Parable of the Prodigal Son Should Be of the Elder Brother

Dr. Baucham believes that the title of what we call the “parable of the prodigal son” in Luke 15 should be “the parable of the elder son.”  He has a good reason.  Let’s begin the truths that Jesus is really trying to convey.

For background, in previous chapters of Luke, Jesus is often eating at prominent homes of the Pharisees, who often test and challenge Him with questions—with an intent to trap him.  They particularly don’t like the “other” people who obtain audience with Him.  As it says in Luke 15:1-2:

Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. ² And the Pharisees and scribes complained (or grumbled), saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”

These verses are the key to understanding the three parables in the rest of the chapter, including the “prodigal son.” They have a single message; Jesus wants them to see their evil thoughts, as we shall see. The Pharisees realize that Jesus has some strange gift in His teaching and healing, but they can’t be friends--His fellowship with “sinners” is a deal-breaker; these people are unacceptable to the Pharisees.  The three parables that Jesus now tells make one point, in escalating sequence.

Parable One in Luke 15 is the man with a hundred sheep who goes out to rescue one lost one.  When he finds it, he is so happy that he rejoices with friends and neighbors.  Even though one sheep is only 1% of his wealth, he breaks out in rejoicing nevertheless (these were not rich guys).  The immediate lesson Jesus is teaching is, God’s concern for all of the world is so great that if only one person is made righteous, there is rejoicing in heaven over the one.  In Luke 15:7 Jesus expresses it thus:

I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

That last phrase, “just persons who need no repentance” is a hint; you will see what it means after the three parables are completed.  But the Pharisees, clueless after this “hint,” are likely in agreement with Him about the lesson.

Parable Two is a woman with 10 silver coins, who loses one.  Now we’re up to the idea that 10% of her wealth is gone.  After a desperate search, she finds it, and again, asks everyone to rejoice with her.  And Jesus again connects the metaphor to salvation; He says that the angels of God rejoice over one sinner who repents. The Pharisees would still be nodding their heads in agreement, even though they never saw the need for repenting. When John the Baptist was in town, they didn’t join the repenting going on; they felt they didn’t have a problem that way.  They could, however, see the joy of increasing wealth.  They have compartmentalized thinking.

Now Jesus lowers the boom in Parable Three.  A man had two sons.  Think where we’ve gone in importance—one sheep out of a hundred sheep, one coin out of 10—and now, only 2 precious living sons. One son left home to do evil.  He was lost…but later he returned!  There is great rejoicing—by his father.  Let’s study the parable in detail, and we’ll see exactly what Jesus wants us to learn.

Note first how the younger son was awful in how he treated the father.  He had said to his father, “give me the share of property that is coming to me.”  Since you’re supposed to get that when daddy dies, the son said, in effect, “Oh, man, I can’t wait around any longer for you to die. So go ahead and give me my inheritance now.”  We would say “You, ungrateful…:  But no, the Scripture simply records that the father divided his property and gave him his half. Scripture also records that only a few days later he left home to go to ‘a far country.’  Whenever God’s people do that, they’re headed for trouble.  God wants the Jews in Canaan, the land of promise—not in Egypt, or Assyria, or Babylon; they just wasted time living elsewhere.  Wanderlust like this son wants usually means that you’re planning on sinning against God.  Indeed, this son already proved himself to be greedy, ungrateful, and impatient—and he is now doubling down.  After he takes off, and indeed had riotous living.  Luke 15 then says a severe famine arose—this is a sign of God’s judgment.  He gets hungry, and has reached an all-time low. And his job becomes feeding pigs—no Jew should ever feel good about feeding pigs. 

Jesus was, in effect, saying that this son was the kind of sinner the Pharisees could make as a poster child for “do not do this, and especially do not even talk to people like this.”  In fact, the prodigal son reflects the same kind of people which hung around Jesus. But that son was still loved by the father.  And he repented.  And his father forgave him. He is on the right road.

One percent of your sheep, you find it, you rejoice; 10% of your coin, you find it, you rejoice; and especially likewise you rejoice over a son that was lost and has returned, in repentance. Note the son’s honesty in calling it a sin.  He didn’t feel like he deserved to be called his father’s son; he was willing to be a servant in his father’s house.  A true repentant.

But further study is needed, because Dr. Baucham is trying to claim that this parable, or the three parables together, is really about the eldest son; and it was directed at the Pharisees, as you’ll see.  And maybe it’s directed at you or me.  Lots of people condemn the Pharisees, yet have the same mentality.  The Pharisees listening in were in agreement this time as well--until the ending of the third parable—and then they figure out Jesus is aiming it at them.  He is honing in on their refusal to see any value in the common sinner. Even if that sinner has faith, or repentance, they still look at the past and see a “sinner.” These men would never allow this son in heaven; Jesus would.  The Pharisees operate on a “works=salvation” base, the opposite of what God does. They should rejoice over this return to the father.  But they don’t, and the parables are asking “why not?”  There is a warning to them in the answer.

