"Once Saved Always Saved": Are They Biblical?

ENDTIME ISSUES NEWSLETTER No.
197
“ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED”
Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D.,
Retired Professor of Theology, Andrews University
INDEX OF TOPICS OF THIS NEWSLETTER
* AN UPDATE: Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical?
* William Richardson’s book Speaking in Tongues is out

and is ready for shipping
* “ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED”

This is the essay of this newsletter which is excerpted from
the chapter 9 of the forthcoming book Popular Beliefs:
Are they Biblical?
* Cristina Picardi’ New DVD Recording done in Loma Linda

on February 8-10, 2008.
* Upcoming Seminars for the Month of April
* How to Contact the Center for Cancer Care that

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Once Saved Always Saved 2
AN UPDATE – POPULAR BELIEFS: ARE THEY BIBLICAL?
The research and writing of the new book Popular Beliefs: Are They
Biblical? is proceeding well. By God’s grace I complete chapter 9 “Once
Saved Always Saved,” while Cristina Piccardi and myself were in England,
presenting our seminars with Words and Songs, at six rallies. The reception
and response warmed our hearts.
Last Sabbath, in Wolverhapton, five churches closed down for the Sabbath
and rallied together in a most beautiful old Methodist Church. About 800
members attended the meeting. The previous Sabbath in London, we had a
similar experience at the Croydon SDA Church, the second largest Adventist
church in the city. To accommodate the overflow the service was transmitted
via a closed circuit to two other locations, including a large fellowship hall.
A total of about 1000 people attended the meetings.
I am posting in this newsletter excerpts from chapter 9 “Once Saved

Always Saved.” The full version is found in the forthcoming book Popular
Beliefs: Are They Biblical? This chapter, as you will note, offers a com-
pelling refutation of the popular, but unbiblical and deceptive belief in the
unconditional nature of our salvation. This belief is held today by most
evangelical churches and is popularized by well-known preachers like Billy
Graham (quoted in the chapter).
Currently I am working on the last chapter dealing with “Infant Baptism.”

The practice of baptizing new born babies is shared by Catholics, Orthodox,
Lutherans, and a host of other churches influenced by Calvinistic, Reformed
traditions. Though the reasons for baptizing infants differ in various denomi-
nations, the practice is the same.
You should find this chapter very informative, and even shocking in
some places. Indeed you will be shocked to read about the tragedy of the
Reformation when Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli ended up killing, often by
drowning, the Anabaptists who promoted and practiced adult baptism. It is
hard to believe that the leading Reformers would not only reject the self-
evident biblical teachings of the “believers baptism,” but would also call for
the intervention of local authorities to kill those who wanted to be true to the
New Testament teachings regarding baptism.
Desperate Need for a Book Editor
By God’s grace this final chapter on “Infant Baptism,” should be com-

pleted within the next 10 days, by March 27, 2008. This means that the major
challenge I still have to face is the final editing of all the chapters. Several
people have graciously edited the previous chapters. What I desperately need
at this time, is the service of a professional Book Editor, who has the time
and skills to prepare the manuscript for printing. I will supply to this person
all the edited chapters, asking him/her to incorporate into the final version
all the valid suggestions various readers have made.
Surprisingly, competent book editors are hard to find. At Andrews Uni-

versity we have only one excellent professional book editor, Debby Everhart,
who works for the Andrews University Press. She has helped me several times
in the past, but at this time she is overloaded with urgent projects. If you
know of a good professional Book Editor, who has the time and interest
to help me, please help me to contact such a person. I will be glad to
pay for the service.
Importance of this Book on Popular Beliefs: Are They Biblical?
This research project has been very expensive in time and money. During
this past year I have invested an average of 15 hours a day on this manuscript,
because I believe it is desperately needed to call out of Babylon many sin-
cere people who are sincerely seeking to know and to do the revealed will
of God.
There are million of sincere Christians who do not realize that most of
their popular beliefs are biblically wrong, while our Adventist beliefs are
biblically right. This book Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? is designed
to help these sincere Christians to re-examine their beliefs in the light of the
normative authority of Scripture.
At this time our Adventist Church has not no witnessing book written
in a profound, yet popular style that can help sincerely people understand
why their popular beliefs are biblically wrong, and our Adventist beliefs are
biblically right.
In 1988 our Adventist Church published the book Seventh-day Adventists

Believe . . . which proved to be a most popular book. Many of our mem-
bers eagerly donated this books to their friends who wanted to know what
Adventists really believe. (I happen to be one of the contributors to this
book). But the problem with Seventh-day Adventists Believe . . . is that it is
simply a confessional statement of our Adventist beliefs. No attempt is made
to examine biblically the difference between our Adventist beliefs and the
popular beliefs held by Catholic and Protestant churches. When I proposed
Elder Bob Spangler, the co-ordinator of the project, to present our beliefs
in the contexts of the popular beliefs of other churches, he felt that the time
was not right for such a book.
Personally I feel that today the time is right, even overdue. If we seri-
ously accept God’s summon to call sincere people out of Babylon, then we
urgently need various resources, including a timely book that can help people
understand why their popular beliefs derive from ecclesiastical traditions,
rather than from Biblical teachings.
When Will the Book Be Out?
By God’s grace, I plan to complete the writing of the book by March

27, 2008, and have the book printed and ready for distribution before the
end of April 2008. Nine of the ten chapters are done and I am now working
intensively to complete the last chapter on “Infant Baptism” within the next
10 days.
Your encouragement has meant a lot to me. Four months ago I was
ready shelf the project, especially because of the new ministry we started
with Cristina Piccardi–a powerful and passionate soprano who touches the
hearts of people and greatly enriches my seminars. In my view, she is by
far the best Adventist soprano in the Adventist Church. Three years ago she
won the first price at an international opera singers competition.
We present together with words and song our SABBATH, ADVENT,

and LIFESTYLE SEMINARS. Cristina sings several sacred songs before
and after each of my lectures. Her powerful and passionate singing moves
people to tears. The reception and response we have received during the
past four months has truly been incredible. If your church wishes to invite
us, feel free to contact us by phone (269) 471-2915 or even better by email:
sbacchiocchi@biblicalperspectives.com We still have several open weekends

in the latter part of this year.
Planning this new ministry has consumed a lot of my time, especially

in processing the invitations we are receiving from across the USA and
overseas. We just came back from England where we were privileged to
share our ministry at six rallies. This is why I was considering shelving the
manuscript for the time being.
But your letters caused me to reconsider my priorities. Some of you have

reminded me that our Adventist Church desperately need Popular Beliefs:
Are they Biblical? to witness to people who are sincerely seeking to know
and to do the will of God. The many pre-publication orders I have already
received, have strengthen my determination to speedily complete this project
without delay.
Thank You for Your Advanced Orders
The book consists of about 400 pages with a nice four colors, laminated
cover. We are in the process of redesigning the cover, after receiving many
valuable suggestions.
At this time we wish to offer our readers the opportunity to place an order
at the special pre-publication prices listed below. Your advanced orders will
offer me, not only the encouragement needed to speedily complete this very
demanding project, but also an approximate idea of how many copies we
should print. Thank you for your encouragement and support. Your order
will be processed as soon as the book comes out by the end April.
Special Pre-publication Offer of Popular Beliefs: Are They Biblical?
1 copy of Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? at $30.00 per copy.

Mailing expenses are included for the USA. Add $10.00 for AIRMAIL
postage to any overseas destination.
10 copies of Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? at $10.00 per copy,

postage paid, instead of the regular price of $30.00. ($100.00 for 10 copies).
Mailing expenses are included for the USA. Add $40.00 for AIRMAIL post-
age to any overseas destination.
30 copies (one case) of Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? at $5.00

per copy ($150.00 for 30 copies). Mailing expenses are included for the
USA. Add $80.00 for AIRMAIL postage to any overseas destination.
100 copies of Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? at $4.00 per copy,
postage paid. ($400.00 for 100 copies). Mailing expenses are included for
the USA. Add $160.00 for AIRMAIL postage to any overseas destination.
HOW TO ORDER POPULAR BELIEFS: ARE THEY BIBLICAL?
You can order Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? at the pre-publica-
tion prices given above, in four different ways:
(1) ONLINE: By clicking here: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/

cart/catalog/index.php?cPath=26_35
(2) PHONE: By calling us at (269) 471-2915 to give us your credit

card number and postal address.
(3) EMAIL: By emailing your order to <sbacchiocchi@biblicalpersp

ectives.com>. Be sure to provide your postal address, credit card number,
and expiration date.
(4) REGULAR MAIL: By mailing a check to BIBLICAL PERSPEC-

