In my 40 years of teaching God’s In my 40 years of teaching God’s Word, the Bible…Word, the Bible…

…what has been one of the most

FFrequently AAsked QQuestions?

…what has been one of the most controversial controversial questions?

…one of the most FAQ’s and, at the same time, one of the most most

controversial questionscontroversial questions has been, “Is “Is a Chra Christian eternally istian eternally secure?” (once saved, secure?” (once saved, always saved?)always saved?)

I would take a bullet for believing in the eternal security of a true believer.

•Would you?Would you?

Let’s consider 8 reasons why we should believe in the eternal security of the true believer!

#1. If I don’t believe in the eternal security of a true believer…

……I must believe that Jesus did not I must believe that Jesus did not finish paying my way to heaven!finish paying my way to heaven!

Regarding His mission to pay off our sin debt to God, Jesus, while being crucified, said…

“IT IS FINISHED!”

The Greek term is: “TETELESTAI”“TETELESTAI”

What does this word What does this word mean? mean? “To bring to “To bring to an end, to complete an end, to complete something.”something.”

Perfect tensePerfect tense: : Action completed in Action completed in the past with the past with permanent results!permanent results!

““He paid a debt He did not He paid a debt He did not owe because we owed a debt owe because we owed a debt we could not pay.” we could not pay.” – (Author unknown) (Author unknown)

To say that I can lose my salvation implies that To say that I can lose my salvation implies that Jesus’ death did not pay my sin debt in full, but Jesus’ death did not pay my sin debt in full, but there remains…there remains…

an an outstanding balanceoutstanding balance on the debt that I owe God on the debt that I owe God for my sins. I am then forced to say to Him, “It is for my sins. I am then forced to say to Him, “It is NOTNOT finished! Your work was not quite enough— finished! Your work was not quite enough—I must complete what is lacking by my own good I must complete what is lacking by my own good works.”works.”

If I don’t believe in Eternal Security I mustIf I don’t believe in Eternal Security I mustbelieve that Jesus did not finish paying my way tobelieve that Jesus did not finish paying my way toHeaven.Heaven.

This belief leads to a This belief leads to a second thing I must second thing I must believe.believe.

2. If I don’t believe in the eternal security of a true believer…

…I am forced to believe that there is a contradiction in the Bible—in this case that salvation is, salvation is, at the same at the same timetime, a free gift and yet earned by my , a free gift and yet earned by my own good works.own good works.

But note the following Scripture:But note the following Scripture:

Romans 6:23

“For the wages of sin

is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life THROUGHTHROUGH Jesus Christ, our Lord.”

Ephesians 2:8-9

“For by grace you For by grace you have been saved have been saved through faith, and through faith, and that that not of yourselves;not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; it is the gift of God; not as a result of not as a result of worksworks, so that no one , so that no one can boast.”can boast.”

Question: Do I really believe Question: Do I really believe Ephesians 2:8-9?Ephesians 2:8-9?

All true believers agree that pre-conversion works do not contribute to salvation.

But if I believe that I can lose my salvation through too many post-conversion bad works (too much sin in my life after being saved), I cannot honestly believe the clear teaching of Eph.2:8-9, that salvation is by GRACE ALONEGRACE ALONE..

Instead, I must believe that the following is the Instead, I must believe that the following is the true gospel:true gospel:

“Trust in Jesus’ work (His death & resurrection)

PLUSPLUS

my ownmy own post-conversion obedience = salvation from Hell.

Some disturbing questions:

*If I don’t believe in eternal security, How faithful to God do I have to be How faithful to God do I have to be not to lose my salvation? What if I’m not to lose my salvation? What if I’m not faithful to the end of my life as not faithful to the end of my life as was the case with some believers in was the case with some believers in both the OT & NT?both the OT & NT?*How much “grace” is available to *How much “grace” is available to “cover” my choices to sin as a “cover” my choices to sin as a Christian? Christian? When does this grace run When does this grace run out?out?

The Reality is this: If eternal security is not true, The “Gospel” would then be…

I’m saved initially by God’s grace, but kept saved on a day-to-day basis by my good works.

If I don’t believe in eternal security I must embrace a serious contradiction that salvation is, at the same time, by grace and works.

Both a gift given and something I earn, in part!

No amount of good works can earn our salvation and no amount of bad works can make us lose our salvation (Randy Alcorn).

But the Bible is clear that…,But the Bible is clear that…,

Grace and works are mutually exclusive, as incompatible as oil and water…as contradictory as saying, “A bachelor is taking his wife out for dinner.”

