“IF” AND “AGAIN”

Excerpt from the book Lie of the Ages

Counterfeits hunt high and low, far and wide to find Scripture they think they can use to justify not taking up the cross – living the crucified life. And, they run from, they avoid any Scripture that calls them to truly repent, to lay down their life in this fleeting world, deny self, take up the cross and follow Jesus for real. Hell awaits.

“By which also ye are saved, IF ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:2

If, If, If?

Personally speaking, if I were somehow misled to believe in the 5 point heresies OSAS and John Calvin, this 2-letter word found throughout Scripture – “if” – would greatly haunt and embarrass me – hopefully to the point of repenting of my belief in a myth (which is one of the works of the flesh – “heresies” – Gal. 5:19-21).

The true grace teacher, the apostle Paul, writing to “Brethren” concerning the “gospel” states, “By which also ye are saved IF ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, UNLESS YE HAVE BELIEVED IN VAIN.” (1 Cor. 15:1-4) “Believing in vain” is clearly possible or it would not have been mentioned here. “Believing in vain” would mean that one’s initial/ previous saving faith is useless “if” they do not “keep in memory” the gospel which Paul preached to them and they received. This verse clearly reveals that initial saving faith becomes useless (“vain”) if that person chooses to cease living in faith and obeying the Lord.

“Jesus will neither leave us nor forsake us, but we can leave and forsake Him by choosing our sins OVER His love, grace and mercy!” Dino Filardo

True believers must make sure the Gospel once given to the saints is diligently declared and defended (Jude 3-4; Phil 1:17). This includes verse 2 of this passage which defines what the true Gospel is and how it is maintained.

According to 1 Corinthians 15:2, “IF ye keep in memory” the Gospel, including enduring to the end, “ye are saved” and “have not believed in vain.”

“But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house we are, IF WE HOLD FAST THE CONFIDENCE and the rejoicing of the hope FIRM UNTO THE END.” Hebrews 3:6 

Here we learn that we are members of “Christ’s … house … IF WE HOLD FAST THE CONFIDENCE and the rejoicing of the hope FIRM UNTO THE END.” 

“For we are made partakers of Christ, IF we hold the beginning of our confidence (obedient faith) stedfast UNTO THE END.” Hebrews 3:14

“And you…hath he reconciled (saved)…to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: IF you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel…” Colossians 1:21-23

We see here in Colossians 1 that it is possible for those who have been “reconciled” to be “moved away” from eternal life, which is “the hope of the gospel.”

In Romans 11 Paul warned non-Jewish believers to take heed to what God did to His own covenant people who rebelled against Him:

“Be not highminded, but FEAR: For IF God spared not the natural branches (Israel), take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold (take hold of) therefore the goodness AND severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, IF THOUCONTINUE in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be CUT OFF.” Romans 11:20-22

The avid unconditional eternal security proponent must, of necessity, find a way to wax over or deceitfully manipulate the numerous “if”’s of Scripture if he is going to make this doctrine palatable to his own conscience and others. In doing this, one continues to hide the truth from his own heart so that he can continue to live the life he so desires and still possess eternal life. (This teaching is designed by Satan to give license to escape the Lordship of Jesus.) Did not the Holy Spirit foretell of those in the last days who would do this after they departed from the faith (apostatized)?

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.” 1 Timothy 4:1-2

Especially in these final days, some have so denied the truth that they have seared their own consciences (Romans 1:18-25). The person who decides to deny truth must become skilled at deceiving his own heart. The many “if’s” found in Scripture clearly reveal a conditional security – a security or assurance only granted by God to the heart of the doer of truth (Romans 2:7-13; James 1:22; 1 Jn. 3:16-19). Like the Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons, the cult of Calvin steeps its adherents in the fine art of twisting Scripture to arrive at the enemy’s desired erroneous outcome. If you have ever dealt with a staunch follower of Calvinism, then you are familiar with the way they have mastered the evil art of Scripture twisting.

