Damnable Heresy In The 2008 'Pilgrim's Progress' Movie

2nd Corinthians 11:3, “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

One of my favorite religious films is Pilgrim's Progress, which was released in 2008. You can watch the full movie (while it is still available) on the Internet Archive website. I just purchased another copy (I gave my old one away at church) from Amazon.

Watch The Full 2008 Film: 'PILGRIM'S PROGRESS"
(You can click on the two arrows for full screen)

The movie is based upon John Bunyan's (1628-1688) classic book of the same titled: Pilgrim's Progress. John Bunyan was actually incarcerated in prison for 12-years (his offense was preaching the Gospel in public), when he wrote his book. John didn't have any paper, so he wrote his book on the back of milk bottle lids. Amazing! I love John Bunyan!!!

A Damnable Error In The 'Pilgrim's Progress' Film

My favorite quote of all quotes is by John Bunyan:
“If you do not put a difference between justification wrought by the man Christ without and sanctification wrought by the Spirit of Christ within, you are not able to divide the Word aright; but contrariwise, you corrupt the Word of God, and cast stumbling blocks before the people.” —Evangelist John Bunyan
Yes, Bravo John, that was very well said! In this tremendous quote, we can plainly see that John fully understood the Gospel of free grace. John Bunyan understood that discipleship has nothing to do with sonship. He understood that service is something entirely different and separate from salvation. He also understood the grace importance of keeping these two things separate at all cost, lest the inspired Word of God be corrupted and stumbling stones cast before the people. I love this quote and am so thankful for John Bunyan, who five centuries ago exposed the Devil's lie of Lordship Salvation in his own generation.

The writers who made the 2008 version of John Bunyan's book changed some things, horribly altering Bunyan's theology to insert their own perverse neo-evangelical agenda. As I watched the movie, I immediately noticed a serious discrepancy that stood out boldly to me, when Christian ate dinner at the home of Prudence, Charity and Piety. The following is an excerpt of their conversation around the dinner table, comparing the movie transcript with the book text...

Here is the movie script...
Prudence. Why did you become a pilgrim?

Christian. To find a way for me and my family to escape the fires to come.

Charity. Is that the only reason that you seek the celestial city? To escape the fires of Hell?

Christian. I wanted to see Him alive, who died for the sins of the world. I needed to get rid of the evil inside of me, and I wanted to live forever in the company of those that sang holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty.

Here is the book text... 

Prudence. And what makes you so desirous to go to Mount Zion?
Christian. Why, there I hope to see Him alive that did hang dead on the cross; and there I hope to be rid of all these things that to this day are in me an annoyance to me. There, they say, there is no death; and there I shall dwell with such company as I like best. For, to tell you the truth, I love Him because I was by Him eased of my burden; and I am weary of my inward sickness. I would fain be where I shall die no more, and with the company that shall continually cry, "Holy, holy, holy!"
Do you see how the neo-evangelical writers of the 2008 film, Pilgrim's Progress, deceptively changed the conversation from that of Prudence asking why Christian wanted to go to Heaven, to that of why Christian wanted to be saved? In the book Prudence simply wants to know why Christian is desirous to go to Mount Zion (Heaven); but in the movie Prudence is challenging Christian's motive for coming to Christ, clearly implying that a person cannot be saved if your only motive is to escape burning in Hell. I hope you see the subtle attack on the Gospel in the movie.

May I say, it is a perfectly valid reason to be saved to avoid spending eternity burning in the fires of Hell. That is why I got saved at age 13, I was afraid of going to Hell. Please don't miss this truth. In the movie's script, the viewer is led to think that coming to Christ to escape burning in Hell is not an acceptable motive. But it sure is dear friend. In fact, if a lot more preachers would start warning lost sinners of the horrifying wrath and judgment of God upon all Christ-rejecters in Hell, fire and damnation, more people would get saved. Fear is a great motivator, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. What saith the Scripture? ...
Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Proverbs 15:16, “Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.
Proverb:16:6, “By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
The fear of God is a good thing, and we need a lot more of it in this characterless wicked generation.

I heard Pastor Jack Hyles say in a sermon, that one day his mother and father were arguing in the house. So little 11-year-old 'Jackie Boy Hyles' (as he often called himself) was out in the backyard, and there and then he believed on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved. Brother Hyles said that his motivation to get saved was simply that he feared burning in the fires of Hell. That is a perfectly good and proper reason to get saved. The honest truth friend is that it matters not what your motivation may be for getting saved, God honors the least amount of faith in His only begotten Son, Jesus.

I need to warn you dear reader about the neo-evangelical movement in America, which has existed for the past century. They are sometimes called: “new-evangelicals.” This ungodly liberal theological group preaches another gospel commonly known as “Lordship Salvation.” Bob Jones University (BJU) are neo-evangelicals. In the decades following Dr. Bob Jones Sr.'s graduation from this life to Heaven in 1968, the college sadly turned neo-evangelical. Dr. John MacArthur is one of their alumni.  If you know anything about Dr. MacArthur, he is a devout 5-point Calvinist and considered to be the godfather of Lordship Salvation in our generation.

It is clear to me that unsaved neo-evangelicals made this 2008 movie, Pilgrim's Progress. They mean well, they really do. But as we all know, the road to Hell is often paved with good intentions. Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Unfortunately, neo-evangelicals have been misled by the Devil to believe a distorted gospel. Satan's greatest weapon is to con people to live the Christian life without ever being born-again. That is what the Pilgrim's Progress movie is suggesting when they confuse and combine sanctification with justification; failing to put a difference between service versus salvation, between discipleship (which is our obedience to follow Christ as His sheep) versus sonship (which is by faith alone). If you get these two things confused, you will end up burning in the everlasting Lake of Fire. Discipleship plus partial faith in Christ cannot produce the new birth; you must wholly lean on Jesus' name.

We have a biblical example of an unfortunate group of religious people who followed Jesus devoutly. They preached (prophesied) in Jesus' name. Yet, Jesus denied knowing them. ...
Matthew 7:21-23, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
There's the Devil's Lordship Salvation right there! They cried, “Lord, Lord,” but they had never simply rested in Jesus as their Savior. You don't get to Heaven by following Christ as your Lord; you get to Heaven by trusting in Him alone as your personal Savior. Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into living the Christian life without ever being born-again. Have you been born anew by the Holy Spirit of God (John 1:12-13), by faith in the incorruptible seed of God's Word (i.e., the Gospel)? BELIEVE the Good News of Christ crucified, buried and risen the third day (1st Corinthians 15:1-4), Oh sinner, and you will instantly be saved forever!!!

Here again is the movie script, which teaches the damnable heresy of Lordship Salvation...
Prudence. Why did you become a pilgrim?

Christian. To find a way for me and my family to escape the fires to come.

Charity. Is that the only reason that you seek the celestial city? To escape the fires of Hell?

