VIII.
SALVATION IS ETERNAL
|
THINK ABOUT IT
A man does not drift into salvation. Does it really make
sense that he can drift out of it?
(Dr. Charles Stanley - Eternal Security, Can You Be
Sure? - Thomas Nelson Publishers - page 159). |
A.
ETERNAL SECURITY is
the work of God which guarantees that the gift of salvation, once
received, is forever and cannot be lost.
B.
ASSURANCE is the realization
that one possesses eternal life.
Lack
Of Assurance Causes:
1. Some to Doubt the Reality of
their Salvation.
2. Some to Doubt the Reality of
their Commitment to Christ.
3. Some to Never Live the Victorious
Christian Life.
C.
THE REASONS FOR ETERNAL SECURITY
1. Because of God the Father.
John
10:29 - "My FATHER, which gave them Me is greater than all; and NO
man is able to PLUCK them out of MY FATHER’S hand."
2. Because of God the Son.
John
10: 28 - "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall NEVER
PERISH, neither shall any man PLUCK them out of MY hand."
|
THINK ABOUT IT
If our salvation is not secure, how could Jesus say about
those to whom He gives eternal life, "and they shall never perish"
(John 10:28)? If even one man or woman receives eternal life and
then forfeits it through sin or apostasy, will they not perish? And by
doing so, do they not make Jesus' words a lie?
(Dr. Charles Stanley - Eternal Security, Can You Be
Sure? - Thomas Nelson Publishers - page 18). |
3. Because of God the Holy
Spirit.
Ephesians
1:13 14 - "In whom ye also TRUSTED, after that ye heard the word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation; in who also, AFTER that ye
BELIEVED, were SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT of promise, which is the
earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto
the praise of His glory."
|
THINK ABOUT IT
What is the significance of a seal that can be continuslly
removed and reapplied? What does it really seal?
(Dr. Charles Stanley - Eternal Security, Can You Be
Sure? - Thomas Nelson Publishers - page 57). |
4. Because of God’s Word,
the Bible.
I
John 5:13 - "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."
John
6:47 - "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that BELIEVETH
on Me HATH everlasting life."
|
THINK ABOUT IT
The authors of the New Testament left us with detail
explanations of how one becomes a child of God; if that process could be
reversed, doesn't it make sense that at least one of them would have gone
into equal detail explaning that as well?
(Dr. Charles Stanley - Eternal Security, Can You Be
Sure? - Thomas Nelson Publishers - page 48). |
5. Because of God's Chastening of
the Believer.
God
is now your Father, and He has the responsibility of taking care of you.
GOD
DEALS WITH HIS
CHILDREN IN TWO WAYS:
a. When you respond to and obey
His leading, He will give you guidance, encouragement, and further
instruction for a happy and meaningful life.
b. When you rebel against God’s
leading, He will discipline you as any good Father would do to His
children.
|
THINK ABOUT IT
Assuming for a moment that you have young children, would
you discipline a child who acknowledged you as their authority differently
from the one who refused to acknowledge your right to exercise authority?
Which, if either, would receive the more severe
punishment?
(Dr. Charles Stanley - Eternal Security, Can You Be
Sure? - Thomas Nelson Publishers - page 147). |
Divine
discipline is the work of the Father for our training and developing.
Sometimes it comes in the form of testing, trials, failure, and
difficult situations. The purpose, however, is always to bring us back to Him. It
is at this point in our Christian walk that we can be in a position that the
Lord can use us for His glory.
Hebrews
12:6 -
"For whom the Lord LOVETH He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son
whom He receiveth."
Proverbs
3:11 - "My
son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of His
correction."
I
Corinthians 11:32 -
"But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that
we should not be condemned with the world."
D.
ETERNAL FELLOWSHIP
1. Our Position in Christ - I Corinthians 15:20-22
2. Our Eternal Relationship with the Lord - Romans 8:38-39
E.
FELLOWSHIP IN TIME - THE CHRISTIAN WALK
1. The Battle of the Believer - Romans 7:14-25
2. Temporal Fellowship - I John 1:5-10
3. Live Your Life by the Power of the Holy Spirit - Romans 12:1,2,
Ephesians 5:17,18.
F.
SALVATION DOCTRINES
Positional
Possessions of the believer at the moment of Salvation
The
Christian life begins the moment a person believes the gospel, putting his
complete trust in the work of Christ on the cross for salvation. At that
moment, God provides the new believer with a great number of unique and
permanent blessings.
Ephesians 1:3 - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who hath blessed us (Christians) with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly
places in Christ."
The following is a list of the things God does for the believer at the moment of
salvation. This listing can provide you with hours of quality Bible study
and meditation. You may well find other topics that could be added to the
list.
Use the list with people who don't believe in eternal security. You see in
order for God to take salvation away from anyone, He would have to reverse every
one of these spiritual blessings.
You can also use the list with new Christians. Remember these are "Day
One" salvation doctrines. The moment they trusted in Christ, they
experience all of these spiritual blessings.
AT THE
MOMENT OF SALVATION . . .
1.
The believer was included in the Eternal Plan of God. Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians
1:4
As such the believer is:
a. Foreknown - Romans 8:29; I Peter 1:2
b.
