Transcript
Speaker: Hello everybody, I'm Apostle Ed Eberle. And I have a message I want to bring to you all here this morning. I've been dealing with it a little bit here lately, and I feel I need to say this. I don't believe I've ever caught on this before.
Speaker: As far as it what I'm going to do today, I've talked about it, but not taught about it. But I've been confronted with it by some situations here with some people. And I'm going to just make this recording here. in this tell you what i really believe in this thing according to god's word First of all, before we get started, let's ask God to bless what I'm going to say here in prayer, okay? Heavenly Father, I just want to praise you. I just want to lift up the name of Jesus.
Speaker: Father, I believe that you would have me to do this recording today. It's been confronted to me several times. I feel the need to bring the word out because the truth is, Father, it's what your words are. It didn't matter doesn't matter what I would think or say or anybody else, but it's according to your word.
Speaker: And Father, I ask that you speak to me today what you would have me to say and what you have showed me, Father. Because I know it's your word that you have showed me, Father. And I just want to make sure it's clear and understandable by people that they will see it by your Holy Spirit. God, you will move upon the hearts for what you would want them to see and how you want them to live. And Father, I don't want to stir any conversity or any problem between people or or separation or anything like that. but lord we know we have to bring the truth to your word out no matter what. And Father, you know that's what I do no matter what the cost. that I bring your word out to what you would have me to say and do. So Father, now I just ask for your blessing upon me.
Speaker: And I thank you, Father, in Jesus' precious name. And they all said amen, amen, and amen. Okay, it's called Conditional. for unconditional eternal security.
Speaker: That's been an age -old question by a lot of people, and there's differences of opinion on that very thing. But, you know, when we say differences of opinion, I never liked that.
Speaker: way of really of saying it because it doesn't matter what my opinion is or your what does the Bible says about it. That's the final authority and I must accept what it says. You must accept it no matter whether we like it or not. Too often we try to hear what we believe or what is said according to what grandma and granddad believed or mom and dad or friends or somebody we know. But we never base.
Speaker: what the bible says on any individual or any person so no matter what happens to that person where they believe something for years and it doesn't work for them at the very end it has no bearing on anything because The Word of God is not... based upon the strength of you, me, or anybody else. The Word of God is the Word of God, whether I walk in it, whether I don't walk in it.
Speaker: you know a lot of people say the uh an old saying that says if the word says it i believe it and that settles it Well, that's really going too far because the Word of God, whether I believe it or not, that settles it.
Speaker: We said, whether I believe it or not, settled it. Whether I believe or not, it doesn't matter what I believe. It matters to what the word says. Amen. And I believe what I'm going to be speaking today is exactly what God has shown me. And I'm willing to speak it out.
Speaker: the way it is okay All right, if you have your Bibles, I want you to turn to Colossians 1. and we're going to read verses 20 through 23, okay?
Speaker: Write these verses down and read them over and study them and pray about them. oh I always want people to do that of anything I ever preach and teach or ever talk about. Go by what the Word says and by the witness of the Holy Spirit in your life and your heart, because that's where you get your real answers from God.
Speaker: Okay. having And having made peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things to himself. by him, I say whether they be things in earth or things in heaven.
Speaker: Then you. that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now have thee reconciled. in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable.
Speaker: in his sight. Now here's the 23rd verse. If you continue in the faith. grounded and settled and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you have heard and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven thereof.
Speaker: Paul, I'm made a minister. Okay. If you continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel. which you heard and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven whereof. Paul.
Speaker: I, Paul, am made a minister. Okay, this spirit spoke of us being reconciled to God through the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. And we we were brought back to God. um Like me, I'm a born -again man. I came to Jesus Christ, right? And I'm reconciled by the blood of Jesus. But here's what he said again. I'll read that 23rd verse. And this is a key verse.
Speaker: if That's a condition. If I continue in the faith. grounded and settled and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel. Okay. I have to continue in the faith. It's like breathing. I've breathed all my life. But if I stop breathing, I'll die. Well, that's really the same. with faith, of being obedient to the Lord. There's another scripture.
Speaker: Oh. i want to read to you right here In fact, before we get to that scripture, I'll read these other ones to you right here. So we see right there, there's a condition to that. In other words, the promise is there, but the condition is you...
