(This is the first part of the study.)

Not too long ago I had a student in Reformers Unanimous that has previously attended a different Church. This man was extremely confused as to the issue of Eternal Security. The Church that he was attending was teaching that it is possible to lose one’s Salvation. This gross error was being taught as doctrine in the church he attended. There is absolutely no Biblical basis for this concept. I have no idea where in the Bible this idea supposedly comes from but there is much in the Bible that teaches us just the contrary. The Bible tells us over and over again that once we are Saved we are Saved.

To that end I would like to explain to you how I come to that conclusion so that in case you may run into someone else that is of the erroneous idea that Salvation can be lost you may be able to deal with him or her through God’s Holy Word, the Bible rather than have them believe something that is quite obviously false doctrine and possibly even may have been constructed or concocted by man and not The Lord.

In this verse we see that as human beings that are born with a sin nature we deserve to die. Most of us deserve at least the second death while some of us deserve both the first and second death. We also see reference in this verse that eternal life is a GIFT of God. More on that in a bit.

Once again in this quite well known verse we see reference to the FACT that Salvation is a GIFT! We also see the fact that there is nothing we can do to merit that gift. The Bible says “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.”

Not only are all our righteousnesses as filthy rags to God, we also see here that we are all as an unclean thing. We are all polluted and defiled and all of our prayers, sacrifices, alms and praises are mingled with that pollution. Out of our mouths come not only prayers and praises to God but the things of this world also.

Before we go any farther let us take a look at the word “gift.” The first definition below comes from the Webster’s 1828 Dictionary.

“GIFT, n. [from give.] A present; any thing given or bestowed; any thing, the property of which is voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation; a donation. It is applicable to any thing movable or immovable.”

Please pay particular attention to the part of that definition that tells us it pertains to anything that is given or bestowed and that it is also voluntarily transferred WITHOUT COMPENSATION. In other words, there is not only nothing that we can do to deserve it (Salvation) because we are unrighteous, tainted, sinful human beings, but it is freely given to us without any kind of compensation or even the expectation of payment. How can we pay for something we don’t have the means to pay with?

G1435 (gift)
δῶρον
dōron
do'-ron
A present; specifically a sacrifice: - gift, offering.

This definition comes from the Greek of the New Testament. Note again that it refers to a sacrifice. That is not pertaining to anything we have to sacrifice (although we are expected to sacrifice our sinful habits and nature to God), it pertains to the fact that God has determined to sacrifice His Goodness, Mercy and Grace for our benefit. What an incredible thing that is. We don’t deserve it, there is nothing we can do to earn it and yet He gives it to us anyway. All we have to do is ask.

Let me share with you what Albert Barnes has to say about Acts 8:20:

The gift of God - That which he has “given,” or conferred as a favor. The idea was absurd that what God himself gave as a sovereign could be purchased. It was “impious” to think of attempting to buy with worthless gold what was of so inestimable value. The “gift of God” here means the extraordinary influences of the Holy Spirit, Act_10:45; Act_11:17. How can we pay a “price” to God? All that “we” can give, the silver, and the gold, and the cattle on a thousand hills, belong to him already. We have “nothing” which we can present for his favors. And yet there are many who seek to “purchase” the favor of God. Some do it by alms and prayers; some by penance and fasting; some by attempting to make their own hearts better, and by self-righteousness; and some by penitence and tears. All these will not “purchase” his favor. Salvation, like every other blessing, will be “his gift”; and if ever received, we must be willing to accept it on his own terms; at his own time; in his own way. We are without merit; and if saved, it will be by the sovereign grace of God.

Now that pretty well says it all! That is absolutely nothing that we can do to deserve or earn the Gift of God, eternal life. If we think there is then we are dealing with Salvation by works and that is completely contrary to the teachings of the Bible as demonstrated above.

In Christ,
George

(This is the second and last part of the study.)

Let us take a look at some of the many verses in the Bible that explain, in no uncertain terms. That Salvation is not only as stated above but is also eternal and everlasting. There are many such verses and stories. I will provide a few of them that I believe point out this fact without doubt.

Probably the most well known verse in the Bible is John 3:16:

Actually one need not go any farther than that particular verse. If you dissect and define that verse you will see first that all you have to do is believe. Believe in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Right after that it tells us the result of our belief in Christ. Does it not say “but have everlasting life?” Everlasting is everlasting. It is eternal. It is forever. This verse does not say that you will receive conditional everlasting life. It does not say that you will receive everlasting life based on anything you can or should do other than believe in Christ Jesus. It does not say that you will receive everlasting life that is susceptible to being taken away if you are not good. It does not say that you will receive everlasting life based on how many doors you knock on of a Saturday morning. It does not apply any conditions of any type or sort to Salvation except the all-important belief in Jesus Christ.

