The
King James Bible defines salvation as being
eternal and everlasting. John 3:15-16 say:
15 That whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have
eternal life. 16 For God so loved
the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.
Many times we also hear the statement:
"You
Baptists believe that once you are saved you
can live like the Devil".
Real Bible believing Baptists do not believe
that. That is a heresy called
Antinomianism. Webster's 1828 dictionary
defines Antinomian as:
One of a sect who maintain, that,
under the gospel dispensation, the
law is of no use or obligation; or
who hold doctrines which supersede
the necessity of good works and a
virtuous life. This sect originated
with John Agricola about the year
1538.
Whether Baptist or not, the problem with
most people who live like the Devil and
claim to be saved is that they have NEVER
been saved to start with. They have never
repented of their sin. Faith and repentance
are required for salvation. Repentance is
not a work of the flesh. Repentance is a
work of the indwelling Holy Ghost of God .
Repentance is both the evidence and the
fruit of salvation. The question I have for
you if you are in open sin and defiance of
God and the Bible is "ARE YOU REALLY
SAVED?". The Bible says in 2 Corinthians
13:5:
"Examine
yourselves,
whether ye be in the faith; prove your own
selves. Know ye not your own selves, how
that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be
reprobates?"
Our churches today are full of reprobates
that have never been saved. They never had
it to lose it. Salvation changes people. 2
Corinthians 5:17 says:
"Therefore
if any man
be in Christ, he is a new creature: old
things are passed away; behold, all things
are become new".
Click
here
AND
here
to find out if you have ever been saved. God
expects and requires holy living for the
Christian
NOT as a means of earning or keeping
salvation, but as the means for maintaining
fellowship with God and fellow believers.
The reason that I know most people who live
like the Devil are not saved is that they
have never come under the chastening hand of
God and they are still alive. The Bible
says that "there
is a sin unto death" for the
Christian and that "whom
the Lord loveth he chasteneth".
If salvation is not eternally secure, then
it is a works based salvation. God states
in the Bible that salvation is eternal. If
we say that salvation is not eternal, then
we are calling God a liar or telling God
that He cannot keep us until the day of
redemption. We see in Titus 1:2:
2 In hope of eternal life, which God,
that cannot lie, promised before the
world began;
and again in Hebrews 6:18
18 That by two immutable things, in
which it was impossible for God to lie,
we might have a strong consolation, who
have fled for refuge to lay hold upon
the hope set before us:
The Roman
Catholic Church mocks Bible believing
Christians in their publication "Pillar Of
Fire, Pillar Of Truth where this statement
appears:
"Some people
promote an especially attractive idea:
All true Christians, regardless of how
they live, have an absolute assurance of
salvation, once they accept Jesus into
their hearts as "their personal Lord and
Savior." The problem is that this belief
is contrary to the Bible and constant
Christian teaching. Keep in mind what
Paul told the Christians of his day: "If
we have died with him [in baptism; see
Rom. 6:3-4] we shall also live with him;
if we persevere we shall also reign with
him" (2 Tim. 2:11-12). If we do not
persevere, we shall not reign with him.
In other words, Christians can forfeit
heaven."
THAT STATEMENT IS A DAMNABLE HERESY (2
Peter 2:1). Neither of the scriptures they
refer teaches that you can forfeit heaven
(salvation). Read them in context for
yourself. Any doctrine that promotes the
idea that you cannot have assurance of
heaven or that you can lose your salvation
is heresy. I do not care if that doctrine
is taught by a Roman Catholic, a Freewil
Baptist, a Methodist, a Pentecostal, an
Assembly of God, the Church of The Nazarene,
the Church of Christ, a Non-denominational,
and etc. It is heresy. What does the Bible
say about eternal life?
In my search of the Bible I ran across at
least fifty-six (56) separate references to
phrases such as eternal life (26 times),
everlasting life (11 times), life eternal (4
times), everlasting salvation (1 time),
salvation without end (2 times), life
everlasting (4 times), eternal salvation (1
time), never perish (1 time), never die (1
time), save to the uttermost (1 time), that
fadeth not away (1 time), eternal redemption
(1 time), and never leave thee (1 time).
Those Scriptures really talked to me. The
loudest thing that they said was that there
were no conditions applied to those terms
except the necessity of salvation in the
Lord Jesus Christ. Eternal life is not just
something that Baptists teach and preach.
Eternal life is what the Bible teaches.
Eternal means eternal and everlasting means
everlasting. By the way, eternal also means
everlasting and without end. It is not my
intent to go into every one of the above
mentioned 56 Scriptures. However, I will
cite at least ten of those Scriptures. This
is not a doctrine that is unique to the New
Testament. Perhaps its strongest statement
is in Psalm 37:28:
28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and
forsaketh not his saints; they are
preserved for ever: but the seed of the
wicked shall be cut off.
We continue on to the New Testament.
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that he
gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16 blows the Arminian view of
salvation out of the water because it says
everlasting. John 3:16 blows the
Calvinistic view of election out of the
water because it says whosoever. As a
reminder, the Arminians are those who say
you can lose your salvation. Contrary to
biblical teaching, the Calvinist says that
individuals have been predestined to go to
hell or to go to heaven before they are
born.
John 3:36
36 He that believeth on the Son hath
everlasting life: and he that believeth
not the Son shall not see life; but the
wrath of God abideth on him.
John 10:27-29
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know
them, and they follow me: 28 And I give
unto them eternal life; and they shall
never perish, neither shall any man
pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father,
which gave them me, is greater than all;
and no man is able to pluck them out of
my Father’s hand.
Romans 8:35-39
35 Who shall separate us from the love
of Christ? shall tribulation, or
distress, or persecution, or famine, or
nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it
is written, For thy sake we are killed
all the day long; we are accounted as
sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all
these things we are more than conquerors
through him that 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 creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which
is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2 Timothy 1:12
12 For the which cause I also suffer
these things: nevertheless I am not
ashamed: for I know whom I have
believed, and am persuaded that he is
able to keep that which I have committed
unto him against that day.
Titus 1:2
2 In hope of eternal life, which God,
that cannot lie, promised before the
world began;
Hebrews 7:25
25 Wherefore he is able also to save
them to the uttermost that come unto God
by him, seeing he ever liveth to make
intercession for them.
Hebrews 13:5
5 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.
Did God say in Hebrews 13:5 that he would
sometimes leave us, or maybe, just would not
be around?
John 6:37-40
37 All that the Father giveth me shall
come to me; and him that cometh to me I
will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came
down from heaven, not to do mine own
will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 And this is the Father’s will which
hath sent me, that of all which he hath
given me I should lose nothing, but
should raise it up again at the last
day. 40 And this is the will of him that
sent me, that every one which seeth the
Son, and believeth on him, may have
everlasting life: and I will raise him
up at the last day.
These verses in John 6:37-40 are for those
who think that they can be cast out and
thereby lose their salvation. There are
also those that think they can give back
their salvation. If they really believe
that, then they have never been saved.
Besides, if God has given them salvation,
what do they think they are going to do?
Make God take His salvation back?
We must not forget the ministry of The Holy
Spirit in relation to the assurance of the
believer’s salvation. The Spirit is given
that we might have assurance of peace and
quietness in our souls as is stated in
Isaiah 32:15-18:
15 Until the spirit be poured upon us
from on high, and the wilderness be a
fruitful field, and the fruitful field
be counted for a forest. 16 Then
judgment shall dwell in the wilderness,
and righteousness remain in the fruitful
field. 17 And the work of righteousness
shall be peace; and the effect of
righteousness quietness and assurance
for ever. 18 And my people shall dwell
in a peaceable habitation, and in sure
dwellings, and in quiet resting places;
Notice that the work of the Holy Spirit is
to produce a fruitful field that leads to
righteousness (sanctification and
holiness). This righteousness is fostered
by the Holy Spirit. The effect of this
righteousness is to produce peace and
quietness in the soul of the believer. This
righteousness also gives us an assurance
that is for ever. This is just another way
of stating that we are granted assurance of
an eternal security. The peace that is
granted through this assurance is that
referred to by Paul in Philippians 4:7:
7 And the peace of God, which passeth
all understanding, shall keep your
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
We also have the promise of God in John
6:27:
27 Labour not for the meat which
perisheth, but for that meat which
endureth unto everlasting life, which
the Son of man shall give unto you: for
him hath God the Father sealed.
God accomplishes this sealing through the
ministry of the Holy Spirit. The foundation
and the result of this sealing is described
in the following Scriptures. We have the
sealing and the earnest of the Spirit in 2
Corinthians 1:21-22:
21 Now he which stablisheth us with you
in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
22 Who hath also sealed us, and given
the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
Earnest is that which has been paid as
security to guarantee that some future
transaction or event will take place. In
our case, that earnest was the precious
blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Once God
has sealed, or closed up something, neither
man, nor demon, nor Satan himself
(Revelation 3:7-8; 5:1-5, 7:1-4, 14:1) can
break that seal or enter the door for which
God Himself has the key. We see that the
144,000 that were sealed for the coming
great tribulation in Revelation 7:1-4 made
it through until the end in Revelation 14:1.
We have the earnest of the Spirit for future
deliverance from death into the presence of
the Lord in 2 Corinthians 5:4-8:
4 For we that are in this tabernacle do
groan, being burdened: not for that we
would be unclothed, but clothed upon,
that mortality might be swallowed up of
life. 5 Now he that hath wrought us for
the selfsame thing is God, who also hath
given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
6 Therefore we are always confident,
knowing that, whilst we are at home in
the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7
(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8
We are confident, I say, and willing
rather to be absent from the body, and
to be present with the Lord.
It is this earnest of the Spirit that gives
us the confidence that we will be in the
presence of the Lord someday. That is the
reward of faith. That future deliverance is
the salvation that is sealed by the Holy
Spirit of promise as we see in Ephesians
1:10-14:
10 That in the dispensation of the
fulness of times he might gather
together in one all things in Christ,
both which are in heaven, and which are
on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also
we have obtained an inheritance, being
predestinated according to the purpose
of him who worketh all things after the
counsel of his own will: 12 That we
should be to the praise of his glory,
who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom
ye also trusted, after that ye heard the
word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation: in whom also after that ye
believed, ye were sealed with that holy
Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the
earnest of our inheritance until the
redemption of the purchased possession,
unto the praise of his glory.
Many times we grieve the Holy Spirit by our
ignoring a call to service or by sin in our
lives. Those two items - service and sin -
are the message and focus of the whole of
chapter four of Ephesians where we are told
in verse 30:
Ephesians 4:30
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of
God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day
of redemption.
When we refuse a call to service by the Holy
Spirit or allow sin in our lives we grieve
the Spirit of God. Through our actions, or
lack of action, we can quench the Spirit of
God (1 Thessalonians 5:19). When we quench
the Spirit of God, we do not feel His
presence. Many false prophets teach that
when we do not “feel” His presence then we
have lost our salvation. In other words, if
we do not “feel” like we are saved, then we
are not. What garbage! These are some of
the false prophets that Paul spoke of in 2
Timothy 2:14-19:
14 Of these things put them in
remembrance, charging them before the
Lord that they strive not about words to
no profit, but to the subverting of the
hearers. 15 Study to shew thyself
approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun
profane and vain babblings: for they
will increase unto more ungodliness. 17
And their word will eat as doth a
canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and
Philetus; 18 Who concerning the truth
have erred, saying that the resurrection
is past already; and overthrow the faith
of some. 19 Nevertheless the foundation
of God standeth sure, having this seal,
The Lord knoweth them that are his. And,
Let every one that nameth the name of
Christ depart from iniquity.
Many that are involved with the “you can
lose your salvation” Charismatics, and many
Baptists also, have dull hearing because
they will not study (see above) so that they
can rightly divide the word of truth.
Because they will not study, they cannot
discern good from evil. They are nothing
more than babes in Christ referred to in
Hebrews 5:10-14:
10 Called of God an high priest after
the order of Melchisedec. 11 Of whom we
have many things to say, and hard to be
uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
12 For when for the time ye ought to be
teachers, ye have need that one teach
you again which be the first principles
of the oracles of God; and are become
such as have need of milk, and not of
strong meat. 13 For every one that useth
milk is unskilful in the word of
righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But
strong meat belongeth to them that are
of full age, even those who by reason of
use have their senses exercised to
discern both good and evil.
The source of our confidence in Christ and
belief in eternal security is the washing of
the good Word Of God.
We point new believers to 1 John because it
offers the clearest proof to the new
believer that they are saved and can have
assurance of that fact. It is written in 1
John 5:9-13:
9 If we receive the witness of men, the
witness of God is greater: for this is
the witness of God which he hath
testified of his Son. 10 He that
believeth on the Son of God hath the
witness in himself: he that believeth
not God hath made him a liar; because he
believeth not the record that God gave
of his Son. 11 And this is the record,
that God hath given to us eternal life,
and this life is in his Son. 12 He that
hath the Son hath life; and he that hath
not the Son of God hath not life. 13
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.
The book of 1 John also lets the new
believer know that there are standards and
conditions that God has set for the
Christian to maintain fellowship with God
and with other believers. These standards
and conditions include separation from this
sinful world and communion with Christian
brothers and sisters. The surest path to
maintaining fellowship is in 1 John 1:9:
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The believer is also commanded to try the
spirits whether they are of God.
We can know that we are saved by the witness
of God within (see 1 John 5:9-13 above).
Romans 8:16 also says:
The Spirit itself
beareth
witness
with our spirit, that we are the children of
God. We also have assurance of
salvation because we know that God has
raised Christ from the dead as we see in
Acts 17:29-31:
29 Forasmuch then as we are the
offspring of God, we ought not to think
that the Godhead is like unto gold, or
silver, or stone, graven by art and
man’s device. 30 And the times of this
ignorance God winked at; but now
commandeth all men every where to
repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a
day, in the which he will judge the
world in righteousness by that man whom
he hath ordained; whereof he hath given
assurance unto all men, in that he hath
raised him from the dead.
If you are troubled by questions of whether
you can lose your salvation, then believe
the promise of Christ in John 14:1-3:
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye
believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In
my Father’s house are many mansions: if
it were not so, I would have told you. I
go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if
I go and prepare a place for you, I will
come again, and receive you unto myself;
that where I am, there ye may be also.
What a blessed promise! I will close this
discussion on eternal security with the
following Scripture in 1 Peter 1:3-5:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, which according to
his abundant mercy hath begotten us
again unto a lively hope by the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead, 4 To an inheritance
incorruptible, and undefiled, and that
fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for
you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation ready to be
revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:3-5 is the answer to all those
that think they can lose their salvation.
They do not believe God. God says here that
that inheritance, or in other words eternal
life in the Kingdom of Heaven, is
incorruptible, undefiled, fades not away,
and is reserved. That word incorruptible
literally means “not liable to die”. It is
an undefiled inheritance because it has not
been defiled by sin neither can it be
defiled by sin. Our place in heaven is not
defiled by our sin though we lose much
reward at the judgement seat of Christ
because of our sin. If we are true
believers, our place in heaven has been
reserved by the blood of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Our place in heaven is not defiled,
nor can it be defiled, because it has been
prepared by the Lord Jesus Christ (John
14:1-3). It fades not away because it is
God’s promise. Why are all these things
true? They are true not because of what we
have done, not because of what we are doing,
or because of what we will do, but because
they are
KEPT BY THE POWER OF GOD.
