QUESTION: Does the knowledge of eternal security lead to sinful living on the part of the believer?

ANSWER: This is a charge often laid at the door of those who believe the Bible that the Christian is eternally saved by the grace of God. The charge is totally untrue for a number of reasons, some of which are—

• God's Word teaches the direct opposite.
• Grace is a stronger deterrent against sin than fear.
• God will deal in chastisement with believers who abuse His grace.
• There are crowns to be won for holy and faithful living.
• There are rewards to be lost for unfaithfulness and sin.

I would encourage you to read the whole sixth chapter of Romans which begins like this: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Then verse 14 says, "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace."

The reasoning that because one is saved and is sure of it leads to careless living is pure nonsense. Only those who know nothing of the grace of God could ever say such a thing. We shall show from God's Word that the reverse is true.

The proofs of this are superabundant in the Scriptures. Those who do not believe in eternal security operate on the basis of fear—"If you don't do this, or if you do that, you may lose your salvation." The Bible says in 1 John 4:17,18 that we "have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment." To this agrees 2 Corinthians 5:14,15, "The love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge … that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them and rose again." It is not the fear of being lost in the end, but rather the love of Christ that constrains the believer to live a life that is pleasing to God.

Romans 12:1,2 beseeches believers by the mercies of God to "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, … and be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Chapters 9 to 11 of Romans are a distinct parenthesis, so that these opening verses of chapter 12 connect directly with the close of chapter 8. Those closing verses of chapter 8 speak of the eternal security of the believer in the plainest possible way. Therefore—by those mercies—yield your body to Christ as a living sacrifice. It is the very eternal security of the believer that is given as the incentive to holy living.

1 John 3:1-3 tells us that we are the children of God, and that when Christ comes, we shall be like Him. Then it adds, "Every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself." The knowledge that we are God's children is here given as inducement to purity of life, not to encourage sin. Praise God, it is the knowledge and appreciation of God's perfect love that spurs the believer to devotion to Christ. Grace alone empowers one to live a holy life.

—August VanRyn