John speaks here of the things that he has written. If you go back and read 1 John you can see the entire message he speaks of in this phrase. Notice carefully that John says that these things have been written to those that believe on the name of the Son of God, THAT YE MAY KNOW THAT YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE! What does this mean? It means that this epistle was written so that we can be assured of our Salvation for all eternity. Assured! So that we can KNOW that we have eternal life.

Very interesting is the verse that immediately precedes these.

That is pretty blunt and even frightening to me. We are told that if we don’t believe God we have made Him a liar. (Shudder!) I don’t know about anyone else but I do not even want to think of the possible results of making God out a liar. Is the Bible, or is it not, God’s Holy Word? Do we not believe as independent, fundamental, New Testament Baptists that the King James Bible is the inerrant Word of God, preserved as such for the believer? The Bible (God’s Word and therefore an extension of God) tells us repeatedly that we have eternal life by our belief in Jesus. Nothing more and nothing less. If we doubt that we have made the Bible a false document and have therefore made God a liar and then we better hope and pray with everything we have that we are not taken out of this life immediately. In fact, if we do not believe that Salvation is eternal and everlasting and that we cannot lose it we might as well throw our Bibles in the trash and go out and eat, drink and be merry. (That is a whole different series of lessons.)

Look at some of the other rather familiar verses that are part of the Romans Road that is quite commonly used for leading others to Jesus.

Is it difficult to see and understand what the Apostle Paul writes there? I don’t think it is all that difficult. To put it in easy words, acknowledge (confess) the Lord, Jesus, believe that He was raised from the dead on the third day and…thou shalt be saved. That is all that is required. Again, we do not earn it and nay, we do not even deserve it. My word, I am so thankful that God does not mete out justice! Look at the end of Romans 10: “with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation.” I added the capital “S” to Salvation because not only is it the most important decision we can ever make in our life it is also of God and therefore deserves and warrants a capital letter.

Here is an interesting exposition of the fact that not only is Salvation eternal and a gift (“I GIVE unto them eternal life”) but that there is no man that can pluck us out of God’s hand. There is no man that can do anything to cause us to lose our Salvation. Brothers and sisters, “no man” includes you and I. Think about that. Since no man can pluck us out of The Father’s hand once we have received the gift and no man includes you and I, there is nothing we can do to lose Salvation.

Certainly it is possible to fall from grace. That is entirely different. If we fall from grace, and I do on a daily basis for the simple reason that the Bible tells us that any “little” sin grieves God’s heart and as a mortal human being born with a sin nature I cannot help but sin no matter how hard I try not to.

One of the ways that we can fall from grace is by the testing, trying or losing of our faith. Not only that but if we put faith in faith alone we will fall flat on our faces. Although sometimes that is where God wants us, flat on our faces in the dirt, as did Paul on the road to Damascus, we must have faith in God so that these things happen less and less often. We are supposed to grow in grace so that the trials and tribulations of this life are lessened.

Recall the story of Peter and his losing his steadfastness and falling from grace by losing his faith.

(Matthew 14:28) And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. (Matthew 14:29) And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. (Matthew 14:30) But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. (Matthew 14:31) And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

When we lose our faith we can in no way predict the consequences. Most certainly we will fall from grace and suffer consequences as did Peter. You have seen me write many times before that in Reformers Unanimous we use a set of 10 Principles. Principle #9 speaks to just this very situation. “We lose our freedom of choice after we have chosen our actions. The consequences of our choices are inevitable, incalculable and up to God.” If we make a bad decision we will suffer the consequences. Look at what this Principle says. When we make a bad decision we know that something is going to happen (inevitable). We don’t know what, we can’t predict when, and we don’t know how it is going to happen (incalculable). For the simple reason that it is all up to God!

So we lose our faith or even relax it a little. We fall from grace and we pay for it in this life. Does that mean that we are not saved? Does that indicate in any way that we can lose our Salvation? I don’t see it.

Salvation is eternal. Since there is nothing that we can do to earn or deserve it there is nothing we can do to lose it.

In Christ,
George

Amen George. There seems to be growing confusion as to eternal security.

In a way making salvation something you can lose allows for works in our salvation. It amounts to believing we did something to get saved and so can do something to be lost again.

Good work and well referenced in Scripture.