ETERNAL SECURITY: DOES IT REALLY MATTER
WHAT YOU BELIEVE?
The Doctrine of Eternal Security Pt. 3
by Pastor-teacher Dennis Rokser
I recently had an interesting conversation with a man who professed to be "born again" but who thought that he could somehow lose his salvation. I asked him, "Fred, do you know for sure that you are saved?" His immediate reply was "Yes. I believe that I’m saved today." Having learned over the years of the need to probe deeper to find out exactly who or what someone is trusting for his salvation, I inquired further, "But do you know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you will be saved five years from now?" To this question he answered in less than absolutely certain terms. Provoked by my last inquiry he asked, "But what does it matter as long as I know that I’m saved today?" Seeking to be wise yet truthful I responded by stating, "Well Fred, here is why it is so important. If you don’t know for sure that you’ll be saved five years from now, then you don’t ultimately know that you’ll go to heaven when you die. And if you don’t know for sure that you’re going to heaven, how could I know this about you?"
Still others reason along these lines, "The doctrine of eternal security doesn’t matter; for if a professing believer is living in sin, either he was never saved (Calvinistic view) or he has lost his salvation (Arminian view). In both cases, he is on his way to hell. Therefore, it doesn’t really matter what you believe about eternal security." But what about the carnal Corinthians (1 Cor. 3:1-4), worldly Lot (2 Peter 2:7-8), the individual involved in ongoing incest (1 Cor. 5:1-5), or King David who committed adultery and murder (Ps. 51:12)? While their sins carried serious consequences in their daily walk, were they not saved by God’s grace and eternally secure? And what about you, amidst your daily known and unknown sins, spiritual failures, etc.
Fred’s reply is a typical answer among many evangelicals today as they view the doctrine of eternal security either with rejection, suspicion, neglect, or in many cases, as optional. Does it really matter what the Bible teaches about eternal security? Let me state seven reasons why this wonderful biblical truth is not optional; it is non-negotiable!
1. To deny eternal security takes the "good news" out of the Gospel.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16)
The Greek word translated "gospel" (euangelion) literally means "good news." The Gospel is good news from God to man regarding Jesus Christ and His substitutionary death on the cross and bodily resurrection from the grave (1 Cor. 15:3-4). This is extremely good news because God is now offering to undeserving, helpless sinners who trust in Christ alone, "salvation," because of the finished work of the Lord Jesus.
Regarding God’s wonderful gift of salvation, we previously defined eternal security by stating,
Eternal security means that one who has been genuinely saved by God’s grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone shall never be in danger of God’s condemnation or loss of their salvation, but are kept forever saved and secure by God’s grace and power.
Dear friends, if you could lose or forfeit God’s gift of salvation by your sin, backsliding, unfaith-fulness, etc., the Gospel is something less than "good news." Instead of eternal security, you would be offered temporal insecurity through Christ. Does that sound like good news? Instead of the message of salvation bringing glad tidings, it would offer bad tidings. And how then would the Gospel of grace really be different than the "hope-so" salvation offered to lost souls by religion? If you don’t have ETERNAL life, you DON’T have eternal life. Does this sound like something optional?
2. To deny eternal security is to garble the Gospel of grace.
It is my conviction that eternal security is not merely a nice benefit and tack-on to the Gospel, but that this biblical truth strikes right at the heart of the Gospel’s offer of salvation.
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. (Galatians 2:21)
In my conversation with Fred, I went on to state, "Fred, if you can do something to lose your salvation, then you must do something to keep your salvation. If you must do something to keep your salvation, then salvation depends on your walk instead of solely on Christ’s work. And if that is the case, then you are working for your salvation while you claim that salvation is not by your works." Can you see the confusion where all this leads? If Jesus Christ died for all of our sins when He paid in full our sin debt on the cross, what sins are left to be removed by our good works or the sacraments of the church? None!
Those who believe they can lose/forfeit/give back their salvation invariably contend that this can possibly happen due to a particular sin or pattern of sins in one’s life. But why then did Jesus Christ die and what did it accomplish?
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Heb. 1:3)
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God… (1 Peter 3:18a)
Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. (Revelation 1:5)
Though sin in the believer's life can cause a loss of joy (Ps. 51:12), a loss of fellowship with God (1 John 1), a loss of testimony to others (Phil. 2:14-16), a loss of reward in heaven (1 Cor. 3:15), and bring God's chastening to your life (Heb. 12:5-11), it cannot result in the loss of eternal life. Eternal life by its very definition, must go on for how long? Forever! And if you could lose your salvation by your sins, you must then face the fact that to remain saved, you are required to live a holy life in order to keep it. Does this sound like salvation by grace? Thus, is your faith in Christ alone or is your trust in Christ plus your holy walk, faithfulness, etc.? This is not the same Gospel of salvation presented in the Bible. Now does eternal security sound like something optional?
"My hope is built on nothing less…Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name. On Christ, the solid Rock I stand; All other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand."
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. (1 John 5:13)
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)
Like my acquaintance Fred, those who embrace a garbled Gospel lack absolute assurance of going to heaven when they die, as their trust is not in Christ alone. Yet the Bible guarantees eternal life to every believer based on the cross-work of Christ and the promises of God.
While attending Bible College in West Virginia, it was not uncommon for my wife and me to hear older folk during our nursing home visitations say, "I’m saved." But then when asked "Does that mean that you know for sure when you die that you are going to heaven?" a strange silence would pervade the room. Further conversations with these precious souls would often reveal that they lacked a clear understanding of the Gospel, and normally had never been saved at all.