So then, if I believe that I am initially saved by grace but kept saved by my good works, I must believe that there is a contradiction in the Bible, and this leads to a 3rd thing I must believe if I don’t believe in the eternal security if I don’t believe in the eternal security of a true believer: of a true believer:

3. If I don’t believe in the eternal security of a true believer……I must believe that I must believe that believers can boastbelievers can boast about about

their personal contribution to their their personal contribution to their salvation!!!salvation!!!

“For by grace you have been saved; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, SO THATSO THAT NO ONE CAN BOAST.”

If my pre-conversion and/or post-conversion works have anything to do with my eternal salvation, there is room for me to boast. If my own good works could contribute at all to my salvation, God would never hear the end of it!

So, If I don’t believe in the eternal security of a true believer…

I must believe that believers can boast I must believe that believers can boast about their personal contribution to about their personal contribution to their salvation and gain partial glory for their salvation and gain partial glory for it.it.

And believing this leads to a And believing this leads to a 44thth thing thing

I must believe, namely…I must believe, namely…

4. If I don’t believe in the eternal security of a true believer…

I must believe that the ultimate purposethe ultimate purpose of God saving sinners is not His own glory!!!

But as God says to Israel, “I will not give My Glory to another” (Is.48:11).

And it is clear that the ultimate purpose of the Father’s selection of us, the Son’s sacrifice for Father’s selection of us, the Son’s sacrifice for us and the Spirit’s seal upon usus and the Spirit’s seal upon us, is…

““to the praise of the glory of His graceto the praise of the glory of His grace,, which He freely bestowed on us…” (Cf. Eph.1:6, 12, 14).

For all eternity we will shout For all eternity we will shout and sing…and sing…

Not believing in the eternal security of a true believer means I must believe that the ultimate purposethe ultimate purpose of God saving sinners is not His own glory which leads to something else I must believe, namely…

5. If I don’t believe in the eternal security of a true believer… I must believe that God is not sovereignnot sovereign in

both initiating and bringing to completion my salvation!

“…He chose us…before the foundation of the world…[we] were sealed with the Holy Spirit …who is the GUARANTEE of our inheritance until the [future] redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:4a, 13b-14).

The eternal security of the believer is the only view of The eternal security of the believer is the only view of salvation that reveals the glory of God’s sovereign salvation that reveals the glory of God’s sovereign ability to complete the final phase of our salvation.ability to complete the final phase of our salvation.

Romans 6:5

“Since we have been united with Him [Jesus] in His death, we shall certainlywe shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His.”

His resurrection guarantees ours. We are as secure as He is!

Romans 8:29a; 1 John 3:2b

“For those whom He foreknew (all believers), He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.” The verb tense of the word “predestined” reveals action already completed. From God’s eternal viewpoint all believers are already conformed to the moral likeness of Jesus Christ, already in their glorified state as verse 30 declares. Our experience has yet to catch up with what God considers a done deal. As John writes, “we know that when He is revealed, we SHALL be like Him.”

John 6:37-40

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out….This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes (trusts) in Him may have eternal life; and I WILL raise him up on the last day.”

Romans 8:30

To say that salvation can be lost is to reject the clear teaching of these passages and say that God is neither able, nor sovereign when it comes to completing what He purposes to do with those He saves.

If I don’t believe that God’s will is absolutely sovereign and will come to pass—that He could somehow lose me after having saved me—then I must live with another serious consequence of not believing “Once saved, always saved,” namely…

6. If I don’t believe in the eternal security of a true believer…

I must believe that there is no such thing as assurance of salvation.

1 John 2:25: “And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.”

1 John 5:11-13: “And this is the record: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is IN His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.”

And if I don’t have assurance of my And if I don’t have assurance of my salvation—salvation—if I believe I can somehow if I believe I can somehow lose it by committing too many sins, or lose it by committing too many sins, or certain kinds of sinscertain kinds of sins—this will lead to a —this will lead to a 66thth thing I must believe… thing I must believe…

7. If I don’t believe in the eternal security of a true believer…

I must believe that one of the chief I must believe that one of the chief motivations for pleasing God is the motivations for pleasing God is the horrifying fear of ending up in horrifying fear of ending up in HELLHELL after all!!!after all!!!

What biblical passages support the idea that the true believer should obey God for fear of losing his salvation and ending up in Hell after all?

Some passages seemseem to teach that salvation can be lost until we do a closer examination of the context, original languages, meanings of words, grammar and syntax, cultural setting, etc.