So Jesus is getting to the high point of the parable.  Let’s see it from Luke 15:24ff:

“²⁴ for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to celebrate.  Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. ²⁷ And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf’ ²⁸ But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. ³⁰ But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ ³¹ “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. ³² It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’”

So the eldest son is not rejoicing—in fact, he is angry, and even refuses to show up at the party. The Pharisees were supposed to think on that.  If the Pharisees can understand celebrations for sheep, or coins, why not even a greater rejoicing for a son whose soul was lost, and is found? Why not agree with the angels, who are rejoicing in heaven?  Well, this is the rub--they don’t feel that these kinds of people deserve heaven; they’ve got too many sins.  But they feel that they do, because, like the elder son, they followed the rules, they didn’t break the law or their tradition, they were careful not to sin.  THEY deserved gratitude, because they acted righteously (so they thought). Not these people; they were just ‘sinners’ unless their works were proper. (Note also that the elder son wanted to have a party too, but not with his father—but with his friends). 

Dr. Baucham says it’s easy for us to see the sin in other people, but hard to see it within ourselves.  Jesus wants to show the Pharisees what kind of people they are. So He gives  a contrast between the two sons. The Pharisees, like the eldest son, their own hearts were ruined by prideful judgmentalism--but they didn’t even know it.  Do any of my readers have a sin problem like that, that they are not aware?  Do you have a prophet that God has placed in your path, and when he admonished you, your reaction was not right, and you blame him or ignore him?  Perhaps you comforted yourself because you thought of someone else that is a worse sinner than you.  I’m sure God accepts that ‘justification,’ right?  To really show the Pharisees’ heart, what was their reaction to Jesus when they perceived that He was judging them in the parable?  They got angry, like the eldest son.  But let’s talk about real wickedness; not too much later, they wanted to kill Jesus.  They wanted to kill God; imagine that.  But the prodigal son, who had been greedy, selfish, and impatient, who had dishonored his father, who squandered his wealth, who left the covenant community--was now so happy that he repented, his father forgave and accepted him, that he will probably never do those things again.  The forgiveness and mercy that he experienced has given him a born-again changed life. His relationship with his father was love and relief.  He feels washed from his sin.  Now, who, I ask you, deserves heaven?  The guys who want to kill God incarnate?  Or the guy who loves being with his father again?  The self-righteous guys who can’t even see that their great sins are pride and self-righteousness (for starters), and don’t even realize that their hearts are ruined?  Or the guy who recognizes his past sins and now sees no motivation any more to continue in them?  You see how this was a warning to the Pharisees.  And how it could be a warning to us, if we feel God “owes us” because of our presumed righteousness that we generated on our own. Do you ever say to yourself, “I did what God wanted, I tithed—a but I’m not getting wealthier, like Malachi promised. He owes me.  I could have used that money that I tithed.”  Or, I didn’t cheat this year on my taxes, so God should be proud of me.  Or, “I have slaved as pastor for this church for a decade, but I know several churches that pay their pastor better than this congregation of mine.  Or, I could pay back maybe 3 or 4 of my credit cards if I got the treatment I deserve, because I had faith that God promised prosperity.  God, how about a break this time at the lottery?  I’m getting depressed.  And so on.  Saying “God should do good for me, I’ve been righteous” are Pharisaical thoughts. When you feel God owes you, you’ve got the whole gospel upside down.  The Gospel is about God’s mercy and our coming to Him in humbleness, not feeling worthy.  We must desire change that led us into past sins.  We must love and are obedient to Him because of what He did to make it possible to even have a relationship with Him. Parents, you pray that your children will never know the life of the prodigal—but do you pray that your children will not become like the older brother?  Keep in mind, the prodigal son got saved, so his soul is right.  But do you want to hear your children say something like “I earned it.” We definitely don’t want this kind of self-righteousness ingrained in a son or daughter’s personality; such a child will not make it to heaven thinking like that.  Parents make a mistake, telling the “bad” child, “why can’t you be like your brother?” Watch that--you shouldn’t raise the “elder brother syndrome.”  Is it possible that you seldom pray for the elder, since he never gets in trouble?  That you thank God for how “easy” he was to raise?  But the main goal is, you want him born-again, right?  But you should know that the continuous self-righteous ones are the toughest to convert, and the most surprised when they end up in hell.  He finds it easier to hide his wicked pride, rather than the obvious screw-ups by the prodigal.  

