Eternal Security Series

INTRODUCTION

• In my life as a Christian, I have heard many Christians, when speaking on the subject of their salvation, that they HOPE to make it to Heaven, that they HOPE they get to be with Jesus when it is all said and done.

• On the other side of the coin, I have heard from people who don’t appear to walk with Jesus but at one time had been baptized say that they are glad they are going to Heaven.

• Typically, the context of that statement comes when someone we loved passed who did not walk with Jesus, yet at some point; they were baptized.

• Deep down, we know they did not walk with Jesus, but we either have to convince ourselves that it does not matter how they lived and who they served, or we walk away from God because we do not like what is taught on the subject.

• Or we may seek to find a loophole for a loved one by believing a false teaching that aligns with our desire.

• The statement is also used for spouses, family, friends, and children who do not walk with Jesus yet were once baptized into Jesus and have not walked with Jesus for years.

• Many will say you cannot know what will happen when it comes to salvation.

• Today, in Core 52, we will dive into the subject of Eternal Security.

• On the subject of eternal security, there appears to be a lot of tension in the Bible on the subject.

• Many well-meaning folks can take bits and pieces of scripture on the subject to fit their desired outcome.

• The passage at hand today is one of the passages people use to teach eternal security.

• Other passages that Jesus taught seem to teach that we are not secure, and the Apostle Paul appears to teach both sides of the fence.

• In John 15:1-ff, Jesus teaches that branches that do not produce fruit are cut off and tossed into the fire.

• In Romans 8:38-39, Paul teaches close to the same thing that Jesus teaches in our passage today, yet in Romans 11:20-21 he seems to build on what Jesus said in John 15.

• So you have this tension that on one side says we are eternally secure in Jesus, that one you are in Him, no matter what, no matter how you live, you will go to Heaven.

• The other side says that you can never know if you are secure.

• The real issue about eternal security is really about UNCONDITIONAL versus CONDITIONAL eternal security.

• Calvinism teaches UNCONDITIONAL security, whereas we would teach conditional security.

• The problem with each teaching is the unintended implications of what is taught.

• Unconditional security people, without meaning to do so, end up teaching that unconditional means that you can live however you want to live with no consequence.

• Whereas those who teach conditional security can imply that you can really never know where you stand.

• As we delve into eternal security today, my goal is to show you the correct balance on the subject and to show us that Jesus and Paul are not debating themselves on it.

• Let's turn to John 10:27-28.

John 10:27–28 (NET 2nd ed.)

27 My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them from my hand.

SERMON

I. Unconditional eternal security.

• If you do not look too deeply into what Jesus says here, it sounds like one can never lose one's salvation in Jesus, no matter what.

• This is called Unconditional eternal security, also known as "once saved, "ways saved. " It is the belief that once a person is saved, they cannot lose their salvation.

• Augustine (354-430 AD) taught that salvation is always God's and that God’s predestination is the cause of salvation. When God elects a person to eternal life, it inevitably involves final perseverance

• In the mid-1500s, John Calvin built upon this theology.

• From there, it has continued to grow.

• In this context, Jesus is at the Feast of Dedication.

• The Feast commemorated the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the original Temple was destroyed.

• The original Temple was destroyed in 586 C by Nebuchadnezzar.

• The Second Temple was dedicated in 515 BC.

• As Jesus is walking in the temple area, He is surrounded by religious leaders who are pressing Him to reveal who He is. Is He the Messiah?

• Of course, the leaders are trying to draw followers away from Jesus.

• Some more context will help us to see what Jesus says to them.