Eternal security

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Eternal security, also known as "once saved, always saved", is the belief that from the moment anyone becomes a Christian, they will be saved from hell, and will not lose salvation. Once a person is truly "born of God" or "regenerated" by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, nothing in heaven or earth "shall be able to separate (them) from the love of God" (Romans 8:39) and thus nothing can reverse the condition of having become a Christian.

Eternal security is a characteristic doctrine of the Southern Baptists (Provisionism), Old Regular Baptists, United Baptists, Landmark Baptists, Missionary Baptists and other historic Baptist traditions. It is also held by various Calvinist groups such as Reformed Christians (Continental Reformed, Congregationalists, Presbyterians, Reformed Anglicans, and Reformed Baptists) due to the doctrine of Perseverance of the saints. It is also affirmed by the Plymouth Brethren, by the "Hyper-Grace" movement in Charismaticism as well as in Free Grace Theology, which is held by many independent fundamental Baptists and by a minority in many other denominations[1][2] (though the Reformed, Plymouth Brethren, Hyper-Grace and Free Grace traditions teach different versions of eternal security). In contrast, conditional security is taught in Catholicism, Lutheranism, Orthodoxy, Pentecostalism and Methodism, as well as some Baptist groups such as the Freewill Baptists, General Baptists and Campbellites. The doctrine of the Anabaptists at the commencement of the Protestant Reformation was eternal security (as witnessed by the Lutheran diet of Augsburg in 1530), though most of the groups currently identified as Anabaptists, such as the Mennonites and Hutterites, embrace the conditional security doctrine.

Definition and terminology

The concept of "eternal security" emerging around 1900 within different Evangelical groups,[3] represents its current prevailing form within Protestantism.[4] Indeed, the first documented occurrences of the terms supporting this concept were "security of the believers" in 1841 within Southern Baptist circles[5] and "eternal security" in 1913 within Darbyist circles.[6][7][8] This predominant form entails an unconditional eternal security which is not grounded on a Calvinist theology.[9]

Other similar forms of eternal security exist, all aligned with a shared definition. According to this perspective, eternal security is a doctrine providing believers with absolute assurance throughout their lives of their inevitable salvation.[10][11] One can mention:

  1. Eternal security based on the faith that the believer is an elect by divine determination. (Calvinist circles, minority view).[4]
  2. Eternal security based on the faith that regeneration leads to unconditional perseverance and then salvation. (Non-Calvinist circles, majority view).[4]
  3. Eternal security based on the faith that regeneration leads to salvation independently of perseverance. (Free grace theology movement, currently growing view).[12]

The term "eternal security" has also been used as a synonym for Calvinist doctrine of the "perseverance of the saints". However regarding its usage and theological significance it has to be distinguished with the forms of eternal security above mentioned.[13]

History

The Reformed view of the perseverance of the saints has been foreshadowed by Augustine, Jovinian and Gottschalk, although not necessarily formulating their views identically.[14][15][16][17] Augustine accepted the doctrine that the Holy Spirit is received at water baptism producing regeneration (salvation), he tried to explain why some regenerated babies continued in the faith while other baptized infants would fall away from the faith and even live immoral lives in debauchery. Both groups possessed the Holy Spirit, so how can one account for the difference? Augustine concluded that God must give a second gift of grace called perseverance. The gift of perseverance is only given to some baptized infants, although it cannot be lost once received.[18][14] Augustine did not believe that his doctrine of perseverance was a new invention, thus Augustine also claimed that Cyprian taught a similar doctrine concerning perseverance.[19][20]

Jovinian (died: 405 AD) was an early church theologian often seen as a proto-Reformer in the 4th century, he believed that a person who was once regenerate could never be subverted by the devil. Thus his teaching has similarities to what Augustine and John Calvin taught, as he limits the impossibility of relapse to the truly regenerate.[16][17][21][22][23]

According to Ken Wilson, a view more similar to Free Grace theology was also in existence during the early church period. Augustine mentioned a group of Christians who held that salvation was achieved without any good deeds done by the individual, excluding repentance and perseverance in good works. These Christians believed that although Christians can experience God's temporal judgement, they would enter heaven regardless of their future actions. Augustine was heavily critical of their views.[24]

Views

Theology affirming the doctrine of eternal security

Reformed Christianity

John Calvin

Within Reformed Christianity, "eternal security" is occasionally employed as a synonym for the doctrine of perseverance of the saints.[13] However, within broader Protestantism, it more often carries a distinct meaning, that may or may not be correlated with Calvinist theology.[4] When it is, it thus presents a competing perspective to the doctrine of perseverance of the saints.[25]

According to orthodox Calvinism, apostasy is not possible for those who are true Christians.[26] However, being a true Christian is only demonstrated by perseverance to the end.[27] This arises because there are instances where individuals appear to come to God but later display definitive apostasy. To address this phenomenon, Calvinist theologians have postulated that common grace might include effects that cannot be distinguished from effectual calling and subsequent irresistible grace. About that issue, Calvin formulated the concept of a temporary grace (sometimes called "evanescent grace") that appears and works for only a while in the reprobate but then to disappears.[28][29][30][31] According to this concept, the Holy Spirit can create in some people effects which are indistinguishable from those of the irresistible grace of God, producing also a visible "fruit" in their life.[32][33] Temporary grace was also supported by later Calvinist theologians such as John Owen,[34] A. W. Pink[35] and Lorraine Boettner.[36] This suggests that the knowledge of being a true Christian is not accessible during life.[37] Consequently, the traditional Calvinist perspective on perseverance of the saints doesn't offer to the individual an absolute assurance of salvation in life[38][39] and, at first glance, does not align with the definition of eternal security.

According to Augustine, the gift of perseverance is granted only to certain regenerated individuals.[18] Therefore, both Augustine and Luther, who was an Augustinian friar, held that believers, based on their own understanding, cannot definitively know if they are among the "elect to perseverance."[40][41] Calvin is known to heavily drew upon Augustine soteriology.[42] However, despite Calvin's inability to offer a clear rationale,[38] he was more optimistic than Luther regarding this possibility.[43]

Plymouth Brethren

The Plymouth Brethren affirm eternal security as long as a Christian believer continues to have faith in Jesus.[44] In the Plymouth Brethren view "a true believer in Christ will continue in his faith."[44] Those who do not bear good works, as with Judas, never experienced the New Birth.[45] However, a few among the Plymouth Brethren have taught views more similar to Free Grace theology.[46][47]

Free grace theology

Free grace theology says that anyone who believes in Jesus Christ will go to heaven regardless of any future actions—including future sin, unbelief, or apostasy—though Christians who sin or abandon the faith will face God's discipline.[48]

Zane Hodges was an advocate of Free Grace theology

Free Grace doctrine views the person's character and life after receiving the gift of salvation as independent from the gift itself, or in other words, it asserts that justification (that is, being declared righteous before God on account of Christ) does not necessarily result in sanctification (that is, a progressively more righteous life). Charles Stanley, pastor of Atlanta's megachurch First Baptist and a television evangelist, has written that the doctrine of eternal security of the believer persuaded him years ago to leave his familial Pentecostalism and become a Southern Baptist. He sums up his conviction that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone when he claims, "Even if a believer for all practical purposes becomes an unbeliever, his salvation is not in jeopardy… believers who lose or abandon their faith will retain their salvation."[49] For example, Stanley writes:

Look at that verse [John 3:18] and answer this question: According to Jesus, what must a person do to keep from being judged for sin? Must he stop doing something? Must he promise to stop doing something? Must he have never done something? The answer is so simple that many stumble all over it without ever seeing it. All Jesus requires is that the individual "believe in" Him.

— Charles Stanley[49] (p. 67).

