This is the second part of the article answering Mike Gendron’s statements and arguments that he raised during a debate with Bryan Mercier. In Part 1, we discussed statements around the protestant doctrine of once saved, always saved. Let’s explore the additional questions that he asked right before the end of our debate.
#7. How can those God predestined to be glorified, not be glorified? (Romans 8:29-39)
For this one, because this has gone on so long, we are going to take two questions and kind of blend them together. It asks, how can those who God has predestined to be glorified, not be glorified? And how can proof of God’s unconditional love be invalidated? In both of these questions, Mike quotes Romans 8:29-39.
Again, eternal security is nowhere to be found on the mind of Paul. Paul is talking about God’s unconditional love. That is what is being talked about here. His unconditional love for us. It is not changing. It is not fickle. God’s love is different from our love. Our love is conditional, changing and fickle. We do not always remain faithful, and that is where the problem lies.
God has destined us for heaven. He has predestined everyone to go to heaven. He wants everyone to go to heaven. The Bible teaches in 2 Corinthians 5:15 that Jesus died so that all could be saved. God wants all men to be saved. But we know that not all are saved. While he wants everyone to go to heaven, unfortunately, not everyone accepts this gift!
Now, the passage quoted by Mike from Romans says that neither height, nor depth, nor life, nor breath, nor any of these things will separate us from the love of God. Mike and others will say, “Well see, nothing can separate us from the love of God.” That is actually what it says. I mean, the Bible is clear that nothing can separate us from the love of God. In some ways, this is true.
God will never stop loving us, but that does not mean we cannot walk away from him. I know people who have walked away from their families, and they have never come back. They will not forgive their family, but their family still loves them.
You can have both. Even when we walk away, God still loves us. He calls us back to himself because he loves us and wants us to return. But, notice what Paul does not say. Out of all ten things he mentions, nine out of ten of them are outside of the person. Meaning, we do not have control over things like powers or principalities. These things cannot take away God’s love for us, and they cannot take us out of God’s hand or away from his love like we can. The devil might not be able to snatch us out of God’s hand, but he can trick us to freely leave that safe place. Can you see the difference? The devil has no power to snatch us out of God’s hand, but he can whisper in our ear like with Adam and Eve. He can whisper in our ear like with many of the Christians in the New Testament who fell away. He can try to whisper, “Hey, come here. Did you think about this?” Or, like in 1 John 2, “When they fell away, they went out from us, but they were never of us.” He is talking about Christians who turned away to the gnostic sect because they were deceived. They fell away by their own free will. The devil tempted them, and they chose not to follow Christ. They chose to block out the truth that they knew, and they chose to go in the wrong direction.
Notice that Paul does not say neither fornication nor drunkenness, nor idolatry, nor any envy, nor any of these things will separate you from the love of God. This is because we have already heard, in 1 Corinthians 6:9, that all of these things separate us from the life of God. And Paul specifically says that those who do these things will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
In Galatians 5:17-22 and Revelation 21, it also says that those who do these things will not enter the kingdom of heaven. So, these sinful things can separate us from God. He will still love us, but they absolutely separate us from him.
And we have read so many passages that show this. We will read one more here. Matthew 15:19 says, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what makes a man unclean, but eating with unwashed hands does not make him unclean.” These are the things that can make us unclean if we do not stay in Christ.
And just two chapters earlier in Romans 6:12-13, “Let not sin, therefore reign in your mortal body to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.”
Even top Protestant scholars acknowledge the fact that Paul warns us so much not to fall away. He warns not to obey your passions and not to make your bodies members for unrighteousness or instruments for unrighteousness. Just the fact that he warns us that we can do these things is evidence that sin can separate us from God.
This is a whole false Calvinist theology. Not all Protestants agree. But, some who do agree with Calvin say, “Oh! you cannot fall away. It is impossible.” People have told me it is impossible, which literally makes you not have free will. These verses show that it is possible.
Let not, therefore, sin reign in your body. What happens if it does? You are cast out; you are cut off. You are returning to your old way of living. You no longer have a sacrifice of sin for you. Your name can be blotted out of the Book of Life. All of these things match up to exactly what these passages are saying. Even 1 John 2:3-4 says, “He who says he loves Christ, but does not follow his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
You can be saved all you want. However, if you do not follow the commandments of Christ and you do not try to stay faithful to him, you will not be in relationship with him. If you do not remain and abide in him, you are not going to be saved.
#8. How can those God delivered from the power of darkness be sent back to darkness? (Colossians 1:13)
The next question comes from Colossians 1:13. He asks how can those that God delivered from the power of darkness be sent back to darkness? Easy, Mike! The numerous ways that we have talked about the Bible showing us: through sin, disobedience, not abiding in Christ, unfaithfulness, apostasy and returning to our former way of life. Do I need to name more ways?
I mean, the Bible talks about all of these. We remain delivered from darkness only if we abide in Christ and stay faithful to him. If we return to our former ways of living, then we return to darkness. The Bible has been so clear.
