A proper understanding of God's intended function of the warnings and exhortations in Scripture will help determine the shape of our doctrine of eternal security and assurance. The Bible presents both the promises of God and the warnings of God. We must interpret them according to their intended purpose. The warning passages in Scripture function in unison with the promise passages to evoke faith and assurance in believers. The promise is that true believers will not fall away but will instead persevere to the end and enjoy the blessings of eternal life. Now, someone might ask why God would warn a believer about falling away from the faith if it is impossible that a believer will fall away. In other words, if it were impossible for a person to drink poison, why would I warn a person to not drink poison? The problem with such a question is that the questioner does not understand God's purpose in the warnings. In the Bible, God uses warnings as the means toward that end. The warnings serve to grab our attention, to preserve us, and to motivate us to persevere in the faith God has given us. Just as the Christian life begins by receiving Christ by faith, so we must walk in him ��� a picture of persistent belief.

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