Eternal Security is tied to the character of the One who gave the promise of Eternal Life. I rest in the fact that the security of my salvation is not based on my performance, but rather the work of the Holy Spirit in me.
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:6
“…for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:13
The Promises
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 10:28-30
“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
John 14:16
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever–“
The Redeemed
Titus 3:3-7
“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”
Verse 7 goes back to the promise of Eternal Life to anyone who truly believes in Jesus as their Savior.
The Guarantee
2 Corinthians 1:21-22
“Now it is God who establishes both us and you in Christ. He anointed us, 22 placed His seal on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a pledge of what is to come.”
Ephesians 1:14
“The Holy Spirit is the down payment on our inheritance, which is applied toward our redemption as God’s own people, resulting in the honor of God’s glory.”
2 Corinthians 5:5
“And God has prepared us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a pledge of what is to come.“
The Trustworthiness of the Promiser
Hebrews 6:13-20
“When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 10:14-23
“For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:
16 “This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”
17 Then he adds:
“Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more.”
18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.“
God cannot lie and He is faithful. We hope for the Eternal Life that Jesus said He gives to those who believe in Him as we go back to John 10:28-30,
“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
Not even our own “momentary” fall from grace can take us from the Father’s hand, granted that the moment the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and works at restoring us, we respond and confess our sins to God. We cooperate in His sanctifying work by repenting- changing our mind and resolve not to deliberately live a lifestyle that we know is against God’s standard of righteousness.
Our Assurance
1 John 3:24
“The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”
Romans 8:16
“The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”
2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
What is expected from the Redeemed
2 Peter 2:16
“Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.”
John 8:31-32
“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
1 John 2:24-25
“As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life.”
To Those Who Fall Away
Matthew 7:21
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 15:13
“Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted.”
Those who claim to belong to Christ who are not rooted in the Word of God are the ones who fall away and go after doctrines of demons (1 Timothy 4:1-4) and “deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition” (Colossians 2:8). They profess Jesus but they deny the authority of His Written Word.
1 John 2:19-20
“They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.”
Those who will and end up apostatizing do not have the seal of the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised. They were close to salvation, even partook in the ministry and had an appearance of being saved (Matthew 13:24-30). A great example of this was Judas Iscariot. He was at one time in Jesus’ inner circle but he eventually betrayed Jesus and was never truly saved.
Can you lose your salvation? If you trust that God will deliver His promise, your salvation is secure. If God is faithful to an “obstinate people” (Isaiah 65:2), it is consistent with His character to be faithful to a Christian who backslides. Do not listen to the adversary’s whispers. If you have truly given your life to Christ, He will complete what He started in you.
