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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
The entire Easter celebration is extra-biblical. "Good Friday," which is the supposed day that Christ died, is fictitious in that Christ could not have died on Friday. He was three days and three nights in the tomb (Mt. 12:40; 16:21; 17:22- 23; 20:17-19; 27:62-64; Lk. 24:1-8; Jn. 2:19). He arose before daylight on Sunday morning at the end of the sabbath (Jn. 20:1; Mt. 28:1; Mk. 16:2). Thus he must have been crucified on Wednesday or Thursday. The Jewish day begins in the evening (Ge. 1:5,8,13,19,23). [See Christmas, Good Friday, Roman Catholic Church.]
EFFEMINATE. Having the qualities of the female sex; soft or delicate to an unmanly degree; womanish (Webster). The woman is supposed to be effeminate, but the Bible reference to this in 1 Co. 6:9 is connected with moral perversion. Until recent attempts by modernistic teachers to reinterpret Scripture to fit their immoral programs, this word has been interpreted as referring to womanlike men. The Greek word, malakos, means soft, and it is so translated in Mt. 11:8; Lk. 7:25. The context supports the homosexual interpretation. In 1 Co. 6:9 "effeminate" is listed between "adulterers" and "abusers of themselves with mankind," both of which refer to sins of immorality. Matthew Henry, following the common interpretation of this term in centuries past, connected it with sodomy. [See Abusers of Themselves With Mankind, Fornication, Sodomy.]
EMPLOYMENT. Livelihood; occupation; business; service.
What the Bible says to the employer: (1) Treat the workers fairly, remembering that you also have a Master in Heaven (Ep. 6:9; Col. 4:1). (2) Do not threaten the workers (Ep. 6:9). (3) Give just and equal wages (Col. 4:1; Jam. 5:4; Je. 22:13). (4) Do not be proud (1 Ti. 6:17). (5) Use your prosperity to be a blessing to others (1 Ti. 6:17-18). [See also Diligence, Labor, Sluggard, Suffering, Trials, Zeal.]
Enduring to the end. "...he that endureth to the end shall be saved" (Mt. 10:22; 24:13; Mk. 13:13; compare also Lk. 21:19 and Re. 14:9-12). Some teach that these passages refer to maintaining one's salvation through works. Such a doctrine would contradict the vast body of teaching that says salvation is a free gift of God's grace. Salvation is not maintained nor perfected by one's works and patience in tribulation. To understand these passages we must see that all are spoken in the context of the Great Tribulation. The Lord Jesus Christ is speaking of this great truth: Endurance is the evidence of true faith (Mk. 4:17; He. 6:9-11; 10:36-39). Profession is one thing; possession is quite another; and one's life will demonstrate one's salvation. [See Affliction, Believe, Eternal Security, Hope, Overcome, Patience, Perseverance, Suffering, Trials.]
EPISCOPAL CHURCH. The Episcopal Church is the American counterpart of the Church of England. Following the American Revolution, the Episcopal church was formally separated from the Church of England, and in 1789 the constitution of the newly formed Protestant Episcopal Church was adopted in Philadelphia. It has retained most Anglican doctrines and practices. Episcopal refers to the manner of government and refers to the hierarchical oversight of the denomination by councils and bishops. [See Anglican.]
There have been several small breakoffs from the main Episcopal denomination which still hold to former Episcopal doctrine and practice, but most Episcopalians are a part of the main group, with roughly 2.5 million members. Most of the divisions arose after the Episcopal church voted to ordain women to the ministry in 1976. The Episcopal denomination has followed the pattern of all the modernistic, ecumenical denominations, and has been losing members steadily. Its membership has declined 28% since 1965. The number of children in Sunday School has decreased 52% in 25 years.
DOCTRINE AND LITURGY. The Episcopal Church is highly ritualistic, using prayer books and a formal liturgy. They claim there are three foundations of faith: Holy Scripture, Reason, and Church Tradition. They have a special priesthood and sacraments (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Penance, Ordination, Matrimony, and Healing). They often build large, elaborate cathedrals. The Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City is the third largest in the world. Baptism is given to infants whereby they are believed to be born again and receive the Holy Spirit. The Lord's Supper is considered, not simply a memorial meal, but an event in which Christ becomes present in the bread and juice. Episcopal priests believe they are reoffering the sacrifice of Christ in the Lord's Supper.
