Expert: Cooper P. Abrams III - 12/18/2007

Question
Dear Pastor Abrams,

I realize that you have answered a number of questions regarding eternal security, but I have not found one that relates to the particular issue that I am struggling with.  I very recently came to the true faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, but I have been searching honestly and truly for three years.  I came out of the Pentecostal church a little over a year ago, due to the fact that I had been reading my Bible a lot and realized that the doctrines they were teaching were false.  I then went to an Independent Fundamental Baptist Church. I did not realize that I had never come to Jesus Christ and thought that I had been saved since I was a young child - as my entire life was filled with many spiritual experiences and I grew up "in the church."  Well, this Independent Fundamental Baptist church did not buy my testimony of salvation and so they began to give me Gospel tracts.  Well in the end, I never did believe them and received a false assurance, which I now know was from Satan, as it was not based on faith in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.  But the problem that I am having is that before I came to Christ in truth I left this Independent Fundamental Baptist church because it had turned aside after error in a number of ways that I was very concerned about.  The pastor had begun incorporating the theories of psychology into his messages and had allowed some teachings into the church that were based on word-faith heresy.  Somehow, despite the fact that I was yet unsaved, I had knowledge of these things and how unbiblical they are.  I left this church in deep sadness, not knowing where to go.  During this same time I had the opportunity to visit a number of other Independent Fundamental Baptist churches and found many similar things creeping in, where no one seemed to notice or care.  One church was using a video series by Bruce Wilkinson- the man who wrote The Prayer of Jabez to teach its congregants on a Wednesday night, they were instituting the use of small groups, did not seem to be concerned anymore about contemporary "Christian" music, and had preached on the Prayer of Jabez (from the Bible) years earlier when Wilkinson's book first came out.  After that experience, I was literally trembling because I was so hurting over not knowing which church I could trust or where to turn.  When I first came to the Independent Fundamental Baptist Church I was assured that the errors that had come into the Pentecostal Church would not be in the Baptist Church.  I rejoiced, because I knew how deceived I had been and was more afraid of deception than just about anything else. But I was distressed beyond measure to find some of these same teachings and error in the IFB church.  My question is, why is this happening to these believers?  I know that these people truly came to Jesus.  They are truly born again, yet seem to have no ear for sound doctrine and cannot seem to discern between truth and error.  I do not say this out of unkindness, but out of concern.  I also want to be able to have Christian fellowship, yet I cannot because there is no where for me to go where I can fully trust what is being taught.  I do not want to be deceived.  I do not want to embrace psychology or word-faith teachings or anything that is contrary to God's Word.  Before I came to Jesus Christ, I read my Bible for hours and hours on end.  I knew that I needed it.  I read it like a dying person desperate for truth.  I literally have dozens of notebooks filled with nothing but Scripture.  Yet, I did not have the Saviour; I had the knowledge of good and evil, but not the Saviour.  Now that I have come to Him, I want my faith to be in Him alone.  I do not want to believe any more lies. I want to be sound in the faith.  The fact that the church seems to be apostacizing is very hurtful to me, and I cannot understand how this can be happening to true believers.  I do not want it to happen to me, so I have not gone to church and am actually afraid to go.  I know that this is a very long message.  There are many other things I could mention about what I have witnessed over the past three years within the Christian church that make me very concerned and confused.  I am frequently quoted this verse:

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Yet, why are these sheep following the voice of another and not keeping to Scripture?  If everyone will be saved no matter what heresy they end up embracing and no matter how far from the true faith of Jesus Christ they roam, then why did Paul spend so much time warning the church about the wolves and about deception?  If everyone will be okay in the end and there is no danger, then is it okay for me to go to a church that I know has turned from the truth?  Can I just go there so that I can have the comfort of Christian fellowship - even though I know I will be harmed doctrinally?  

I am sorry for all of my confusion and for how convoluted this may seem.  But I really want to know the truth.


Sarah  

Answer
Sarah,
   Sadly, there are pastors who are not really discerning and some are simply incompetent.   The proper approach would have been to ask you how you were saved and what you believed in.  Being in a Pentecostal church does not automatically mean a person is not saved.   Many people are saved, yet do not have assurance of salvation or be in a sound biblical church.  Many people love the Lord and are not taught the Word of God.  There are lots of Independent Baptists who seem not to be saved based on the worldly lives they live.   Assurance in salvation is based on one repenting of their sins and believing in Jesus Christ for their salvation.   My article explains the many biblical passages that teach eternal security to the one who has placed their faith in Jesus Christ.
    The key is this.  Are you presently putting your trust and faith in Christ’s shed blood and atonement for sin? Did you recognize and accept the fact you were a sinner and needed the Lord Jesus to save you.   If you in faith accepted Christ and turned from sin unto Him....God says you are saved.   The assurance of salvation is in what you are trusting in...not what church you attend or anything else. Yes, you should attend a sound Bible believing church and you should be scripturally baptized.  A true believer will live his life for the Lord.  But this follows true salvation.
     Apostasy is finding its way into many once sound churches.  It hurts me as well.   However, I can only teach my church and through the Internet try to help others.   I honestly wish I had a solution for you and could tell you exactly what to do.   What I can tell you and that no matter what others do....the Lord will never fail you nor forsake you.   He is our loving Savior and God...His promises are absolute and we can fully trust them.   
    God said in Psalm 18:2,    “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”
    From what you said you have visited the IFB churches in your area.   If you have not I would continue to visit and see if there is one that is sound biblically.    Either way continue to pray and serve the Lord in what ever opportunity He gives.   Continue to pray, seek His guidance and read the word.    
    The first thing that God said after being silence after giving the Book of Malachi what this....”James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (trials)  ;  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James 1:1-5)   (The word “upbraideth” means without scolding)   God says that when our faith is tried....we are to accept it with joy....knowing that in faith we will overcome the trial.   Trials in our life teaches us patience and to more fully trust the Lord.  He tells us to ask Him for help and He will sustain us....liberally and with scolding.    That is His promise....our part is to believe Him and go forward with our trust in him and not allowing the trial to dampen our love for the Lord or our service to him.
    I hope this helps....   I have often been in a place where things looked as if there was no hope for a solution.  Yet, each time God brought me through the trial....He will you too.....He is faithful.
I pray that God will be your strength during all this.  You can have peace in the middle of the storm knowing the Lord is there upholding you with his hand.
(My first response was from Mt. Vernon, IN, I am today in King, NC)
  Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and try not to let the worldly churches and church members rob you of your joy.   The Lord has not changed...nor His promises to us.
--
Cooper P Abrams III
Romans 12:1-2
http://bible-truth.org
" Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity"  (1 Corinthians 16:13-14 )