The Hesier video is below.

Disappointing. Heiser is just teaching Martin Luther’s “only believe” false doctrine. “You can’t lose it through any sin,” he says, which he then explains through logic, ignoring what the NT says in *dozens* of warning verses, that we absolutely will lose our salvation through willful sinning, unless we completely repent, which sometimes requires reconciliation, getting right with those we remember we’ve hurt in some way (Jesus’ statement to reconcile in Mt. 5:23-24 and what Paul always practiced, Acts 24:16).

Luther invented the false doctrine of “only believe,” and it’s what MANY churches teach today.

Heiser uses the famous 1 John 1:8 excuse in which John is addressing the gnostic problem [they believed our spirit is without sin no matter how much we willfully sin with our body], and then says we must overcome sin to be real Christians in the rest of the book, even saying we need to be like Christ so we’ll have faith on the day of judgment.

We never have to sin:

“No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it”. – 1 Cor. 10:13

“Only believe” is directly refuted by John 3:36 ESV, the passage in 2 These. and some in Hebrews.

Heiser quotes Paul’s excellent warning passage in Romans 11, but then makes it about belief instead of walking in God’s kindness or goodness:

20 ..Don’t be conceited, but FEAR; 21 for if God didn’t spare the natural branches [the Jews], neither will he spare you. 22 See then the GOODNESS *and* SEVERITY of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, IF YOU CONTINUE in his GOODNESS; OTHERWISE YOU WILL ALSO BE CUT OFF [like in Mt. 7:19 and John 15:6].

Then he restates his false claim: “salvation never depends on your performance, ever,” using logic again, instead of what the Bible actually says, saying “what you couldn’t gain by moral perfection you can’t lose by moral imperfection.”

We lose our salvation by walking according to the flesh instead of by the Holy Spirit to where we have condemnation, because we refuse to abide in Christ, making sure we’re right with God and men, so then have a clean conscience and faith to enter, saving faith — “no condemnation” now so we’ll have no condemnation when we are judged by Jesus.

Heb. 6 is talking about Hebrew Christians who openly rejected Christ to go back into Judaism, putting Jesus to an “open shame.”

Think of all of the verses Heiser completely ignores. Just a few:

Jesus: “Enter in by the *NARROW GATE*; for WIDE is the GATE and BROAD is the way that leads to DESTRUCTION, and MANY are those who enter in by it. How NARROW is the GATE, and RESTRICTED is the way that leads to LIFE! FEW are those who find it. … BY THEIR FRUITS YOU WILL KNOW THEM…. A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. 19 EVERY TREE THAT DOESN’T GROW GOOD FRUIT IS CUT DOWN AND THROWN INTO THE FIRE [like what Jesus says in John 15]. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. … Not everyone who *SAYS* to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who *DOES* THE WILL OF MY FATHER who is in heaven.  Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and IN YOUR NAME do many mighty works?’ Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. DEPART FROM ME, you who work iniquity.’” (Mt. 7:13-23)

Rom. 8:1-17 There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION to those who are IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO DON’T WALK ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, BUT ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh; 4 that the ordinance of the LAW might be FULFILLED IN US, WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH, BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT.

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind of the flesh is death, but the MIND OF THE SPIRIT IS LIFE AND PEACE….

12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For IF YOU LIVE AFTER THE FLESH, YOU MUST DIE; BUT IF BY THE SPIRIT YOU PUT TO DEATH THE DEEDS OF THE BODY, YOU WILL LIVE. 14 FOR AS MANY AS ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THESE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD. 15 For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; 17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and JOINT-HEIRS WITH CHRIST; IF INDEED WE SUFFER WITH HIM, that we may also be glorified with him. 

Gal. 5:14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSLEF.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don’t consume one another. 16 But I say, WALK BY THE SPIRIT, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one other, that you may not do the things that you desire. 18 But IF YOU ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT, you are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, 21 envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 THOSE WHO BELONG TO CHRIST have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit. …

6:7 Don’t be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that will he also reap. 8 For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But *he who sows to the Spirit* will from the Spirit reap *eternal life*. 8 Let’s not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we don’t give up.

There are dozens more verses like these in the New Testament clearly stating we must actually abide in Christ to be “in Christ.”

“Only believe” is what Luther taught, by which many have been deceived.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtNP_oF5xCM

Once Saved, Always Saved? Eternal security? Can a Christian lose salvation? Michael Heiser

Apr 1, 2021

Bible Nerds