Eternal Security

Rating:
Summary: Great overall theme
Review: This book has some really good stuff in it. Dr. Stanley does an exellant job explaining that salvation isn't lost by works since it isn't gained by works. The overall theme of this book is great. I differ with him on the subject of turning away from ones faith (cease believing). I believe that person was never truly saved from the start (1 John 2:19). Also, Dr.Stanley believes in the Arminian viewpoint of man choosing God, thereby determining his own salvation. I disagree with that viewpoint, but that's o.k. (me being a 5 point Calvinist). The biggest problem I think people have with eternal security of the believer is because it's based on God's GRACE and not justice. Man always wants justice (we are taught to seek it from an early age and our government is based on it!) If God used his justice on all man and not his grace, we would all be a pile of ashes. That's what we DESERVE, but God in his sovereign will chose by His grace to save some and NONE of the elect shall be taken from His hand.


Rating:
Summary: Give Pastor Stanley a Break
Review: After reading this book I will admit that a number of Stanley's arguments and expositions of warning passages are questionable. I agree with some reviewers below that some of his interpretations are quite original and far out. As a Calvinistic Baptist I do have some issues with his understanding of eternal security (I believe that an unrepentant apostate will end up in hell because his apostasy shows that he was never justified in the first place). However, Dr. Stanley is a godly man and has led many to Christ through his ministry. I'm also pretty sure that he has also led many people out of their spiritual stupor with his emphasis on grace. Many judge the man too quickly and harshly because he tends to emphasize the freeness of the Gospel. (Yes, the Gospel is free but it also leads to transformed living). Having read the negative reviews below it is clear that the people below have little or no clue on what solid Reformational theology and biblical exegesis is. Many of the rebuttals given are silly diatribes against the possibility of living like the devil or committing all sorts of heinous acts. No theological or interpretive arguments are given. It seems that the reviewers below judge this book based on emotional-psychic discomforts rather than biblical-exegetical reasons. It is interesting that Paul calls those who go under the law again for justification/salvation as committing apostasy (Galatians 5:4). In fact, Paul was also accused of preaching antinomianism that he had to defend himself against his slanderous opponents in Romans 6:1-4. If Paul were alive today he would have called people like Charles Finney and John Fletcher apostates (which they were). Stanley, though some of his arguments are outlandish, reminds us that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone. Salvation does not come by our merits--either condign or congruent (for you Roman Catholics out there). If Christ is taken out as a our sole foundation and is replaced with any form of personal righteousness for our salvation then we have lost the Gospel and Paul's anathema should rightly be pointed at us. It appears that people who are ignorant of good Reformational theology and biblical studies make rash statements against sola fide, the finality of justification, and the perseverance of the saints. I suggest people read this book but with a wary eye (also read it sympathetically). Also, balance this book off with works by Martin Luther, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, John Gill, and contemporary Protestant scholars like Wayne Grudem, Mike Horton, Robert Reymond, John Piper, R. C. Sproul, Millard Erickson, and J I. Packer.

Rating:
Summary: Charismatic applauds this treatment of the subject
Review: As a Charismatic in theology, I was raised in an atmosphere that was conditioned upon the belief that it was possible for a born-again christian to fall away and lose the salvation they had. Although it wasn't constantly spoken about, the belief lurked in the theological background as a sort of warning to luke-warm believers. Interesting thing that I have noticed is that not one preacher who believes this can state exactly at what point and what degree of sin will cause this precious loss. Interesting. I had had nagging doubts about "conditional security" for many years and the theological contradiction that goes with it. Then I found Dr. Stanley's book.

Charles Stanley has done a masterful job of tackling tough scriptures and dealing with the issue from both sides - exploring every nuance. Although I differ slightly on his handling of Heb 6:4-6, I am in agreement that it does not refer to losing one's salvation (but that is splitting hairs and being bald, I don't have many to split with!)

