Are We Eternally Secure?

By Rev. Randy Parrish
Deaf Pastor, Berean Baptist Church
Adrian, Mi

Before we begin this study, I would encourage you to use your Bible and locate the verses, read them as we go along on this study.

Confusion is prevalent among many believers today regarding the doctrine of Eternal Security. Some misunderstand the doctrine and believe we cannot have Eternal Security. Let us look at the Word of God and see what God says about Eternal Security.

Before we start, what is Eternal Security?

Eternal Security is defined as the Bible confidence that every born-again believer has perfect, complete, eternal salvation in Jesus Christ. As soon as a sinner trustes Jesus Christ, he possesses full, unending salvation. To have Jesus Christ is to have a secure position before God, As 1 John 5:10-13 show:

"10: He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

13 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."

Though the Bible does not use the term "security" to explain the relationship between the believer and Christ Jesus, it does not leave any doubt that the child of God has an eternally secure position in God. Eternal Security is used only in the Scriptures of those who are born again through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. It does not refer to hypocrites or those who are merely dabbling in the things of Christ Jesus. Let us examine how we can be sure we are eternally secure in Jesus Christ.

1. The Believer is secure because of:

a. The terms used to describe salvation. Notice, first of all, John 3:16 "eternal life", 1 Jn. 5:11, "eternal life", Heb. 6:11 "full assurance", Col. 2:2 "full assurance of understanding", Heb. 6:18 "strong consolation", Heb. 6:19 "hope...sure and stedfast".

These terms apply to eternal life through salvation.

b. What we are in God. We are:

1. Forgiven. Rom. 4:7; 1 Jn. 2:12. Our sins are gone, they are washed away in the Blood of the Lamb.

2. Justified. Rom. 5:1, 9; Titus 3:7. We are made as if we never sinned in our lives before God, perfect in His sight, without spot or stain.

3. Risen with Christ Jesus. Rom. 6:3-6; Col 3:1-2. Now, if Jesus is Risen, and He is, eternally alive (Heb 10:12; Rev 1:18), we are risen with Him, how then can we NOT have eternal security? To say we are not risen with Christ is to say that Jesus never rose, He died again!

4. Reconciled. Rom. 5:10; Eph 2:13. We were once afar off, but now are reconciled with God thru the shed Blood of Jesus Christ. Reconcilation carries the meaning that we have been reunited with God. That carries the meaning we were once separated because of sin, and now we are with the Lord, meaning our sins are gone. If they be gone, then we have no sin in God's eyes. What then can separate us? Nothing. If our sins be gone, they are gone forever. Otherwise it is limited atonement, which means no salvation.

5. Accepted in the Beloved. Eph. 1:6. We are accepted in Him like we have never been accepted before. We can be accepted in our family and friendships, but those can be lost. Praise God, we cannot lose the acceptance of God!

6. Saved. Eph 2:8-9; 2 Tim 1:9. Saved from what? The punishment due to us for our sins, the fires of hell. We are saved from hell to eternal life with God in Christ Jesus.

7. Citizens of Heaven. Phil 3:20; 1 Pet. 1:4; Eph 2:5-6. We are citizens of Heaven. A citizenship that is irrevokable, an inheritance that cannot be taken away.

8. Children of the Light. 1 Thess. 5:5. Once we pass over that boundry between light (salvation) and darkness (sin), we cannot travel back over that boundry again. The transfer of our souls from sin's slavery to light's freedom cannot be reversed.

9. Not of the World. Jn. 17:16. We are no longer of this world once we trust Christ as our personal Saviour.

10. Born again. 1 Pet. 1:2, 23; 2 Cor. 5:17. When we notice John 3, we see the context of these verses made very clear. When we profess Jesus Christ as Saviour, we are "born-again", or "made anew" in Jesus. That cannot be undone. To say so, is to believe that Jesus lied.

11. Complete in Him. Col 2:10. This carries the meaning of being made whole, without sin's blight or sin's slavery.

12. Sanctified Once for All. Heb 10:10. In this verse, Sanctification carries the meaning of being made separate, or set aside, for His service for eternity. You cannot be separated for service for eternity if you are not Eternally His!

13. Perfected forever. Heb. 10:14. This carries the meaning that we are made perfect in His sight forever, without sin or shame, made free in Him from the bonds that held us while we were lost.

