ETERNAL INSECURITY

The Following Passage is Used to Argue For Eternal Insecurity

“This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightiest war a good warfare; holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: of whom is Hymenæus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme” (1 Tim. 1:18-20).

Question: Were Hymenaeus and Alexander saved? Looking at cross-references, either both were apostates (someone who once embraced, not really believed, the faith and abandoned it) or very pitiful backsliders (see 2 Peter 1:5-11). The former is convincing. Hymenaeus is accused of false teaching and thus overthrowing “the faith of some” (2 Tim. 2:17-18).

The name, Alexander, appears in Mark 15:21 where it says his father, Simon, was compelled to carry Jesus’ cross. In Acts 4:5-6, he is mentioned as one being among “the kindred of the high priest,” including the Apostle John. In Acts 19:33-34, Alexander is a supporter of Paul and the victim of a riot, being identified as a Jew. In 2 Tim. 4:14-15, Paul says, “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.” It’s not absolutely certain that in each passage the name is referring to the same person, but it’s possible. One thing is clear, according to 1 Tim. 1:18-20, neither Hymenaeus nor Alexander was of any benefit nor value to the church. Both are accused of making a “shipwreck” of the faith which seems to indicate that they were spreading false teachings (2 Tim. 2:17-18). Being “delivered unto Satan”

(1 Tim. 1:20) has a similar meaning as “to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord” (1 Cor. 5:5). The former is the consequence of a professing “Christian” whose fruit confirmed his unbelief (Matt. 7:15-20). He had no salvation to lose.

The latter is the consequence of church discipline for a true believer if he does not repent. See Matthew 18:15-17; 2 Thess. 3:6, 14-15. This believer could be in danger of committing the “sin unto death”

(1 John 5:16-17) but not lose his salvation.

So, using 1 Tim. 1:18-20 to argue for the loss of salvation cannot be supported.

Blessings!