Christian. I wanted to see Him alive, who died for the sins of the world. I needed to get rid of the evil inside of me, and I wanted to live forever in the company of those that sang holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty.

The false teaching in the movie misleads the viewer to think that more than childlike faith is required to get to Heaven. In addition, the movie clearly implies that you must have a desire to turn away from your evil ways to get to Heaven, which is a counterfeit gospel. ...

Christian. I wanted to see Him alive, who died for the sins of the world. I needed to get rid of the evil inside of me, and I wanted to live forever in the company of those that sang holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty.

I want to make it very clear dear reader, that you DON'T have to have this type of holy-minded attitude to be saved. I am sick and tired of the wrong repentance being preached in 85% of Baptist churches today, which says that if you haven't turned away from a lifestyle of sinning, you've never repented of your sins and are not saved.

Please hear me out in this important matter friend. If you do some homework and search the web for what the cults believe and teach regarding repentance, you will discover that they ALL errantly teach you must turn away from sinful behavior to be saved. For example: Look at what the Mormon's teach on their official website:
“Repentance is one of the first principles of the gospel and is essential to our temporal and eternal happiness. It is much more than just acknowledging wrongdoings. It is a change of mind and heart that gives us a fresh view about God, about ourselves, and about the world. It includes turning away from sin and turning to God for forgiveness. It is motivated by love for God and the sincere desire to obey His commandments.” [emphasis added]

SOURCE: The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints - Repentance
That is 100% Lordship Salvation! That is exactly what Harvest Baptist Church on Guam and Bob Jones University (BJU) are sinfully preaching these days, for which God's curse is upon them! Galatians 1:8, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Pastor Marty Herron is cursed! Pastor Gary Walton is cursed! BJU is cursed! Pacific Garden Mission and their 'UNSHACKLED' are cursed! Pastor John MacArthur is cursed, to whom Moody Bible Institute, BJU and the Bob Jones' crowd all bid Godspeed, making them partaker of his Calvinist counterfeit gospel! These men are devils in the pulpit today!!! The Mormon website further heretically states concerning repentance:
“Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, our Father in Heaven has provided the only way for us to be forgiven of our sins. Jesus Christ suffered the penalty for our sins so we can be forgiven if we sincerely repent. As we repent and rely on His saving grace, we will be cleansed from sin.” [emphasis added]

SOURCE: The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints - Repentance
I couldn't show you a clearer example of the heresy of partial faith in Christ, plus works. Nowhere does the Bible teach that we must repent of our sins, and continuing repenting of our sins as a lifestyle, to be saved. Evangelist Ray Comfort teaches this nightmare theology, that you must continuing repenting of your sins your whole life to be saved. Getting saved is not a process, it is a new birth! You don't get cleansed of sin as you make an effort to turn from them, and rely on Jesus' saving grace while you are doing it. This is a counterfeit gospel based upon works, and not faith alone. Do you see friend how evil Lordship Salvation is? It is a false Gospel that adds to faith. Whereas the Bible simply teaches to “believe” to be saved, proponents of Lordship Salvation require that you make an effort to turn from your sins, and then secondly trust Christ. That is NOT the Gospel which the King James Bible teaches!

Also, in the film Pilgrim's Progress, as Christian and Hopeful re walking along engaged in conversation, Hopeful says that a person must have a relationship to get to Heaven. I like how Christian author Michael P. Bowen refutes the heresy of “having a relationship with Jesus” to be saved:
Salvation, according to Joel Osteen, consists of having a “relationship” with Jesus Christ. In order to have a relationship with Jesus Christ, Osteen says we must 1) repent of sins, 2) ask Jesus into our hearts, 3) ask Him to wash us clean, and 4) “make Him” our Lord and savior. 
Now, according to the bible, this is not how to go to heaven. What this is, however, is a blueprint for discipleship. More accurately, what we really need is a “savior.” When you become born again through faith alone in Christ, you are automatically in a “relationship” with Jesus Christ the very instant you trust in what He did for you by His death, burial and resurrection from the dead. To say that we need a relationship with Christ is not an accurate statement. We need salvation in order to escape the wrath of God, not a “relationship.” Osteen preaches our need for a discipleship-based relationship with Christ. Salvation is vastly different from discipleship in that discipleship requires hard work whereas salvation requires only your trust in the promise of everlasting life that Christ extends to all of us by His grace. Quite literally, Jesus saves you the instant you trust in what He did for you. Salvation is not what you do for God. Salvation is what God did for you and nothing of yourself (works) enters into the contract (Ephesians 2:8-9).

SOURCE: Michael P. Bowen, “I Never Knew You,” pp. 22-23
Well said! You don't get saved by starting a relationship with Jesus. Did not Judas Iscariot, one of Christ's very apostles, have a relationship with Jesus? Yes, he most certainly did. Sadly, Judas died in his unbelief and sins, plunging into the depths of Hell the moment he hung himself from a tree and died. That is so tragic and sad. God is not willing that any man perish, not even Judas (2nd Peter 3:9).

The True Gospel

Dear reader, please beware of any preacher of church layman who tells you that you must turn away from your sinful ways to be saved, because that is self-righteousness and not the imputed righteousness of God, which is through faith in Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:9, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” The only way that any lost sinner will ever get born-again, so that he or she can go to Heaven, is by faith in the GOSPEL (i.e., the GOOD NEWS) of Jesus Christ crucified, buried and bodily resurrected three days later. What saith the Scripture? ...
1st Corinthians 15:1-4, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Anyone who comes to God as a guilty sinner, receiving Christ's sacrifice upon the cross as payment for their sins, is immediately, irrevocably and permanently saved. The following is one of my favorite scenes from the Pilgrim's Progress movie. Evangelist Billy Sunday (1862-1935) made this tremendous statement:
A man can slip into Hell with his hand on the doorknob of heaven. —Billy Sunday
Pilgrim's Progress: Journey To Heaven;
Thrown Into Hell From Heaven's Gate

Beware Of Pastor Marty Herron's Counterfeit Gospel

Galatians 1:6-8, I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Jonah 3:10, And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

Jonah 3:10 forever settles the matter of whether or not turning away from one's evil ways is a WORK. We know from Jonah 3:10 that turning away from sin is indeed “WORKS.” Yet, sadly in 80% of Baptist churches today you will hear this heresy taught, that to get to Heaven you must repent “of your sins” or “turn from your past sinful ways.” None of these things are mentioned in the inspired Holy Scriptures!

Part of man's inherent sinful nature is to add works to faith. It is our human natural tendency to want to have a part in our own salvation. This is why Adam sewed fig leaves together in an attempt to deal with his sins, and that of his wife Eve. But God rejected Adam's fig-leaf religion, that is, Adam's WORKS. This is also why Cain, the elder son of Adam and Eve, offered up to God a sacrifice of crops from his farming fields. God rejected Cain's offering, because Cain as attempting to atone for his sins by his own WORKS.