TIVES, 4990 Appian Way, Berrien Springs, Michigan 49103, USA. We
guarantee to process your order as soon as the book comes off the press.
SPEAKING IN TONGUES IS OUT AND READY FOR SHIPPING
In the latest newsletters I proposed the possibility of reprinting William

Richardson’s book Speaking in Tongues: Is It Still the Gift of the Spirit?
The book was originally printed in 1994 by the Review and Herald but it has
been out of print for several years.
The response surpassed my fondest expectations. I received pledges for

orders from different parts of the world, including from some Division of-
fices. In the light of the overwhelming interest, I hastily delivered the book
to my printer who reprinted it in a record time of two weeks. Now we are
ready to process all your orders.
As a rule I do not publish or reprint books of other authors, because my

hands are full with promoting and distributing the 18 books that I have au-
thored. The only other book of another author that I have published, is More
than a Prophet: How We Lost and Found Again the Real Ellen White, by
Prof. Graeme S. Bradford.
I decided to publish More than a Prophet because I believe that this

book is desperately needed to restore confidence in the validity of the gift
of prophecy, manifested in the writings, preaching, and teachings of Ellen
White. The response has been most gratifying. About 20 conferences in the
USA and a few oversea, have donated the book to their workers. If you did
not have a chance before to order this timely book before, we still have a
small supply left of the second printing. We will be glad to mail you copies
immediately. To place an order call us at (269) 471-2915 or click at this link:
http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/cart/catalog/index.php?cPath=26_28
William Richardson, Ph. D., the author of Speaking in Tongues, has

served with distinction our Adventist church for over 35 years as Professor
of NT, Chairman of the Religion Department (my chairman for many years),
and finally as the Dean of the School of Art and Sciences. He has written
numerous articles and books.
Let me explain why I decided to reprint Richardson’s Speaking in

Tongues. After reading a dozen of books and scores of articles in prepara-
tion for chapter 8 “Speaking in Tongues” of my book Popular Beliefs: Are
They Biblical?, I came to appreciate Richardson’s book for his clarity and
objectivity.
Through a painstaking analysis of Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 12-14,

presented in his doctoral dissertation at Andrews University, Richardson
shows that there is a difference between the speaking in tongues in Acts 2
and 1 Corinthians 12-14. For one thing, the tongues in Acts 2 are known as
languages (dialektos) clearly understood by the Jews from different countries
present in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. By contrast, the tongues in 1
Corinthians 12-14 are characterized as “sound—phonon” (1 Cor 14:10) that
needed to be interpreted. No interpretation was needed for tongue-speakers
in Acts 2.
Ultimately Richardson shows that a careful study of the restrictions

Paul places on tongues-speaking during the worship service, disqualifies
much of the Pentecostal speaking in tongues today as an unbiblical, illicit
activity. The confusion caused by several people speaking in tongues at the
same time without any translation, is an illicit activity clearly condemned
by Scripture.
I believe that Richardson’s book Speaking in Tongues is a most timely,

witnessing book, at a time when the Pentecostal/charismatic movements are
growing 10 times faster than our Adventist church, that is, at the rate of over
20 millions a year, and thus becoming the second largest religious body in
the world after the Catholic Church. Their membership today is already over
550 million and within 10 years it is expected to reach 750 million.
Special Introductory Offer of Richardson’s Speaking in Tongues
To facilitate a massive distribution of Speaking in Tongues, we offer the

book until April 15, 2008 (the deadline for filing taxes in the USA) by the
case of 30 copies for only $100.00, that is, $3.30 per copy, instead of the
regular price of $25.00.
These are the Introductory Price for Speaking in Tongues
1 copy of Speaking in Tongues at $25.00 per copy. Mailing expenses are

included for the USA. Add $10.00 for AIRMAIL postage to any overseas
destination.
10 copies of Speaking in Tongues at $7.00 per copy, postage paid, in-

stead of the regular price of $25.00. ($70.00 for 10 copies). Mailing expenses
are included for the USA. Add $40.00 for AIRMAIL postage to any overseas
destination.
30 copies (one case) of Speaking in Tongues at $3.33 per copy, post-

age paid. ($100.00 for 30 copies). Mailing expenses are included for the
USA. Add $80.00 for AIRMAIL postage to any overseas destination.
You can order William Richardson’s book Speaking in Tongues at the

introductory prices given above, in four different ways:

cart/catalog/index.php?cPath=26_36



guarantee to process your order immediately.
“ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED”

Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D.,
Retired Professor of Theology, Andrews University
The doctrine of “once saved, always saved” is taught by many Prot-

estant churches today. The basic idea is that once a person becomes a child
of God, there is no sin that he/she can commit to cause them to lose their
salvation. Many people find this doctrine to be of great comfort, because in
essence it relieves them of all personal responsibility in their relationship
with God.
Christians who believe that they are saved and that there is nothing
that they can do to be lost, are not concerned about how they live, because
their eternal salvation is secure. This is why the doctrine is also known as
the “preservation of the saints” or “eternal security.” Our study will show
that this is a dangerous doctrine, because it deceives people into thinking
that their relationship with God is secure when it reality it may not be.
The question we intend to address in this chapter is: Can Christians

be saved at one point in their lives, and then loose their salvation and die
in an unsaved condition? The answer of those Christians who have been
influenced by Calvinistic teachings is “No!” Because for them salvation is
the result, not of a human response, but of divine election.
This teaching of the divine election and perseverance of the saints,

is clearly defined in official documents of the Reformed confessions. For
example, the Westminster Confession of Faith, which is largely influential
within Presbyterian, Congregational, United Church of Christ, some Bap-
tist churches, and others, states on Chapter 17 on “The Perseverance of the
Saints:” “I. They whom God hath accepted in his Beloved, effectually called
and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the
state of grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally
saved.
“II. This perseverance of the saints depends, not upon their own free-
will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the
free and unchangeable love of God the Father; upon the efficacy of the merit
and intercession of Jesus Christ; the abiding of the Spirit and of the seed of
God within them; and the nature of the covenant of grace; from all which
ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof.”1
The point of this quotation is that people are saved, not by the free
exercise of their will, but by “the immutability of the decree of election,”
that is, by the decree of God who elects some people to be saved and some
to be lost. If this teaching of unconditional predestination were true, then
God would in effect cause some people to remain saved, even if they later
choose to return to a life of sin.
Other documents try to moderate the harshness of Calvin’s view

of divine election based on predestination, by teaching that believers are
eternally secure of their salvation when they accept Christ as their personal
Savior. For example, The Standard Manual for Baptist Churches affirms:
“We believe that the scriptures teach that such as are truly regenerated, be-
ing born of the Spirit, will not utterly fall away and perish, but will endure
unto the end; that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark
which distinguishes them from superficial professors; that a special Provi-
dence watches over their welfare; and that they are kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation.”2
This belief in the eternal security of salvation is popularized to day by

evangelical preachers of different denominations. For example, when Billy
Graham was asked: “How big a sin do you have to commit before you loose
your salvation?” he replied: “I am convinced that once a person sincerely
and honestly trusts Christ for his or her salvation, they become a member of
God’s family forever—and nothing can change that relationship.”3
This belief in the eternal security of one’s salvation plays a vital

role in the lives of many Christians today, because it affects the way they view
God, themselves, and their salvation. Ultimately it impacts their day-to-day
Christian lifestyle, by determining the way they relate their behavior to their
salvation. The popularity and far reaching consequences of this belief, calls
for a close biblical examination of its validity.
Objectives of this Chapter
This chapter examines from a biblical perspective the popular doctrine

that a saved Christian is always saved. For the sake of clarity, this study is di-
vided into five parts in accordance with the major aspects of this doctrine:
1. Two Views of the Eternal Security in Salvation

2. The Predestination and the Perseverance of the Saints
3. The Case for Unconditional Salvation
4. The Case for Conditional Salvation
5. Salvation Is Assured but not Guaranteed
TWO VIEWS OF THE

