Since leaving the Baptist church I was in back in January of 1986, I have
gotten into this debate with bunches of Charismatics over the years.  My
best friend here in Denver, Keith, is a dogmatic you can lose your
salvation, type of guy and we have gone around and around by the hour over
this one.  In fact, any Charismatic that finds out that I am not 100 percent
in agreement on how they believe about this issue, goes out of their way to
try and convert me.  One day, at a weekly mens breakfast where Keith and I
were members, this topic came up.  The assistant pastor, Joe, is a great guy
and pretty easy going.  He made the mistake that morning of touching on the
topic of eternal security or losing your salvation.  Man, the wheels came
off that morning breakfast fellowship as Keith dug into his list of Biblical
proofs concerning the fact that you can, in fact, lose your salvation.  At
one point, Joe, knowing that I had come out of the Baptist church, leaned
over and said, Do you believe all this stuff now, Phil?  I laughed and said,
Well, I am still about 51 percent eternal security and 49 percent that you
can lose your salvation.  I have studied all the proof texts on both sides
and I have argued this issue with people a whole lot smarter than I am but I
have noticed one very interesting thing.  In ever case, I have never met a
Baptist or Charismatic who believes they will lose their salvation.  Why?
They don't plan on giving up on God or turning their back on the Bible.  So
I feel pretty safe by the time the debate on this doctrine is all over and
said and done and back in the box.

Phil.