The word “if” found throughout Scripture plainly reveals that there are divinely instituted conditions for getting saved and remaining saved. There are those (namely new believers) who honestly have never seen the volumes of Scripture texts which plainly eradicate any possibility of there existing an unconditional, eternal security. And yet, there are those who, after seeing the Scriptures, which refute such a falsehood, choose to cloak themselves in the garment of lascivious deceit. Instead of owning up to the clear truth of Scripture, there are those who would rather twist and deny Biblical truth that stares them in the face, in order not to disturb their false sense of security, which they have wrapped themselves in using this doctrine which makes a mockery of sin and the holiness of God. Is there anything new about this depraved state of heart? Did men of old also cut the Bible up and discard those things they didn’t like?

In his booklet entitled The Eternal Security Teaching, J. L. Stauffer says that the “Eternal security as a teaching is based on partial Scriptures.” Stauffer wrote:

“‘All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable.’ This teaching magnifies the ‘verilies,’ but discounts the ‘ifs’; yet both are given by God and are equally inspired. Conditions of salvation and conditions of keeping are not named in every Scripture. Scriptures of warning are addressed to such believers as may be careless, indifferent, trifling, boastful, or presumptuous. The usual group of Scriptures quoted by the eternal security believers are the kind that are needed to encourage and sustain the fearful, trembling, and weak saints who earnestly desire to do the will of their Lord, but are harassed by the devil and beset with doubts. ‘Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be destroyed,’ was a ‘verily’ as far as the statement was concerned, but there was an ‘if’ implied in one of the promises of God. (See Jer. 18:1-12.) Such Scriptures as John. 10:27, 28; Col. 3:1-3; John.3:36; 5:24; Jude 24; Rom. 8:34-39; Heb. 7:25, and a lot of others that might be given are precious to every believer. They make it clear that we are safe in Christ Jesus. No outside power or influence, neither men, angels, nor devils, can come between us and our Lord; but there are conditions of salvation and there are conditions that govern our keeping. We do not question God’s sovereignty, His power, His omnipotence; we believe and hold to all of them. On the other hand as honest people, we dare not close our eyes to the fact that God has laid a responsibility upon free moral agents that He does not violate by His sovereignty, His omnipotence, His election, or any other office or attribute belonging to Deity. The condition that saves is the same condition that keeps. Eternal security believers constantly underscore ‘hath’ in John 5:24 but overlook the condition, ‘believeth.’ They will take John 10:27-29 and underscore the ‘never perish’ and ‘no man is able to pluck them out of my hand,’ but ignore the fact that this promise is made to the ‘sheep that hear his voice and follow him.’ As long as this condition continues, the keeping continues. No other interpretation is consistent with free moral agency.”

Of the sovereignty of God and the free will of men, one responder writes:

“God is sovereign. God is God. He is all-knowing. He is all-wise. He is eternal…‘No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.’ Yes, He draws us to Him. We choose to follow, to receive or reject his sweet offer of forgiveness and life, to accept or to put it off. There is a ‘we’ side to the equation, though, or all men would be saved, for He says that He is ‘not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.’ – 2 Peter 3:9. So you see, some of it is up to our choosing.”

One-Word Nightmare of OSAS – “Again”

“Again” – Here is yet another word that haunts those who embrace the lie of the ages which emanates from the serpent in the Garden who came to “steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” (Jn. 10:10)

The prodigal son was a son of his father then abandoned his father’s house (God gives free will to all men). Of him Christ said: “For this my son was dead, and is alive AGAIN; he was lost, and is found … for this thy brother was dead, and is alive AGAIN; and was lost, and is found.” (Lk. 15:24, 32)

The prodigal son parable gives us more confirmation that a person can be “twice dead.” (Jude 12) This term “twice dead” means that one who is born dead, as all men are, is saved and then falls away from God and is “dead” again. Let’s look at verse 32 of Luke 15 again:

“It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother (part of the family) wasdead, and is alive AGAIN; and was lost, and is found.” Luke 15:32

To begin with, the prodigal son was clearly a member of the family, otherwise he wouldn’t be referred to as the “brother” of the older son. He then departed from his father’s house in rebellion. He became “dead” and then “alive AGAIN.”