ETERNAL SECURITY IN SALVATION
The doctrine that those who are truly saved cannot fall from the faith
and be lost, appears in two different forms.
This important part of the chapter is intentionally omitted in this

newsletter to encourage the purchase of the forthcoming book Popular
Beliefs: are they Biblical? The book contains the complete edited text
of the 10 chapters, together with the Endnotes. The estimated length of
the book is about 400 pages. The book is scheduled to be released in a
few weeks by the end of April 2008.
THE PREDESTINATION
AND THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS
To understand the popular belief that a saved person is eternally sure

of salvation, it is important to consider first its source, namely, the traditional
understanding of predestination as first formulated by John Calvin. Those
who accept the latter, must of necessity conclude that saved persons persevere
in the faith and are ultimately saved no matter what they do.
In 1536 Calvin published The Institutes of the Christian Religion,

which was the best systematic theology the world had ever known up to that
time. His ideas have permeated the Protestant world and will continue to do
so until our Lord returns. He developed an incredible theological system
that knows few rivals. He took Augustine’s concept of predestination and
developed to its logical end. If man is not free and God predestinates some to
salvation and some to damnation, then salvation depends upon the sovereign
will of God.
This teaching ignores the fact that God created human beings to be
free, and thus responsible for their own salvation or perdition. God is indeed
the sovereign ruler of the universe, but His sovereignty and predestination
are not common partners.
The popular belief in unconditional salvation, comes from the doc-

trines of Calvin summarized by the acronym “TULIP.” “TULIP” stands for
the five main points of Calvinism:
1. Total Depravity. Human beings are totally depraved because of

the pervasive nature of sin, which makes it impossible for them to seek after
God.
2. Unconditional Election. Salvation is decreed by God. Human be-
ings have no part in the process beyond receiving it.
3. Limited Atonement. Jesus “paid” the price only for the elects whom
He desires to save. The unsaved do not benefit from Christ’s sacrifice.
4. Irresistible Grace. God irresistibly draws the elects to put their
faith in Him for their salvation. Faith is entirely a gift of God.
5. Perseverance of the Saints. Through the help of the Holy Spirit the
elects persevere to the end.
According to this doctrinal system, before God created anything

He chose those who would be saved and those who would be damned for
all eternity. Human beings have no choice in their salvation (no free will)
because they have no ability to seek God (Total Depravity). Consequently,
it is by God’s Unconditional Election that anyone is saved.
In his Institutes of Christian Religion, Calvin states: “By predestina-

tion we mean the eternal decree of God, by which he determined with himself
whatever he wished to happen with regard to every man. All are not created
on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal
damnation; and, accordingly, as each has been created for one or other of
these ends, we say that he has been predestinated to life or to death.”4 It is
clear that for John Calvin unconditional election is the result of predestina-
tion, that is, “the eternal decree of God” by which “some are preordained to
eternal life and other to eternal damnation.”
This means that salvation is not the result of believers working together
with God, but of God’s sovereign will. It is irresistible because human beings
can do nothing but accept it. Overpowered by God, believers cannot chose
to reject Him and consequently their eternal salvation is secured. Those who
accept this understanding of predestination, can logically conclude that those
who have been elected by God are forever saved. Eternal security logically
requires absolute predestination.
This teaching, as we shall see, is foreign to the Bible, which teaches

that God offers to all the opportunity to choose whether they wish to be saved
or not. No one is “locked in” an irresistible salvation scheme, because salva-
tion is conditionally based upon faith and is available to all.
If it were true that the eternal destiny of every human being has already
been decreed beforehand by divine election, then we may ask, Why does
God allow Christians to fall, to be tempted, and to sin, if He Himself can
keep them from falling? If God’s irresistible grace guarantees that a saved
person is always saved, why doesn’t His grace also prevent such person
from sinning in the first place? It is much more rational to believe that God
initiates a love and faith response in the human heart, and then He gives us
the power of choice to accept or reject His gift of salvation.
The Roots of Eternal Security Are Found in Gnosticism
Some scholars trace the roots of eternal security back to the Gnos-
tic teachings that found their way into the early church, especially through
Augustine. For example, Jeff Paton notes: “Ultimately, the roots of eternal
security are in the Gnosticism that preceded Augustine. But it was Augustine
that has the unwelcomed honor of leavening the whole lump.”5
Gnosticism was a religious movement that flourished during the second

and third centuries A. D., and presented a major challenge to Christianity.
Most Gnostic sects professed Christianity, but their beliefs differed sharply
from those of the majority of the early Christians. The term Gnosticism is
derived from the Greek word gnosis (“revealed knowledge”). The Gnostics
taught that sparks or seeds of the Divine Being were imprisoned into certain
human beings. Reawakened by knowledge, the divine element in humanity
can return to its proper home in the transcendent spiritual realm.
The gnostics divided mankind into three categories: the spiritual

(pneumatic), the carnal (hylic), and the in-between (psychic). The spiritual
Christians were a special or higher class than the ordinary Christians. They
were said to be saved regardless of what they did because they had received,
as the elect of the good deity, a divine spark into their beings that allowed
them to be redeemed. This teaching is strikingly similar to the Calvinistic
doctrine that God elected some people to be saved and others to be lost.
The second class, the carnal, were assumed to be beyond salvation,

because their lives were governed by material wants and desires. The in-be-
tweens were believed to be capable of salvation if they followed the Gnostic
teachings.
It is not difficult to see the striking similarity between Gnostic and

Calvinistic teachings. There are some differences, but the essence of their
teachings is similar. Both Gnostics and Calvinists agree that Christians are
saved not by means of their choice, but on account of their nature. Both taught
that people are saved on account of their election. The Gnostic spirituals
claimed to be the “elect seed,” because they had a divine spark in their be-
ing. Calvinists say that they are elected to salvation by the sovereign will of
God. Both agree that their divine election is not affected in a negative way
by their actions.
Both Gnostic and Calvinists taught that any sinful action does not
affect their eternal salvation. The dualistic Gnostic teaching was illustrated
by comparing their spiritual nature to a pure golden ring and their material
body to a pile manure. The ring can be placed into a pile of dung, but is not
affected by the filthiness of the dung. Its purity remains unchanged.
Both agree that there is nothing that can cause a saved persons to loose
their salvation. The Gnostic took this teachings to its ultimate conclusion by
pursuing their own lust and passions without restraints. Calvinists, however,
believe that Christians who are saved grow in sanctification, though they
would not lose their salvation, if they did not.
The similarities outlined above between Gnosticism and the Calvinistic

doctrine of “Once saved, always saved,” are too numerous to be ignored.
They serve to remind us that the teaching of eternal security is pagan in its
origin and stands in open opposition to the teaching of the Bible.
A Biblical Evaluation of the Predestination of the Elect
The notion of God’s arbitrary predestination of some to salvation and

other to perdition, is contrary to the overall teaching of the Bible. The mes-
sage of the Bible is that God is both just and merciful. He not only created
humankind perfectly, but after their rebellion, He implemented a plan that
could redeem all those who would accept it.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever
believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Note that
the text does not say that God will save only those whom He has predestined,
and condemn to ultimate extinction the rest. Rather, verse 18 explains: “He
who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is already
condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God”
(John 3:18).
What determines our salvation is not an arbitrary divine election, but

a personal acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf. It is our continuing
faith in Christ’s sacrifice that finally saves us.
Predestination in Romans 8:28-30
None of the texts quoted so far suggest an arbitrary divine predestination

to salvation. To support their position, predestinarians appeal to passages of
Paul, especially Romans 8:28-30 and Ephesians 1:3-14. In Romans 8:28-30,
Paul declares: “We know that in everything God works for good with those
who love him, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he
foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in
order that he might be the first-born among many brethren. And those whom
he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified;
and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
It is evident from this and similar passages that the Bible teaches a
form of predestination, but it is not the kind taught by Calvin. The key to
interpret correctly this passage (and Ephesians 1:1-12), is to recognize that
Paul speaks of calling, predestination, justification, and glorification, in a
corporate, not individual way. It includes potentially all human beings, not
individual persons.
To interpret Romans 8:28-30 (and other similar passages) as teach-

ing that God chose who should be saved and who should be lost before the
foundation of the world, means to impose an interpretation upon them that is
in violent conflict with the overall teaching of the Scriptures. The Calvinistic
doctrines of election and predestination violate the truth of the Gospel.
Romans 8:28-30 from a Corporate Perspective
When we examine Romans 8:28-30 from a corporate perspective,

the meaning of Paul’s statements becomes clear. “Whom he foreknew” sim-
ply means that God foreknew every individual to whom He gave life. This
passage does not speak of the specific time at which God foreknew certain
specific individuals before they came into existence, but of every person to
whom He gave life.
“He also did predestinate to be conformed in the image of his Son,”

simply means that God predetermined and preplanned that every human
being would be like Christ, by living a holy and righteous life.
“Those whom he did predestinate, them he also called.” God pre-

determined what all human beings should be by calling them through the
Gospel to be what He wants them to be.
“And whom he called, them he also justified.” This statement refers

to those who actually responded to the call and received from God the jus-
tification and finally the glorification.
Robert Shank authored a monumental work entitled Elect in the Son.

