The idea of eternal security is foreign to the Bible. It is puzzling how such a doctrine could develop when the Bible repeatedly comments, warns, and advises that we can lose it all through sin. For those who believe in the doctrine of eternal security, II Peter 1:10-11 is particularly difficult to dispute because it exposes the lie in this teaching by stating a simple command that God asks us to carry out: The way we validate our calling and election is by producing fruit. We live in spiritually dangerous times, and the way to stay on the beam is to keep on growing. If we grow, our salvation is assured. God is faithful; He has promised us salvation, and He will give it to us if we are faithful. Jesus Christ earnestly wants to present us holy, blameless, and irreproachable to the Father in His Kingdom, but we have a part to play too. These things will happen if we uphold our half of the covenant. We must continue in the faith, remain grounded and steadfast, keep on growing, and continue in the hope of our resurrection and eternal life. We will do well not to take God's salvation for granted, thinking we have some kind of eternal security without obedience to God's way of life. Instead, let us all strive to make our calling and election sure.

The doctrine of Eternal Security teaches that once a person is justified by the blood of Jesus Christ, has His righteousness imputed, and is given the Holy Spirit, their salvation is absolutely guaranteed and cannot be lost due to the combination of Christ's righteousness, God's grace, and His intervention. This teaching is highly appealing, creating a sense of comfort and hope, yet it is considered a deceptive lie that severely limits Christian growth and can turn grace into a license to sin. It suggests that a person's response to God's calling has no bearing on their salvation, implying they will be saved regardless of their actions or inactions. Scriptural evidence, however, indicates that salvation is not a completed work at justification. Salvation is described in the past, present, and future tenses, showing it as a process that requires expression and effort. In the present, Christians are urged to express their salvation through their lives, raising the question of what happens if they fail to do so. In the future sense, salvation is yet to be fully possessed, indicating it is not a done deal. When justified, a person has salvation within grasp, but it must be worked on, with evidence of true deliverance required, as it will not be finalized until Christ returns. There remains the possibility of losing salvation if faith falters. The appeal of Eternal Security lies in its comforting nature, making people feel good about God's kindness, gentleness, mercy, and forgiveness. However, this perception often comes at the expense of His justice, creating an unbalanced view of His character and grace. While some aspects of the doctrine hold truth, a complete biblical picture is necessary to judge it accurately. This doctrine may be linked to what Scripture calls "the lie," a specific deception associated with the antichrist and rooted in Satan's original deceit in the Garden of Eden. Satan's lie to Adam and Eve, "You shall not surely die," parallels the Eternal Security doctrine's assurance that one need not fear death after justification, blunting God's warnings about the serious consequences of sin. Sin remains destructively death-dealing, even more so for those with God's Spirit, as it risks the second death from which there is no resurrection to eternal life. God's requirement of loyalty through obedience to His laws does not change with conversion. The penalty for practicing sin as a way of life is still death, whether one is converted or unconverted. If a person, under the belief of Eternal Security, chooses not to keep the law, they are not loving God, and He is not bound to grant salvation, as the covenant requires mutual fulfillment. Jesus Christ sets the charge to express love for Him by keeping His commandments, emphasizing that loyalty and love are not optional but required in return for forgiveness and His Spirit. A life of willful sin after receiving the knowledge of truth can reach a point where God's forgiveness and Christ's sacrifice no longer apply, underscoring the seriousness of maintaining loyalty to Him and His government. Disloyalty, as seen with Adam and Eve, results in losing the relationship with God, which is key to salvation. Without this relationship, there is no salvation, as personal contact with Him enables the growth He intends. God is willing to forgive sins unless one practices sin without regard for loyalty to Him, at which point the sacrifice no longer applies.

The doctrine of Eternal Security is an attractive but deceptive lie, suggesting that once a person is justified by the blood of Jesus Christ, has the righteousness of Christ imputed to them, and receives the Holy Spirit, their salvation is assured. However, this view fails to align with the broader picture of salvation as presented in Scripture. Salvation is depicted in three modes: as a reality already possessed in the past, as a reality in progress with an uncertain conclusion, and as a reality not yet fully attained, remaining wholly future. This understanding reveals that salvation is not guaranteed by justification alone; it requires ongoing cooperation and works. The process of salvation involves God working continuously to create holy, righteous, divine character in the called-out ones, a task that cannot be achieved by fiat. This spiritual creation demands the active participation of free moral agents who must choose between right and wrong and carry out those choices. Without this perspective, believers in Eternal Security fall into theological difficulty, mistakenly thinking that justification alone secures salvation. In truth, works are essential, not to earn salvation, but to engrave God's laws into the heart and mind during sanctification, ensuring that righteousness becomes a personal attribute through living God's way of life. Justification marks the beginning of sanctification, but it does not guarantee salvation. At the moment of justification, a person is at their peak of righteousness, sinless through the imputed righteousness of Christ. However, maintaining and growing in this righteousness requires effort and works, as the individual will never again reach that initial state of sinlessness in this life without continuous striving. The Bible emphasizes that works are required and rewarded, showing that salvation is a collaborative process between God and the believer during sanctification. Scripture contains numerous warnings against complacency, which would be unnecessary if salvation were assured upon justification. These warnings underscore that salvation can be lost if the called-out ones fail to cooperate with God. The example of the Israelites, who were justified when freed from Egypt but failed to enter the Promised Land due to disobedience, illustrates that promises are conditional upon submission and works. Their refusal to cooperate resulted in death, serving as a powerful lesson that Eternal Security is not promised in the Bible. Salvation involves past, present, and future aspects, with justification addressing the past, while sanctification resolves the present and future through ongoing effort. The building of character in the image of Jesus Christ is God's current work, requiring devoted, loving loyalty from the believer. Failure to reciprocate this love through good works breaks the covenant, releasing God from the obligation to grant entry into His Kingdom. Suggesting that salvation is already secured undermines the necessary dedication and achievement required, as human nature tends to become neglectful when effort is deemed unnecessary.