MODERNISM. The Episcopal Church has largely been taken over by modernism. A majority of the leaders hold rationalistic beliefs, denying the perfect inspiration of the Bible and denying or questioning Christ's deity, virgin birth, resurrection, and other Bible miracles, yet they are allowed to remain in good standing within the denomination. In the first half of the 20th century, Episcopal Bishop James Pike denied all of the major tenents of the Christian faith. He said, "Religious myth is one of the avenues of faith and has an important place in the communication of the Gospel" and he spoke of the "myth" of the Garden of Eden and the "myth" of the virgin birth. Pike said, "I have abandoned ship on the doctrine of the Trinity. I have jettisoned the doctrine of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ" (Christian Beacon, Mar. 17. 1955).
Another Episcopal bishop, John Spong, has gone to the outer limits in radical theology. After worshipping in a Buddhist temple in 1988, Spong said, "As the smell of incense filled the air, I knelt before three images of the Buddha, feeling that the smoke could carry my prayers heavenward. It was for me a holy moment for I was certain that I was kneeling on holy ground. ... My conviction is that the true God, the divine mystery, the essence of holiness, is within and beyond all of these ancient worship traditions. ... when I visit a Buddhist temple it is not for me a pagan place ... It is rather a holy place where human beings different from me have felt the presence of God. ... I will not make any further attempt to convert the Buddhist, the Jew, the Hindu or the Moslem. I am content to learn from them and to walk with them side by side toward the God who lives, I believe, beyond the images that bind and blind us all" (John Spong, Bishop of Newark, "A dialogue in a Buddhist temple," The Voice, Jan. 1989, official publication of the Diocese of Newark of the Episcopal Church USA). Spong has ordained practicing homosexuals to the ministry, and in a recent book has said that the Apostle Paul was a self-hating, repressed homosexual. In Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism, Spong states, "Am I suggesting that these stories of the virgin birth are not literally true? The answer is a simple and direct `Yes.' Of course these narratives are not literally true.
Stars do not wander, angels do not sing, virgins do not give birth, magi do not travel to a distant land to present gifts to a baby, and shepherds do not go in search of a newborn savior." In 1985 the St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Minneapolis ran an advertising campaign which included this slogan: "The Episcopal Church welcomes you. Regardless of race, creed, color or the number of times you've been born." Twenty Episcopal churches in the Memphis, Tennessee, area ran an advertisement which stated, "In an atmosphere of absolute right and wrongs, here's a little room to breathe. ... the Episcopal Church is totally committed to the preservation of open dialogue and undogmatic faith. We exist to tell the world about a God who loves us regardless of what we've done or what we believe. Even if we do not believe in Him, He believes in us. We do not suffocate with absolutes." This, of course, is not biblical Christianity; it is gross apostasy.
Respected evangelical leader Harold Lindsell testified, "It is not unfair to allege that among denominations like Episcopal, United Methodist, United Presbyterian, United Church of Christ, the Lutheran Church in America, and the Presbyterian Church U.S. there is not a single theological seminary that takes a stand in favor of biblical infallibility. And there is not a single seminary where there are not faculty members who disavow one or more of the major teachings of the Christian faith" (Harold Lindsell, Battle for the Bible, pp. 145-146.)
ECUMENISM. The Episcopal Church is extremely ecumenical and is a member of the National Council of Churches in America and the World Council of Churches. The Episcopal Church is also drawing close to the Roman Catholic Church in dialogue. Episcopal leaders have frequently met with the Pope.
IMMORALITY. The drop in moral standards goes hand-in-hand with a critical view of the Bible. Those who do not believe in a holy, sovereign God will not believe in holiness of life and the fear of God in morality. To illustrate the moral climate in the Episcopal denomination, in 1987 the Episcopal churches in northern New Jersey voted to receive and study a 15-page report on "Changing Patterns of Sexuality and Family Life." "It is our conclusion," says the report, "that by suppressing our sexuality and by condemning all sex which occurs outside of traditional marriage, the church has thereby obstructed a vitally important means for persons to know and celebrate their relatedness to God." The report encourages the churches to accept homosexuals, fornicators, and adulterers as long as they are "sensitive, committed" people! The presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, Edmond Browning, praised these actions for being "at the cutting edge" of church issues! After a three-year study, an Episcopal Church commission in 1991 recommended that bishops be allowed to ordain homosexuals to the priesthood. In his book Living in Sin: A Bishop Rethinks Human Sexuality, Episcopal Bishop John Spong said, "I have known too many non-marital relationships marked by the qualities of holiness to suggest that they are immoral because they are not within the narrow bands of legal marriage. ... I regard the blessing of gay or lesbian couples by the church to be inevitable, right, and a positive good." This immoral thinking apparently permeates the Episcopal denomination. In a 1993 study, 70% of nearly 20,000 Episcopalians surveyed said it is possible for sexually active homosexuals to be faithful Christians, and 75% of those surveyed said a faithful Christian can live with someone of the opposite sex without being married (Christian News, Nov. 1, 1993).
