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Eternal Security and Counterfeit Salvation

Note
Although “Eternal Security” and “Counterfeit Salvation” are subjects of their own, they are so intertwined that I find it very difficult to discuss either to any significant depth without speaking almost equally about the other. This is why this article combines the two subjects, thus explains the title of this document.

Eternal Security is a controversial subject among Christians. Most denominations seem to have an official stand on the issue, yet it can vary from church to church within the same denomination. Even within a single church beliefs may vary. No matter on which side of the issue a person believes, most likely they are very passionate about those beliefs. While there is certainly nothing wrong with being passionate in your beliefs, it can be a bad thing if that passion hinders a person from seeing the truth. The following is a list of four things that I believe often hinder a person from seeing and accepting the truth, not only about Eternal Security, but about many other subjects as well.

Things That Blind Us from Seeing the Truth

  1. Tradition: Some people were surrounded my others through out their childhood who did not believe in eternal security. There is a natural tendency to accept as truth those things that are familiar to us and so many beliefs are then passed on from generation to generation. The truth however is independent of any beliefs. The truth is what it is.

  2. Pride: Many people who have never believed in eternal security, are very reluctant to yield to any teaching which is contrary to their life-long beliefs. To yield to such teachings would mean that they would have to admit that they have been wrong in their beliefs their whole life. Their pride will not allow them to make such an admission.

  3. Comfort: Some people believe what they choose to believe because they are more comfortable with their own belief than they would be with the truth.. They will often attempt to justify their beliefs by taking scripture out of context.

  4. Logic: Some people do not believe in eternal security because it simply does not seem logical to them. They try to lean on their own understanding rather than realizing that we can not always understand God’s ways and that we are to accept God’s word as truth even when it does not seem to be logical to us.

I believe each of these human tendencies can cause people to be blinded to the truth. Just being aware of them and being conscious of how they can deceive will lessen the chances of being affected by them as a person seeks truth through the study of God’s word.

Let’s take a closer look at each of these characteristics to see how they may hinder a person from seeing the truth.

Tradition is a major problem because when a person is exposed to the truth which conflicts with their beliefs derived from tradition, it means that not only were they misguided, but also that the ones passing on this information were also misguided. Misconception begets misconception.

And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
Luke 6:39

Unfortunately, until someone seeks the truth in God’s word for themselves and is willing to accept the truth of God’s word over tradition, the misconceptions of tradition will continue to be passed along.

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.
Psalms 118:8 (center verse of the bible)

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.
Psalms 118:8 (center verse of the bible)

But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
Matthew 15:3

…Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
Matthew 15:6

And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
Matthew 7:9

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Colossians 2:8

Pride will cause a Christian to stumble in everything he does. The bible teaches that we are to be humble. It is impossible to be humble and have self pride at the same time.. This doesn’t mean you can not be proud of your children or take pride in your work, but when we have the self serving form of pride where we think too highly of ourselves, then it becomes more important to us to be right than to know the truth.. When we are too proud to humble ourselves before God and too proud to yield our own thoughts and opinions to God’s word, we are blinded by our pride and unable to see the truth revealed in His word.

Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
Psalm 40:4

These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying toungue, and hands that shed innocent blood, ….
Proverbs 16:17

Everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
Proverbs 16:5

Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Proverbs 16:19

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
James 4:6

Sometimes we find scripture that makes us feel uncomfortable. Perhaps it is because we find the scriptures conflict with our lifestyle or perhaps they are uncomfortable for us because they conflict with old beliefs passed to us through tradition. It is tempting when we come upon such scriptures to read into them what we would rather they say. We will take the scripture out of context or add or delete from them in an attempt to sculpt the scripture into something we can accept a little easier. When we do this, we only deceive ourselves. We have not changed God’s standard nor his will even the slightest bit, but have only hindered ourselves from meeting that standard by changing it in our minds. Trying to make God’s word conform to our human sense of logic and understanding can only lead to further misunderstanding. We should accept God’s word as true, just as it is, even if it is beyond our understanding. Once accepting God’s word as true, continue studying to acquire understanding. We must not postpone our acceptance until we have understanding. The truth is independent of our understanding.

We should never add nor detract from God’s word. Accept it as it is whether we understand it or not. Accept it as it is whether you are comfortable with it or not. Seek truth before comfort. If the truth makes you uncomfortable, then you need to examine yourself to determine why it makes you feel uncomfortable. God’s word, when read with the willingness to accept all of its hard truths can and will move us out of our comfort zone at times. It is not for our misery, but for our edification. In the end, with a little humility, we learn, grow, and move closer to God in our Christian walk. We first must accept it as truth and just let the power of god’s word work on us.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12

Some things we will never completely understand this side of eternity. God and logic do not mix very well. It is not logical that all of creation could be spoken into existence, or that the red sea could part, or that dead people could rise and live again. Yet it is all true. If you rely on logic or scientific principles to prove or support the events of the bible, you will probably never believe very much of it. This is where faith comes in. Faith is believing in the things that is beyond our ability to explain or understand. The bible defines faith in this way:

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1

In order to prevent these barriers from being a hindrance to us in our search for the truth, we must be purposeful in seeking truth above satisfaction. As you study God’s word, remember to apply these principles:

Now let’s apply these principles as we explore the concepts of “Eternal Security” and “Counterfeit Salvation”.

