The best way to think of eternal security (the divine viewpoint as opposed to the human viewpoint of the perseverance of the saints which is really the preservation of God) is by the analogies presented in the Bible. Has anyone ever heard of being unborn, un-adopted, or unjustified? The Bible does not mention this. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit and God doesn't renege on his Word when He gives his divine guarantee and earnest of the Holy Spirit. (The Bible makes it clear that, if you can lose your salvation, there is no gaining it back, according to Hebrews 6:4-6, so let that be a caveat.)
Remember: Once you're in the family, you stay in the family and you're treated like family--that means divine discipline if you need it.--it's a family matter!
We are sealed by the Holy Spirit, who was given as an earnest or down payment of our inheritance and God is the Supreme Promise Keeper who cannot lie. He does not renege on His divine guarantee. He has "inscribed us on the palms of His hands." He is so sure of our salvation and in his mind has already glorified us (cf. Rom. 8:30).
We are "kept by the power of God" (cf. 1 Pet. 1:5) not our own power, and "kept" is the word used by Christ in John 17 and by Jude 24. God is working on us though and always completes what he starts (cf. Phil. 1:6). The joy of the Christian life is enhanced by faith in the permanency of our salvation and our continuity in the state of grace. "For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable" (cf. Rom. 11:29).
It is the ignorance of the believer who believes he can lose permanent work of the Holy Spirit. Have you ever heard of someone being "unborn," "un-sanctified," or "unjustified?" God deals with us as "sons" and when we go astray He disciplines us, for if we are without discipline we are not legit! (Cf. Heb. chapter 12:11-12) All our sins are forgiven, past, present, and future (cf. Psalm 103:3)--there is nothing that will take God by surprise.
If our salvation depended on our performance, we would certainly blow it; but it depends on the grace of God. This does not mean that it doesn't matter how we live, because God has made us responsible to "Keep in the love of God." We persevere as God preserves.
We should be on the same page in talking about perseverance. I do not believe in the kind of eternal security that gives us the right to be lawless or libertines if one has that desire he is not saved because God changes our hearts to desire the things of God--He changes us from the inside out. God preserves us as we persevere. God gets the glory though because our perseverance is His gift. What that means is that we will never absolutely lose our faith or go into total despair finally. It does not mean that we won't sin unto, or sin frequently--but we won't practice sin, and there is a difference. We don't want to sin even if we do--like Rom. 7:24 says, "Oh, wretched man that I am..." "The things that I would not, that I do...." I think every Christian that is real should relate to that.
The Christian who thinks that it is possible for him to go to hell, if he didn't persevere, is living in fear not faith. That is not genuine fear of God, but a lack of faith in God. He should know that God will keep him from temptation that he cannot handle and will make a way of escape, and even if he should the mercy of God is wide enough to forgive him and discipline him to boot. God wants us to "know" (cf. 1 John 5:11, 13) that we are saved, and not think that it depends on our good behavior or even our persevering. That is called "ultimate assurance." Romanists and Arminians deny this but it's biblical nevertheless. Though we believe in perseverance let us not be guilty of presumption on the grace of God: "Let him who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall" (cf. 1 Cor. 10:12). Soli Deo Gloria!
Remember: Once you're in the family, you stay in the family and you're treated like family--that means divine discipline if you need it.--it's a family matter!
We are sealed by the Holy Spirit, who was given as an earnest or down payment of our inheritance and God is the Supreme Promise Keeper who cannot lie. He does not renege on His divine guarantee. He has "inscribed us on the palms of His hands." He is so sure of our salvation and in his mind has already glorified us (cf. Rom. 8:30).
We are "kept by the power of God" (cf. 1 Pet. 1:5) not our own power, and "kept" is the word used by Christ in John 17 and by Jude 24. God is working on us though and always completes what he starts (cf. Phil. 1:6). The joy of the Christian life is enhanced by faith in the permanency of our salvation and our continuity in the state of grace. "For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable" (cf. Rom. 11:29).
It is the ignorance of the believer who believes he can lose permanent work of the Holy Spirit. Have you ever heard of someone being "unborn," "un-sanctified," or "unjustified?" God deals with us as "sons" and when we go astray He disciplines us, for if we are without discipline we are not legit! (Cf. Heb. chapter 12:11-12) All our sins are forgiven, past, present, and future (cf. Psalm 103:3)--there is nothing that will take God by surprise.
If our salvation depended on our performance, we would certainly blow it; but it depends on the grace of God. This does not mean that it doesn't matter how we live, because God has made us responsible to "Keep in the love of God." We persevere as God preserves.
We should be on the same page in talking about perseverance. I do not believe in the kind of eternal security that gives us the right to be lawless or libertines if one has that desire he is not saved because God changes our hearts to desire the things of God--He changes us from the inside out. God preserves us as we persevere. God gets the glory though because our perseverance is His gift. What that means is that we will never absolutely lose our faith or go into total despair finally. It does not mean that we won't sin unto, or sin frequently--but we won't practice sin, and there is a difference. We don't want to sin even if we do--like Rom. 7:24 says, "Oh, wretched man that I am..." "The things that I would not, that I do...." I think every Christian that is real should relate to that.
The Christian who thinks that it is possible for him to go to hell, if he didn't persevere, is living in fear not faith. That is not genuine fear of God, but a lack of faith in God. He should know that God will keep him from temptation that he cannot handle and will make a way of escape, and even if he should the mercy of God is wide enough to forgive him and discipline him to boot. God wants us to "know" (cf. 1 John 5:11, 13) that we are saved, and not think that it depends on our good behavior or even our persevering. That is called "ultimate assurance." Romanists and Arminians deny this but it's biblical nevertheless. Though we believe in perseverance let us not be guilty of presumption on the grace of God: "Let him who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall" (cf. 1 Cor. 10:12). Soli Deo Gloria!
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