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.

The doctrine of eternal security, often termed "once saved, always saved," is a deceptive teaching crafted to appeal to human nature, encouraging believers to relax and let down their guard against sin. Satan's purpose through this doctrine is to instill a false sense of security, echoing his initial deception to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3 with the lie, "You shall not surely die," implying that salvation is absolutely secure regardless of obedience to God's commands. Modern writers promote this idea by emphasizing God's grace over morality, using terms like unconditional love or Lordship salvation to suggest that obedience to God's law is unnecessary. They argue that since grace is boundless, there is no need to be troubled about following God's directives, thus fostering a mindset of complacency and self-satisfaction. This teaching creates a dangerous anomaly by implying that righteousness accrues without effort, contradicting the biblical call to work out one's salvation through obedience and active participation. Such doctrine removes the necessity of adhering to God's standards, allowing individuals to set their own moral benchmarks, which inevitably conflict with God's kingdom laws. The eternal security doctrine, intertwined with antinomianism or lawlessness, is a surviving element of ancient Gnostic beliefs, persisting in modern theology to undermine the importance of God's commandments and to deceive even the elect with its subtle and appealing presentation.

In the historical context of early Christianity, certain Gnostic beliefs, including the doctrine of eternal security, have persisted and influenced modern theological thought. This doctrine, rooted in Gnosticism, suggests that salvation, once attained, cannot be lost, regardless of subsequent behavior or sin. It was notably propagated through figures like Augustine, who, after engaging with the Manichean sect of Gnosticism, laid foundational ideas for this concept in his treatises. These ideas were later revived and expanded by Martin Luther and John Calvin during the Protestant Reformation, embedding the notion of eternal security within certain Christian teachings. This doctrine continues to impact contemporary Christianity, often under different labels such as "Lordship Salvation," yet retaining the core belief that salvation is irrevocable. Modern theologians like John Ankerberg, John Weldon, Charles Stanley, John MacArthur, Charles Swindoll, and Robert Gromacki advocate for this concept, asserting that no sin can cause the loss of salvation due to the infinite value of Christ's atoning death. They argue that even those who walk away from faith remain secure in God's hand, promoting ideas like "carnal Christians" who may appear indistinguishable from the unsaved yet are still considered saved. Such teachings stand in contrast to the biblical emphasis on obedience and the conditional nature of salvation, highlighting a divergence from the scriptural call to hear, do, and overcome. The persistence of the eternal security doctrine, stemming from Gnostic influences, remains a significant and subtle force in diluting the purity of biblical Christianity in today's world.

The doctrine of eternal security, originating from ancient Greek philosophies, was among the false teachings that infiltrated the early church. This belief, rooted in the ideas of thinkers like Orpheus, Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, and Ptolemy, became part of modern Christianity's doctrinal base. These philosophers promoted concepts that were attractive to human nature, including the notion of eternal security, which suggests a guaranteed salvation regardless of one's actions. Such teachings, carried into the church by both Gentile and Jewish converts, were addressed in the Epistles as the apostles confronted these erroneous ideas. Despite their efforts, these philosophies persisted, influencing Christian doctrine to this day. The doctrine of eternal security, alongside other unbiblical beliefs like the immortality of the soul and antinomianism, continues to subtly affect attitudes and conduct by diminishing the perceived consequences of sin. If one believes in inherent immortality or guaranteed salvation, the motivation to resist sin, grow spiritually, or submit to the Creator's laws is undermined.

The doctrine of eternal security, which essentially teaches that it is impossible for one not to be saved, is a concept that emerged from Gnostic influences. This doctrine, alongside lawlessness and dispensationalism, has persisted into modern times within Evangelical-Protestantism, forming part of what is termed Hellenistic Christianity. These ideas are not rooted in biblical truth but are critical to understand, as they can lead to the belief that obedience to God's law is unnecessary, presuming that Christ has fulfilled all requirements on our behalf. Such teachings pose a significant risk to salvation, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and rejecting these distortions to remain faithful to God's commands.

The doctrine of eternal security, as understood from the Greek philosophical and religious influences, is one of the false teachings that emerged over centuries. It is rooted in the foundational lie of the immortality of the soul, propagated by the father of lies when he deceived Adam and Eve with the notion that they would not surely die. This doctrine suggests that mankind inherently possesses everlasting life, imprisoned within from birth and needing to be freed, rather than it being a gift from God. Such a belief, stemming from Greek thought and integrated into modern Christianity, forms part of a broader set of erroneous doctrines that include reincarnation, evolution, antinomianism, purgatory, and continual personal revelation. These teachings, built on the dualistic view that matter is evil and spirit is good, contradict the truth that God declared all His material creation as very good. The adoption of even one such major doctrine can lead a person astray, potentially destroying their salvation by causing a cascade of further doctrinal errors, much like a single wrong turn can prevent one from reaching their destination. It becomes each individual's responsibility to test and prove these teachings, choosing to believe and act upon the true doctrines that align with God's Word, rather than accepting appealing but false beliefs that can disrupt the path to the Kingdom of God.

