JasonS doctrine, theology proper

The Love of God part one

The Love of God

Romans 5:5-8

A Love Beyond Comprehension

The love of God is beyond human comprehension, yet is in many ways accessible to us. We will never fully comprehend God’s love, as it passes knowing (Ephesians 3:10); yet we can know its character and enjoy its benefits.

            The love of God is so great that John exclaimed, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.” (1 John 3:1, AV) John is declaring that God’s love is foreign. It is other worldly. It is not a mere human sort of love. The love of God, that makes us sons of God, can be recognized and known; yet it cannot be fully comprehended. 

            Why is God’s love so great? It is because God is love (1 John 4:8), and God is eternal. Therefore love is eternal in both duration and character. 

Love Is of God

            One of the most familiar verses of all Scripture is, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 John 4:7–8, AV) Even small children often know, “God is love.” Notice that we are told that love is from God, because God is love. God is the source of love, and He is love.

            What this means is that there is no true love apart from God. There can be ungodly and unholy love; but true love is from God. It also means that God defines love. Today the idea is that God is love, and therefore conforms to our ideal of what love is. Since God is eternal and holy, and being love, God defines what love is. He does not conform to our ideal of love, but He tells us what love is, what it does, and how it appears. Others like to say, “Love is love.” Not only is that a tautology and circular reasoning, it is also unrighteous. It is both incorrect and sinful. Let us always remember that God is love. 

            If you and I are to show love, it is because that we know God. Paul’s desire for the Thessalonians was that “the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” (1 Thessalonians 3:12–13, AV) The way of practical holiness is that of love; and it is because the Lord causes us to grow in love. You and I grow in love and show love as God enables us. It is He who teaches us to love one another (1 Thessalonians 4:9). God is love and is the source of all true love.

Free And Unmerited Love

            God’s love is free and unmerited. There is nothing that man has ever done or ever can do to deserve it. Moses told Israel, “The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 7:7–8, AV) God did not love Israel because of what was in Israel. Nor did He love Israel for any reason other than the fact that He chose to love them. God’s love is free and unmerited.

When the LORD wanted to show Israel His free love, He commanded Hosea to take a harlot to be his wife. When Hosea’s wife, Gomer, was unfaithful to him and wound up as a slave on the auction block, the LORD told Hosea, “Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine. So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee. For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.” (Hosea 3:1–5, AV) Not only did Hosea freely love Gomer and buy her as a slave, but he also committed to be faithful to her as her husband. The LORD then continues to explain that His love for Israel is similar. God’s love for Israel was not for any good within themselves, but all because of the good that is in God. He said, “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.” (Hosea 14:4, AV) God promised to love Israel and to forgive them freely, because His love is free and unmerited. Israel was very unfaithful, but God is love.

God’s love to us today is the same: He loves us freely. Paul described us to Titus as being wicked, unloving, hateful, obnoxious, rebellious, and of bad hearts and minds. Then he said, “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4–7, AV) When did God’s saving love come to us? How did God’s saving love come to us? It came while we were yet in our sinful rebellion, and it was in no manner deserved by us; but God freely loves us, and freely saves all who trust Him. We see this again as Paul said, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6–8, AV) When we were impotent, helpless, unrighteous, irreverent, and unholy, Christ died for us. We were the enemies of God, living in rebellion against Him. We did what we wanted to do, and we followed the world, the flesh, and the devil (Ephesians 2:1-4); yet God loves us so freely that He gave His only begotten Son to be crucified for our sins, so that we can be freely saved. Is it any wonder, then, that John exclaimed that this love is foreign to us? It is a love far beyond human comprehension! 

Sacrificial Love

            God’s love is not only free and unmerited, but it is sacrificial: it is giving. “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, AV) “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3:16, AV) This is how God loves us, in that He has given His Son; He has laid down His life for us. Even when we were enemies, God gave His Son to die for our sins, that we might be reconciled to God (Romans 5:6-11;2 Corinthians 5:17-21). 

