eternal security

Faithful unto Death?! What if I’m Not?

July 16, 2020 // 33 Comments

Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation 2:10c) But what if I’m not faithful until death? Jesus remains faithful; you still get a crown. A mind untouched by grace twists the promises of Jesus into tests that must be passed and commands that must be obeyed. “Jesus was [...]

Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’? (Luke 6:46)

May 16, 2019 // 20 Comments

“Paul, I’m a Christian. I’m worried about that Jesus might reject me even though I call him Lord. Am I doing enough to be saved?” Are you referring to this scripture: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). “That’s the one. It terrifies me.” Let me ask [...]

Why God Will Not Cast You into the Fire

August 2, 2018 // 38 Comments

Whoever comes to me I will never cast away. (John 6:37) Jesus promised he would never cast away those who come to him, yet some people fear he might. Why? Because Jesus is fickle and he changes his mind a lot. Of course, that’s not true, yet some worry that it might be true, because of what he said here: If [...]

Are Unfruitful Branches Lifted Up?

May 2, 2018 // 105 Comments

Here is possibly the worst verse in the Bible: I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit. (John 15:1-2, NIV) I say worst verse because this is a very poor translation that changes the meaning of the original words. A better translation is, “He takes up [...]

Can You Lose Your Salvation?

February 1, 2018 // 195 Comments

Can you lose your salvation and become unsaved? When I first began writing about the gospel of grace few people asked this question. It was too contentious, too uncertain, too hard. So one summer I set out to read every single scripture on the subject. Turns out there are about 300. About half of them say you [...]

The Endurance of the Saints

November 23, 2017 // 20 Comments

Image source There are nearly two dozen New Testament scriptures that speak of enduring or holding fast to the end. The wrong way to read these scriptures is to think, “I must sweat and strive and endure or be disqualified from the kingdom.” If the Christian race is a marathon, it begins at the finish line. [...]

The “I Wills” of God

July 20, 2017 // 44 Comments

At the foot of Mt Sinai the Israelites boasted We will do everything the Lord commands. (Exodus 19:8) Perhaps you have said something similar, but this is a fatal boast, and a recipe for disaster. Make an impossible promise and you will invariably break it. What the Lord demands you cannot provide. This is the [...]

Can You Fall from Your Secure Position (2 Peter 3:17)?

June 29, 2017 // 104 Comments

According to some, here is a scripture that says you can lose your salvation: Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. (2 Pet 3:17, NIV) Don’t panic. This scripture does NOT say [...]

Have I Committed the Unforgivable Sin?

June 22, 2017 // 87 Comments

Here is a conversation I have on a regular basis: Reader: “Paul, I’m worried that I have committed the unforgivable sin.” Me: “You haven’t.” Reader: “But I had these terrible thoughts about the Lord…” Me: “You didn’t commit an unforgivable sin. Jesus carried all our sin on the cross – [...]

The Top 12 Promises on Eternal Security

June 8, 2017 // 35 Comments

I have begun listing the many promises in God’s Word regarding the eternal security of the believer. So far I’m up to 130 scriptures, with more to come. It’s a wonderful, reassuring list, but too long to reproduce here. So for the sake of brevity I have pulled the top 12 promises guaranteeing your eternal [...]

Does 2 Peter 2 Say You Can Lose Your Salvation?

May 11, 2017 // 78 Comments

In this world of anxiety and fear, it is a radical thing to proclaim the eternal security of the believer. One with the Lord, your future is the same as his. No one can snatch you from his hand; nothing can separate you from his love. Yet every time I say stuff like this, someone will point to 2 Peter 2 as though [...]

How Do I Know I’m Saved?

October 13, 2016 // 110 Comments

“Are you saved? Are you sure?” These questions are sometimes used to scare people into signing up for works-based insurance. They also trigger salvation-anxiety. Yet the questions are legitimate. In scripture we are exhorted to examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith (2 Cor 13:5). This does [...]