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Eternal Life From a non-Calvinistic Pespective
And I Give Unto Them Eternal Life: A non-Calvinistic Approach to Eternal Life
By: Ben Smith
What a blessed thought conveyed in the words of our Blessed Saviour, “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.” (John 10:28,29) This study is birthed out of many conversations had concerning this most controversial topic. This subject is commonly approached from one of two schools of thought: Calvinism and Arminianism. Though these are two valid systems of theology in the realm of orthodoxy, they are not the only interpretations. We must ask the Lord to remove from our eyes the filter of our preconceived methods of interpretation.
Let us briefly look at the claims made in the common methods of explanation. The Arminian view is as follows: Those who are incorporated into Christ by a true faith have power given them through the assisting grace of the Holy Spirit to persevere in the faith. But it is possible for a believer to fall from grace. (From the 1610 Articles of Remonstrance composed by Simon Episcopius, and Jan Uytenbogaert) Calvinism, on the other hand would declare: Since God has decreed the elect, and they cannot resist grace, they are unconditionally and eternally secure in that election. ("TULIP" Calvinism Compared to Wesleyan Perspectives by Dennis Bratcher) Both systems of theology are vastly more extensive than this, but this study is only on the topic of eternal life.
Being true to the word let us take a brief look at the phrases eternal life and everlasting life in the Bible. Strongs Greek word G166 defines eternal life and everlasting life as follows: aioônios - ahee-o'-nee-os; perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well):— eternal, for ever, everlasting, world (began). This is obviously a quantity word and not a quality word. I once heard a popular Bible teacher say that Romans 6:23b would be better interpreted as, “…but the gift of God is divine life.” Now this was a convenient reinterpretation to align scripture with his theology, however, we are to dictate our theology by the word and not visa versa. The Bible tells us, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (II Tim. 3:16) God did not choose the wrong word to describe the quantity of our new life received at salvation. He used the word eternal and everlasting. If our inheritance is conditional then truly the better word would have been, “divine life,” or perhaps, “deified life.” We will get into the “qualities” of this new life later in the study, but let it suffice us to say that God’s word clearly teaches that the quantity of this new life is eternal, everlasting.
Does the Old Testament give any kind of indication that there was an eternal concept in one’s relationship with God? Job in his dealings with his friends made this declaration: “25For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. (Job 19:25-27) Presumption or secure in his relationship with God? After the tragic failure and confrontation from the prophet Nathan and death of his and Bathsheba’s illegitimate child, David said this, “23But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” (II Sam. 12:23) In David’s sweet Spirit-inspired Psalms he sang, “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” (Psalm 17:15) Not “if” I awake, but “when” I awake. “For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.” (Psalm 37:28) “He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.” (Psalm 61:7) These were not the bold claims of a man who had visible failures in his life, but the humble acknowledgement of his position in his redeemer. Isaiah spoke of the coming King and Deliverer and the blessings He would bring. Lets look at one of those promises. “16Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. 17And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.” (Is. 32:16,17) Unlike the superficial righteousness of religious Israel, the imputed righteousness of Christ has brought a better and lasting covenant!
Now let us move into the New Testament. The key word in the Gospel of John is “believe.” The Strong’s word is G4100, pisteuoô, pist-yoo'-o From G4102; to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), that is, credit; by implication to entrust (especially one’s spiritual well being to Christ):—believe (-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with. The word faith (Strongs G4102) is similar, pistis, pis'-tis From G3982; persuasion, that is, credence; moral conviction (of religious
truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly constancy in such profession; by extension the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself:—assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity. The method of interpretation one uses will greatly affect the way one understands these concepts. If one believes that to “place faith in” or “believe upon” is a continuous act, then failure to continue this act will bring to an end the desired product, namely, eternal life. However, we should view this act of believing upon or placing faith in (the finished work of Christ on the cross of Calvary) as a changing point or transition from one state to another.
The familiar verses dealing with Christ and Nicodemus reveal that there was a transcendent difference between the physical and the spiritual. The physical is Earthly and has limitations, whereas the spiritual is Heavenly and eternal. Nicodemus could not understand this concept so the Lord likened salvation to Earthly terms. These terms should open our eyes to this dynamic eternal change that occurs at conversion. Birth, the sudden, amazing, eruption of new life from one world to another. “5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:5,6) Just as the breaking of placental water brings forth a child of flesh, the breakthrough of spiritual recognition and faith in the dynamite of the Gospel brings forth a new creature – spiritual, eternal, seated in the heavenlies! Also see I Cor. 15:45-50.