Counterfeit Salvation

I prefer the term “Eternal Security” rather than the phrase “Once Saved, Always Saved. It is true that the term neither adds nor detracts from it’s validity, but its just a personal preference.

I believe many who seem to have fallen from grace or to put it another way, have lost their salvation, were never saved in the first place.. Neither have they “back-slidden” because they have never slid forward. A back-slider is someone who is saved, but has grown cold and in-different toward God. They have lost their passion to serve and to worship God. They have also lost the peace that comes not with merely being saved but with being saved AND walking in fellowship with God. Some may say that it doesn’t seem right that someone who has grown so far apart from God could still be saved and therefore get away with this behavior. Well, just because they don’t loose their salvation, does not mean that they will get away with any thing. The Bible teaches us that we will all stand before God and give an account for our Christian walk. We will be rewarded for both the good work we have done and the bad.

So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Romans 4:12

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.
2 Corinthians 5:10

The Judgement Seat of Christ is for the saved, not for the lost. The lost will stand at another judgement known as the White Throne Judgement. The backslider will therefore make atonement at the Judgement Seat of Christ, but not loose his salvation..

Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1 Corinthians 3:13-15

We do not hear nor read a lot about “counterfeit salvation”. The concept seems to be foreign to many people, yet the bible is clear on its reality and I believe it is astonishingly common today. Have you ever known anyone who claimed to be a Christian but did not act anything like a Christian? The truth is they may not be a Christian at all. They may have a counterfeit salvation. A true child of God can not live just any way we choose. We don’t belong to ourselves anymore. We have been bought with a price. Of course we are still capable of committing sin and as previously stated, a saved person can fall into a back slidden condition. The difference is that we can not knowingly commit sin without conviction. The Holy Spirit dwells inside every true child of God. That same indwelling Holy Spirit that will bring us comfort in time of sorrow and leads us in a time of indecision will also bring conviction to us when we sin. This conviction will lead us to repent if we will submit, so that we can once again walk in fellowship with God.

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Therefore if a person can knowingly sin without conviction, without any searing of the conscious, then there is something terribly wrong because that does not line up with what the word of God says regarding the truly saved child of God. It’s not enough to think we are probably saved or we hope we are saved. We need to know that we know that we know that we are saved! We need to examine ourselves to see if we line up with how God’s word describes the born again believer. Some may say, “Oh no! We should never question our salvation!” That’s NOT what God’s word says. God’s word says the opposite.

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
2 Corinthians 13:5

Let’s look at three types of people and what happens when they sin…

Then the backslider will face the Lord at the Judgement Seat of Christ and give an account for his life after salvation. So if you hear someone say that believers of Eternal Security are simply using that as an excuse to “get away with sin”, don’t believe it! Sin must be dealt with!

So this person lives in deceit thinking everything is fine because they feel no conviction. That is mistakenly interpreted as “everything must be fine”. Now here is an important point: This person CAN experience conviction just as any lost person can experience conviction when the gospel is presented to them. The word of God being preached or brought out by a witness CAN bring conviction to this person through the Holy Spirit, but they must understand that they are lost before they can be saved. This is why I have such a burden for those with a counterfeit salvation. They are worse off than the person who is lost and knows he is lost.

A few paragraphs back I wrote about the importance of knowing for sure that we are saved. I’ve heard people say that we can not really know for sure that we are saved until we get there. Wrong Wrong Wrong! If we could not know, why does God’s word tell us to examine ourselves to see if we are of the faith?

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
2 Corinthians 13:5

Also the bible tells us straight out very plainly that we can know that we have been saved by the new heart of love that receive when we are saved that enables us to love even the unlovable. We have a love for one another that we didn’t have before. The bible tells us that this is how we can know we are saved.

We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
1 John 3:14-15

Another way of knowing we have been saved is by experiencing conviction when we sin which has already been discussed.

Another way is by being aware of the incredible changes that has taken place in our inner most being since we have been saved. If you have been saved, you have changed.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17

The kind of changes that happen to a person when they become saved are changes that only God could make. I’m talking about a different heart, a different attitude, a different outlook on life, on death, on others. I’m talking about having your priorities turned upside down from what they were before. I’m talking about your desires being changed to the point that the things you used to love to do will make you cringe and tremble to even think about doing them and the things you used to have no interest in at all like church and studying God’s word, and just discussing the things of God’s word with others becoming your most favorite things to do. I’m talking about having a peace inside that you never knew before. I’m talking about tears of joy and compassion streaming from eyes where tears wouldn’t flow before.. I’m talking about changes that only Almighty God could make! I’m talking about a super natural logic defying set of changes that leave those around you in awe when they see them. If you have been saved you have had such changes. If a person has never experienced such changes in their life, then they need to check up.

