Faulty Logic
By Lyndon Conn

 

Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."

     We are taught by the world to use logic in every decision we make and in everything we examine with our mind. Much of the Church world teaches the same thing, trusting in logic more than having faith in God. Most all people will believe in whatever makes sense to them. If it does not make sense in their logical mind they will reject it. Although I agree that there should be a certain amount of logic in our search for truth, there also must be faith. Logic is a God given ability in our nature to discern right from wrong. If it is used correctly it can become a great help to us in our lives. But, many in the world, as well as in the Church, often incorrectly use it. There is good logic that can be very helpful, and there is bad or faulty logic that can destroy a person.

     People use their own logic to explain away the truth of scripture or to change a truth into a deceptive lie. For example, it makes more sense to many that God would not send anyone to hell at all, but that all so-called "good people" will be saved. Since God is love, why would a loving God send anyone to such a horrible place? As Christians, we know that the answer lies with the issue of sin, and that man must receive salvation through Christ, God's provided atonement for sin. But the logical thinker in the w orld would never come to this conclusion. We must be very careful not to exchange such worldly logic for the reality of truth. Many have chosen to believe that there could be no such place as hell, because God could not send His creation to such a place. But they ignore the reality of scripture and the fact that God has given men a choice and a way to escape such judgment. In reality, men choose to go to hell by choosing to sin. God does not just send anyone to hell, but makes a way of escape. But many have conveniently taught that hell could not possibly be a place of eternal torment, in an effort to ease the conscience or fear of many. But this does not change the reality of what they will face in the end. Just because something sounds good or right does not mean that it is.

     Eternal Security is also a convenient doctrine, and very appealing to many. It seems to make sense to many people in the same way that many feel that God would not send His own Children to hell. But these people forget that we were all once considered children of the devil, but yet all men are the creations of God. In this sense we were all created children of God first, but became children of the devil through sin. If we choose sin over having freedom from sin though Christ, then we also choose to be a child of the devil through our actions. We may deny it verbally, but prove it to be so through a life of sin. Good logic will not trust in what we think is right, but rather through what lines up with God's word, through faith. Through faulty logic people will trust their own thinking rather than the truth of God's word, because it simply seems to make sense at the moment. They would do their selves much good to memorize Proverbs 3:5 and quote it often.

     For the sinner, we can say that this problem lies with not having the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:14 "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." But even Christians can become naturally minded when they trust in their own logic, rather than God's word and His Spirit for truth and direction. Many Christians have trusted in what makes sense to their natural mind, in the way that seems right unto them. But in many cases, their ways are the ways of death. Such is the case with the doctrine of eternal security and many of its advocates.

     Calvinism and its doctrines are something that seems right to many people. But it is the opinion of many such as myself that these doctrines did not come by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Men who used their own logic to explain scripture taught these doctrines to people. Calvinists will not stop teaching Eternal Security and predestination as long as they have the opportunity to do so. If you listen to radio programs by these popular Baptist teachers, I guarantee that before one days programs are finished you will hear at least one of them make a comment about Eternal Security. And they regularly teach on the subject for a complete session, lasting several weeks. People are continually having this doctrine pumped into them through radio and television programs, books and those around them. But yet, without these doctrines being taught to these people, they would never have come to such conclusions! Most new converts to Christianity that I have known have never gotten these doctrines out of the scriptures when reading the Bible. Anyone who had not been pre-taught doctrine in their childhood or by someone they had been influenced by, almost always see the scriptures as they are; understanding that a Christian can certainly fall and forfeit salvation. If people would just forget everything they were ever taught on this subject, and just read the Bible, pray and ask God for truth, I believe He will show them the Truth. They would then see that Scripture does not teach what these men have taught. I did this very thing years ago, just as many people who have left Calvinist Churches and their teachings. Many new believers in Calvinist Churches begin to question the Eternal Security doctrine, in which they are pointed to their 'so called' error in understanding the scriptures. I have never known a single new believer who has ever questioned the ability to fall away from salvation, unless they had heard it taught or were raised to believe such. Even many of them do not believe what they were taught, because they had previously fallen and know better. Logic has its place in searching for scriptural truth. But we must be sure that our faith is in God, and not in our own understanding or a doctrine. We can be led by our own logic or we can be led by the Spirit of God. Which one will you lean on and trust; The Lord, or your own understanding?

     Once taught Eternal Security, most people really love the doctrine and do not want to let it go. They like believing that they cannot lose their salvation, so their lives can be carefree. But this logic can destroy a Christian through the same self-deceiving lies that the world believes, as shown in these scriptures just mentioned. It seems right, it makes sense logically, but it does not line up with scripture.

     This same logic is used in the stories and examples that Calvinists use to explain their doctrines. I have read several books on the subject of Eternal Security by Calvinist teachers, and I have found that they spend most of their time on logic, and little time on scripture. Those who do use scriptures will choose a few choice scriptures and then begin to attach as many so-called logical stories and examples that they can come up with in order to convince those receiving their message of what they want to get across. They will use it by using phrases such as, "Once a son, always a son," comparing this to our earthly father by saying that this relationship cannot be changed no matter what. They will say that if a person has been born again, they cannot be un-born, or that if we have been adopted we cannot be un-adopted. But the Bible does not use such faulty logic as they do. The faulty logic of saying one has to be 'un-born' or 'un-adopted' in order for the nature of the believer to be changed back into an unbeliever, is a misuse of examples given by Jesus and the apostles. They used these examples to explain our entering a new lifestyle, and to describe the relationship we have with the Father as true believers in Christ. But these examples were never intended to be used in reverse to show that falling from grace is not possible. This is faulty logic, which was not intended as part of the examples given in the Bible at all. Their logic that one cannot become Un-Born is drawing from something that is not a human concept. Isn't it more logical to say that one who is born spiritually can die spiritually? Death is the word that the Bible uses, not being un-born. The same is to be said of the logic of using adoption. We do not become un-adopted, but we can be disowned and disinherited! In the same way, to say that one has been "sealed by God" was not intended to prove that one cannot become unsealed, but only to show that Christ will keep and protect those who abide in Him to the end. And to say that one has been "bought" was not intended to say that one could not be "un-bought". But this simply shows that we "belong" to Christ at the present time, which was made possible through the shedding of His blood for our sins. It in no way indicates that we cannot fall away and lose what we once had in Christ. Eternal Security is read into the scriptures. The scriptures themselves do not teach it!

