This was posted in our members discussion group:
A careful review of all the discipleship-related texts in 1 Timothy strongly affirms CONDITIONAL continuance (or security), against eternal security.
CONTINUANCE IN SALVATION
CONTINUANCE IN SALVATION
Because some Ephesian church leaders had made shipwreck of their faith (1:19-20; see also 2 Tim 2:17), Paul took the occasion to admonish disciples to persist in their faith. He notes that the Spirit explicitly indicates that some will abandon the faith (1 Tim 4:1) and that temptation can overcome one’s devotion to Christ (5:11). For some, one such temptation was a love and eagerness for money (6:10). As a result, some in the Ephesian church had already turned to follow Satan (5:15); they turned from sound doctrine and professed false knowledge, resulting in their departure from the faith (6:21). In the case of Hymenaeus and Alexander, Paul delivered them over to Satan, which is likely a way of disciplining them by withdrawing them from church fellowship. Alternatively, the remedy to falling away is to hold on to faith and a good conscience (1:19) and to persevere in sound doctrine and faithful living. Doing so, Paul tells Timothy, will save both the discipler and disciplees (4:16).