I’m afraid many make the profession, but do not have the possession. Perhaps one reason that Counterfeit Salvation is a foreign concept to many, is that it is often confused with the concept of “loosing one’s salvation. Eternal Security and Counterfeit Salvation are so connected that it is impossible for me to discuss either in any depth without discussing the other as well. Most of us have known someone who has went through the motions or made a profession that they were recently saved, yet no change could be seen in them, or if there was a change it was short lived and shortly they were back to their old ways. I do not believe such a person lost their salvation. I believe that most likely they never received it in the first place. As already discussed, the bible tells us that when we are saved, we are changed into new creature. I believe the changes are significant enough that they will be noticed by others and I believe, in the words of my pastor, "these changes last longer than Blackberry Winter". I therefore believe that many who have never been saved, but have had a false conversion are diagnosed by some as having fallen from grace.

All this discussion about the concept of counterfeit salvation should be backed up with scripture, so here it is…

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.
Matthew 7:21-23

These are the words of Jesus himself. He is talking about the judgement yet to come. It is plain and easily understood that Jesus will be talking to people who believed they were saved but will learn on this judgement day that they were not saved at all. Although the term “counterfeit salvation” is not used in the bible, this description plainly identifies some as having a counterfeit. Notice it reads “Many” will come, meaning that many will have a counterfeit salvation.

So how does someone get a counterfeit salvation? By not following God’s plan of salvation. The plan is simple and easy enough for a child to follow, yet it is absolute and without compromise.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a theif and a robber..
John 10:1

One possible way people receive a counterfeit salvation is that perhaps as a young child in church one day he or she was told or strongly encouraged to go forward during the alter call to be saved. Perhaps the child comes forward because a friend comes forward. In any case they come forward without the drawing power of God, lacking in understanding of salvation or how it is acquired, sincerity, and correct motive. Then someone, perhaps the preacher or a deacon asks them to recite one of those repeat after me type prayers. When the child finishes repeating this prayer, the preacher pats him on head and tells him he is saved. . The child doesn’t have a clue what that means, but he believes the preacher and unless he learns the truth, he may go through life believing he was saved based on this experience.

True salvation comes only when a person is drawn by God and Holy Ghost conviction reveals to them that they are lost and in need of a savior. You can not get saved until you first understand that you are lost. They then humbly come before God broken with godly sorrow and a repentant heart and contrite spirit.

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:44

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free
John 8:32

For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
2 Corinthians 7:10

The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Psalm 34:18

This lack of understanding has several causes. Not all churches preach and teach sound doctrine in this day. Others, while preaching and teaching elements of truth, dilute the gospel with political correctness or efforts to conform to the ideology of a more modern culture. There is a high priority placed on pleasing the people and avoiding being offensive. While this intent may seem quiet noble and Christian-like on the surface, in reality it deceives people by presenting a compromised, watered down version of the gospel. The fact is that we do not always need to feel comfortable. Sometimes for our own good the gospel needs to cut us and remove us from our comfort zone and show us the error of our ways.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12

We grow as Christians by learning hard truths that often make us squirm and bring conviction. This is part of the molding process. We need to be pruned and reshaped sometimes to become better Christians. When the word is preached and taught in pure truth as it was intended, it has the power to convict lost souls, both comfort and correct the saved, and inspire Christians to worship, praise, and labor for God and His kingdom.

Without the benefit of knowing the truth, people will often mix an already watered down version of the gospel with their own ideas, opinions, and philosophies. Without the convicting power of “hard” truths, people can become complacent, and settle into a comfort zone they have made for themselves. They may feel supported by a corrupt version of the gospel that pats them on the back and tells them they are alright the way they are, because God forbid that the church would present a message that might upset someone.

Once settled in a comfort zone, a person don’t want to get out of it. Sometimes such a person will have a tendency to accept parts of a gospel message or even doctrine in genteral that conforms to heir lifestyle, but simply dismiss the truths that are contrary to their lifestyle. They pick and choose truths like one picks and chooses food from a buffet.

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
2 Timothy 3|1-5

Let’s take a look at some truths that are sometimes misunderstood, not taught, or are often rejected.

First, we find that a person can not be saved any time they feel like it. You must be drawn by God. A person can not just wake up one morning and say, “today I think I’ll get saved and just stroll down the church aisle popping their bubble gum and get saved outside of the drawing power of God.

No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:44

To be drawn by the Father is for God to speak to your heart, showing you that you are a sinner, guilty of breaking his commandments, lost and without hope except for His free gift of salvation. When you reach a state of having sincere GODLY sorrow, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, you are able to believe, repent and confess your sins with sincerity and call upon God to save you.