FEMINISM. The Episcopal Church authorized the ordination of women to the deaconate in 1970 and approved women's ordination to the priesthood in 1976. Today there are 1,070 ordained women in the denomination. The Episcopalians ordained the first Anglican female bishop in 1989.
CHARISMATIC. The charismatic movement has swept through the Episcopal denomination. It has been noted that "among major Protestant denominations, the Episcopal Church has been the most receptive to the movement." Episcopal Renewal Ministries [charismatic] coordinator Charles Irish estimates that 35 of the 149 active Episcopal bishops, 3,000 of the 13,000 priests, and 18 percent of the laity are charismatic (Christian News, May 19, 1986). This is not surprising, for, sadly, the charismatic movement seems to feed upon apostasy. [See Adultery, Anglican, Baptism - Infant, Charismatic, Ecumenical Movement, Fornication, Fundamentalism, Gospel, Lord's Supper, Nakedness, Sacraments, Separation, Sodomy, Women Preachers, World Council of Churches.]
HOW WE CAN BE SURE TRUE CHRISTIANS ARE ETERNALLY SECURE.
HOW DO WE KNOW THESE BLESSINGS CANNOT BE LOST?
DOES ETERNAL SECURITY CAUSE PEOPLE TO LIVE CARELESSLY?
ETERNAL SECURITY AND PROBLEM PASSAGES
The following introductory comments offer a background for dealing with the "problem passages."
First, the few passages which present apparent problems with the doctrine of eternal security must be interpreted carefully in l ight of the context. It is a fact that the New Testament promises eternal security to the true believer. I do not believe God would have given so much plain and simple teaching on the eternal nature of salvation only to overthrow it with a couple of relatively obscure passages. We interpret the less clear passages in light of those which are crystal clear. This is a working principle which I believe is honoring to the Word of God, and it is the proper way to handle it. False teachers, on the other hand, delight in using the more obscure portions of Scripture to overthrow the plain. To interpret any of the passages you mentioned as saying that a born again child of God can lose his salvation flies in the face of hundreds of clear passages of Scripture. When the context of a Bible passage is plainly directed to the subject of salvation, there is never a question about the security of the believer.
Second, a key problem in this matter is reading the doctrine of insecurity into various passages. Most passages which are put forth to support the idea that salvation can be lost have absolutely nothing to do with such a thing if approached without preconceived ideas.
Third, let me also say that I believe that many who teach eternal security do so in an unbiblical manner. To fail to emphasize the necessity of repentance, to fail to warn the casual "professor" that profession is not the same as possession, to comfort and impart security to a professor who has no evidence of regeneration is to do injustice to the biblical doctrine of eternal security. The Bible frequently warns about the possibility of appearing to be saved while actually being lost, about coming close to salvation without actually being saved. Those of us who teach eternal security must not ignore the solemn charges of the Word of God such as John 8:47 and 1 John 3:10.
Now to some of the passages most frequently used to undermine eternal security:
JOHN 15. This passage does not necessarily say that a believer will be cast into Hell. You are reading that interpretation into it. It could be teaching that, if it were not for the fact that the rest of John's Gospel teaches exactly the opposite! Consider these passages in John--1:12,13; 3:14-18,36; 4:14; 5:25; 6:37,40,47; 10:27-30; 11:25; 17:2,3; 20:31. Whatever, therefore, the meaning of John 15:6 in reference to the child of God, it CANNOT mean that the true believer will be rejected and cast into Hell. That would make the promises of Jesus Christ to the believer into a lie. I personally believe Christ is referring here to the difference between sincere and insincere, true and false believers. He mentions such a thing in other passages in John's Gospel. Consider John 2:23-25 and 6:64. I believe John 15 is a warning that the evidence of true faith in Christ is to bear fruit for His glory.
MATTHEW 7:21. This has nothing to do with a believer losing his salvation. To do the will of the Father is certainly not the way to Heaven. It is the evidence of genuine faith in Christ; it is the proof of regeneration.
