Beloved57, It isn't that you don't understand, it's that you don't accept it. I read Pastor Mikie's posts and understand it. I happen to agree with him. I'm safe in assuming you don't.

To anyone who agrees with eternal security as has been posted here, you are certainly welcomed to. But I say you are incorrect. The doctrine makes no sense. We have free will to accept Jesus Christ and His gift of salvation. So you expect me to believe now that I'm a Christian, I no longer have free will? That's absurd. I can choose to be saved. That's it. Now I'm stuck. You are quoting all the Scriptures that say we are eternally secure. You are ignoring or re-interpreting all the Scriptures that teach something different. I'm not even suggesting any true Christian would want to. You are saying it's impossible to lose your salvation. I was taught eternal security as a young Christian. I believed it, too. But there was a nagging question about all the people I've seen in my life time since I was taught eternal security just go back into sin and ruin their lives and you conveniently say they were never truly saved in the first place. That's illogical. I've found Scriptures that tell us to be careful, don't be negligent, abide with God, draw nigh unto God. And I've found Scriptures as Pastor Mikie has pointed out and somehow you say they aren't referring to Christians.

If any of you backslide or fall into sin or turn away from God or depart from the faith, believing the extreme doctrine of eternal security won't help you. You crying out to a holy God in repentance before you breath your last breath will be the only hope of salvation you have. Eternal security has most of it's adherents in the USA. In many foreign countries they don't believe that way. In the USA, the church is a mess. The fruit speaks for itself.

Sorry for sounding too passionate here. I don't mean to be so upset sounding. I think I'm just frustrated because very clear explanations have been given and not understood or accepted. I don't mean you have to agree with them, I just wish they were understood. Some of you come across a little frustrated as well. Maybe that is a good sign to go on to something else. This subject has been argued for a very long time with no resolution in sight (meaning before it's been discussed here).