Paul said, “17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Cor. 5:17) We are not the same old creature and have made a bargain with God based on the blood of Jesus. God does not keep up His end of the bargain (eternal life) as we keep up ours (obedience, that is to say good works.) We are a new creature. A hunger for God and His word is birthed within us and we have to work contrary to the Spirit of God to do anything but seek Him. Again Paul relates, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.” (Gal. 6:15) This passage is a commentary for the one in II Corinthians. There is the life of a new creature available to us. As we submit to the Holy Spirit of God we live the new creature life. This life in none else than the life of Christ in us. That is why Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20) Christ in His great sacrificial love gave Himself that we who have called upon Him and received Him as our Lord and Saviour have the privilege of living the new creature life, the Christ life as He lives through us.
One might quickly declare at this point, “Yes, but what about the sin nature and the ability to sin as a Christian and what of it’s consequences?” If we will properly divide the spectrum of salvation as does the scripture we will recognize that there is three different aspects to redemption. These three areas are as follows: justification, sanctification, and glorification. These phases of salvation can be seen clearly when Paul, speaking of his trust in God said, “Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;” (II Cor. 1:10) God in Christ has delivered us from the penalty of sin or death in hell – justification, the practice of sin – sanctification, and (praise God) one day the very presence of sin – glorification. Justification deals with our position, sanctification deals with our practice, and glorification deals with our prize
The spirit of man is the eternal aspect of man that makes him like God. The soul of man can be summed up as the seat of the mind (intellect,) will, and emotions. And finally the body of man is the vehicle that has been prepared to house this being both here and eternity.
Now we know that at salvation we receive a new spirit, we saw that in John 3:6, “…that which is born of Spirit (the Holy Spirit) is spirit (man’s spirit.)” “19And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you…” (Ezk. 11:19a) This is the place for the seal of our salvation, Speaking of Christ, Paul said, “13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Eph. 1:13,14) This is the continuous mark that we have been justified and that we belong to God who will one day bring complete redemption of spirit, soul, and body.
The body and soul (mind, will, and emotions) of man are another topic altogether. Though they are subject to the new creature that is available, they are also subject to the world, the flesh, and the devil. This is the sorrow of the Christian experience. But we are not without hope, that is why the Spirit of God inspired Paul to remind us, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Phil. 1:6)
The soul and body of man is the part that is to come under the work of sanctification. To sanctify is to separate or make holy. Speaking of the body and mind we are told, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Rom. 12:1,2) The body is to be presented for holy service and the mind for renewal. Why would one submit to this sacrificial life that God calls, “reasonable service?” Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” (John 10:27)
We are new creatures, the Lord’s sheep. We naturally follow. Yes, we stray and the Good Shepherd must round us up on occasions, but He knows us, and we DO follow Him.
Do you really think you go back to Him because you pulled yourself up by your bootstraps? Nay friend, “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4)
This is the purpose of grace. We are not only saved by grace, “8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph. 2:8,9) but, “…we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:” (Rom. 1:5) This saving grace constantly calls back not only as a saving grace, but also as a serving grace. The old time preacher, Lester Roloff, said, "We are saved by grace, and kept by grace, and work because we are in grace; if we don't then we're a disgrace!"At this point there must be made clear a distinction between our positional standing and our practical standing.
There is a circumcision between the spirit and the flesh. This is not nor is it ever to be construed as a license to sin, but merely to clarify between our positional and practical standing.
Paul, in making a distinction between works of the flesh and our completeness in Christ states, “9For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 11In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.13And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Col. 2:9-15) There has been a spiritual circumcision made through the finished work of Christ and the applied atonement. All sin that was aforetime applied to us through the writing of ordinances is no longer able to touch us. Also, make note that all sin has been forgiven, not just past sin, but any sin that ever may occur in the believers life. Prior to salvation our position was under condemnation and our practice was the evidence of this. Now our position is in Christ and he hath raised us up incorruptible only (it must be understood) in Him. Jesus Christ said, “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. (John 5:24)John made a distinction between the two realities, namely, that of flesh, which is capable of sin, and the spirit, which is incapable of sin. “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” (I John 3:9) This verse cannot be understood without making a spiritual circumcision between the sealed spirit, that cannot sin, and the exposed flesh, which is subject to the world, the flesh, and the devil. We know that people who are born of God do commit sins. It is not to be the practice of the Christian to commit continuous unrepentant sin, but the Christian can sin. So, if the text says whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, what do we do with that? Let me offer these interjections in order to clarify. “Whosoever [the spirit of the redeemed one ] is born of God doth not commit sin; for his [God the Father’s] seed [Jesus Christ] remaineth in him [the spirit of the redeemed one]: and he [the spirit of the redeemed one] cannot sin, because he [the spirit of the redeemed one] is born of God.” Before you react to this remember what Jesus told Nicodemus, “That which is born of flesh is flesh; and that which is born of Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6) God never has redeemed the flesh ONLY the spirit. It cannot sin because it has been circumcised from the flesh. The flesh still must battle and be subject. Peter said, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;” (I Peter 2:11) These fleshly lusts never war against the spirit because it is “…sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. One day we will be glorified and this corruptible will INDEED put on incorruption, but until then we must battle on.