Speaker: remain. in the faith in other words you you continue with it you don't stop OK. All right. Let's go to Romans 11, 19 and 20.
Speaker: at 21 and 22. the four verses there. Thou will say then, the branches were broken off that I might be grafted in. Well, because of unbelief, they were broken off and now standeth by faith.
Speaker: Be not high -minded, but... See you. For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed, lest he spare thee not. Behold! therefore.
Speaker: the goodness and severity of God. on them. which fell. severity, But. toward the goodness. if thou continue in his goodness otherwise thou also shall be cut off let me read that verse again Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God.
Speaker: on them which fell. severity But. towards D. Goodness. Yeah. thou continuing his goodness, otherwise thou also shall be cut off. He was speaking the natural branches, which is the Jewish people. He said they were cut off. They were cut off because of of their unbelief. because of what they did, they fell.
Speaker: Okay. we are grafted in. We're not the natural branches. We're grafted in. And he said, I graft you in because of my goodness. and If you continue in my goodness, he said.
Speaker: You'll be fine, but if not you'll be cut off also So you see he cut off the natural branch or the natural branches with the Jewish people those that were didn't believe But us, we're grafted in. But there again, the condition is.
Speaker: If you continue, he says right here, looking at that verse right there, it says, if you continue in his goodness, also thou shall be cut off, right? So you see, there's the other word cut off again, if you continue. The condition is if.
Speaker: condition. is if you know that the the largest word in the dictionary is if When you say something to somebody and then you say if. You say, oh, what what does that mean? Well, if.
Speaker: Thus and such, you see. There's a condition there, okay? Okay. Now, let's kind of examine this from ah the standpoint of faith we're talking about.
Speaker: The Bible says in 1 Peter 1 .5, if you have that, your Bible, again, go to 1 Peter 1 .5 or write the scriptures down. who are kept by the power of God through faith. unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Speaker: We are kept. by the power of God by faith okay now I'm going to give you a little. example here This is this cell phone of mine is faith, right?
Speaker: And this hand is God, right? This other hand right here is me. I'm holding on through faith to God. There's God. This is faith, the cell phone, and this is me holding on.
Speaker: Okay. he said Right here he said you're kept by the god a power of God through faith. be revealed in the last time. Okay, now and in 1 Timothy 4, 1 it says now, The Spirit speaketh.
Speaker: expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and dolphins of devils Okay. If I depart from the faith,
Speaker: I departed. See, I left it. What told me to God?
Speaker: Aren't we saved through faith in Jesus Christ and receiving him as our Lord and Savior? Repenting and receiving him as Lord and Savior? We're kept by faith. What holds me to faith?
Speaker: That's the third thing it says right there. what it shows us our connection with God, right? Okay, there's one more verse I have right there, and this is ah really the clincher above all. Actually, this verse alone.
Speaker: To me, it says it all. Maybe some people disagree with me, and that's fine. But I'm just going to tell you what the Word of God says and what I believe and my take on this. Okay, Revelation 3 -5.
Speaker: Now this verse is is spoken by Jesus himself. This is red letters in your Bible right here. You look in these other letters right here, the scriptures I read.
Speaker: spoken by Paul. mostly with what was said which they were inspired by the holy spirit just as real as what jesus spoke because they're all from the lord these words are god's word whether jesus himself spoken or one of his apostles has spoken whoever wrote the book right there because they're all holy words are from the throne of god but let's see what jesus said out of his own mouth He that overcometh.
Speaker: the same shall be clothed in white raiment. And I will not. block. out his name. out of the book of life. but I will confess his name before my father and before his angels. Let me read that one again. That's worthy to be read again.
Speaker: He that overcometh. The same shall be clothed in white raiment. and I will not blot out his name out of the... Book of Life. but I will confess his name before my father and before the angels. Well, let me ask you a question right here. Stop and think about this right now, okay?
Speaker: He said, I will blot not blot his name out of the book of life. evidently Like, let's use myself as an example again. My name is written in the book of life, right?
Speaker: Okay. If I overcome, if I stay. faithful to the end in faith of my faith in jesus christ What will happen is. He won't block my name out. So that means my name is written in there.
Speaker: So. he won't blot it out. but how can he blow your name out of the book of life if it wasn't written in there? you See, if you're in the book of life, that means you were saved because your name does not get put in the book of life until you receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and your Lord.