In chapter five, “The Called According to His Purpose,” he provides a thor-
ough exegesis of Romans 8:28-30. First, he examines the phrase, “whom he
called,” and shows conclusively that the call was issued to all, but only those
who responded came to be designated as “the called.” Shank’s conclusion of
this point is worth quoting.
“Reference to believers as ‘the called’ and ‘the elect’ does not in

any way imply the positive, unconditional reprobation of other men. The
corporate election of Israel to temporal privilege did not constitute the rep-
robation of the rest of the world, for the way always was open for all men to
become proselytes and to share in the heritage of Israel. Furthermore, Israel
was called to be God’s channel of blessing for all mankind. In like manner,
the corporate election of the Church does not constitute any reprobation of
the rest of mankind. To the contrary, the Church is to be the vehicle of grace
and salvation for the world. The Israel of God comprehends all men poten-
tially, and the election of grace may be realized in any man. ‘Look unto me
and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none
other” (Isaiah 45:22). The call is to all, and all who respond in faith to God’s
universal call are ‘the called according to his purpose’ and those whom he
justified.”6
Next, Shank discussed the phrase, “whom he justified,” and shows

that God has acted through Christ to justify all men who will meet the condi-
tions for justification. He stresses that the ground of this justification is the
grace of God but the condition is a believing, obedient faith. Paul makes this
point clear in Romans 3:26, by stating that God “proved at the present time
that he himself is righteous and that he justifies him who has faith in Jesus.”
It is evident that God’s justification is offered, not arbitrarily to selected
individuals, but to al who have “faith in Jesus” and obey the Gospel.
The function of predestination in Romans 8, is not to teach that God

arbitrarily elects certain individuals to be justified and glorified while con-
demning others to destruction, but that believers have nothing to fear, because
nothing can separate them from “the love of Christ” (Rom 8:85). This point
is made in Romans 8:31-32, the very verses that follow immediately the
passage about predestination. Paul draws this conclusion from what he said
about predestination, justification, and glorification: “What shall we say to
this? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare his own Son,
but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him?”
(Rom 8:31). God gave his Son “for us all,” not for a selected few. Calvin’s
notion of a limited atonement for a selected few, is foreign to the teaching
of the Scripture.
Predestination in Ephesians 1:3-14.
This passage is a great hymn of praise for the spiritual blessings God
has bestowed upon believers through Jesus Christ. Paul states that God “chose
us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and
blameless before him” (Eph 1:4). Note that the “us” refers to the Ephesians
as a whole. God had predestined all of them to salvation, without the exclu-
sion of a single person.
God’s criteria for choosing people before the foundation of the

world is that they “should be holy and blameless before him.” “Thus, God
predetermined the kind of character upon which He would bestow all spiri-
tual blessings in heavenly places in Christ—namely, a character that would
represent a holy and unblemished life. In this way, all have the opportunity
to conform themselves to the characteristics that God requires. When Paul
says, ‘having predestined us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself,’ he is stressing that God predetermined that those who would be
holy and without blemish would be adopted as children.”7
An important thing to note when studying the verses about predesti-

nation, is that nowhere the Scripture indicates that predestined believers will
never fear that they might fall away. “Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:18 about
“those who are perishing” and those “who are being saved.” Both phrases
employ present participles, indicating that the individual destinies are not
yet ‘sealed.’ Predestination applies only to the present situation. The Bible
tells of God predestining people livingat that time to what they are at present,
but not to what they shall or can only be.”8
In the next section we will see that warning against falling away,
punctuate even those section that speak about predestination. If the ultimate
destiny of believers is already predetermined, such warnings would be su-
perfluous and unnecessary.
Scripture always presents faith as the human response to God. If

salvation was the result of divine election and irresistible grace, then faith
would not be necessary, since God chooses whom He wills, regardless of
the individual response. While God is sovereign, He leaves room for us to
accept or reject Him. God predestines, not apart, but in harmony with our
response of faith.
Conclusion
The Bible clearly teaches that God wants every human being to be
saved. Christ’s atoning sacrifice is for all, not for a selected few. The invita-
tion and call of salvation is extended to all.
The predestination verses examined above, must be interpreted in

harmony with the general teachings of the Bible. We have found that the
proper interpretation of the predestination verses is that God predetermined
and foreordained that every person who lives by faith holy and unblemished
lives, are elected, justified, and glorified by God.
THE CASE FOR UNCONDITIONAL SALVATION
Is it possible to know absolutely and confidently that one is saved? Is

it possible for those who currently believe they are saved to have assurance
that they will remain in a state of grace until the end of their lives? The an-
swer of many Christians influences by Calvinistic teachings is “Yes!” Their
certainty rest especially upon the doctrine of predestination.
If God did indeed choose certain individuals for salvation beforehand,

and they cannot refuse His election, then their salvation is unconditional.
Christians who accepts this understanding of predestination, must logically
adopt the belief that once they are saved, they are always saved. For them
the case is closed. To support their belief, they appeal not only to the pre-
destination texts examined above, but also to other Scriptural passages which
they interpret as proof of the unconditional eternal security of their salvation.

For the sake of brevity we shall examine only the major proof texts offered
by the defenders of unconditional salvation.
This important part of the chapter is intentionally omitted in this

newsletter to encourage the purchase of the forthcoming book Popular
Beliefs: are they Biblical? The book contains the complete edited text
of the 10 chapters, together with the Endnotes. The estimated length of
the book is about 400 pages. The book is scheduled to be released in a
few weeks by the end of April 2008.
THE CASE FOR

CONDITIONAL SALVATION
Can a person who has accepted Christ as his personal Savior at one
point in his life, later loose his salvation and die in an unsaved condition?
In other words, can a saved Christian loose his salvation by “falling away”
from the faith later in his life? In the previous section we noted that many
Christians influenced by Calvinistic teachings reject the notion of conditional
salvation. They believe that “once saved always saved.” To support their
belief they appeal to texts which under closer examination were found to
negate such a belief.
At this point we wish to take a closer look at some of the biblical

passages which clearly teach that salvation is conditional upon obedience
and warn against the possibility of spiritual failure.
The Conditional Nature of God’s Promises
In the Scripture both material and spiritual blessings depend upon the
relationship of the people to God. To the Israelites, whom God had chosen
as His special people, He says: “If you obey the voice of the Lord your God,
being careful to do all commandments which I command you this day, the
Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. . . . But
if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all
his commandments and his statutes which I command you this day, then all
the curses shall come upon you and overtake you” (Deut 28:1, 15).
God’s chosen people were not constrained to obey by virtue of their

election. Instead, they were free to obey or disobey. Their repeated apostasy
eventually led God to replace them with the Gentiles. This shows that God
can and does reject His chosen if they prove to be unfaithful.
The Gentiles have no better guarantee than the Jews that God will
continue to use them to fulfill His mission, irrespective of their response to
God. Paul tells us that the Jews “were broken off because of their unbelief,
but you [Gentiles] stand fast only through faith. So do not become proud,
but stand in awe. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will
he spare you” (Rom 11:20, 21).
Warning Against Complacency
No one can be complacent about his/her salvation, thinking that they

will make it into God’s Kingdom, because they have been saved. The Bible
contains constant warnings against complacency. The conditional “if” pas-
sage of Deuteronomy mentioned earlier, finds several parallels in the New
Testament.
“If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love” (John

15:10). “If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and with-
ers” (John 15:6). “You are my friends if you do what I command you” (John
15;14). “We share in Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the
end” (Heb 3:14). “He has now reconciled, . . . provided that you continue
in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the Gospel
which you heard” (Col 1:23). These sample of biblical passages suffice to
show that our salvation is conditional to our continual faith response to our
Savior.
Warnings Against Falling Away
The Scripture clearly teaches that it is possible for believers to fall

from saving grace and lose their salvation. This teaching is found in two sets
of passages that speak about falling away. First, there are those texts which
warn directly against the falling away of believers. Second there are those
texts which say that only those who continue to believe to the end will be
saved.
One example of warning against falling away is found in Galatians

5:4: ‘You are severed from Christ, you would be justified by the law; you
have fallen away from grace.” The Galatians had joyfully received the
Gospel, were justified by faith, and received the Holy Spirit (See Gal 3:1-
5). Yet Paul says to these former Christians: “You are severed from Christ .
. . you have fallen away from grace.” The meaning is clear. Those who had
been true believers were now in danger of falling way and no longer being
Christians. If once saved always saved were true, then Paul’s words have
no meaning and his deep concern for the falling away of the Galatians was
unnecessary.
Similar warnings about the possibility of falling away abound in the

Scripture. “Therefore let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he
fall” (1 Cor 10:12). “Therefore we must pay the closer attention to what we
have heard, lest we drift away from it. For if the message declared by angels
was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution,
how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? (Heb 2:1-3).
“Take care, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving

heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another
every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened
by the deceitfulness of sin. For we share in Christ, if only we hold our first
confidence firm to the end” (Heb 3:12-14).
These passages are so forceful and so evident that the belief once
saved always saved is hopelessly doomed. The many Scriptural admonitions
to persevere in the faith, presuppose the continual exercise of the freedom of
choice. On this basis it is illogical to conclude that a decision of faith taken
today, will affect irreversibly the rest of one’s life.
Howard Marshall keenly notes “We have to reckon with the warn-
ings addressed to believers against falling away. . . . These warning exhort
believers not to lose the salvation which they have already received or to
surrender the faith which they already possess; they cannot be regarded as
commands to believers to test themselves to see if they were truly converted
at the beginning. . . . The positive command is not to begin to be a genuine
believer, but to continue and persevere in the faith which one already has.
. . . The New Testament takes for granted a present experience of salvation
of which the believer is conscious. Here and now he may know the experi-
ence of Christian joy and certainty. He is not called to question the reality
of this experience on the ground that it may be illusory he was never truly
converted; rather, he is urged to continue to enjoy salvation through abiding
in Christ and persevering in the faith.”10
Only Those Who Endure to the End Will Be Saved
A second set of Bible passages that warn about the possibility of

falling away are those which teach that only the believers who continue to
believe until the end will be saved. Examples of these passages abound.
Jesus said to His disciples: “But he who endures to the end will be
saved” (Matt 10:22). Christ repeated the same teaching at the end of His
prophetic discourse: “You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he
who endures too the end will be saved” (Mark 13:130). These statements
clearly admit the possibility of falling away permanently. Christ’s warning
utterly discredit the popular belief that a believer that is once saved is always
saved. Salvation presupposes a constant commitment of faith and obedience
to the end.
We noted earlier that Paul expresses the same teaching in Colossians

1:21-23: “And you, who once were estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil
deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh through his death, in order
to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him, provided
that you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope
of the gospel which you heard.”
In Hebrews also we find a clear admonition to hold fast to the end:

“Take care, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart,
leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhorts one another every
day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the
deceitfulness of sin. For we share in Christ, if we hold our first confidence
firm to the end” (Heb 3:12-14).
Each of the above passages teach essentially the same thing. You
are a believer now, but be careful because there is a real possibility that you
may fall away. Remember, only those who continue to believe and obey the
Gospel until the end will receive eternal life. If the popular belief once saved
always saved were true, then all the warning about the possibility of falling
away from the faith, are misleading and misguided. But the fact is that the
Scriptures make it plain that there is a constant possibility for believers to
fall away from the faith – a reality called “apostasy” (2 Thess 2:3).
There is No Room for Self-complacency in the Christian Life
There is no room for self-complacency in the Chistian life. Paul

himself entertained the possibility that he might be lost: “Well, I do not run
aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air; but I pommel my body and
subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified” (1
Cor 9:26-27). If Paul could feel insecure about his eternal salvation, it would
be presumption for anyone else to think differently.
We have nothing to fear as long as we live in constant dependency

upon he enabling power of God’s Spirit, but we need to be aware of the
temptation to become self-sufficient, independent from God. The problem
is not God capriciously abandoning us, but we deliberately choosing to turn
away from Him.
Hebrews highlights the problem of turning away from God saying:

“It is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been
enlightened, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers
of the age to come, if they then commit apostasy, since they crucify the Son
of God on their own account and hold him up to contempt’ (Heb 6:4-6).
The passage clearly speaks of believers who have experienced the

blessings of salvation, the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s goodness. It
is because of the privilege they had to partake “of the Holy Spirit,” and to
taste “the goodness of the word of God,” that it is impossible to restore them
to a saving relationship with God, if they commit apostasy.
A similar teaching is found in Hebrews 10:26-29: “For if we sin

deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer re-
mains a sacrifice for sin, but a fearful prospect of judgment, and a fury of
fire which will consume the adversaries. A man who has violated the law of
Moses dies without mercy at the testimony of two or three witnesses. How
much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by the man who has
spurned the Son of God, and profaned the blood of the covenant by which
he was sanctified, and outraged the Spirit of grace?”
In this passage we are told that believers who received the knowledge
of the truth, accepted Christ, and were sanctified by His atoning sacrifice,
will face a greater judgment than those who were never converted in the first
place. The believer with greater knowledge deserves greater punishment. This
means that when one becomes a Christian he is not guaranteed to be always
saved to the end of his life, because no one knows who will persevere to the
end. “Therefore let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall”
(1 Cor 10:12).
The warnings, admonitions, and the “if” conditional statements we

have examined, all teach the same truth, namely, that Christians do not have an
absolute guarantee that they will automatically persevere in their faithfulness
to God until the end. Christians know that they must renew their commitment
to Christ daily. There is no room for self-complacency. Our eternal security
of salvation does not rest on an arbitrary divine election of the saved and
unsaved, but on our daily choice to renew our faith-commitment to God.
SALVATION IS ASSURED
BUT NOT GUARANTEED
The most agonizing problem in the assurance of salvation, is not

whether a person has accepted all the basic Bible truths, but weather the ac-
ceptance of those truths give the assurance of being saved. What makes this
agonizing is that there are many people today, as in the past, who think that
they are saved, when they are not.
For example, in Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus says, “Not every one who
says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does
the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your
name, and do so many mighty words in your name?’ And then will I declare
to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from me, you evildoers.’”
The agonizing question for many is: Do I really have the assurance
of salvation? Is my eternal destiny secure? Is my faith real? We have seen
that some well-intentioned people influenced by Calvinistic teachings try
to lessen the problem by making salvation an irreversible act of God who
elected beforehand some to salvation and some to perdition. Some try to
generate assurance by denying that any kind of life-change is really necessary
to demonstrate the reality of salvation. Such teaching is clearly contradicted

by James’ statement: “So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (James
2:17).
Ultimately the strategies used to generate assurance of salvation by

teaching once saved always saved, can backfire, because they do not bring
peace to tormented souls. Worst of all, they give the false assurance of salva-
tion to people who should not have it, because they have never experienced
the life-changes that show the reality of faith.
So far we have seen that the doctrine of unconditional salvation at-

tempts to offer the eternal security of our salvation, by making the latter a
divine decision, rather than a human choice. We have seen that from beginning
to the end the Bible teaches that believers do not have an absolute guarantee
that they will automatically persevere in their faithfulness to God until the
end. Instead it teaches that believers by their free choice must accept the
provision of salvation and daily renew their faith-commitment to God.
The Assurance of Salvation
While there is no guarantee that Christians can never fall, the Scriptures
do offer the assurance that nothing can separate trusting believers from God.
Although we have no guarantee that we will be ultimately saved no matter
how we live, this does not mean that we cannot have the assurance that God
has saved us.
Although as believers we can never become boastful or presumptuous,

we can rest in the assurance that as long as we follow Jesus in our beliefs and
practices, our salvation is secure. “I am sure that neither death, not life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things future, nor height,
nor depth, nor anything else in creation, will be able to separate us from the
love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord” (Rom 8:38, 39).
Paul could confidently say: “If God is for us, who is against us? He
who did spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, will he not give up
all things with him?” (Rom 8:31-32). The fact that God did not spare any-
thing for our salvation, not even His own Son, gives us reason to trust and
believe Him all the more. We can rest in the assurance that “He who began
a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ”
(Phil 1:6).
The Tension Between Uncertainty and Confidence
In many ways our Christian life must be lived in a tension between

uncertainty and confidence. We are uncertain about our final destiny be-
cause we cannot be absolutely sure that we will continue to maintain a faith
relationship with Christ. Yet, we can be confident that God will sustain us,
protect us, and preserve us to the end. This tension is a vital component of
our Christian life. It challenges us daily not to become self-confident and
presumptuous, but to depend upon God, by trusting Him and obeying him.
Howard Marshall reaches the same conclusion, when he states: “The

conclusion to which we find ourselves being led is that the New Testament
knows the possibility of failure to persevere and warns against it, but it em-
phasizes the greater possibility of a confidence in God and a continuing faith
which, as it is sustained by God, is preserved from fear and from falling.”11
“But we can say firmly that, while it is possible for a Christian to fail to per-
severe after a genuine experience of salvation, yet, with all the promises of
a faithful God to sustain those who trust in Him, the main emphasis of the
New Testament is on confidence and assurance of final salvation.”12
Let us therefore not “throw away our confidence, which has great
reward” (Heb 10:35), but live in the reassurance that God “is able to keep
you from falling and to present you without blemish before the presence of
his glory with rejoicing” (Jude 24).
Conclusion
The doctrine of “once saved, always saved” is widely accepted by

many Christians today, because it relieves them of their personal responsi-
bility for their eternal salvation. Christians are taught to believe that their
eternal salvation is secure because it largely depends upon God’s election,
rather than their human choice. We have found this doctrine to be dangerous,
because it deceived people into thinking that they are saved, when in reality
it may not be true.
The Bible clearly teaches that God wants every human being to be
saved. Christ’s atoning sacrifice is for all, not for a selected few. The invita-
tion and call of salvation is extended to all.
Our study of the predestination verses of Romans 8:28-30 and Ephe-