Dear reader, don't you believe THE LIES of corrupt pastors like Marty Herron. Who is Marty Herron? He's a shameful Bob Jones University graduate who was hired as the senior pastor of the ungodly Harvest Baptist Church on Guam, from 1999 to when he quit in 2018. Today, Mr. Herron is the executive vice president of Faith Baptist Bible College And Theological Seminary (or, Cemetery as I call it) in Ankeny, Iowa. Between Marty and his wife, they take in over $200,000 a year in money, parasiting off of Christendom. The Faith Baptist Bible College And Theological Seminary is a deeper-life, spiritual dead, neo-evangelical cult in Iowa.

At Faith Baptist Bible College And Theological Seminary, they preach the Devil's lie of Lordship Salvation (the same as Dr. John MacArthur does). They use, sell and promote the Devil's corruptible seed, that is, the Westcott and Hort perversions of God's Word, which damns men's souls to Hell with a false gospel.
“I maintain that anything short of truth is a lie. But I also maintain that anything beyond truth is a lie. If you tell a man he can be saved, without believing on Christ, you've come short of the truth; but if you go beyond the truth and tell a man he's saved by believing plus being baptized, plus keeping the Ten Commandments, plus enduring to the end, you've gone beyond truth. I say we ought to stick with what the Bible says, even if it doesn't coincide with what we've always thought it meant.” —Dr. Curtis Hutson, “The Determining Factor In Salvation”
Marty Herron ruined Harvest Baptist Church on Guam. I say that kindly, respectfully, but truthfully. God knows that in my heart I love Pastor Herron. At one time I considered him my friend. That was until I befriended him back with THE TRUTH. At first, when I attended Harvest Baptist Church for one year in 2013 to 2014, I considered Herron my friend. He used to leave the pulpit before church to come shake my hand. Marty made me feel like a U.S. president. Over a few months the man won my heart and respect. I loved Pastor Herron and still do, and I pray for him, that God will open his eyes. Honestly, Pastor Herron owes me a profound sincere apology for shunning me away for sharing THE TRUTH with him.

Sadly, the nurse whom I loved (and still do) married another man, all because Pastor Herron shunned me away, refusing to allow me to come back to Harvest Baptist Church. In hindsight, I was blinded by my love for Kristen, and I never should have even tried to go back. God's judgment and anger are upon Marty Herron, who ruined my life because he was too wicked and cowardly to heed THE TRUTH that I literally placed into his incompetent hands as a pastor.

Unfortunately, I befriended him back, for which I was driven out of church and banned from returning. I had suffered through an ugly and expensive divorce in 2006. By 2013 I still hadn't recovered, still tired, weary and confused what to do next with my life. On one Sunday evening after church I kindly approached Pastor Herron. I cried as I told him about my broken life. There were about two dozen church members still vacating the building after church. I'll never forget what Pastor Herron did and said to me. He gently placed his hand upon my shoulder and prayed for me. He quoted a portion from Habakkuk 3:2b, “in wrath remember mercy.” Pastor Herron said: “You deserve wrath, but God has shown you mercy.” I will always appreciate that brief moment of compassion from him.

As the months passed, I attended a 6-week class in the pastor's office for new church members called: “Foundations Class.” I attended every meeting. My heart was at Harvest Baptist Church on Guam. I fell in love with their single nurse. I finally had a church family after several years of loneliness. But like Samson in the Old Testament whose hair grew back, and his strength; so also as time passed, did I regained my spiritual strength as a child of God. I saw that Harvest was using dozens of conflicting Bible versions. I heard the Devil's lie of Lordship Salvation being preached from the pulpit. I witnessed to several staff members and learned that they were religious, but not born-again, all believing in partial faith in Christ plus something more (which is another gospel, not the true Gospel of free grace).

One Sunday morning I heard Pastor Herron give an invitation at the end of his sermon. He said, verbatim: “It is not enough to admit you are a sinner to go to Heaven, you must forsake a lifestyle of sinning.” That is 100% WORKS, not God's free grace. I knew right then that Marty Herron is not saved; he is a false teacher! No one is saved who thinks that personal self-righteousness is necessary to get to Heaven. Either you are trusting Christ and what HE DID to pay for your sins through Calvary's cross and the blood that He shed; or else you are trusting in making an attempt to turn away from your sinning, plus partial faith in Christ.

As an example of this latter heresy, please read the following heretical words from Evangelist Ray Comfort:
“So if the plane goes down, you'd end up in Hell! There are two things you have to do to be saved. Do you remember what they are? I told you what they are—You've got to repent and trust the Savior! ... God's offering you everlasting life upon your repentance and faith in Christ. Who in his right mind wouldn't say, 'Whoa! That's a good offer!' (The curious woman asks what it means to “repent”?)... Have you ever said you're sorry to someone you did something wrong to? That's all repentance is—You've sinned against God; it's a matter of saying, 'God, I'm sorry,' and then LIVING A LIFESTYLE that proves the reality of your repentance. That's what repentance is, it's a continual thing! God, 'I'm sorry, but I'm not going going to lie or steal or blaspheme Your name ever again. It has that attitude! And the second thing—trust in Jesus!” [emphasis added]

SOURCE: Evangelist Ray Comfort, “I've never killed anyone” (MP3 clip from video)
f 1st John 3:18, “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” When I attended Harvest Baptist Church on Guam, I often listened to their local KHMG 88.1 FM radio station. One day I heard Evangelist Tom Ferrell say: “A friend helps a friend to see.” What hypocrites! When I tried to help Marty Herron and the other incompetent pastors at Harvest, see THE TRUTH that Lordship Salvation is a counterfeit plan of salvation, they forced me out of their church and forbade me from returning. That is how they treat a friend, and a truth-teller I might add, who loved them enough to tell them THE TRUTH, but they rejected it.

Notice carefully that the Bible says God's people weren't merely destroyed for a lack of knowledge; but rather, because THEY REJECTED KNOWLEDGE!!! Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. The people wickedly chose to knowingly REJECT the knowledge of God, that is, THE TRUTH. They rejected the very truth that would have set them free!!!

I am the best friend Marty Herron and the Harvest Baptist Church ever had. And yet they threw me under the bus, just as Pensacola Christian College has also thrown me under the bus. Harvest's KHMG radio station lists Pastor Jeff Redlin's name on their webpage. They play Jeff Redlin's sermons on their radio station. These people at Harvest are Bob Jones University alumni who preach hardcore Lordship Salvation. The sad truth is that making money is their only true passion. These are religious parasites who opportunistically seek employment wherever the work may lead. So it doesn't matter to them whether it is a free grace Gospel, or Lordship Salvation, or the demand that a person forsake a lifestyle of sinning to be saved—anything goes for money's sake!!!

