Low View of the Bible Leads to Confusion

Calvinism is not alone in holding to doctrinal views that call into question the character of God.  The Arminian and Wesleyan churches teach a faith plus works means of salvation.  They hold that salvation is open to all, but also any christian can fall from grace and apostatize.  If that person fails to repent of their sin, they will forfeit the everlasting life Christ gave them. 

As I believe Charles Ryrie put it, if you can lose it then everlasting life is the wrong name for it.  But Jesus Christ absolutely called it everlasting life.  He also said it is received the moment someone believes His promise to give it.  John 3:16 and John 5:24 show everlasting life is given immediately and is permanent. 

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” 
John 5:24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”  
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Notice neither verse says anything about repentance of sin and clearly says everlasting life is a present possession of the one who believes.  John 5:24 goes on to say there is no future judgement for the believer.   

Even more to the point we are told in Romans 3:23-26 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,  whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,  to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.  

V.23 says we have sinned (past tense) and fall short (present tense) of God’s glory or expectations.  In other words, we never actually measure up to His standards with repentance. But Jesus Christ freely justifies those who believe in Him for life.  He can do that because He became the propitiation for our sin when He died on the cross.  Our redemption is completely the work of God because He justly resolved the issue of sin and them became the justifier of those who believe in Jesus Christ. 

Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  In spite of falling short of God’s glory justification means God is at peace with us.  Romans 5:2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  We stand in God’s grace not our own efforts to do good. 

These are all easy to understand promises from God.  But I can understand how confusing it could be for someone who goes to a church that teaches these things are not true.  Human nature being what it is, Romans 3:23, I fear it wrongly results in doubts about God’s word and His character.