The Doctrine Of The Security Of The Believer
Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI
Biblical Authority Ministries, April 20, 2026 (Donate)
The doctrine of the “security of the believer” deals with
whether a true Christian can truly fall away and be lost. For those who
do not know, there is debate over this position between the Calvinistic side
and the Arminian side.
Both the Calvinist and Arminian traditions both agree with
the necessity of perseverance in faith and holiness and both would say they are
saved by faith through grace alone in Jesus Christ. However, they understand perseverance
differently and thereby, reach different conclusions about its certainty.
In other words, both hold to a form of security, but it really comes down to eternal
security vs. conditional security. Let me take some time to explain
each position.
Calvinist Understanding Of Security
The Calvinists teach what is commonly called the “perseverance of the saints.”
This view holds that all who are truly saved by God will certainly continue in
faith until the end and be saved.
Salvation rests entirely on God’s eternal decree, Christ’s completed atonement, and the Spirit’s work (1 Corinthians 12:3). Because election, the Calvinistic view, is unconditional and grace is irresistible, the believer’s final salvation cannot fail.
So, the Calvinist argues that Christ’s righteousness is
imputed once for all, and the covenant of grace is unbreakable. Thus, true
believers may fall into sin temporarily, but they will never finally fall away from
their salvation because God preserves them.
The Calvinist also argues that salvation is based in God’s
unchanging character and promises, not human effort. Perseverance, therefore,
is both a gift and a necessity: believers will persevere because God ensures
it. At the same time, the visible marks of perseverance, such as obedience
and continued faith, are evidence of genuine salvation.
A key nuance in the Calvinist view is the distinction
between true believers and mere “professors”. Those who appear to fall away
were never truly saved or regenerate. Perseverance is not merely optional; it
is the inevitable outcome of genuine conversion to Jesus Christ by the power of
the Holy Spirit. Assurance, then, is grounded in God’s promises, though it is
confirmed by a life of faith and fruit.
Common Verses Used In The Calvinistic Approach (NKJV)
1. John 10:28–29
“And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall
anyone snatch them out of My hand. “My Father, who has given them to Me,
is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My
Father’s hand.
2. Romans 8:29–30
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image
of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom
He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified;
and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
3. Romans 8:38–39
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities
nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor
any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
4. Philippians 1:6
Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you
will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
5. 1 Peter 1:3–5
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to
His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and
undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept
by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the
last time.
In short, the Calvinistic position is: Because a person
is saved, they will persevere and their security is certain. Thus, it is an
eternal security from the moment of salvation.
Arminian Understanding Of Security
Arminians agree that salvation is by grace through faith but deny that final
salvation is unconditionally guaranteed.
In Arminianism, believers are truly regenerated and
justified, yet they retain the capacity to fall from God’s saving grace through
persistent unbelief (AKA willful sin). Salvation is “on going”, not
mechanically secured. God is faithful and provides sufficient grace to
persevere, but He does not override human freedom according to the Arminian.
Thus, perseverance is conditional upon continued faith.
Popular Arminian Charles Wesley in his hymns often stress strong
assurance coupled with earnest warnings. He celebrated the believer’s present
security in Christ while urging vigilance, repentance, and holiness—to persevere.
This reflects a pastoral tension: assurance is real, but it is not absolute in
the sense of being impossible to lose in the Arminian position.
The Arminian holds that believers can have assurance and
confidence in God’s keeping power, yet he acknowledges biblical warnings about
falling away. So there is a strong emphasis in Arminian churches to abide in
Christ as the condition for continued salvation.
A central nuance in the Arminian view is the distinction
between God’s faithfulness and human responsibility. God will not fail the
believer, but the believer may choose to fail and depart. Apostasy is seen as a
real, though not inevitable, possibility. Assurance is therefore dynamic, living
faith rather than an irreversible decree.
Common Verses Used In The Arminian Approach
1. Hebrews 6:4–6
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have
tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and
have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they
fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for
themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
2. Hebrews 10:26–27
For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth,
there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation
of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.
3. 2 Peter 2:20–21
For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the
knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them
and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would
have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than
having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
4. Galatians 5:4
You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified
by law; you have fallen from grace.
5. John 15:5–7
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him,
bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. “If anyone does not abide
in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and
throw them into the fire, and they are burned. “If you abide in Me, and
My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for
you.
In short, the Arminian position is: If the person perseveres
that person remains saved, but their security is uncertain until
they persevered until to the end—then Christ’s righteousness is imputed to them.
Thus, it is a conditional security that began at the moment of salvation.
Key Differences And Shared Elements
This writing is just an introduction to the subject—many books
and responses have been put forth by both sides of this debate. For instance,
both sides have discussions on the verses that each list above and their takes
on each (and many more; these were just a few starter verses!).
Then the debate dives into issues of, “Is one a type of works-based
salvation to keep or regain your salvation?”, “Can a person regain salvation
after is it lost?’, and so much more. These points are not for discussion here,
but can be found in many other treatises on security in Arminian and Calvinistic
literature. Of course, I want to encourage you to study what the Bible says
and look at the context of these positions.
Nevertheless, both traditions affirm that salvation is by
grace and that true believers must continue in faith. Both warn against mere
outward profession and should be growing in their sanctification to mimic
Christ with a transformed life (i.e., put on the new man per Colossians 3:10).
Final Remarks
The major difference lies in the certainty of final
perseverance. Calvinists argue that perseverance is guaranteed by
God’s sovereign grace and eternal decree (eternal security); Arminians
argue that perseverance is enabled by grace but not guaranteed, since
human freedom remains operative (conditional security).
So the question in the debate really boils down to, “is the security
of the believer certain or uncertain?” And that topic has been a major factor that
helped split churches for 500 years. I want to encourage you so go to your family
and local church to see what their stance is and why biblically.[1]
Bodie Hodge, Ken
Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing
evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as
a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers
News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.
Bodie
launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal
website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken
on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and
universities. He is married with four children.
Mr. Hodge earned a
Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at
Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a
Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and
running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic
materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a
grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar,
Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.
His love of science
was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one
year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and
scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over
25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.
[1] I
know what I believe on this subject but have tried to write this so that those being
introduced to and are just learning about the debate can have an honest assessment
of the basics of the positions and where they differ. Thus I’ve tried to keep
my personal beliefs out of the subject on this one.
