Salvation

Tract: Assured Salvation?

So you think your salvation is assured? Think again. Consider, for instance, these biblical passages which clearly show just how unbiblical such a teaching is. As you will see, the bible is replete with many passages that testify against an irrevocable, assured salvation.

• Hebrews 10:26: "If we sin deliberately after receiving knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains sacrifice for sins but a fearful prospect of judgement."
  Who is the ‘we’ here? Answer: it is the disciples of Jesus Christ. What is the warning to those who have the knowledge of the truth, but then turn away from it? Are they saved?
• Philippians 2:12-13: "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."
  If our salvation is assured, why do we need to ‘work it out’, much less be afraid and tremble? Didn’t Jesus do it all for us? Or are you still required to OBEY Him just like it says in the first part of this passage?
• 1 Peter 5:8: "Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour."
  If our salvation is assured, then the devil cannot touch us. So why must we be "sober and watchful"? Why does St. Peter admonish us to keep awake lest the Devil devour us?
• Luke 12:45-46: "But suppose the servant says to himself, `My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the men servants and maid servants and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers."
  Notice the servant is LAZY and is *not* obeying the Master’s will. The servant is a believer but he does not show his belief by his conduct. So what does the Lord do to him? And WITH WHOM does He place the servant?
• Hebrews 4:6: "Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience."
  Why did they fail to enter the kingdom? Because they lacked a "saving fidiciary faith in Jesus"? NO! It was because they *disobeyed*.
• Romans 11:19-22: "You will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast only through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off."
  Did you catch the $64,000 word in the passage? That’s right! The word is provided which indicates a conditional and provisional clause. That means your salvation is not assured. It is provisional on you "continuing in His kindness" OTHERWISE you too will be CUT OFF.
• Hebrews 3:6: "And we are his house if we hold fast our confidence and pride in our hope."
  What if we do not hold fast? What then?
• 1 Thessalonians 1:3: "...remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."
• 1 Thessalonians 5:8: "But, since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
  Since when does "hope" = "assured"? If hope was assured, then it wouldn’t be hope, would it? There is always uncertainty in hope.
• 1 Peter 1:6-7: "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
  St. Peter says that your faith is perishable so the question is: why do you believe it is imperisable and that your salvation is assured?
• 1 Corinthians 9:24-27: "...after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified."
  Disqualified from what? From the eternal crown. Read the whole passage. So if St. Paul can be disqualified, why do you have the presumption to say that you cannot be?
• 2 Timothy 2:12: "If we endure, we shall also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us."
• Acts 14:22: "It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God."
• Luke 21:19: "...by your perseverance you will secure your lives”.
  What if we do not endure, suffer, or perservere? If we do not endure, we deny, and if we deny, what does St. Paul’s letter to Timothy tell us that God will do to us?
• John 8:31-32: "Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’"
• John 8:51: "Truly, truly, I say to you, if any one keeps my word, he will never see death."
• John 14:23: "Jesus answered him, ‘If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.’"
• John 15:6: "If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned."
• Hebrews 13:14: "For we share in Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end..."
  So tell me, when you see the word ‘if’ in the above passages, does that mean that you are saved ***despite*** the condition that Jesus places on you?
• Matthew 10:38: "...he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me."
  Picking up your cross is not an option - it is a commandment. If you are not worthy of Jesus, then where are you going to turn?

  Some other references to check out: Matthew 5:30 - Jesus warns his disciples of the real prospect of hell. Matthew 10:28, Luke 12:4-5 - Why does Jesus Christ warn believers to have fear? Romans 1:5, 16:26 - No obedience, no faith. Romans 2:13 - Only those who observe the moral law will be justified not simply those who hear it. 1 Corinthians 9:13 - St. Paul teaches that Christians are to glorify God by obedience to the Gospel. 1 Corinthians 10:12 - "...whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall." 2 Corinthians 11:3 - Why is St. Paul afraid of the Corinthians being lead astray? 2 Corinthians 11:29 - Or concerned for those led into sin? 1 Timothy 4:16; Hebrews 10:36-38, James 1:12 - Perseverance leads to salvation. 1 Timothy 1:18-20, 4:1-2, 6:10, 6:21 - St. Paul mentions some who have fallen away. Hebrews 6:4-6 - Some former Christians are ‘impossible to renew again’. Hebrews 10:36-38 - "...for you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. ‘For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay. But my righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.’" Colosians 1:21-23 - "...to present you holy.. provided that you persevere in the faith." Ephesians 4:27 - Satan has the opportunity to win your soul. James 5:19-20 - Turning a believer back from error saves his soul from death.

  John Pacheco
  The Catholic Legate
  February 1, 2002
  www.catholic-legate.com