In general, if you believe in the unconditional eternal security of the believer, you will find this book a refreshing and vibrant polemic against "maintenance-based" salvation. If you do not believe in eternal security, still this book provides a foundation as to why those of us who are fear-free in regards to our security believe this way.

Rating:
Summary: CALVINISM and Eternal Security is a very deceptive teaching!
Review: CALVINISM and Eternal Security is a very deceptive teaching!

This book is a discusting blow to grace!!!! I am first and foremost a Christian seeking truth. Neither am I fully convinced by Arminianism, nor Calvinism. I am but a fellow brother searching for Gods truth, and more open to believe it is the Holy Spirit who leads, guides, directs, and convicts us more than relying upon mans doctrine and interpretation of Gods Holy, and fully inspired word. I would think that we all agree that the word of God is Holy inspired from the front to the back cover. Don't let those who tell you that once your saved, your always saved, and your sins in the future have already been forgiven! (though you had not yet sinned and repented!)They will tell you that you can do whatever you want and you will still go to heaven, EVEN if you turn your back on God and deny him, some will even say you can do anything, NOT LIMITED to worshiping another God in another religion OR Satan!!!!!!! Charles Stanley, John Macarthur, D James Kennedy all seem to be very good preachers, yet their indoctrination of John Calvin, and Martin Luther are leading sincere searching people to a theology that waters down Grace and what Christ did on the cross! Many others are preaching this damnable false security. Gods grace is a wonderful gift to ALL mankind. Ask a Calvinist if Christ died for every person, man and woman, your Mother and Father, Sister and Brother, and you will be amazed that their answer is NO! They will tell you that he died for only Certain people, NOT for ALL mankind! Good Bye John 3:16??? They will also tell you that God created many people intentionally to go to hell! Now what kind of Loving and Just God would judge and condemn a person to hell if they had no chance to accept or deny him? It is amazing that they will tell you that you, and all mankind has no free will! Reading Genesis, we clearly see that Adam and Eve did indeed have a free will. Many will even tell you that God caused them to sin!!! DO NOT Believe this! Read: James 1:12-16 "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Jas 1:13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
Jas 1:14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
Jas 1:15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Jas 1:16 Don't be deceived, my dear brothers."

My friends, Please be careful when any person, Church, Denomination, Group, Cult, "ism" or etc. tells you that the Bible you are reading does not really mean what it says "UNLESS" you allow them to tell you what it means! Though I would never tell someone that they are going to Hell if they believe in Calvinism, for I do not know their heart, only God knows and they profess to be a Christian. I have heard Calvinists say, "While I am one that believes that a person can be an Arminian out of ignorance and be a Christian, I do not believe Arminianism is Christian at all." Talk about contradiction!!!
In other words, an ignorant Arminian is saved and will go to heaven, but one who is confronted by Calvinism and does not agree is NO LONGER a Christian? This implies that the Blood of Christ was then not enough!

We hear the worst of everyone who disagrees with Calvinism, BUT we never hear what "Saint Calvin" did, when he sought to condemn a man to death through a brutal half hour torture burning the man alive as he begged them to stop. THIS MURDER was over someone who only disagreed with his beliefs! Though the man was clearly wrong in his beliefs, never the less Love should have been given, NOT MURDER! Calvin NEVER repented publicly of this great sin to his neighbor! Then we have Martin Luther who did a lot to help the Church of today, yet because of his indoctrination of Calvinism announced that the book of James was NOT inspired by the Holy Spirit, and only worthy to be burnt! Luther also leaned in this direction towards the book of Jude!!!!!

You may have been told all your life that eternal security is taught in the Bible, then these scriptures might come as a bit of a surprise to you. I would simply encourage you to pray for Wisdom and Guidance from the Lord as to how to interpret these verses, and I am sure that the Lord of ALL TRUTH will bring you to an understanding of this dangerous and divisive teaching.

if the Calvinist is right, the Arminian will have lost nothing... but if the Arminian is right, the Calvinist may have caused the loss of many souls!

