Is Believing In Eternal Security Essential To Salvation?

John 10:27-29, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.”

God does not give anyone temporary life, He only gives eternal life. Eternal life and eternal security are not two separate doctrines; they are one and the same thing.

I was reading one of Dr. John R. Rice's (1895-1980) books today and read something that didn't set right with me. Here is what the famous evangelist writes:

Is believing in eternal security essential to salvation?

No, the doctrine of eternal security is not essential to salvation. You understand, when I go to the doctor with a desperate illness, it is essential that I go to the right doctor for healing. It is not essential that I know all about the diagnosis of my case, or that I know all the details of the remedy. It is enough that I turn the matter over in loving faith to the doctor. That is the way it is about Jesus Christ. None of us really know all the depths of wickedness of our hearts. We do not know fully the disease which cures us. But we can know we are sinners and we can know we must go to the doctor. 

One does not even have to know fully the plan of salvation in order to be saved. You don't have to know the medicine if you go to the right doctor. He will decide the medicine. And even when we take it, by faith, we may not fully understand it. 

This is made clear by several Scriptures. First, the Scripture says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13). The publican in the temple who said, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13), may not have known just how God had planned to pay for our salvation. But he called upon the Lord and went home justified. 

The dying thief in Luke 23:39-43 said, “Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” That was a very ignorant prayer, and yet Jesus saved him. The thing for a poor sinner to do is to come to Jesus and if he comes, Jesus does not cast him out, as is plainly promised in John 6:37.

One may be saved without knowing all about the plan of salvation. One can be saved without being even sure of salvation. I went for three years after I had trusted Christ without full assurance of salvation. But I had been saved and when the matter was cleared up by the Scriptures, then it became certain that I had been saved all along. You see, one does not have to be a graduate in theology to be saved. One who comes to Christ is saved. One who calls upon the Lord for salvation is saved. One who believes on Christ as Saviour is saved. These are all different ways of saying the same thing, They all describe how simple is saving faith.

Those who do not understand the matter of security of a believer are missing a great joy, I think, but that has nothing to do with whether or not they are saved. One who trusts Christ is saved and saved forever, whether he knows it or not not. —Evangelist John R. Rice, “Dr. Rice, Here Is My Question...,” p. 272-273

I agree with nearly everything that Dr. Rice wrote, with the exception that someone can deny the eternal security of a believer and still be saved. From Dr. Rice's viewpoint I would agree, if you simply mean that someone lacks the peace of knowing they are saved.

Not Knowing One is Saved Versus Requiring Faithful Living to Maintain a State of Salvation

However, there are many deceived religious people (e.g., Roman Catholics, Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Church of God, et cetera) who sincerely think you can lose God's gift of salvation if you go into deep sin or abandon your Christian faith. In such cases it is absolutely paramount that someone believe in eternal security to be saved. So, it depends on the reason why someone doubts eternal security as to whether or not it is essential to salvation. Take a look at the damnable false teaching of Seventh-Day Adventists...

“The Assurance of Salvation”: Myth and Reality 

Adventist Today

by Pastor Steven Siciliano | April 8, 2022

Let me state three key premises at the start: 

1. An individual’s ultimate salvation depends on maintaining faith and faithfulness to the end (by which I mean either the individual’s passing or the second advent). 
2. None of us can predict the future or know for certain whether we will remain faithful to the end. Therefore, 
3. logically speaking, it is impossible to have assurance of salvation. That concept is either a myth or, at best, a misapplication.

So where did this phrase and its accompanying sentiment come from? Why are so many individuals wedded to it? What reality may the term be pointing to, perhaps ambiguously? And where can we begin sorting it all out? READ MORE

NOTE - Steven Siciliano is pastor of the Jackson Heights and Hartsdale churches in the Greater New York Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

Apostates had a profession of faith in Jesus Christ at one time, but not the possession of faith (i.e., they were never born again). Their mouths spoke something other than what their hearts believed. Apostasy is not loss of salvation, but evidence of past pretension. They were never saved at all. They may have joined a professed “Christian” organization; such as, the Roman Catholic church, but they were never born again.

You don't get saved by living the Christian life. Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into living the Christian life without ever being born again. This is what the false prophets in Matthew 7:21-23 were guilty of doing. They boasted of having done “many wonderful works” in Jesus' name, but they had never completely rested in Christ's sacrifice on the cross for their sins. The true Gospel always points you to CHRIST; a false gospel always points to YOU. If salvation is truly by grace, then you don't need to start or stop anything to be saved. Eternal life is a free gift from God (Romans 6:23). One is saved by God's grace through faith in the finished work of His Son on the cross as payment in full as our pardon for sin.