Speaker: Now, Blot it out. That means to take it out. In other words, you're named in there then I take it out. You were saved, you see. That shows it. There's a condition to this thing, just like the other verses I read to you and spoke to you about. There's a condition to this if you continue in the faith.
Speaker: Now... Some people go to extremes on this as soon as something happens right where you're lost soon Then you're saved. Then you're lost. Then you're saved. Some people don't have the assurance of salvation.
Speaker: Well. The Bible tells us. If we call on the Lord. If we call on him, he hears us. We never hear this. Well, we're saved, you see, because you called them. You asked them to come into your life.
Speaker: And take over your life lifestyle. If you call upon him. you're safe. If you meant it in your heart, right? Okay. You have the witness of the Holy Spirit. These things are written onto you. You might know that you have eternal life. By my Holy Spirit and because you called upon my name, you asked me.
Speaker: to commence your life. and saved you and repented. I heard you and you're safe. Okay, you have that witness. Okay. Now. Something else, this is going to go a little bit deeper.
Speaker: Some people wrestle with that because they they think, well, hey, I must have messed up. I guess I'm not saving. They're worried about it. They're fearful about it. They don't have that assurance. They're kind of tensed up, right?
Speaker: Well, let me give you an answer to something right here I think is going to help a lot of you right now. If you still care. If you're saved, if you still have a concern about your salvation and your relationship to Jesus, you're not.
Speaker: like blaspheme the Holy Spirit and they're no longer savable. there is a place that you can't be saved. In other words, you can go beyond the measure. And I won't get into that, what that is, but that's a mature Christian. Only mature Christians can blaspheme the Holy Spirit and the things for what it really is, because it's a point of knowledge where you do it from your heart. But the bottom line is if you still.
Speaker: care. You still care. Am I saved? You have a concern. Hey, you're all you have to do is repent. And the biggest thing when you do that, if you're if you're wrestling with that right now,
Speaker: You just. repent of whatever that thing was and accept that he's forgiving you and then forgive yourself. and Act like it in your heart and your mind and determine, hey, I'm saved and that's it. And I'm not going to allow the devil speak to my name. to many.
Speaker: Like he's the accuser of the brother, and he goes before the Lord, and and he's the accuser of what you and I do, right? But Jesus is our advocate. So you see. Whenever he accuses you, it's your job to not receive that that accusation. When he says that in your mind, say, hey, you messed up. You did this wrong. You're not saved. You're not this. You're not that. No, I've asked God to forgive me, and I forgive myself. And in the name of Jesus, get out of my mind. I cast you down. I don't listen to your lies.
Speaker: Save me. You see, that's what it is. It's it's a mind game that he plays with in these things right there that gets you in and out, in and out. Then there's some people believe.
Speaker: unconditional eternal security. Now, what does that really mean? I have not really discussed that. A person who truly believes in unconditional eternal security is the person, and the most people would say this,
Speaker: that believe in unconditional eternal security, they will say, well, that person backs it. He was never saved to begin with. He was never saved to begin with. But the problem is that's not true.
Speaker: Because we saw just what Jesus spoke right there and everything else. Hey, that's speaking that people were there, but they departed from it. and what that would constitute if you actually believe it unconditional that means that myself use me as the example i'm born again i know i'm saved okay now I could jump ship. I could, well...
Speaker: I started doing every evil practice that's mentioned in the Bible. But if I have unconditional certain eternal security in the eyes of God, that means no matter what I did, I would still go to heaven. and I lose my rewards and everything. I wouldn't have a relationship with the mirror, but I wouldn't go to hell. I'd go to heaven.
Speaker: Let them nail it up. We don't have a God over a barrel. We must continue. You know, we're in covenant, right? And a covenant is two participators. Jesus did his part.
Speaker: Now we need to do our part. Now we don't save ourselves. He saved us, but we haven't. have the responsibility to stay in his ship and follow him and obey him you see Old things pass away, old things become new, 2 Corinthians 5 .17.
Speaker: so I wanted to share this with you all because just to point these few things out. to you to show you what that constitutes. And common spiritual sense, as far as I'm concerned, would tell me that. Now, I know people are going to disagree with what I have to say here. People disagree. I've been told it with my face before. And that's up to you. But what's what's frightening about believing in unconditional? eternal security.
