BOOK REVIEW: FOUR VIEWS ON ETERNAL SECURITY
J. Matthew Pinson - General Editor. Zondervan. 0310234395 ISBN.
I recently finished reading Four Views On Eternal Security. I highly recommend this book for just about anyone who has ever wondered about assurance of salvation, eternal security, and/or the perseverance of the saints. In fact, even if you haven't wondered, I still commend this book to you.
Four views are presented: Classic Calvinist, Moderate Calvinist, Reformed Arminian, and Weslyan Arminian. I have never seen such a gracious and clarifying exchange in print! All four contributors did an excellent job presenting their cases and responding to those made by their counterparts. The true beliefs of each position are stated by each, and when one had misunderstood a position, or learned something from another's article, they were humble enough to admit it. Rare is such a thing, even among Christian authors!
While much of the subject matter was not new to me, I often found myself fascinated by the approach these authors would take. For example, Michael Horton argued the Classic Calvinist position from within the framework of Covenant Theology (something he is well known for). Stephen Ashby presented his Reformed Arminian position from the frame work of "in Christ."
So where did I wind up? To be honest, I don't know. For the longest time, I held to some kind of balance between the Classic Calvinist (perseverance of the saints) position, and Norm Geisler's eternal security position (all sins are forgiven - even rejecting Christ). Recently, even before reading this book, I have found myself moving towards some kind of balance between Classic Calvinism and Reformed Arminianism.
Ultimately, I don't beleve we can "lose" our salvation, but I'm beginning to think we just might be able to "reject" it. I greatly appreciate Stephen Ashby's point that salvation is always "in Christ." If we reject Christ, and cease to be "in Christ," then there is no salvation for us anymore since our salvation was always linked to us being "in Christ." Rejecting Christ would be tantamount to insulting the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 10), and one would not be able to be renewed unto repentance again (Hebrews 6 and 10).
Honestly, I haven't made up my mind yet, but regardless, the book was intellectually satisfying, spiritually healthy, challenging, and all around a good read. I highly recommend it.
D.J.M
J. Matthew Pinson - General Editor. Zondervan. 0310234395 ISBN.
I recently finished reading Four Views On Eternal Security. I highly recommend this book for just about anyone who has ever wondered about assurance of salvation, eternal security, and/or the perseverance of the saints. In fact, even if you haven't wondered, I still commend this book to you.
Four views are presented: Classic Calvinist, Moderate Calvinist, Reformed Arminian, and Weslyan Arminian. I have never seen such a gracious and clarifying exchange in print! All four contributors did an excellent job presenting their cases and responding to those made by their counterparts. The true beliefs of each position are stated by each, and when one had misunderstood a position, or learned something from another's article, they were humble enough to admit it. Rare is such a thing, even among Christian authors!
While much of the subject matter was not new to me, I often found myself fascinated by the approach these authors would take. For example, Michael Horton argued the Classic Calvinist position from within the framework of Covenant Theology (something he is well known for). Stephen Ashby presented his Reformed Arminian position from the frame work of "in Christ."
So where did I wind up? To be honest, I don't know. For the longest time, I held to some kind of balance between the Classic Calvinist (perseverance of the saints) position, and Norm Geisler's eternal security position (all sins are forgiven - even rejecting Christ). Recently, even before reading this book, I have found myself moving towards some kind of balance between Classic Calvinism and Reformed Arminianism.
Ultimately, I don't beleve we can "lose" our salvation, but I'm beginning to think we just might be able to "reject" it. I greatly appreciate Stephen Ashby's point that salvation is always "in Christ." If we reject Christ, and cease to be "in Christ," then there is no salvation for us anymore since our salvation was always linked to us being "in Christ." Rejecting Christ would be tantamount to insulting the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 10), and one would not be able to be renewed unto repentance again (Hebrews 6 and 10).
Honestly, I haven't made up my mind yet, but regardless, the book was intellectually satisfying, spiritually healthy, challenging, and all around a good read. I highly recommend it.
D.J.M
posted by bigdaddydave at 5:28 PM
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