The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Psalm 34:18

For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
2 Corinthians 7:10

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:10

This conviction that starts the whole process comes directly from God through the preaching of His word, the reading of His word, or the teaching of His word. You simply can not be saved without this conviction which God sends when He draws you. You can not wait to choose your time. Sure, you may get another chance, but that is not a guarantee. You need to strike when the poker is hot!

Its not as hopeless as it may seem however, because although a sinner can not be saved without the drawing power of God, the sinner can put himself in a position where God will deal with his heart and send that drawing power by studying the bible and attending church services. Besides, God promises that if we seek, we will find.

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Revelation 3:20

Most people know that to be saved you must believe, but it seems many do not understand the difference between believing in the mind and believing in the heart You must believe in your heart.

A common mistake people make in interpreting scripture is that they will form their own doctrine based on a single scripture. To acquire sound understanding however the Word of God must be taken in context and part of taking scripture in context is to read ALL that is said of a particular subject. It is true that believing is the way to salvation.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Acts 16:31

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1Corinthians 1:21

We see from these scriptures that indeed one must believe to be saved. If we study more scripture however, we find that not just any type of belief is the saving kind. If we were to go into the most sinful places we would find people there who profess a belief in Jesus, yet they are not saved. We can find prostitutes, strippers, drug addicts, alcoholics, thieves, adulators, and people of other sinful lifestyles who will tell you that they believe in God and even believe in Jesus. So why are these people not saved? The difference is that to be saved, you must believe in your heart. There is a difference in believing on an intellectual level and believing in your heart.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:9-10

Explaining the difference between believing in the head and believing in the heart is one of the most difficult things I have ever tried to explain. It is something that often needs to be experienced to be understood. Some people will want to argue the subject with you, saying, "believing is believing and you're just trying to complicate it. Here is a simple point however which proves there is a distinct difference in believing in the head and believing in the heart: If believing was believing and there was no such thing as a discernment between head belief and heart belief then almost every single person you meet would be saved, but we know by our own experience and by the word of God that is not true. The bible teaches us that many are called but few are chosen. The bible also teaches us that the road to destruction is broad and many are on that broad way, while the road to righteousness is narrow and few are on that road of righteousness.

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Mathew 7:13-15

The best way I know to try explain the difference in believing in your mind and believing in your heart is that heart felt belief is when it becomes it becomes a "reality". Still a person believing in their mind will often say, I DO believe that it is real. In fact however they really don't see it as real as the things of this world that they can see and touch.

Imagine this scenario: God allows a person who claims to believe but has not been saved, to peer down into the real physical Hell. They are able to see with their own eyes the torment, the unspeakable and indescribable horror taking place there. Then that person is told that they are headed for this awful place unless they confess, repent, and call out to God to have mercy and save them. Without argument, such a person having witnessed Hell in a real tangible state and knowing this was their eternal destination unless they were saved, would immediately fall on their face and cry out to God to save them. But wait a minute... What would be different after seeing with their eyes the horror of Hell that would cause them to cry out to God? One might say, "well, just seeing it in tangible form would frighten them into repentance. Well, that's what believing in your heart is. Real faith is having that fear and understanding of the reality of Hell to the same extent as the man in this analogy does, except without having to actually see anything for it to become real in their heart. You see, this person claimed to believe before seeing, yet they did not have enough concern about it to call on God. Believing in the heart is believing to the point of absolute realism so vividly that you see yourself hanging over the pits of Hell by a rotten thread without anything to cling to or grab hold of except for the outstretched hand of Jesus. When a person sees himself or herself in this condition and Hell is as real as Kansas City, then they believe in their heart and then they will cry out to God to save their soul.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1

Now this was just an example, but a person really needs to believe the whole gospel. That means believing in Jesus and everything the bible says about him. You can not will yourself to belief in your heart, even if you want to. God must show you these things and speak to your heart for you to have that heart felt belief. This is brought about by God's word whether it be read, preached, or given by a witness and by Holy Ghost conviction.

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Romans 10:14

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17

Not understanding these two conditions of God’s plan of salvation (having to be drawn by God and believing in the heart as opposed to believing only in the mind) can cause a person to reap a counterfeit salvation.

