Eternal Security

 

“Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.” (Hebrews  6:19)

anchor

 

Salem Bible Church

11 Ermer Road       Salem, NH 03079

web site: salembible.org

Sunday School Ministry

 

 

Eternal Security

Table of Contents

 

Intro:   An Important Distinction:  Security vs. Assurance

 

  1. The Salvation of God
  2. The Promises of God
  3. The Grace of God
  4. The Faithfulness of God
  5. The Power of God
  6. The Life of God
  7. The Sovereignty of God
  8. The Justice of God
  9. The Ministries of God the Spirit
  10. The Works of God the Son
  11. The Love of God the Father
  12. Misunderstood Terms

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction: An Important Distinction: Security vs. Assurance

 

A.) Eternal Security Defined: The everlasting and unchanging position of every true believer in Christ, due to the power and faithfulness of God, whether realized by the saint or not.

·        John 10:28

 

 

B.) Assurance of Salvation Defined: An experiential confidence that one is genuinely and eternally saved.

·        I John 5:13 – we can and should KNOW.

·        This knowledge is not presumption, but FAITH.

C.) Every true believer in Christ is eternally secure, although NOT every true believer experiences the assurance of that salvation. Because of ignorance, many believers (who ARE eternally secure) do not know it, do not believe it, and thus cannot experience the rest of soul this doctrine was intended to bring.

 

D.) Prerequisite for assurance of salvation: a biblical understanding of God’s character, God’s promises and the nature of salvation.

 

E.)  Examples of believers who were “sure” they were going to heaven:

·        Daniel (Dan. 12:13)

·        Paul  (II Tim. 1:12; 4:6-8)

·        David (II Sam. 12:23)

 

F.)  Hindrances to assurance of salvation:

·        A lack of knowledge of the Scriptures

·        Sin: defeat, unconfessed sin, repeated failures

·        Trusting exclusively in our own works for assurance

·        Trusting in our feelings for assurance

·        Dwelling on our condition rather than our position

·        Can you think of some others?

 

 

I.) The Salvation of God

 

A.)           Regeneration

 

1.) Defined: the impartation of eternal life at the moment of saving faith.

2.) The life given is ETERNAL. (John 3:16; 10:28)

3.) Those regenerated will NEVER PERISH (John 10:28)

4.) Those regenerated will never come into CONDEMNATION (John 5:24)

 

B.)           Propitiation

 

1.) Defined: The infinite satisfaction of Divine justice based upon the all sufficiency of the  shed blood of Jesus Christ.

2.) I John 2:2 – The present tense indicates that Christ CONTINUALLY is the propitiation for our sins.

3.) His shed blood has eternally satisfied the Father with respect to judgment on the believer.

 

 

C.)           Redemption

 

1.) Defined: The work of God through the blood of Christ whereby He paid as a ransom the price of human sin, and delivered the believing sinner from the penalty and power of sin.

2.) Heb. 9:12 – an eternal redemption

3.) Eph. 1:13-14 – a promise of future glorification

 

D.)          Justification

 

1.) Defined: To declare righteous

2.) Rom. 8:29-30 – the promise of future glorification

3.) Rom. 5:9 – saved from any future wrath

 

E.)Reconciliation

 

1.) Defined: The work of God through the death of Christ, whereby He provided for the changing of man from the state of enmity to friendship and fellowship.

2.) Rom. 5:10 – those reconciled have the promise: we SHALL be saved.

3.) Col. 1:21-22 – those reconciled have the promise of being presented holy and unblamable before God.

 

F.) Sanctification (Positional)

 

1.) Defined: the once for all setting apart of the believer FROM his former position in Adam, his sin and condemnation and TO his new position in Christ and in His righteousness.

2.) Heb. 10:10 – The believer has been sanctified once and for all. It never needs to be repeated.

3.) Heb. 10:14 – those sanctified have been perfected forever.

 

§         Every aspect of salvation is clearly revealed to be forever… eternal… secure.

 

 

II.) The Promises of God

 

A.)     Things Which “Shall Be” true of  Every Believer

 

1.) Rom. 5:9 – we shall be saved

2.) Rom. 8:18 – glory shall be revealed in us

3.) I Cor. 1:8 – He shall confirm you unto the end

4.) I Cor. 15:49 – we shall bear the image of the heavenly

5.) I Cor. 15:51 – we shall be changed

6.) II Cor. 4:14 – we shall be raised and presented before God with the apostles.

7.) Phil. 1:6 – God will finish the work of transformation in us

8.) Col. 3:4 – ye shall appear with Him in glory

9.) I John 3:2 – we shall be like Him.

§         These are not things that might occur, or could occur. God said that they SHALL be! This could not be said if it were possible to lose one’s salvation.

§         There is no uncertainty in any of these promises.

 

B.)     Promises of Life/Salvation

 

1.)  John 3:16 – Whoever believes shall have everlasting life.

2.)  Acts 16:31 – Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou SHALT be saved.

