Can A Saved Person Ever Be Lost?

I. Scripture Introduction: 1 John 5:11-13

Body:

Many times we have heard individual christians say, "Oh, God, at last in heaven, save us!" If we’re ever going to get to heaven, we’re going to have to get saved right here! That indicates that this individual does not know whether he or she is going to get to heaven! Others have constantly prayed in agony of soul, "Oh God, help us hold on to the end!" And I get a picture of a life-and-death struggle of holding on to God, and if you let go, you’re a dead duck!

Now, I don’t read that in the Bible! I read, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one." (St. John 10:27-30).So, we are not holding on to God to keep us save; HE IS HOLDING ON TO US!! And that makes the biggest difference in the world!

My text today is 1 John 5:11-13, "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 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."

I mean right now! NO MAYBE! You either have eternal life, or you don’t have it - RIGHT NOW! You either have JESUS right now, or you don’t have Jesus! That’s what I like about this thing...it’s either BLACK OR WHITE! You know where you stand! "He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son hath not life. 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 tha tye may believe on the name of the Son of God."

There is a wave of people today in America who have already been baptized and joined the church, but yet claim they never had a personal encounter with Christ. And who say, "I don’t think I’ve been saved, even though I have been baptized and joined the church." And this message is very needed today! CAN A SAVED PERSON EVER BE LOST? And I trust it will be a great help to you. I want to give you seven reasons why I know that I am saved, and if I were to die today, how I know I’ll go heaven. There’s no question about it! If the second coming was today, I am SURE I’ll go to meet the Lord in the air!

Number One: I’ve had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ!

A vivid experience wiht my Lord when I was 22 years of age. I heard that wonderful message so many times, but finally there in Frankfurt, Germany, I finally surrendered my life to Christ. I was tired of running. I realized I needed Christ in my life, just as that evangelist took me to the cross, and painted me a picture of Christ dying for me! A poor lost sinner! The Holy Spirit brought me under conviction, and I became aware that I needed Christ! Down on my knees there at that altar in Atterberry Chapel, Frankfurt, Germany I gave my life to Christ! And I want to tell you something today, my life has been completely changed! How do I know I’ve been saved? YOU SEE, I WAS THERE WHEN IT HAPPENED!

Now, ladies and gentlemen, here’s a very important point! Many, many christian people cannot point to an exact date to the time and place when they were saved. I could never understand this. But, yet wherever I’ve been, I’ve met many wonderful christian people, who kown they’re saved, but yet cannot pin-point a date to their personal experience and encounter. If you were to see the lives of Billy Graham and Ruth Graham - there are two different people. Billy could telll you the exact time and place of his conversion, yet, Ruth on the other hand says, "I can’t never remember not loving the Lord! My father was a missionary to China. And never did a day go by without my not loving Jesus." There are some people like this! They have learned the christian way at home, and there grew to love the Lord and surrender to Him; But can’t pin-point an exact date.