But when a guy like me comes along—A TRUTH-TELLER—who refutes and exposes the Devil's lies of Lordship Salvation, Calvinism, the repentance from sins heresy, and the Devil's corrupted modern Bible revisions—they cast me out as the bad guy, making me their enemy. Galatians 4:16-17, “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.” Yes, Paul, you and I are the enemies of corrupt churches, because we TELL THEM THE TRUTH. Woe unto Marty Herron! Woe unto Jared Baldwin! Woe unto Joe Hensen! Woe unto Gary Walton! Woe unto Jeff Redlin! Woe unto Timothy Zacharias! These are all the names of ungodly opportunistic, money-grubbing, false teachers; and ungodly supporters of false teachers for filthy lucre's sake!!!

In July of 2021, Jeff Redlin and company at PCC wickedly falsely accused me of “finding weaknesses in preachers”; but THE TRUTH is that I expose the Devil's false prophets, bad preachers, who preach the Devil's lie of Lordship Salvation. PCC sadly does NOT contend for the faith at all. They are so busy bringing in tens of millions of dollars into their cult, merely playing church 3 times a week (arranging deck chairs as the Titanic ship sinks to the bottom of the ocean).

PCC puts forth a superficial image to the public, that they are a benevolent institution of Christian people; but in reality they are a covetous group of hateful hypocrites who bully people. I humbly know that God is so disgusted with the PCC camp. God knows that all I requested was to come back to Campus Church in 2022, but they told me to go away. Pastor Jeff Redlin put it in writing that I am forbidden to attend Campus Church, so you better know that I am going to give them a bad review. I am still willing to reconcile with the PCC family, if they ever humble themselves to love and welcome back a hurting brother.

All of this mess started with Pastor Marty Herron's refusal to heed THE TRUTH that I gave him in 2014. And then for the next several years that I lived on Guam, I had no church family because Pastor Herron refused to allow me to come back to church. The nurse at Harvest whom I KNOW would have gladly married me was coerced by Herron to get rid of me, and she wrote me a horrible mean letter. I know as sure as I am a child of God that Lordship Salvation is WRONG!

I have paid a dear price—losing my church family, losing friends at church, losing Kristen as my wife; and suffering years of utter loneliness and mistreatment, being shunned by people in the community who attended Harvest—all because Marty Herron hated me for TELLING HIM THE TRUTH. If I am right, Mr. Herron is going to Hell forever! I sad that with sadness because I do not want anybody to perish into Hell. Marty Herron, Steve Pettit, Chuck Phelps, John MacArthur, Paul Washer, Ray Comfort—all damnable heretics!!!

Telling THE TRUTH will cost you! Living godly in Christ Jesus includes telling the truth, right doctrine. Proverbs 12:17, “He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.

“A man does not have to abide in Christ to be saved. He must trust Christ, believe that He died to pay his sin debt and by faith receive Him as Saviour. Salvation is a free gift of God.” —Dr. Curtis Hutson

Eight Gospel Absurdities If A Born-Again Soul Ever Loses Salvation

John 10:26-29, “But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.”

One of my favorite historical preachers is Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980). I love Brother Rice, who was 31 years older than my hero of the Christian faith, Dr. Jack Hyles (1926-2001). God used these two dear great soulwinning men of God to lead millions of lost sinners to the saving knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Having said that, both of these preachers were flawed, just as I am flawed, and every other preacher who has ever lived was flawed. If you think there are any perfect preachers, I am worried about you dear friend. Only cults idolize imperfect men as being above error. Dr. John R. Rice didn't always choose his words wisely. For example: In his booklet titled, “Eight Gospel Absurdities,” on page 3 he uses the phrase “When one has truly repented of his sins.” You cannot find this phrase anywhere in the inspired King James Bible. Why use language and terms that the Bible does not? For that very reason I do not like theology. Theology uses a bunch of manmade terms and concepts in an attempt to dissect and explain God's Word. I prefer to let the Holy Bible speak for itself, rightly dividing the truth by “comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (1st Corinthians 2:13b).

Only the inspired Word of God is without error or corruption, which is why I make such a big fuss in my preaching in defense of the inspiration of the King James Bible. If we do not have a perfectly inspired Bible today, that is without error and corruption, then we do not have the truth and God lied to us in Psalms 12:6-7, The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. What did God promise to preserve forever? It was His pure Words! Sadly, every modern Bible revisions butchers' this Bible passage to remove God's promise. Instead of His pure words, the modern revisions errantly say that God protects His saints. The reason why should be obvious, because wicked men today no longer believe that we have a perfectly inspired Bible today. They had to remove this promise of God to justify publishing hundreds of conflicting Bible versions.

Having said that, with a copy of Dr. Rice's booklet “Eight Gospel Absurdities” in front of me as a guide, I am going to write a compendium focusing on the major points, for your edification dear reader. Dr. Rice wrote this little booklet in defense of the great Bible doctrine of Eternal Security, which is in fact the same doctrine as Eternal Life. Please do not make the common mistake of separating these two great doctrines, for they are one and the same! That is to say, the man who has Eternal Life also has Eternal Security. They are effectively the same thing! If saved, always saved; or as most Christians like to say: ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED (OSAS). If you have Jesus as your personal Savior, then you have eternal life, because Jesus is Eternal Life the Bible says. 1st John 5:20, “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”

Can a Child of God Lose His Salvation?