            When Paul would counter the self-righteous and legalistic doctrine and lifestyle that was troubling the Galatian churches, he argued that Christ’s sacrificial love is what we should trust. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Galatians 2:20–21, AV) As of late I have encountered a group of seemingly well-intended, but unlearned and misguided people whose teaching is that of being saved by God’s power, yet maintaining salvation by our own righteousness. Their idea is that love is something soft and permissive. God’s love is not that at all. God’s love sent Christ to the cross to confirm God’s righteousness (Romans 3:21-28). Sin has to be punished, and God punished the Lord Jesus Christ in our place because He loves us. God’s love is sacrificial, and it is this love that saves us and keeps us. If I can save or keep myself, Christ died a useless death, Paul says. I, for one, thank God for the unspeakable gift of God’s sacrificial love in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 9:15)!

Forgiving, Saving, And Life Giving Love

            Paul spoke to the Ephesians and reminded them of the depths of their depravity, which is the depravity which is common to us all, and then He said, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Ephesians 2:4–5, AV) God has a great love to us, and it is saving love. God, because of His great love, saves us by His grace!

            Hezekiah would speak about how he was near to death and the LORD delivered Him: “Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.” (Isaiah 38:17, AV) Why was Hezekiah forgiven, delivered from death, and saved? Because God had love to his soul.

            Paul exulted in the saving love of God by telling Timothy, “And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” (1 Timothy 1:14–15, AV) The chief of sinners was saved because of God’s love and grace. Let us remember that the Lord does not change (Malachi 3:6), and that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). This being so, all the redeemed will be saved because of God’s great love; and we shall all give Him glory, saying, “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 1:5–6, AV)

JasonS doctrine, theology proper

1. The Eternality of God

The Eternality of God

1. Eternality of God

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” (Romans 1:18–21)

If we are to begin a study of Biblical doctrine, we must begin where the Bible begins, with God. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) Scripture tells us, “of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36) Thus we find that all things have their beginning with God. Paul said that He is before all things (Colossians 1:17).

Not only is God before all things, but He holds all things together; and He does all things to His glory (Romans 11:36;Colossians 1:17). This means that the study of theology and doctrine are imminently practical: they are to be done so that we might learn how to honor God.

Furthermore, the study of theology, or the doctrine of God is life changing. “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18) By reading, studying, and meditating upon the glorious nature and character of God, we are changed to be like God by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

God Is Eternal

Scripture says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) Before there was a beginning, God is. Time is God’s creation as well as space and matter. This means that God is before time and transcends time. Moses said, “Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” (Psalm 90:1–2) Not only is God before time, transcending time, but He never will cease to exist. The Psalmist states that His years will not fail (Psalm 102:25-27). We read of Christ, who is God, that His goings forth have been of everlasting (Micah 5:2).

Isaiah quotes God Himself saying, “Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?” (Isaiah 43:13) And Isaiah again tells us that God inhabits eternity (Isaiah 57:15). Is it any wonder, then, that God would reveal Himself to Moses as “I AM?” (Exodus 3:13-15). I AM speaks simply and plainly of existence. It is an ever-present tense existence: there has never been a time when God was not, but He lives forever. God does not exist within the confines of time, but transcends time, dwelling in eternity. This is why we read of time having no hold upon Him: “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8) He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the first and the last (Revelation 1:8;21:6). There is none before Him, nor can there be any after Him.

God’s eternality is to His glory and is one of the infinite number of reasons that we should worship Him. “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD.” (Psalm 106:48) He who is of eternal existence, having no beginning nor ending, but inexplicably existing by His own power and will, is worthy of eternal praise. This is the very reason for which God made all things: “And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Revelation 4:9–11) This is an infinitely practical thing, so we should seek to worship the eternal God in every way possible, knowing that we shall someday enter into His presence to worship Him forever.