Dr. Rice Mistitled His Question

It is plain to see from Brother Rice's answer that he is not talking about Eternal Security at all; but rather, someone who sincerely lacks a full understanding of the theological workings of God's plan of redemption, or someone who has doubts about their salvation. In sharp contrast, Eternal Security is the doctrine that once you are saved, you are always saved. This Bible truth is commonly expressed as: “Once Saved, Always Saved” (OSAS).

In my humble opinion, Dr. Rice should have titled his question: “Is Knowing That You're Saved Essential To Salvation?” or “Is Fully Understanding Salvation Essential To The New Birth?” You really do need to believe in Eternal Security to be saved, because if you think salvation depends upon your human efforts, performance or faithfulness in the least degree, you are not fully trusting Christ and are not saved. If you are trusting in Jesus plus water baptism (just in case), you are not saved. You just need to believe that Jesus did it all for you.

If you are trusting in Jesus plus trimming your toe nails once every ten years, you are not saved. I am being facetious of course, but you get the point. Salvation is promised by God only to the sinner who wholly rests in the finished redemptive work of Christ (i.e., the Gospel).

I agree with Dr. Rice from the standpoint that a person can be saved who still doubts their Eternal Security, just so long as they don't trust in their own performance, good works or faithfulness to stay saved. You don't have to believe in Eternal Security in the sense that you don't need to know for sure that you are saved; but this is not Eternal Security, it is Assurance.

Am I Going To Heaven?

Choose below what you think is necessary to go to Heaven.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Obey God's laws and commandments
2. Be sorry for your sins
3. Sincerely do your best
4. Turn from your sins and stop sinning
5. Do good deeds
6. Give money to church or charity
7. Water baptism or holy communion
8. Trust in Jesus Christ alone as your personal Savior
9. Trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and also serve him
10. There is no Heaven or Hell

1) Obey God's laws and commandments

Trying to keep the commandments cannot save us but only shows us that we are sinners:

James 2:10 "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."

Try Again?

2) Be sorry for your sins

Being sorry for your sins, or confessing your sins cannot take away sin. The Bible says the penalty for sin is death. We all die physically, but we also deserve to die spiritually by spending eternity in Hell.

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Try Again?

3) Sincerely do your best

Doing your best is commendable, To turn from your sins and stop sinning is also very desirable (yet impossible). Will doing these things make you perfect? No! Heaven is a perfect place and you must be perfect to enter. The Bible says:

Revelation 21:27 "And there shall in no wise enter into it (Heaven) anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the lambs book of life."

Try Again?

4) Turn from your sins and stop sinning

Doing your best is commendable, To turn from your sins and stop sinning is also very desirable (yet impossible). Will doing these things make you perfect? No! Heaven is a perfect place and you must be perfect to enter. The Bible says:

Revelation 21:27 "And there shall in no wise enter into it (Heaven) anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the lambs book of life.

Try Again

5) Do good deeds

No deeds, charity, contributions to churches, nor any good work by you, can take away your sins or save you. The Bible says:

Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Try Again?

6) Give money to church or charity

No deeds, charity, contributions to churches, nor any good work by you, can take away your sins or save you. The Bible says:

Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Try Again?

7) Water baptism or holy communion

Water baptism and communion cannot pay for sins. They are for those who are already saved.

Titus 3:5 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us..."

Try Again?

8) Trust in Jesus Christ alone as your personal Savior

Correct! By trusting in Jesus Christ who paid for all of your sins when he died on the cross, you will receive the GIFT of everlasting life.

Salvation is a GIFT, all you have to do is accept that GIFT.

Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Even though you may die physically, your soul will live forever in Heaven. Jesus Christ said:

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

Jesus Christ also said:

John 6:47 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath (possesses now) everlasting life."

Try Again?

9) Trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and also serve him

Incorrect! You can do nothing to add to the finished work of Christ. By doing so, you are not trusting in Christ alone as your Savior but only as your helper. You cannot go to Heaven that way. You must forget about your good works and commitments as a means of saving yourself, and put your trust ONLY in the Savior - Jesus Christ.

Romans 4:5 "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."

Try Again?

10) There is no Heaven or Hell

Friend, I cannot make you believe in Heaven or Hell. Maybe you don't believe in it because you can't see it. But neither can you see the air you breathe, yet without it you would die. Heaven is real! Hell is real! Why not investigate God's word?

