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INTRODUCTION
A. Why do some Christians have assurance of salvation while other Christians do not?
B. It’s because the Christians who have the assurance believe in the doctrine of the ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER.
C. In this session … I plan to review some of the key passages that support the doctrine of eternal security of the believer.
But, first … something Tom Murray noted in his work on eternal security …
There are genuine believers “in Christ” who sincerely believe and teach that you can lose your salvation and security. It is important that you remember that it is possible to be a genuine believer while not accepting security teaching. You should not make the issue of eternal security a test of fellowship, but neither should you compromise your conviction on this important subject.
Those who do not believe that once a butterfly — always a butterfly do not enjoy the peace and security the Father has provided and they live in constant fear and dread of possibly spending eternity separated from God and in torment. They are not free to work on their condition because they are constantly afraid they have lost their position. I see them represented by the following story:
A man in Scotland often walked home from work on a path that ran just at the edge of the high cliffs overlooking the sea. Having to work late one day meant he would have to walk home in the dark. The night clouds on this night covered the moon leaving his path in total darkness. Slowly he made his way, but suddenly he stumbled and fell over the cliff to what he feared would be certain death on the rocks below. His next conscious thought was that he had not died but had been miraculously caught in the
bough of a tree jutting out from the face rock of the cliffs. Immediately he cried for help, all the while aware that it was so late that no one would probably hear his
cries. The night grew colder and colder and his grip soon began to slip. His only hope was to somehow hang on until morning, when help might come. That night was one long agony upon agony. He repeatedly despaired and loosened his grip to get his apparent fate over with, but each time he drew deep within himself, fought off the pain and fear, and hung on. Finally, he could hang no longer and he decided to let go and end his misery, but just then he noticed that day was beginning to break. If only he
could manage to hang on for a few minutes more, help would surely come. As the sun finally revealed his position, he was overwhelmed to see that he had hung in agony all night only twelve inches from the ground! He was safe but did not know it or enjoy it.
Unfortunately, many believers will arrive safely in heaven only to discover that their eternal
security did not require them to hang on but to simply rest in the truth that Christ was hanging on to them. Our purpose in this section will be to answer as many of the passages as possible that are of used by those who disagree with the teaching of eternal security “in Christ.” We cannot possibly cover every individual passage, but we hope to be as comprehensive as time and space will allow. We want you to let go of your fear and dread and enjoy your security “in Christ.”
The point: The belief in eternal security is a non-essential belief … but it can impact how you see God, other Christians and, of course, yourself (as far as your destiny is concerned).
Scriptures supporting eternal security, or “once saved, always saved,” emphasize that salvation is a permanent gift from God, guaranteed by Christ’s finished work, the seal of the Holy Spirit, and God’s power rather than human effort.
John 5:24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life ….”.
- Jesus states that whoever believes has eternal life and has passed from death to life, avoiding judgment.
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John 6:37-40 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will [f]by no means[certainly not] cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” .
- Jesus assures that all the Father gives Him will come to Him, and He will lose none of them.
John 10:27-29 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
- Jesus promises that His sheep will never perish and no one can snatch them out of His or the Father’s hand.
Romans 8:28-30 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
- The clear implication: ALL whom God called will be justified … and ALL whom God justified will be glorified.
- We are in the Church because we have been justified, so we in the Church will be glorified.
Romans 8:38-39 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Paul declares that nothing in all creation — neither life, death, nor powers — can separate believers from the love of God in Christ.
Ephesians 1:13-14 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee[down payment] of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
- Believers are sealed … in Christ … with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of their inheritance until they possess it.
- Colossians 3:1-4 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Philippians 1:3-6 3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; .
- Who has begun the good work?
- Who will complete it (the good work)?
- Paul is confident that He (God) who began a good work (of salvation) in believers will bring it to completion.
Hebrews 7:23-25 23 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. 24 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Therefore He is also able to save [h]to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
- Jesus is able to save completely (not for part of the journey, but for all of the journey home) those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.
1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance [b]incorruptible[imperishable] and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
- Believers are kept (guarded) through faith for salvation ready to be revealed.
- But notice how they are kept … by the power of God … through faith.
- Salvation is God’s Work: Salvation depends on God’s grace and power, not human effort (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 9:16). God is the One saving us (Philippians 1:6; John 10:28-29) NOT we trying to save ourselves.
- The Nature of Eternal Life: IF the “eternal life” that a believer has can be lost, THEN it was not “eternal” to begin with.
- The Seal of the Spirit: The Holy Spirit is the security deposit/guarantee of final salvation (2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13).
- The Position of the Believer: Believers in Christ are no longer “in Adam” … They are now “in Christ“. Notice 1 Corinthians 15:22-23. Believers are like butterflies that were once caterpillars … Just as a butterfly cannot go back to being a caterpillar, a person who has gone from being “in Adam” to being “in Christ” CANNOT go back to being “in Adam”. Once a butterfly, always a butterfly; once saved, always saved.