 

The Omnipotence of God

            God is also eternally powerful, according to Paul (Romans 1:18-21), and that stands to reason; because He who exists from eternity to eternity, and created all things would necessarily be omnipotent. God told Abraham that He is “the almighty God” (Genesis 17:1). His proclamation through Isaiah is, “Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?” (Isaiah 43:13) He who is eternal has eternal power, and there is no one who can hinder Him from doing what He purposes to do. This is why He asked Abraham, “Is any thing too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14) And when Gabriel spoke to Mary concerning her conceiving as a virgin and then bearing a child, he said, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1:37)

The omnipotence of God is reason for us to trust and obey Him also. He spoke through Moses and said, “See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.” (Deuteronomy 32:39–40) In the context of this chapter, Moses was commanding Israel to worship God only, rebuking them for straying, prophesying of future ills that will come upon them, and calling upon them to trust and obey Him. Why should we do so? Because the LORD, the great I AM, is all powerful and worthy of our allegiance in every way. This is why Isaiah calls upon us to trust Him as well: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” (Isaiah 26:3–4) Think of all of the grief that you and I could avoid, if we simply trusted in the LORD. Notice that we are given God’s qualifications for our trust: His strength is everlasting.

As we have already seen, this doctrine is presented to us that we might worship the LORD. David, as he praised God, said, “God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.” (Psalm 62:11) Jeremiah exulted in the LORD, confidently trusting in His great redeeming power, saying, “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:” (Jeremiah 32:17) Although things looked bleak, hopeless, and Israel’s sin had brought upon them great judgment, Jeremiah worshiped the LORD God who is omnipotent; and he trusted in God’s power to perform His promises. And when the Lord Jesus returns, the Revelation tells us that there is a great multitude of people, saying, “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” (Revelation 19:6) Oh! Can you imagine this day? What a day that will be indeed, to be with countless saints of all ages, rejoicing in our Savior, who is our almighty King!

Eternal Godhead

When Paul speaks of the eternal Godhead of God, he is speaking to us of the fact that God is eternal in nature; but he is also teaching us that God is exclusively God. We find from the context of Romans 1:18-25 that man sins greatly when he worships anything or anyone other than God; because He is blessed forever, and “over all, God blessed forever.” (Romans 9:5)

Creation exists to show forth the splendor of the one true God’s beauty and majestic glory. “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.” (Psalm 19:1–3) Paul stated that the cycle of the seasons, the rain, the planting-harvest cycle, and the fact that we have food to eat all testify to the one true God (Acts 14:15-17). This is also why we read of the creation showing clearly the eternal power and Godhead of God: God created all things to demonstrate that He is glorious, and the He alone is God. This is why Jeremiah worshiped God and called Israel to worship the LORD exclusively: “Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might. Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.” (Jeremiah 10:6–7) “But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens. He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures. Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts is his name.” (Jeremiah 10:10–16) God did not sit in counsel with other gods, which are but the creation of men’s imaginations, and are actually demonic in nature (1 Corinthians 10:20). Neither did He have assistance in the creation. He is before all things and by Him alone all things consist (Psalm 90:1-2;119:89-91;Colossians 1:15-17;Hebrews 1:1-3) He who exists before time was created, is eternal in nature and will never cease to exist. For this reason, we proclaim with the apostle Paul, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17)

 

 

 

JasonS doctrine, grace, salvation

The Eternal Security of The True Believer in Jesus Christ

“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 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 1:11–14)

Before us today is the doctrine of the eternal security of the true believer in Jesus Christ. This doctrine is much maligned, because it is either misunderstood or misused. It is the desire of this writer to present this doctrine in such a way as to clear up misunderstandings and glorify the God who saves us from our sins. In studying this doctrine we will consider the following: the new birth is unto eternal life, the Spirit indwells us and is our security, we are saved by grace and kept by grace, Jesus’ death is sufficient to cleanse us from all of our sins forever, Jesus conquered sin by rising from the dead, there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ, Christ promises to raise believers from the dead, Romans 8:29-30 assures us that we are secure in Christ, and we are kept by God’s power until Jesus returns to change us in the resurrection.

The New Birth

When a person trusts Jesus, he is born again (John 3:1-16). The Bible speaks of this new life as being eternal life. Why? Because we are born of God, who is eternal, and because we are begotten again by the Word of God, which lives and abides forever (1 Peter 1:21-25). The life that we receive is the life of God. It is life from the Word, and that Word is eternal. If God can die, then we can lose eternal life. If God’s Word can perish (Matthew 24:35), then God’s children can perish. We know, however, that God cannot die, and neither can His Word perish. We can conclude from this that God’s children shall never perish either (John 3:16).

