The vital importance of this question is only second to one other: "What must I do to be saved?" But having experienced salvation, the importance of the question of one’s eternal destiny cannot be
overstated. The position held by some
that says one cannot lose his or her salvation is said by others to promote a
license or excuse to sin. In a similar
manner, the position which some hold that says one can lose his or her salvation leads to uncertainty in the spiritual
life. It focuses on the necessity of human
efforts to prevent its loss. What does
the Bible have to say about this important question?
Near
the end of his first epistle, the Apostle John states:
These things
I have written to you who believe in the name of the
Son of God, that you may
know that you have eternal life… (1 John 5.13)1
It
was clear in the Apostle’s mind that one can
know he or she is saved. Perhaps
John had the words of Jesus in mind which he (John) recorded in his gospel
account. In John 10, Jesus makes a
detailed and definitive statement about his sheep, those who belong to Him
through faith. Speaking to religious
Jews of His day who did not possess life-giving faith, Jesus said:
"…you
do not believe because you are not of My sheep…” (John 10.26)
While
these religious leaders were members of the family of God in name, they did not
truly belong to God. Their faith was a
faith of words rather than reality. Jesus
then addresses those who possess the reality of saving faith:
My sheep
hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I
give them eternal life, and they shall
never perish...” (John 10.27-28a)
Those
who are saved have been given eternal life.
Jesus uses a very emphatic double negative in the Greek language which
can literally be translated, “They shall not, repeat, shall not ever perish in
the slightest.”2 Jesus states this same truth emphatically in a
number of ways as opposed to a conditional
promise of salvation. In John
8.51-52 Jesus says the same thing from a negative perspective – “…shall never see death…shall never taste
death…” And it John 11.27, “…shall never die.” Jesus’ own strong words preclude any
conditions upon salvation.
Back
again in John 10, Jesus says, "No
one can...
...snatch them out of My
hand. My Father, who has given them to
Me, is greater
than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's
hand.” (John 10.28-29)
The
picture Jesus gives us of the person who is saved is one in which the saved
person is safely held in the hands of Jesus with no one able to take them
out. Further, the hands of Jesus are surrounded
by the hands of God the Father with no one able to take them out of the Father’s
hands either. Concerning these verses,
Dr. Vance Havner, the famed country preacher said, “That’s what’s called having the situation well in hand.”
The
Apostle Paul’s teaching clearly emphasized this “eternally safe” description of
the future for Christians:
“For you
died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our
life appears, then you
also will appear with Him in glory.” (Colossians
3.3-4).
To
the power of Jesus Christ and God the Father, Paul also adds the power of the
Holy Spirit:
“…you were
sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.”
(Ephesians
1.13)
“And do not
grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you
were sealed for the day of
redemption.” (Ephesians
4.30)
The
eternal security of the believer is kept intact by the power of the Trinity –
God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
One
key point to remember is summoned by the question, “How does a person get salvation in the first place? Where is its source?”
“For by
grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves;
it is the
gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2.8-9)
The
Bible makes it clear that salvation is a gift of God; further we could not save
ourselves if we wanted to do so:
“You were
dead in your trespasses and sins … but have
been made alive together with
Christ.” (Ephesians
2.1, 5)
As
in the physical life, so in the spiritual life:
those who are dead are not capable
of doing any thing. And finally,
Paul says that he is confident that,
“He who has
begun a good work in you will complete
it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1.6)
Salvation
is a gift initiated by God. It is a
position kept safe by the Trinity of Father, Son and Spirit. And it shall be carried to completion
all the way until the day when Christ shall consummate the end of the age.
Notes:
1. Unless
otherwise noted, all scripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nashville, TN. 1999.
2. Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology. Baker Books: Grand Rapids, MI. 1985.
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