Complex passages must always be interpreted in light of clear passages, such as John 3:16.

Our God of truth is incapable of contradicting Himself!

Our heavenly Father is sad when those He has saved doubt their eternal security in Him.

As believers, what should motivate us to please God?

“I urge you, therefore, brethren, because of the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonable service” (Rom.12:1).

Meditation on God’s mercy upon us—morally filthy, wrath-deserving sinners—should compel us to present our bodies and minds to unswerving allegiance to Him—no other response makes sense!

“We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19)

We are motivated by God’s We are motivated by God’s past past merciesmercies but also by our but also by our future meetingfuture meeting with Him.with Him.

“Therefore, we make it our aim…to be well pleasing to the Lord. For we [Christians] must all appear before the judgment seat (bema) of Christ…Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men….” (2 Cor. 5:9-11)

With a healthy fear (terror) of knowing he would one day give an account for the very motives behind his ministry, Paul felt the need to persuade the saints at Corinth of his sincerity and integrity.

In light of this doctrine of the Bema Seat (future future rewards of true believersrewards of true believers), it is very possible that…

8. If I don’t believe in the eternal security of a true believer…

I may not believe and/or understand the distinction Scripture makes b/t salvation and eternal rewards.

Salvation is Totally Free, based upon the Amazing Grace of God displayed in the Finished Work of Jesus Christ.

Rewards are earned on the basis of anything we do, say or think during our earthly lives as Christians that is the fruit of the Spirit of God. It is truly a GoodGood Work, a God-work! We are not saved by good works, but we are saved for good works (Eph. 2:8-10).

1 Corinthians 3:11-15, selected

“For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds upon this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it…and the fire will test…what what sort it is.sort it is. If anyone’s work…endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himselfhimself will be saved….”

2 John 8

“Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we have worked for, but that we may receive a fullfull reward.”

“Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant…! (Mt.25:21)

So then, if salvation cannot be lost, what is lost when a believer chooses to follow the world, flesh & the devil?”

In the here and now, loss of: Intimacy with God (Jn.14:21-23)The blessing of God—God becomes our

adversary, making our life miserable (Psalm 32; James 4:4-6)

Abundant life from God (John 10:10)Usefulness for God (2 Tim.2:20-22)Physical life—the sin unto death is possible

(Acts 5; 1 Cor.11:30; 1 Jn.5:16-18)

In the Hereafter, loss of:Rewards from God. Just as there are

degrees of punishment in hell, there will be degrees of rewards in heaven (Cf. Mt.11:20-24 and Mt.20:20-28; see also Rev. 3:11).

As Bruce Wilkinson says…

“Hell can never get better, but it can get worse. Heaven can never get worse, but it can get better.” The quality of eternity for every believer will be determined by the kind of Christian he/she was on earth--every moment matters forever! Everyone in Heaven will have full joy, but each person’s capacity for joy will differ (James 1:12; Rev.2:10).

The Christian who honors Jesus Christ much in the here and now will be honored much by Jesus Christ in the hereafter! The focus of eternal rewards is on the exaltation of Jesus Christ!

Summary:Summary: If I don’t believe in the eternal security of a true believer…

I must believe that Jesus did not finish payingdid not finish paying my way to heaven, and...

Therefore, I must believe that the Bible contains contradictionscontradictions (That salvation is, at the same time, a gift to receive and something to achieve), and...

Therefore, I must believe that believers can boast boast about their contributionabout their contribution to their salvation, and...

Therefore, I must believe that the ultimate the ultimate purposepurpose of salvation is not the glory of God, and...

Therefore, I must believe that God is not sovereign in initiating and completingcompleting my salvation which displays His ultimate glory, and...

Therefore, I must believe that there is no such thing as assuranceassurance of salvation, and...

Therefore, I must believe that one of the chief motivations for pleasing God is the fear of losing fear of losing my salvation...my salvation...

And finally…, if I don’t believe in And finally…, if I don’t believe in eternal security, I may not believe eternal security, I may not believe and/or and/or understandunderstand the difference the difference between salvation (which is free) and between salvation (which is free) and eternal rewards (which are earned).eternal rewards (which are earned).

So, would you take a bullet for believing in So, would you take a bullet for believing in the eternal security of a true believer?the eternal security of a true believer?

If I understand Scripture correctly, all that I must believe if I don’t believe in eternal security, makes this doctrine not only worth believing in…

……but even worth dying for!but even worth dying for!

WHAT DO WHAT DO YOU THINK?YOU THINK?