 

The Indwelling Spirit

Our text tells us that we are indwelt by the Spirit of God when we trust Jesus. Jesus’ promise to His disciples is that His Spirit will dwell with us and in us forever (John 14:15-18). Not only so, but this text tells us that the Spirit is the Spirit of promise. The Spirit gives us promises because He is the earnest of our inheritance. An earnest is partial payment that is given as assurance that full payment will be forthcoming. The Spirit is a portion of our inheritance, which assures us that we will receive the full inheritance (Note: 1 Peter 1:1-5 teaches that the nature of our inheritance is eternal also.). Should a child of God be able to lose his salvation, this text would not and could not be true. The Spirit indwells us, however, promising us redemption in the resurrection (Romans 8:9-11,23). This indwelling is said to be the seal that shows we are genuinely God’s, and that the Spirit will be the earnest of our inheritance until we receive the fulness of our inheritance. This means that between now and the resurrection, the Spirit will remain with us and will not be leaving us.

We Are Under Grace

Scripture tells us that the believer is no longer under the dominion and power of sin, but under grace (Romans 6:9-14). We have been born again, given a new life, indwelt by the Spirit, promised an inheritance, and sin’s power to destroy us has been broken. Why? Because Jesus died for our sins and arose from the dead, thus conquering and breaking the power of sin (Romans 6:9-10;Colossians 2:13-15). Sin can no longer overcome us, because Christ has justified us. Notice the triumphant exclamation of the apostle in Romans 8:31-32, where he declares that no one can condemn us, because Christ has died, risen, and ascended to the Father.

Sin once reigned in the life of the believer and dominated him; but grace reigns through righteousness, and we have eternal life through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:20-21). We are told that Jesus’ righteousness becomes ours when we trust Him, and that we enter into grace and have our standing in grace (Romans 4:1-6;5:1-2). We are no longer dead in sins, but alive unto God. We are no longer slaves to sin but are free and have become the servants of righteousness (Romans 6:17). Where sin was abundant, grace is now super abundant (Romans 5:20-21). Where sin reigned unto death, grace now reigns unto eternal life. Where sin once dominated us and ruled in our passions (Romans 8:5-7;Ephesians 2:1-3), now we are in the Spirit and under grace’s power; and we are graciously led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:12-15;Galatians 4:1-6;5:13-26). We have been removed from the power of Satan and have become citizens of the kingdom of God’s beloved Son (John 3:1-16;Colossians 1:13-14).

Scripture tells us that God is the God of all grace (1 Peter 5:10), and that grace and truth were brought to us by Christ Jesus (John 1:14-17). Grace is favor that is given to those who deserve wrath (Ephesians 2:1-9). Grace is not deserved and cannot be earned (Romans 4:1-6;11:5-6;Ephesians 2:8-9). When we believe Jesus, we enter into a standing in grace (Romans 5:1-2). If we do nothing to earn our salvation, surely we can do nothing to earn the ability to keep it. God’s grace is what rules, not our good works. God’s grace is what reigns, and not sin. The believer is saved by grace and kept by grace, because his standing is in grace.

The Eternal Sufficiency of Christ’s Sacrifice

The death of Jesus Christ is eternally sufficient for the sins of every man, and eternally redeems those who trust Jesus. Jesus promised eternal life to those who believe on Him, because God gave His Son for and to them (John 3:16-18). Jesus stated that He was sent so that believers would not perish, but have everlasting life. The giving of the Son is the giving of life (John 1:1-4;3:16-18;5:21-29), and that comes because Jesus died and rose again (Romans 8:32-34).

Scripture teaches that Jesus by Himself purges our sins (Hebrews 1:1-3), and that through death He destroyed Satan (Hebrews 2:14-15), thus breaking the power of sin over us. While the sacrifices made in the temple could never take away sins, Jesus came and offered one sacrifice for sins forever (Hebrews 10:11-14), and forever sanctifies His people by this sacrifice. Though man is appointed to die and be condemned, Christ died in our place (Hebrews 9:27-28), and He will come back for His people and deliver them from this earth and our sinful bodies (Philippians 3:20-21;Titus 2:11-15).