14. Passed from Death unto Life. 1 Jn. 3:14. When we see Ezek. 18:4 "The soul that sinneth, it shall die", and Rom. 6:23 "for the wages of sin is death", it is made clear to us that we are no longer under a death sentence, but are passed unto life eternal. Christ Jesus bore that death sentence for us. We can no longer bear it, nor shall we ever. To say so is to say that Christ's death was in vain.

15. A child of God forever. Rom 8:15; Gal. 3:26, 4:4-7; 1 Jn. 3:1-2. We possess an eternal sonship in God. God calls us His Sons, His children. The above verses make that abundantly clear that we have an eternal sonship, and are joint-heirs with Christ Jesus.

16. Made fit for Heaven. Col. 1:12-13. By His making us partakers of the inhertance of the saints in light, we are made fit for heaven. We are no longer citizens of this world, but of Heaven.

17. Sealed with the Holy Spirit. Eph. 1:12-14. Once we are sealed (this occurs at salvation, the moment you accept Jesus as your Saviour), we are forever kept (Jn. 6:37; Jn 5:24).

c. What we have:

1. Peace with God. Rom. 5:1.
2. Eternal life. Jn. 3:16.
3. All spiritual blessings. Eph. 1:3.
4. Access to God. Eph 2:18.
5. An advocate with the Father. 1 Jn. 2:1-2.
6. Eternal Redemption. Heb. 9:12.
7. Forgiveness of sins. Eph. 1:8; Col. 1:14, 2:13.
8. Mercy. 1 Pet. 2:10.
9. Eternal Glory. 2 Tim. 2:10.
10. Everlasting consolation. 2 Thess. 2:16.
11. An intercessor in Heaven. Rom. 8:34.

d. what is past:

1. The Law of sin and death. Rom. 8:2.
2. Death and wrath. Col 3:3; Rom 6:11; 1 Thess. 5:9.
3. Condemnation. John 5:24.
4. Night and Darkness. 1 Thess. 5:5.

e. The promises of God:

1. The Glory of God. Rom. 5:2. (This speaks of Christ's kingdom glory that we shall see and partake of).
2. The redemption of the body. Rom. 8:23-24; Phil. 3:21.
3. We shall never perish. Jn. 10:27-28.
4. Predestinated to be conformed to the image of Christ. Rom. 8:28-29.
5. We shall appear with Christ in Glory. Col 3:3-4.
6. Not appointed to wrath, but to salvation. 1 Thess. 5:9; Rom. 5:9.
7. We are delivered from the wrath to come. 1 Thess. 1:10.
8. We have an incorruptible inheritance. 1 Pet. 1:4; Heb 9:15.
9. Work will be performed in us. Phil. 1:6.
10. We shall never die. Jn. 11:26.
11. We have glorious liberty. Rom 8:21.
12. We are confirmed until the end. 1 Cor. 1:8.

2. How do we know these blessings cannot be lost?

a. The nature of salvation precludes the loss of salvation.

1. Salvation is by imputation and substitution, meaning Christ died for us. 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 2:20; Heb. 9:10; Rom. 3:24.

2. Salvation is positional. Ephesians 1; Rom. 6:7; Col 2:10, 3:1-4, 12.

3. Salvation is a present possession. We have it now! Romans 5; 1 Pet. 2:24-25

4. Salvation is eternal. John 3:16, 36.

5. Salvation is not of human merit; it is a free gift of grace that cannot be mixed with works. Eph 2:8-9; Titus 3:3:3-7; Rom. 3:19-28, 4:4-5, 11:6.

b. The results of salvation preclude the loss of salvation.

1. Justification. Rom. 5:1, 3:19-28.
2. Peace with God. Rom. 5:1.
3. Sure possession of future glory. Rom. 5:2; Col 3:1-4.
4. Salvation from future wrath. Rom. 5:9.
5. Eternal life. Jn. 3:16.
6. Sealed with the Holy Spirit. Eph. 4:30.
7. Raised up with Christ Jesus. Romans 6.
8. Passed from darkness to light. Col. 1:12-14.

c. Salvation cannot be lost because of the person and work of Christ Jesus.

We are placed "in Christ" and stand or fall with Him. Col. 1:14; Ephesians 1; Heb. 9:10; 1 Pet. 1:18-23, 2:6, 24-25.

Conclusion: From the evidence above, it is certain that we possess eternal security the moment we trust Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour. This eternal security cannot be lost, as shown above. Without a doubt, we have eternal possession of Jesus, and with that, eternal life and security with Him.