Speaker: is people would actually buy that and believe that they they can be genuinely saved and then go out and do wrong and and and live a life. the displeasing to God. I mean, living a sinful, horrible life, committing things.
Speaker: that are really an abomination in the eyes of god yet They think, well, hey, I'm still saved because once you're saved, you're always saved. I can't lose it. So I don't want to really do the things of God. now I want to go out and and sow my wild oats and do the evil stuff now. And they go out and do it. and they under the mind that they're going to be saved.
Speaker: And a lot of people are that way. A lot of people are thinking things, doing things. They think, oh, that's okay. But it's not okay. God is trying to get us all shaped up at this last hour, not for ways that we can do wrong, but drawing closer to him and having his presence, his anointing in our lives, seeing him hidden work in our lives and through our lives. Because we're in a world that is very confused, doing on horrible things, and we're hearing voices from the left to the right all around us.
Speaker: There's only one true voice that's there, and that's the Holy Spirit. And that's why we must take the Bible, read and meditate on that. and and get it in our hearts and our minds and then draw close to the lord by his holy spirit hear the voice of the holy spirit and be led of him because we need god's direction you know,
Speaker: The Bible says, It calls us sheep all the time, doesn't it? And the shepherd and all. and the shepherd You know, the shepherd, if you see what a shepherd did back in the day and what shepherds do, they have a rod and a staff. And that staff is like a long cane. And they put that around the sheep's neck. and they pull him back into the flock as he gets going astray a little bit. Then he has the club right there, which is a rod that he beats the enemy with, it the wolf or whatever, we're go to destroy the sheep. And that's the way God is. In other words, he pulls us back in by his Holy Spirit, and then he has his rod that stops the enemy from hurting us or those that would hurt us. He protects us, you see. His rod and his staff, they comfort us. Okay, the 23rd Psalm.
Speaker: All right. So we have to recognize that sheep. uh as they say and it's a kind of a crude way to say it because the dumbest animal They can't even get up when they fall down many times. they this they're kind of They're helpless. But if you look at yourself,
Speaker: And people don't realize that many people think they're so... sufficient and they're just all that, you know. But the bottom line, you look at yourself and your days are numbered.
Speaker: You can't control your life or death. You don't know when you're going to die. You don't know when this is going to happen. You don't know when that's going to happen. You don't control the weather. You don't do this. You don't do that.
Speaker: so When you stop and think about this whole world of people, we are all helpless.
Speaker: We have no control. There's only one that's in control. And we need to be in touch with him. We need to be hooked up with him and have his protection, his help. Because I can't live my life and do what I want to do and and have the joy and have the peace about it or get through life because I need his direction. I need him to direct my steps. I need his protection. I need his provisions. I need his promises in my life. I need all these things in order to really survive and then walk.
Speaker: with peace in my heart, peace in my mind, joy. boldness strength and be able to face the circumstances in this life You see? Many people, they they want peace. They're looking for peace. And there's only one peace. That's the Prince of Peace. And that's coming to him. and simply receiving him as your Lord and your Savior. So I want to encourage you all now.
Speaker: But what... What the... I believe the Lord spoke through me here this morning to take it very seriously, because if you will do that, you're going to have the inner witness in your heart about what I've said right here. dad I definitely believe it. That's why I stand upon what I'm saying. could god here's what i've said right here and i believe i'm speaking god's word so i just wanted to share this with you all and i want to tell you all i love you all and just be obedient to God.
Speaker: believe his word, put his word above everything or anybody. Nobody or nothing is above the word of God. He needs to be first place. both mom, dad, both husbands, wives, everything.
Speaker: He needs to be first place. He's a jealous God. He wants your compassion. Please. not 99 but 100 of your commitment to him and i believe that's what paul she said i'm Apostle Paul said, he said, I'm pressing towards the mark, the high calling, Philippians 3, 13 and 14. And that's what I'm doing. I'm doing the same thing. and That's what he wants you to do, to press towards that mark, will be more like Jesus.
Speaker: Okay, I thank you for your time, and I pray that this does have an effect on your lives right here. This will help you in some way. Okay, I love you all and you all have a blessed day.
