An awesome thought to consider the capabilities of demons! Among other things, demons actually formulate teachings (1 Tim. 4:1)! Since Satan can readily quote Scripture (Mt. 4:6), we should not think the teachings of demons will be filled with apparent gaping holes that can be easily noticed with little or no effort.
Also, the way Satan succeeded in verbally communicating his wishes for Job to "curse God" (Job 1:11; 2:5) through his wife (2:9) is astounding! But it is even more astounding that Satan actually spoke through Peter, one of the Lord's chosen apostles (Mt. 16:22,23)!
Should we, then, consider it ludicrous for a "doctrine of demons" to come through well-meaning, respected and popular teachers of the Word? Most assuredly not!
There is one thing we can be sure of. The devil only has our eternal harm in mind! In other words, he will try to harm us, especially spiritually. One of the best ways to do this is to downplay the ultimate danger of sin, while not going too far in the other direction so as to be easily detected. This is exactly what the teaching of eternal security does! By this I mean, eternal security teachers will readily preach against sin -- openly declaring the pain, shame and regret it brings, even the loss of eternal rewards and one's position in the kingdom, but will never declare such has the potential of keeping a person who was once saved out of the kingdom all together, in spite of the many clear Scriptures which show this possibility (Rom. 8:13; Gal. 5:19-21; 6:8; Rev. 22:19; etc.)! Seemingly, this fact has been hidden from their Biblical understanding for some reason. We should not be surprised that large numbers of people will be attracted to this type of message! See 2 Tim. 4:3,4.
With all this in mind, we need to ask a revealing and vital question: Does true grace teaching allow the sexually immoral in heaven? Why have I singled out the sin of sexual immorality? Because this is obviously a sex-crazed society in which we live. In general, Jesus called it an "adulterous" generation (Mk. 8:38). Moreover, Paul said we would have to escape the planet to get away from, among others, the sexually immoral (1 Cor. 5:10)!
But what does the Bible say about the seriousness of sexual sin? This is where something begins to surface that is not very pleasant! By this I mean the devil and his "doctrine of demons." For centuries those who teach the myth of eternal security have denied and vehemently argued against sexual immorality negating one's salvation. Sometimes the patriarch David is mentioned in such an endeavor, as done by the deceased John R. Rice:
"David committed sins of murder and adultery. We must condemn his sins. They were bad. But David's sins were under the blood of Christ, and in the fifty-first Psalm, the prayer of David shows that he had not lost his salvation, but the joy of salvation."
By quoting a reference, John R. Rice seemingly backs his beloved position with the authoritative Scriptures. However, if one would check Psalm 51, he would see that Rice has "read into" the Scriptures something that is not there as the basis for his argument! Please note: Nowhere in Psalm 51 does it say that David did not lose his salvation! We only read here of his prayerful wishes to have the joy of his salvation restored! But was the loss of the joy of his salvation the extreme limit of the spiritual harm he did to himself by his single act of sexual immorality (and murder)? Let's allow the Apostle Paul to answer this for us. In 1 Cor. 6:9,10, Paul (in question form) clears this issue up once and for all:
"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."
This is what the great grace teacher openly taught as part of his gospel message! Wow! Doesn't that help identify those "doctrines of demons" we need to be aware of? Real grace teaching declares that all unforgiven sexually immoral people, besides others like drunkards and the greedy, will definitely not enter the kingdom of God! There are no exceptions!
To reiterate, the eternal security teachers are openly contradicting Paul's grace message about the sexually immoral entering heaven! (Of course, they are very careful to stay away from 1 Cor. 6:9,10 as they teach bits and pieces of the Bible, focusing in upon and emphasizing certain verses which, on the surface, seem to be backing for their doctrine.)
Another very clear refutation to eternal security, also written by Paul, is the following:
"For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person -- such a man is an idolater -- has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore, do not be partners with them" (Eph. 5:5-7).
This was Paul's "assurance message" in his day. Friends, the Bible says, "let no one deceive you with empty words" about the immoral, impure or greedy, that is, even if they come from a person on TV, radio and who has written numerous books, some of which, overall, are very sound in doctrine!
I wish I could say this type of spiritual poison about sexual sin has only been taught in the past by John R. Rice. However, this is certainly not the case.