     I can and have used some logic in this book to help, through the use of stories and examples, to understand more clearly what scripture is saying. For example, a postage stamp is worthless to a post office once it bears the marks of cancellation. A stamp does not have to be "un-printed" to become void of postal value. With Eternal Security "logic" we could stand at the counter and argue with the Postmaster that they must honor our cancelled stamps because there is no such thing as being "un-stamped"! But it is not an issue of something being 'Un-done' or reversed, but of salvation becoming cancelled through sin, unbelief, rebellion, or rejection. Such logic as used here is very true! But nevertheless, logic in itself should not be what we use to base our theology upon. I do not condemn the use of stories and examples, but rather think they can be very helpful at times, such as with this example. But we must be able to discern whether or not they line up with what scripture is really saying or not. Calvinists have used many of them incorrectly, reversing a Biblical story or example in an attempt to show that it is not possible; but these examples were never intended to be used in such a way. This is faulty logic!

     Calvinists love to use their examples to explain their doctrines, and will always try to explain that certain biblical examples are irreversible, showing that losing salvation is not possible. Another example of this is when they say that if we are Christ's sheep, we cannot become a goat, a pig, or a dog. The same people who believe that this cannot be done have no trouble believing that a goat can become a sheep! To follow their thinking to its logical end, we would have to say that if the nature of someone cannot be changed, then regeneration and the New-Birth (salvation) is impossible! In essence, they are saying that it is impossible to be saved! But again, these examples were not intended to be used this way. They were intended to show that we follow Christ as a sheep follow a shepherd. But if we are going to use logic, then we should use it as scripture gives it. Not through examples such as these given by Calvinists, that cannot be properly reversed; but through direct words such as follow, remain, abide, and continue, which all indicated that there is the possibility of not following, not remaining, not abiding, and not continuing. This is more than logic, but simple truth! If we are to use logic, then logic tells us that if there is a way into salvation, there must be a way out! If we are free to "believe" and put our trust in Christ for salvation, we must conclude that we are just as free to reject Christ and His salvation after being saved. We cannot have free will before salvation, and not have free will after salvation. Such a concept is not to be found in Scripture.

     Calvinists will use logic to explain their own doctrine, but when it comes to true logic and the truth about salvation, they will do all they can to convince people that these things could not possibly be, even though scripture shows that it is so! Their own logic turns out to have more authority with them than the Word of God itself. I would warn all to beware of such faulty logic!

     If we are going to use logic, lets be sure that we base what we call 'the truth' on God's word alone, and not on faulty logic as used by men! Logic can help us to understand or explain things more clearly, but it cannot be the basis of truth. The logic of an Eternal Gift is interesting, but does not establish a fact of an Eternal possession or an Eternal Security! Although the life is eternal, possession may not be.

     One preacher speaking of Eternal Security said this: "There never was or ever can be "a born Securitist." You reader, or any other truly born again Christian, cannot read the Eternal Security verses and get Eternal Security "out of" them. The only way that Eternal security can be attached to these verses is to "read it into" them. This proves that Eternal Security is an extra-Biblical, external philosophy, seeking Biblical sanction. People are "educated into" eternal Security, just as truly as atheists are "educated into" atheism." - Henry Schilling  

     I can tell you, that if Eternal Security could be proven to be true through the scriptures, then I would have gladly received such as truth long ago. But I must ask the reader, how willing are you to change? Is the cost too high to pay for you to accept truth that differs from what you have been taught? Be sure that you do not trust in the doctrine of Eternal Security and its so-called logic more than the Bible itself! Do not lean on your own understanding! This could be the most important decision some could ever make, other than their decision to give their lives to Jesus. Unless perhaps you have thought yourself to be saved, but in reality your sin has cut you off! If reading about this makes you mad, then you should ask yourself, "why"? For many it is because it cuts at the core of what they were taught 'is the gospel', so it causes a defensive or offensive reaction. For some it could mean that when they thought they were going to heaven, they were actually deceiving themselves. This could require great change and sacrifice that many are not sure they want to make. Others would have to accept that what they were taught all their life, what their parents taught them, and what most of their family has always believed is a lie. This is all too heavy for many people to handle. But the Bible says "They shall know the truth, and the truth shall make them free." It is each individual's choice, whether to be free or to remain in such bondage.

     There are many good Christians who have believed Eternal Security who could help others that are not right with God, instead of ignoring their backslidden state. This truth can set them free! Free to be used by God, to pull people out of bondage into freedom through Christ. But each person must work out his or her own salvation with fear and trembling! (Philippians 2:12) We all have the free will given by God, and the freedom in our country to believe whatever we want to. We can be under the bondage from doctrines of men, or we can be free from sin through the truth of God's word. We all must decide which path we will take!

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