A Prayer
of Jesus
I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will.
Edition No. 26               WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN TO               October 1, 2003
  The Voice of Jesus
This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!
MISUNDERSTANDING JESUS (#16)
Salvation: Saved and Certain?
The False Teaching
A Baptist writes this: The Bible tells us we can know for sure that we're going to heaven! That means YOU! Take a look:These things I have written to you that you may KNOW that you have eternal life.(1 John 5:13) This means that we don't have to guess about life after death. If there's one thing you really want to be sure of in this life, it's where you'll be going after it's over. Fortunately, the Bible tells we can be certain about heaven!

I preached this doctrine for twenty years.  It is attractive to hear, and very popular, as shown by the many Baptists and others who believe it. Yet all know better in their hearts. They just become victims to its attraction and the belief that the Bible teaches it, as stated above. Who doesn't want to be certain of heaven? Who can deny what "the Bible teaches?"  So the doctrine flourishes in spite of the individual's better judgment. I implore you, Baptists and others, to listen to Jesus and learn the Truth, for this  is insidious, false and very, very dangerous!
Exposing the Error
The Baptist's text, I John 5:13, is not an utterance of Jesus. That aside, let us examine it: These things I have written to you that you may KNOW that you have eternal life.
D
oes this say one can be certain of heaven?  No, we fail to see either certain or heaven. Further, we know immediately that, in all the Bible, no such association of these words exists; the Baptists would surely put it forth. Their doctrine hinges on the capitalized word KNOW. Does this mean to know for certain? No, the Greek eidhte here does not imply certainty. The verse does imply that, apart from reading this epistle, one does not know one has eternal life! Certainty of heaven is being misread into it by the Baptists in a way that betrays misunderstanding of Jesus. This is bait in the Baptist trap. It draws one in and then, when one has committed to believe, it snaps shut and turns off the Light of Truth forever. Few will question what they have claimed as a certainty, or doubt what they think they know but do not. Plus, the preacher says it, so it must be true! We humans have but one certainty -- uncertainty!

Declaring the Truth
I have said all this to you to keep you from falling away. (Jn.16:1) What had Jesus just said? Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away,....If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. (Jn.15:2,6)  How does one abide in the vine?  If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.(Jn.15:10) You who trust only in a free gift of grace and do not keep his commandments do not abide in him. What happens to those branches? Listen: And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. (Lu.8:13) Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life (Jn.5:24) Yes, we have eternal life only if we continue in his word.,No one is certain of heaven or of not falling away.  More.;