Pastor Ricky Kurth is the editor of The Berean Searchlight, a monthly magazine published by the Berean Bible Society. An article entitled "Secure or Not Secure" written by him appeared in the March, 2004, edition of that magazine. In that article Pastor Kurth says the following in regard to how believers who live outside of the present dispensation are saved:

"But Abraham was not only the prototype for Hebrew salvation, he was also the model for Hebrew security. Abraham was saved by simple faith in Genesis 15. But would his faith pass any test that God might give him? Only God could know, of course-and God did know! Abraham would still have to pass the test of offering up his son, but if God did not know in advance that he would pass this test, then it was presumptuous for Him to impute righteousness to Abraham in Genesis 15" (Kurth, "Secure or Not Secure? That is the Question!", The Berean Searchlight, March,2004, p.19).

According to Pastor Kurth's reasoning Abraham was justified by "simple faith" at Genesis 15. But the only reason why God could justify Abraham at Genesis 15 was because God "knew in advance" that Abraham would "offer up his son" later. Therefore, according to this idea Abraham could not have been justified at Genesis 15 unless he did the work of "offering up his son."

That being the case we can see that God's justification of Abraham was not by "faith" apart from works. In fact, according to Pastor Kurth the justification at Genesis was totally dependent on works.

Paul quotes the words in regard to justification at Genesis 15, and according to him Abraham's justification at Genesis was not dependent on works in any way:

"For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Ro.4:3-5).

Here Paul is saying that Abraham's justification was not dependent on works at all, and if it was dependent on works then Abraham's justification could not be described as being of "grace." Paul contiues, saying:

"Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness apart from works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin" (Ro.4:6-8).

The justification of which Paul speaks is one "apart from works." Pastor Kurth's idea directly contradicts this because according to him the only reason that God could justify Abraham at Genesis 15 is because God knew beforehand that he would "offer up his son." According to Pastor Kurth "if God did not know in advance that he would pass this test, then it was presumptuous for Him to impute righteousness to Abraham in Genesis 15."

So Pastor Kurth's entire theory regarding the justification of Abraham is directly contradicted by the Scriptures. Pastor Kurth then uses this flawed theory in order to show that the Jewish believers living under the law were also saved by works:

"All subsequent Hebrew security worked the same way. When God said, 'He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,' a man was saved the moment he believed. But would his faith pass the test of works and be baptized? Only God could know, of course, and God did know! If God did not know in advance that he would pass this test, then it would be presumptuous for Him to impute righteousness to the man by faith alone" (Ibid.)

We can use other satatement of Pastor Kurth from the same article to impeach his previously quoted words. He says that the Jew who had true faith was saved the moment he believed. But the only reason that the Lord would save him by faith was because He could look into the future and see that the believer would submit to the rite of water baptism.

According to Pastor Kurth's theory the Lord would not save a believer if He looked into the future and saw that same believer "falling away" sometime after his conversion. But here we see a believer who was "made partaker of the Holy Spirit" falling away, and Pastor Kurth himself says that this verse refers to Pentecostal believers:

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame" (Heb.6:4-6).

Surely the Lord saved these people described as being "made partakers of the Holy Spirit." According to the Scriptures "the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:47). But according Pastor Kurth's own words these same people could "fall away":

"This is why Hebrews 6 warned the Pentecostal believers who 'were made partakers of the Holy Ghost' that...

'...it is impossible for those who were once enlightened...if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance...' (Heb. 6:4-6).

These words 'fall away' match the parable where our Lord warned that some would 'for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away' (Luke 8:13)" (Ibid., p.17).

Why would the Lord allow some of the Jews to become "partakers of the Holy Spirit" and save them if He could look into the future and see that some of them would "fall away" in time of temptation? According to Pastor Kurth the only reason that the Lord would impute righteousness on the basis of faith alone was because He could look into the future and see that they would NOT fall away in time of temptation. Pastor Kuth's theory is contradicted by his own words as well as by the Scriptures.

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