Some Christian churches uphold a doctrine called Eternal Security, with a few adhering to an Extreme Eternal Security version. This doctrine suggests that once a person accepts Jesus Christ's blood, their salvation is guaranteed, portraying the Christian life as seemingly effortless. Extreme Eternal Security asserts that the called individual plays no role in the salvation process. However, this belief contrasts with biblical teachings that emphasize the importance of works alongside faith, indicating that dead faith will not lead to resurrection to life. Jesus Christ, the Founder of Christianity, clearly stated that the way to life is difficult and narrow, supported by numerous warnings and admonitions against straying from the path. These warnings imply that a successful conclusion is not assured merely by beginning the journey. Additionally, satan's efforts to convince people that God owes salvation solely based on Christ's sacrifice undermine the drive to produce fruit, suggesting a passive approach to salvation that contradicts the active participation required in overcoming human nature's downward pull, as intended by God's loving wisdom to produce the best for His family kingdom.

The doctrine of Eternal Security is addressed in the context of God's relationship with Israel and the Gentiles, emphasizing the conditional nature of divine favor. Paul warns the Gentiles not to become arrogant in their current position of favor with God, as they are not immune to being cut off if they fail to maintain their faith. He explicitly states that they will be severed from God's grace if they do not continue in belief, just as Israel was cut off due to unbelief. This serves as a direct refutation of the idea that once one is in God's favor, they are permanently secure regardless of their actions or faith. Instead, Paul underscores that enduring in faith to the end is necessary to remain in God's goodness, highlighting that the same rules of faithfulness apply to both Israel and the Gentiles. If the Gentiles falter, they will face the same severity that ancient Israel experienced, demonstrating that God's favor is contingent upon continued belief and obedience.

The doctrine of eternal security, as understood by some evangelical Protestants, suggests that once grace is received through faith, no further action is required, as Christ has completed everything for us. This perspective holds that salvation cannot be taken away, implying that there is no need for ongoing effort or response on the part of the believer. However, this view overlooks the subsequent instructions found in various scriptures, such as Romans 5 and Ephesians 2:8-10, which emphasize that after receiving mercy and peace, believers are called to face tribulations, develop perseverance, build character through obedience to God, and cultivate a hope that will not disappoint. This process indicates that there are responsibilities and actions required of the believer beyond initial justification. The calling to be part of the Israel of God comes with strings attached, requiring a life lived according to the terms of the New Covenant. While God's grace and promises are the foundation, there remains a crucial role for the believer to play. Failure to fulfill this role risks breaking the covenant, potentially leading to judgment, as seen with physical Israel. God is faithful and provides abundant support through His Spirit to ensure success, but the possibility of rejection or failure to respond appropriately carries severe consequences. Justification must be accompanied by sanctification, a process of purification and maturation into the image of Christ, which demands cooperation and active participation from the believer. This ongoing effort, supported by God's Spirit, leads to glorification and the fulfillment of His promises, contrasting sharply with the notion that salvation is a completed act requiring no further response.

Within Protestantism, a major cornerstone of belief is the doctrine of Eternal Security, commonly called "once saved, always saved." It is the assumption that once a man accepts Jesus Christ as his personal savior and accepts His perfect sacrifice for the remission of his sins, his salvation is assured for all time. Under this reasoning, from this point on, he is eternally saved, and nothing he does can ever take away his salvation. This assertion, however, instills a false confidence that is destructive because it steals the urgency and zeal to overcome, to become holy, and to take on God's spiritual image. It gives the sensation of invincibility, suggesting that God's judgment cannot touch such a man and that God's law no longer needs to be considered. In short, it stalls the sanctification process by giving the impression that one is already at the end of his race. Even though the church of God generally rejects this doctrine, a related belief has emerged, causing similar havoc: the idea that aligning with the right man or being part of a certain group or church will instantly cause God to look more highly upon a person. This unstated doctrine of Leader Security or Church Security, based on the premise that one's standing with God is assured once one accepts a human leader or organization, is as destructive as the false doctrine of Eternal Security. It instills false confidence, steals the urgency and zeal to overcome and learn how to walk with God, tempts one to think that misfortune cannot happen to them, and can seriously impede, if not outright end, the sanctification process of growing in holiness.