Bible Question: John 15:6 - what is this verse actually saying? Most people who are advocates of "conditional security" rather than "eternal security" use this verse among many others. Can anyone please explain the matter of "thrown into the fire..." and "burned." |
Bible Answer: . . . John 15:6 (NASB) "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned." John 15:4-6 Abide in Me. "The word 'abide' means to remain or stay around. The 'remaining' is evidence that salvation has already taken place (1 John 2:19) and not vice versa. The fruit or evidence of salvation is continuance in service to Him and in His teaching (John 8:31; 1 John 2:24; Col 1:23). The abiding believer is the only legitimate believer. Abiding and believing actually are addressing the same issue of geniune salvation (Heb 3:6-19)." . . . Romans 11:22 (NASB) "Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off." "11:22 Consider the goodness and severity. All of God's attributes work in harmony; there is no conflict between His goodness and love, and His justice and wrath. Those who accept His gracious offer of salvation experience His goodness (2:4); those who reject it experience His severity (2:5). . . . Those who fell. The unbelieving Jews described in Rom 11:12-21. 'Fell' translates a Greek word meaning 'to fall so as to be completely ruined.' Those who reject God's offer of salvation bring upon themselves utter spiritual ruin. . . . If you continue. Genuine saving faith always perseveres (compare John 8:31; 15:5,6; Col 1:22,23; Heb 3:12-14; 4:11; 1 John 2:19). . . . Cut off. From the same Greek root word translated 'severity' earlier in the verse. God will deal swiftly and severely with those who reject Him." New Revised Standard Version Hebrews 6:4 "For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, since on their own they are crucifying again the Son of God and are holding him up to contempt." . . . "For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have (done all these things in vv. 4-5) and then have fallen away." "There is no possibility of these verses referring to losing salvation. Many Scripture passages make unmistakably clear that salvation is eternal (compare John 10:27-29; Rom 8:35,38,39; Phil 1:6; 1 Pet 1:4,5). Those who want to make this verse mean that believers can lose salvation will have to admit that it would then also say that one could never get it back again." . . . (All quoted commentary is from the MacArthur Study Bible, Word Publishing, 1997.) |