Father’s counsel to the older brother is wise: He tells older son. “you had me the whole time.”  And, “everything I have is yours.”  His son should have acknowledged these advantages, but he didn’t; he is still resentful, and his anger is likely directed toward his father. This son wanted recognition, typical of pridefulness. Repentance usually doesn’t result when the sin is self-righteousness or pride. His works and law-keeping were earning him something for heaven—and earth—he thought. If he is not prospering as the pagans, he will say, “that’s not fair, God.”  It is too easy to compare himself with others; he is totally missing that the gospel is not about “who sins the least.” That’s a game that he, from outward behavior, at least, could win. Works righteousness can make you spiritually blind like that. It’s too easy for the elder brother not to see his need for a Savior, for mercy to forgive his great sin. He might say, “what do you mean—are you talking about me?” 

If he’s got a PhD in anything, he is less likely to feel a need for a Lord to rule his life, either.  He is likely to pray, “Thank God that I am not like one of them,” a prayer that puts one closer to hell, as Jesus explains only three chapters later.  Works righteousness is also a down-trending vortex, too.  When the repentant sinner is getting all the attention, the prideful elder brother might likely think, “To get my father’s approval, I just haven’t been good enough yet,” and he doubles down in his legalism and that reaction ultimately expands his pride.  Then he is still far away from the father, and he doesn’t feel spiritually satisfied, and he is miserable. Scripture says, “the Law kills.” We should be thanking our Lord for His redemption, worshipping and loving Him.  But people like the elder brother, who give credit to themselves, have robbed Jesus from His praise.  He instead might praise his own works, however insufficient they are.  Finally, he can’t even rejoice over the goodness of God’s wonderful gospel. 

He should go to his father and say, “I’m reminded of how I’ve experienced your blessing this whole time, and did not have to suffer privations like my poor younger brother, until he got home.  You have been generous to him, and to me.  Thanks, dad, for being here for me.” The way he is, Ephesians 2:8-9 needs to sink in to this kind of person.

One sin is too much to reconcile with God, without Jesus. We cannot be perfect—but Jesus was.  Claim that, and don’t forget to thank Him endlessly for saving you from hell.  You can’t help but love Him, thinking correctly, as Scripture so abundantly tells us. 

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Last Comment and Appendix in Answer to Once Saved Always Saved

 Before I begin: The list below is NOT saying you can’t go to heaven unless you “pass” all the requirements listed (there are other sins and good works; we’re not trying to list those).  Salvation has an initial date, and a maintenance period for the rest of your life, as you must grow in the Lord.  As I expressed in another blog, INITIAL salvation can be accomplished by (1) BELIEF in what Christ did:  He is God, He died to pay the price to redeem me; He was resurrected—that means I could be resurrected, taking away the power of death.  (2) I have a desire to REPENT, turn away from my sins and the world which I can’t reconcile to God, no matter what I do for works; and (3) Receive an adult BAPTISM to testify to the world that I am on Christ’s side.  I differ from many denom- inations in the second aspect:  to MAINTAIN my salvation, I must show a relationship with Christ, so my love and obedience with Him grows.  I progress into sanctification, gradually becoming more like Him in bearing fruit.  (More on fruit of Spirit in Galatians 5).  If I am initially saved, and then I go wandering off into the world, and don’t develop fruits or relationship (or abiding in Him), then I lose salvation at some point, as Scriptures below will show.  After that, getting “back on track” takes honest confession of weakness and, realizing His holiness and hatred of the practice of sin, begin once again the path to sanctification.  God has patience, to a degree.  Some sins are worse than others, and we must discipline ourselves to avoid those altogether.  We must examine ourselves often, confess our sin often, and ask for the Spirit’s help in the power of feeding Christ, and not the world, to make my decisions—and we should read God’s Word often to learn what His commandments are.  We MUST endure to the end to reach Heaven. 

APPENDIX:  NEW TESTAMENT VERSES THAT EITHER (1) DON’T GUARANTEE “ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED,” OR (2) INDICATE THAT THERE ARE CONDITIONS IN CONTINUING THE PROCESS OF SALVATION: IT IS NECESSARY TO ENDURE TO THE END, SHOWING GODLY FRUIT AND WORKS:

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Matthew 3:10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses

Matthew 7:14  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Matthew 7:19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven

Matthew 10:22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

Matthew 10:33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven

Matthew 12:32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come

Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

Matthew 18:27, 34-35 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt…. But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat….And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.³⁵ “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

Matthew 24:47-51 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant….Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. ⁴⁸ But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ ⁴⁹ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, ⁵⁰ the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, ⁵¹ and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 25: 31-45: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. ³² All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. ³³ And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom…. Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ ⁴⁰ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me….’Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: ⁴² for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink….inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 

Mark 3:35 For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”

Mark 4:16-17,20 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; ¹⁷ and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble….  ²⁰ But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

Mark 8:38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

Mark 9:43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—

Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

Luke 8:13-15 ¹⁴ Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. ¹⁵ But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience

Luke 9:23-24 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. ²⁴ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

Luke 12:5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!

Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Luke 12:47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes

Luke 13:6-9 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. ⁷ Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ ⁸ But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. ⁹ And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ”

Luke 14:27-28 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. ²⁸ For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it

Luke 15:11,12,24 And He said, “A man had two sons. 12“The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them….So he got up and came to his father….for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’

Luke 16:19-23, 29-31 “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. 20“And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, 21and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores….the rich man also died and was buried. 23“In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. 24“And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me….29“But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30“But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ 31“But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Luke 19:27 But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.’ ”

Luke 20:35 But those who are considered worthy to share in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage

Luke 21:36 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day (of the Lord, which includes final judgment) come on you unexpectedly. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

John 3:5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin (as a practice) is a slave of sin.

John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me

John 12:25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life

John 14:15,21 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and Myself to him.”

Acts 2:37-38 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” ³⁸ Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit

Acts 3:19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

Acts 7:39-43b But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt….and I (God) will carry you away beyond Babylon.

Acts 10:35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

Acts 22:16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

Acts 26:20 First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone in the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance

Romans 2:5-8,10 But in accordance with your hardness and your  impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, ⁶ who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: ⁷ eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; ⁸ but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath….but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek

Romans 2:13 for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified

Romans 6:16 Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or to obedience leading to righteousness?

Romans 6:21 What fruit did you reap at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The outcome of those things is death

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit

Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace

Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live

Romans 14:10 Why, then, do you judge your brother? Or why do you belittle your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat.

I Corinthians 6:9-10 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

I Corinthians 9:27But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified (Greek, castaway)

I Corinthians 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall

I Corinthians 15:2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain

II Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

II Corinthians 6:17-18 “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” ¹⁸ “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.

II Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death

II Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified (reprobates, failed the test)

Galatians 5:13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Galatians 6:7-9 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ⁸ For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. ⁹ And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart

Philippians 2:12,16 Therefore, my beloved, as you 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….¹⁶ holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

Philippians 3:11-13 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. ¹³ Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,

Colossians 1:21-23 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled ²² in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— ²³ if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope….

I Thessalonians 3:7-8 ^…therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress--we were comforted concerning you by your faith. ⁸ For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.

I Thessalonians 4:7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness

II Thessalonians 1:3-5 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other…which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer 

II Thessalonians 1:8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

II Thessalonians 1:11 To this end, we always pray for you, that our God will count you worthy of His calling, and that He will powerfully fulfill your every good desire and work of faith

II Thessalonians 2:3 No one is to deceive you in any way! For it will not come unless the apostasy comes first

II Thessalonians 2:12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness

I Timothy 1:19 keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith

I Timothy 3:9 They must hold to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience

I Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,

I Timothy 4:8 godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

I Timothy 5:3,8 Honor widows who are really widows… But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever

I Timothy 5:11-12 But refuse the younger widows….having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith

I Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession before many witnesses.

I Timothy 6:18-19 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, ¹⁹ storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

I Timothy 6:20-21 O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the.…contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— ²¹ by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith

II Timothy 2:12-13 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. ¹³ If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself (“faithful” means God is true to His pronouncements, for good or bad: He will, in that case, deny us)

II Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth

Titus 1:16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work

Titus 2:11,14 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men…. who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

Hebrews 3:12, 14 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,

Hebrews 4:11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

Hebrews 8:9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded (NIV, “turned away from”)them, says the Lord

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Hebrews 10:36 You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised

Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.

Hebrews 11:6b He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him

Hebrews 12:14 Pursue peace, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:

Hebrews 12:28b-29 …let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. ²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire.

James 1:22 But be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves

James 2:13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

James 2:17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

James 2:24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only

James 4:4 Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God

James 5:19-20 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, ²⁰ let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save ^[a]a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins

I Peter 1:13-14a Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; ¹⁴ as children of obedience

I Peter 1:17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;

I Peter 1:22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love (brotherly affection) of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

 I Peter 2:24 Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having   died to sins, might live for righteousness

I Peter 4:2 Consequently, he does not live out his remaining time on earth for human passions, but for the will of God

II Peter 3:17 Therefore, beloved, since you already know these things, be on your guard so that you will not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure standing

I Peter 3:21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ

I Peter 4:19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, 

II Peter 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;

II Peter 2:20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.

I John 1:9 If we (continuously) confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I John 2:17 The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever

I John 2:28-29 And now, little children, abide in Him, that ^[a]when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming….everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him

I John 3:7 He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

I John 3:10 Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not (unselfishly) love his (believing) brother.