sians 1:3-14, has shown that the proper interpretation of these verses is that
God predetermined and foreordained that every person who lives by faith
holy and unblemished lives, are elected, justified, and ultimately glorified
by God.
Our examination of the texts commonly used to support the belief

that once individuals are saved, they are always saved, has shown that none
of them support such a belief. When attention is given to the context of each
passage, their teaching is consistent with the rest of the Scriptures that our
eternal security of salvation depend upon our continuous faith and trust in
God who can prevent Satan from snatching us out of His hands. But if we
cease to exercise faith and reject God’s protection, God cannot force us into
heaven. Our salvation is based, not on an unconditional divine election, but
on a conditional human acceptance of the gift of eternal life.
Support for this conclusion is provided by the warnings, admoni-

tions, and the “if” conditional statements that we have examined. We have
found that all of them teach the same truth, namely, that our eternal security
of salvation does not rest on an arbitrary divine election of the saved and
unsaved, but on our daily choice to renew our faith-commitment to God. It
is only those “who endure to the end [that] will be saved” (Matt 10:22).
Finally we have seen that our Christian life must be lived in a tension
between uncertainty and confidence. We are uncertain about our final destiny
because we cannot be absolutely sure that we will continue to maintain a
faith relationship with Christ. Yet, we can be confident that God will sustain
us, protect us, and preserve us to the end. This tension challenges us daily
not to become self-confident and presumptuous, but to depend upon God,
by trusting Him and obeying him.
Summing up, the popular belief that once an individual is saved, he is

always saved, is an unbiblical, deceptive belief that is causing untold damage
to the spiritual life of countless millions of Christians. Instead of guarantee-
ing the eternal security of salvation, it ultimately undermines the assurance
of salvation, which depends not on an unconditional divine election, but on

a conditional human acceptance of the gift of eternal life.
The Endnoes of this chapter is intentionally omitted in this news-

letter to encourage the purchase of the forthcoming book Popular Beliefs:
are they Biblical? The book contains the complete edited text of the 10
chapters, together with the Endnotes. The estimated length of the book
is about 400 pages. The book is scheduled to be released in a few weeks
by the end of April 2008.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF SERVICES AND PRODUCTS
CRISTINA PICCARDI’S NEW DVD RECORDINGS
A brand new recording of Cristina Piccardi’s sacred concert and of our SAB-
BATH SEMINAR with WORDS AND SONGS was made in Loma Linda
on February 8, 9, 10. The recording was done with four state-of-the-art high
definition cameras that provide an exceptional clear and crispy video im-
ages.
We felt the need to make a high quality recording to share our new ministry
with fellow believers in different parts of the world. We are happy that at this
time we can offer a professional recording both of Cristina’s Sacred Concert
and of our SABBATH SEMINAR with WORDS AND SONGS.
The SACRED CONCERT consists of 16 sacred familiar songs that cover

the major themes of God’s creative and redemptive love. Her marvellous
singing will touch your heart and inspire you to devote your life more fully
to the Savior. You can see the picture of this new album by clicking at this
link: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/pic.htm
The SABBATH SEMINAR consists of 3 DVD disks containing a total of 6

hours of recording, that is, the Cristina singing and my preaching done on
Friday evening, Sabbath morning, and Sabbath afternoon. Cristina sings a
few songs before and after each of my lectures. You can enjoy this informa-
tive and inspiring 6 hours seminar in the privacy of your home or church,
without having to travel long distances or investing money to fly us in. You
can see the picture of this new album by clicking at this link:http://www.
biblicalperspectives.com/sabbathandsong/index.htm
Who is Cristina Piccardi?
In my view Cristina is by far the best Adventist soprano I have heard in my

life. Surprisingly she is a slim, only 118 pounds, 5.6 feet high—not the typical
heavy-set soprano. When my wife asked her: “How can you project such a
powerful voice when you are so slim?” She replied: “It is God’s gift.”
Cristina was born in Brazil 26 years ago and came to Andrews University
two years ago to accompany her husband who is studying at the seminary.
She has earned degrees in voice performance both in Brazil and at Duquesne
University in Pittsburgh, PA, where she received full scholarship during the
two years of her studies, graduating in December of 2005.
She has performed in a leading role with symphonic orchestras in the USA
and overseas. In the year 2005 she won the first price at an International
Competition for Opera Singers.
I officially met Cristina on October 6, 2007 at Andrews University Pioneer

Memorial Church. I was spellbound by the three sacred songs she sung
during the communion service led by Pastor Dwight Nelson. When we met
after the communion service, we both immediately felt that the Lord was
bringing us together in a providential way to proclaim with words and songs
our timely Adventist Message. She told me that after singing for five years
in a leading role with various symphonic orchestras, she felt the call of God
to leave glitzy opera stage, in order to dedicate the gift of her voice to sing
sacred music. This means that now we are presenting together with words
and songs my powerpoint seminars on the SABBATH, SECOND ADVENT,
and CHRISTIAN LIFE STYLE.
You can enjoy a preview of Cristina’s outstanding singing by clicking at

this link: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/cristina/ She sings the first
stanza of THE HOLY CITY.
Special Package Offer of Cristina’s Recordings.
At this time we wish to offer the complete package of Cristina’s

three albums, together with the newly recorded SABBATH SEMINAR
with WORDS AND SONGS for only $80.00, instead of the regular price of
$230.00. The package included the following four albums:
1) THE CD ALBUM REJOICE IN THE LORD which consists of 11

sacred songs recorded with Marcelo Caceres, Professor of piano at Andrews
University. The regular price of the album is $30.00.
2) THE DVD ALBUM SING UNTO THE LORD which consists of

10 sacred songs recorded at the Andrews University Pioneer Memorial SDA
Church. The regular price of the DVD album is $50.00.
3) THE DVD ALBUM BY HIS GRACE which consists of 16 sacred

songs recorded in Loma Linda with four high-definition cameras. The regular
price of the DVD is $50.00.
4) THE DVD ALBUM OF THE SABBATH WITH WORDS AND

SONGS which consists of three DVD disks with 6 hours of recordings of
Cristina singing and my preaching done on Friday evening, Sabbath morn-
ing, and Sabbath afternoon. The regular price is $100.00.
The special offer on the above package of 4 albums is only $80.00,

mailing expenses included even overseas, instead of the regular price of
$230.00.
How to Order Cristina’s Package of Four Albums
You can order the package of the four albums containing Cristina’s
Sacred Concerts and the SABBATH SEMINAR in WORDS AND SONGS
in four different ways:

cart/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=26&products_id=122



UPCOMING SEMINARS FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL
As a service to our subscribers, I am listing the seminars scheduled for

the month of April 2008. We wish to extend a warm welcome to those of
you who live close to the location of our seminars. Our new seminars with
Words and Songs will touch your heart and expand your mind.
MARCH 28-29: SAN DIEGO FIL-AMERICAN SDA CHURCH

Location: 3602 Bonita Road, Chula Vista, California 91910
For directions and information call Pastor Demetrio Roblems at (619) 475-
7934
APRIL 4-5: CHINO CA: PORTUGHESE SDA CHURCH

Location: 4730 Park Street, Chino, CA 91710
For directions and information call Pastor Paulo Bechara at (951) 509-
0651
APRIL 11-12: SAN DIEGO: EL CAJON SDA CHURCH

Location: 1630 E. Madison Avenue, El Cajon, CA 92019
For directions and information call Pstor Gary Ford at (619) 466-2009
APRIL 18-19: LOMA LINDA FILIPINO SDA CHURCH

Location: 11180 New Jersey Street, Redlands, CA 92373
For directions and information call Pastor Jose Manalo, (909) 799-3733
HOW TO CONTACT THE CENTER FOR CANCER CARE IN GOS-

