Perseverence Discussion

I have had a little discussion at

http://classicalarminianism.blogspot.com/2008/10/perseverance-of-saints-part-one.html

about the parable of the Sower and the Seed and its bearing on the "once saved always saved" topic, or the issue of "perseverence."

After many years of bible study, I am convinced that nearly every heretical group errs in its understanding of this parable.

In my debates with the Campbellites and Hardshells I have shown how these groups, one Arminian and one Hyper Calvinist, both err in their understanding of the parable. I devoted an entire chapter to it in my book on "The Hardshell Baptist Cult."

To me it is very clear that none but the "good ground hearers" were saved, born again, or regenerated. Arminians and Hardshells both want to try to say that one, or all, of the non good ground hearers, were saved. The Arminians will make the "shallow ground" hearers to be born again because it says they "believed for awhile." Many Hardshells say all of the other three were saved, not just the good ground hearers.

If a man fully understands this parable, he will be kept from much error. In fact, the epistles teach nothing but what is in keeping with this parable.

Who "fell away" in the parable? Did any of the good ground hearers "fall away"? No!

The Arminian says "you cannot fall away from a place you have not actually come," and "you can't have taken away what you don't actually have," yet in Luke 8: 18, in the same context of Jesus' words on the parable, he says that men will, in the Day of Judgment, have "taken away" from them that which they "seem to have," not what they really have.

I may decide to write an enlarged work on this parable. I discussed it quite a bit in chapter 35 and also in my debate with Pat Donahue (see link below) on "once saved always saved" a couple years ago.

Listen to the debate at http://www.bibledebates.info/