"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out" (John 6:37, ESV, italics added).
I am aware that the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, as it is known in Reformed theology (eternal security) is not universally agreed upon by Christians, and that many sincere, well-meaning believers beg to differ (Roman Catholics, Arminians, Wesleyans, Pentecostals, Salvation Army) but the majority of evangelicals, including mainline denominations such as Baptists and Presbyterians, adhere to this as dogma. This is my position and I know that I must be careful when presenting what is called one of the doctrines of grace ( the "doctrines that divide," by some).
By definition, this doctrine assures the continuity in the state of grace for the redeemed believer and the permanency of his salvation, not based upon works but grace from beginning to end, as we are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation (cf. 1 Pet. 1:5). God finishes what He starts and He has begun a good work in us in order to complete it in Christ (cf. Phil. 1:6).
This aphorism is well known and quoted by skeptics who think it sums up evangelical teaching about salvation. Also, if you have it, you never lose it; if you lose it, you never had it. It is not meant as a security blanket so that one has the license to sin without impunity, and this is the fear, that people will lose their fear of God and become remiss in their walk. Catholics firmly believe and teach fear of God and are quite successful at this, because they deny security and even assurance unless one is given a special divine revelation to that effect. They would call a believer who is sure of his salvation as guilty of the sin presumption! The Bible doesn't call it that but calls it a command to be sure in 2 Pet. 1:10 ("make your calling and election sure").
The interesting factor about losing your salvation is that no one can say what sin or work one does to lose it. We are supposed to be in the Father's hands, not our own! It is clear from Scripture that believers have the resident Holy Spirit permanently and, therefore cannot be guilty of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit or the so-called unforgivable sin (cf. Matt. 12:32). The Bible makes it clear that if you could lose your salvation, you could not regain it again, yet Catholics have instituted the sacrament of penance for those who have made shipwreck of their faith. The Bible does not have any examples of anyone who lost his salvation either (Judas was a devil from the beginning, and King Saul isn't named as lost after losing salvation or grace, even in King David's eyes).
What is paramount to realize is that assurance and security go hand in hand, and they can be distinguished, but not separated. If you don't have security, you cannot be sure either, because you are saying that your salvation depends upon your works or performance, and not the preservation of God. The truth is that we persevere as God preserves. One would never be sure because he cannot predict the future and know that he might lose it by some sin--it's perpetual incertitude or conjecture.
This doctrine, "once saved, always saved", is basic to understanding grace and that our salvation is not by our works nor our performance (cf. Titus 3:5), lest we are able to boast (cf. Eph. 2:9) and totally is an act of God (i.e., monergistic). As Reformed theologians say, the doctrine of salvation can be summed up: Salvation is of the Lord, as Jonah 2:9 says. It is not of man and God, nor of man alone, but totally of God, and to realize this is to be oriented to grace and not works or to be legalistic in mindset.
There are several Bible verses that point to eternal security, and that phrase is not a biblical one, but the terminology "eternal redemption" is mentioned in Hebrews 9:12 and "eternal salvation" in Heb. 5:9. Salvation, by definition, is eternal because it's the gift of eternal, not temporary or provisional life. Eternal life begins at salvation and not in heaven, as some mistakenly believe. We are not saved on a provisional basis but can be sure. God wants us to be sure of our salvation according to 1 John 5:13 and makes this point that we can know.
How could you know, if your salvation is temporary and probationary? Again, in losing salvation, what sin are they so sure will cast them into hell, when Christ died for all their sins? We can lose "full reward" (cf. 2 John 8), and be saved by the skin of our teeth (or "as if by fire" in 1 Cor. 3:15), but nowhere are believers cast into hell in Scripture as precedent.
Some object that they have the right to leave God because of free will. The Bible has something to say about apostates: "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us" (1 John 2:19, ESV). Actually, your destiny is in God's hands, not your own, He's the Master of your fate and Captain of your soul, and He loves you with a love that won't let go.
You didn't come to Christ on the basis of your free will without divine wooing and you cannot persevere unless God preserves you. If your salvation depended on you, you'd find some way to blow it. All your sins, past, present, and future are forgiven upon salvation, so why worry about some unforgivable sin? We cannot lose a faith God gave us as a gift, because it's not something we conjured up in the first place--we are "preserved in Jesus Christ" [or kept] according to Jude v. 1 (NKJV).
In the final analysis, do you want to be works-oriented and legalistic and fearful, or grace-oriented and sure? We must acknowledge that assurance and security go hand in hand and can be distinguished but not separated. Soli Deo Gloria!