I have a burden for those who have a counterfeit salvation. I believe they are in a worse condition than the ones who know they are lost. No one can be saved until they first realize and acknowledge they are lost. The person with the counterfeit salvation therefore has to be go through an extra step to be saved. That first step is to come to the realization that they are not really saved. This is an extra step in humility. Humility does not come easy for most people, even the one who knows he is lost. The person with a counterfeit salvation not only must be humble enough to admit they are a sinner and cry out to God for salvation, but first they must have the even greater humility of accepting the fact that they have been deceived in their belief that they were saved when they in fact have been lost the whole time.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
Matthew 23:15

People who have a counterfeit salvation are also the most difficult people to witness to and convince that they need to be saved. How do you approach them as a witness to convince them they need salvation without accusing them of having a false conversion? You can not do that. For one thing you would be judgmental and for another thing, you would most likely only anger them and loose your influence on them as a result. You can however, share the truth of the gospel with them without making accusations. You simply discuss the topic of counterfeit salvation with them using the bible to show them that the condition is real. You can discuss how some people come to acquire a counterfeit and share with them the true elements of acquiring real salvation. There is a good chance the person has never considered the existence of counterfeit salvation. Hopefully, after being exposed to the truth and realization of false conversions, they will then examine themselves and in the process come to the realization that they have never really been saved. This is the principle of simply sharing the truth with them and then allowing God to do the convicting and deal with their heart, using the truth that you have shared with them.

One obvious question that a person may have who has come to understand the concept of a counterfeit salvation is, “how can a person know whether or not they have a false conversion as opposed to the real thing?” There are ways of knowing! One way is to go back in time through memory and compare the conditions of their conversion with the conditions of God’s plan of salvation to see if they line up.

We have already covered two elements of God’s plan of salvation; you must be drawn by the Father, and you must believe in your heart on Jesus Christ. Confession, repentance, and calling upon the Lord asking Him to save you are the other parts of God’s salvation plan. Confession is simply humbly admitting to God that you are a sinner and guilty of breaking His laws.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:10

Repentance is not simply saying that you are sorry for committing sins. It’s not even “being” sorry for committing sins. “Repent” means to turn away from. Repentance of sin therefore means to commit one’s self to strive to live a righteous and upright life, being obedient to God as He has given us instruction in His word. To repent is to have a change of attitude about sin where it is no longer something taken lightly.

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 2:38

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Acts 3:19

Calling upon the Lord asking Him to save you. There is no need to comment on this one. It is straight forward. Simply call on the name of the Lord with faith, confessing your sins, and asking Him to save you and He will save you.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Romans 10:13

Broken down, God’s plan of salvation is:

A person can examine themselves to see if they came to God under this plan (God’s plan) of salvation. If you did not come in accordance to this plan, then you are not saved.

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Proverbs 14:12

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
John 10:1

The other way of knowing that you are truly saved is by the changes God has made in you since you were saved.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17

Some people do not understand this. They believe people are saved because they have changed or that a person needs to change before they can be saved. Not having the confidence that they can change, they may believe they are beyond salvation. The truth is however that we are not saved because we change, but rather we are changed because we have been saved! Some of the changes that occur when we are saved are as follows:

These changes in you can not, nor should they be hidden. These changes in you made by God when He saves you are intended to be noticed by others. When they see these changes in you it serves to bring conviction to their own lives showing them that they have need of a savior. It is one aspect of how we serve to be the light of the world.

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Mathew 5:14-16

The point to be made here is that if a person is truly saved, their will be changes in their life such as the ones discussed here, but a counterfeit salvation will yield no such changes on a permanent basis. If a person has true salvation they will be able to testify of how God has changed them.

Also remember that salvation occurs in a single moment; it does not come in stages or by a progression. The conviction that leads to salvation may indeed occur over time and be progressive, but salvation itself comes in an instant. Therefore if someone is saved they should be able to go back in time in their mind and recall the moment they were saved. You don’t have to know the details like the date or day of the week, but you should be able to recall that moment when God saves you. If a person can not point to a moment in time that they were saved, they are probably not saved, because when God saves you, it is something you will not forget! You’re more likely to forget your own name.

Up to this point in this article, we have looked into the concept of counterfeit salvation. I feel it is necessary to fully address the concept of counterfeit salvation before discussing the topic of eternal security because, what some may believe is a case of a person loosing their salvation is in reality a case of someone having never actually been saved in the first plac. We looked at Counterfeit salvation in regard to its definition, and how a person may be deceived by a false conversion, and how someone may receive a false conversion. Scripture was used to make the points of this concept. Then we looked at how to recognize a counterfeit salvation by presenting God’s plan of salvation compared to the way someone with a false conversion received what they believed to be real salvation. We then looked at another way of recognizing true salvation by the changes God makes in a true convert. If someone is not confident in their salvation, they can examine themselves by asking these two questions:

  1. Did I come to know Jesus as my savior in accordance with God’s plan of salvation?

  2. Has there been real changes in my life such as the ones discussed here?

Now that we have established the reality of Counterfeit salvation, so that it can not be confused with a person loosing their salvation, we can now examine the concept of eternal Security.

Eternal Security

Some that have opposing views of Eternal Security argue that those who believe in it are simply looking for a free ticket to sin. This is absolutely untrue! Some of the most dedicated Christians I know are believers of Eternal Security. We believe that the way of the transgressor is hard. We believe that while God’s love is unconditional, many of His blessings are VERY conditional. We know that God chastises His own for disobedience.