Hebrews 6:1-9 teaches us that there are those who profess Christ and walk away from their profession. It does not say that they were actually ever truly converted. In fact, we find that this apostasy is a terrible thing; because if one could truly lose his salvation, the text says he could never again be saved, since Jesus would need to die again to redeem him, and this would put Jesus to shame. Jesus will not honor anything that disrespects or devalues the value of His death for our sins. This terrible apostasy is spoken of as despising the Spirit of grace, counting the blood of Jesus as unholy, and walking over Jesus (Hebrews 10:24-31). We must recognize and respect the eternal value of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

The Power of The Resurrection of Christ

When Jesus died, it seemed that hope was gone; but Peter declares that we are born again unto a living hope by Jesus’ resurrection from the dead (1 Peter 1:3-5). Jesus died unto sin, and as a sin offering (2 Corinthians 5:17-21); but He arose and lives unto God, and the power of sin and death were broken (Romans 6:9-10).

God promised that the seed of the woman would come and bruise the head of the serpent. John said that Jesus came to destroy the work of the devil (1 John 3:7-10). This is exactly what happened when Jesus rose from the dead. He overcame Satan’s power by breaking the power of death, which is sin (Hebrews 2:14-15;1 Corinthians 15:50-58). Because of this we have access into the very presence of God, are given full assurance through faith, and rest in the faithfulness of God and His promises (Hebrews 10:19-23).

The resurrection and ascension of Christ assure the believer of his security in Christ. Paul states that no one is able to bring charges or condemn those who are in Christ, because He died, arose, and ascended (Romans 8:32-34). Jesus, having risen from the dead, now lives forever and is able to save us to the uttermost (Hebrews 7:25).

No Condemnation

Though appointed to die and then be condemned, Christ was offered for us that we might be forgiven and taken into His presence forever (Hebrews 9:27-28). Jesus stated that He did not come into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world; and those who believe in Jesus are not condemned (John 3:16-18).

Jesus, having the power of life and death and the power to execute judgment, declared that those who believe are given eternal life and will never come into condemnation (John 5:24).

Paul also declared that Jesus fulfilled the law and was punished in our place, and that those who are in Christ are not condemned; because we are set free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-4).

These passages give the believer great assurance that his salvation is secure in the Lord Jesus Christ, because there is no condemnation that will ever come to the true believer.

The Promise of The Resurrection

As we saw earlier, the Spirit within us is the assurance of eternal life, because He is with us until the resurrection (Ephesians 1:13-14). Jesus promised that He would not lose any of His children, but would raise us up at the last day (John 6:37-44). We are promised that the Spirit of God which is in us shall give life to these mortal bodies (Romans 8:9-11). We are assured that we are kept by God’s power until we receive our eternal, imperishable inheritance (1 Peter 1:3-5). Jesus declared that He is the resurrection, and that those who believe in Him shall live again (John 11:25). This is the blessed hope of the saints of God (Titus 2:11-14).

We are taught that Jesus will return and receive His people unto Himself (John 14:1-6). And we are given comfort and assurance that the living saints will see their departed loved ones who are in Christ, when the Lord returns to raise us all and take us to ever be with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). This is why Jesus died, that we would be raised up and live with Him, because we are not appointed unto wrath, but unto salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10). The promise of the resurrection is given to us by God, and is a great comfort and assurance that the believer is truly saved forever in Christ.

The Golden Chain of Redemption

Romans 8:28-31 is often called the golden chain of redemption. It speaks to us of election in predestination to be made like Jesus (See Ephesians 1:11-14;Philippians 3:20-21), calling, justification, and glorification. Each step of the process is assured to the believer. If you know yourself to have been called of God, have believed the gospel and are justified, you are also assured that God will glorify you and make you like Jesus. Between justification and glorification there are none lost: “whom He justified, them He also glorified.” This gives us great assurance, because we know that God’s plan cannot be stopped (Deuteronomy 32:39-40;Isaiah 43:13;Daniel 4:34-37). Again, there is security for the believer in Christ.

