with lying…
What happens when he dies without ever overcoming this sin..?
The Eternal Security position grants him Eternal Life; but my question is this:
Is God admitting liars into His Kingdom now..?
Revelation 21:7-8
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and *all liars*, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Verse 8 above disagrees by saying…
“*all liars*, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone”.
If we say this is the portion of the unbeliever, are we not saying God is partial..?
Will the Judge of the whole Earth not do Justice..? Will the unbeliever who lies not count God an unjust God when he (the unbeliever) ends up in the Lake of Fire when he sees the Christian who equally lies standing uncondemned..?
I believe there is a reason why Revelation 21:7 above, like several other verses states clearly the following words:
HE THAT OVERCOMES.
-Firstly; if a brother can recognize a fundamental problem with a besetting sin that’s lingered for 10 years; why can’t he do so after 1 year, or 1 month, or 1 week..? Why should he wait for 10 years..? Sin is sin and should not be trivialized. It is the one reason for which many will not receive God’s commendation on that Day.
-Secondly; if having called out 10 years for help,he is delivered; why not after 1 month, 1 week or 1 day..?
-Thirdly; if based on the finished work of Jesus on the Cross, he can gain the victory over lying, why not over fornication and theft..?
Sin stands tall in the church today because we have been told it cannot be overcome. Almost every scripture usually raised in defense of this teaching actually speaks against sin, not for sin.
1 Timothy 5:20
Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
-Them that sin rebuke (that’s because they shouldn’t be in sin). What right has a man who sins have to rebuke another who sins equally..?
1 John 5:16
If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
-If any man see his brother sin (clearly means this was not common or permitted. If it was a good place to be, why would we be asked to pray..?)
1 Timothy 5:20
Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
-Clearly this means sin was not permissible, else why were some to be made an example for others to learn..? Should a man who sins rebuke another..? What would be the basis of his authority to rebuke..?
It is true we have become the righteousness of God in Christ; that is how we were admitted into His fellowship…
2 Corinthians 5:21
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
-In reality, this is what Grace is. However, it doesn’t end there.
In the parable where guests were invited for a wedding, having turned down the invitation, the king required his servants to go bring guests from the highways and hedges. When the king came to see the guests…
Matthew 22:11-14
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
Israel got the first invitation. Since they rejected Christ, the gentile nations have been grafted in. But Paul warned we can be cut off if we too refuse to meet the requirement…
Verse 12 reveals the need for a dress code. It is the absence of this that costs this guest the feast. He is thrown out because he isn’t properly dressed (though invited to the feast).
Now this is my issue with the Eternal Security doctrine. There is no place really for this.
The guest was responsible for what he wore, else he wouldn’t be disqualified. If others didn’t meet the requirement, they wouldn’t be permitted to stay.
Eternal Security, on the other hand, tells the church that this responsibility belongs to God, not the believer. This was the focus of my write up. Now once we recognize this responsibility as ours, we put in the required effort to keep our garments clean; the one Jesus gave us when we became sons of God…
Revelation 3:4
Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
They are worthy means responsibility. While others defiled there garments, these few did not. As a result, THEY (not everyone) shall walk with Me in white for THEY ARE WORTHY (they qualify).
As long as this is missing in this teaching, there will be no responsibility taken by the believer for his actions. He will think there is no consequence for what he does, good or evil. Meanwhile…
2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
If sinlessness were the goal, many would today walk from of their besetting sins. Note what scripture says about this…
Hebrews 12:1
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
If you lay aside EVERY weight and the SIN, what else would be left to contend with your worship of, and service to God..?
The Bible sure teaches a life free from sin and void of it. That’s why should a man fall, He should with haste turn to the advocate. But that is not a license to continue in it. Being the reason why…
Hebrews 6:4-8
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
Yet of this sort, Eternal Security says… “you are not in danger because Jesus loves you”..!?!
That John, makes the strong statement (in the following verse):
1 John 2:1
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
I believe there was a reason.
The believer may fall to sin, but that is never accidental. It is always a choice. You may notice he stands one day, but falls another day (over the same sin). Why’s that, one day he chooses God, another day he chooses to gratify his desire rather than submit to God. If a man consistently chooses God, would you call him a sinner..? That’s what is required of us. To choose God consistently..!
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