We're dealing with questions answered on eternal security. We started this morning and we've dealt with what does the Bible teach about the security of the believer? What are some things necessary to understand the doctrine of eternal security? Does eternal security mean that anyone that professes Christ is saved no matter how they live? And then tonight we want to continue those questions. Does eternal security mean, or does eternal security cause people to live carelessly? That's what many believe. They say that if you teach eternal security and that you cannot lose your salvation if you're a child of God, well, that's going to make you just live any way you please. Would you look with me tonight at Titus chapter 2, verses 11 through 12, because it's just the opposite, in fact. To understand the grace of Christ and to understand what Jesus has done for us and what a complete salvation we have does not make us live carelessly. It makes us live in a holy manner. Here in Titus chapter 2, God tells us what the true grace of Christ will do in a believer's life. There's a lot of talk today about grace. And when we start preaching on worldliness and we start preaching on worldly music and things, people say, well, don't you believe in grace? Yes, we do. We believe in grace like Titus chapter 2, verses 11 and 12 talks about grace. Notice what this says. Titus 2, verse 11, for the grace of God that bringeth salvation. hath appeared to all men." Now what does this grace do? Note verse 12, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. The true grace of God does not teach us that as believers we can just live however we please, do whatever we please. It teaches us to live a godly, righteous, holy life. And any other so-called grace is not the true grace of God. No. The doctrine of eternal security, the doctrine of the grace of Christ, which reminds us of the gift that Jesus purchased for us on the cross and that salvation is free and there's nothing I can do to earn salvation. And therefore, there's nothing I can do to lose that salvation. That grace does not teach us to live a careless life. There's another question. that I'd like to answer tonight, and that is, does the Bible warn of a false hope? And it does. And this is a very, very serious matter. There is many false hopes that are mentioned in the Bible, and I want to refer our attention tonight to four of them. Number one, those who profess but do not repent. Look with me at Luke chapter three. This is what John the Baptist was talking about when he began his ministry. He preached repentance. He said, repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. And that's how Jesus began his ministry. Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. And notice what John the Baptist said about those that were coming to him. They were flocking to him. There were multitudes coming to him. Eager, it appeared, to hear what he said. Eager, it appeared, to do what he was preaching, but they weren't really. And John the Baptist spoke of this in Luke 3, verses 7 and 8. Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him. They were going to be baptized, all generation of vipers. Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father. For I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And John the Baptist, who was a very bold preacher, and that's what we need today, we need some John the Baptist to stand up in America and to rebuke America's sin and compromise and hypocrisy and apostasy. And John the Baptist did that. He said, you vipers, you generation of vipers, that's strong language. And he said, bring forth therefore fruit, meat for repentance, worthy of repentance. He said, I want to see some change there. I want to see a change of direction. I don't want to just see words coming out of your mouth and professing that you love God. I want to see something real in your life. You say, well, that was John the Baptist. That was before Jesus came. Yes, but Paul preached exactly the same message in Acts chapter 26, verse 20. Exactly the same message. In Acts 26, verse 20, it's almost exactly the same words that John the Baptist used. And here, Paul is talking about his preaching ministry, his gospel ministry, and what he preached and what message he preached. Look with me at John 26, Acts 26, verse 20. Acts 26 verse 20. He's talking about what Jesus commanded him to preach, but showed first under them of Damascus and at Jerusalem and throughout all the coast of Judea and then to the Gentiles that They should repent and turn to God and do works made for repentance. That's exactly what John the Baptist preached. He said, repent, it means to turn. It means, Paul said, I want to see repentance in your life, not just words. Repentance will show itself, true repentance. There are those that profess, but they do not repent. There are those, secondly, that have a mere intellectual assent in Christ. Look with me at John. I'm sorry, James 2, verse 19, a mere intellectual ascent. What is that? That's devil. James warned about the devils and said that the devils believe, but the devils are not saved. But the devils know that there's a God. They understand that mentally and intellectually. They know there's a God, but that doesn't save them. James 2.19, Thou believest that there is one God. He's talking about certain people, certain profession Christians. Thou believest that there's one God. Thou doest well. The devils also believe in tremble, but the devils aren't saved. It's not enough to believe in my mind that there was a Jesus one day that walked this earth and there is a God in heaven. Lost people believe that. Lost people can know that. The devils know that. That's not salvation. Number three, those that have a self-willed faith. Only believing what they want to believe rather than what the Word of God says. The testimony of the Scriptures. Look with