I am aware that the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, as it is known in Reformed theology (eternal security) is not universally agreed upon by Christians, and that many sincere, well-meaning believers beg to differ (Roman Catholics, Arminians, Wesleyans, Pentecostals, Salvation Army) but the majority of evangelicals, including mainline denominations such as Baptists and Presbyterians, adhere to this as dogma. This is my position and I know that I must be careful when presenting what is called one of the doctrines of grace ( the "doctrines that divide," by some).
By definition, this doctrine assures the continuity in the state of grace for the redeemed believer and the permanency of his salvation, not based upon works but grace from beginning to end, as we are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation (cf. 1 Pet. 1:5). God finishes what He starts and He has begun a good work in us in order to complete it in Christ (cf. Phil. 1:6).
This aphorism is well known and quoted by skeptics who think it sums up evangelical teaching about salvation. Also, if you have it, you never lose it; if you lose it, you never had it. It is not meant as a security blanket so that one has the license to sin without impunity, and this is the fear, that people will lose their fear of God and become remiss in their walk. Catholics firmly believe and teach fear of God and are quite successful at this, because they deny security and even assurance unless one is given a special divine revelation to that effect. They would call a believer who is sure of his salvation as guilty of the sin presumption! The Bible doesn't call it that but calls it a command to be sure in 2 Pet. 1:10 ("make your calling and election sure").
The interesting factor about losing your salvation is that no one can say what sin or work one does to lose it. We are supposed to be in the Father's hands, not our own! It is clear from Scripture that believers have the resident Holy Spirit permanently and, therefore cannot be guilty of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit or the so-called unforgivable sin (cf. Matt. 12:32). The Bible makes it clear that if you could lose your salvation, you could not regain it again, yet Catholics have instituted the sacrament of penance for those who have made shipwreck of their faith. The Bible does not have any examples of anyone who lost his salvation either (Judas was a devil from the beginning, and King Saul isn't named as lost after losing salvation or grace, even in King David's eyes).
What is paramount to realize is that assurance and security go hand in hand, and they can be distinguished, but not separated. If you don't have security, you cannot be sure either, because you are saying that your salvation depends upon your works or performance, and not the preservation of God. The truth is that we persevere as God preserves. One would never be sure because he cannot predict the future and know that he might lose it by some sin--it's perpetual incertitude or conjecture.
This doctrine, "once saved, always saved", is basic to understanding grace and that our salvation is not by our works nor our performance (cf. Titus 3:5), lest we are able to boast (cf. Eph. 2:9) and totally is an act of God (i.e., monergistic). As Reformed theologians say, the doctrine of salvation can be summed up: Salvation is of the Lord, as Jonah 2:9 says. It is not of man and God, nor of man alone, but totally of God, and to realize this is to be oriented to grace and not works or to be legalistic in mindset.
There are several Bible verses that point to eternal security, and that phrase is not a biblical one, but the terminology "eternal redemption" is mentioned in Hebrews 9:12 and "eternal salvation" in Heb. 5:9. Salvation, by definition, is eternal because it's the gift of eternal, not temporary or provisional life. Eternal life begins at salvation and not in heaven, as some mistakenly believe. We are not saved on a provisional basis but can be sure. God wants us to be sure of our salvation according to 1 John 5:13 and makes this point that we can know.
How could you know, if your salvation is temporary and probationary? Again, in losing salvation, what sin are they so sure will cast them into hell, when Christ died for all their sins? We can lose "full reward" (cf. 2 John 8), and be saved by the skin of our teeth (or "as if by fire" in 1 Cor. 3:15), but nowhere are believers cast into hell in Scripture as precedent.
Some object that they have the right to leave God because of free will. The Bible has something to say about apostates: "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us" (1 John 2:19, ESV). Actually, your destiny is in God's hands, not your own, He's the Master of your fate and Captain of your soul, and He loves you with a love that won't let go.
You didn't come to Christ on the basis of your free will without divine wooing and you cannot persevere unless God preserves you. If your salvation depended on you, you'd find some way to blow it. All your sins, past, present, and future are forgiven upon salvation, so why worry about some unforgivable sin? We cannot lose a faith God gave us as a gift, because it's not something we conjured up in the first place--we are "preserved in Jesus Christ" [or kept] according to Jude v. 1 (NKJV).
In the final analysis, do you want to be works-oriented and legalistic and fearful, or grace-oriented and sure? We must acknowledge that assurance and security go hand in hand and can be distinguished but not separated. Soli Deo Gloria!