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Question 7

Bercot says when professing Christians persecute or kill, “they’ve taken themselves out of God’s kingdom”; how do you reconcile that with modern evangelical language of assurance and “once saved always saved,” and what kind of church discipline or repentance would such a view demand?

Another way to ask: Bercot says Christians who persecute or kill have removed themselves from God’s kingdom. How does that fit with “once saved always saved,” and what kind of repentance or church discipline would this view require?

Direct Answer The transcript doesn’t address “once saved always saved” directly, but Bercot clearly treats persecution and killing as disqualifying actions that place a person outside Christ’s kingdom. His view would demand serious confrontation, repentance, and refusal to normalize violence as compatible with discipleship.

Support from Transcript:

Bercot states: “when professing Christians kill and persecute others, they’ve taken themselves out of God’s kingdom, if they were ever there to start with.”
He adds they have become “outsiders, people who no longer belong to Christ.”
He says persecuting and murdering fellow Christians is “an utter denial of Christ and everything his kingdom stands for.”
He cites Matt. 24:48–51 about the servant who “begins to beat his fellow servants,” ending in severe judgment.
He insists, “Real Christians are the ones who are persecuted. They’re never the ones who do the persecuting.”

Discussion Follow-ups How should assurance be spoken about if certain actions reveal someone is outside the kingdom? What concrete repentance would be needed for someone who used power to harm believers?

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