Save your money! Pray and buy a book called The Believer's Conditional Security" a 801 page book that will open your eyes to the truth, and ask God to help you to see the truth. CHeck out these sites for REAL Eternal Security Information!
http://www.eternalsecurity.us/

http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/index.html

May your eyes and heart be opened brothers and sister! Christ Blessings!


Rating:
Summary: Awful
Review: Charles Stanley is writing this book with the layman in mind, not the scholar. But the book can be a blessing nonetheless. The problem with conditional security boils down to an unscriptural qualification of sins. The person who teaches conditional security has set up their own law whereby they condemn those who don't measure up. But there are several reasons why a born-again believer cannot lose his salvation.

1) The most obvious reason is that the Bible says that God gives us eternal life when we believe (John 5:24). How long is eternal? If you read the popular conditional security teachers they all agree that once a person is condemned to eternal death, there is no hope for any reversal of their circumstances. Why? Because eternal death is eternal. Yet these teachers ignore the fact that believers don't have to wait until they die to get eternal life, but they can have it now! "Verily, verily, I say unto you, whoever hears the words of mine, and believes on Him that sent Me, has everlasting life and shall never come into condemnation, but has passed out of death into life." (John 5:24) Interestingly, in Robert Shank's book on conditional security there is a chapter entitled "Can Eternal Life Be Lost"...and he never directly answers his own question. Why, you ask? Because conditional security teachers know that the expression "conditional eternal life" is a misnomer. It's like teaching conditional eternal death.

2) The gifts of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29). Is salvation a gift, or not? Conditional security teachers can't find a single verse of scripture where God revokes something that is said to be a "gift". Why? Because a gift isn't earned to begin with. If it is worked for, then it is a wage, not a gift (Romans 4:4). Any blessing of God in scripture which is revoked was never a gift to begin with.

3) Conditional security is salvation by works. No stretch of logic by the conditional security teachers can avoid this point. They do not believe that a person is saved by grace through faith, but by grace through faith + holy living. And this is dangerous, because Paul suggests in Romans 9:30 - 10:3 that those who trust in their works to save them are lost.

One final point...conditional security teachers tend to ignore verses that condemn their own sins while pointing the finger at those who they deem "worse sinners" than themselves. Romans 6:23 says "The wages of sin is death." I know that Wesleyans and other such groups love to read qualifications into verses where no such qualifications are given, but there is not the slightest qualification of "sin" in that verse. If it's a sin, then it is worthy of death. Ecclesiastes 7:20 says "There is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and never sins." If God revokes one person's salvation because of sin, then he is required out of justice to revoke every Christian's salvation since none of us can completely stop sinning in this life. But conditional security teachers ignore this fact. They ignore the warning of James when he says "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all...so speak and so act, as those who are going to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment." Notice that last verse..."mercy triumphs over judgment." It doesn't matter what you do in this life, if you are saved then mercy will triumph over judgment.

Rating:
Summary: A Head Scratching Read...
Review: Every now and then I catch Charles Stanley while channel surfing. He seems like a very nice, grandfatherly-type guy and as I was paging through the religion section of my local bookstore and found this book by him, my curiousity was struck and I decided to sit down and read it.

I believe that Stanley's purpose was not to make a theological treatise and to aim squarely at the layman. On one level, this would make the many logical and scriptural gaffes forgivable. But since it is teaching an error to people who are by and large not as discerning as the more theologically astute, it makes the book downright dangerous.

For instance, under a heading concerning the history of the doctrine, Mr. Stanley does not concern himself with the early church at all, but fast-forwards more than a millennia-and-a-half to the controversies between the Calvinists and the Arminians that ultimately lead to the Synod of Dort. The slight of hand trick makes it look like the Arminians (and consequently all Christian denomenations who teach conditional security) to be abandoning the historic Christian faith. The big problem with this is that in overlooking the first 1500 or so years of Christianity covers the fact that no one taught this doctrine of Eternal Security (or Perseverence of the Saints) during that time and virtually every leading light of Christian theology during this time either ignored it because conditional security was assumed or openly repudiated Mr. Stanley's (and the more refined Calvinist version) beliefs.