me at John chapter 2 verses 23 through 25. This is a strange passage because here the Bible says some believed in Jesus, but Jesus did not commit Himself unto them. How can that be possible? John chapter 2 verses 23 through 25. False hopes that multitudes of people tonight have. false hopes of salvation. In John chapter 2, verse 23, now, when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, believed in his name, when they saw the miracles that he did. But, notice what this says, Jesus did not commit Himself unto them, because He knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man, for He knew what was in man." What was wrong with these people? They believed in Him, but Jesus did not commit Himself to them. They were not saved. What was wrong with them? They were believing only what they wanted to believe about Jesus. That's not enough. Look at John. Chapter 6, and here we see what was wrong with these people. In John 6, verse 14, we see what was happening in the hearts and minds of these men in that day and these women in that day that believed for a little while and then fell away. In John 6, verse 14, then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, this is of a truth, that prophet that should come into the world. When Jesus, therefore, perceived that they would come and take him by force to make him a king, he departed. What were they believing? They were simply believing what they wanted to believe about him. They wanted a king, and here's my king, and you'll be my king. That's not what Jesus was at that particular time. And they were not believing what Jesus said about Himself and what He was calling them to. They were simply believing what they wanted to believe in their own minds. valiant, stubborn people. You say, how can you be sure? Well, John 6, 66, the same people from that time, many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. Why? Because they did not believe what he was saying that day. And they said, this is a hard thing. We reject him. Well, they never had believed on him properly in the first place. And there are multitudes like that. And when they see things in the Bible they don't like and they find out things about Jesus that they don't like, then they reject that. But they never did believe in the first place. My faith has to believe it be in Jesus Christ, not the Jesus of my imagination, the Jesus Christ of the Bible. Most Americans today believe in a Jesus that's more like Santa Claus than the God of the Bible. And they say, well, we mean more preaching like Jesus, really? What about preaching like Jesus in Matthew 23, where he called the Pharisees serpents and snakes and vipers and hypocrites and blind guides? What about that Jesus? What about the Jesus that preached more on hell than he did on heaven, talking about the fire that never shall be quenched and the fire that never shall be quenched and the worm that dieth not? What about that Jesus? There are multitudes that believe in some Santa Claus type Jesus, ever smiling type Jesus, never judges anybody type Jesus. But that's not the Jesus of the Bible. And I can believe in a false Christ of my own imagination, and that won't take me to heaven. And number four, those that have a religious zeal apart from the gospel. And we see this in Matthew chapter seven. Verses 21 through 23, among many other passages, these that Jesus describes here, had a religious zeal, had a faith in Christ, talked about Christ, prayed to Christ, did miracles in the name of Christ. But Jesus said they're not saved. In Matthew 7, 21, Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. But he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven, many will say to me in that day, many will say to me in that day, the day of judgment, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, I never knew you." It doesn't say, I knew you once and you were lost. It says, I never knew you. They never had a saving faith. False hope, because they did not know the Christ of the Bible. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. And the frightful fact tonight is that there are false hopes. And it's possible to think I'm saved and to have some kind of religious hope and be lost and on my way to hell. We need to make sure tonight that our faith is in the Word of God. Our faith is in the Christ of the Word of God. And there are hard things in the Bible. And Jesus Christ spoke some hard things. And we need to be careful that we do not stumble at the hard sayings of God. We need to believe in the God of the Bible. False hopes. But I want to ask another question. If the disobedient Christian doesn't lose his salvation then, those that are truly born again, what does happen to him? Well, things do happen. Things do happen. The sinning Christian – look with me at 1 John. The sinning Christian is, first of all, out of fellowship with the Lord and with his people. And that happens as soon as we're out of fellowship with the Lord. As soon as we walk in darkness and not walk in the light, we are not in fellowship with the Lord and fellowship with His people. In 1 John, chapter 1, verse 3, That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us. And truly, our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, We have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. And what happens when we sin is that it breaks the fellowship with Christ, and then it breaks the fellowship with like-minded believers. And that's what happens. And that's a terrible thing. That's a terrible thing. We either came in here tonight in fellowship with the Lord, or we came in here tonight walking in darkness. And if we came in here tonight walking in darkness, we're not in fellowship with the Lord, and we're not fellowship with one another tonight. There's something else that happens. We see that in 1 John 2, verses 1 and 2. The Lord, the sinning