Jimmy Akin, an expert in Christian theology and apologetics, discusses the concept of security and sonship in salvation. He addresses the belief that believers cannot lose their salvation and explains the metaphor of Christian sonship. Akin uses the parable of the prodigal son to exemplify repentance and restoration.
Believers are eternally secure in their salvation by becoming sons of God.
The concept of sonship in Scripture involves different metaphors and can include the potential for spiritual death and restoration.
Deep dives
Believers are eternally secure in their salvation
According to the challenge presented in the podcast episode, believers are eternally secure in their salvation by becoming sons of God. Scriptures like John 1:12-13 and Romans 8:14-23 are used to support this perspective. The defense argues, however, that the concept of sonship is a metaphor and should not be understood in the same way as our earthly parent-child relationship. The metaphor of sonship is used in different ways in Scripture, involving being born again and being adopted. Therefore, the argument that once a person becomes a son, they cannot cease to be a son is not entirely accurate.
The possibility of spiritual death and restoration
The podcast episode further discusses the possibility of spiritual death and restoration in relation to sonship. It points out that in real life, it is possible for someone to cease being a father's child through disownment or disinheritance. Additionally, the parable of the prodigal son is highlighted as an example of one who begins as a son, falls into a life of sin, but later repents and is restored to the father. This suggests that one can begin as a spiritual child of God, spiritually die through mortal sin, and then have the opportunity to return and be restored to spiritual life.
DAY 346
CHALLENGE
“Believers are eternally secure in their salvation. We cannot lose our salvation because when we come to God and believe, we become his sons (John 1:12–13; Rom. 8:14–23; Gal. 4:3–6; 1 John 3:1). And once you are a son, you can’t cease to be a son.”
DEFENSE
This presses the concept of sonship beyond its limits and fails to do justice to other things the biblical text indicates.
First, the concept of Christian sonship involves a metaphor. We are not children of God the way we are children of our earthly parents. Furthermore, Scripture uses this metaphor in more than on…
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