So what of the difficulties of the Epistle to the Hebrews or the Epistle of James? Are these truly difficulties. Exposition of Hebrews is made much easier when the theme is brought to the forefront. This epistle is clearly written to the Hebrews. This was the first group to receive the Gospel. However there was a mixed multitude in the early church and the writer of Hebrews was making a two-fold clarification. First, that Judaism had come to an end through the fulfillment by Christ of the whole purpose of the law; and secondly, strong admonishments showing that the writer had in view the danger ever present to Jewish professed believers of either lapsing back into Judaism, or of pausing short of the true faith in Jesus Christ. Hebrews tells us of those who came out of Egypt by the clear leadership of deliverance of God. Yet, many of these same Hebrews did not enter into rest because of unbelief. Likewise the Hebrews and those influenced by them are being warned in this epistle to not return to the lesser things of Judaism or turn back not actually achieving the actual reality of salvation. The differentiation between the true believers and those who turned back without receiving the real thing can be seen as the scripture clearly declares, “38Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” (Heb. 10:38,39) It is clear here again that those who have been positionally justified by faith will live in the reality of the belief that results in the saving of the soul, and are not of those who draw back unto perdition.
These two groups can be seen in John’s Gospel. “30As he spake these words, many believed on him. 31Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:30-32) How wonderful we would think, Jesus preached and many believed. But, we see that this wasn’t a saving belief. He clearly told them that they would need to continue in His word, and the truth shall make (future tense) you free. He then began to turn up the heat and look what happened, “57Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. 59Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.” (John 8:57-59) These had obviously drew back to perdition. The scripture further states, “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,” (Heb. 10:26) These Hebrews had received the full revelation of God through His Son Jesus Christ. There is nothing else that could be offered.
If then a truly born again Christian falls into sin and fails to repent there is the fear that the Lord will bring sore tribulation or even death. “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. 17All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.” (I John 5:16,17) This scripture shows us clearly the danger of such living. We must also note the John was obviously writing to Christians in this first epistle. Mark well Paul’s words regarding a fallen believer at Corith, “1It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. 2And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” ( I Cor. 5:1-5) This individual, who was a part of the church else wise he would not have been subject to church discipline, was in terrible sin. Paul judged that he should be turned over to Satan, interesting to note, for the destruction of the flesh. Paul did not say for the destruction of the spirit, instead he said that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Again the scripture testifies to the circumcision that has taken place at salvation between the flesh and the spirit of those who truly belong to the Lord.
Make no mistake, a lifestyle of sin is not the mark of one of Christ’s sheep that hear Him and follow Him.
Hbr 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
Regardless of one’s theology it is safe to say that a life of unrepentant sin is not the mark of a true believer. However, let us not relegate sin to what we would regard as major sins, overlooking other sins like, gossip, pride, envy, etc.In light of this great Bible truth we need to be careful how we interpret other verses regarding salvation. God never contradicts Himself and with prayerful analysis we can gain light on verses that seem to indicate otherwise. This is how we can steer clear of always having to be either Calvinistic or Arminian. Paul said, “3For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 4God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.” (Rom. 3:3,4) God’s people need to be a people of the word. To often we run to our preferences rather than “thus saith the Lord!” Instead of being drawn into the age old battle of Calvinism and Arminianism, let us take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and fight the good fight of faith and rejoice in the gift of God which is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let me close with this quote from a worthy servant of God, A.W. Tozier, who said, “How completely satisfying to turn from our limitations to a God who has none. Eternal years lie in his heart. For him time does not pass, it remains; and those who are in Christ share with him all the riches of limitless time and endless years.”
Glory!
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