I John 3:17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

I John 3:24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

III John 11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does (practices) evil has not seen God

Jude 5 the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe

Jude 21 (you must) keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life

Revelation 3:15-16 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot…because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

The Symbolisms of Christ in the Passover,which is the Right Time to Celebrate the Crucifixion and Resurrection

 

In my recent post, “Replacement Theology I,” I was making a case for celebrating Christ’s Crucifixion and Resurrection at Jewish Passover time, not at Easter. They were originally at the same time, but were separated because of the Christian prejudice of the Jews.

My argument in that blog was based on the following reasons: (1) The pagan holiday Easter, celebrated long before Christianity, was about fertility, involved sex, and it was where we get our eggs and rabbits from.  Nothing to do with Christianity, yet it was allowed to horn in on the precious time that our Lord should be praised, and Him alone, for His sacrifice, and glorious resurrection.  (2) The feast of Passover was developed by God for Moses and the Jews to celebrate freedom from slavery; but it also has many symbols of Jesus’ death, His shed blood, His burial and resurrection, the Trinity, freedom from the slavery of sin, the Incarnation, and persecution. These symbols are all worthy of learning. (3) They are an evangelistic tool for Jews.  The Jews don’t believe the symbols tie in to Jesus—but maybe they don’t believe because no one has shown the symbols to them. (4) Synthesizing the two (Passover and Christ) again has other benefits for Christians; its study will create more interest in the Old Testament, beyond the stories that are typical, such as David or Noah, and morals that can be learned.  Those curious will follow up for other symbols, and proceed to other prophecies of Christ--He is throughout the Old Testament, as He told the brothers of Emmaus.  See Luke 24:27:

²⁷ And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

The word “Scriptures,” of course, are Old Testament, since the New Testament hadn’t been written yet.

Finally, (5) doing this could lead to not only a knowledge of the Jews (and learn a bit about the Jewish calendar), but it could lead to a spirit of evangelism rising up in someone with that gift.  If we can successfully learn the Old Testament to show the Jews how it contains Christ, we might, with God’s help, save a few.  That’s especially important given today’s anti-Semitism raising its ugly head once again. Just below is the message, as expanded, which I got from “Gotquestions.org.”  I’ll bet this festival is also demonstrated on Youtube, but it’s much better if dad or mom learns it and recites it first.   

One more thing:  If you need to refresh your memory on Passover, it is covered in Exodus 12.  The Jews had been slaves to the Egyptians for 400 years, and the chapter is set at the tenth plague, the ultimate devastation God gave to Egypt.  This plague will kill every firstborn, every first child, man or woman, boy or girl, people or animals, in all of Egypt.  Then and only then will Pharoah set the Jews free.  For their last night in bondage, God gave Moses instructions on doing Passover.  As God teaches him, the only way the Jews will be protected by the oncoming death angel—it will pass over them IF they have swiped the blood on the doorposts. 

SYMBOLISMS OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE PASSOVER MEAL

The Seder is the traditional dinner that Jews partake of as part of Passover. The annual Passover commemoration is celebrated by nearly the entire Jewish community, bonding families and communities to their Jewish roots. Each year Jewish people, religious and nonreligious, celebrate the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by gathering and experiencing the Passover Seder.

The Hebrew word Seder means “order.” The Passover meal has a specific order in which food is eaten, prayers are recited, and songs are sung. Each item on the Passover plate has a specific historical meaning related to the exodus of the Jews from Egypt and their freedom from slavery. But 1 Corinthians 5:7 identifies Jesus Christ as our Passover; thus, the Seder carries a New Testament meaning related to Jesus the Messiah.

Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.

In the Seder, there are several strong symbols of Christ. One is the shank bone of a lamb, which reminds the participants of the feast of God’s salvation. During the tenth plague, God instructed the Israelites to daub their doorposts and lintels with the blood of a spotless lamb so that the Lord would “pass over” their homes and preserve the lives within (Exodus 12). This is a symbol of salvation in Egypt, but it is also a picture of Jesus who was and is the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29):

The next day John (the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

His shed blood preserves the lives of all who believe. The instructions for the original Passover specified that the lamb’s bones could not be broken (Exodus 12:46):

In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones.,

This is another foreshadowing of Christ’s death (John 19:33):

But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs

Another symbol of Christ on the Seder plate is the matzoh, or unleavened bread. As the Jewish people left Egypt, they were in great haste and therefore had no time to allow their bread to rise. From then on, Passover was followed by the week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread (Deuteronomy 16:3)

You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, that is, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), that you may remember the day in which you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life

The Jews, in their haste to escape, did not have time to bake bread with leaven; they had to grab it up and eat it without leaven.  There are some more fascinating things about the matzoh that provide a remarkable picture of the Messiah:

For example, the matzoh is placed in a bag called an echad, which means “one” in Hebrew. But this one bag has three chambers. One piece of matzoh is placed into each chamber of the bag. The matzoh placed in the first chamber is never touched, never used, never seen. The second matzoh in the bag is broken in half at the beginning of the Seder; half of the broken matzoh is placed back in the echad, and the other half, called the Afikomen, is placed in a linen cloth. The third matzoh in the bag is used to eat the elements on the Seder plate.

