The Saving Faith of a Christian: Examining the View of Eternal Security

 I have recently written a newer and more thorough blog on this topic that can be found at The Remaining Remnant: The Saving Faith of a Christian: Examining the View of Eternal Security https://share.google/bbIBoQadgddrSLacs

To my brothers in Christ;

It is a great blessing to share with you in enthusiasm for the salvation bought for us by God, through His Son Jesus Christ. Our joy in Him is just beginning, even though now in this present world we have trials day by day-but a promised peace through our beloved savior (John 16:33).

Yet I write to you now in response to that question which plagues you, which regards the enduring nature of our redemption. We start out as sinners, fully separated from God. But once we have been reconciled to Him through the cross of Jesus, could we again become separated?

The answer I must give you will be honest, and from the clear light of scripture. It's warnings are definite. In the same way God has reached out to save us, the devil will now fight against that good work begun in us, and try to overthrow it.

The good news is that nothing done by our enemy can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, as we see in Romans 8:35-39. But the sobering news is this; all that is listed in this section of scripture are EXTERNAL forces, and have nothing to do with the free will of the individual. It is not a matter of losing salvation, but choosing against it. Few people that are truly saved would knowingly reject their faith. This is where Satan's deceptions come in. Our enemy will try to trick us into compromising against the Lord we love!

Jesus wants a relationship with us, and salvation is just the beginning. Our relationship with God the Father through Jesus has been likened to a marriage. Even though the initial commitment of marriage is meant to be permanent and life-long, we know that they can end when compromise comes in and leads to unfaithfulness, and broken promises.

Between a man and wife, the division could come by either partner, or both. But when it is between the Lord and His bride, the division will NOT come from God, the great, “I am.” And even after that division, we may yet repent and return to Him, as the Apostle Peter did. Remember that as we get into the scriptures; all is taken from the KING JAMES BIBLE.

Jesus had taught that if a person would deny Him, He (Jesus) would then deny that person before the Father (Matthew 10:33). Peter denied Jesus, and we see from Luke 22:32 that he needed to be converted. And in the mention of disciples by the angel, Peter was separated from the others in Mark 16:7. This should forever testify that a believer may fall out of right relationship with God, but that the possibility of reconciliation is still there. We see this mentioned in Romans 5:1,2;

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

Before going on to list the many warnings we are given by scripture, it should also be clear from scripture (and common sense) that God will not easily turn from His children. God has commended His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Jesus died for us. If He loved us so much before we came to know Him, He will not quickly discard us now (Romans 5:8-10). Please read the following passages for encouragement; God is merciful, and He knows how frail we are.

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” -Romans 7:18-8:1.

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” -I John 1:8-2:2.

The “parable of the sower” is written in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. For the seed in shallow soil, and the seed among thorns, both indicate a falling away from the faith. In Luke it specifically says that they, “believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away.” Refer to Matthew 13:20-22, Mark 4:16-19, and Luke 8:13&14 for the specific seeds mentioned.

And the Bible warns us many times of deception, so why are we being warned? Why should God do this, unless there is a danger? Look at Matthew 24:4,5,11,24, 48-51; II Corinthians 11;3,4,13-15; Mark 13:5,6,22; Philippians 3:17-19; II Thessalonians 2:3-10, Revelation 13:14. And pay close attention to this one from Acts 20:28-31: why would Paul so earnestly be warning them for 3 years, day & night, with tears? The warnings came with no reassurances for their salvation.

“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.”

From the gospels you may also look at Matthew 7:21-23, 12:43-45, 18:21-35, 25:1-13, 14-30; Luke 21:34-36, John 6:66, 15:2-6. Remember also 5 of the churches in Revelation: 2:5, 16, 22; 3:3, 19; these needed to repent, or they were lost. Again in Revelation we see in 3:5 & 22:19 that names can be REMOVED from the book of life.

We find other warnings through Peter, in I Peter 5:8,9; II Peter 1:4-11, 3:17. But II Peter chapter 2 is an extensive prophetic warning to believers about deception, and falling away;

"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not...These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them." -II Peter 2:1-3,17-21.

Once we have been redeemed in Christ, Jesus becomes our advocate, and we can return to Him if we have backslidden, But II Peter 2 talks about false teachers that will bring in heresies to groups of believers: this kind of deception is the worst! It is so bad because before these individuals came to salvation, they knew that they were sinners, separated from God. But after these false teachings come in, they turn back into fleshly living, and think they are still saved. It isn't likely that they are able to hear God's call to repentance at this point, for they think they are already pleasing Him.

Look at Romans 8:13, 16:17 & 18, and 11:19-22;

"Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off."

I Corinthians chapter 5, read about the falling situation within the church. But also I Corinthians has 3:16,17, 9:27, 10:12, 11:31,32, 15:1,2. II Corinthians has 6:1, 12:20,21, and 13:5;

"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"

Galatians is an entire book written to a group of believers that were falling back into a works-based salvation. See 1:6-9, 3:3,4, 4:9-11, 5:1,4, and 2:17&18;

"But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor."

Ephesians has 5:3-7, and the classic section on our spiritual warfare in 6:10-18. Why would God warn us so extensively about the devils, unless there was a danger? Why is there no reassurance about our salvation? Remember that the kingdom of God is not only in word, but in power; we have to live out our faith every day.

Please see Colossians 1:21-23, Philippians 2:12, 16, and 3:12-14;

"Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

From I Thessalonians we have 3:5,8, 5:14; II Thessalonians 3:6, and 2:3,4,9&10;

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God...Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved."

In I Timothy we find 1:5,6,19,20, 5:11,12,15, 6:9,10, and 4:1;

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;"

II Timothy shows us 1:15, 2:10,12, 16-18, 3:5,13, and 4:3&4;

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."

In Titus we see 1:15&16, 3:10&11; Hebrews has 3:6, 6:4-6, 10:26,27, 12:5-8, and 3:12;

"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God."

We can also look in James 1:21, I John 5:16,17, III John 9,10, Jude 4,5, and James 5:19&20;

"Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins."

Christianity is about an ongoing relationship with God, through Jesus Christ; that's what the Lord wants. We have many assurances in God's Word of our relationship with Him; we stand by grace, and not works; we stand in the righteousness of Jesus, not in our own, because we have none; we have the gift of the Holy Spirit to help and strengthen us; and we have all of His precious words of life preserved for us in the Bible, which can give us a strong foundation for weathering all the storms the enemy can throw at us. And we look forward to receiving the promise of eternal life, when our lives in the flesh shall be at an end (I Corinthians 15:50-54; II Corinthians 5:1-9).

May the Lord bless you, brothers, with the true comfort we can take from His Word.

"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:31-32