God's Elect/Chosen - Ephesians
1:4; Romans 8:33;
I
Thessalonians 1:4
c. Predestined - Ephesians 1:5,11; Romans 8:28, 30
d. Called - I Thessalonians 5:24
2. The believer is regenerated (born spiritually into the family of
God). This is what it means to be "born again." John
3:7;Titus 3:5
3. The believer is removed from condemnation. John 3:18; 5:24;
Romans 8:1
4. The believer's sins are judged by the death of Christ on the Cross. Romans
4:24; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 2:24
5. The believer receives the righteousness of Christ (imputed
righteousness). II Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9; Romans
3:22
6. The believer is justified (declared righteous). Romans
3:24; 5:19; 8:30; I Corinthians 6:11; Titus 3:7
7. The believer is redeemed (purchased from the slave market of sin). Ephesians
1:7; Romans 3:24; Colossians 1:14
Three Ideas Involved In The Doctrine Of Redemption:
1). Paying the ransom with the blood of Christ.
I
Corinthians 6:20
2). Removal from the curse of the law. Galatians 3:13, 4:5
3). Release from the bondage of sin into the freedom of grace.
Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:18
8. The believer is reconciled. Reconciliation is the work of Jesus
Christ on the cross that removes the barrier between God and man. II
Corinthians 5:18; Colossians 1:20, 22; Romans 5:10
9. The believer is adopted (placed as an adult heir in the family of God
for all eternity. We are not placed in foster care!).
Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:15; 8:23
10. The believer is forgiven all trespasses. Ephesians
1:7; 4:32; Colossians 1:14; 2:13; 3:13; Isaiah 43:25
11.
The believer is sanctified (positional sanctification) set apart for God's
possession and use. I Corinthians 1:2, 30; 6:11
12.
The believer is free from the law. Romans 6:14; 7:4, 6;
II
Corinthians 3:11; Galatians 3:28
13.
The believer is the recipient of eternal life. John 3:15; 10:28; 20:31; I
John 5:11-12
14.
The believer is a member of the family of God. We are the children
of God. John 1:12; Ephesians 2:19; Galatians 3:26; 6:10
15.
The believer is baptized by the spirit, the baptism of the Holy Spirit places us
in the body of Christ. I Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:26-27
16.
The believer is a new spiritual species. II Corinthians 5:17;
Galatians 6:15
17.
The believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 3:16;
Romans 8:11; I Corinthians 6:19-20; II Corinthians 6:16
18.
The believer is sealed by the Holy Spirit. II Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians
1:13; 4:30
19.
The believer is given access to God. Romans 5:2; Ephesians 2:18; Hebrews
4:14-16; 10:19-20
20.
The believer is appointed a priest (the priesthood of the believer).
I Peter 2:5, 9; Revelations 1:6; 5:10; 20:6
21.
The believer is appointed as an ambassador of Christ.
II
Corinthians 5:20
22.
The believer is part of Christ's inheritance. Ephesians 1:8
23.
The believer is a beneficiary of an eternal inheritance from God (an heir of
God). Ephesians 1:14, 18; Romans 8:17; Galatians
3:29; I Peter 1:4; Hebrews 9:15
24.
The believer is given a spiritual gift. I Corinthians 12:1-11; 12:27-31; 13:1-2
25.
The believer is glorified in Christ. Romans 3:20
26.
The believer is made complete in Christ. Colossians 2:10
27.
The believer is delivered from the power of the old sin nature. Philippians
3:3; Colossians 2:11; Ephesians 4:22
28.
The believer is the beneficiaries of Propitiation. Propitiation means that
God the Father is satisfied with the payment that Christ made for our
sins on the cross. I John 2:2; 4:10
29.
The believer has the indwelling of God the Father. Ephesians 4:6; John
14:23; II John 9
30.
The believer has the indwelling of God the Son. John 14:20; 17:22,23; Romans
8:10; II Corinthians 13:5; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:27
31.
The believer is delivered from the kingdom of Satan. Colossians
1:13; 2:15
32.
The believer is transferred into the kingdom of God. Colossians 1:13
33.
The believer is God's gift to the Lord Jesus Christ. John 10:20, 29; 17:2,
6, 9, 24
34.
The believer is a citizen of Heaven. Ephesians 2:19; Philippians
3:20
35.
The believer is placed in a secure foundation. Ephesians 2:20; I
Corinthians 3:11; 10:4
36.
The believer is made dead to the old life and alive unto God.
We are:
a. Crucified with Christ. Romans 6:6; Galatians 2:20
b. Dead with Christ. Romans 6:8; Colossians 3:3; I Peter 2:24
c. Buried with Christ. Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12
d. Risen with Christ. Romans 6:4; Colossians 3:1
37.
The believer is within the greater care of God.
We are:
a. Objects of His Love. Ephesians 2:4; 5:2
b. Objects of His Grace:
1). For Salvation. Ephesians 2:8,9
2). For Keeping. Romans 5:2; I Peter 1:5
3). For Service. John 17:18; Ephesians
4:7
4). For Instruction. Titus 2:12
c. Objects of His Power. Ephesians 1:9; Philippians 2:13
d. Objects of His Faithfulness. Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 13:5
e. Objects of His Peace. John 14:27
f. Objects of His Consolation. II Thessalonians 2:16,17
g. Objects of His Intercession. Romans 7:25; 8:34; 9:24
G.
PRESENTATION: PRINCIPLE # 5 - Salvation Is Eternal
Carefully
go over this section on the Facts tract. Make sure the person is understanding
the gospel. Ask questions and wait for their answers. You will be able to
tell if they are understanding the gospel.