HEN, INDIANA THAT TREATED MY CANCER
Two days following my 69th birthday, I learned that I had advanced-stage

colon cancer requiring immediate surgery. Later I was told that the cancer
had spread to the liver, infesting 90% of the organ and making its prognosis
bleak. Several oncologists that I consulted, confirmed that I had Stage 4
terminal liver cancer, with only a few months to live. All what they could
do was to prolong my life with chemotherapy for a few months or a year at
best. No Cancer Center, including Loma Linda Cancer Center, had a clini-
cal trial program for liver cancer. The impression I received is that nothing
could be done to heal my cancer: I was doomed to die in a few months, at
most a year.
Driven by my faith in God and optimistic attitude, I sought another opinion

at the Center for Cancer Care in Goshen, Indiana, which is located only one
hour away from Andrews University, where I live. Following a two-hour
consultation with Dr. Seza Gulec (see the picture at my website by click-
ing http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/goshen), a pioneer in the field of
nuclear oncology, I learned that my cancer was terminal but treatable with a
combined strategy of chemotherapy and microsphere embolization - a treat-
ment unavailable at most cancer centers. Within one month, the innovative
treatment reduced the presence of liver cancer by almost 80% and decreased
total tumor volume from 2435cc to 680cc. Within two months, two more
treatments reduced my cancer by 95%.
Today I feel like a new man with a new lease on life. I feel like an old car
with a decent looking body and a brand new motor. I have more energy than I
have had earlier in my life. I can only thank God for His providential leading
to the right place and for using the latest research to restore my health.
Click here to see the pictures of the various stages of my cancer: http://www.
biblicalperspectives.com/goshen
The Goshen Center for Cancer Care is one of the few treatment facilities in
the world to offer this breakthrough technology primarily due to the com-
mitment of Dr. Gulec. A world-renowned physician, Dr. Gulec has dedi-
cated years to research and develop the combination therapy, which greatly
increases survival rates in those with advanced types of cancer. He has also
authored landmark publications in lymphatic mapping, sentinel node biopsy,
radioguided surgery and radionuclide therapy. Dr. Gulec currently leads the
endocrine surgery, hepatic oncology, molecular imaging and positron emis-
sion tomography programs at the Goshen Center for Cancer Care. To learn
more about Dr. Seza Gulec click: http://www.cancermidwest.com/main.
asp?id=217
Truly I can say that I believe that the Lord providentially placed me in contact
with Dr. Gulec, who has done for me what appeared to be impossible. The
Lord has used Dr. Gulec to give me a new lease on life. He is so proud of my
recovery that he uses me as a show case at international nuclear oncologi-
cal conferences. Now I feel like a new man energized to serve the Lord in a
greater way in the sunset years of my life. Somehow I feel that I have more
energy now than I had at 25 years of age.
You can contact the CENTER FOR CANCER CARE in Goshen, Indiana in
the following ways:
1) PHONE: (888) 491-4673
2) EMAIL: sgulec@goshenhealth.com
3) WEBSITES: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/goshen or
http://www.cancermidwest.com/
PROF. JON PAULIEN’S VIDEO SEMINAR ON SIMPLY REVELA-

TION
The 2008 Daily Devotional Book The Gospel from Patmos, is authored by
Prof. Jon Paulien. He has done a masterful job in expanding each verse of
the Revelation into a daily devotional thought.
To help you appreciate more fully Paulien’s Daily Devotional, we offer you
his DVD album on Simply Revelation that was released few months ago.
We have been airmailing the DVD album to church leaders, pastors, and lay
Adventists in different part of the world. Several pastors have already shown
the lectures to their congregations. They wrote to me saying that viewing the
lectures were truly an enlightening experience for their members.
My wife and I viewed Simply Revelation on our TV on a Sabbath afternoon.

Though I had already watched Prof. Paulien’s lectures during the taping ses-
sion which I paid for, I was spellbound to hear him again offering so many
refreshing insights into the most difficult book of the Bible. For me it is a
thrilling experience listening to a scholar like Prof. Paulien, who knows what
he is talking about.
Prof. Paulien is rightly regarded as a leading Adventist authority on the book

of Revelation which he has taught at the Seminary for the past 25 years. His
doctoral dissertation as well as several of his books deal specifically with
the Book of Revelation.
The constant demand for Prof. Paulien’s CD album with his publications
and articles, led me to discuss with him the possibility of producing a live
video recording of a mini Revelation Seminar, which he chose to call Simply
Revelation. As suggested by its title, Simply Revelation aims to present

simply the message of Revelation–not to read into Revelation sensational,
but senseless views.
The preparation of this video recording took several months. The Simply
Revelation seminar consists of four one-hour live video lectures, which have
just been recorded in the studio of Andrews University. An impressive virtual
studio provides the background of the lectures. Each lecture is delivered with
about 50 powerpoint slides. This mini Revelation seminar will offer you
and your congregation fresh insights into the Book of Revelation. Be sure
to inform your pastor about the newly released Simply Revelation, if he is
not aware of it.
The file with the powerpoint slides is placed on Prof. Paulien’s CD album
containing all his publications and articles. The reason is that there was no
memory left on the DVD disks. In spite of my pleas, Prof. Paulien was so
full of the subject that he used the full 60 minutes of each lecture, leaving
no space for the slides’ file.
This has been a very expensive project, both in time and money. I sponsored
it financially because I believe that many will be blessed by Paulien’s fresh
insights into Revelation. The regular price of the DVD album is $100.00, but
you can order it now at the SPECIAL PRICE for only $50.00. The price
includes the airmailing expenses to any overseas destination.
If you have not ordered before the CD Album with Prof. Paulien’s publica-
tions, we will be glad to add it to your DVD order for only $20.00, instead
of the regular price of $60.00. This means that you can order both the
DVD album with Prof. Paulien’s four live video lectures on Simply Rev-
elation and his CD album with all his publications and the powerpoint
slides of Simply Revelation, for only $50.00, instead of the regular price
of $160.00.
As an additional incentive, I am offering you together with Prof. Paulien’s

DVD/CD albums, also my own popular DVD album on The Mark and
Number of the Beast, for an additional $10.00, instead of the regular price
of $100.00. This means that you can order the DVD and CD albums by Prof,
Paulien, together with my DVD album on The Mark and Number of the
Beast, for only $70.00, instead of the regular price of $260.00.
This research on The Mark and Number of the Beast, was commissioned
by Prof. Paulien himself. He asked me to trace historically the origin and
use of the Pope’s title Vicarius Filii Dei and of the number 666. I spent five
months conducting this investigation which was professionally taped at the
Andrews University Towers Auditorium. I use 195 powerpoint slides to
deliver this informative two hours lecture which has been warmly received
by Adventist church leaders and pastors in many parts of the world. For a
detailed description of this DVD album click: http://www.biblicalperspec-
tives.com/Beast/BeastPromo
Special Offer on Prof. Paulien and Prof. Bacchiocchi’s Albums:
* ONE DVD Album of Prof. Paulien’s four video lectures on Simply

Revelation at the introductory price of $50.00, instead of $100.00. The
price includes the airmailing expenses to any overseas destination.
* ONE DVD Album of Simply Revelation and ONE CD Album with

Prof. Paulien’s publications for only $70.00, instead of the regular price of
$160.00. The price includes the airmailing expenses to any overseas destina-
tion.
* ONE DVD Album of Simply Revelation, ONE CD Album with

Prof. Paulien’s publications, and ONE DVD Album with Bacchiocchi’s
two hours video lecture on The Mark and Number of the Beast for only
$80.00, instead of the regular price of $260.00. The price includes the air-
mailing expenses to any overseas destination.
Four Ways to Order Prof. Paulien and Prof. Bacchiocchi’s Albums:

revelation/



SPECIAL OFFER ON 12 DVD/CD ALBUMS FOR ONLY $150.00,

INSTEAD OF THE REGULAR PRICE OF $1150.00
This offer may sound too good to be true. at this time we are offering
together as a package all the 12 DVD/CD albums we have recorded, for
only $150.00, instead of $1150.00. Until now these recordings were sold
separately, costing considerably more. To make it possible for many to benefit
from all these timely messages, I have decided to offer them together as a
package for only $150.00, instead of the regular price of $1150.00.
The Package Includes the Following 12 Albums:
1) DVD Album with Sabbath Seminar with Words and Songs recorded
at the Avon Park SDA Church on November 16-17, 2007. The album contains
three DVD disks with 6 hours of recordings.
2) DVD and CD Albums containing Cristina Piccardi’s sacred songs.

The CD Album “Rejoice in the Lord” contains 11 songs. The DVD Album
“Sing Unto the Lord” contains 10 songs.
3) Prof. Jon Paulien’s newly released DVD ALBUM video seminar

on Simply Revelation.
4) Prof. Jon Paulien’s CD ALBUM with a dozen of his books, and

all his articles.
5) Prof. Graeme Bradford’s DVD ALBUM with a two hours video

lecture on Ellen White. He shares the highlights of his book More than
a Prophet. The album contains also Prof. Bradford’s the publications and
articles.
6) Prof. Bacchiocchi’s newly recorded DVD ALBUM called ABUN-

DANT LIFE SEMINAR. The album contains 2 video powerpoint lectures:
The Christian and Alcoholic Beverages and How to Build a Happy and Last-
ing Marriage. These two lectures summarize the highlights of Bacchiocchi’s
two books Wine in the Bible and The Marriage Covenant. Two separate files
with 225 powerpoint slides are included.
7) Prof. Bacchiocchi’s DVD ALBUM containing 10 video powerpoint

lectures on the Sabbath and Second Advent. Some of the lectures show
the documents Prof. Bacchiocchi found in Vatican libraries on the role of the
papacy in changing the Sabbath to Sunday. This album contains the popular
powerpoint SABBATH/ADVENT seminars Prof. Bacchiocchi presents in
many countries.
8) Prof. Bacchiocchi’s DVD ALBUM on Cracking the Da Vinci Code.

