Due to the fact that the understanding presented here on churchageisdifferent.com is so uncommon, I thought I’d put in writing a brief note stating why I believe what I do now and what led me to make this website.
Sometimes when we run across things that are different or unique, we’re kind of impressed or attracted to them. We go, “Oh, cool. Look at that new ____!” Fill in the blank with car or house design or fruit you’ve never seen from the Amazon jungle or hair style or – you get the point! This, obviously, isn’t true when it comes to our faith. We’ve studied our view, found a church that teaches our view, associate with believers who share our view. We’re confident we’re right so we shut the door on anything outside that view.
In being honest with ourselves, though, we know other believers have other views, right? For example, there’s Pre-Tribbers and there’s Mid, Pre-Wrath and Post-Tribbers. There’s those who believe we’ve replaced Israel and there’s those who say we haven’t. There’s those who believe we must obey the Torah and there’s those who say we don’t. The list goes on and on. (And, of course, everyone has verses to back them up!)
How we react to those other views, I guess, differs. Some of us research them. Some of us ignore them. The vast majority, in my opinion, do a combo that looks like this, “I’ve researched that other theory by asking my pastor and referring to my commentary, and they both say it’s wrong — and quote verses to prove it!”
I used to be that way. My biggest issue was eternal security. I was a believer who said, “I know I’m saved and secure. I’ve read John 3:16 and I’ve read where God says no one can pluck me out of His hand. I’ve read in Ephesians where it says I’m saved by faith alone. That’s good enough for me. There might be other passages in the Bible, like in Hebrews and James, for instance, that say confusing things, but my commentaries clear those up for me. I’m good to go.”
Maybe you’re like I was. ???
Or maybe you’re on the other side of the fence and believe those passages in Hebrews and James mean exactly what they say but need your commentaries and your pastors to clear up the stuff found in Ephesians. ????
Either way, same problem, right?
What if the Bible means what it says from cover to cover? What if it’s not as complex and convoluted as we’ve made it out to be?
The only way you’re going to be able to know if that’s possible is to be willing to step back away from your convictions for just a moment and look into what I’m saying here. I’m not a heretic. I haven’t lost my mind — or my salvation! I’m not out for your money. All I’m asking is for you to keep an open mind and read my homepage.
churchageisdifferent.com
Once you’ve done that –
— if you’re a “Security for all believers of all times” person, ask yourself this question: What makes more sense, either A) believing my favorite authors/pastors when they tell me security comes from ideals/concepts like ‘God holds us securely due to His power or His love’ or ‘it’s tied up in multiple doctrines,’ or B) security has a very clear and specific origin, that being the indwelling Spirit found in Paul’s signed books giving us a guaranteed inheritance?
Well, which is it?
Just because you found security verses in Romans through Philemon doesn’t mean you can go throughout the rest of the Bible pulling out salvation verses and call them security verses. For example, in John. Are you unwilling to accept the fact that only we have it? Why, if the Bible says it’s so?
or
— if you’re a “No security for anyone ever” person, this is for you: Know that you’re spot on in believing that there is no security found in Hebrews and James. Even more than that, there’s no security from Genesis to Acts and from Hebrews to Revelation. You’ve got that (big) part right! But if you found a specific reason for security (the indwelling Spirit ensuring a guaranteed inheritance) that existed only in Paul’s signed books to us, believers within the Church Age, why are you unwilling to research it? Sometimes your authors/pastors take very hard stances on this issue and are unwilling to dig a little deeper. Does that mean you just follow their lead? Just because you found no security in Genesis through Acts and Hebrews through Revelation, does that mean you’re willing to twist Scripture in Romans through Philemon just to ‘prove’ we don’t have it either? Why, if the Bible says otherwise?
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Please forgive me if the above sounded harsh. I don’t mean it that way. I just want you to think about what you believe and why you believe it!
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Both sides need to remember that your favorite sources are simply teaching you what was taught to them. It makes sense. It sounds good. It’s been taught for years and years. It has verses to back it up. But is it right?
*Does your desire to find security throughout the Bible supersede your desire to know the truth?
*Does your desire to find no security throughout the Bible supersede your desire to know the truth?
We know there are time frames in the Bible like Adam and Eve in the garden. Like Noah and the flood. Like Israel under the law. We’re not part of those, right? Why can’t you accept that our time frame is also unique to us?
(SEE CHEAT SHEET FOR ENTIRE CHART)
Both sides of this eternal security ‘battle’ seem unwilling to accept the fact that there is a very clear reason for security, but it exists only during the specific time frame that that reason allows for.
Come on, Body!
Once your light goes on on this very important foundational issue, you’ll soon see that Christianity isn’t about picking and choosing topics like those listed at the beginning and finding ‘proof verses’ throughout the Bible to back them up. It’s this: take this understanding on eternal security and go where it leads you. It’s a straight path, my friends. You’ll gladly give up certain beliefs as you go because there’ll be no proof for them anymore! And that’s okay with you, isn’t it, if it’s correct?!
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Backing out to a broader view on eternal security, I’d say that about 95-98% of believers today are in one of the two groups mentioned above: Security for all believers and security for no believers. Almost all of the remaining 2-5% are Right Dividers (RDs), which is where I found myself after correctly understanding eternal security. But I ran into a problem here as well as soon as I started studying Acts. I found that a number of RDs were debating amongst themselves on where in Acts we, the Body, begin.
Yet the answer is: nowhere.
Remember, again, that the Bible can be understood at a simple level. Don’t look anywhere within Acts for our beginning. Not even in chapter 2! That would require dividing up a book, which would complicate matters. Paul’s signed books are the only place we, the Body, are found. Interestingly enough, I just watched a video this morning by a RD and he got it right – Romans is our starting point. So maybe we’re moving forward in our understanding as well!
I really want to go into more detail on this subject because it’s so amazing, but I won’t. If interested, you know where to find more! But I will say this: leaving Acts out of our doctrinal books clears up every single denominational difference I’ve come across. Boy, wouldn’t that be something? No more denominational divisions! Could it be?
Check it out for yourself. It’s just one of the steps you’ll take along what I believe is the only path available once you’ve correctly understood the truth on eternal security. (Another step is a very clear answer on the Rapture timing. Only one option is possible!)
Hopefully, this note has explained to you why this site says what it does AND encouraged you to check it out.
God bless you,
Pam
churchageisdifferent.com
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