But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Hebrews 12:8

Even if someone who professes to be a Christian murders someone, they do not loose their salvation. There is a very good chance that he was not truly saved in the first place because when we are saved we are changed and have a new heart of love and our desires and convictions are changed. If such a person who commits such an act really is saved, they still do not loose their salvation. This does NOT mean that such a person would get away with committing the sin however. The saved must stand before the Lord at the Judgment Seat of Christ and give an account for everything they have done as a child of God.

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.
2Corrinthians 5:10

Therefore, though salvation is not lost, atonement must be made for sin. There is no free ticket to sin for anyone.

The bible teaches us that we must first be born again to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Then a person is born into this world, they are born into a particular family. Nothing they can ever do including changing their name, disassociating themselves with their family, and even moving to another part of the world and never having family contact again will ever change their membership in that family. When we are saved, we are born into the family of God. We actually become a child of God through spiritual birth and therefore, just as nothing can change which family we were born into in this world, so it is with being born into the family of God.

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
John 3:1-7

The bible teaches that when we are saved, we become a new creature. Notice that it does not say we are a changed creature, but a new creature, just as a baby born of the flesh is new and not something altered or remodeled. Logical reasoning says that if something changes, it can changed back to its previous state by reversing the actions which changed it the first time. If something is new however, it has no previous state . Since the born again is a mew creature and not a changed creature, it can not therefore be changed back to anything. As born again Christians, we are a new creature and the old person which died out to sin has been reborn of the Spirit. To undo salvation (which is what it would mean to lose ones salvation) it would mean that that we would have to die spiritually and resurrect the sinful creature. There is absolutely no biblical basis to support such a concept.

A corny analogy to illustrate the inability of something to change back to a state which existed before it began would be the use of the "“back"” button on your internet browser. Wen we surf the internet, we can navigate forward and backward by using the “back” and “forward” buttons on the tool bar of our internet browser. The “back” button will take us back to previously viewed web pages. However, when we first access the internet after opening the browser, the “back” button is not available for use. This is because we have not previously viewed any web pages yet. We are in a NEW secession and we can not go back beyond the start of our secession.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17

How do we as parents, deal with disobedient children? Do we throw them away? Do we kill them? Of course not! We discipline them and show them the error of their ways. Does God love us less than we love our children? Certainly not. The bible reveals to us how He deals with His disobedient children. He chastises us and convicts us. If we continue in disobedience He may even bring us home.

To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1 Corinthians 5:5

The above verse means that God would take away our live on earth rather than take away our grace.

When the children of Israel were freed from bondage in Egypt and led through the wilderness to the promise land by Moses, these people who had witnessed the mighty power of God with their own eyes showed no love nor obedience to God. When Moses was gone into the mountains to talk with God, the people quickly turned to wickedness. They were having orgies and even worshiping idols they had built. They did these things in spite of what God had done for them. If anything would provoke God to destroy a people, surely this would do it, yet being children of God, they were spared and God continued to love them and provide their every need. They did not go unpunished however, they were made to wonder in the wilderness for forty years. The point is that God’s love for His children prevailed even when they sinned and displeased Him. He punished them, yet He kept them..
The bible teaches us that under the dispensation of grace, we become God’s children when we accept Christ as our savior. Would God do less for His children today? The bible teaches that God never changes and that God is no respecter of persons (caring for one more than another).

For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Malachi 3:6

For there is no respect of persons with God.
Romans 2:1

The parable of the prodigal son tells of a man with two sons; one who was respectful, loyal, and obedient to his father and stayed with him to help tend his fathers flock. The other son was not loyal and chose to leave his father and go his own way. The son who left and went against his father’s wishes, eventually lost the inheritance his father had given him before he had left. He found life to be so difficult that he desired to return to his father’s home to work as a servant. He did not expect to be accepted as a family member upon his return since he had chosen to leave. He only hoped to be accepted as a servant. He did not realize how his father had missed him and had been looking for his return ever since he had left. When he returned, he was no doubt surprised to find that not only was he welcomed back, but he was welcomed back as family! He had not lost his membership in the family at all. In fact his father was so filled with joy at his return than had a celebration feast. His brother was jealous because he had stayed with his father, yet a feast had not been prepared to honor him. When he expressed this to his father, the father reminded him that everything he owned was his.

This parable is found in Luke 15:11-32

From this parable we can derive several points that relate to the security of the believer.

A back slider is not someone who loses their salvation, but rather it is someone who drifts out of fellowship with God. The prodigal son is a representation of such a person. When we get out of fellowship with God, we are not in a position to receive the best blessings of God. Thus the way of a transgressor is hard.

The book of Matthew foretells of a judgement in which some will believe they are worthy to enter God’s kingdom based upon their works. Christ will not permit them to enter however and will command them to depart from his presence.