The album contains a two hours video lecture, professionally taped with a
virtual studio as a background. A separate file with 200 powerpoint slides is
included.
9) Prof. Bacchiocchi’s DVD ALBUM on The Mark and the Number

of the Beast. The album contains the two hours video lecture and a separate
powerpoint file with the 200 slides used for the lecture.
10) Prof. Bacchiocchi’s CD ALBUM with all his books and power-
point lectures. The album consists of two disks. The first disk has all his 18
books and over 200 articles. The second disk has the slides and script of 25
of Prof. Bacchiocchi’s popular PowerPoint presentations.
11) Prof. Bacchiocchi’s DVD ALBUM on The Passion of Christ.

The album contains the 2 hours live interview conducted by 3ABN on Prof.
Bacchiocchi’s book The Passion of Christ in Scripture and History.
12) Prof. Bacchiocchi’s MP3 AUDIO ALBUM which contains 2 disks

with 22 AUDIO lectures on vital biblical beliefs and practices. Ideal for
listening in your car while driving.
You can see the picture of all the 12 ALBUMS and read a detailed
description of them, just by clicking at this link:http://www.biblicalperspec-
tives.com/albumoffer.htm
How to Order the Package of the 12 Albums:
You can order the complete package of 12 DVD/CD Albums for

only $150.00, instead of the regular price of $1150.00, in four different
ways:
1) ONLINE: By clicking here: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/

albumoffer.htm


and expiration date. For security reasons, you can email your credit card
number in two separate messages. In the first message you email me the
first 8 digits and in the second message the last 8 digits, plus the expiration
date. Be sure to include your postal address.
(4) REGULAR MAIL: By mailing a check for $150.00 to BIBLICAL

PERSPECTIVES, 4990 Appian Way, Berrien Springs, Michigan 4990, USA.
We guarantee to process your order immediately.
INCREDIBLE NEW OFFERS ON HITACHI PROJECTORS
HITACHI has released the new CP-X400 3000 lumens projector, which re-
places the CP-X444. The new projector has an impressive high resolution,
low fan noise, and a wealth of connectivity options. The most impressive
feature of this projector is the incredible price of only $1395.00 to help espe-
cially our churches and schools in developing countries. The price includes
a three years replacement warranty.
This is the special offer on the following two models:
CP-X400 HIGH RESOLUTION 3000 LUMENS - Only $1395.00

This is the lowest price for an HITACHI 3000 lumens projector.
CP-X1250 HIGH RESOLUTION 4500 LUMENS Only $3795.00

Previous SDA price for the 4500 lumens was $4900.00
WARRANTY: The above prices include a 3 years 24/7 replacement war-

ranty worth about $285.00.
You can order the HITACHI projectors online by clicking at this link: http://
www.biblicalperspectives.com/cart/catalog/index.php?cPath=24 If you have
a problem ordering online, call us at (269) 471-2915. We will take your order
by phone and process it immediately.
THE SMALLEST & MOST POWERFUL REMOTE PRESENTER
If you are looking for an outstanding REMOTE for your PowerPoint pre-
sentations, you will be pleased to know HONEYWELL has come out with
the smallest and most powerful remote in the market.
The size of the transmitter is smaller than a credit card. You can stick it in-
side the palm of your hand and nobody can see it. I tested the remote in an
open environment, and the radio signal can go up to 400 feet of distance.
IT IS INCREDIBLE! The transmitter has three button: forward, backward,
and laser.
You can order online the new POWERPOINT PRESENTER simply by

clicking here: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/cart/catalog/product_info.
php?cPath=27&products_id=67
If you have a problem ordering online, simply call us at (269) 471-2915.

We will take your order by phone. You can also email us your order at
<sbacchiocchi@biblicalperspectives.com>, giving us your address, credit
card number, and expiration date.
DOES YOUR CHURCH OR SCHOOL NEED A SCREEN?
If your church/school is looking for a screen, the DA-LITE SCREEN COM-

PANY, the largest manufacture of screens in the world, has agreed to offer
their line of screens to our Adventist churches and schools at about 30%
discount.
The procedure is very simple. Visit the DA-LITE SCREEN COMPANY

website at http://www.da-lite.com. You will see hundreds of models of
screens with their respective prices. Once you find the screen that best suits
your church, give us the model number by phone (269) 471-2915 or email
your request <sbacchiocchi@biblicalperspectives.com> We will forward
your order immediately to DA-LITE that will ship the screen directly to your
address. You will receive the screen at about 30% discount.
BED & BREAKFAST FACILITIES IN LONDON, ENGLAND
If your travel plans call for a stop in London, you will be pleased to learn
about a most gracious Adventist couple that offer the best accommodation and
breakfast I have ever enjoyed. Their home has become my home away from
home when I am in London. See details at: http://www.biblicalperspectives.
com/Promotions/BED&BREAKFAST.htm Their new home phone numbers
are: 020 8429-3140 or 020 8819-5708

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ENDTIME ISSUES NEWSLETTER No.

INDEX OF TOPICS OF THIS NEWSLETTER

* AN UPDATE: Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical?

* William Richardson’s book Speaking in Tongues is out

* “ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED”

* Cristina Picardi’ New DVD Recording done in Loma Linda

* Upcoming Seminars for the Month of April

* How to Contact the Center for Cancer Care that

* Prof. Jon Paulien’s DVD on Simply Revelation

* SPECIAL OFFER on 12 DVD and CD albums for only

* Incredible Offer on the new Hitachi 3000 Lumens Projector

* The Smallest and most Powerful Remote Presenter

* Does your church or School Need a Screen?

* Bed and Breakfast in London, England.

AN UPDATE – POPULAR BELIEFS: ARE THEY BIBLICAL?

I am posting in this newsletter excerpts from chapter 9 “Once Saved

Currently I am working on the last chapter dealing with “Infant Baptism.”

Desperate Need for a Book Editor

By God’s grace this ﬁnal chapter on “Infant Baptism,” should be com-

Surprisingly, competent book editors are hard to ﬁnd. At Andrews Uni-

Importance of this Book on Popular Beliefs: Are They Biblical?

In 1988 our Adventist Church published the book Seventh-day Adventists

When Will the Book Be Out?

By God’s grace, I plan to complete the writing of the book by March

We present together with words and song our SABBATH, ADVENT,

sbacchiocchi@biblicalperspectives.com We still have several open weekends

Planning this new ministry has consumed a lot of my time, especially

But your letters caused me to reconsider my priorities. Some of you have

Thank You for Your Advanced Orders

Special Pre-publication Offer of Popular Beliefs: Are They Biblical?

1 copy of Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? at $30.00 per copy.

10 copies of Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? at $10.00 per copy,

30 copies (one case) of Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? at $5.00

(1) ONLINE: By clicking here: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/

(2) PHONE: By calling us at (269) 471-2915 to give us your credit

(3) EMAIL: By emailing your order to <sbacchiocchi@biblicalpersp

(4) REGULAR MAIL: By mailing a check to BIBLICAL PERSPEC-

SPEAKING IN TONGUES IS OUT AND READY FOR SHIPPING

In the latest newsletters I proposed the possibility of reprinting William

The response surpassed my fondest expectations. I received pledges for

As a rule I do not publish or reprint books of other authors, because my

I decided to publish More than a Prophet because I believe that this

William Richardson, Ph. D., the author of Speaking in Tongues, has

Let me explain why I decided to reprint Richardson’s Speaking in

Through a painstaking analysis of Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 12-14,

Ultimately Richardson shows that a careful study of the restrictions

I believe that Richardson’s book Speaking in Tongues is a most timely,

Special Introductory Offer of Richardson’s Speaking in Tongues

To facilitate a massive distribution of Speaking in Tongues, we offer the

These are the Introductory Price for Speaking in Tongues

1 copy of Speaking in Tongues at $25.00 per copy. Mailing expenses are

10 copies of Speaking in Tongues at $7.00 per copy, postage paid, in-

30 copies (one case) of Speaking in Tongues at $3.33 per copy, post-

You can order William Richardson’s book Speaking in Tongues at the

(1) ONLINE: By clicking here: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/

(2) PHONE: By calling us at (269) 471-2915 to give us your credit

(3) EMAIL: By emailing your order to <sbacchiocchi@biblicalpersp

(4) REGULAR MAIL: By mailing a check to BIBLICAL PERSPEC-

“ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED”