INTRODUCTION
- Do you know for sure … that, if you were to die right now, you’d know, for sure, that you’d be going to Heaven?
- It’s referred to by some as having the assurance of salvation. Interestingly, some Christians have it, while some Christians don’t.
- The question is WHY? Why do some have that assurance, while others don’t?
- Tonight, I want to start a series of studies where we’ll take some deep dives into that topic … but, interestingly, our focus will be on ETERNAL SECURITY and NOT ASSURANCE OF SALVATION.
- WHY? Why focus on eternal security when assurance of salvation is the concern?
- The answer … Having the assurance of salvation is based on the reality of eternal security.
From GotQuestions.org …
ETERNAL SECURITY – Is it biblical?
When people come to know Christ as their Savior, they are brought into a relationship with God that guarantees their eternal security. Jude 1:24 declares, “To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy.” God’s power is able to keep the believer from falling. It is up to Him, not us, to present us before His glorious presence. Our eternal security is a result of God keeping us, not us maintaining our own salvation.
The Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29b). Both Jesus and the Father have us firmly grasped in their hand. Who could possibly separate us from the grip of both the Father and the Son?
Ephesians 4:30 tells us that believers are “sealed for the day of redemption.” If believers did not have eternal security, the sealing could not truly be unto the day of redemption, but only to the day of sinning, apostasy, or disbelief. John 3:15-16 tells us that whoever believes in Jesus Christ will “have eternal life.” If a person were to be promised eternal life, but then have it taken away, it was never “eternal” to begin with. If eternal security is not true, the promises of eternal life in the Bible would be in error.
The most powerful argument for eternal security is Romans 8:38-39, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Our eternal security is based on God’s love for those whom He has redeemed. Our eternal security is purchased by Christ, promised by the Father, and sealed by the Holy Spirit.
From tsfmemphis.org …
ES01TM – WHAT IS ETERNAL SECURITY? … Tom Murray, Truth Seekers Fellowship.
ES02TM – PRINCIPLES OF ETERNAL SECURITY … Tom Murray, Truth Seekers Fellowship.
- QQQ … “One of the major problems hindering Christians from reaching spiritual maturity is the various teachings that say you can lose your salvation. What that produces is fear and often ineffective believers.”
ES03TM – PRINCIPLES OF ETERNAL SECURITY, 8 – 10 … Tom Murray, Truth Seekers Fellowship.