The word echad is used in Genesis 2:24 (the man and his wife will become “echad,” or “one” flesh). The word also appears in Numbers 13:23 when the spies returned from Canaan with an echad cluster of grapes. In both cases, the word echad refers to a complex unity of one. Many Jews consider the three matzohs to represent Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But they cannot explain why they break “Isaac” in half or why they place half of the middle matzoh back in the echad and keep the other half out, wrapped in a cloth.

The meaning of the Seder’s ritual of the matzohs is understood with clues from the New Testament. The Trinity is pictured in the matzohs. The first matzoh that remains in the bag throughout the Seder represents Ha Av, the Father whom no man sees. The third matzoh represents the Ruach Ha Kodesh, the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. And the second matzoh, the broken one, represents Ha Ben, the Son. The reason the middle matzoh is broken is to picture the broken body of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:24).

and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said,  “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

 (If everyone’s attention is still with you, this is a good time to mention the Communion meal, if your church celebrates that and visitors are uninformed).  The half put back in the echad represents Jesus’ divine nature; the other half, wrapped in a linen cloth and separated from the echad represents Jesus’ humanity, His Incarnation, as He remained on earth.

The linen cloth that wraps half of the second piece of matzoh suggests Jesus’ burial cloth. During the Seder, this linen cloth with the Afikomen inside is hidden, and after the dinner the children present look for it. Once the Afikomen is found, it is held as a ransom. Again, we see that these rituals point to Christ: He was fully God yet fully human; He was broken for us; He was buried, sought for, and resurrected; and His life was given a ransom for many (Mark 10:45):

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many

.Jesus is the completion of the New Covenant of Jeremiah 31:31, and the Passover Seder rituals bear that out.

Also, the matzoh used for the Passover Seder must be prepared a certain way. Of course, it must be unleavened—leaven is often equated with sin in the Scriptures, and Jesus is sinless. Second, the matzoh must be striped—Jesus’ “stripes” (His wounds) are what heal us spiritually (Isaiah 53:5)

He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed

And, third, the matzoh must be pierced—Jesus was nailed to the cross (Psalm 22:16)

The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.                                        They pierced My hands and My feet;

The other elements of the Seder plate are traditional reminders of the Israelite enslavement to the Egyptians. They are as follows:

Vegetable (Karpas) – This element, usually parsley, is dipped in salt water and eaten. The karpas pictures the hyssop that was used to apply the blood of the Passover lamb to homes of the Israelites in Egypt. In the New Testament, hyssop was used to give the Lamb of God vinegar when Jesus said He thirsted (John 19:29). The salt water represents the tears shed during the bitter years of slavery and the Red Sea that God split during the exodus.

Bitter Herbs (Maror) – The eating of “bitter herbs” is commanded in Exodus 12:8. In modern times, this is usually horseradish, one of the bitterest herbs. The maror reminds the Jews that they were unable to offer sacrifice and worship to God, and that was bitterer than the slavery of Egypt.

Charoset (haroseth) – Charoset is a mixture of apples, nuts, wine, and spices. It represents the mortar the Israelites used in the constructing buildings during their slavery to the Egyptians. Of all the elements of the Seder, charoset alone is sweet, and this is a reminder of the hope of redemption.

Hard-boiled or Roasted Egg (Baytzah) – Traditionally, hard-boiled eggs were eaten by mourners, and the egg is eaten during the Seder to remind participants that they are always in mourning for the loss of their temple. The fact that the egg is roasted evokes the roasting of the sacrifice on the altar of the temple.

There are also four cups of wine used at various points during the Seder. Each of these glasses of wine has a name: the first glass is the “cup of sanctification.” The second is the “cup of judgment.” The third is the “cup of redemption.” And the fourth is the “cup of praise.” At the Last Supper, Jesus took the first cup and promised His disciples that the next time He drank the fruit of the vine with them would be in the kingdom (Luke 22:17). Later in the Seder, Jesus took the third cup—the cup of redemption—and used that cup as a symbol of the New Covenant in His blood (Luke 22:20). Thus Jesus fulfilled the Passover symbolism and infused the whole feast with a new meaning.