Kept by The Power of God

Jesus stated that He gives eternal life to His sheep, and that they shall never perish. Not only does He promise that we shall never perish, but He also said that no one will remove us from His hand. No one can take us away from Christ. Jesus then said that we are also in the hand of the Father, and that no one is able to take us out of the Father’s hand. Then, to further strengthen our assurance, He said, “I and my Father are one.” (John 10:27-30) There is nothing and no one able to separate us from Christ. This is Paul’s triumphant declaration concerning the saints in Romans 8:35-39.

We also can read with great confidence God’s promise in 1 Peter 1:3-5, which tells us that we have an eternal inheritance reserved for us, and that we are kept by God’s power until He gives us this salvation in the last times. This salvation is when our bodies are changed to be perfected like Jesus (Romans 8:9-11,19-23;Philippians 3:20-21;1 John 3:1-3).

Can anyone overcome God’s power? No. Can anyone take Christ’s own away from Him? No. Can Satan lead us so far from Jesus that we lose our salvation? No. We are promised that the Spirit which is within us is greater than Satan. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

I Never Knew You

“But!” objects the one who refuses to believe in the eternal security of the believer, “a person cannot be saved and live in sin!” I agree, and so does God. Let us examine a few texts that tell us this same thing.

We read in James 2:14-26 that faith without works is dead. Does this mean that a person can believe and yet be lost? No. It tells us that the faith that does not work is not saving faith (James 2:14-17). This is the same sort of faith that the demons have: they believe God exists, and they tremble (James 2:19), but they are not saved. Scripture tells us that we are saved when we believe Jesus (John 3:16), and that faith works by love (Galatians 5:6). Notice this: faith works. Thus it is that we read of Abraham’s faith and Rahab’s faith being true, saving faith, because it produced works (James 2:21-25). The faith that produces no change and no works is not saving faith, but is dead (James 2:26). This is why, when we read about apostasy in Hebrews 6:1-9, that we find the apostle stating he expected from them the things which accompany salvation. When one believes he becomes a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17), has the law of God and the Spirit of God within him (Romans 8:8-11;Ephesians 1:13-14;Colossians 3:9-10;Hebrews 8:10), and will produce the fruit of the Spirit to the glory of God (Ephesians 5:9;Galatians 5:22-26). The issue is not whether one can lose His salvation: he cannot. The issue is whether one truly believed in the first place.

We read in 1 John 3:7-10 that those who live righteously are righteous, even as Christ is righteous, while those who live in sin are of the devil. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. This is why we can distinguish those who are God’s children from those who are not: those who live in continual sin are the children of the devil, and those who seek to continually live righteously are the children of God. God’s children sin, yet we have an advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1-2), and our sins are forgiven so that they do not cut us off from God. God’s children are characterized by walking in the light and confessing their sins (1 John 1:7,9). Why is this so? It is because we have the seed, or nature of God within us because of the new birth (1 John 3:9). Far from a person being born again and then losing his salvation, the true child of God lives his life in obedience to God.

Finally, notice that there are some who are rejected by God in the judgment (Matthew 7:21-23). There are people who are religious people who will be cast away from God forever. Jesus said that these people would even argue with Him, declaring that they had done many great things for Him; yet they will be rejected. Why are they rejected? Because, despite their religious works, they did not obey God. They did not serve Him. Religious works do not save a person. Professing Christ does not save a person. These people are people who never came to know the Lord Jesus, and it is seen in that He will say to them, “I never knew you.” Jesus did not know them and then reject them. Jesus did not save them and then lose them. Jesus never knew them in the first place. True saving faith results in obedience, as Jesus taught in Matthew 7:24-27. Had people obeyed the Lord by believing Jesus (Romans 10:1-4,16-17), they would have been saved and would have obeyed Him; but they never did, and this is why they will finally be rejected by God and cast from His presence forever. True believers never lose their salvation, but those with a false faith (See John 2:23-24, where many believed in a fashion, but Jesus did not believe them.) will ultimately be rejected of God. To which group do you belong?