One of the big sticking points for Mr. Stanley regarding the doctrine is an excessively legal understanding of the atonement. Mr. Stanley believes that Christ was punished in our stead for sins (past, present and future) and that once we are declared 'not guilty' we are always 'not guilty'. The problem is that this is purely speculative reasoning devoid of a scriptural point to prop it up (which is suprising since most people who believe this doctrine consider themselves 'Bible Christians'). Nowhere does it say that all our sins past, present and future have been forgiven forever (in fact 2 Peter 1:9 directly contradicts it). What would be the point for Jesus' intersession of us if this were true? Nowhere does it say that Jesus was punished for our sins; it does say that he suffered for our sins, but that's a big difference. If our being "born again" is the result of a legal declaration of 'not guilty' one would think that the Bible would be rife with courtroom scenes, but it is not. Instead justification, sanctification, salvation etc. are described in transformational terms and have many eschatological factors as well as present ones. These theories form the backbone for what Mr. Stanley believes and always color his reading of scriptures contrary to what he believes. To warn other Christians of their error without really proving the main prop to your beliefs is very dangerous and leaves him wide open for a thoughtful critique by any serious Christian.

That is just a sample of the various techniques Mr. Stanley uses to prove his doctrine. I really cannot recommend this work in good conscience as it distorts and misinterprets Christian Scriptures and history and might actually influence people to succomb to sinful behaviors (he believes that no sin, no matter how heinous, can seperate us from God; this is contradicted by even a cursory reading of the scriptures).

Rating:
Summary: Scary Biscuits!
Review: I bought and read this book because a man I was involved with had announced to me that he could die while in the very act of adultery or fornication and go straight to Heaven. He cited Mr. Stanley's book as the source material for his belief. Naturally, having been taught from my earliest days to avoid sinful behaviors and to repent if I didn't avoid them, I felt the need to explore this notion of "eternal security."

The major difficulty with Mr. Stanley's well-intentioned book (What did Nanny say that the road to hell was paved with? Hmm.) is his misquoting of the Bible. Mr. Stanley keeps the words in the same order for the most part, but apparently he feels free to delete verses in whole or in part here and there and to quote out of context in order to attempt to prove his point. I teach college composition and literature, and even my freshmen know that incomplete, uncontextualized quoting is unacceptable.

If Mr. Stanley's contentions are, somehow, correct, then avoiding sin and repenting of sin when one does not avoid it will (in his construct of heaven) result in one having a more glorious place therein. However, if Mr. Stanley is wrong and a singular expression of belief followed by a life of unrepentant debauchery is *not* acceptable in the eyes of the Almighty, then the price is eternal damnation.

Is that a risk you're willing to take with yourself? With your children? With other loved ones? Plus, who wants to marry a guy who thinks he can fool around--and do so with impunity???

Not recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Warning - Please read other views of eternal security!
Review: I love Dr. Stanley. Every day I listen to his radian program. I read his books and subscribe to In Touch magazine. My issue is with this one book and not with Dr. Stanley. Dr. Stanley is a two term SBC president, has dedicated his life to the pastorate and is an excellent teacher. I am grateful for all the work of the kingdom Dr. Stanley has done. That being said I wanted to offer not my own viewpoint, but what is being said in Christianity today concerning views similar to the view found in this book.

In both the Divine Conspiracy and Renovation of the Heart Dallas Willard condemns the view that disconnects eternal life from our present day existence. Eternal life is -- "life that flows from the eternal" and not "entrance into heaven upon death."
Mr. Willard asks several important questions including
- can we have a relationship without fellowship?
- isn't salvation more than forgiveness?
- isn't salvation more than a legal transaction?
- isn't the view that we can accept Christ as Savior and not as Lord a modern heresy now accepted as dogma in our churches. Yet this view is choking the very life out of the western church.
- antinomianism says "obeying or not obeying the law has nothing to do with being "saved" or not. (page 213 Renovation)

RC Sproul in Faith Alone condemns the view of Zane Hodges and says the Hodges view is "antinomianism with a vengeance." Charles Stanley quotes from Zane Hodges

Michael Horton in Putting Amazing Back into Grace says the view that "once persons make a decision for Christ, they can go off and do they're own thing, fully confident that no matter what they do or how they live, they are safe and secure from all alarm. That simply is not biblical."