In a chapter entitled "For Those Who Stop Believing", he says, "The Bible clearly teaches that God's love for His people is of such magnitude that even those who walk away from the faith have not the slightest chance of slipping from His hand (p. 74)." Later, Stanley also writes: "You and I are not saved because we have an enduring faith. We are saved because at a moment in time we expressed faith in our enduring Lord" (p. 80).

The doctrine sees the work of salvation as wholly monergistic, which is to say that God alone performs it and man has no part in the process beyond receiving it, and therefore, proponents argue that man cannot undo what they believe God has done. By comparison, in traditional Calvinism, people, who are otherwise unable to follow God, are enabled by regeneration to cooperate with him, and so the Reformed tradition sees itself as mediating between the total monergism of the non-traditional Calvinist view and the synergism of the Wesleyan, Arminian, and Roman Catholic views in which even unregenerate man can choose to cooperate with God in salvation.

Molinism

One of the points of Molinism as taught by Evangelicals is "eternal life", these Molinists believe that the only basis for assurance is the work of Christ and that saving faith always perseveres to the end, however perseverance is a promise instead of a requirement.[50]

Hyper-Grace

Hyper-Grace theology is associated with Joseph Prince

The term "Hyper-Grace" has been applied to a doctrine taught by some Charismatic Christians today, such as Joseph Prince. Although the term was made by critics of the view, it has been embraced by some of those who teach it. Hyper-Grace teaches a strong form of eternal security, views fellowship with God as unconditional and denies that Christians in eternity will have different degrees of rewards. The view is similar to Free Grace theology, although Free Grace theology is distinguished by allowing the Christian to experience major temporal judgements for their sins.[51][52][53][54][55]

Theology rejecting the doctrine of Eternal Security

Catholic, Methodist, Anabaptist, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox theology hold to synergism with respect to salvation and view the doctrine of eternal security as heretical, instead teaching that one's one's salvation is conditional on one's continued faith, good works, sanctification, and avoidance of sin.[56]

Catholicism

In Catholicism, Christians do not have eternal security because they can commit a mortal sin.[57] The Church teaches that Christians are subject to the cleansing torment of purgatory before entrance into heaven.

Orthodoxy

The Eastern Orthodox Churches and the Oriental Orthodox Churches teach "the conditional security of the believer".[58] "According to ... all of the Church’s spiritual writers, a man must be humble in order to stay on the right path and attain that for which he seeks."[58]

Lutheranism

The Lutheran Churches teach that true Christian believers can fall away from the faith into apostasy.[59]

Anabaptism

Anabaptist theology shares certain soteriological similarities with Arminianism.[60][61] It traditionally teaches conditional security.[62] In particular, Mennonite soteriology has been historically consistent with Arminianism, whereas the doctrines of Calvinist soteriology have been rejected.[63] However in the 20th century, particularly in North America, some Mennonites, have adopted the doctrine of eternal security.[64]

Classical Arminianism and Wesleyan Arminianism

The Arminian view, inclusive of the Classical Arminian position and Wesleyan-Arminian (Methodist) position, opposes any concept of eternal security, holding that a true Christian can fall from grace and be condemned to hell.[65]

See also

Notes and references

Citations

  1. ^ Wilkin, Bob. "What Denominations Hold to Free Grace? – Grace Evangelical Society". Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  2. ^ Lazar, Shawn. "Are There Any Free Grace Denominations? – Grace Evangelical Society". Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  3. ^ Moody 1990, p. 361. "By the nineteenth century, under the impact of evangelism and missions, the doctrine of perseverance of the saints was falling into disrepute. In two branches of evangelical Christianity the terms that began to replace "the perseverance of the saints" were "the security of the believers" and "eternal security"."
  4. ^ a b c d Purkiser 1972, p. 74. "In the majority of cases, however, the doctrine of eternal security is not grounded on the Calvinistic dogma of unconditional predestination. While all who teach eternal security are frequently called "Calvinists," actually the greater portion of them are no more than 20 percent Calvinistic."
  5. ^ Moody 1990, p. 362. "On August 5, 1841, a funeral oration on John 6:37 by Edward Steane, [...] was called The Security of Believers. The term was introduced into Southern Baptist Landmarkism by J. R. Graves whose editorial on May 3, 1873 rejected the term "the perseverance of the saints" and proposed the term "security of believers." This was the title of a book by W. P. Bennett in 1895."
  6. ^ Paton 2013.
  7. ^ Moody 1990, p. 364.
  8. ^ Lehman 1956. "Eternal Security [...] as a special term was used by Walter Scott (Plymouth Brethren) as early as 1913 (Holness, 186). Under a section heading, "The Eternal Security of the Sheep," he writes, "Can my sins separate me from Christ or break the bond of eternal life? Impossible!"
  9. ^ Olson 2004, p. 238. "Many Evangelicals, -Especially Baptists- believe in unconditional eternal security of true believers without basing it on a Calvinist foundation. For them, belief that true believers will persevere or be divinely preserved from permanently falling away from grace is based not on systematic theology but on biblical promises."
  10. ^ McKinley 1965, p. 45. "[...] (1) Some believe that if one does backslide it is sure evidence he was never truly converted. (2) Others believe that a soul once saved will be finally saved, though in the meantime he does fall away, for God will get him in some way and he will not be lost. (3) Still others believe that our sins, past, present, and future, are all forgiven and that we will go to heaven no matter what we do after conversion. All three classes argue that once a person is born again he can never be lost."
  11. ^ Hunt 2002, p. 481.
  12. ^ Grudem 2016, pp. 21–22. "[T]hat recent origin does not mean that the movement is insignificant. Although only a minority of Dallas Seminary professors held a Free Grace view, Zane Hodges was an exceptionally persuasive teacher, and every year some students adopted his view. Then, through these students, the Free Grace movement gained a remarkable worldwide influence, especially in discouraging Christians from including any explicit call to repentance in their presentations of the gospel."
  13. ^ a b Johnson 2008, pp. 21–22. "It is common to hear the term “eternal security” used basically as a synonym for “the perseverance of the saints”. [...] However, the term “eternal security” is often used in a very different and unbiblical way [...] Hence, in common usage, the term “eternal security” can sometimes refer to a doctrine diametrically opposed to the Reformed doctrine of perseverance."
  14. ^ a b Davis 1991, p. 213.
  15. ^ "Gottschalk by Steven Lawson". Ligonier Ministries. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  16. ^ a b "Philip Schaff: History of the Christian Church, Volume III: Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity. A.D. 311–600 – Christian Classics Ethereal Library". www.ccel.org. Retrieved 2021-12-21. Jovinian's second point has an apparent affinity with the Augustinian and Calvinistic doctrine of the perseverantia sanctorum. It is not referred by him, however, to the eternal and unchangeable counsel of God, but simply based on 1 Jno. iii. 9, and v. 18, and is connected with his abstract conception of the opposite moral states. He limits the impossibility of relapse to the truly regenerate, who "plena fide in baptismate renati sunt," and makes a distinction between the mere baptism of water and the baptism of the Spirit, which involves also a distinction between the actual and the ideal church.
