The Danger We All Need to Know: Extreme Teachings on Assurance of Salvation

While no sin can undo what Christ has accomplished in His redemptive work, and our salvation is not based on our works, how we live matters. The New Testament consistently links faith with obedience, and true grace will always lead to a transformed life.

The concern about preachers emphasizing positional truths (theological truths about the believer’s standing or identity in Christ) at the expense of practical living truths (how a believer should live out his faith) is indeed a serious one, especially when it leads to extreme claims such as “no sin can send anyone to hell” or “every Christian is heaven-bound or ready to go to heaven no matter how one lives now.”

It is essential to understand and embrace the positional truths of who we are in Christ. It is also equally important to live out these truths in practical ways. Grace should lead to godliness and not lawlessness. Any teaching that disregards the importance of holy living and obedience can give false assurance and undermine the transformative power of the gospel.

While salvation is not based on works, genuine faith in Christ should naturally produce a transformed life evident in good works, moral living, and spiritual growth.

The New Testament teaches that while our position in Christ is secure, our conduct should reflect that position. For instance, in Philippians 2:12-13, Paul exhorts believers to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, emphasizing the need for ongoing spiritual growth and ethical living as they depend on God’s grace.

It is therefore important for preachers to teach the whole counsel of God, helping believers to see how their identity in Christ should influence their behaviour, choices, and relationships.

— Peter Collins Obeng