He quoted Colossians. This comes from Galatians 5:1-6. Here is what it says, “For freedom, Christ set us free; so, stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. It is I, Paul, who am telling you that if you have yourselves circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. Once again, I declare to every man who has himself circumcised that he is bound to observe the entire law. You are separated from Christ, you who are trying to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.”
Wow! That is another scary verse. That these Christians were being tempted by the Judaizers. Remember the devil? “Hey, come here.” The Jewish people are saying that you need circumcision. You cannot be saved without circumcision. And some Christians were leaving Christ because of those lies. Paul warns them, “Do not go. Why would you do that? Circumcision does not save you. Christ saves you. Do not go back to bondage. Do not go back to slavery.” That is what the law was. But, some people did go back. So he told them, “You have been severed from Christ.” They were literally cut off like a branch from a vine.
Paul is saying that if we do that, we can be separated from Christ. That is scary language. In Revelation 2, Jesus warns us of the exact same thing, “Nevertheless, I have this against you that you have left your first love. Remember, therefore, where you have fallen.” The word “fallen” is used in the same way we use “apostasy” today. It continues, “Repent, and do the first works, or else, I will come to you quickly and remove your lamp stand from its place unless you repent.”
The Bible is so clear that we can fall away from Christ, and we cannot be saved unless we repent. So many Protestants think that once you accept Christ, you are good for the rest of your life. You are fine. You are saved. All your future sins are forgiven. No. Clearly, scripture teaches that it is possible for people to fall away from their first love. You cannot be saved unless Jesus is your first love and you remain faithful to him. These people, referred to by scripture, were justified. They were sanctified. He was their first love. They were living for him, and they fell away. And, we do a detailed analysis of the Greek words mentioned in our debate with Mike. The truth is scary, but must not be denied.
He says, “Repent and do your first works,” to those who have stopped living for Christ. This confirms everything we have been saying all along in the entire video. Mike wanted me to reply in five minutes. I cannot even say that with a straight face. It is a joke! But, we are happy to take the time to answer his questions here!
In Galatians 5, it says, “They have fallen from grace, they have been severed from Christ, and the only thing that matters is faith, working through love, not circumcision.” And also, Jesus says, “You have fallen away from your first love, and you are going to die if you do not repent.”
I mean, that is really, really scary! The Bible is clear on how you return to darkness, Mike. It is by going back to your sins and falling away from Christ. Going back to sin, unfaithfulness, not living for Jesus anymore, being disobedient, not abiding in him, and so on.
#9. How can those who have been made complete in Christ become incomplete? (Colossians 2:10)
This is a faulty question because the Bible does not say that we are complete, as in perfect, and there is nothing else we need to do. Of course, this is because we still need to be sanctified. We are not perfect, and that is why we need to be sanctified. Again, if we read the context of what scripture is talking about, we will see that it is not talking about eternal security.
The apostle is talking to the Christians and telling them not to go backwards and accept circumcision. He warns them to not go back to living like Jews because they will become imperfect by accepting circumcision. Jesus Christ, in his sacrifice, is perfect. That is the perfection that is being talked about here. By going backwards and receiving circumcision, they are becoming imperfect again and are going to have to rely on the law again.
They are going back to an imperfect covenant. Perversely, they are abandoning a perfect covenant with a perfect savior. It is not saying that Christians are perfect, and that is the misconception that Calvinists have. And again, if you read the context of the passage, Colossians 2:9-12;18, it literally debunks the very argument Mike is trying to make here because it is saying that Christians are not perfect. We can be deceived; we can fall away. We can go back to receiving human traditions. What is the human tradition being talked about here? Circumcision.
Listen to what it says, “See that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit according to human tradition. According to the elemental spirits of the world and not according to Christ. Let no one disqualify you insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions…” The bottom line is that Paul is saying that some people were teaching these false doctrines: worship of angels, visions, false asceticism, human traditions and philosophies. These things were deceiving Christians and Christians were buying into them. Paul warns them not to. If you go backwards and follow false doctrine, then you no longer have Christ because you do not have true doctrine. Some people say, “You just need Jesus, not doctrine.” No. If you do not have proper doctrine, if you do not have the true teachings of Christ, then you do not have Christ either.
That is why this is so important. How can we be made complete and then be made incomplete? The context answers this for us: by subscribing to these empty philosophies, these faults, teachings, and by departing from Christ.
#10. How can those who are saved without human effort, now be lost because of human effort? How can any man undo a sovereign act of almighty God? How can God, who is holy and cannot lie, break his own promises?
For this last one, we are going to answer three of the questions because the video is so long. So, you can see how dishonest it was for Mike to ask these questions with five minutes to respond.
