In Part One we saw that the train of thought in Ephesians, regarding being sealed with the Holy Spirit has nothing to do with the promise of eternal security for those who forsake God and live ungodly. The train of thought is to live a life of godliness, in righteousness and true holiness BECAUSE we are sealed with the Holy Spirit.
The scriptures do not say we are sealed with eternal security, but rather sealed with the Holy Spirit. It is a twisted way of thinking to claim that a person can live in adultery, or be a child molester, or a sex trafficker, or a murderer and have eternal life because they were once sealed with the Holy Spirit.
Remember it is the Holy Spirit with whom we are sealed and our life should reflect His influence and not be lived according to the old person we were before we were saved.
In 1 Timothy 2:19, we read the following:
Nevertheless THE FOUNDATION OF GOD standeth sure, HAVING THIS SEAL, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let everyone that nameth the name of Christ DEPART FROM INIQUITY.
Consider also 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8:
7 For God hath not called us unto UNCLEANNESS, but unto HOLINESS.
8 HE THEREFORE THAT DESPISETH, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us His Holy Spirit.
Notice, according to 1 Thessalonians 4: 7-8, we are not to despise the call of God unto holiness. Paul says emphatically that God HAS NOT called us to uncleanness but to holiness instead, and if anyone despises this, they are despising God who has given us His Holy Spirit.
In view of such statements, and the context of Ephesians, wherein we read of being sealed with the Holy Spirit, we can conclude that nowhere is Paul, or any New Testament writer promoting that anyone will be saved if they live in a way that despises God’s call to live holy.
Now consider Hebrews 10:28-31:
28 He that DESPISED Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, WHEREIN HE WAS SANCTIFIED, an unholy thing, and hath done DESPITE unto the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Notice that in Hebrews 10:28-31 (above) those referenced are Christians who turn away from the Lord, for they had been at one time sanctified by the blood of the covenant, but had despised the Spirit of grace.
This does not mean that all backslidden people are beyond the reach of God’s mercy and grace because James tells us; “BRETHREN, IF ANY OF YOU DO ERR FROM THE TRUTH, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20).
The warnings in Hebrews reveal that a person can turn away from the faith completely if they so chose. Consider Hebrews 6:4-6:
For it is IMPOSSIBLE for those who were once ENLIGHTENED, and have TASTED of the heavenly gift, and were MADE PARTAKERS of the Holy Ghost, And have TASTED the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, IF THEY SHALL FALL AWAY, TO RENEW THEM AGAIN UNTO REPENTANCE; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. (Hebrews 6:4:-6)
There are those who are backslidden, who come to repentance and there are some who knowingly turn away completely. Notice qualificaiotn concerning these as mentioned in Hebrews 6:
1. They were enlightened (they heard the gospel and were convicted).
2. They tasted the heavenly gift (this is salvation, for Jesus is the heavenly gift).
3. They were partakers of the Holy Spirit (they walked in the fullness of the Spirit).
4. They had tasted the good word of God (they were spiritually mature having gone beyond the milk of the word).
5. They had tasted the powers of the world to come (Hebrews 2:4-5 refers to “signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost” as that which has to do with the world to come. So God’s power was evident in their lives).
Nowhere in scripture is the ideology taught that a person who choses to live unholy and ungodly by despising God’s call to holiness, has eternal security simply because of a “one time believing experience.”
In closing, consider Romans 6:17- 23:
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but YE HAVE OBEYED FROM THE HEART that form of DOCTRINE which was delivered you.