In Exodus 6:6, the Lord God promised His people that He would save them from slavery: “I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.” The phrase “with an outstretched arm” is repeated throughout the Old Testament in connection with Passover remembrances: Deuteronomy 4:34; 7:19; 9:29; 26:8; 2 Kings 17:36; Psalm 136:12; Jeremiah 32:21. Can it be coincidence that, in the New Testament, the Messiah had both of His arms outstretched as He freed us from sin and brought us salvation?

FOR FURTHER STUDY

 

Revisiting "Once Saved, Always Saved"

 

The view of grace that pervades today among Protestants says: “once saved, always saved.”  It comes from John Calvin, who was considered a theologian in the 16^th century.  It says, when you come to Christ to be saved, nothing you can do can stop the process of salvation.  My quarrel with that sentence is—it’s not in the Bible, and I don’t agree with what people imply in the first part of it.  My argument, based on Scripture, is:  I’m not “once saved” yet—so neither am I “always saved” yet.  That day is in the future, when my salvation is complete and perfect.  The real issue is what we think “saved” means.  It means free from all sin, to be exactly what God meant me to be when He made me, to be the perfect image of God.  Since Christ is the perfect image of God, it means I’m saved when I’m actually like Jesus through and through—that’s the objective of salvation.  So that claim is reserved for the future.

Why did God make us?  He had a Son already, and thoroughly enjoyed their fellowship.  So God wanted to increase His family by making us, to be like His Son.  But we became marred by sin.  God wanted to restore us to sinlessness, to be like Christ, so fellowship can be restored, and Jesus made that possible through His suffering for us.  When there is a new heaven and earth, as Revelation talks about, unpolluted by sin, we begin with Him again, as how Adam and Eve started out, sinless--and then we are saved. 

Think about the corruption and violence that mankind got into in Genesis 6.  You could see God’s purpose as He nearly wiped out all mankind from the earth, and started over with eight people.  But He knew ahead of time that that wouldn’t solve the whole problem.  He knew the real plan would have to be, to save sinners.

So, “once saved” means to be perfect, as God wants you to be.  Salvation is actually in three stages:  saved from the penalty of sin, or justification; set free from the power of sin, or sanctification; and, to complete, when we are set free from the possibility of sin—glorification.  All of them comprise salvation.  So you can’t say, “I’m once saved,” until you reach all three. Which is in heaven. Consider Hebrews 9:28:

…so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him

Note that the phrase “to save” occurs when we are resurrected, at Jesus’ Second Coming.  “To” is clearly set in the future, not now.  We should be waiting for our salvation.  The past day, when you thought you were saved?  You should say, “I began to be saved at that date.”  It’s not complete yet, not until glorification. “I’m not what I ought to be, but praise the Lord, I’m not what I was.” 

Here is another radical thought:  God will complete the work that I’ve begun, provided that I co-operate with Him. 

An issue that is undiscussed is this:  Can I interrupt the process of salvation?  Or stop it?  That is, can I lose my salvation?  Or is it automatic and inevitable?  Let’s look real carefully at Scripture, since we are considering disagreeing with John Calvin.  He is highly revered, but, keep in mind, he did not major in theology.  First of all, note that whenever Scripture talks about the prospect of salvation being completed, there is an expression, not of certainty, but of confidence.  Such as Paul’s words in Philippians 1:6:

…confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ

He does the same thing in Hebrews 6; after warning of the dire consequences of apostasy, he says, in verse 9:

beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you

Now note that neither of those says, “I’m certain.”  The Philippian verse is saying he has high hopes that the “job” will be completed. I.e., “salvation.” This also supports our  view of salvation as a process.  (Ed. Note:  The reason Calvin’s view is so widely accepted, I expect, is because it’s exactly what people wanted to hear). Mr. Pawson has, in a book, Once saved, always saved? detailed no less than 80 Bible passages in the New Testament warning you not to allow the process to stop.  Every New Testament writer is included in these verses. I will show the list, and comment further on this in another blog.

These 80 warning passages are rarely taught by preachers.  We’d rather hear assurances; we love texts like Romans 8:38-39:

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

But one thing missing from that list is Yourself.  He did say that no one can take you from His hand, but He did not say that you can’t jump out of His hand.  Not one of these Scriptures preachers quote lists you.  You can, yourself, stop the process of salvation. 

