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Chapter 4
MARSHALING THE SCRIPTURES TEXTS WHICH DO NOT TEACH UNCONDITIONAL SECURITY
"But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. . . Now unto him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 20-24). In the previous section we have quoted and commented on some Scripture passages which stand as the direct antithesis of unconditional security teaching. We now purpose in these concluding pages to place in convenient form for handy reference a more complete list. Declarations:
Ezek. 18:24, 26; 33:13,18; John 15:1-16; 1 Cor. 9:24-27; 15:2; Heb. 6:4-6; 10:26-29; 10:38,39; 2 Peter 1:3-11; 2:20-22; Jude 5.
Warnings:
1 Chron. 28:9; Matt. 5:13; 5:29, 30; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:62; 11:24-26; John 15:6; Rom. 11:17-22; 1 Cor. 10:12; Gal. 5:4; i Tim. 5:12; 2 Tim. 2:12; Heb. 2:1-3; Heb. 10:38; 1 Peter 1:17.
Exhortations:
2 Cor. 6:1; Col. 1:22,23; 1 Thess. 5:19; 1 Tim. 1:18,19; Heb. 3:8,12,13; 4:1,11; 12:14-17; 2 Peter 1:10; 3:16-18; Rev. 2:10.
Examples:
Angels, 1 Peter 2:4; Jude 6. -- Our first parents, Gen. 3. -- Balaam, Num. 22-24; 2 Peter 2:14, 15; Rev. 2:14. -- The Israel Fathers, 1 Cor. 10:1-12. -- King Saul, 1 Sam. 10-16; 28:15. -- The unnamed prophet, 1 Kings 13. -- Judas, John 13:8; Matt. 26:24,25; John 17:12; Acts 1:25. -- Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 5. -- Hymenaeus and Alexander, 1 Tim. 1:19, 20. -- Demas, 2 Tim. 4:10. -- The Galatians, Gal. 1:6; 3:1-3; 4:9; 5:4.
Conditional Clauses:
1 Chron. 28:9; Matt. 10:22; 24:13; Mark 13:13; John 15:6; Rom. 2:7; 11:20-22; 1 Cor. 9:27; Col. 1:23; Heb. 3:6,14.
Conditional Parables:
The Sower, Matt. 13:18-23; Mark 4:18-20; Luke 8:11-15.
The Pounds, Luke 19:12-27. The Talents, Matt. 25:14-30.
Be it my only wisdom here
To serve the Lord with filial fear,
With loving gratitude;
Superior sense may I display,
By shunning every evil way,
And walking in the good.
O may I still from sin depart!
A wise and understanding heart,
Jesus, to me be given;
And let me through thy Spirit know
To glorify my God below,
And find my way to heaven.
-- Wesley
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