Christian, is helped and loved by the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus does not abandon us when we sin. Praise the Lord. He does not abandon us when we get stubborn and foolish like we can do because that old sin nature is still there. He doesn't abandon us and turn his back on us. Here the Bible talks about a sinning believer in 1 John 2, 1 and 2. My little children, these things write I unto you that ye sin not, and if any man sin, What happens if any man sin? What happens? We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Jesus is still there pleading for me, my advocate, my lawyer at the throne of God. And He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And so when the believer sins, He's out of fellowship with the Lord. He's out of fellowship with other believers. But the Lord is still loving him. The Lord is still his intercessor and his advocate, bringing him back into fellowship. And number three, the sinning Christian. is chastened by God the Father. In Hebrews 12, we see this chastening. The Bible says, if I'm not chastened and if I can sin and I can just sin and get away with it and God doesn't deal with me, then I'm not saved. Hebrews 13, God chastens those that sin. In Hebrews chapter 12, verse 5, we see this, my son. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." He faints me when I sin, just like a good earthly father will. A father that doesn't properly spank his child does not love that child. The Bible says that. So many Christians, and they seem to be godly Christians, won't spank their kids. Yeah, I don't understand that. It puzzles me no end. But there's so many that won't. And if they do spank them, it doesn't do anything because it doesn't hurt enough. I think of a little child right now. This couple had a child when they were older. This seems to happen a lot when they get older. I hope I don't have kids anymore. I don't think I can. But older. And they've got this little boy, and he's a big boy. He's huge. He's like a football player or something, but he's a little bitty guy. And he literally rules that whole house, and he rules his brothers and sisters, and he rules his parents. And every once in a while, his mother will go over there, and he's got these big padded things on. What are those things? Diapers on. Now, that's really hurting that boy. And then he goes and does exactly what he's told not to do, and he's going to grow up to be a rebel. But God's not like that. God is a good Father. God is a loving Father. And God will not let us get away with sin. He will spank us. He will chasten us. In His love, the Bible says He will. I'd rather obey the Lord than get spanked by the Lord. And we have that option as children of God. But a sinning Christian is chastened by the Father. Number four, the sinning Christian loses irreplaceable opportunities for service and for fruit. Irreplaceable. Think about how short this life is. How short this life is. And every day that's passed is a day that's gone forever. It is gone. And I can be careless, and I can be foolish, and I can waste the days God gives me and spend it on something that has no eternal value. But if I do, it's gone, and I will never be able to regain that. And it was an opportunity that I could have spent for God. And it was an opportunity and a day in which I could have served God. And I could have pleased Him. But I didn't. And now it's gone. I'm not going to be lost. But that time is lost. That day is gone. That hour is lost. That's serious. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 9 that there is a harvest. that there is a work to be done for the children of God. And Jesus bid us to join in the harvest and commended us to join in the harvest and be busy about the work that He cares about. In Matthew chapter 9, verse 36, Jesus said, the Bible says, when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep, having no shepherd. Then saith He unto His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth laborers into His harvest." Jesus said there's a harvest. There's this harvest time. And it's time for every child of God to be busy in that which the Father cares about. working in the harvest. I can do that. I cannot do that. But if I don't do that, it's gone. It's gone. It's forever gone. The opportunity to serve Jesus and then to be rewarded by Him, to hear Him say, well done, thou good and faithful servant. That's the greatest reward. All of the crowns which are real and the positions of authority which are real, the Bible says, will not mean as much as well done. Thou good and faithful servant. Just those words from him will mean more than all the other rewards. But that will be gone. The sinning Christian loses irreplaceable opportunities for service and for fruit. Finally, what happens to the disobedient Christian? He will suffer loss. at the judgment seat of Christ. And we see this in 1 Corinthians chapter 3. Why did Paul remind the Corinthians of the judgment seat of Christ? Because they were carnal. It's a great motivator to live for the Lord. In 1 Corinthians 3, verse 11, for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now, if any man build on this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble. Every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss But he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire loss of the judgment seat of Christ. And that's a very serious matter. And that's a great motivator to live for the Lord, because there is a judgment that we have to face as believers. So what happens if the child of God does not lose his salvation, but he sins and he's stubborn and rebellious? Well, the sinning Christian is out of fellowship with the Lord and with his people. The sinning Christian is helped and loved by his Lord. The sinning Christian is chastened by the Father. The sinning Christian loses irreplaceable