The Lost Must Believe in Jesus FOR Eternal Security!

An Example from Real Life

My mom was born-again years after she married a mildly militant, atheist man named Rick. They have now been married almost 30 years. During the course of their marriage, I have been able to piece together some of the story and background that has contributed to Rick’s atheism.

You’ve probably heard similar stories in your life... Rick grew up with a strict and legalistic Christian dad who forced the church upon him. His dad told him at 16 if he didn’t go to church that he needed to move out. Well, that is what my step-dad did.

Fast-forward to the present: Rick is bitter against Christ. He even has a bumper sticker that says: “Secular: And I Vote!”

My mom and I have been praying for Rick for years now together.

My prayers take this tenor: "God, break down the walls and barriers that prevent him from believing, and work in him to bring him to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ."

But my mom’s prayer for him invariably goes something like this: “Lord, I’m standing on your promise of Proverbs 22:6, that Rick was raised as a Christian and that he will come to You and be saved before he dies.”


Questions:

Does my mom correctly understand that verse? She believes it teaches that since her husband Rick was raised in a Christian home that God will bring him to be saved before he dies. Is that what the verse is promising? What does that verse actually state?

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
– Proverbs 22:6

Analysis of the Story

It is my belief (and most likely yours) that she has severely misunderstood this proverb. And in her misunderstanding, she has exercised faith in God for something she regards as the certain promise of God. She is believing in God for His supposed promise to save her husband Rick before he dies because he fulfilled the condition of growing up in a Christian household. But this is NOT what He promises!

Now I want to be honest with you. I have a couple of times tried to intimate (imply or hint at the fact) that she was misunderstanding this verse. But I never pressed it with her because I didn’t want to break her heart. But after she prays, I will usually pray in my heart something like this: “God, please have mercy on my mom, and may it be to her and her husband Rick according to her faith and trust in you.” I pray that way because I am moved that my mom is exhibiting such resolute faith in Him for her husband to be saved, even though it is according to her misunderstanding of this parable. I pray that God blesses my mom with fulfilling the purpose of her faith in him.


Here is the Deal

God will not make good on any promise that He did not make. He could bless by fulfilling a petition, but God will not honor a promise He didn’t make.


Cases in Point:

If someone believed that God promised them a Cadillac if they were only to believe in Him for it, and they believed in Him for it, would He certainly grant them that Cadillac, supernaturally, as if He actually promised it?

If someone believed that God promised them a donkey if they were only to believe in Him for it, and they believed in Him for it, would He grant them a donkey, supernaturally, as if He actually promised it?

Of course, if you are sane you are going to say: No. He would not.


Relating this Story to Free Grace Theology

Here is where this subject matter becomes related to Free Grace Theology.

Jesus Christ says those who believe in Him are saved. But in context of the passages in which He states this, what are they to be believing in Him FOR, what are they to be trusting in Him FOR, in order to be saved? We are not left in the dark as to this! Jesus invites mankind to believe in Him FOR eternal security. This is what He is offering. This is what He is promising.

How do I know this? Have you ever read John 3:16; 5:24; 6:35-40; 11:25-26? Jesus is promising eternal security to the one who trusts in Him FOR His promise.

What is His promise? Eternal security.

People are saved (and only saved) when they trust in Him FOR His actual promise, and not FOR something He doesn’t promise.

And here is what He does not promise: conditional life, salvation that can be lost.


The Argument of this Post

When people trust in Jesus FOR anything that He doesn’t actually promise, He will not make good on that which they assume Him to be promising. Nor will He magically give the one trusting in Him illegitimately for something He doesn’t promise the benefits of some other promise He makes to those who trust in Him for it.

He will not give eternal life (something He promises the one trusting in Jesus for it) to the one who is trusting in Jesus for conditional life/salvation that can be lost (something He DOES NOT PROMISE).


Conclusion

If you agree with me in the first part of this post (the real-life story), but disagree with me on this last (the content of saving faith), what logical and reasonable grounds do you have for doing so? The only way you’d be able to logically believe that God will give eternal life (that which He promises the one who trusts in Jesus for it) to the one who trusts in Jesus for conditional life, salvation that can be lost (that which He does not promise) is by believing at the same time that God will certainly give a Cadillac, supernaturally, to the one who trusts in Him for it, although He doesn’t promise such a thing. But I bet you aren’t willing to stipulate that.