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 is a comment on that page by a woman named Sally in favor of “eternal security” followed by Ben’s answer:
Comment:
John 6:37-40
37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
If the Father’s will is that those He has given to Jesus will not be lost – they won’t be.
Answer:
Again, “believes” (in verse 40) is a present participle denoting continuous action (i.e., “is believing”). “Looks” is as well. It is the one who is continually believing and looking to the Son. The one who is believing is certain to be raised up at the last day, but if one ceases to believe, that person will be cut off from Christ and the life that is in Him alone (John 15:5, 6).
See this post for more on that, https://arminianperspectives.wordpress.com/2012/05/30/does-jesus-teach-unconditional-eternal-security-in-john-637-65/
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. 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.
