This should go in the book section and can be moved, but I thought more would see this post here.
I am half way through this book.
Michael S. Horton, Norman L. Geisler, Stephen M. Ashby, and J. Steven Haprer give defenses for and rebukes of: Classical Calvinism, Moderate Calvinism, Reformed Arminianism, and Wesleyan Arminianism.
I have really enjoyed the book so far.
Have any of you read it?
I also just completed Bro. Charles Stanley's book on Eternal Security.
I have been studying hardcore the last couple of weeks!!
I have read both of the books you speak of. "Four Views on Eternal Security" is a very helpful book. It allows you to see "both sides" of the debate. As for Dr. Stanley's book on eternal security, I am not a fan. I really love Dr. Stanley and I praise the Lord for his ministry. However that book is the one weak point with Dr. Stanley. The book is confusing and does a poor job explaining certain passages. A really good book that deals with this issue is "The Assurance of Salvation" by Martyn Lloyd-Jones. The book is a study of John 17, but it includes several good discussions of the eternal security issue. I would also recommend Charles Spurgeon's sermon titled "Final Perseverance".
I really like his sermon on Perseverance of the Saints, that is why I linked you to it. In fact I like most of his sermons. They make for some great reading. :thumbs:
drfuss: I have read both books and consider the 4 Views on Eternal Security a good reference book. The Classic Calvinist position promotes Covanant Theology which is not accepted by many Calvinist Baptists. The book also provides a good explanation of the difference between forfeiting one's salvation (Reformed Arminian) and losing one's salvation (Wesleyan Arminian).
Charles Stanley's book provides a 5th view on eternal security similiar to, but different from, Moderate Calvinism. Moderate Calvinism says a True Christian will not trusting Christ, i.e. he wasn't a Christian in the first place. Stanley allows that a Christian can stop trusting Christ and will still be forgiven even if he is not trusting Christ when he dies; see chapter entitled "For Those Who Stop Believing", page 77 or 79 (depending on which printing).
You wanna see hardcore?
Dig up an old R. B. Thieme treatment of the topic.
He said somewhere that you can lie, cheat, steal, commit adultery, commit all the sins in the Bible and all the sins not in the Bible, but there's NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO GET OUT OF IT, so you might as well straighten up because God's going to chasten you until you do!
He also said there'd be atheists in Heaven who forgot that they were purged from their old sins.
Someone else, I think, said that the Rapture would be taking people out of whorehouses.
Reminds me of the evangelist who, magnifying his view of security, exclaimed "I'm so saved, it's plumb pitiful!"
drfuss: Charles Stanley basically says the same as Thieme, but he is much more cautious about saying it.
I wish to correct part of my previous post where I left our the word "stop".
"Charles Stanley's book provides a 5th view on eternal security similiar to, but different from, Moderate Calvinism. Moderate Calvinism says a True Christian will not "stop" trusting Christ, i.e. he wasn't a Christian in the first place. Stanley allows that a Christian can stop trusting Christ and will still be forgiven even if he is not trusting Christ when he dies; see chapter entitled "For Those Who Stop Believing", page 77 or 79 (depending on which printing)."