Charles F. Stanley - Eternal Security

Table of Contents

CHARLES STANLEY

ETERNAL SECURITY

CAN YOU BE SURE?

A Division of Thomas Nelson Publishers

Nashville

Copyright 1990 by Charles Stanley

All rights reserved. Written permission must be secured from the publisher to use or reproduce any part of this book, except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by OliverNelson Books, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc.,

Publishers, and distributed in Canada by Lawson Falle, Ltd., Cambridge, Ontario.

Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation.

Used by permission.

Scripture quotations noted NIV are taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

Scripture quotations noted KJV are from The King James Version of the Holy Bible.

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Preface

The life-changing biblical principals outlined in E eternal Security made it an undisputed candidate for the newly revised Charles Stanley Discipleship Series. This special series was created to support the building of a biblical foundation of faith and to lead to greater spiritual maturity. Other books in the series include How to Handle Adversity, The Gift of Forgiveness, Winning the War Within, and How to Listen to God. We encourage you to use these books a Bible study and witnessing tools.

When you have completed the Discipleship Series, we have more good news for you. In Touch Ministries has more on-going study for you on-line. We would like to invite you to explore our Web site at www.intouch.org. The pages of your site are filled with inspiration and exciting Bible study tools for the whole family. Take time today to browse the pages of our topical Scripture index, to learn more about the heroes of the Bible in our "Mighty in spirit" feature, or to begin your quiet time with our daily on line devotions. Also visit our "Prayer Touch" pages, containing quick reference tips on prayer, quiet time aids for praying the Scriptures, and our monthly prayer focused newsletter.

Children of all ages can grow in godliness with the tools in "Generation Next" - an area containing "Kids Corner" Bible lessons and printable activity pages, and "teen Connection," which offers age specific Bible studies and encouraging daily devotions. This portion of the site also hosts "Parents Cafe," a priceless resource of godly inspiration for moms and dads. May God bless you as you seek to grow in the disciplines of His Word and to pursue the goal of Christlike character.

In Touch Ministires

In Touch Ministries is the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles F. Stanley, pastor of the 15,000 member First Baptist Church of Atlanta, Georgia. In Touch currently has a staff of more than 200 people in the United States and numerous affiliate staff throughout its international offices.

The real story of In Touch, however, is not statistical. It is the story of penetrating the human soul with the Word of God so that all who view or listen can grow to spiritual maturity and make a godly impact on the world in which they live.

Acknowledgment

I am grateful to my son, Andy, whose diligent research and keen insight made this book possible.

Introduction

I have not always believed in eternal security. I was raised in the Pentecostal Holiness church, a denomination that did not believe in eternal security and frequently preached against it. As a child, I was not threatened by such preaching. I always loved church. I would arrive early to claim my secondrow aisle seatright in front of the pastor.

There were two reasons I chose to attend the Pentecostal Holiness church. First, my grandfather was a Pentecostal pastor. Second, it was my mothers preference. I can remember as a young boy getting up on Sunday morning, eating breakfast, and walking to church. Even when my mother was unable to go, I would be there.

June was typically revival month back in those days. In June of 1944 our evangelist for the week was a Mrs. Wilson. Women evangelists were not uncommon in the Pentecostal Holiness church. As was my habit, I was there Sunday morning, front and center, with every intention of attending each night that week. After the choir finished their song, Mrs. Wilson walked to the pulpit and preached a stirring salvation message. I dont remember anything in particular that she said; I just remember feeling a strong desire to respond.

When the invitation began, I rose from my seat and went forward. Before I reached the altar, I began weeping. I knelt down and started asking Jesus to save me. Several members of my Sunday school class gathered around me and began praying for me as well.

When the altar call ended, the pastor of the church asked me to step up to the pulpit and share with the congregation what Christ had done for me. Still crying, I stood behind the pulpit and said, I dont know all Jesus has done for me, but I know He saved me."

The pastor put his hand on my shoulder, looked at me square in the eye, and said, Charles, grow up and be a good boy. And when you die, you will go to heaven."

Easier Said Than Done

It didnt take me long to realize that being good wasnt easy. To compound the problem, just about everything a twelveyearold boy considered fun was a sin according to the Pentecostal Holiness church. I was continually confessing my sins, begging for forgiveness, and hoping I wouldnt die before I had time to repent!

During that time I began sensing Gods call in my life. That meant one of two things in those days, becoming a preacher or a missionary. The awareness of Gods call in my life only darkened the cloud of guilt under which I lived. How could I ever help anybody else when Im constantly wavering? I would wonder. What if I stood to preach and wasnt even saved?

At age fourteen I joined the Baptist church. My decision was purely a social one. The Baptist church had a larger youth group than the Pentecostal church, and that meant more girls! That was when I discovered not everybody believed as I did. I first heard the phrase eternal security in that little Baptist church. Even as a teenager I was a diligent student of Gods Word. Armed with my list of verses, I was prepared and even eager to present my side of the issue. No one made a dent in my theology. And I never expected anyone to, because I knew the Scripture was clearly on my side.

When I left home for college, I was still a staunch believer in the doctrine that one could lose his salvation. Often in our dorm the conversation would turn to religion. Over and over I would pull out my arsenal of verses and present my case. Frequently, I found myself standing alone. But my view was strengthened by the carnal lifestyles of many with whom I debated, men who claimed to be saved and yet whose actions gave no indication of their having a relationship with Christ. Intellectually, I was more persuaded than ever. But deep inside a battle was raging.

Despite my strong defense and quiver of verses, I couldnt make it all fit. The events of that Sunday morning in 1944 were fixed in my memory. I remember for the first time feeling that I was at peace with God. I knew I had been born again. The possibility that I could lose all I had gained that Sunday morning seemed a little far fetched. And the idea that I could lose it and regain it repeatedly was difficult to comprehend.

Although I was troubled by my internal struggles, I never felt alienated from God. I had an inner peace even at my lowest times. Somehow I knew He still loved me and accepted me. My repeated requests for salvation were more a ritual than a heartfelt sense of need. I never felt lost. Yet the Scripture seemed to be so clear on that point. Consequently, I remained resolute in my defense.