How could the vast majority of local congregations possibly get in this despicable spiritual condition? The answer is simple. It is because of the way church people have been taught and continue to believe about church revival. The problem is further compounded by spiritual leaders who are Biblically-ignorant, lax and worldly. Such have been the role models. In brief, false doctrine that is not recognized as being deadly is embraced and people that are far from being Godly examples are the spiritual leaders in our day.
Furthermore, real revival will remain alive as long as the God-fearing people there are constantly made aware of the conditional security of the believer and contend against the opposite. However, with all the eternal security teaching gushing forth over TV, radio and in books, the real Christians combating this counterfeit grace and false gospel will have to be righteously bold, vocal, willing to suffer for the kingdom and recognize the need for a radical change.
How do we know wonderful changes will take place after eternal security is exterminated? On numerous occasions, people have written and reported that they didn't personally repent until they learned eternal security was not true. In other words, they remained in their sins until this teaching was Biblically refuted and they knew it was not from God.
Until then, they will continue to embrace a dangerously false image of a Christian because of such. Moreover, when they repented they experienced a love for Scripture, for God, a hatred for sin, etc. just like when they were first born again. Eternal security had them thinking they were on the road to heaven when the truth is they were on the road to hell. They were sowing to please their sinful natures yet so deceived by false teachers they thought they would reap eternal life instead of destruction (Gal. 6:8,9).
The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Gal. 6:8,9)
To pay the price to eliminate every shred of eternal security teaching in the local congregation in our day could be quite high. The devil is going to fight hard. In many cases the pastor, elder board, deacon board, Sunday school teachers, etc. will all have to change their beliefs or be properly removed from their positions and maybe from the congregation itself! What a wonderful spiritual blessing this would be! In some cases, these vital changes won't be so drastic if only one or two such people are deceived to that degree and embrace this spiritual poison. Clearly, people who believe in and teach eternal security should never be allowed in a leadership position in any Bible-preaching church in the first place, Titus 1:9.
Furthermore, all materials teaching, promoting, endorsing, encouraging and/or tolerating eternal security will have to be trashed to have revival. This includes most study Bibles, Sunday school curriculums and many songs that are sung in the congregation. Be prepared for some influential people in the congregation to vacate when their beloved eternal security gospel and sinful lifestyles are no longer embraced and accepted as before. In brief, such a change would create a major shake up and might reduce the congregational size down to a handful with new pressures -- teaching positions to be filled, financial deficits, etc., but for the truth-lovers these new problems will be welcome over the old dead dry sleepy death trap that it was just reformed from by exterminating eternal security from their midst. You must drain the swamp!
Sadly, in most congregations, a God-sent Christian revival will continue to be lacking because the one/s who are in the position to bring about such essential changes are not willing to pay the vital price because he/they are more interested in numbers and finances than in souls and pleasing God. Their minuscule and puny job/influence is more important to them than God's will and eternal truth.
Most so-called pastors in our hour are like this, and therefore, are not real pastors at all. A better description for them would be ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing. This is also why many pastors who know eternal security is false never strongly speak out against this pervasive, deadly, spiritual cancer from the pulpit that desperately needs cut out of Christian congregations. The need is obvious, but their fear and love for God are so shallow, or even non-existent, that the eternal security problem continues to exist.
The lukewarmness will remain gone as long as the people stay in the Scriptures and keep their eternal perspective. People will want to be taught the Word of God -- truth. They will be sincerely interested in souls entering God's kingdom, at home and abroad, separating themselves from the world, living Godly, etc. In short, a holy church revival with its holy interests and behavior will break out in the lives of church goers after eternal security is gone and all false hopes of slipping into God's kingdom in wickedness have been totally removed.
For this is what the high and lofty One says -- he who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite" (Isa. 57:15).
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded (James 4:8).
Seek the Lord while you still can, that is, turn from your sins and give attention to his truth -- the Bible alone:
Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth (Dan. 9:13).
Make these Godly changes and you'll experience peace and joy in your spirit that this world can't compete with. Revival can still be yours, though the majority around you might not be willing to pay the same vital price for church revival.
OTHER TOPICS:
Skull And Crossbones Awards For False Prophets And False Teachers
Are All Sins Equal (James 2:10)
Imputed Righteousness and Eternal Security
Evangelical Outreach Alphabetical Map