Liberty In Christ, Eternal Security And The Issue Of Drunkenness - Evangelical Outreach EOMIN.org Offers Scriptural Guidance Through Compelling Testimony

Evangelical Outreach is a Christian ministry dedicated to the defense and confirmation of the life-giving Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The "Once Saved Always Saved" doctrine holds that it is not possible for a Christian to die spiritually. Sadly, the "liberty in Christ" concept can be, and often is, used by OSAS teachers to justify sinful behavior. Ex-Catholic Dan Corner, Director of Evangelical Outreach knows that Scripture says something very different. He recently offered a very important anonymous testimony on this topic.

I initially came to salvation about 9 years ago. As a baby Christian, I began attending a very large and friendly Southern Baptist Church. After service we had Connect Group where about 30 people got together for food and fellowship. I was eager to read all the big names that were on display in the Church and airport bookstore. Although as a new Christian (or so I thought), I still wanted to continue to get drunk occasionally. However, I did not want to anger God and be punished for my occasional indulgences.

I confessed to the group that every couple of weeks I liked to drink a bottle of wine and smoke a pack of cigarettes and asked them what the Bible had to say about that. This question was received like a hot potato, and it was hard to get a straight answer, but in sum, I was told it was a matter between me and the Holy Spirit and that we just don't want to cause someone else to stumble.

I wanted a more definite answer but was also secretly hoping for a loophole that would allow me to continue to "treat myself" every now and then. When I spoke to different members of the group about "having to obey Christ" and God’s wrath, I was told things like: that’s legalism, "God is love", "This is the age of grace" and, “Just go enjoy your relationship with Christ."

I was ecstatic when one day after class, in response to one of my "what if" questions, one of the lead teachers told me that I could do the same thing again and again and again, and I would be forgiven every time. That was music to my ears; now I could still get drunk every couple of weeks and remain in good standing with Christ! I knew I kept returning to my wine as a dog returns to his vomit (2 Peter 2:22) but I thought I was safe because I was returning to it less than before.

And if I did it less and less - let's say once every 2 1/2 or 3 weeks instead of once every 2 weeks, then I was becoming more and more sanctified. I listened to speakers from our church visit prisons and tell the inmates that if they believe in Christ, all God sees is Christ's righteousness -- not their sin -- when he looks at them. I knew that there had to be repentance from sins in order to come to Christ to be initially saved, but afterwards, it seemed that as long as you sinned less than you did before you came to Christ, then you were being sanctified and you were on the road to Heaven.

I got a deceitful MacArthur Study Bible and read the commentaries at the bottom of the Bible page. I read and heard expressions like the "practice of sinning" and a "lifestyle" of sin, which gave me a false sense of security because my drunkenness was only occasional and not a "lifestyle" or a "practice". The Holy Spirit was convicting me that something was wrong and false about this gospel message. I erroneously thought the matter was one of true and false conversion. I had not yet understood that a true Christian can indeed fall away.

I began to see the term "liberty in Christ" used to justify sinful behavior. I also noticed all the focus was on God’s love but nothing about his wrath. Because of all this, at my urging, our family left the big popular church in search of one with more "narrow gate" preaching. The other churches we visited had the same lopsided message. Finally we settled on a tiny church that I thought would be safer and more real. When I asked the pastor there about occasional drinking, he told me that they do not meddle into people’s business and that we have "liberty in Christ". At that point, I quit going to church altogether because I was afraid of being subjected to and deceived by false doctrine; I didn't trust myself as strong enough to stand firm under it. I started to become obsessed with finding out whether or not Once Saved Always Saved was true and what were the real consequences of sin.

Scripture states that those who commit the sin of drunkenness will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:21). Know that drunkenness, which leads to hell, starts with only one drink; it is by having one drink that paves the way for the imbibing of the next (and the next). It is true that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus but only for those who walk after the Holy Spirit and not after the lusts of the flesh. (Romans 8:1)

When I read all these verses together, my heart started violently pounding and I had a fearful expectation of judgment and raging hellfire as God's enemy. (Heb. 10:26) I immediately got down on my knees and begged the Lord to forgive me for being a drunkard and to give me his grace and mercy to stop. That was almost 9 years ago, and I have not had a drink since. Looking back, I can now see how the doctrine of eternal security puts people back on the road to hell very soon after initial salvation. Even so, I know I must take full responsibility for my own sins and not blame others for my choice to sow to my flesh. "Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey - whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?" (Romans 6:16) Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. (1 Peter 1:13) Share this message with others. God bless you.

Dan Corner, a former pastor and ex-Catholic, is the author of a number of books including 'The Believer's Conditional Security: Eternal Security Refuted', 'The Myth of Eternal Security' and 'Is this the Mary of the Bible?'.

Dan is available for media interviews, including debates, and can be reached using the information below or by email at eternallifeblog@gmail.com, by phone at 724-632-3210 or by mail at PO Box 265, Washington, PA, 15301. His websites are https://www.evangelicaloutreach.org (EOMIN.org) and AlcanceEvangelistico.org (DBN-MIN.net) and EternalLifeBlog.com.

About Dan Corner:

After graduating from college, Dan Corner got saved by reading the Bible. For over four decades, he has diligently served the Lord Jesus. Dan Corner's pastoral, apologetic, counter cult and street evangelism experiences have equipped him to contend for the faith and win souls to Jesus from many backgrounds.

He is an ordained minister and director of Evangelical Outreach who pastored for almost seven years and has authored hundreds of Christian articles, answered thousands of emails and letters and has written several books of vital importance in our day.

Contact:

Dan Corner
eternallifeblog@gmail.com
EvangelicalOutreach.org (EOMIN.org)
AlcanceEvangelistico.org (DBN-MIN.net)
EternalLifeBlog.com
724-632-3210