Let’s consider Jude 12 in light of this truth:

“Twice dead, plucked up by the roots.” Jude 12

Concerning this Bible passage, in her book Secure in Christ, Dr. Cathy Burns states: (emphasis hers)

“Notice that here were trees whose fruit withered so that it was without fruit and it was TWICE DEAD. This would refer to a person who was originally spiritually dead as all are born in sin. This person then got saved, bore fruit for awhile and then backslid. He is now unsaved, and once again spiritually dead – thus TWICE DEAD.” p. 33

Is re-conversion Biblical? Must one who is saved be reconverted when he falls away?

“But I (Jesus) have prayed for thee (Peter, Christ’s own apostle), that thy faith fail not: and when thouart converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Luke 22:32

If one who is in right standing with God can “fall” like Peter, and need to be “converted,” then he was obviously in danger of eternal judgment.

Is re-conversion necessary for eternal life?

“Brethren(who?), IF (denotes the possibility) any of YOU do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth (again) the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death (eternal damnation), and shall hide a multitude of sins.” James 5:19-20

More on “Again”

2 Peter 2:20-22

“For IF after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are AGAIN entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” 2 Peter 2:20-22

First of all, according to this divinely breathed utterance, a person can possess “the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” having “escaped the pollutions of the world” and can become “AGAIN entangled therein, and overcome.” The text also reveals that this person in question had “known the way of righteousness” yet did “turn from the holy commandment.” If such a person does not repent before it is too late, “the latter end” will be “worse with them than the beginning.” In other words, his eternal torment in hell will be utterly worse than if he had never tasted of and experienced the heavenly gift of eternal life.

This 2 Peter 2 text alone completely removes the possibility of an unconditional eternal security. This passage all by itself annihilates the diabolical teachings of John Calvin and all modern strands of it. The bottom line is that a person who has once been truly saved can lose His salvation! Any person who reads these words and still denies such is not being honest with God’s Word.

“Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, IF thou continue (DENOTES ACONTINUAL CHOICE) in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” Romans 11:22

Previous to these words Paul speaks about the fruit which is determined by the root. In any tree or plant, the fruit reveals the substance or nature of the root (Rom. 11:16). The root determines the fruit. According to the Bible, fruit that once existed can wither and die. Those who have been saved are required to “abide” or remain “grounded and settled” in the LORD and through that relationship His fruit will be yielded in their lives (Jn. 15; Col. 1:23).

Of those apostates (people who departed from the faith) who operate in the midst of the people of God, the Word states:

“These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water (these men do not contain nor pour out true divine substance), carried about of winds; trees whose FRUIT WITHERETH, without fruit, TWICE DEAD, PLUCKED UP BY THE ROOTS.” Jude 12

Note here that these apostates Jude addresses had previously been saved and bore “fruit” which now “withereth.” An apostate is one who leaves the faith he once knew and embraced (1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Pet. 2:20-22). Those who depart from Christ are also said to be “TWICE dead, plucked up by the roots.” How can one be “plucked up by the roots” if he were not first planted in the ground – the soil of the LORD’s vineyard? The biblical truth is that those planted in the house will be “plucked up by the roots” if they do not continue to seek Him and obey Him. Do you remember what 2 Chronicles 15:2 says?

“The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.” 2 Chronicles 15:2

PRAYER: Holy Father, please grant my heart your grace, to live in love with You and wholly pleasing in Thy sight. Cleanse from my heart every distorted notion of who You are and what Your will is. Help me to help others in Your truth and love. Make my heart to be resolutely honest about what You told us in Your Word. I love You LORD Jesus. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Eternal Security Exposed 

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