On other occasions I have conversed with individuals who declared, "I believe you can lose your salvation, but I don’t think I ever will. So I think (not know) I’ll be saved five years from now." Dear friends, it is the epitome of arrogance and self-righteousness to think that while others can lose their salvation, that you never will! In other words, either you have faith in your on-going faithfulness, or you believe that your daily spiritual batting average will make the grade while others won’t. Doesn’t this remind you of Peter’s self-confidence on the eve of our Lord’s crucifixion?
And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all. (Mk. 14:26-31)
To those of you who erroneously believe that while others can lose their salvation but that you never will due to your faithfulness, godly walk, etc. I say but one thing – cock-a-doodle-do, cock-a-doodle-do, cock-a-doodle-do!
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 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. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:37-40)
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. (John 10:27-30)
The Scriptures are replete with a stockpile of clear verses that state without reservation that eternal life is the present and permanent possession of those who have relied on the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. We will examine many of these texts in this on-going series. How can one read or teach the Word of God and miss, neglect, or distort all of these clear verses?
Now you may be thinking, "Is someone who rejects the truth of eternal security not saved?" Not necessarily. They could be a confused believer who heard the Gospel at one time, put their trust in Christ alone, and then later became confused due to poor teaching, etc. However, if a person does not know he/she has been saved forever, how could anyone else know if they are saved? And if their faith has been in Jesus Christ plus and not in Jesus Christ period, they are still unsaved and working for their salvation. In either case, they need to hear a clear presentation of the Gospel of grace. Does eternal security sound optional or nonnegotiable?
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him. (Col. 2:6)
Now this fifth reason assumes that a person has been genuinely saved. Colossians 2:6-7 states that every believer should seek to live the Christian life in the very same manner in which he/she was saved – by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Based then on their blessings and position in Christ, they are to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7) which results in spiritual fruitfulness (John 15:1-7) and Christ-honoring works (Col. 1:10) to the glory of God. However, without a clear understanding of the eternal nature and security of salvation, they will never correctly understand their position in Christ, Christian carnality, the place of rewards, etc. This explains why the apostle Paul in his epistle and great doctrinal treatise to the Romans settles the issue of justification by faith (Romans 3:21-4:25) and eternal security (Romans 5) BEFORE he launches into the issue of sanctification and the Christian life (Romans 6-8). Does eternal secur-ity sound like something Paul thought was optional, or non-negotiable?
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Romans 5:8-10)
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. (2 Cor. 5:14-15)
When one denies eternal security, good works in the believer’s life cease to be the fruit of one’s salvation (Ephesians 2:10) and walk of faith in Christ (Titus 3:8), and instead, they become the means of maintaining salvation. Instead of good works in the believer’s life being our "thank you" note to Jesus Christ for saving us, those who reject eternal security make good works the I.O.U. note that we must pay in order to maintain salvation and ultimately make it to heaven. While God wants every believer to enjoy the assurance of eternal salvation at the very moment of faith in Christ, when this wonderful truth is not embraced the Christian life becomes a form of spiritual probation to determine whether we were ever truly saved (Calvinistic view) or whether we will lose it or not (Arminian view). Thus, in either case, a failure to have a victorious Christian life will result in being ultimately condemned to the Lake of Fire.
Interestingly in the above passage (2 Cor. 5), these Corinthian believers had the absolute assurance that they, along with Paul, would go to heaven.
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: we walk by faith, not by sight: We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (2 Cor. 5:6-8)
Coupled with this absolute assurance of heaven was the stark reality that their post-salvation works would be evaluated at the Judgment Seat of Christ to determine whether or not they would receive a reward (remember, salvation is a gift, not a reward).
Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:9-10)
Though every believer in Christ needs a healthy "fear of the Lord" (a reverential attitude that takes God seriously) in their daily walk, no born again child of God should live with the unhealthy fear of hell. And while the danger of eternal damnation is a great reason to be saved and trust Christ as Savior, it is never set forth in Scripture as a motivator to live for Jesus Christ after you have been saved.
Discussing this very issue with an Assembly of God pastor a few years ago I said, "As an unsaved Roman Catholic who was trusting Christ plus my works for salvation, I felt like the church had me hanging over hell by a thread, and that if I didn’t fly right, they would have the scissors to snip the thread. Now if I have to do something to not lose my salvation (namely, not sin, live a holy life, etc.) aren’t you really saying in essence the same thing that the Roman Catholic church told me?" His straightforward reply was, "I wouldn’t say believers are hanging over hell by a thread. I think it is more like by a rope." Instantly I responded with, "What does it matter if it’s a thread or a rope… IF IT’S OVER HELL!"
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace ye are saved; And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Eph. 2:5-6)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his 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)
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13)
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.. (1 Thess. 4:13-17)
This latter passage was written both to inform (vs. 13) and to comfort (vs. 18) those who had personally believed "that Jesus died and rose again" (vs. 14). Paul was assuring them that the "dead in Christ" as well as "we which are alive and remain" would not miss out on the Rapture of the church. Instead they were assured that every believer in Christ "shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." Is there any sense of uncertainty or insecurity for any believer in this passage? Not at all! Why?
For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. (1 Thess. 5:9-10)
Does it really matter what you believe about eternal security? Does the doctrine of eternal security still sound optional to you or is it non-negotiable? Is this biblical truth merely a tack-on to the Gospel or is it part and parcel with the message of salvation? Does the church you attend teach eternal security? When is the last time you heard a sermon or bible study regarding this doctrine? Do you as a pastor, teacher or missionary include it in your preaching? If the Bible clearly declares it, why don’t you? Eternal Security is a major, non-negotiable part of the "good news" of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed, by the blood of the Lamb!
Redeemed thro’ His infinite mercy—
His child, and forever, I am. ¢
In our next article in this series, we will begin examining numerous verses that clearly teach the eternal security of every genuine believer in Christ.