GALATIANS 5:19-21. This passage does not teach that a believer can lose his salvation, unless salvation is by works. Do you believe salvation is by works? This passage teaches that the genuine believer will manifest a changed life. The person who continues to be dominated by the flesh is not saved (Romans 8:5-14).
ROMANS 11:19-23. Paul is not addressing the subject of personal salvation. He is addressing the matter of the Jews and their place in the program of God. Paul is speaking in a general sense of Gentiles and of the Jewish nation. Today God has turned temporarily from the Jews and is calling a people for His name from among the Gentile nations. The day will come when God will again turn to the Jewish nation to fulfill His promises to them. Verses 24-26 make this plain. Paul is speaking in a general sense, not in a personal sense. A careful reading of this chapter illustrates this.
MATTHEW 25. The parables of the ten virgins and of the talents are given in the context of Christ's coming and of the establishment of the kingdom of God in Israel (see Matt. 25:31-34). The foolish virgins do not have to picture true believers. One has to read this into the parable. Likewise, the wicked and slothful servant of the parable of the talents does not have to picture a true believer. Again, one must read this into the parable. I believe, in light of everything the New Testament promises to the child of God, that the foolish virgins MUST be those who are unsaved. As I have said before, to interpret this otherwise is to throw multitudes of clear Scriptures into confusion. The wicked and slothful servant is not a true believer. First, he did not know the Lord. He considered the Lord "an hard man." It is obvious that he did not know the blessed Lord Jesus Christ! The fact that he is called a servant does not mean necessarily that he is saved. The Jews are called the Lord's servants, but they were not all saved (Is. 43:10). Let me also say that it is not wise to establish doctrine upon parables. The parables have one central point, and if you try to push every detail of the parable you can have all sorts of doctrinal problems.
MATTHEW 8:11-12. The "children of the kingdom" here are the Jews in the nation Israel. One of the key teachings of the Gospels is the rejection of Jesus Christ by His own people, the Jews. Time and again Christ warns and rebukes the Jews and their leaders, but most of them reject him. The first half of Matthew, in particular, documents this fearful situation.
LUKE 21:34. The context here is the Great Tribulation and the coming of Christ. Some would say that this passage teaches that we must prove ourselves in order to be worthy to escape the judgments to come. As noted in the next paragraph, such an interpretation contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture on the matter of personal salvation. It is therefore an impossible interpretation. Others teach that this verse presents a split rapture of some sort, whereby faithful believers will be taken away before the Tribulation and unfaithful believers will remain to go through the Tribulation. Such an interpretation is contrary to the teaching of the New Testament pertaining to the Translation of the saints. 1 Thessalonians 4-5 is probably the plainest passage in the Bible dealing with the Rapture. There is not a hint here that any true believer will go through the Tribulation. Contrariwise, the Rapture is held forth as a source of comfort to all believers (1 Thess. 4:18). Those who are overtaken by the Day of the Lord are contrasted repeatedly with the believers, who are "not appointed to wrath" (1 Thess. 5:1-10).
REVELATION 3:1-6. This warning is addressed, first of all, to the church of Sardis as a whole, not to individual believers. The warning that Christ would come upon Sardis as a thief refers to the fact that He would judge the church. Historically that happened. It has happened time and time again as churches have turned from the Lord and apostatized. The few names in Sardis which had not defiled their garments were the few who were truly saved. Actually, Revelation 3:6 is a proof text for eternal security. Christ promises that a truly saved person will not be blotted out of the book of life. Those who overcome are simply those who are truly born again and who therefore follow Jesus Christ because they have true faith (Jn. 10:27; Heb.6:9; Rev. 12:11). To say that this verse teaches that a believer can be blotted out of the book of life if he does not maintain a certain level of obedience is to commit two serious errors: First, such an interpretation is contrary to the method of salvation, which is by grace through faith WITHOUT works (Eph. 2:8-10; Rom. 3:24; 4:1-8; 11:6; Tit. 3:5-7). Second, such an interpretation is contrary to the promise of salvation. John 3:16 and hundreds of other verses promise "he that believeth on him SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE." Are those promises true, or are they a deception?
2 THESSALONIANS 2:3. This passage warns of the great apostasy of the last days. It does not refer to a believer losing his salvation. The Apostle does not say that those who fall away are true believers. On the contrary, the true brethren (verse 1) are comforted that they are not the ones being described here. Those who fall away and turn to the antichrist are those who "received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved" (verse 10).
