Eternal Security Verses and personal thoughts regarding God's seal on believers and their newness in Him. by Jordan Niednagel

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Introduction

The doctrine of eternal security is, I believe, a fundamental belief to the Christian faith. It effects one's view of God, one's view of man, one's salvation message, and perhaps most importantly, the crucifixion of Christ Himself.

If one can lose his or her salvation, then truly, what is so great about salvation? That is, when sometime comes to Christ, what makes it so glorious, and why do angels rejoice? Wonderful if you were saved today, but what about tomorrow? “I’ve been saved,” someone may say. If I believed in conditional security, however, I would honestly have to reply, “That’s fine, friend. But what if you lose it tomorrow, or next year, or five years from now? Truly, friend, you’ve just begun the journey.”

There are many logical arguments I could go through apart from passages from the Bible that should lead one to question such a dangerous doctrine. Can we be unborn? Jesus says “You must be born again.” Dr. Henry Morris puts it this way, "Just as a babe, once born, cannot be unborn, so one who is 'born again' into God's family can never be not born again."

I have noticed a common trait among those who believe one's salvation can be lost ... they put a great deal of emphasis on what they've seen during the course of their lives. In this regard I sympathize with them. How many of us have seen someone come to seemingly know Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior, only to later reject that sincere faith they once held? I'm sure we all have someone in mind we can think of.

Should these sad observations, however, direct our theology? Because we've seen with our eyes and heard with our ears those who have been "born again" into a new life in Christ, only to later fall away, does this mean they actually were saved, and actually fell away? Is it wise to make this assumption?

No, I do not believe it is wise, and I do not believe it is Biblical. Does it exclusively take a work of the Holy Spirit to change one's life for a time, to read one's Bible, to speak in a spiritual manner, to go to church, etc., or can these things still be done without the true regeneration of the soul? Should we forget the mormons, who remain faithful to their religion in both word and practice for their entire lives? Or the buddhist monk who separates himself in the high mountains from all worldliness and sinful passions? Truly, the human being is capable of great faithfulness to that which he deems worthy to follow. How can we, then, think differently of those who claim to come to know the Lord? Is faithfulness for a time to Christianity so vastly different from faithfullness to any other religion?

I touch upon this question because this seems to be one of the greatest hindrances to Christians who believe in, as I call it, eternal insecurity.

With that, I would like to move on to some verses touching upon God's sealing and keeping of the human soul.


Verses That Speak Of Eternal Security

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12 KJV)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24 KJV)

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37 KJV)

And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. (John 6:39 KJV)

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:28 KJV)

My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. (John 10:29 KJV)

So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:7-8 KJV)

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: (Philippians 1:6 KJV)

Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. (I Corinthians 1:21-22 KJV)

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14 KJV)

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30 KJV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to this abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)

For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14 KJV)

At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you....For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (John 14:20; Romans 8:38-39 KJV)

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 4:4; 5:4-5 KJV)


Personal Reasoning & Logic

When someone is saved, they are crucified with Christ. In other words, they die with Him. Indeed, baptism is a beautiful symbol of such. We fall beneath the waters, and yet rise again. Now, can one be crucified with Christ multiple times? Can one be saved, become unsaved, and then be saved again? Or, in other words, can one be crucified with Christ, uncrucified, and then be crucified yet again? Is crucifixion such a relatively cheap occurrence, that it can be done over and over again depending on how the believer (or unbeliever) lives? God forbid. When we are crucified with Christ, we die with Him, and are raised with Him. How can we return to the grave? It can never happen. When we begin to see absolute power and significance of salvation in light of scripture, we begin to see how to lose such isn't even possible. Why, because it's Christ working in us, not just us working in ourselves.

There is one last protest some friends of mine put forth, summed up in a witty quip that has a cheapened aura about it ... "Oh, once saved always saved." Of course, what is the unsaid yet clearly inferred message here? Namely, that after asking Christ into one's heart, a person can go live like the devil and still end up in heaven on the day he or she dies.

How can this idea even be entertained, however, in like of what Scripture says? We are "new creatures in Christ." It's not simply like taking a lion and giving him a bath, combing his mane, and teaching him to walk with paws raised high into the air. No, not at all. Rather, it's taking a lion, and completely transforming him into a delicate faun. It's a completely different animal, with completely different instincts, and a completely different diet. Can a faun grow a mane, a long tail, and decide to hunt prey as a lion? Is it even possible? Of course not, and so it is with the new believer, according to the Bible. "All things are passed. Behold, all things have become new." Some things? No, but all things.

Yes, once saved always saved, but do you truly comprehend the power of this eternal salvation? While the new Christian still sins, he cannot and will not return to his former way of living anymore than the faun will return to its former way of living as a lion.

And so, I ask of you reader to deeply consider these thoughts, and decide for yourself just how effective and glorious and powerful the saving work of the Holy Spirit truly is.


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