D32-29: Does The Torah Speak For Or Against ‘Eternal Security’?

Let’s deal with one of the more controversial issues concerning salvation.

I’m talking about Calvinism versus Arminianism or “eternal security” versus the opposite.

So what does the Torah teach?

My answer is that I believe the Torah absolutely does NOT teach “eternal security”.

I believe congregations that teach Hashem will NOT punish His own or allow His own to walk away from Him are not handling the Scriptures with integrity.

Because the history of Israel tells us the complete opposite.

There is zero Biblical backing to that claim.

It’s just a manmade doctrine concocted to give false comfort to those who like to hold on to their sins while simultaneously attempting to follow the Lord.

And the Song of Moses that we’re studying now is – let’s face it – a poem about a saved people having their salvation reversed due to disobedience.

But this concept isn’t just in the Torah.

It’s all over the place in the New Testament as well.

The consequences for disobedience are clearly spelled out for us.

The Lord will punish those who have fallen away in the hopes that they will return to Him.

And here’s the frightening kicker.

If at the end of the day the rebel doesn’t come back to the Lord, well then he or she just doesn’t.

If the rebel dies in his rebellious state, his or her eternal fate is sealed.

The Lord has created us with free wills.

God didn’t make us as mindless robots.

The same goes for the angels in the heavens.

They can make the choice to either serve Hashem or rebel against Him.

And we can see by the existence of Satan and his followers that some angels decided life was better on the dark side.

Don’t get me wrong.

I’m not in any way implying that there are forces (demonic or otherwise) that can block your path to redemption if you sincerely desire it.

On the other hand, I am saying NO ONE including Hashem will force you into a relationship with Him.

That would not be love.

There might be some strong persuasion used to compel you to love Him but not outright force.

At the end of the day, the choice is yours.

As John says, no one can pluck you out of the Lord’s hand but you can pluck yourself out of the Lord’s hand.

And no, “no one” does NOT include you.

Remember “freedom in Messiah” does NOT freedom to sin minus consequences.

It actually means the exact opposite.

It’s freedom and power to obey the Lord’s Torah (instructions) in the Spirit which He originally intended.

Check out these verses from the Book of James.

“My brothers, if one of you wanders from the truth, and someone causes him to return, you should know that whoever turns a sinner from his wandering path will save him from death and cover many sins.”-James 5:19-20

Using just basic logic here, understand that you CANNOT wander away from somewhere you were never at in the first place.

And you can’t return to a place had you not wandered away from it in the first place.

The person who turns his or her back on the Lord and walks away has walked away from his or her salvation.

This person is in danger of spiritual eternal death lest he or she turn back.

This is exactly what James is talking about.

He’s referring to a fellow believer who once knew and practiced the truth but then turned away from it resulting in being put on a path of spiritual death UNLESS another brother (or sister) comes along and brings that lost person back to his or senses.

The meaning of these verses are as plain as day.

This so-called wandering brother is also described right here in the Song of Moses.

He can come back to the Lord OR stay on his self-chosen path of destruction and end up dying a sinner.

Conclusion?