Romans 1-8

Eternal Security

Eternal Security

II. God’s eternal care of the believer in Jesus Christ A. How do we define God’s security for the

believer in Jesus Christ?

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1. Eternal security is God's work on behalf of the believer. …crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!” Revelation 7:10 ESV

2. Through His grace alone, God preserves and ensures the full and complete salvation of each individual believer totally apart from any personal merit or human effort. Ephesians 2:8-9

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3. Since salvation is God's work, the believer can never be lost or in danger of damnation.John 10:28-29; Romans 8:29-39, 11:29

4. God's gracious protection keeps the believer in Jesus Christ safe and secure forever and ever. Philippians 1:6, Hebrews 13:5

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B. What happens if you do not believe or teach eternal security? 1. If you do not believe and teach eternal

security, you remove the good news from the gospel. How can you honestly offer the message of eternal life if you do not believe it is truly eternal? Hebrews 7:25

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2. If you do not believe and teach eternal security, you bring confusion to the preaching of God’s grace. You trade biblical grace for some work or effort by a sinner to secure his salvation. Romans 11:6

3. If you do not believe and teach eternal security, you destroy hope. Your hearers will never know for certain they are saved even though God has declared salvation through Christ with absolute certainty. Matthew 1:21, 1 Peter 1:3-5

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4. If you do not believe and teach eternal security, you must deny, or change, numerous direct statements from Scripture that teach eternal security. (Later, we will examine 34 clear Scriptures about eternal security.)

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5. If you do not believe and teach eternal security, you remove the basis for genuine spiritual growth. Assurance causes spiritual growth (Colossians 2:2) while doubt extinguishes it.1 Corinthians 15:19

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6. If you do not believe and teach eternal security, you will emphasize the fear of hell rather than the love of Christ as the motivation for living the Christian life. The Bible teaches that the love of Christ should motivate us. 2 Corinthians 5:14

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7. If you do not believe and teach eternal security, you will lose hope and confidence in your future participation in the rapture. If a believer can lose his salvation, how can God call the rapture the blessed hope of every believer? 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17

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C. So what is the real question?1. The real question is, “Can a child of God

lose his salvation?”2. The answer must come exclusively from the

pages of the Word of God and not from feelings, opinion, experience, denominations, dogma, or tradition.

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D. Does it really matter what we think or believe on the subject of eternal security?1. Yes, it matters because as a man thinks in

his heart so he is. Proverbs 23:7

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2. Yes, it matters because if you believe you can lose your salvation, you will live in fear and doubt. You will not glorify God with your life. Hebrews 11:6

3. Yes, it matters because if you know from the Scripture that you cannot lose your salvation, you will live rejoicing with thankful confidence and certainty while giving all glory to our gracious God.

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E. Does it make a difference how you respond to the question “Can a Christian lose his salvation?”1. Yes, because your answer tells your true

beliefs about salvation.

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2. If you believe salvation can be lost, then by implication you also believe that salvation is earned or maintained by good works. This error keeps you from ever knowing with certainty that you are saved. Romans 11:6, 1 John 5:13

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3. If you know from Scripture that salvation cannot be either earned or lost by personal conduct, whether good or bad, then you understand that salvation is a free gift.Ephesians 2:8-9

4. If you know from Scripture that good works do not play any role whatsoever in your salvation, you have begun to understand God’s grace. Titus 1:2, 3:5-6; Galatians 2:16; Acts 13:39

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F. Who or what is the final authority on the subject of eternal security?1. It is not my opinion.2. It is not my own private experience.3. It is not my feelings.4. It is not my church’s creed or dogma.5. The final authority on the matter of eternal

security is the Word of God.

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G. When it comes to the matter of eternal security we must be like the Bereans. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Acts 17:11

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H. If you have trusted exclusively in Christ, your salvation is secure forever because1. Once you are born again, you are a child of

God and a member of God’s family forever. Biblically, you cannot become un-born, un-saved, un-redeemed, un-forgiven, un-sealed or un-adopted. John 1:11-13, 1 Peter 1:23

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2. When God gives eternal life, it truly lasts forever. (John 3:14-16) If it could be lost, God would have called it temporary life or short-term life and not eternal or everlasting life.

3. According to John 3:17-18, it is not personal sin that condemns a person to hell. It is unbelief that condemns a person to hell, therefore sin, either before or after salvation, does not cause you to lose your salvation. Hebrews 7:27

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4. Every person either has (present perfect tense) eternal life or never has had it. (John 3:36) Biblically, it is impossible to have had (past perfect tense) eternal life and then lost it.1 John 5:11-12

5. If you could lose your salvation, you would become spiritually thirsty again. Christ promised that no one who believes in Him will ever thirst again. John 4:13-14

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6. If you could lose your salvation, you would become spiritually hungry again. Jesus said that those who believe in Him cannot become spiritually hungry again. John 6:35

7. Jesus Christ promised that the believer will never come into condemnation. If you could lose your salvation, you would again be condemned. John 5:24

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8. Jesus Christ is at the Father’s right hand constantly interceding for us; therefore, no one can ever successfully condemn us in God’s presence. Romans 8:31-34, Hebrews 7:25,1 John 2:1-2, Revelation 12:9-10

9. Jesus Christ promised to never drive away anyone who believes in Him; therefore, no believer can ever be cast out. John 6:37