As simple as salvation is, it is a very confused issue in the minds of many Christians. Many Christians honestly believe that you cannot know you are saved until you die. That is false.
The scriptures provide us our real proof of salvation (I John 5:13). It is through the scriptures that we are
made “wise unto salvation” (II Timothy 3:15).
We know that we are saved simply because the Bible says so. Our salvation
is predicated on God’s word. The only assurance the thief on the cross
had of his salvation was the Lord’s word (Luke 23.43).
Our salvation is as sure as God’s word. The Psalmist recognized
the immutability of God’s word and said, “Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven” (Psalms 119:89). God has given us His word that He will save us if we believe (John 3:16, Act 16:13-30,
Romans 10:9).
Salvation is a one-time experience. You are saved now and for eternity. However, the years of fellowship with Christ will provide you with many spiritual
experiences.
The joy of your salvation will intensify if you share (bear witness) God’s simple plan of salvation with
others. With this belief outline you can lead a soul to Christ.
CAN A TRULY SAVED PERSON EVER BE LOST?
“For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us for the Love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:29, 38).
This is the answer to the question that our lessons ask which is found also in the 35th verse of this
same chapter. “Who shall (or what) separate us from the Love of God?” That is, once we are Christians, once we know the Love of Christ, once we have been
justified by faith, who is there, what power is there, that can separate us from the love of Christ?
ETERNAL SECURITY
IT’S MEANING
When we speak of the eternal security of the believer, what do we mean? We
mean that once the word and the spirit of God have regenerated a sinner, once he has received a new life and a new nature,
and has been make partaker of the divine nature, once he has been justified from every charge before the throne of God, it
is absolutely impossible that man should ever again be a lost soul. If a person
has been truly born again, he can never perish.
In connection with the subject of the Christian’s
security, the following facts should be remembered:
1. A Christian does not lose his salvation when he sins. Christ has already paid the penalty for our sins – past, present, and future. God will not demand payment twice. Since Jesus died for our
sins, we will never have to die for them. God, the righteous judge, forgives
the sinner who believes in His Son Jesus Christ.
2. But when a Christian sins, he displeases his heavenly father, and the happy
family spirit remains broken until that sin is confessed. (I John 1:9)
3. While a Christian can and does, unfortunately commit sin, no true child
of God lives a life of continual sin. “A Christian is not sinless but he
does SIN LESS.” If a person
can keep on sinning without being brought back to fellowship with God through chastening; it is a sure sign that he was never
born again. Our security must not be an excuse
to sin, but rather an incentive not
to sin.
There are several verses in the Bible that might seem to indicate that Christians can be lost again. However, if you examine them carefully, you will find that they refer to those who manifest certain gifts
and exercised these gifts in Christian work. One can join the church and verbally
repeat the words, “I want to be saved but never reach in heart, take an interest in Christian work and work for 20 years,
die, and go to hell with the lost.” (Carefully
read Matthew 7:21-23)
My brothers and sister, you can know that you are saved and safe forever (I John 5:13). The problem with many of us is that we depend on feelings rather than the Bible. Just because you have not experienced some mysterious emotional feeling, do not let
that make you feel that you are not saved. Do not depend on feelings, depend
on God’s word; feelings will not save you but God’s word will. It is easy to be religiously lost.
Below are some scriptures to help you understand our position on the Doctrine of “Once saved always saved”
or “The Eternal Security of the Belief”:
1. John 10:27-29
2. John 3:36
3. Jude 1:24
4. John 5:24
5. II Timothy 1:12
6. Romans 8:30