  17. ^ a b Stapert, Calvin (2007). A New Song for an Old World: Musical Thought in the Early Church. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 978-0802832191. Jovinian taught the complete equality between marriage and celibacy and between eating and fasting. He also taught something like the Calvin- ist doctrine of the perseverance of the saints
  18. ^ a b Burnell 2005, pp. 85–86.
  19. ^ Komline, Han-luen Kantzer (2019). Augustine on the Will: A Theological Account. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0190948825.
  20. ^ Komline, Han-luen Kantzer (2019). Augustine on the Will: A Theological Account. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0190948825.
  21. ^ The Evangelical Guardian. J.M. Christy. 1846. He was also charged with maintaining the perseverance of the saints
  22. ^ Armitage, Thomas (1890). A History of the Baptists: Traced by Their Vital Principles and Practices : from the Time of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to the Year 1886. Bryan, Taylor. held the vital principle of regeneration by the Spirit of God , the perseverance of the saints
  23. ^ The Critical Review of Theological and Philosophical Literature. Williams and Norsate. 1897. results of this indwelling led Jovinian in the second place to state a doctrine of the perseverance of the saints
  24. ^ "A Defense of Free Grace Theology". Grace Theology Press. Retrieved 2023-09-03. There were Christians in good standing with the church c.AD 400 who held the doctrine that a person received salvation by faith alone without repentance or good works. Much to Augustine's ire, baptism was practiced immediately if one of them believed in Christ, without first entering prolonged education in Christian faith and morals as a catechumen. For those early Christians, God's future judgment consisted only of payment (reward) or punishment (temporary) for how those Christians lived their lives before God—heaven or hell was not in question.
  25. ^ Grudem 1994, p. 860. "[W]e see why the phrase eternal security can be quite misleading. In some evangelical churches, instead of teaching the full and balanced presentation of the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, pastors have sometimes taught a watered-down version, which in effect tells people that all who have once made a profession of faith and been baptized are “eternally secure.”"
  26. ^ Pink 2001, pp. 39, 47, 58.
  27. ^ Grudem 1994, p. 860, ‌. "[T]his doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, if rightly understood, should cause genuine worry, and even fear, in the hearts of any who are “backsliding” or straying away from Christ. Such persons must clearly be warned that only those who persevere to the end have been truly born again."
  28. ^ Calvin 1961, p. 66. "[T]hose who appear to live piously may be called sons of God; but since they will eventually live impiously and die in that impiety, God does not call them sons in His foreknowledge. There are sons of God who do not yet appear so to us, but now do so to God; and there are those who, on account of some arrogated or temporal grace, are called so by us, but are not so to God".
  29. ^ Calvin 1961, pp. 151–152.
  30. ^ Calvin 1845, 3:24:8. "Sometimes, however, he communicates it also to those whom he enlightens only for a time, and whom afterwards, in just punishment for their ingratitude, he abandons and smites with greater blindness."
  31. ^ Calvin 1963, p. 76. "[...] I do not see that this is any reason why He should not touch the reprobate with a taste of His grace, or illumine their minds with some glimmerings of His light, or affect them with some sense of His goodness, or to some extent engrave His Word in their hearts. Otherwise where would be that passing faith which Marks mentions (4.17)? Therefore there is some knowledge in the reprobate, which later vanishes away either because it drives its roots less deep than it ought to, or because it is choked and withers away."
  32. ^ Calvin 1845, 3:2:11. "Experience shows that the reprobate are sometimes affected in a way so similar to the elect that even in their own judgment there is no difference between them. [...] [T]he Lord, the better to convict them, and leave them without excuse, instills into their minds such a sense of goodness as can be felt without the Spirit of adoption [...] Therefore, as God regenerates the elect only for ever by incorruptible seed, [...] there is nothing to prevent an inferior operation of the Spirit from taking its course in the reprobate. [...] Thus we dispose of the objection, that if God truly displays his grace, it must endure for ever. There is nothing inconsistent in this with the fact of his enlightening some with a present sense of grace, which afterwards proves evanescent."
  33. ^ Calvin 1845, pp. 478–479, 3:2:11-12. "[Some reprobates are] just as a tree not planted deep enough may take root, but in the process of time wither away, though it may for several years not only put forth leaves and flowers, but produce fruit."
  34. ^ Gribben & Tweeddale 2022, p. 402. "[...] Owen readily admits that the Spirit occasionally induces a partial illumination of the gospel truth, which might produce some conviction of sin and reformation of behavior. [...] For whatever its superficial resemblance to genuine conversion, it nevertheless falls short of that reality and explains the phenomenon of an apparently temporary illumination famously described in Heb. 6.4."
  35. ^ Pink 2009, pp. 18–19. "Scripture also teaches that people may possess a faith which is one of the Holy Spirit, and yet which is a non-saving one. This faith which we now allude to has two ingredients which neither education nor self-effort can produce: spiritual light and a Divine power moving the mind to assent. Now a man may have both illumination and inclination from heaven, and yet not be regenerated. We have a solemn proof of this in Hebrews 6:4-6."
  36. ^ Boettner 1932, ch. 14. "In addition to what has been said it is to be admitted that often times the common operations of the Spirit on the enlightened conscience lead to reformation and to an externally religious life. Those so influenced are often very strict in their conduct and diligent in their religious duties. To the awakened sinner the promises of the Gospel and the exhibition of the plan of salvation contained in the Scriptures appear not only as true but as suited to his condition. [...] This faith continues as long as the state of mind by which it is produced continues. When that changes, he relapses into his usual state of insensibility, and his faith disappears."
  37. ^ Walls & Dongell 2004, pp. 201–202. "What is truly remarkable here is that persons who receive this partial and temporary illumination appear for a time to be truly elect but in fact aren't. They are deluded by a false hope. This dreadful possibility is what haunts Calvinists who struggle with the assurance and certainty of salvation."
  38. ^ a b Calvin 1961, p. 126. "Men preposterously ask how they can be certain of a salvation which lies in the hidden counsel of God. I have replied with the truth. Since the certainty of salvation is set forth to us in Christ, it is wrong and injurious to Christ to pass over this proffered fountain of life from which supplies are available, and to toil to draw life out of the hidden recesses of God." [Emphasis added]
  39. ^ Paton 2013b. "You ask me: Michael, do you know you are saved? My answer: yes. You ask me: Michael, do you have assurance? My answer: yes. You ask me: Michael, why do you believe you are saved? My answer: because today I am still believing. But I have to test this all the time, as I am not infallible. I could have a false faith, but I don’t believe I do. This ninety percent assurance will have to do."
  40. ^ Davis 1991, p. 213, ‌. "Unlike Calvin and those in the later Reformed tradition, however, Augustine does not believe that the Christian can in this life know with infallible certitude that he is in fact among the elect and that he will finally persevere."
  41. ^ Davis 1991, p. 213, ‌‌. "Whether the believer, now in a state of grace, would remain in grace to the end was for Luther an open question."
  42. ^ McMahon 2012, pp. 7–9. "This is why one finds that every four pages written in the Institutes of the Christian Religion John Calvin quoted Augustine. Calvin, for this reason, would deem himself not a Calvinist, but an Augustinian. [...] Christian Calvinist, should they be more likely deemed an Augustinian-Calvinist?"
  43. ^ Davis 1991, p. 217. "Calvin, however, has greater confidence than Luther and the Catholic tradition before him that the believer can also have great assurance of his election and final perseverance."
  44. ^ a b Dunlap, David. "The Battle For Continuing Faith". Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  45. ^ Ironside, H. A. (24 April 1934). "Eternal Security of the Believer". Plymouth Brethren Writings. Retrieved 10 April 2022. People say, "If you preach this doctrine of the eternal security of the believer, men will say, 'Well, then it doesn't make any difference what I do, I will get to heaven anyway.'" It makes a tremendous difference what you do. If you do not behave yourself, it shows that you are not a real Christian. I know that a real Christian may fail, but the difference can be seen in Peter and Judas. Peter failed, and failed terribly, but he was genuine, and one look from Jesus sent him out weeping bitterly; his heart was broken to think that he had so dishonored his Lord. But Judas companied with the Lord almost three-and-a-half years and was a devil all the time; he was a thief and was seeking his own interest. He was even made the treasurer of that company and he held the bag, but we read, "He bare [away] what was put therein" (John 12:6), as this has been literally translated. At last remorse overtook him, not genuine repentance, and what was the result? He went and hanged himself. He was never a child of God. There is a great difference, you see, between a Christian and a false professor.
  46. ^ Hodges, Zane (March 2018). A Free Grace Primer. Grace Evangelical Society. ISBN 978-1-943399-24-6.
  47. ^ Chay, Fred (2017). A Defense of Free Grace Theology: With Respect to Saving Faith, Perseverance, and Assurance. Grace Theology Press. ISBN 978-0-9981385-4-1.
  48. ^ Stanley, Charles (1990). Eternal Security: Can You Be Sure?. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. pp. 81, 116–118. ISBN 0840790953.
  49. ^ a b Stanley, Charles. Eternal Security: Can You Be Sure? Nashville: Oliver Nelson, 1990. ISBN 978-0840790958 pp. 1–5
  50. ^ Lemke, Steve (January 2010). "Salvation and Sovereignty, by Kenneth Keathley: A Review Essay". Journal for Baptist Theology and Ministry.
  51. ^ Brown, Michael L. (2016-05-03). The Grace Controversy: Answers to 12 Common Questions. Charisma Media. ISBN 978-1-62998-920-4.
  52. ^ Brown, Michael (2017-01-30). "Hyper-Grace: Setting the Record Straight With Pastor Joseph Prince". The Christian Post. Retrieved 2023-07-23.
  53. ^ Lazar, Shawn (2017-10-18). "Wrath and Righteousness – Grace Evangelical Society". Retrieved 2023-07-23.
  54. ^ Ellis, Paul (2014-04-02). The Hyper-Grace Gospel: A Response to Michael Brown and Those Opposed to the Modern Grace Message. KingsPress. ISBN 978-1-927230-40-4.
  55. ^ Barker, Paul (2017-04-04). "The Hypergrace of Joseph Prince: A Review of 'Destined to Reign'". The Gospel Coalition | Australia. Retrieved 2023-07-23.
  56. ^ Peters, Ted (2015). God--The World's Future: Systematic Theology for a New Era, Third Edition. Augsburg Fortress Publishers. p. 391. ISBN 978-1506400419. Justification is not enough for the Methodists. The Christian life cannot get along without transformation as well. Transformation is accomplished through the process of sanctification. "The one [justification] implies what God does for us through his Son, the other [sanctification] he works in us by his Spirit." The spiritual life of the Methodist ends up reiterating what the Roman Catholics had deemed so important, namely transformation.
  57. ^ Marshall, Taylor. "Can You Lose Your Salvation?". The Catholic Perspective on Paul. Archived from the original on 22 May 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  58. ^ a b "Orthodox Church Affirms Conditional Security". Scribd. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  59. ^ Klotz, Joseph (29 June 2015). "Three Examples of How Lutherans Deny Justification by Faith Alone: A Response – Part Two of Two". Steadfast Lutherans. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  60. ^ Sutton 2012, p. 86.
  61. ^ Bangs 1985, p. 170.
  62. ^ Eby 2020.
  63. ^ Bender 1953. Mennonites have been historically Arminian in their theology whether they distinctly espoused the Arminian viewpoint or not. They never accepted Calvinism either in the Swiss-South German branch or in the Dutch-North German wing. Nor did any Mennonite confession of faith in any country teach any of the five points of Calvinism.
  64. ^ Bender 1953, ‌. [...] [I]n the 20th century, particularly in North America, some Mennonites, having come under the influence of certain Bible institutes and the literature produced by this movement and its schools, have adopted the Calvinist doctrine of the perseverance of the saints or "once in grace always in grace." In doing so, they have departed from the historic Arminianism of the Anabaptist-Mennonite movement.
  65. ^ Shank, Robert (1989). Life in the Son. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers. pp. 31–48. ISBN 1556610912.

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