Nuggets from An Urgent Call to a Serious Faith by Dave Hunt – Can “Eternal” Be Temporary?

John assures us, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know [present knowledge] that ye have [present possession] eternal life…” (1 John:5:13These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
See All...). If the person who had eternal life could lose it and suffer eternal death, to call it eternal life would be a mockery. On the contrary, eternal life is linked with the promise that one cannot perish—a clear assurance of “eternal security” or “once saved, always saved.” John:3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
See All... promises those who believe in Jesus Christ that they “shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” John:5:24Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
See All... again says, “he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation.” One could not ask for clearer or greater assurance than the words of Jesus: “I give unto them [My sheep] eternal life and they shall never perish” (John:10:28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
See All...).

If sin causes the loss of salvation, what kind or amount of sin does it take? There is no verse in the Bible that tells us. We are told that “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John:1:9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
See All...)—so apparently any sin can be forgiven. Even those who teach falling away rarely if ever say they got “saved again.” Rather, they confessed their sin and were forgiven. Hebrews:12:3-11 [3] For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. [4] Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. [5] And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: [6] For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. [7] If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? [8] But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. [9] Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? [10] For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. [11] Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
See All... tells us that every Christian sins, and that instead of causing a loss of salvation, sin brings God’s chastening upon us as His children. If when we sinned we ceased to be God’s children, He would have no one to chastise—yet He “scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” Indeed, chastening is a sign that we are God’s children not that we have lost our salvation: “If ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.”

Some teach that one must be baptized to be saved, others that one must “speak in tongues.” Both are forms of salvation by works. Some people lack assurance of salvation because they haven’t “spoken in tongues,” others are confident they are saved because they think they have. Both are like those who say, “Lord, Lord, have we not…in thy name done many wonderful works?” (Matthew:7:21-23 [21] Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. [22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? [23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
See All...). They are relying on their works to prove they are saved instead of upon God’s grace. Nor does Jesus say to these workers of signs and wonders, “You were once saved but lost your salvation.” He says, “I never knew you.” These are solemn words from the lips of Him who said, “I know my sheep” (John:10:14I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
See All...). If He never knew them, they were never His sheep.