18 Being then made FREE FROM SIN, ye became the SERVANTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, YE HAVE YOUR FRUIT UNTO HOLINESS, AND THE END EVERLASTING LIFE.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
To read Part 1 of this teaching follow the link below:
Rooted and Grounded In Christ 
I recognize myself in your explanation of Hebrews, regarding being once enlightened, tasting the good gift, etc., and then deliberately, willfully returning to sin, trampling on Jesus and his blood sacrifice; showing spitefulness to the spirit of grace. I did not stumble, wander, backslide. My choice was deliberate, and my return to unbelief was also deliberate. Since that time (around 23 years ago), I have lived a completely whithered existence. I look exactly like the whithered vine mentioned in the New Testament….or the phrase, “twice-dead, plucked up by the roots”, also mentioned in the Bible. I brought total shame to Christ and His cause, the Gospel. I am certain I turned people AWAY from the Gospel/Salvation. Back in 1995, I had an overwhelming compulsion to stab myself in the heart. Obviously, I didn’t follow through at the time, but the compulsion was real and very strong. At this time, I feel I should ” put a millstone around my neck”, but I have to get certain things in order, before I can do that. More than anything, I am asking you to pray for my nieces and nephew. Please intercede for them, that they would choose differently than me. My hope is that they will open their hearts to Jesus, and love Him, and serve Him, ALL THE DAYS OF THEIR LIFE, so they can have lives of Hope, Joy, Peace, Power and Holiness. Our family generations have had attitudes/hearts of rebellion, and my nieces/nephew are the 4th generation. I am hoping they will choose to obey God’s voice, instead of rebelling. My brother and sister are decent people. They are not rebellious people, but their children seem to have some of that rebel tendency, and it scares me, because it reminds me of myself, my Dad, and even my Mom, and Grandparents. I know I am a wicked person, but I don’t want these kids to end up like me. Even the rich man in hell didn’t want his brothers to end up there, too. My nieces/nephew don’t know all the details of my past, but they know something is very wrong with me, emotionally. I now understand why certain people should “put a millstone around their neck”. My sister’s husband committed suicide July 2015, and my niece/nephew don’t understand why. I cannot take my life until I put things in order at my Dad’s house. I had written a letter to my nephew, between 2010 to 2014, but haven’t given it to him. The only example I can be to these kids is a ” cautionary tale “. I am wondering if I should write some kind of journal to them, be as honest as I can (even though it’s ugly), to warn them about continuing down the same path as me. The problem is not THINGS THEY’RE DOING. It’s the ATTITUDE OF THE HEART that frightens me, that could bring them to the same place as their Dad, or myself. Please pray for the salvation of: Patrick James Donohue (age 22); Catherine Mary Donohue (18), and Lauren DiVece (5). I know I tossed Jesus and the Holy Spirit aside like they were of no value. I can only hope my relatives will see that Jesus is the ONLY thing of value in this universe; to hold onto Him, as PRECIOUS. Despite my wickedness, I appreciate that you speak the truth on your blog. Most churches don’t want to touch the topics/verses that you address, but everything you say ” fits”. The puzzle pieces all go together. I may not be in the physical place of torment, but emotionally/spiritually I am……AND I NEVER WANT MY NIECES/NEPHEW TO GET HERE. The only thing that can save them is the TRUTH (if they embrace it) and YOU SPEAK THE TRUTH. I found you yesterday, because of “The Shack” Movie. There’s a local Church near me. I don’t go to church, but I thought this particular church was Spirit-filled, so I asked them to pray for my relatives. They prayed for them….. But afterwards, we ended up discussing other things, and the Pastor’s wife mentioned how great the “Shack” book was, and they were planning to see the movie. When I looked up the Shack online, I saw many articles, but you laid out everything, in-depth. Again, I saw TRUTH. When I was young, and asked Jesus to come into my life, I believe He and the Holy Spirit answered that call…… But when it came time to EMBRACE the TRUTH, and ABIDE in it, instead, I chose to turn back to sin and unbelief. It was conscious, deliberate. All I want now, is for my relatives to CHOOSE TRUTH, EMBRACE TRUTH, and ABIDE in TRUTH, so they can have LIFE……But they won’t even get the chance to do that, if Churches/Pastors won’t speak the Truth…… BUT YOU SPEAK THE TRUTH!!! THANK YOU!
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Hi Diane, I emailed you this same message, hoping to reach out to you.
I appreciate your heartfelt sincerity, and I want to tell you that I do NOT believe you are beyond the reach of God’s grace and mercy. In fact, I know you aren’t.
You have expressed more genuine reverence for God’s word than some Christians I have encountered. If you were beyond hope, you wouldn’t have such reverence for God.
I want to ask you a very pointed question: If you knew God would restore you, would you return to him?
If your answer if yes, there is hope for you, no matter how wicked, sinful, or evil you have been. Your heavenly Father desires for you to return to him with all your heart, and he reaches out to you while there is still time, just as he patiently waited for the prodigal son to return home.
If there is anything is your heart desiring to reach out to God, please know that the Holy Spirit is drawing you.
Jesus said, No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him ~ John 6:44. God’s heart is to restore the sinner to himself. He has no pleasure in their destruction.
As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? ~ Ezekiel 33:11
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. ~ Isaiah 55:7
You are not beyond God’s mercy. He will forgive you and restore you.
If you would like, I would be more than happy to correspond with you to help you find your way back to God, I also know godly women who would be willing to hear you and encourage you.
Please let us help you.
Sincerely, your brother in Christ: Michael.
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Dear Brother Michael , I just want to say how much I appreciate your teachings , they are right on target; So clear and precise and helpful. I also did a series 13 in all on OSAS , this is Not a popular message with evangelicals nor with the reformed populace. It seems that the majority of the church has missed this wonderful truth; maybe pride or fear has clouded their minds, not sure. And for the sister above, Diane, I say return to the Lord, He is waiting with open arms! I will pray for you.
God bless this wonderful work of God which I have shared with many friends several times. I have yet to find anything in your work that I disagree with.
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Thank you for these kind words.
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