Exponents of the impossibility of apostasy claim that if a child of God can so sin as to be lost in hell it makes God a liar. If God takes away eternal life, it is not eternal, thus, God is a liar if it is possible to apostatize.

Answer:

1. The believer has eternal life in hope - "In hope of eternal life" (Titus 1:2). If one now has what he hopes for, it "is not hope" (Rom. 8:24). The believer has eternal life in promise, "and this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life" (I Jno. 2:25). We "receive an hundredfold now in this timeand in the world to come eternal life" (Mk. 10:29, 30). Now we have our "fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life" (Rom. 6:22). Eternal life is yet to be rendered unto the steadfast seekers (Rom. 2: 6, 7).

Christ is in us and us in him. In this state we have eternal life (Jno. 5:24; 10:27-29). "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life in his Son" (I Jno. 5: 11). In the Son we have eternal life. The reality of our hope of glory, our promise, shall break on our view when we shall see him as he is.

2. That which is "everlasting" and "forever" can be broken without making God a liar. "The earth also is defiled ... because they have . . . broken the everlasting covenant" (Isa. 24:5). "Wherefore the Lord God Of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed" (I Sam. 2:30). See Jer. 18:7-10 and Ezek. 33:13-15.

3. God has promised eternal death to the unbeliever (Rom. 6:23). If the unbeliever becomes a believer and God does not give him eternal death does this make God a liar?

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XV: 49, p. 2
October 21, 1971