opportunities of service and fruit. And the sinning Christian will suffer loss at the judgment seat of Christ. And I have one final question tonight. What about the problem passages about eternal security? Turn with me to Matthew. Of course, we're not going to deal with all of them. are all of those that are thought to be problem passages. Most of those that people write to me and they say, well, what about this verse and what about that verse? I don't see any problem with it anyway. But in Matthew 25 in verses one through 13 is some that's a passage that some consider a passage that teaches a child of God can lose his salvation. It's a parable. Parables are often misused. And this is a parable of the ten virgins, a parable of the ten virgins, given in the context of the return of Christ, the coming of Christ, and the establishment of Christ's kingdom in Israel. That's the context. That's what Matthew 24 and 25 is all about. And some will say, well, see these foolish virgins, they slumbered, verse 5, they slept, verse 5, and then they got up at midnight and they went out and the door was closed. And so they lost their salvation. Well, it doesn't teach any such thing. Very simply, number one, they didn't have any oil. If you don't have it, the oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. If you don't have any oil, you're not saved. You never were saved. Romans chapter eight, verse nine says, If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he's none of his. They had no oil. They had no Holy Spirit. They never had the Holy Spirit. They didn't lose the Holy Spirit. They never had the Holy Spirit. It doesn't say they were lost, had the salvation and were lost. Furthermore, they waited until it was too late to obtain salvation in Matthew 25, verse 9. But the wise answered, saying, Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you, but go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves. The wise here are the ones that were saved, and the wise had made preparation for eternity while there was time." Have you done that? The Bible says today is the day of salvation. You don't know about tomorrow. If you're counting on tomorrow, you're foolish. We don't know about tomorrow. The wise prepares for eternity while there's time. Those were the truly saved in this verse, in this parable. Look at Matthew 25, verse 14 through 30. Again, another parable is often abused and misused by those who do not believe in eternal security. And they talk about this man here that had talent, and he hid that talent. Jesus distributed the talents to the servants and took a journey to a far country, or the man in the parable did. Took a journey to a far country, in verse 15, and then returned and judged those that had received the talent. And we see one of the men, verse 24, Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee, that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown. and gathering where thou hast not strode. But I was afraid, and went, and hid thy talent in the earth. Lo, there thou hast what is thine. His Lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and awful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strode. Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance. But from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." There are some that use this and they say, well, that means he lost his salvation. He was a servant of God and now he's cast into hell. Yes, he was cast into hell, but he never knew the Lord. Why do we know this? Well, the man's concept of the Lord showed that he was a lost man. What did he think about the Lord? He thought the Lord was a hard man. He didn't know the Lord. The Lord is exactly the opposite of a hard man. The Lord is the easiest person in the world to get along with, in the universe, in existence. Jesus said, My yoke is easy, my burden is light. Jesus is not hard to get along with. He upbraideth not. Jesus is not a hard man. Jesus is gentle and humble and meek and lowly at heart. This man didn't know the Lord. Not only that, but the man's destiny shows that he was a lost man. But this man did not know the Lord. He didn't know who the Lord was. You can't be saved by believing in a false Christ. And that's what that man was believing in. He thought Jesus is a hard person, a task, a hard taskmaster. He's nothing like that. Nothing like that. Jesus is not a hard man. And then another passage that is used is in Romans chapter 11, verses 19 through 23. Just some of the key passages, some of the passages that are often brought up in the context of eternal security. Romans chapter 11, verses 19 through 23. Romans 11, verses 19 through 23. Thou wilt say then, the branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well, because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith, be not high-minded, but fear. And if God spared not the natural branches, take heed, lest he also spare not thee. Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God. on them which fell severity. But toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in this goodness, otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again." And they say, see, verse 22 says God will cut a person off. God will cut a believer off and he can lose his salvation. It's not teaching anything like that. The only way to understand the Bible properly is to understand the context of any passage and to see what is God talking about in this context. What is the context speaking about? What's it about? And then we interpret the verses within that context. What is the context here of Romans chapter 11? It's Paul addressing the subject, not of personal salvation, but the matter of the Jews. and their place in the program of God. That's what Romans 9, 10, and 11 is all about. You can read that and see that's exactly what Paul is talking about. Not personal salvation, not me and