Helpful quotes by Dr. John R. Rice

Eight Gospel Absurdities
If a Born-Again Soul Ever Loses Salvation

On pages 3, 4 and 5 Dr. Rice states:
Here are eight Gospel absurdities that would follow if a saved person should become lost or go to Hell. We entreat you to check them carefully, check up the Scriptures for yourself, and see how untrue to the Scripture is the doctrine that souls may be lost after they are saved, that born-again Christians, children of God, may lose salvation and go to Hell.
1. Then Salvation Would Be of Works and Not of Grace 
There is no doubt that many devout Christian people who believe that a child of God can become lost again mean to believe the Bible doctrine of salvation by grace. They will be shocked when I say that they are really teaching salvation by works and not of grace. But careful study will show that that is certainly true. If a saved person can be lost again, then it is because he failed in his works. If he does not become lost, then it is because of his good works. Thus all who are saved are really saved by their own works, if the Arminian doctrine is true.
...Those who oppose the plain Bible doctrine of eternal security by simple faith in Christ, that Christ keeps His own by grace when He saved them, very frankly admit that they believe all Christians are on probation, that they are not really saved yet in any real sense. And tens of thousands of such people regularly pray, “And save us at last in Heaven,” because they do not believe in any real and definite and secure salvation here and now, obtained by the marvellous grace of God. Actually, they believe in salvation by works, not in salvation by grace.
Can a saved person ever be lost? That depends on who does the saving. If God does the saving, then of course if God fails the salvation is lost. If God is faithful and does what He promises, then one who trusts in Him will not become lost. But if man does his own saving by his good works, then when man quits working he is lost. And if he does “hold out faithful,” if he does “endure to the end,” and if he does “go through with God,” then of course his salvation is by human works and not by God's unmerited grace.
SOURCE: Dr. John R. Rice, Eight Gospel Absurdities, pp. 3, 4 and 5; ©1946, Sword of the Lord Publishers
Another Gospel absurdity if eternal life can ever be lost is...
II. The Doctrine of the Blood Atonement and Substitutionary Death of Christ Would Be Untrue If a Saved Person Loses His Salvation
The Bible doctrine of the atonement is that the blood of Jesus Christ, shed when He was crucified, paid for the sins of the whole world. First Peter 1:19 tells us that we are redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Paul in Acts 20:28 commanded the elders at Ephesus to take heed “to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” The church, according to the Scripture, is bought with the blood of Christ. And speaking about Christians who sin, I John 2, 1,2 says, “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
There we have a clear Bible doctrine: Jesus died, and with His blood He made propitiation for the sins of the whole world. Anyone who will accept that payment finds his sins all atoned for, all paid for. God does not mean that just the sins up until the time of salvation are paid for, but all of the sins which one commits. Christ died once and settled the sin question once and forever for those who believe. Hebrews 10:12-14 said about Jesus as our High Priest: 
“But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 
One offering of Christ paid for all the sins of the past, all the sins of the present, all the sins of the future. 
But this is not the teaching of those who believe that a saved person can be lost again. If a man is lost for lack of labor, lack of faithfulness after he is saved, then actually he goes to Hell to pay for his own sins. Surely it is clear that for a man to pay for his own sins is not the same as having them paid for by the Lord Jesus. If a Christian gets to Heaven only by living right, then he does not get there by the atoning blood of Christ. If he loses his salvation because of his sin, then of course he is not saved by the blood. If the blood cannot pay for sinners, it cannot pay for ANYBODY. 
The Bible doctrine of substitution is akin to the doctrine of blood atonement, By substitution we mean that Christ took the sinner's place. That is expressed in Isaiah 53:6:  
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Christ on the cross was treated like a common, guilty, Hell-deserving criminal. He died as the most wicked sinner in the world. Actually He died just as you and I ought to die. He took the punishment and suffering we deserve.
But the doctrine of substitution also teaches that as Christ was counted a sinner for our sakes, so we may be counted righteous for His sake. He took our sins; we take His righteousness. Since Christ died for us, we are already accounted to have died for our sins and to be freed from them. As He died, so are we counted to have died. As He now lives forever, so we are to live. It is one of the clearest doctrines of the Bible that Christ took the sinner's place in His death, and thereby atoned for all the sins of everyone who would believe in Him, and that now the believer in Christ is accounted righteous for Christ's sake. We have Christ's righteousness in the presence of God. 
But this could not be true if one who is saved can become lost again. If a sin of mine can come up against me to damn my soul forever after I have already trusted in the blood of Christ, then it is quite evident that the blood did not really settle all my sins, that Christ did not really and literally take my place, and that people are not saved by the atoning blood and the substitutionary death of Christ. If the blood paid for sin, then they are ALL paid for. If Christ took my place and died for all my sins, past, present and future, then since I have trusted in Him I cannot be condemned and go to Hell for these sins. You can see, then, that if my continued salvation depends upon my good life, it does not depend upon the blood shed by the Lord Jesus and by His substitutionary death.
SOURCE: Dr. John R. Rice, Eight Gospel Absurdities, pp. 6, 7; ©1946, Sword of the Lord Publishers
I would like to clarify something that Dr. Rice keeps mentioning. The word “atonement” is an Old Testament word. In fact, the same Hebrew word used for “atonement” in the Old Testament is used for the “pitch” that Noah used to cover and seal the ark (Genesis 6:4). The word “atonement” is only mentioned once in the New Testament in Romans 5:11, “And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. It is important to know that Jesus' blood does not merely cover our sins; but rather, His precious blood has forever washed our sins away (1st John 1:7). When the Bible says that we have received the atonement through Christ, it simply means that Christ's blood sacrifice was the ultimate payment, once and for all made, not merely with the blood of goats and bulls, but with the precious blood of the Lamb of God.

In the Old Testament, the yearly sacrifices made by the high priest could never wash away the sins of the people. The Bible is very clear on this in Hebrews 10:4, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.Every year the high priest would kill a male lamb without spot nor blemish (which symbolized the sinless Son of God), and then take that blood into the holy place to sprinkle on the mercy seat in the presence of God; but when Jesus entered by His own blood into the heavenly Tabernacle, to sprinkle His literal liquid blood upon the Mercy Seat, it was a one time event. Hebrews 9:12, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Jesus' blood once and for all washed away our sins, making an eternal and permanent atonement. It is beyond the scope of this blog, but this is why the Roman Catholic crucifix and Mass are unbiblical. Jesus is not still on the cross. In the Catholic Mass (aka, Eucharist) they actually believe that the participants are eating Jesus' body, an exclusive Catholic false doctrine called: Transubstantiation