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.
Mathew 7:21-23

There is a very powerful piece of evidence in this scripture that supports the reality of eternal security. Notice the exact words of Jesus “…I never knew you…” If such a person had lost their salvation then Jesus could not use the words “I NEVER knew you”. If they had ever been saved, he would have to say something like, “I no longer know you” or “I do not know you, but the word “never” indicates that they NEVER were saved. Therefore Jesus will not be speaking to those who lost their salvation, but he will be talking to those who had a “counterfeit” salvation!

Some may argue that the first portion of that scripture states that only those who do the will of God will enter God’s kingdom and therefore those who do not or cease to do God’s will; will not enter into Heaven even if they are saved, thus proving that eternal security is a false doctrine. This is a case of basing a doctrine on a single isolated piece of scripture which is one way of taking scripture out of context. Let’s look at what God’s will is…

God’s will can of course be many things, but the essence of God’s will is found in the following verse of scripture…

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Peter 3:9

In other words, God’s will is that all people would be saved. Why do I believe that of all the other scriptures which inform us of God’s other wills, this one reveals His primary will? First, the entire bible is centered around this objective. The other wills of God are reflected in the bibles other objective which is to serve as a guide for God’s people on how to live our lives in a way pleasing to Him. The will of God that we be saved however, has to be accomplished first because there is no way that the unsaved can please God.

So then we can see that when we allow God to save us, we have done the will of God which is that part of doing God’s will that permits us to enter His kingdom. Doing or not doing God’s will after we are saved determines our blessings, our fellowship with God, and how we will stand at the Judgement Seat of Christ.

Also consider that once we have fulfilled the first and primary part of God’s will (being saved) we receive the benefit of having Christ as our intercessor by which we can be forgiven for our transgressions.

Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Romans 8:34

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: 2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 2:1

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Hebrews 7:25

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Hebrews 7:25

If sin caused us to loose our salvation, what need would there be for an intercessor? Think about this; If we lost our salvation when we commit sin, then along with our salvation we would loose our intercessor also and therefore never have the opportunity to make use of that privilege. The only way this intercessor plan could work is if we remained saved when we commit sin!

Jesus speaks very directly about the security of his sheep (the saved)…

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
John 10:28-29

There are two parts in these versus which tell us that our salvation is secure. One part is very obvious… “neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” The other part may be easily overlooked. Look at the first part of this passage, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish”

Think about this; If Jesus gives us eternal life when we are saved, then we lost our salvation, it would mean we never really had eternal life. Eternal means without end. Once it begins, it never ends. Also consider that if the saved never perish as Jesus says, then it would be impossible to loose our salvation and therefor perish without making him a liar. Don’t get tripped up in word games: never means never and it never means anything else. This promise of Eternal Security goes into effect in the hear and now and is not conditional on anything. Jesus is speaking in the present tense when he says I GIVE unto them eternal life. If the promise of eternal life began at a future time only after we had proved to meet a certain standard or requirement, then Jesus would have to speak here in the future tense and say something like “I WILL give them eternal life. Jesus’ promise to us is clear. The saved have the gift of eternal life already and it will never be taken away.

Paul said…

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Ephesians 4:30

The exact wording here is very important. “sealed” means protected or secure. It is untouchable. The word “unto” is also far more important than it may seem. “Unto” indicates that the seal is in effect NOW! We are not at risk in loosing our salvation until the day of redemption when we can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Rather, we are secure now, while we await for the day of redemption.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:3-5

In this verse the word “kept” speaks clearly of the security of our salvation. If a man is saved and afterwards is lost then he was not kept and it would therefore mean that this these words of God in the bible would be untrue.

Salvation is a gift from God. There is absolutely nothing anyone has ever done to obtain salvation except for accepting it. No amount of good works, good morals, or good behavior can be counted for salvation. God is the only one who can save. The work was done by Christ.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9

Salvation is completely out of man’s reach except through Jesus Christ. We can not create it, we can not duplicate it, we can not change it, we can not destroy it, we can not give it, and we can not loose it! We can not undo a work which God has done

Salvation is a free gift to us, but it cost our savior his life. He had to die a horrible death to pay for our sins. We the born again children of God, were paid for with the blood of Christ.

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
1 Corinthians 6:20

This is why I sign my e-mails with “I may not look like much, but I cost a bunch!” Knowing then what our savior went through and knowing the extreme price he paid for us, does it make sense that he would throw us away? Do you burn your house down because it has a leaky facet? Would you send your expensive sports car to the crusher because it gets a scratch on it? No, of course not. You would most likely buff out the scratches, repair the dents and dings and do whatever was necessary to restore the vehicle to its original condition.

Our lives sometimes get blemished and the Lord has to work on us. Sometimes that work is in the form of chastisement, trials, and sometimes it may take the form of simple edification through teaching, preaching, or rebuke by our brothers and sisters. Jus as we would not send an expensive car to the crusher for having a blemish, our Heavenly father does not “junk us” when we fall short of pleasing Him. If we would not throw a way a car that has become blemished because of the investment we have in it, how much more will our Heavenly father keep us of whom he has given His only begotten son in exchange for us?