my relationship with God, but a nation. And it's part in the program of God. And God took them out of His program for a while, the Jews, and God is going to put them back into His program here maybe shortly during the Tribulation and on then out into the Kingdom of God and the Millennium and the Eternity. That's what God is talking about taking in and putting back in. It has nothing to do with personal salvation. Nothing whatsoever. I Corinthians chapter 9, verse 27. In I Corinthians 9, verse 27, Paul is speaking here, and some have thought that they find here Paul talking about the possibility of losing his salvation. I Corinthians 9, 27, "'But I keep unto my body, and bring it unto subjection, lest that by any means When I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." Castaway. They say, see, don't you see that Paul was worried there that he might lose his salvation? I see no such thing. No such thing. Again, the context. Castaway. That same word. Greek word can be translated rejected and is translated rejected in other passages, set aside, rejected. And what was Paul worried about? Being rejected in what way? Not rejected by the Lord eternally and going to hell. He's talking in this passage about rewards, about running a race. That's what he's talking about. In verse 18, he says, what is my reward then? A reward is not a gift. A reward is the opposite of a gift. Reward is something you earn. And we can do that in the Christian life. After we're saved by grace and we receive the gift of eternal life, then I can run a good race for the Lord and be rewarded for it at the judgment seat of Christ. And that's what Paul is talking about all the way through here. And so he's talking about losing that reward. Losing that reward for the ministry that God had given him. and not fulfilling it and going on to the end and standing before the Lord and being rewarded for it. There's another passage in Philippians, chapter 2, verses 12 and 13. Philippians, chapter 2, verses 12 and 13. Philippians 2, verses 12 and 13, Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, Not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure." They say, see there, you've got to work that salvation out. And if you don't, you'll be lost. It doesn't say that, though, does it? That's added to the passage. That's read into the passage. Paul didn't say anything about being lost here, does he? He's not talking about He's not talking about working for my salvation. He's not talking about working up my salvation. That would be a work salvation, which the Bible says is impossible. Not of works lest any man should boast. But working out my salvation is talking about what all the rest of the New Testament talks about. That after I'm saved, there's salvation there and there's service there and I need to work and I need to go forward for the Lord and I need to work out what He's giving me. But it has nothing to do with the possibility of losing my salvation. Philippians 2. Philippians 3. And by the way, verse 13. Makes that clear in Philippians 2, 13, for it is God which worketh in you, the salvations of God, the keeping on is of God. It's all of the Lord. But I have a part in serving the Lord. And that's what God is talking about in this passage in Philippians 3, verses 9 through 14 is a passage that some think they have found. the teaching that you can lose your salvation in Philippians 3, verse 9, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." And some will isolate this verse and say, see, Paul didn't know for sure if he was going to be resurrected. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Jesus Christ. I count not myself to have apprehended. But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Well, what is the context here? Context is everything. in interpreting the Bible. It's everything in interpreting the Bible. What is the context here? Paul is not talking about his salvation. Paul is talking about his calling, his service for Christ. Well, he makes that clear in verse 14. I press toward the mark for what? The prize. Is salvation a prize that I win? It's exactly the opposite. Salvation is a gift that I receive. Ephesians 2, 8 through 10. It is a gift that I receive. It is by grace, not of works, lest any man should boast. But Paul was thinking about here, not about the gift he had received, but the prize he wanted to win. That's that Christian service. That's Christian service. That's the judgment seat of Christ. He's not fearing that he might be resurrected. He's fearing that he might be resurrected and not be rewarded like he wanted to be rewarded by the Lord. You say, well, I don't know about that. Well, look at Philippians In chapter 1, verse 6, to say that Paul didn't know that he was saved for sure would create a terrible contradiction in the Bible in this very epistle. In Philippians 1, verse 6, the same Paul in the same letter to the same church said, being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ. There's no question there. There's no question ever in Paul's mind about eternal salvation, about resurrection and eternal life. There's never a hint of question about that in his writings. But when it comes to service, there's always a question. Because I might be like Demas, who served Christ very diligently, it seemed, and served with Paul. And then Paul had to say one day, Demas hath left me, having loved this present world. You never can be sure until the end about service and rewards. But Paul never questioned eternal salvation. Never, ever questioned eternal salvation. About in Philippians 2, verse 20 and 21, this same book, the same writer. In Philippians 2, verse 20 said, For I have no man like-minded who will I'm sorry, Philippians 1, verse 20 and 21. According to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. He knew. that when he died, he knew where he would be in heaven. Verse 23, For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ. The same day he wrote that, he also wrote that he wanted to have a better resurrection. Verse eleven, if by any means I might. Chapter three, verse eleven, if any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead and the sense of what he would earn at the judgment seat of Christ in eternity for his service. And it's. Ignoring the context of the Bible that creates these problems. Jesus has promised resurrection to every believer. John 11, verses 25 and 26. He has promised resurrection to every believer. In John 11, verses 25 and 26, Jesus said unto her, to Martha, I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. That's His promise. Resurrection is His promise. Eternal life is His promise. Now, look with me at the book of Hebrews. This book tends to be a problem for many people. In fact, though, Hebrews is one of the strongest books in the Bible about eternal security. Hebrews 6, verses 4 through 8, though, is often used by those who think they can lose their eternal salvation. Hebrews 6, verses 4 through 6. For it is impossible for those who were once in life, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame. Say, see, you can be saved and then you can lose that salvation. You can taste and then you can lose the Holy Spirit. Well, if that were true, it would certainly be in contradiction to hundreds of other clear passages of Scripture and would create great confusion in the Bible. But it's not true. It's simply not true. The Bible says here that there are some that possibly taste. and the good things of God, taste of the heavenly gifts of God. But that, according to the Bible, is not salvation. Jesus said to drink is salvation, to drink. You know, you can stand and look at Jesus and not be saved. You can think about him and not be saved. That's not salvation. Jesus said, come unto me. He said, drink of me, eat of me. That's where the Jews stumbled and left him that day. John 6. It's not standing and thinking about him. But it's coming and eating of him, taking of him, becoming one with him. And these people tasted, but Jesus said that it's drinking that saves. And this passage says that if I fall away, that it's impossible to be renewed again under repentance. So whatever this is saying, it is definitely saying that when this happens to a person, they can never again be saved. So if it is teaching that they can be lost and saved, then once you're lost, you can't be saved. Wouldn't that be a terrible thing? to have to live your life believing that because that's not what Pentecostals and others who believe that teach. They believe you can lose your salvation and then regain your salvation, but not according to this passage. It's not talking about those that lose their salvation. This very passage tells us that the difference between a true believer and a fault is fruit. In verses 7 and 8, For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God. But that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned. This teaches exactly the same thing as the rest of the New Testament teaches, that there is an evidence of salvation. Salvation is not by doing a work, but salvation will produce some works of fruit and evidence. And if that fruit's not there, then salvation is not there. And also, this passage says that he's referring to true believers in verse nine. But beloved, we're persuaded better things of you. See that he was talking about somebody else and now he turns his attention to true believers. He wasn't talking about believers. He wasn't talking about the saved over there in verses five and six, because now he's talking to the believers. Beloved, we're persuaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation. There are things that accompany salvation. There's evidence. You can't work it up. It's a miracle, but there's an evidence. Now, Hebrews 10. Verses 26-29 is very often used. In Hebrews 10, verses 26-29, For if we sin willfully, after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. Of how much sore punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" They say, see there, verse 26 says, if we sin willfully after we are saved, we will be lost. It doesn't say that. In fact, the Bible says just the opposite of that. First John chapter one. If we say we have not sinned, we deceive ourselves. Sin is still there after you're saved. And if we say we have not sinned and if we say we do not sin, we're liars and we deceive ourselves. First John one, eight and ten. Well, then what is he talking about? There's a certain kind of sin that he's talking about that's described in verse twenty nine. And it's really the same exact type of sin that Jesus warned about in regard to the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, I believe. What kind of sin is that? To trod underfoot the Son of God and count the blood an unholy thing. Well, you sure can't be saved that way, because that's what saves me. And if I deny the blood, And I trod underfoot the very son of God and count him as nothing. Then, of course, I can't be saved. But it doesn't say I was ever saved. And that was the danger then of those Jews that he's writing to. The nation of Israel, and they heard that Jesus was the Messiah and he is the one that has made the sacrifice. And he's the one that fulfilled the Old Testament. But they were but they were being bitterly persecuted. And there was a price to pay to come to Christ and reject Judaism. And there were many of them in danger of not wanting to pay that price and go that far and drawing back. That's what Hebrews is all about. Not people that were lost, were saved and then lost. Counting the blood of the covenant and the holy thing. Well, it's His blood that saves us. One more passage. Two more passages in Peter. First Peter, chapter 1, verse 9. First Peter, chapter 1, verse 9. 1 Peter 1, verse 9, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Well, some would say, well, see there, salvation of your soul is the end product of holding fast to the end. Of course, the Bible doesn't say anything about that, holding fast or anything like that. of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you." This verse does not mean that salvation is a process or that salvation is uncertain. The context makes that absolutely clear. You say, what do you mean? Well, look at verses 3 through 5. Verses 3 through 5. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again, abundant mercy, the price was abundant, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, a living hope, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. It's there. It's reserved. It's for me, every believer, who are kept by the power of God. We don't keep ourselves. Kept by the power of God, that's why it's sure. If any part of it was left up to me, it would never be sure, but nothing's left to me. Kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. There's nothing uncertain about salvation. We can't make verse 9 contradict verses 3 through 5 and all of the rest of the Bible, but that's what those that believe that teaching do. Well, what does verse 9 mean? It means that salvation has an evidence. It means that those that are really saved will keep on to the end. That's what Jesus spoke of in John chapter 10, verse 27 and 28. My sheep hear my voice and they follow me. And I give to them eternal life. And it also means that salvation has different aspects. And the Bible teaches that, that there's the three different aspects to salvation. I have been saved. I am being saved. And I will be saved. But none of it's in doubt. Jesus paid for all of it. But there are different aspects of salvation. Past, present and future. The believer has been saved from the eternal consequences of sin. He is being saved from the power of sin in this earthly existence and in his future heavenly home. He will have been saved from the very presence of sin. But none of it's in doubt, not the least bit. Verses 3 through 5 makes that clear. And now 2 Peter chapter 2, verses 20 through 22. 2 Peter 2, verses 20 through 22. Here we see a warning, a very serious warning in 2 Peter 2, verse 24. If after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them, according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." Well, what is the context? It's the first thing we have to ask ourselves. If we want to understand any verse in the Bible, what is the context? The context is false teachers, not saved people. Verse one, but there shall be false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you who privilege shall bring in damnable heresies. So there are many kinds of heresies, but some are damnable means if you believe them, you can't be saved. damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them. See, they're not saved. They deny the very Lord that saves us. They're not saved. He's talking about lost religious people who profess Christ. It's exactly who he's talking about. Unregenerate, false teachers who deny the very Lord of the Bible that they preach. The illustrations that are given in verse 22 leave no doubt about this. What illustrations? The dog and the pig. Why does that pig go back? You can wash that pig and put a pink ribbon around its neck, its old fat neck, and guess what? It'll go right back to the mire. Why? Because it's still a pig. It never was changed. Jesus said, except you be converted and become as little children, you'll never see the kingdom of God converted, changed. There has to be a change. And that's what he's warning about those that make professions and they're around Christianity and within Christianity, especially in times of apostasy, but they're lost. They never were changed. They never were born again. There are multitudes like that tonight. trusting in all sorts of things, but they've never been born again. Peter had already taught that the believer is secure. We saw that in 1 Peter 1, verses 3-5. And this passage doesn't teach that a true believer can lose his salvation. But this passage warns of false hopes, of false Christianity. It warns of that. And it warns about it very solemnly. It says it would have been better had they not even known the way of righteousness, because hell is horrible. Hell is horrible. And to think in hell that I was there, that I had the opportunity, that I heard, that I knew in my heart that those things were right, and yet for some reason I rejected Christ, for some reason I did not receive Him. It would have been better not even to have known. And the Bible here and in other places seems to indicate that there are degrees, there are degrees of punishment even in hell. But praise God, the Bible does teach the internal inheritance, the eternal security of the believer. And if I'm a believer, I don't have to worry about these things. I don't have to worry about my eternal destiny. And being a true believer is not a difficult thing. A child can do it. In fact, Jesus said we have to become as little children and just humbly receive Him as our Savior. Come to Him. Jesus said, He that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out. No wise cast out. All you that labor and are heavy laden, Doesn't that cover the whole human race? Labor and heavy laden. Jesus said come. Take my yoke upon me and learn of me for I am meek and lowly and hard. He's not a hard man. He's not hard at all. He's the most merciful, gracious, loving, kind, patient person. He said come. Let's pray. Father, we thank you, Lord, for the word of God. Lord, a light in a dark place. And we thank you for this church. We pray you'd bless Pastor Williams and Lord, that you'd bless and watch over and protect the church and keep it, Lord, strong and in the truth. And we thank you in Jesus name. Amen.