Mike says, “How can those who are saved without human effort or merit be condemned again because of demerit or failure?” I think we have answered that sufficiently. Failure means failing to live in Christ through disobedience, apostasy, falling from grace, not abiding in Jesus, and being cast out. I mean, Mike, the Bible is so clear. Please, open your eyes! I truly implore you to open your heart. Let go of your bitterness and really open up to the truth of Christ in this!
And then he says, “How can God who is holy and cannot lie, break his own promises?” He cannot. And he does not. But, some people are attributing promises to Christ that he never made. They are reading into the Bible things that Christ never said, and that is the problem.
Mike quotes Titus 1:2, “We can have eternal life in God.” But, it does not say we have it now and we cannot lose it. It just says that God gives us eternal life, and he has prepared us for it. When we die, we can have eternal life. We agree, Mike, but it does not say we cannot lose it.
The final question he asks is “How can man undo a sovereign act of almighty God?” He is quoting John 1:12-13. We are not undoing an act of almighty God. In some sense, we are choosing to walk away. God saved us. God redeemed us. God sanctified us. God gave us a way to be saved and freed from sin. But, if we choose to return to sin, that is not God’s fault. That is our fault. We are choosing to fall away.
God is faithful from his end, but we are not faithful from our end. Let me go back to Revelation 2 again. Remember, I talked about falling away and if you do not repent, God is going to wipe you out. Well, listen to what else Revelation 2:19-26 says. “I know your works, your love and faith, service and your patient endurance and that your latter works exceed your first.”
The church that he is talking to is doing good. They are doing good works and more than before. He goes on to say, “But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel who is seducing my servants who practice sexual immorality and eat foods sacrificed to idols. Those who commit adultery with her, I will throw into the great tribulation unless they repent of their works, and I will strike her children dead. I will give each of you according to your work, so be faithful. Until death and I will give you the crown of life.”
Mike, the Bible cannot be clearer. It is so clear, Mike! Be faithful until the end, and “I will give you the crown of life.” It does not say you already have the crown of life. It does not say that you cannot lose the crown of life. It does not say there is nothing you can do to lose salvation; you are good forever. The Bible literally contradicts everything you are saying.
Mike, I pray that you give up this false theology that you have held onto for so long. I know that would be a huge step in your life. It would be a huge step for any Calvinist who might be holding this belief.
Please notice that the Bibe says that these were Christians. Jesus is talking to Christian churches in Revelation. Some of them left for idolatry or Judaism. Others left for sexual works and things like that. And, Jesus says, “I am going to reward you and give to you each according to your works.” Meaning if you do good and stay faithful, He will give you the crown of eternal life. If you do not stay faithful and you become disobedient again, you lose will all of that and receive damnation. As Jesus said in John 15, “You are going to be cast out and thrown into the fire.” And this is exactly what Romans 11 says also. Note the kindness and severity of God. Kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you too will be cut off. Cut off just as the Jews were. And what happened to the Jewish nation? Jesus said, in Matthew 23, that they were cut off, because they rejected him.
In the Bible, disobedience means no faith. It means you have lost faith. And if you have lost faith, it means you are going to be lost and cast out as well. How can we remedy that? That is why Jesus says to repent and do the works you first did. This means do not just repent and come back, but live the life of a Christian as well. Give up your sin, give up your lifestyle, and “walk in the spirit.” As Paul says, if you walk in the spirit, you will not gratify the flesh. The flesh and the spirit are at war with each other. The more we feed the flesh, the more we are going to go down that path, and it is going to lead us away from Christ. But, if we are in Christ, then we need to feed the spirit. We need to pray. We need to confess our sins. We need to walk with Jesus. We need to read scripture and meditate on it. We need to let it fill our minds and hearts and sanctify us. If we do these things, we will stay faithful to Christ.
The Bible is so clear that you are not once and for all saved. Eternal security is a manmade tradition that was invented in the 1700s. Even Protestants admit that. The Bible is so clear that you can lose your salvation. You are not once and for always saved. And this is the unanimous consensus of Christians down through the ages.
So, there it is. I had to address all of these questions that he asked me. I hope that they were helpful for you, whether you are Catholic or non-Catholic. I hope that you can see the many problems here with the questions that Mike asked and the many fallacious understandings that he had regarding Scripture through his preconceived Calvinist theology. Despite this, he does not claim to be a Calvinist and claims to just go by the Bible. But, Calvin was the first one to teach these things.
We hope these have helped to clear up any misconceptions you may have had or misunderstandings of these passages. Maybe, you have been bombarded by once saved-always saved evangelicals or Calvinists that claim you have to be saved and you can be eternally secure. And if you do not know you are saved, then you are not saved.
For all of these things that come your way, you can use these verses to defend your faith. If they have been helpful for you, great. I am so happy!
There is good news too. Protestant pastors, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, atheists, and people from all different beliefs are coming back to the Catholic Church. Former Catholics are coming back to the Catholic Church because they are seeing the truth of Catholicism. Many people do not see because there are so many misconceptions out there about Catholicism.
Thank you for your prayers for us. We love you, and God bless you!