Even more blatant in his teaching on eternal security, Bob George declared his distorted interpretation of one of Paul's teachings over dozens of radio stations:
"And as Paul said, 'All things are permissible, but not all things are profitable.' So is committing fornication permissible? YES. Is it profitable? No, it isn't."
Perhaps Bob George should read 1 Cor. 6:9,10 and Eph. 5:5-7, among other clear verses! Furthermore, all advocates of this type of teaching should focus in upon Titus 2:12 which describes the true GRACE of God:
"It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self- controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age."
Imagine the incredible influence that other eternal security teachers like Charles Stanley and John MacArthur have in our country at this time. These men are pastors of congregations in excess of 10,000 each! Furthermore, their radio broadcasts are heard everywhere in the United States with almost no exception! Television is also a channel through which their easy-to-receive message regarding eternal security is broadcasted alongside their many sound sermons. Moreover, Stanley was elected president at least twice of the convention held by the largest Protestant denomination in the United States, that is, the Southern Baptist! Truly, his influence alone is phenomenal. Yet these ministries, along with Bob George and many others, are openly and shockingly teaching our generation that true grace teaching does allow the sexually immoral in heaven!
Let's give God Himself (seated on His throne) the final word about the sexually immoral:
"But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars -- their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death" (Rev. 21:8).
Could anything be more clear than this?
[Please see our article, Does True Grace Teaching Allow The Sexually Immoral In Heaven?, for documentation regarding statements made by eternal security teachers previously quoted in this article.]
In light of all of this, without equivocation, I believe it is spiritually dangerous for the Body of Christ to be exposed to the teaching of eternal security! This is the only logical conclusion one can come to since the Bible clearly identifies this type of sinner (the sexually immoral) as hell bound and not just something less, as the eternal security teachers are saying. In other words, the seriousness of sexual immorality, as taught by the eternal security teachers, is as far from the truth of God as the lake of fire is from the kingdom of God! Should not this teaching, therefore, be exposed and refuted? Obviously, I believe it's crucial to do so!
Regarding this rampant teaching, my wife and I were recently listening to a tape on a subject that we thought would have nothing to do with endorsing eternal security. We were wrong! The teacher was doing fine until he subtly slipped in the doctrine of eternal security:
"...But he would use them [girls], and he used them sexually at times as well. Now this is a guy in the Body of Christ" [The Theater Of Your Mind -- What's Showing? (Tape 2) by Denny Gunderson].
Gunderson should have said, "Now this guy was a professing Christian, but by his actions he denied the Lord (Titus 1:16)" or "He fell into sexual sin as the Prodigal did (Lk. 15:30) and therefore was in vital need of repentance" (Lk. 15:24).
Those of us that know of the spiritual danger of eternal security should be openly speaking out against this pernicious doctrine, which has to be adversely affecting multitudes in our day! It is time for true servants of God to clearly and boldly proclaim the truth of God! Souls hang in the balance. Many will be misled to Hell through eternal security, unless there are clear voices openly refuting it! What will you do to help remedy this horrible situation? Remember this: The eternal security teachers, with their incredible influence, won't hesitate to continue to openly pour out their spiritually dangerous "myths" over radio, tv and in their literature!
For just one reason why this is so, consider what Charles Stanley wrote:
"The very gospel itself comes under attack when the eternal security of the believer is questioned" [Eternal Security: Can You Be Sure?, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990, p.192, emphasis ours].
What an unbelievable statement! Yet, sadly, many believe it! God only knows how many people in your circle of influence are of this number and could be spiritually hurt by this type of bold as sertion unless you do something! The time to act is now.
I, personally, will openly stand against the rampant false doctrine of unconditional eternal security (or just plain eternal security), just like I will stand against any other dangerous distortion of the gospel of grace in an effort to please my Lord!
In conclusion then, does true grace teaching allow the sexually immoral in heaven? One group would answer "No," the other "Yes." One group is right, the other wrong! One is God's truth, the other is the devil's lie!
If you want more copies of our tract entitled, Does True Grace Teaching Allow The Sexually Immoral In Heaven?, please write. Ten copies will be sent free. For more than 10 copies, please send .03 for each copy, which will also cover the cost of postage. Be generous in your distribution to your acquaintances, for this truth is vital and desperately needs to go forth for the sake of the kingdom of God. Remember, this is an "adulterous generation" (Mk. 8:38) that urgently needs to know about the real grace we are under. Eternal destinies continue to hang in the balance!