People are asking questions like, "Is eternal security biblical? Can Christians lose their salvation?"
There's one thing we need to get out of the way, first of all. A Christian is anyone who follows Christ as their Savior, accepts his death and Resurrection as atonement for our sins and hope of eternal life, has made a life commitment to him, and has had their sins forgiven by Him. This is not a "have to" or forced decision. It is done wholly voluntarily and there is no fear involved, whatsoever. There is no fear in perfect love, and God's love is absolutely perfect. Contrary to belief, benefit is not the motive. It is love for Christ, and all that He sacrificed for us on the cross, all that he suffered and accomplished in saving our souls from hell, that motivates followers of Christ to complete dedication and love. Christ gave his ultimate "all" on the cross for us. How could we give him less?
Look carefully at the following words. The very second we are saved, we are SEALED by the Holy Spirit of Promise UNTIL THE DAY OF REDEMPTION [when Jesus takes His redeemed to heaven]. Eph. 4:30
But "saved" from what, you ask? Jesus offers to save us from the separation and condemnation SIN placed on us. Jesus said He is the only one who can do that. No one else offered a Plan of Salvation. God the Father made it, Himself. That's why it is perfect, that's why it works, and that's why he doesn't need man to revise it.
Our eternal salvation is sealed by the Holy Spirit. Meaning, as soon as we are saved and the Holy Spirit dwells in us, the Holy Spirit becomes proof that God has saved us, because we receive His very Spirit! "It is finished!", as Christ said on the cross. It is a finished transition and transformation IN us, made POSSIBLE by the Holy Spirit himself! Nothing can break that seal from God, as we become His own! Heaven is now our hope and eternal home.
Salvation is ETERNAL, as stated in John 3:16. If salvation could be lost, it wouldn't be eternal. The Seal makes it secure. That Seal represents (1) A promise kept by God that CANNOT BE BROKEN. (2) A FINISHED transaction. (3) meaning, "It is finished!" Jesus completed His mission.
A true believer can never lose their salvation. They are eternally secure. There are things a born-again believer CAN lose, but salvation is not one of them. Scripture is very clear on that.
One short example of that, is in a verse describing a believer who has sinned and he is at the Judgement Seat of Christ. His salvation is never in question, as "There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus" Romans 8:1 The believer is saved and is already forgiven. There's no need to bring him to trial again. The only thing being "tried by fire" [by Holy Spirit purifying fire], are the WORKS and motives of the believer, AFTER he was saved. To see which were pure motives, or were only done for "show" or selfish, prideful reasons. Whatever is LEFT, after being tried by Holy Spirit fire, are the pure motives, for which certain crowns shall be given as reward. Here's the scripture:
1st Corinthians 3:15 - "If any man's WORK is burned up, he shall suffer loss, BUT HE HIMSELF shall be SAVED, yet so as BY FIRE." NOT meaning hell. The Holy Spirit IS the cleansing, purifying, SAVING power.
Look what 1 John 1:7-9 says: "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, PURIFIES US FROM ALL SIN. Not SOME sin. ALL sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But when we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and PURIFY US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. That's great! But, you ask, FOR HOW LONG? Jesus tells us...
Philippians 1:6 "Being CONFIDENT of this, that HE who began a good work in you, will carry it on to COMPLETION... until the day of Christ Jesus." The Day of the Lord is when He comes back for us, praise God! When we are taken to heaven forever!
He will keep you firm to the end! We are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ forever:
1 Corinthians 1:8-9 "HE will also KEEP YOU FIRM to the END, so that you will be BLAMELESS on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
John 5:24 - "I assure you: ANYONE who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life and WILL NOT COME UNDER JUDGMENT, but has passed from death to life!"
