For the rest of the series, see 5/6/2008-5/9/288, 5/12/2008-5/16/2008, 6/16/2008, 7/23/2008, and 10/17/2008

Please click on the attachment to view Brenda B. Colijn, "“LET US APPROACH”: SOTERIOLOGY IN THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS", Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 39/4 (December 1996) 571–586.

Please click on the attachment to view Douglas W. Kennard, "Petrine Redemption: Its Meaning and Extent", Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 30/4 (December 1987) 399-405.

This article derives from: http://jmleonardfamily.googlepages.com/eternalsecurityandexegeticaloverv...

and may be viewed there or by clicking on the pdf attachment. The formatting at the above website is better.

James M. Leonard
Arminian Baptist

http://jmleonardfamily.googlepages.com/eternalsecurityandexegeticaloverv...

This post attempts to put the Calvinistic “never really saved to begin with” view of apostasy to the test when reading select passages relevant to the topic of apostasy. The results speak for themselves.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. [proving that he was never in Christ to begin with, making it impossible to 'remain' in Him or be 'cut off' from Him] Jn. 15:3-6

The following link is to an article by James M. Leonard, "Arminian Baptist," who argues from the overall text of Hebrews for the actual possibility of believers leaving their faith.

http://jmleonardfamily.googlepages.com/eternalsecurityandexegeticaloverv...

For the rest of the series, see 5/6/2008-5/9/288, 5/12/2008-5/16/2008, 6/16/2008, 7/23/2008

Having examined the primary passages that teach apostasy we now examine the passages that the advocates of unconditional eternal security believe clearly support their doctrine:

John 10:27-29

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”

Mr. Hamilton discusses whether a believer can accidentally commit the unpardonable sin.
Please click on the attachment to view "Can a Person Accidentally Commit the Unpardonable Sin?"

In this article Mr. Hamilton reexamines this controversial verse to discover whether a person can regain his salvation after losing it.

Please click on the attachment to view Robert Hamilton's "Does Hebrews 6:6 Teach that Apostasy is Without Remedy?"

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. -Hebrews 10:22-23

Let's take a look at some of the different views on the possibility of losing salvation. Before looking at each view it helpful to note how we answer the following two questions:

1) How is Salvation "gained"? By works, by faith, or by decree?
2) How is Salvation "kept"?, By works, by faith, or by decree?

I'm going to propose 5 common views, that come about through the way we answer these two questions.