Sermon Central
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Eternal Security
Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Oct 18, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: Notice that Assurance of Salvation is not the same as Eternal Security. Every believer is Eternally secure, unfortunately many do not have assurance of that truth.
Johnny Palmer Jr.
Intro: Notice that Assurance of Salvation is not the same as Eternal Security. Every believer is eternally secure but not all have assurance that they are eternally secure. Eternal Security means that once a person is truly saved, they will remain saved eternally.
I. First, the Biblical Teachers taught this truth.
A. The Lord Jesus taught this truth.
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has [present tense] eternal life, and does not come into [future tense] judgment, but has passed [past tense] out of death into life.’ John 5:24
B. John taught this truth.
"This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life." 1 John 2:25 (NASB)
Observation: If the believer was saved for 200 years and then lost, what he had was 200 year life not eternal life. Eternal life by definition means that it cannot come to an end. We must also understand that "Eternal Life" is more than just length of time, it also speaks of abundancy and intimacy with God (Jn. 17:3). The lost person will live forever but is never said in the Bible to have Eternal Life.
C. Jude taught this truth.
"24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." Jude 1:24-25 (NASB)
D. Paul taught this truth.
"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1 (NASB)
E. Peter taught this truth.
"3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials," 1 Peter 1:3-6 (NASB)
II. Furthermore, some Biblical Truths to think about.
A. God’s Unconditional Promises.
"27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand." John 10:27-28 (NASB)
One might object, "Ok, He will not take us out of His hand, but we can take our self out of His hand!" This does not take into account the Biblical image presented - we are not only in His hand but part of His hand!
"For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones." Ephesians 5:30 (NKJV)
"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6
"If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself." 2 Timothy 2:13 (NASB)
"5 Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] 6 So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?" Hebrews 13:5-6 (AMP)
"There are three negatives before the word, making the promise one of triple assurance. It is, "I will not, I will not I will not let you down."
[Wuest Word Studies, Kenneth Wuest]
B. God’s Unlimited Power to back up those promises.
"5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!" 6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Revelation 19:5-6 (NKJV)
"The English word "omnipotent" comes from the Latin ’omnis’ meaning "all." God is all powerful, meaning "That quality of deity means God is all powerful and can do anything that is consistent with His Nature."
