Back To The Basics

Eternal Security

Intro: Notice that Assurance of Salvation is not the same as Eternal Security. Every believer is eternally secure, but not all have assurance that they are eternally secure. Eternal Security means that once a person is truly saved, they will remain saved eternally.

I. First, the Biblical Teachers taught this truth.

A. The Lord Jesus taught this truth (Jn. 5:24).

B. John taught this truth (1 Jn. 2:25).

Observation: If the believer was saved for 200 years and then lost, what he had was 200-year life not eternal life. Eternal life by definition means that it cannot come to an end. We must also understand that "Eternal Life" is more than just length of time, it also speaks of abundancy and intimacy with God (Jn. 17:3). The lost person will live forever, but they are never said in the Bible to have Eternal Life.

C. Jude taught this truth (Jude 24-25).

D. Paul taught this truth (Rom. 8:1).

E. Peter taught this truth (1 Pet. 1:3-6).

II. Furthermore, some Biblical Truths to think about.

A. God's Unconditional Promises.

"27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I

know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand." John 10:27-28

One might object, "Ok, He will not take us out of His hand, but we can take our self out of His hand!" This does not take into account the Biblical image presented - we are not only in His hand but part of His hand!

"For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones." Ephesians 5:30

"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

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

"5 Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] 6 So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?" Hebrews 13:5-6 (AMP)

"There are three negatives before the word, making the promise one of triple assurance. It is, "I will not, I will not I will not let you down."

B. God's Unlimited Power to back up those promises.

"5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!" 6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Revelation 19:5-6

"The English word "omnipotent" comes from the Latin 'omnis' meaning "all." God is all powerful, meaning "That quality of deity means God is all powerful and can do anything that is consistent with His Nature." [The Moody Handbook of Theology, Paul Enns].

C. God's Unquenchable Love for His children.

"6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 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 5:6-10

If God loved you as a lost person, one who was without any strength; ungodly; still sinning; and enemy of God, how much more does He love you now that you have been forgiven of all your sins (Col. 2:13) and imputed the very righteousness of Christ (Rom. 4:6-8)?

See, Rom. 8:31-39.

D. God's Unquestionable Answer to the prayer of the Son of God.

Jn. 17:9-12, 15, 20.

Trans: Therefore we are eternally secure because of God's totally Unconditional promises which are far too many to list; also due to His Unlimited power to keep those promises; and His Unquenchable love which cannot be quenched by our faults, failures, and sins; and finally, we take courage in the Unquestionable answer to His prayer specifically for our security.