Replicating Truth - Old & New (Ezek. 18 & Heb. 3 & 4)

Today I would like to take another short but potent look at the truth that there is no such thing as ‘eternal security’ with God, not in this lifetime. Almost everyone in the body of Christ is influenced to some extent, and most are influenced greatly by the school of thought that has always plagued God’s people; that being the belief that one will surely be saved merely because he has been born again. Of course it is also true that almost everyone believes that they have been born again apart from the only true new birth experience, which is the Spirit baptism accompanied by the sign of speaking in tongues; but that is a separate issue that is dealt with often on this site. Today I’m going to look at an excerpt from Ezekiel 18 and then compare it with some passages from Hebrews 3 and 4, to let the scriptures make my point for me: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. Yet ye say, The way of the LORD is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive" (Ezek. 18:20-27). The point God makes here is really simple. If his people obey his commandments they will be saved. If they do not then they will be lost. Remember, the dying that is mentioned here is for the soul. Everyone dies the physical death, whether righteous or wicked. Being God’s people did not save anyone under the old covenant, but rather obeying God’s will till the end.

Now let’s see if God has changed his mind about obedience till the end being what he requires of his new covenant believers in order to be saved. After establishing in the first couple of chapters of Hebrews the reality that the new covenant is of far greater importance than the old covenant, the apostle Paul gives us some serious admonitions: "And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, IF we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the END. Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, IF we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the END;… Let us therefore FEAR, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it… There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief” (Heb. 3:5-14; Heb. 4:1,9,11). So it is evident by honest reading that God still requires obedience in holiness from his people today, if we expect to inherit eternal life; just as he did under the old covenant. He hasn’t changed. The apostle even alludes to the old testament people with their disobedience and resulting failure to enter the promised land. I just don’t know how much more pointed this truth and reality can be made manifest. So once again we see the whole “sinners saved by grace” mentality and doctrine thrown into God’s garbage can, where all false teachings about this precious and glorious Gospel reside. If you are in sin, you simply aren’t 'saved’ period, by grace or otherwise. God’s grace will save us from sin and from being a sinner if we believe fully on the price his Son paid for our sins (Eph. 2:8). The salvation of the Lord is not about religious 'beliefs’, but rather about “fearing God, and keeping his commandments,” as it has always been (Eccl. 12:13). Amen.