Another Gospel absurdity if eternal life can ever be lost is...
III. If a Saved Person Can Lose Salvation, Then Saved Persons Are Not Justified, as the Bible Teaches.
The Bible speaks often of justification. In Romans 3:9-18 we learn that there are none good, and none do good; that all are sinners alike. But Romans 3:24-28 tells us of sinners:
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. 
According to this Bible teaching on justification, men are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Justification is free; it does not cost anything. 
Because Christ died, we are told, God can save a sinner and still be just while He justifies one who trusts in Jesus (verse 26). This kind of justification forbids boasting. No one can depend on getting to Heaven by “holding out faithful” or by living a good life or by “going through with God.” And then verse 28 declares, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” People are saved and justified by faith, without doing the righteous things commanded in the Ten Commandments.
What does justification mean? It means not only that the sinner is forgiven, but more than that; it means that after the sinner is forgiven, he is restored to God's favor as if he were perfectly just, that is, as if he had never sinned. In other words, he is counted righteous  or just, and is made just in God's sight. So God looks on a sinner not only as a forgiven sinner, but rather as a man with no sin ever charged against him. A justified person in God's sight is as if he had never sinned when it comes to the matter of getting to Heaven and having salvation. This justification is clearly given to all those who believe in Christ. 
Remember, that the penitent publican prayed in the temple, “God be merciful to me a sinner,” then he, “went down to his house justified,” that is, counted no longer a sinner (Luke 18:13, 14). In Acts 13:38, 39 Paul and Barnabas preached,  
“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
We see that one is justified from all things as soon as he puts his trust in Christ. 
...But if a saved person loses his salvation, it is clear that this whole doctrine of justification would be false. How could a man go to Hell who was perfectly just in God's sight? That is impossible! How could a man go to Hell without sin being imputed or charged up against him? That is impossible! So the doctrine that a saved person, one who is born again, a child of God, can fall away so far as to lose his salvation and be lost forever clearly contradicts the Bible doctrine of justification. Both cannot be true.
SOURCE: Dr. John R. Rice, Eight Gospel Absurdities, pp. 7, 8, 9 and 10; ©1946, Sword of the Lord Publishers
Another Gospel absurdity if eternal life can ever be lost is...
IV. If a Saved Person Ever Loses Salvation Then Christ's High-Priestly Intercessory Prayers Are of No Avail
The Bible teaches us that Christ is now our High Priest. Hebrews 10:21, 22 tells us:  
And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 
And Hebrews 9:24 says,
“For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:” 
These Scriptures make it clear that Christ's work for sinners was not done when He died. After we have put our trust in Christ, then Christ remains always at the right hand of God to take our part, to intercede for us, to represent us in Heaven. 
Romans 5:9, 10 says,
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 
You see, we are already justified by the blood of Christ. The death of Christ took care of all of our sins. And now we are kept, not by our own lives, but “by his life.” 
A Christian should hold fast to his profession. Even when Satan traps him and he falls into sin, he should not throw away his hope. Why? Hebrews 4:14-16,
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” 
Jesus knows all our temptations. He is our High Priest, is now in the Heavens, taking our place. Oh, “let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”! 
...But if a saved person ever falls away and loses salvation and goes to Hell, then all the high-priestly prayers of Christ are of no avail; the prayer of Jesus in John, chapter 17, was not heard. It does no good that He ever lives to make intercession for us according to the will of God. It does no good that “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous—that is, I say, it does no good if a saved soul can be lost after he had been born again by faith in Christ. 
Do you not see that the Bible doctrine of the high-priestly work of Christ is interceding for His own clearly contradicts the foolish thought that a child of God can be lost again? The two doctrines cannot go together. 
SOURCE: Dr. John R. Rice, Eight Gospel Absurdities, pp. 10, 11, 12 and 13; ©1946, Sword of the Lord Publishers
Another Gospel absurdity if eternal life can ever be lost is...
V. If a Saved Person Can Be Lost Then God's Own Child Would Be in Hell
The Bible doctrine of salvation as a new birth is very definite and clear. Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God,” and “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God,” and again, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:3, 5, 7). No one can ever be saved, said Jesus, without being born again. 
This new birth was discussed in John 1:12, 13 as follows: 
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
...Now if a born-again person goes to Hell, God's nature goes to Hell in him, and then we would have people really born of God, still God's children, still with God's nature, in Hell! How absurd and impossible that is! But if a born-again child of God can lose salvation and be lost forever, that would be what would happen; God's own children, with God's nature within them, God's seed in them that could not sin, would be in Hell! 
You see that the doctrine of the new birth and the teaching that a child of God can lose salvation cannot be reconciled. The two doctrines do not fit together. One or the other is false.
SOURCE: Dr. John R. Rice, Eight Gospel Absurdities, pp. 13 and 14; ©1946, Sword of the Lord Publishers
Another Gospel absurdity if eternal life can ever be lost is...
VI. If a Saved Person Can Ever Lose Salvation Then Many Promises of the Bible Do Not Mean What They Say or Are Untrue
The Bible has so many promises so definite and clear that if they mean what they say, and if they are true, they prove a child of God can never lose salvation. Will you study some of these promises carefully, and answer in your own heart whether or not they mean what they say, and then whether or not they are true? 
1. John 5:24:  
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” 
Here we are told that one who hears the Word of Christ and depends on or trusts in the Father who sent Jesus to save sinners, already has everlasting life “and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.” Notice we are not told that the believer in Christ will one day in Heaven have everlasting life. No, he has it already! The promise is as clear as can be that this one who has trusted in Christ shall never come into condemnation. He is already passed out of death into life. How could that be true if one loses his salvation? Anyone who had trusted in Christ and been born again, then, if he should be lost and go to Hell, would have a right to look God in the face and tell Him that His Word could not be trusted. Either God did not mean what He said or He did not keep His promises. 
2. John 10:27-29:  
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.
Those who are really Christ's sheep hear His voice. He knows them and they follow Him. Christ's sheep do not follow Him perfectly, but there is something in the heart of every born again person that loves God and hates sin and wants to do right; something that follows Jesus. Now about these sheep Jesus says, “And I give unto them eternal life.” Christians do not buy life, they do not work for it, they are not on probation for it; Jesus simply, freely, gives His sheep eternal life! But is it life eternal that only lasts one year or ten years or ten minutes or until sin comes in? Certainly not! Eternal life lasts forever. 

...Now if the Word of God is true, if Christ meant what He said, and if His words can be relied upon, then not a single sheep of His will ever be taken out of His hands by the Devil or sin. 

Someone says, “Well, Brother Rice, maybe he can take himself out of the hands of Christ and God.” No; Jesus plainly said, “Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” You cannot even pluck yourself out of the hand of Christ. And who ever heard of anyone who wanted to? I have known Christians to fall into terrible sin as Peter did, as Lot did, as David did,. But neither Peter, nor David, nor Lot, nor any weak and failing and sinning Christian I ever knew really wanted to be taken out of the hand of Christ and wanted his soul lost. That is a silly thought.  
So you see that if a saved person ever goes to Hell it proves the promises of Christ and God in the Bible do not mean what they say, or they are not true,
3. Romans 8:33-39:  
“33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36. As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Here God's Word plainly promises that God has justified His own elect and no one will be able to lay anything to their charge (verse 33). He says that no one can condemn a Christian since Christ has died for him and is even now living and at the right hand of God making intercession for us (verse 34). 