3.)  Rom. 10:13 – Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

4.)  Rom. 10:9 – If thou wilt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

 

C.)     Promises of No Condemnation

 

1.)  Rom. 8:1 – there is therefore now NO condemnation to those in Christ Jesus.

2.)  John 5:24 – He that heareth my word and believeth on Him that sent Meshall not come into condemnation.

3.)  John 3:15-16 – Whosever believeth in Him should not perish.

4.)  John 10:28 – They shall never perish.

5.)  John 3:18 – He that believeth on Him is not condemned.

 

 

III.) The Grace of God

 

 

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.”   (Eph. 2:8-9)

 

1.) If salvation were obtained by our ____good_____ works,

     (but it is not!)  then it could be lost by our ______bad___works.

 

2.) Eph.2:8-9 speaks about the ______past____  tense of salvation.

 

     Salvation has _________already been completed, finished ___

 

3.) The past tense of salvation is not a ____process ____that is carried

     on and is to be completed later.

 

4.) What words or expressions indicate that salvation does not take into

     account human merit?              gift; grace; not of works;

 

 

5.) Note that Paul did NOT write “By grace are ye __being __saved.”

     Nor did he write “By grace ye  __will __   ___be __ saved.”

     Rather, he wrote that “By grace ___ye ___  ___ ARE __ saved.”

 

     The salvation Paul describes is looked upon as an :

     ______ completed ______  ____ action ____ .

 

·        The tense of the word “saved” in the original indicates a past completed action with present continuing results.

 

                                                                                                 

6.) Salvation by grace.... the kind of salvation God has planned, leaves men

     with absolutely no room for  ___ boasting __.   Cf.(Rom.3:27)

 

     It demands that 100% of the glory goes to ___ God __.   (I Co.1:29)

 

     * Salvation by grace means that human  ___ merit _______

        or human  _____ effort ____ is not even a consideration on God’s

        part with respect to the eternal destiny of men. (Titus 3:5; Rom.4:5)

 

7.) Paul states that salvation is a “gift of God.”  A gift is not earned.

     What does God say about His gifts in Rom.11:29?

     God’s gifts and calling are WITHOUT REPENTENCE.  When God     gives a free gift, He doesn’t change His mind!

 

8.) In Romans 4:16, Paul states that “it is of faith, that it might by by grace, to the end that the promise might be sure to all the seed.” This promise is sure because it is of faith and by grace.

        * Paul’s point: If salvation is of faith by grace   (and it is!) then it

           is sure!

        * If it were any other kind of salvation (of works; dependent upon

human  merit even to the tiniest degree)  then salvation is NOT sure. That  kind of salvation could be lost!

        * Since human merit has NOTHING TO DO WITH eternal destiny, then

           salvation rests totally upon what GOD has done, and is thus sure!

 

“Every argument against the eternal security of the believer is based on the human element. As God definitely and clearly excludes all human element in salvation, every one of these arguments is thereby ruled out.” (Strombeck, Shall Never Perish)

 

 

IV.) The Faithfulness of God

 

A.) God Cannot Lie

1.    Num. 23:19 – God cannot lie.

2.    Heb. 6:17-18 – God’s unilateral promises rest upon HIM and Him alone for fulfillment.

 

 

B.) God Will Not Repent

 

1.    Num. 23:19 – God does not change His mind.

2.    Rom. 11:29 – the gifts (like salvation!) and calling (our heavenly calling too) are secure because with respect to giving gifts, God does not change His mind.  (Eph. 2:8-9; II Tim. 1:9)

 

C.) God Performs What He Promises (Rom. 4:21)

 

The next time you are discouraged and thinking about YOUR unfaithfulness to God, think of HIS faithfulness to His Word!  (II Tim.2:13)

 

 

V.) The power of God

 

A.) Kept By the Power of God (I Pet. 1:5)

 

1. What is OUR responsibility? To believe!

2. What is GOD’S responsibility? To keep! Just believe and leave the keeping to Him!

 

Cat & monkey believers: In a region of the Amazon, the natives divided believers up into two groups: cat & monkey.  The “cat” believers view of salvation viewed their safety as a cat carries her kittens. Their safety depended upon her grip on them. The monkey group believed they could lose their salvation. They saw their security in their ability to hold on to their mother - like a baby monkey holding on to its mother’s back!  (author unknown)

 

 

B.) No One Can Pluck Us From His Hands (John 10:29)

 

  1. Who could over power Christ or the Father? No one!
  2. He never casts us OUT of His hands or care either. (John 6:37)

 

 

C.) He Is Able to Keep That Which I Have Committed Unto Him (II Tim. 1:12)

 

1.) What did Paul commit to the Lord? (His own eternal destiny!)

 

2.) Of what is Paul persuaded? That God is ABLE to keep.

 

 

3.) For how long of a period of time does God “keep” in this passage?  Until that day… of His coming. (Cf. II Tim.4:18 – Paul was assured of being in the future Kingdom!)