How can the Christian be assured of eternal life? My old quasi-Christian church taught we needed to "qualify for entrance into God's kingdom" through a life of obedience. But what was the standard for passing the qualification test? I never knew. It was disconcerting. Now I know the plain truth. In the simplest terms: repent, be baptized, and believe the gospel; then be sure not to die in the state of mortal sin. That doesn't necessarily make it easy, but it makes it clear.

If we as Christians have eternal security (i.e., are "once saved always saved"), then why should we ask for God's forgiveness when we commit a new sin? Isn't it already forgiven? What happens if we don't ask God to forgive us our trespasses from today? Truth: The #eternalsecurity doctrine ends up nullifying the importance of daily repentance. It would be a legalistic view of God if we think we can choose to turn away from him through intentional serious sin, but then say it doesn't really matter because I "accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior" when I was 14. We have to name and claim our sins whenever we commit them so we can offer them to God -- so he can heal us and forgive us. Not just in the past, but now. Right now. Jesus never tells us we no longer need to ask, seek, and knock. It's not one and done. He says we need to endure to the end.