Amen! Thank you for this post, sister. Anyone who rejects Eternal Security or Once Saved Always Saved is a lost heretic. They are on their way to Hell. There's no other way around it. Some questions I would ask them is: Since mankind has nothing to do with saving himself, then why would God require men to do something to maintain it? If I cannot do good works to get saved, then how can I do bad works to lose salvation? Eternal Security is one of the main things that makes Christianity so unique and different from all the other religions. It actually gives man peace. If you reject Eternal Security and Once Saved Always Saved then you are teaching works salvation and not putting all of yor trust on Jesus Christ. These people are attacking faith alone. Oh, and btw, don't you just find it hilarious when some think that they are mocking faih alone by calling it easy believism.....but believing on the Lord Jesus Christ is easy. Getting saved is easy. It's as easy as drinking a cup of water and opening the door. What do they believe in? Hard believism? Why would God make it hard if He is not willing that any should perish?
The Bible clearly teaches that eternal life is a gift. As a matter of FACT, the Bible even calls our salvation a FREE GIFT.
"...the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life" —Romans 5:18
So, I would also ask them this: What would you say if I were to give you a Christmas present, but then tell you that I'm going to be watching you over the next year to see if you're good enough to keep it? If you're not good enough I'm going to take away your GIFT. Would that make any sense to you? Of course not. You'd say I was crazy and a liar! A "gift" is NOT a gift if there are ANY strings attached to it. A genuine gift is UNCONDITIONAL. God is not a con-artist. God doesn't promise eternal life to those who believe, and then take it away from them because they commit further sins. I mean, that's the entire reason Jesus died for our sins, so we wouldn't have to. Also, the gift is eternal life so if it could be lost then it was never eternal to begin with. So, these false prophets who deny Once Saved Always Saved are calling God a liar.
Some people have the wrong idea that one's salvation is CONDITIONAL upon the way they live. Nothing could be further from the truth of God's Word. I am not advocating living in sin, nor taking the Christian life lightly (Romans 3:31; 6:15). I am simply saying that one's salvation is a gift from God, rooted in God's unconditional love (Romans 5:8) and the precious blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ (1st Peter 1:18,19). Salvation does not depend upon one's desire to forsake sin, nor live a holy life; for that would be Works Salvation.
The concept of losing one's salvation is flawed in so many ways. I mean, at what point would a person lose it? How much sin is too much? Where would you cross the saved/unsaved line? The whole idea of losing one's Eternal Security is preposterous.
John 5:24 states: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."
If you're a believer on Jesus Christ, then you can NEVER lose your salvation. Jesus said in John 10:28, "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." Did you read that? We shall NEVER perish, and NO MAN can affect our salvation. Someone may pray to God for you to "burn in Hell" (a popular saying in society today); but that simply cannot happen to a believer. You choose your own destiny based upon your acceptance (or denial) of Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. Did you know that God CANNOT lie? According to Titus 1:2 God cannot lie! Well, God promised in Romans 10:13 to save anyone who trusts on Jesus' name... "For whosoever shall call [rely] upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).
We are wonderfully reassured in 1st John 5:13 that we can KNOW that we are eternally secure:
"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." —1st John 5:13
I love this verse!... that we may "KNOW," not think, but KNOW that we have eternal life. How could anyone be so foolish as to think that a person could lose "eternal life?" If you can lose it, then is it eternal? No! When God promises us eternal life, that is exactly what He means. Jesus didn't say, "I give unto them temporal life"; no rather, He said, "I give unto them eternal life (John 10:28)." I am eternally secure in Jesus' arms...
"The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms..." —Deuteronomy 33:27
Don't tell me I can lose my salvation! There is NO such teaching in the Bible!
People will say, what about "falling from grace?"
You cannot lose your salvation, period. You can lose fellowship with God and the joy of one's salvation, buy you cannot lose your salvation. Can a son no longer be a son? Of course not! You can disown Him (which I think is horrible and unscriptural), but he's still your son. No matter what your son does, he's still your son. The same is true with our Heavenly Father. Jesus never forsakes us...
"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." —Hebrews 13:5
God cannot lie! (Titus 1:2). As a matter of fact, the Bible is speaking of Eternal Security when It tells us that God cannot lie... "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began" (Titus 1:2). What a loving God! You can speak to people from many different religions and you'll discover a pervading sense of fear and uncertainty. They don't have the precious promises which the Bible offers to the Christian believer.
No wonder Jesus said:
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." —Matthew 11:28
