Gotquestions.org Versus The Truth About Eternal Security And Backsliders Offered By Evangelical Outreach Director Dan Corner

    PITTSBURGH, PA, April 04, 2019 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Once Saved Always Saved is a controversial idea that raises a multitude of very important questions for Christians. In an article by gotquestions.org entitled "Is a backsliding Christian still saved?, Once Saved Always Saved (OSAS) teacher, S. Michael Houdmann, wrote: "Yes, a true Christian who falls back into sin is still saved...." Evangelical Outreach Director Dan Corner believes there is considerable danger in this type of thinking. In an article available on his website, he had this to say:

Though Houdmann wasn't specific, he believes such "sin" could include: adultery, drunkenness, theft, homosexuality, murder, swindling, slander, idolatry, blasphemy, etc. and even be "willful, continuous and unrepentant sin," as he explained in his flawed version of the sin unto death. Such an image of a child of God is violently opposed to God's word, which describes the Christian as: a saint (1 Cor.14:33; Eph. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:4; etc.), a self-denying follower of Jesus (Lk. 9:23; etc.), one who puts into practice God's word (Lk. 8:21), a doer of the will of the Father (Mt. 7:21), one who obeys God (1 Jn. 2:3,4) and lives holy (1 Thess. 4:7,8; 2 Pet. 3:11,12; etc.), etc.

Undoubtedly, eternal security teachers have distorted and smeared the true image of a Christian and reduced him into a spiritually weak and sinful person. They believe the saved can act the same detestable ways as the sin-addicted children of the devil and they even allow for continuous unrepentant sin unto death. In order to smokescreen conceal their license to sin, the eternal security teachers sometimes teach a double message and say if a professing Christian turns to the type of sins as specified above, then "He was never saved to begin with". Such a message, however, is inconsistent with their belief about King David, who turned to both adultery and murder. They all teach that David retained his salvation, while in those heinous sins in defiance to God's word (Ezek. 33:18; 1 Cor. 6:9,10; Eph.5:5-7; Rev. 21:8; etc.). OSAS proponents believe the same about Solomon remaining saved, who turned to the vilest kinds of idolatries (1 Kings 11:1-8).

Eternal security teachers want it both ways - teaching an outrageous backslider is still saved, then "he was never saved" if he does backslide. These glaring inconsistencies are already enough to reveal their error and license to sin, but there is even more with the teaching of the Prodigal Son (Lk. 15:11-32). The prodigal deliberately departed from the Father into wild living and to be with the prostitutes. He finally turned away from those sins (repented) to return to the Father to serve him again. The Father said to the sorrowful and repentant prodigal, "For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate" (Luke15:24).

Luke 15 clearly shows backsliders do indeed become spiritually dead and lost just like the prodigal did when he turned to wild living. This stark reality of a change in spiritual identity is in contrast to Once Saved Always Saved dogma. Remember that is Jesus' teaching about backsliders, that is, that they are spiritually dead and lost. Luke 15:24 also shows the prodigal became "alive again," which proves (1) backsliders can return to salvation via repentance and (2) the prodigal had salvation before he died spiritually when he departed into wild living. Those truths are essential and prove eternal security is an incontrovertible false teaching and a license to sin. All such OSAS teachers must argue (if consistent to their doctrine) that the prodigal retained his salvation when with the prostitutes, thereby inferring there are Christian whoremongers! If that extreme is not a license to sin, then what is? This, however, is the image of a Christian they have created and want us to accept.

It is critical for backsliders to know they must repent for salvation's sake, but that truth is also sadly denied by Once Saved Always Saved. Moreover, the unnamed incestuous and adulterous man of 1 Cor. 5:1-5, who was committing sin which even pagans wouldn't do, is said to have been a Christian by many OSAS teachers. Eternal security teacher, David J. Stewart of jesusissavior.org, has also openly admitted, "I am going to Heaven, regardless of how I live. But you say, that's crazy! No! That's Bible! So do Christians have a license to sin? Yes, if you want to view it that way."

Furthermore, multiple divorced Hal Lindsey stated, "I'm sad to say that some of the worst sins I ever committed have been after salvation." By stating that, Lindsey is saying a Christian can be more vile and wicked than before his salvation, yet retain his salvation through it all.

Just believing the OSAS doctrine itself sets one up for arrogance (Rom. 11:19-22) and a spiritual fall (1 Cor. 10:12). Such occurs because the proponents think they are standing firm even to the point that their salvation is now irrevocable, irreversible and unalterable, and they see no need to fear being cut off. They don't believe their salvation can be imperiled by anything they do or don't do or anything they believe or don't believe, regardless of what it is.

The unspoken goal of the eternal security teacher is to convince others that a Christian can stray and become wildly immoral, grossly sinful and flagrantly disobedient and still retain his salvation while unrepentant and only jeopardize his rewards, fellowship, etc., but never his salvation and relationship with God. Those who object to that observation with their "never saved to begin with" sophistry and inconsistencies are immediately silenced by King David and the OSAS errant version of the sin unto death. The eternal security teachers calculatingly declare their OSAS doctrine is under and linked to the gospel, grace, the blood of Christ, infinite work of Christ, imputed righteousness, etc. when it has nothing to do with any of these basic truths of Christianity.

The OSAS teachers also further distort the Christian opposition as teaching a works salvation, legalism and being cultic. One of the primary proof texts for Once Saved Always Saved is John 10:28, which states the subjects will never perish and no man can snatch them out of God's hand. The OSAS teachers say those promises apply even to the backsliders, but the context shows those wonderful promises only belong to the continuous tense followers of Christ (John10:27), which excludes backsliders.

S. Michael Houdmann of gotquestions.org also wrote, "The Bible tells us that if a person denies Christ, he never truly knew Christ to begin with." Is it possible that Houdmann, and others like him, are unaware of Peter's thrice denial of Christ (Mt. 26:33,34)? When Peter's denial (Mt.26:70,72) is examined with Mt. 10:33, the same Greek term (arneomai) is found which pulverizes OSAS beyond repair. Why? Because Jesus did disown Peter as he warned his apostles, "But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven" (Mt. 10:33). Therefore we know, since Peter disowned Jesus, Jesus likewise disowned Peter. Afterwards, Peter repented and turned back to God (Lk. 22:32), but the point is one is no longer saved if Jesus disowns him, as happened to Peter at that time. That fact alone is another certain deathblow to OSAS.

The full version is available at Corner's website.

Dan Corner, a former pastor, is the author of a number of books including 'The Believer's Conditional Security: Eternal Security Refuted', 'The Myth of Eternal Security' and 'Is this the Mary of the Bible?'. He also provides a massive amount of information on his websites.

Ex Catholic Dan Corner is available for media interviews, including debates, and can be reached using the information below or by email at [email protected], by phone at 724-632-3210 or by mail at PO Box 265, Washington, PA, 15301. His websites are https://www.evangelicaloutreach.org (EOMIN.org) and AlcanceEvangelistico.org (DBN-MIN.net) and EternalLifeBlog.com.

After graduating from college, Dan Corner got saved by reading the Bible. For over four decades, he has diligently served the Lord Jesus. Dan Corner's pastoral, apologetic, counter cult and street evangelism experiences have equipped him to contend for the faith and win souls to Jesus from many backgrounds.

He is an ordained minister and director of Evangelical Outreach who pastored for almost seven years and has authored hundreds of Christian articles, answered thousands of emails and letters and has written several books of vital importance in our day.

# # #