On his website, Arminian Perspectives, Ben Henshaw has a questions page at which he answers questions about Arminianism and Calvinism that visitors to his site pose in the comment section of the page. Here are some comments on that page by a woman named Sally in favor of “eternal security” followed by Ben’s answers:
Comment Part 1: We do nothing, NOTHING to receive our salvation.
Answer Part 1: Of course we do something, we “believe.”
“…and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Notice Paul and Silas didn’t say, “Oh, you don’t need to do anything. There is absolutely NOTHING you can do to receive salvation.”
Comment Part 2: How then do we believe that we must do something to keep it?
Answer Part 2: Because the Bible says so. It says we need to “remain,” “continue,” “endure” in the faith, etc. Likewise, we are repeatedly warned that if we do not remain, continue or endure, we will certainly perish.
Comment Part 3: It does not depend on us. If it did, NO ONE would be able to keep it, because no one is good enough or can be perfect in their belief and in their faith on their own.
Answer Part 3: But faith is actually our depending on God. That is what faith means. We trust in Him and depend on Him to do what we cannot. That is why faith excludes boasting, because faith looks away from self and to God. It receives a free and undeserved gift from God. Even our faith is enabled by God and He gives us the power to continue in the faith and remain in Him. The only thing you are missing is that this power does not guarantee that we will continue or remain. It is not irresistible. Hence the numerous warnings in Scripture to endure, continue, remain, etc.
Comment Part 4: I read this somewhere:
We are like a small child, walking over treacherous terrain with a loving father, clutching onto his hand. He tells us to hold on and not let go. We want to hold on – but we are small and weak, and we are becoming so tired. It is such a long, difficult walk. We trip on a rock, and we let go. Are we lost? How can we be lost, with a loving father gripping our tiny hand in his big strong one. We let go – but He would never let go. He is more than able to hold on, and because we are His, He loves us far too much to let go even when in our weakness we fail to hold tightly enough to Him.
Answer Part 4: This parable is nice. I really don’t have a problem with it except for the conclusion it draws at the end (or you draw from it). Again, it is not an issue of God helping us or keeping us. It is a matter of our wanting to be kept. Even in the parable it says “we want to hold on.” The Bible is clear that while God’s desire is for us to hold on, He does not cause us to hold on irresistibly (hence the numerous warnings against falling away). God will not hold on to one who has turned away from Him. Indeed, Jesus says that those who do not remain will be cut off by the Father Himself (John 15).
Addendum:
Sally appealed to 10 different passages in favor of “eternal security” in one post, and we are devoting one post to each passage to share Ben’s concise, compelling replies. This particular post responds not to a specific biblical passage Sally brought up but a theological/logical argument. At the end of his reply to Sally responding to all her comments, Ben made some final comments that we are including in each of these posts that gives one of Ben’s answers:
Personally, it is not a big deal for me if you want to hold to eternal security, so long as that belief does not cause you to take your faith and relationship with Christ less seriously. I am only addressing your comments because I want you to see why such verses are not very convincing to those who reject eternal security, especially in light of the numerous warnings in Scripture to remain, continue, and endure, etc. If God causes our faith to endure irresistibly, then it would be nonsense for God to also call on His people to remain, continue, endure, etc. It would be like telling someone hooked to a respirator to “keep breathing.”
I would love to believe that God will never let believers fall away. Who wouldn’t want to believe that? The only reason I reject it is because I am convinced the Bible does not teach it.