2 PETER 2:20-22. Though this passage is often used to prove that eternal security is not true, it actually says nothing about losing ones salvation. The context is false teachers who promote damnable heresies and deny the Lord (v. 1). It should be obvious that it is not saved men who are the focus on this passage, but hypocrites and deceivers. Any interpretation which says these are saved men who lose their salvation flies in the face of the context. The fact that "the latter end is worse with them than the beginning" and "it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness" does not imply that they were saved and now are lost. They were dogs and pigs who were unchanged (v. 22). The fact that they return to their wickedness proves that they were never regenerate. When the context is taken into account, there really is no problem in this passage in regard to the doctrine of eternal security.
REVELATION 21:8. I believe this passage contrasts the saved with the lost. The saved are overcomers (v. 20). The lost continue in their sin (v. 21). A twin doctrine to that of eternal security is the perseverance of the saints. The Bible plainly teaches that those who are truly born again will evidence their salvation and will continue on with the Lord (John 10:27-28; 1 Cor. 15:1,2; Col. 1:21-23; Heb. 6:4-9; 10:38; 1 John 3:3). The one who permanently falls away demonstrates that he did not belong to the Lord in the first place (Heb. 12:5-8). If a professing Christian murders someone, it probably proves that he was not genuinely saved. Revelation 21:8 is similar to 1 John 3:9. These passages are not talking about an act of sin but a way of life of sin. If these passages are referring to an act of sin, no one can be saved. It is obvious from other passages that a Christian can commit any act of sin, including idolatry and adultery (1 John 1:8-10). This is why we are often warned not to commit these evils (1 Cor. 6:18; 10:6,14; 1 John 5:21). Salvation is to be placed into an entirely and eternally new position in Jesus Christ. The old flesh cannot be redeemed; it can only be condemned and crucified. Our new position in Christ is that our old man is dead and we rise to new life in Jesus Christ. The law can no longer condemn us. Please study Romans 1-8 very carefully, for it holds the key to understanding salvation properly, as well as the proper place of sin and the law in the Christian's life. Salvation requires perfection, and the only perfection that we can ever have is that which we receive from Jesus Christ because of the Propitiation He purchased on Calvary. Even one sin will keep me out of Heaven, but, praise God, I do not have any sin in Christ. He has taken it all away forever.
Those who do not believe in eternal security like to present various real-life or imaginary situations which they believe to prove their point. One person wrote to me and mentioned a well-known evangelist who once was a firey fundamentalist-type preacher but now has become a Charismatic and who has begun to accept Roman Catholics Charismatics as genuine Christians. The reader asked, "Are you saying that he's still saved and is going to heaven or, because his salvation is permanent, he still has a chance to repent?"
The answer is that I don't have revelation about any person's eternal condition, and I have never tried to figure such things out. That is God's business. I know this, though. A man can preach the Gospel and rebuke liberalism without necessarily being born again. I'm not saying that this particular person is not born again. I am saying that it is possible that he is not, and I am saying that I simply do not know. Let me also say that I don't know that this person has rejected the Gospel. He has accepted certain Charismatic doctrines and practices that I believe are unscriptural, but it is the Gospel that saves a man, not what he believes about tongues or healing or ecumenism or many other things.
I do not profess to be able to answer every question which can be raised on this subject. No man can. Eternal security, though, is a Bible doctrine that has satisfied and blessed my heart for 21 years. "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).
HOW THE BOOK OF HEBREWS TEACHES ETERNAL SECURITY
Some think the book of Hebrews poses unanswerable problems for the doctrine of eternal security, but the opposite is true. In the following ways the book of Hebrews strongly affirms this Bible doctrine:
1 Christ’s Purging promises security (Heb. 1:3).
2 Christ’s Rest promises security (Heb. 4:10).
3 Christ’s Hope promises security (Heb. 6:17-19).
4 Christ’s High Priesthood promises security (Heb. 7:25,26).
5 Christ’s Blood promises security (Heb. 9:12,26; 10:14).
(1) We have eternal redemption through His blood (Heb. 9:21). (2)
Sin is put away through His blood (Heb. 9:26). (3) We are
sanctified once for all through His blood (Heb. 10:10). (4) We
are perfected forever through His blood (Heb. 10:14).
6 Christ’s Covenant promises security (Heb. 8:12; 10:16-19).
[See Adoption, Atonement, Blood, Born Again, Gospel, Grace, Hope, Justification, Propitiation, Mercy, Redemption, Repentance.]
[The previous material is a sample from the Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity, Copyright 1994,1996, Way of Life Literature, 1701 Harns Rd., Oak Harbor, WA 908277.]