Bible Question: When speaking of eternal security are there denominations that actually believe that a christian could have a porn addiction, not repent, and die with it, and still go to heaven? I am trying to understand what it is that is being said by many concerning this subject. I know that the saint who walks in faith will repent of sins the Lord convicts them of and so they always have eternal security. I know that if a christian falls into a sin they are not lost. I know that even if they were to fall and then die in the same hour before they repented, it is hardly fathomable that they are eternally lost. But is practicing a porn addiction 'faith?' So then can such a one really claim the promise of eternal security? Shouldn't that christian fear eternal hell? |
Bible Answer: Scribe, I have been following the progression of your question and subsequent answers and feel that there is a a major soteriological misunderstanding of the work of Christ on the cross. To begin I would like to draw your attention to several verses in Colossian Chapter Two. But first let me preface this by saying that Jewish tradition held that God kept a written record or handwritting of all violations to his law. This was done because God is just and no matter how great his love for us, justice must always be served. In light of this fact look at this scripture about what Jesus did with his death on the cross. 14having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982. In the orginal language the word for wiped-away literaly means to "remove, destroy, or obliterate" This means that the record of all of our sin is removed. But removed from where? "taken out of the way" the word "way" leteraly means "midst, middle, or center" It is the same word that is used in Rev 4:6;5:6;7:17 in the expression "misdt of the throne" that refers to the area before the throne of God. Christ litteraly has taken all record of our sin or the "handwritting against us" and has romoved them from the presence of God and has "nailed them to the cross". We can see that this action "disarmed" the pricipalities and powers (references to fallen Angels)who were aparently using this written record against humans before. We know that Satan is the accuser, he continueally accuses the brethren. But according to this verse the evidence is gone. I say all this to ask you. How many on your sins and mine were in the fuure at the time Christ paid for them? The answer is all. So at the moment of repentence when one first accepts the free gift of salvation, all that persons sins are "taken out of the way" a transaction is made, Christ took upon himself our guilty record and he gave us his life which is a perfect law abiding record. Therefore God views us as holy, not as a result of what we have done but what Christ has done.He died to give us a new life, not a new list! If we are saved through no effort of our own, only by faith, and if we can't earn our way than why do we think we can earn our keep? "As ye therefore have received Christ so walk ye in him". This is the "good news" of the Gospel. If we are truly to say that we can do nothing to earn our salvation, than a logical conclusion would be that we cannot loose it. We therefore must say that there is nothing required of a person after geniune converstion. All the work has been done. However, this does NOT mean that we can do whatever we want and continue in a life of sin. At Salvation God makes us new creatures, we are not what we used to be, when we sin we are acting in opposition to who we are. B/c of this change a true beleiver WILL be different b/c it will be God doing the changeing. There are times however where we rebel against our new master(God) and retern to our old master (satan) and obey him even though we are not his anymore. This is what was happening with the beleivers at Corinth. They WERE beleivers as Paul says yet still they were living in sin and partaking of the Lords table. Note this verse: 1 Cor 11:28-30 28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982. "For this reason some of you sleep". Remember Paul say that these were beleivers yet God was chastising their sin by making them sick, or even bring ing them home. "some of you sleep" They didn't loose their salvation just their effectivness, therefore God brought them home. The sin of porography is terrible and destructive, it poisins the mind and the heart, and used as a tool of Satan to rob young men and women of God glorifing sex in marriage. The consequence of sin are paid for by us here on earth. But the penilty for sin has been paid for by Jesus. To say that a true Christian will go to hell for his or her sin is saying that the price Jesus paid is lacking. Will a true beliver continue in sin, live like hell and go to heaven? Not for long, b/c he will either be too convited by the Holy Spirit or he will be taken out of this earth b/c he is unaffective for Christ. |