And then there is that marvellous promise of verses 39 and 39 that “neither death, nor life” [not anything living or dead]; that neither “angels, nor principalities, not powers [whether angels of God in Heaven or fallen angels and the principalities and powers of darkness], nor things present, nor things to come [not anything that now exists, not anything that ever will exist in the future], nor height, nor depth [not anything all the way up to Heaven, not anything all the way down to Hell], nor any other creature [not any other thing ever created], SHALL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD, WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD”! 
That Scripture is clearly intended to give full assurance that nothing in all the universe of God—past, present or future—can separate one of God's own, His born-again ones, from His love. If that Scripture is true, if it means what it says, then no child of God can ever be lost. If that should happen it would prove that God's promises are not to be trusted, that the Bible is a lie. But that, we know, is not true. God forbid! 
...Do you know how absurd it is to think that a child of God can be lost, in view of the promises given? If a saved person ever loses his salvation these promises are untrue.
SOURCE: Dr. John R. Rice, Eight Gospel Absurdities, pp. 15, 16, 17 and 18; ©1946, Sword of the Lord Publishers
Another Gospel absurdity if eternal life can ever be lost is...
VII. If a Saved Person Can Ever Be Lost, Can Lose His Salvation After Great Bible Promises, Then Christianity Is No Better Than the False Religions of the World
If salvation is by man's work instead of God's grace, then that is exactly what all the false religions teach. 
If one is saved by living a good life, or partly saved by living a good life, instead of by the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, that is exactly what all the false religions teach. 
Our Catholic friends teach that salvation is through the church, observing the rites and following the rules of the church, doing good deeds. Remember that Catholics believe in the death of Christ. They believe that Jesus died, but they do not believe that His death settled salvation for believers. They put in works of righteousness for people to do in order to make sure of salvation. They believe that one who has been right with God may fall away and be lost. The modernists, wicked unbelievers in Christ and the Bible, say that “Salvation is by character.” Other people say that salvation is by blood, but actually they mean that it is not good for ten minutes unless you earn it, unless you live right, unless you hold out faithful. Actually they mean that a Christian is on probation and cannot be sure he is saved until he gets to Heaven! What is the difference between that doctrine that a child of God can be saved today and lost tomorrow, and the essential doctrines of Catholics or modernists? 
Search out the false religions of the world—the Mormon, the Mohammedan, or other heathen and pagan religions. They may believe in sacrifices, in certain rites and ceremonies; but they are all agreed on one thing—that is that whatever salvation there is to be obtained by living a good life, by one's own righteousness. Don't you see that to say that a child of God can be lost again is to say that his salvation depends upon his works and not upon the blood atonement, not upon the high priesthood of Christ? And to say that salvation depends in any wise upon a person's own righteousness and merits is to put Christianity in the class with all the heathen religions and all the false cults. 
Heathen religions and false cults do not have a Saviour whose blood has forever finished the matter of salvation when shed on Calvary, finished it for all who put their trust in Him. They do not have any salvation wrought by the finished work of Christ. 
Heathen religions and false cults do not know anything of justification—the doctrine that one's sins are all laid on Christ in such a fashion and His righteousness accredited to the sinner in such a way that the Christian cannot be charged with his sins to lose his soul. He can be chastened, he may lose his reward, but he cannot lose his soul. Heathen religions, modernism, Catholics, Mormons, and so-called Christian Scientists know nothing of this Bible doctrine of justification. 
Heathen religions know nothing of the thought of a High Priest in Heaven who is ever there interceding for us, praying for His own, guaranteeing our safety and security. 
These doctrines, I say, are unknown to heathen religions. But when you believe in salvation by human works, or on a salvation that is even partly deserved by human merit, then you put Christianity down on the same low plane with all the false religions. 
But how absurd, how impossible to count Christianity like these heathen and false religions! If a saved person can be lost, then the salvation of a Christian is just like the salvation of a heathen—depending upon his works. We know that that cannot be true.
SOURCE: Dr. John R. Rice, Eight Gospel Absurdities, pp. 18, 19 and 20; ©1946, Sword of the Lord Publishers
And finally dear reader, here is the last Gospel absurdity if eternal life can ever be lost is...
VIII. If One Saved Soul is Ever Lost, Then All Saved People Will Go to Hell Alike, Since All Are Sinners Alike
To the human eye there seems to be a great difference in Christian people. One seems to be most devout and spiritually-minded and pure in heart. Another seems to be very worldly and careless and unworthy. I say it seems that there is a vast difference. 
But actually there is no such difference as there seems to be. The trouble is that “man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). There is a difference in the outward appearance of Christians, but in the heart each one has the same two natures. The casual observer would think that Paul the apostle had no struggle over sin and temptation like other Christians do, but the seventh chapter of Romans tells us, “When I would do good, evil is present with me,” and again, “So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin” (verses 21 and 25). Paul would appear to be the best man in all the New Testament, excepting Jesus Christ, but he plainly says, by divine inspiration, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; OF WHOM I AM CHIEF” (1 Tim. 1:15). 
So then if Paul was still the chief of sinners, then he would have been lost after salvation if anybody was lost. 
It boils down to this. There cannot be any real salvation except on the basis of God's wonderful grace in saving sinners who do not deserve it, saving us on the basis that out faith is counted for righteousness, the basis that all of our sins are laid on Christ and paid for and forgiven forever. 
If Christ does not keep, wholly by grace, those who are His own born-again ones when they do not deserve salvation; if He does not keep Christians who sin and fail, then He does not keep anybody. 
...Now you can see why those who do not believe in the blessed security of born-again Christians use human arguments instead of the Scriptures. With good intentions they quote but misuse a few Scriptures, interpreting them contrary to the intended meaning of the Holy Spirit. 
...They say again and again that for the Christian “life is probation,” though such a term is not even mentioned in the Bible. 
They often say that no one can say that he is already saved for sure, or that we won't know until we get to Heaven. But the Bible repeatedly teaches that one now, present tense, has eternal life or everlasting life when he believes in Christ, that he shall not come into condemnation,  that he is already passed from death into life, that he shall never perish, that he is now the child of God, that he has now received the atonement, and so forth. 
No matter how good these arguments sound, the simple truth is that they are used because men cannot prove by the Bible that a child of God can fall away and forever be lost. Hence they try to prove it by human reasoning. Which will you take, brother, sister—human reasoning, or the Word of God? 
...I am not encouraging Christians to sin. The great love of a mother does not encourage her child to sin. Why should God's love encourage God's children to sin? God's love is more unchanging than a mother's love. A mother may punish her child and God punishes His child but He never breaks His promises and He never casts him out.
SOURCE: Dr. John R. Rice, Eight Gospel Absurdities, pp. 20, 21  and 22; ©1946, Sword of the Lord Publishers
That was so wonderful! I love and appreciate Dr. Rice's eloquent style of writing and biblical wisdom. Thank God for the great men of God who have gone before us—Dwight L. Moody, Alexander Marshall, Harry A. Ironside, John R. Rice, J. Frank Norris, Jack Hyles, Lee Roberson, Lester Roloff, Curtis Hutson and so many others who faithfully taught the Word of God and led countless souls to Christ with the Gospel of free grace. It is our job, my job, to pick up the mantle to preach THE TRUTH to this generation. By God's grace I will continue to do so. I typed out key portions of Dr. Rice's booklet, “Eight Gospel Absurdities,” for your edification. I encourage you to visit the Sword of the Lord's bookstore and purchase many of the affordable helpful booklets by Dr. Rice, Curtis Hutson and other Spirit-led soulwinning saints. They are worth more than gold!!!

We have learned in this blog, featuring the appreciative Bible knowledge of John R. Rice, that eternal life cannot be forfeited for any reason. How could we ever lose that which was not ours to give in the first place? As Jonah pondered in the whale's belly in Jonah 2:9, “Salvation is of the LORD.” Salvation is not of man. We are saved by HIS RIGHTEOSUNESS. Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Philippians 3:9, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” I love that Bible verse! Dear friend, getting saved has nothing to do with your goodness, your performance or your eagerness to stop living in sin; it has everything to do with God's imputed (credited to you) righteousness, which is by faith alone in Jesus Christ. As Dr. Rice so eloquently stated earlier—“He took our sins; we take His righteousness.” Yes, that is a beautiful truth!

