On Eternal Security - Part 1
I have listened to both sides and have also meditated and thought through this subject over many years. In this mini-series I’ll be sharing my thoughts and reflections on this confusing subject.
Eternal Security is held to be true by Calvinists and Non-Calvinists (not all). For the Calvinists, it’s POTS (Preservation of the Saints or Perseverance of the Saints, both are true with different emphasis), and for the Non-Calvinists it’s OSAS (Once Saved Always Saved). Those that don’t know the difference will wrongly accuse Calvinists of teaching Easy-Believism.
OSAS is actually correct, but incomplete. Both OSAS and Non-OSAS held by Non-Calvinists present an incomplete picture in that OSAS focuses on God’s promises, and Non-OSAS focuses on warnings. Only POTS (Calvinism) seeks to harmonize the two (warnings and promises) and present an accurate picture of Eternal Security.
Here’s a chart I put together:
Warning (Galatians 5:1-4), Assurance (Galatians 5:5)
Warning (Galatians 5:2-6), Assurance (Galatians 5:7-10)
Warning (Philippians 2:12), Assurance (Philippians 2:13)
Warning (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3), Assurance (1 Thessalonians 5:4-10)
Warning (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12), Assurance (2 Thessalonians 2:13-17)
Warning (2 Thessalonians 3:2), Assurance (2 Thessalonians 3:3-5)
Warning (Hebrews 6:4-8), Assurance (Hebrews 6:9)
Warning (Hebrews 10:26-38), Assurance (Hebrews 10:39)
Warning (1 John 5:16-17), Assurance (1 John 5:18)
Warning (1 John 3:10), Assurance (1 John 3:1,16)
Warning (1 John 2:18-19), Assurance (1 John 2:20)
Warning (Jude 16-19), Assurance (Jude 20-21)
Warning (Romans 8:5-8), Assurance (Romans 8:9-11)
Warning (2 Timothy 2:12), Assurance (2 Timothy 2:13)
Warning (Romans 8:5-8), Assurance (Romans 8:9-11)
Warning (John 6:66-67), Assurance (John 6:68-70)
Assurance (1 Samuel 12:22), Warning (1 Samuel 12:24-25)
Assurance (2 John 1:1-2), Warning (2 John 1:8-9)
Assurance (Luke 21:18), Warning (Luke 21:19)
Warning (Proverbs 2:17-19; Hebrews 12:15-17), Assurance (1 John 1:9)
Assurance usually follows a warning. Only Reformed Soteriology can deal with these warning passages in a way that is coherent and biblical. On the subject of Eternal Security, we must present the whole counsel of God.
Non-POTS (referring to both OSAS and Non-OSAS) don’t know how to deal with false conversion because they don’t believe in such a thing, yet Scripture warns of false converts.
To be continued…