For every Scripture of assurance, there is a quote of warning.  Thus, Scripture balances up the picture; you don’t have to look far for the balance.  The balance for the above Romans 8 verses is in Romans 11:22, where it says that if you don’t continue in God, “you also will be cut off.” That means hell.  Preachers love to quote one text, but ignore the context.  Perhaps with a Bible without chapter and verse numbering, you’d more likely gather the context of the two views. Wherever there is a verse that tells us He is able to keep us, nearby is another verse that tells us to keep ourselves.  Thus, a balance.  Consider, in the book of Jude, verse 24:

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless…

Yes, He is able; but just 3 verses up, it says

keep yourselves in the love of God

A balance.  If you only quote one of those two texts, you’re unbalanced—because you’re not in context.  Consider Paul to II Timothy 1:12:

(I)…am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Close by is II Timothy 4:7, where Paul says “I have kept the faith.”  Keeping going is a cooperation between you and God.  As we keep ourselves in the love of God, He keeps what we’ve committed to Him.  That’s the whole Gospel, and not a dangerous half-Gospel.  So there is a responsibility on us, to go on believing in Him, to respond to His kindness, to the end.  Those who endure to the end are saved.  It’s not those who start the Christian life who end up saved, but those who finish in faith.  The New Testament is full of warnings to the majority who start, but don’t finish.  Just ask any honest evangelistic speaker who actually follows up and finds how few, after they came forward and he told them they were “saved,” that are not in any church three months later.  Faith is a continual relationship of trust and obedience. As long as we keep in the faith, He will keep us.  For proof, some more of the 80.  John 15:4-5:

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. ⁵ ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

The underlying warning is, if you don’t remain in Me, I won’t remain in you. And hell is the destination for such a one.

Eternal life is not in me, it’s in Christ.  If I stay in Christ, like a branch that dedicates to staying on the vine, He nourishes me and keeps me alive; and with Him I have eternal life. But He didn’t give eternal life to me, like a bottled potion to take when I feel low; it’s still in Him. I have eternal life in Christ.  A branch doesn’t have life in itself; the vine has the life.  If the branch stays in the vine, it will go on living. But if the branch gets cut off, or if it cuts itself off, it will die.  As long as I remain in Christ, I go on having eternal life.  John 3:16 really says that, too, when you understand the real definition of “believing.”  It really reads like:

For God…gave His only begotten Son, that whoever goes on believing in Him should not perish but go on having everlasting life.

Another translation of the word “believing” from the Pure Word translation, says:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever is continuously by his choice committing in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Either translation shows that salvation is a process to completion, a process of “going on” or “continuously committing.”  Continuously committing is a partial definition of “abiding,” or “remaining,” which we saw was necessary in John 15.  That says that whoever goes on believing, will then go on having eternal life. It suggests that without the going on, you don’t continue having eternal life.  Put them together, and you see how that a relationship is involved, not just “mental assent” or a “fire insurance.”  If you don’t remain in Christ, you’ll die; and the dead branches are thrown into the fire.

Think about how 2-1/2 million Jews left Egypt, but only 2 of those made it to the Promised Land.  Paul explains why “negative” stories like that are in Scripture.  As I Corinthians 10:11 says:

Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition (i.e., warning)

Setting out from Egypt, having initial freedom, was only the beginning.  Getting into Canaan was the goal.  That took endurance, and relying on Him, trusting in Him—which they failed to do after the spies’ bad report.  They didn’t believe God would help them overcome great obstacles.  The fact that most of them never made it to complete their deliverance, was a warning to us.

Look at Romans 11:20, when Paul warns the Gentiles not to make the same mistake as the Jews who died in the wilderness, short of their goal.  Most Jews were cut off because they were branches that didn’t stay on the vine—they really cut themselves off:

Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. ²¹ For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 

He says, don’t be arrogant, which means feeling so secure that you can boast of your position.  Their “security” isn’t what they think.  God would deal with Gentiles the same way He dealt with Jews; He’s the same God, in Old and New Testaments. He can be harsh. Here is a quote from Romans 11:20-22 to remind you of that:

…you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. ²¹ For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. ²² Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: 

This is uncomfortable and somewhat scary text, when you think deeply what it means.  No one wants their “eternal security” (a popular phrase, but not in Scripture) lopped out from under them.  Now they have to ask:  Do I have the kind of relationship with God implied here? Most preachers don’t like the “other side” of God, and it is not taught with personal application in most seminaries, and not really considered by most pastors.  But the pastor bears a responsibility to study the Word himself, beyond seminary, with his mind open to truths inspired by the Holy Spirit.  If his “happy” preaching on the good-only God sends complacent people to hell, he must bear responsibility—and his own eternal life is in jeopardy.

Pastor Pawson taught on Hebrews 6, where it says that some Christians go apostate, and have no means of repentance.  He was asked by some Christians, “how far does a person backslide, when he can’t come back?  His answer:  that’s a dangerous question; don’t even run the risk.  We don’t know what that “point of no return” is, but it certainly suggests Christ is not valued very highly, if we are seeking to betray Him, and how many times can we betray Him?   The simple answer is, “Don’t backslide.”  Fight it.  Remember that God’s patience can run out. 

PART 2 WILL PRESENT VERSES AGAINST THE "ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED" THEORY, AND PRESENT CONDITIONS UPON MAINTAINING SALVATION