You will often run across the acronym on religious social media—“OSAS” (Once Saved, Always Saved). Now you'll know what it means. This is 100% biblical. I prefer to say, “If saved, always saved.” Many churchgoers who profess to be saved are not saved at all. You'd be shocked, as I was, how many faithful Baptists have never been born-again.

While attending the shameful Harvest Baptist Church on Guam in 2014 for a year, I witnessed to numerous church and staff members, and found that most of them were not saved. That is tragic and is the fault of their incompetent pastor, Marty Herron (an unsaved neo-evangelical who idolizes Calvinist heretic, Dr. John MacArthur).

One staff member, Jason, who is one of Harvest's school teachers, said that he thinks “more” is required than faith in the Gospel to be saved. Sadly, Jason also thinks that you must surrender control of your life over to Christ, turn away from your sinful ways, and make Jesus the “Lord” of your life to get to Heaven. Jason is woefully in error concerning the Scriptures! In fact, faith is the only righteousness thing that I can do! Salvation is not a reward for the righteous, it is a gift for the guilty!

Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith. Turning away from sinful ways would be a work. Faith puts all of the merit where it belongs, on the object of our faith, Jesus and His work. If to “repent” means to forsake our sinful ways TO BE SAVED, but Jesus already paid for our sins by dying on the cross, then what are we repenting from? The true Gospel always points you to CHRIST; a false gospel always points to YOU. If saved, always saved.

Is Jesus' Teaching Works Salvation In Luke 10:25-28?

Luke 10:25-28, “And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.”

This is an intriguing passage of Scripture. I love something that Dr. Curtis Hutson (1934-1995) said: “A good rule to follow when interpreting the Bible is to never use an obscure passage to contradict a clear one.” Using that important Bible study principle, we can say without a doubt that Luke 10:25-28 is NOT teaching a works-based plan of salvation! We know this because of clear passages; such as, Romans 4:3-5, “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

To understand what Jesus is saying in Luke 10:25-28, it is key to notice that one of the wicked unsaved Pharisees, a lawyer, is tempting Him. Luke 10:25, “And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? So we must keep in mind that Jesus is responding to a wicked man who is tempting Him. The Lord often spoke in parables, or in a clever way, when dealing with skeptics and unbelievers...
Mark 4:34, “But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
Jesus was a sincere man, He refused to cast pearls before the swine, before those whom Jesus knew resented His Words and had no interest in the truth. Jesus asked the lawyer how he interpreted the Old Testament. Luke 10:26,“He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? The lawyer gave a works based plan of salvation, so Jesus agreed with him. Christ did the same thing with the rich young ruler...
Mark 10:17-23, “And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!”
The young man called Jesus, “Good Master.” Although Jesus was good, God in fact, sinless in every manner; the rich young ruler didn't recognize Jesus as such. Instead, the young man saw Jesus as a good man, who had perfectly kept God's commandments. The Old Testament law had originally been given by God as a measuring stick, by which when sinful men compared themselves, they realized their sinnership and need for the coming Messiah (Romans 3:19-20). Unfortunately, the Jews failed to understand this truth and instead turned the law into a plan of salvation. So instead of seeing themselves as sinners and turning to Christ by faith to be saved, they were now trying to perfectly keep the law as a means of attaining eternal life. The law had become a stumblingblock to the Jews!

Jesus was not giving the rich young ruler in Mark 10:17-23 a plan of salvation, He was using the law the way it was intended to be used—as a measuring stick to show men their desperate need for salvation through faith in Christ alone. Acts 10:42, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” Everyone in the Old Testament was saved the same way we are today—by faith alone in Christ alone.

So in Luke 24:25-28 Jesus is NOT giving a plan of salvation to this lawyer—the Lord is simply agreeing with the Pharisee that if he wants to get to Heaven by keeping the law, he must do so perfectly. Carefully notice what Jesus told him in Luke 10:28, “And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. Notice that Jesus said, THIS DO (that is works). Jesus was simply agreeing with the man, who had said that you attain eternal life by keeping the law. Just as Jesus did with the rich young ruler, so also is he simply agreeing with this lawyer that if he wants to work his way to Heaven, then he must perfectly keep the law.

Please notice the lawyer's insincerity and confirmation that he is trying to work his way to Heaven in Luke 10:29, “But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?” You see, this heathen lawyer is trying to JUSTIFY HIMSELF!!! No one has ever been born-again by justifying himself. We can only be justified by faith in Jesus Christ, accepting His sacrifice on Calvary's cross as payment for our sins. The Pharisee lawyer in Luke 10:25-29 is seeking self-justification, and Jesus knew it; so the dear Savior used the law as it was intended to be used, to show men that no matter how much they may try to keep the law perfectly to merit eternal life, they cannot.

Again, we know that this passage in Luke 10:25-28 cannot be a plan of salvation, because it would contradict plain passages of Scripture; such as, the entire Gospel of John. A good rule to follow when interpreting the Bible is to never use an obscure passage to contradict a clear one. In the Gospel of John we find the word “faith” mentioned 85 times, but there is no teaching of doing works, praying, turning from sins, speaking in tongues, surrendering to Christ's Lordship, confessing, following, serving nor of water baptism to get to Heaven. John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”

Here is a quote from Michael Bowen's helpful book titled: “I Never Knew You,” accurately explaining how to go to Heaven biblically...
Here is the gospel: God says that we are sinners and that no amount of good works or behavioral changes on our part could ever make us holy enough to enter heaven. God sent His Son to pay for all of our sins. Jesus paid for our crimes by dying on the cross for us all. His dead body was buried in a grave. On the third day, Jesus arose from the dead. 
The instant you believe this, He knows it and He saves you. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on Me hath everlasting life”(John 6:47). The free gift is based solely upon your trust in what Jesus did for you and has nothing at all to do with what you do for Him. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

SOURCE: Michael P. Bowen, I NEVER KNEW YOU,” p. xxii
The two greatest commandments in the Holy Bible are to LOVE GOD, and to likewise LOVE OUR NEIGHBOUR. These two commandments are really just one: TO LOVE!!! But loving God means different things to different people. Biblically, loving God means to obey His commandments, the foremost of which is to believe on His only begotten Son, the Christ (John 3:16; 20:31). No one has rightly divided the inspired Word of God, who thinks that a person can be saved through personal righteousness. In fact, we can only be saved by God's imputed righteousness, which is through faith in Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:9, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”

The Gift Of Eternal Life Is Wrapped In The Wonderful Package Of Jesus

Romans 5:18, “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gi...