What about the versus that speak contrary to the concept of eternal security? In my view, there are no versus that speak contrary to the concept of eternal security. There are some versus however that when taken out of context can certainly seem to do so. One verse that is often taken out of context in this way is shown below…

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Luke 9:62

As I’ve said before, part of seeing the context of scripture is to look at the verses surrounding the one(s) in question. Now look at the versus which precede the verse above…

And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Luke 9:57-62

When we consider ALL the versus leading up to the one which seems to contradict eternal security, we can see that it is not about eternal security at all. The context of these versus is on commitment, priorities, and focus in following the Lord. Now that we have the proper context for the scripture, let’s look specifically at the verse in question to derive it’s true meaning.

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Luke 9:62

These words of Jesus are in response to the man who wanted to bid his family farewell before following Jesus. Once we decide to follow Jesus, it is an all or nothing commitment. Many people today want to straddle the fence and keep one foot in the world and one foot on the solid rock which is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus is saying here that such a commitment is no commitment at all. Jesus said that he would rather someone be hot or cold than to be luke-warm. Jesus said we can not serve two masters. Jesus taught that we are to be separated from the world. How can one plow a straight row, if he is looking over his shoulder? He must focus on a target and keep his eyes on it constantly and aim straight for it. When he does this, his walk will be straight and the work resulting from his walk (the plowed furrow) will be straight. Similarly, if we commit our life to God and strive only to serve Him according to his will, our Christian walk will be straight and unwavering and our works will be fruitful. The bible says that a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

While this verse does not pertain to a person loosing their salvation, it could be very descriptive not only of an uncommitted Christian, but also to someone with a counterfeit salvation. A person who simply goes through a ritual of being saved without truly being broken over their sin and not really giving their heart to the Lord with a dedication to serve Him will not have the kind of commitment that Jesus is talking about in this scripture. So wile the scripture is not in reference to a person loosing their salvation, it can be synonymous of a person having that condition that many people confuse with lost salvation which is a condition of having a counterfeit salvation.

Another verse of scripture than leads some to doubt eternal security is…

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Hebrews 10:26

This verse is not referring to someone loosing their salvation either, but rather it applies to the person who hears the gospel, thereby receiving the knowledge of the truth and yet rejecting God’s gift of salvation. If a person dies in this state, there is no more opportunities for salvation. There is no more sacrifice, no more means of forgiveness for those who choose not to accept the one and only way of forgiveness which is through the acceptance of Jesus Christ who is the sacrifice given for the remission of sin for all who will accept it. This pertains to the unforgivable sin of blaspheming against the Holy ghost which is to reject God’s gift of salvation through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Here is Matthew Henry’s commentary on Hebrews 10:26

The exhortations against apostacy and to perseverance, are urged by many strong reasons. The sin here mentioned is a total and final falling away, when men, with a full and fixed will and resolution, despise and reject Christ, the only Saviour; despise and resist the Spirit, the only Sanctifier; and despise and renounce the gospel, the only way of salvation, and the words of eternal life. Of this destruction God gives some notorious sinners, while on earth, a fearful foreboding in their consciences, with despair of being able to endure or to escape it. But what punishment can be sorer than to die without mercy? We answer, to die by mercy, by the mercy and grace which they have despised. How dreadful is the case, when not only the justice of God, but his abused grace and mercy call for vengeance! All this does not in the least mean that any souls who sorrow for sin will be shut out from mercy, or that any will be refused the benefit of Christ's sacrifice, who are willing to accept these blessings. Him that cometh unto Christ, he will in no wise cast out.
Matthew Henry

If I did not believe in eternal security, I could not have any peace because I am so imperfect. I do things I should not do and don’t do things I should do. I slip, I stumble, I sin. Therefore, if I did not have the peace that comes with the belief in eternal security, I would be constantly worrying that I had crossed that undefined line which would take God’s grace away from me. I would have to wonder at just what point do we loose our salvation; after one sin, after two sins, after ten sins? God’s word says that if we break one commandment, we have broken them all. God says to know to do that which is good and do it not is sin. How often do we break this one!? Knowing I am so imperfect, but not knowing at what point I would loose my salvation, I would not want to take a chance on my eternal destiny, so I would therefore feel the need to be saved several times a week and sometimes several times a day!!! I’m so glad I don’t have to worry about loosing my salvation however. When I fail and come short of His will, he will correct me, chastise me, and edify me., but my salvation remains secure through it all sealed unto the day of redemption.

This is my case for eternal security. While I do passionately believe in eternal security, I do not believe the issue should be a barrier hindering loving fellowship between the Christians who believe in it and those that do not. I do believe however that those who do not believe in eternal security can not have the same appreciation of God’s grace and the finished work of Calvary.

Carl Light

© Copyright 2006 Carl Light (Copy as is with reference to source with permission)

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