Eternal security is a true doctrine based on the Bible which is God's Word.

The Pro claims that she is a Christian, but only Catholics are Christians. The proof is in the Pro's own profile under the 'Big Issues' section. No true Christian would be in favor of abortion, euthanasia and gay marriage, yet the Pro is in favor of all 3. Anyway, as to Ephesians. Non-Catholics, like the Pro, frequently quote the following verse to attempt to prove that man is saved by faith alone. Ephesians 2:8-9- "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." This argument also fails. As I will now show, this argument fails because this verse is specifically talking about the initial grace of receiving water baptism. Water baptism is not a work "of yourselves," but a sacrament instituted by God. No work you can do can substitute for the power of water baptism. This is said to "save" because it removes man"s original sin and puts him into the initial state of justification. The proof that Ephesians 2:8-9 is actually referring to water baptism is found when one compares the passage to Titus 3:5, and then to 1 Peter 3:20-21. look at this: Ephesians 2:8-9- "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Titus 3:5- "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Notice that the two passages are extremely similar. They are talking about the same thing. They both mention being saved, and not of works which we have done. Ephesians 2:8-9 describes this as being saved through "faith"; Titus 3:5 describes it as being saved through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. They are referring to the same thing. Titus 3:5 is without any doubt referring to water baptism, as even John Calvin and Martin Luther admitted. Ephesians 2:8-9 is also talking about water baptism; it"s just that Ephesians 2:8-9 calls it "faith" because accepting baptism is submitting to faith; it"s how one joins the faith, as Jesus makes clear in Mark 16:15 and Matthew 28:19: "Preach the Gospel to every creature". Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." Baptism is also described as "faith" in Galatians 3: Galatians 3:26-27- "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." We see that receiving baptism is synonymous with receiving "faith" in Christ Jesus. To further confirm that Ephesians 2:8-9 is about being saved by baptism, let"s expand the comparison: Ephesians 2:8-9- "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Titus 3:5- "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." 1 Peter 3:20-21- "" when they waited for the patience of God in the days of Noe, when the ark was a building: wherein a few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. Whereunto baptism being of the like form, now saves you also"" This demonstrates that Ephesians 2:8-9 is referring to the initial grace of baptism. Ephesians 2:8-9 is not talking about the ongoing justification of those who have already been baptized, but simply about how people were initially brought out of original sin and given the grace of justification. No work which anyone can do could replace or substitute for water baptism and the grace it grants: the first justification and removal of original sin. But once a person enters the Church through baptism (which is God"s work), his deeds and works indeed become part of the justification process, and a factor which will determine whether he maintains justification. This is made clear from the abundance of passages (e.g., James 2:24) that we already covered. Hence, the Protestant argument from Ephesians 2:8-9 is another one which doesn"t hold up to the context of Scripture. Baptism is not a work of righteousness we have done; it"s the sacrament which Jesus instituted, which pours out His saving Blood and the cleansing of the Holy Ghost. Now I will post a passage from the King James Version Bible that refutes the eternal security doctrine, and I will also use Ephesians since that is what my opponent first chose to use to make her false argument. EPHESIANS 5:5-8 PROVES THAT IT"S POSSIBLE FOR TRUE BELIEVERS TO COMMIT MORTAL SINS AND LOSE THEIR SALVATION FOR SUCH SINS " THIS DEMOLISHES THE IDEA OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH ALONE AND ETERNAL SECURITY Ephesians 5:5-8- "For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light." This is a fascinating passage. St. Paul first mentions a number of mortal sins, and states that those who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. We saw this above with the passages in Galatians 5 and 1 Corinthians 6:9. As stated already, the common (and only possible) Protestant response to this is that no true believer could commit such sins which destroy the state of justification. Well, the above passage clearly teaches that justified believers could commit those grave sins. St. Paul warns them in Ephesians 5:7 to "Be not ye therefore partakers with them"! Therefore, the believers could be partakers with the mortal sinners! And if there is any doubt that he is including authentic believers in that warning, he speaks of them as those who are now "light in the Lord" (true believers). Therefore, those who are "light in the Lord" could be "partakers" with the mortal sinners and in the mortal sins which destroy justification. This without any doubt refutes justification by faith alone and "once saved always saved." Let no man deceive you with vain words such as "justification by faith alone"!