In Future Grace John Piper states that those who profess to believe are not above the warnings given by Jesus to those who live in an unrepentant state of sin. The penalty is hell and eternal destruction according to John Piper and not the loss of rewards as Mr. Stanley and many dispensationalists claim.

Richard Owen Roberts in his book Repentance states that "Teachers of this pernicious evil claim that the Lordship of Christ is an option, probably desirable but certainly not essential to salvation."

DA Carson of Trinity Evangelical Seminary says concerning some of the views regarding salvation that Zane Hodges teaches are not to be found anywhere in classic Protestant interpretation.

Darrell Bock of Dallas Theological Seminary has publicly stated that justification cannot be severed or completely separated from sanctification.

Rating:
Summary: Eternal Security With No Strings Attached?
Review: I must admit that I am not a fan of Charles Stanley. His preaching does nothing for me, his books are shallow, and he teaches a false view of grace (Jude 3-4). However, I will not bash him per se in this review. I will however take aim at his book.

Dr. Stanley's tretise is that we are eternally secure based on the finished work of Christ. He goes further to teach a radical view of eternal security that many other Calvinist including John MacArthur would deny. He teaches that salvation is based on faith alone and God promises to keep us eternally. Therefore, the individual is not the focus but the focus is God's promise. God will keep all who come to Jesus for salvation (John 6:37). Even if the "believer" denies the faith, they will still go to heaven because of God's unconditional love and promise to keep us forever.

For the sake of time, let me simply say that this leads to messy and cheap grace. Rather than teaching Titus 2:11-12, Stanley gives false hope to anyone who simply believed (1 John 2:24; Revelation 3:10). Dr. Stanley allows his own theology to effect his exegesis of nearly every eternal security passage.

Good books to read along with this are:
MacArthur, John HARD TO BELIEVE
MacArthur, John THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JESUS & FAITH WORKS
Shank, Robert LIFE IN THE SON & ELECT IN THE SON
Corner, Dan THE BELIEVER'S CONDITIONAL SECURITY
White, James THE SOVEREIGN GRACE OF GOD
Wiley, H. Orton THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS

Rating:
Summary: Eternal Security With No Strings Attached?
Review: I must admit that I am not a fan of Charles Stanley. His preaching does nothing for me, his books are shallow, and he teaches a false view of grace (Jude 3-4). However, I will not bash him per se in this review. I will however take aim at his book.

Dr. Stanley's tretise is that we are eternally secure based on the finished work of Christ. He goes further to teach a radical view of eternal security that many other Calvinist including John MacArthur would deny. He teaches that salvation is based on faith alone and God promises to keep us eternally. Therefore, the individual is not the focus but the focus is God's promise. God will keep all who come to Jesus for salvation (John 6:37). Even if the "believer" denies the faith, they will still go to heaven because of God's unconditional love and promise to keep us forever.

For the sake of time, let me simply say that this leads to messy and cheap grace. Rather than teaching Titus 2:11-12, Stanley gives false hope to anyone who simply believed (1 John 2:24; Revelation 3:10). Dr. Stanley allows his own theology to effect his exegesis of nearly every eternal security passage.

Good books to read along with this are:
MacArthur, John HARD TO BELIEVE
MacArthur, John THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JESUS & FAITH WORKS
Shank, Robert LIFE IN THE SON & ELECT IN THE SON
Corner, Dan THE BELIEVER'S CONDITIONAL SECURITY
White, James THE SOVEREIGN GRACE OF GOD
Wiley, H. Orton THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS