Salvation Is Permanent! Series

Intro: SO GREAT A SALVATION - IT'S PERMANENCE.

1. A salvation that you could lose would't be so great! And it would assume that it was the work of man not God because God's work cannot fail.

2. Let us just briefly look at this important doctrine.

I. First the Passages which clearly teach that salvation is permanent.

A. Promises of God (Jn.5:24; 6:37; 10:28/Rom.8:29-30/etc.)

'If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself." 2 Timothy 2:13

B. Power of God which is behind those promises (Jn.10:29/Rom.4:21; 8:31,38-39; 14:4/ Eph.3:20/Phil.3:21/2Tim.1:12/etc.)

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy." Jude 1:24

C. The Passionate love of God toward His own (Jn.3:16/Rom. 8:31-39/etc.

"8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." Romans 5:8-10

D. The answered Prayer of Christ before the Father.

"9 "I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; 10 and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. 11 "I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are." John 17:9-11

"I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word;" John 17:20

E. The fact that the Father is Propitiated by the substitutionary death of Christ (Rom.3:25-26 /1 John 4:10/etc.)

"and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world." 1 John 2:2

F. Provision of resurrected, eternal life (Jn.3:16; 10:28/Rom.6:23/etc.)

The believer has received the resurrected life of the Son, which is called eternal life. If we were saved for 50 years and then lost - it would not have been eternal life but 50 year life. God does not promise 50 or 100 or even 600 year life, but eternal life.

We have by way of our identification with Christ been united with the last Adam, and, as all died in the first Adam, so all live in the last Adam. The last Adam cannot fall! (Rom.7:4)

"For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive." 1 Corinthians 15:22

"So also it is written, "The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit." 1 Corinthians 15:45

G. The continual Prayer of Christ (Rom.5:10; 8:34).

"Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." Hebrews 7:25

H. The Protection by Christ's advocacy (Rom.8:324/Heb.9:24).

"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;" 1 John 2:1

I. The Paternal relationship we have with God (Jn.1:12-13; 3:3-6/1 Pet.1:4/1 Jn.3:9).

"13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:13

J. The Permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor.2:12; 6:16/1 Jn.3:24/Jn.7:37-39/Ro.5:5; 8:9).

"I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;" John 14:16

K. The fact that we are Part of the Body of Christ (1 Cor.12:13; 6:17/2 Cor.5:17/Gal.3:27).

Spirit baptism places every believer, at the moment they believe, into the body of Christ. Christ's body will never be mutilated, not a single member will be lost!

"Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it." 1 Corinthians 12:27

L. The Preservation by the sealing of the Holy Spirit (Eph.1:13; 4:30/2 Cor.1:22).

"Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." Ephesians 4:30

II. Furthermore the Problem passages.

The problem passages are solved by looking at them in their context, that are:

A. Passages which refer to the apostates of the last days of the Church - these are people who claim to be believers but were never regenerated.

"But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves." 2 Peter 2:1