I spoke at a church pastored by Dan Adams in Dora Lake, MN, about twenty years ago. In 2012, I received a book from Ralph “Yankee” Arnold entitled The Dora Lake Story. In that book, he talks about how many people in that small town came to faith in Christ when he was preaching there in 1969.
People became very upset by his preaching about everlasting life. They agreed with him that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. However, they did not believe that salvation was irrevocable.
The opposition was so angry that Yankee became fearful for his life. But after speaking one Sunday night, he agreed to risk his life and go to a home and answer questions.
In that home gathering, he said,
If you accepted the free gift of eternal life by grace (without works), you could be saved now and know that you are going to heaven when you die…I impressed upon them the importance of simply believing that Christ [paid for all their sins on the cross], that they could know that they were saved and be certain of going to heaven when they die (p. 19).
A young man said, “Can you show me that [the promise of everlasting life] in the Bible?” Yankee proceeded to do that. He started with Eph 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’(KJV)” (p. 19).
Yankee reported the moment when people came to faith in Christ and were born again:
I was explaining the meaning of the phrase, “the gift of God,” when across the room, an older man that was standing by Jim Smith, began to say, “I see it, I see it, I understand!” And he ran out of the house. That man’s name was Chan Adams [father of Dan Adams].
Rodney…said to those in the room, “Y’all be quiet, he showed it to me in the Bible, and I believe it…” The temper, the tone, the tension, and the stress quickly dissipated once Rodney trusted Christ as his Savior” (p. 19).
Yankee had been charged with being antinomian, with promoting loose living. However, the charge didn’t stick because–while he taught the eternal security of all who believe in Jesus for their salvation–he also taught that believers should live holy lives (pp. 45-51).
Yankee was able to share the promise of everlasting life from Scripture. Can you? Can you show from Scripture that whoever believes in Jesus has everlasting life that can’t be lost?
The book’s back cover says, “The real gospel is ‘eternal security’ without perseverance.”
The Dora Lake Story shows how the promise of the gift of everlasting life that can never be lost can spread quickly. The promise of life is powerful. As Diane Boring says, “Jesus’ promise of everlasting life to the believer is the bullseye in evangelism.”
