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:
1 Peter 1:23
“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”
We have been born of imperishable sees. If we can become unborn – then it wasn’t imperishable seed after all.
Answer:
They were born again through the preaching of the word, and that word is the imperishable seed (vss. 24-25). It was only through receiving that word that they were born again, and they will remain God’s children as long as they cling to the promise of the word. But it is possible to receive the word which gives life, “believe for a while,” and later fall away and perish (Luke 8:11, 13).
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.
