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[Note: \u00a0<\/strong>This MS is available in \u00a0<\/strong>larger font on our Brief Articles 1<\/b>\u00a0page.]<\/span><\/p>\n Did Jesus \u201cargue\u201d with Himself in some of His statements? Did Paul, Peter, and John, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, contradict some of the things Jesus taught? Did these inspired men argue with each other (or with themselves) in their teachings? The doctrines of the Deity of Jesus and of Biblical inspiration make such suggestions nonsensical.<\/span><\/p>\n While these men of God never uttered doctrines that gainsaid their own teachings or those of others who were inspired, the doctrinal positions of many professed disciples do this very thing. Any interpretation of Scripture that causes a clash between the Lord\u2019s own statements or between those of others who were inspired necessarily indicates erroneous exegesis, conclusions, and applications of Holy Writ.<\/span><\/p>\n One such doctrine that amounts to \u201carguing\u201d with Jesus and other inspired men holds that, upon conversion, one immediately receives \u201ceternal life.\u201d By this they mean that God mystically transfers to the soul of the convert a spark of eternality that he cannot forfeit. They question, \u201cIf eternal life can be lost, how then is it eternal?\u201d This doctrine parallels Calvin\u2019s perseverance of the saints error.<\/span><\/p>\n Those holding this doctrine rely up such words from the Lord as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into judgment, but hath passed out of death into life\u201d (John 5:24).<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n This statement is typical of others in the New Testament (e.g., John 6:47; 10:28; 1 John 5:11\u201313; et al.).<\/span><\/p>\n Admittedly, such words appear at first glance to teach the immediate granting of irrevocable eternal life. If they do, we then have the serious problem of Jesus arguing with Himself and His apostles. The same Jesus also said that \u201cwhosoever believeth may in him have eternal life\u201d (John 3:15) (believeth indicates \u201ckeeps on believing\u201d). Even the apostles would be saved only if, when persecuted, they \u201cendured to the end\u201d (Mat. 10:22). These and a plethora of other warning passages state the conditionality of eventual eternal life\/salvation (e.g., John 8:51; 15:1\u20136; Rom. 2:6\u201310; Gal. 6:7\u20139; 2 Pet. 2:15\u201322; 1 John 1:6\u201310).<\/span><\/p>\n Additionally, Jesus told Peter that \u201cin the world to come\u201d those who sacrifice to serve Him will receive eternal life (Luke 10: 30). Saints have the hope and the promise of eternal life (Tit. 1:2; 3:7; 1 John 2:24\u201325).<\/span><\/p>\n The harmony of these passages suggests that eternal life is the Lord\u2019s promise and our certain hope\u2014if we remain faithful!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [Note:<\/strong> I wrote this article for and it appeared in the Denton Record-Chronicle, <\/em>Denton, TX, August 2, 2013.]<\/span><\/p>\n Attribution:<\/strong> From thescripturecache.com<\/em>; Dub McClish, owner and administrator.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Views: 0[Note: \u00a0This MS is available in \u00a0larger font on our Brief Articles 1\u00a0page.] Did Jesus \u201cargue\u201d with Himself in some of His statements? Did Paul, Peter, and John, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, contradict some of the things Jesus taught? Did…<\/p>\n