Expert: Rev. Stuart Woodward - 1/5/2012

Question
I grew up in a very fundamental believing church and have raised my children in same church organization. Recently my wife and I have felt a calling away from our church to another but we are struggling with an issue that we cannot agree with and are trying to understand. We have found a Baptist church that we really enjoy attending but feel that church membership is a must however we believe that the Bible warns of the danger of losing ones salvation and we are having a great struggle with the teaching of eternal security. Luke 9:62 Christ states "Any man having put his hand to the plow and looking back is not fit for the kingdom of God", Hebrews 10:26 says " For if we sin wilfuly after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins. This tells me that a Christian can lose their salvation if they are not careful, We call this backsliding. Am I wrong thinking that a once saved person who has drifted away to the point of living in sin and dies in this backslidden state will be judged accordingly and spend eternity in hell?

Answer
Hello Lonnie,
Thank you for your question. My reply will attempt to give you new ways of thinking about the issue. Time and practicalities do not allow me to go into all the differences of opinion between genuine Christians on this subject that have existed for centuries and about which many hundreds of books have been written. Instead, if I may, I will share some of my personal journey on this issue. I was brought up in the Salvation Army which has traditionally taught that continuance in a state of salvation depends on continued obedient faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I gave my life to the Lord at the age of 9 and although I have had many precious experiences of Him since I have no doubt that that was the moment I became regenerate and a child of God. However, despite a strong witness of the spirit that I was saved, I carried a measure of insecurity regarding whether I was being careful enough and holy enough not to lose my salvation. The change happened before I entered the ministry when I was a school teacher. I am English and live in England where Religious Education is taught in schools. I was teaching a class around the story of Peter walking on the water in Matthew 14:22-36. I ran out of material and began to fill time by asking questions. I asked, 'Why didn't Jesus let Peter drown?' Numerous replies were given but one 12 year old boy said: 'If Peter had drowned it would have been Jesus fault.' I asked him what he meant and he pointed out that Jesus did not tell Peter to come as long as he had enough faith to make it all the way but just to come. As Peter obeyed by getting out of the boat the boy reckoned that he became Jesus' responsibility. It was a moment of deep change in my heart and I stopped from that day being fearful and gained absolute trust that Jesus would see me through, whatever my failures.
From there I began to have some big reflections on how I used to think. It cannot be that every time I willfully sin I lose my salvation. If so every time I repent (as urged in 1 John 1:9) I would be being saved all over again. The bible nowhere teaches that. If it is persistence in sin that is the problem I am left asking how much persistence has there to be before the cut off point? Also at face value the verse you quote from Hebrews suggests there could be no way back even with repentance yet that is clearly not the teaching of the rest of scripture. In Acts John Mark looked back and left Paul and Barnabas. Whatever that meant regarding his fitness for the Kingdom there is no suggestion he lost his salvation. He was later restored to the work.
There are verses that can be paraded on both sides of the debate and I am not suggesting the warnings of Hebrews should be ignored. However, when a person comes to Christ the old man has been crucified and the new creation has come about. This new creation is regenerate (born again)and a child of God. It is, in my mind, an eternal identity that cannot be changed. I believe it is vitally important that we obey God out of loving response to His grace rather than a fear of being rejected. It is this that gives us the secure platform to chase after holiness of life. I confess that one of the key reasons for the way I interpret scripture is centered in the life changing experience I had in that classroom years ago. I also know that my security in God has to depend fundamentally on His faithfulness more than mine.
Of course in these days in which 'praying the believers prayer' is often the evangelical's equivalent to infant baptism (just do it and you will be alright) I have no doubt there may be many in our churches who have never properly encountered new birth and do not understand the witness of the Spirit. I leave God to judge their condition.
I am not pretending that these rambling thoughts are a profound theological answer to your question. As I have said there have been books upon books written, each side usually simply convincing more deeply those who agree with them. I simply share my personal journey and my deep conviction that my wonderful Father will not reject me but love and discipline me. 2 Timothy 1:12 has become precious to me and the freedom I now walk in has enabled me to be in ministry for thirty years. Without that freedom I would have been shipwrecked by fear many years ago.
I hope these comments are of some help in your thinking and pray that God will both lead you and bless you.
Stuart Woodward