John 3:18 "He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

Try Again?

How can I go to Heaven?

The fact is ... we are all sinners; we all deserve to go to Hell; Heaven is a perfect place and nothing we do can make us perfect. How then can we go to Heaven? The answer is found in God's word, the Bible:

"For He (God) hath made him (Christ) to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (II Corinthians 5:21)

You see, Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead to pay for all of our sins. He died FOR us. Only through Him can we have eternal life. What then must you do to go to Heaven?

By trusting in Jesus Christ as the one who died for your sins, you will receive everlasting life. Even though you may die physically, your soul will live forever in Heaven. Jesus Christ said:

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

Jesus also said:

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me HATH (possesses now) everlasting life." (John 6:47)

The moment you trust Jesus Christ as your Savior, your sins will be forgiven, and you will receive God's righteousness (perfection). This allows you to enter Heaven...

"And by Him (Christ) all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13:39)

Trusting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior is a one time decision in your life. The moment you believe in Christ, God will give you eternal life. Once you have believed, God accepts you as his child.

"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." (John 1:12)

God may discipline you when you disobey, but He will never cast you out of His family, You have eternal life which is secure. You can never lose it, neither can you forfeit it. God's unconditional promise is that He will never take it away from you.

"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand." (John 10:28)

This is called eternal security. Serving the Lord is important, once you are saved. It brings God's blessings and joy to your life. But if relied upon to get you to Heaven, it will not work. Salvation is ONLY by faith in Jesus Christ.

"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..." (I John 5:13)

Right now, why not trust Jesus Christ as your Savior. He will save you for all eternity. You can also have the assurance that your sins are forgiven (past, present, and future). God has said it, and He cannot lie!

"All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out. And this is the Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." (John 6:37-39)

SOURCE: Pastor Max D. Younce, Heritage Baptist Bible Church

 

I'm So Happy That I'm Going To Heaven

Luke 10:20 “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”

1st Peter 1:3-9, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”

I am a happy person because of Jesus, my precious resurrected Savior, Lord, Friend and God. I have plenty of sorrowful past memories. I have many regrets. I have wept bitterly at the lowest points of my life. I suffer from constant chronic neck pain and related nerve burning, tingling in my limbs and the right side of my body feeling half asleep all the time. I have stenosis and radiculitis in my cervical spinal cord. But despite my health issues, broken life and loneliness without a wife for the past 17 years, I am happy in the Lord. I rejoice as Jesus commanded us to do, that my name is written in Heaven in the Lamb's Book of Life. ...

1st Peter 1:3-5, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

I love that. We have a lively hope (eternal life) that FADETH NOT AWAY. Everything in this world fades away. As an example: I have always liked the music of The Beach Boys, because it has beautiful harmony and pretty melodies. Brian Wilson is a musical prodigy, whose voice is angelic. Yet, Brian ruined his voice by abusing drugs like LSD and alcohol. At one time he had become so obese that he weighed 300 pounds. Sadly, Brian Wilson is an avowed atheist.

Co-founder Mike Love of The Beach Boys is now 81 years old. Mike will be 82 on March 15, 2023. Mike doesn't have much time left on earth. As far as I can find, none of The Beach Boys are Christians. Brian Wilson's younger brother, Dennis Wilson, died by misadventure in 1983, when he got drunk and drowned in California at only age 39. Another of Brian's brothers, Carl Wilson, died of cancer in 1999. These were all exceptionally talented men. Sadly, they and their music are fading away, just as the Bible says:

1st John 2:15-17, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

The will of God is that every lost sinner BELIEVE on the name of Jesus Christ to be saved. John 6:40, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” But John 3:20-21 says that the love of sin prevents lost sinners from coming to the light of THE TRUTH of the Gospel to be saved. God doesn't send anyone to Hell. Lost sinners are condemned already, because they have not believed on the name of Jesus Christ (John 3:18, 36). If you are damned to Hell, it is your own damn fault!

I am so happy in my soul that I am a born-again child of God. I have no part in my own salvation. It is GOD'S FREE GIFT OF SALVATION. Jonah 2:9b says that, “Salvation is of the LORD.” Neither I, nor you, have any righteousness of our own to offer a holy God. That is why we need GOD'S RIGHTEOUENSS, which is obtained only through faith in Jesus Christ:

Philippians 3:9-11, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”

Dear reader, if you know that your name is recorded in Heaven, then you ought to rejoice. Even in the worst times of my life, when all hope seemed lost and there was no light at the end of the tunnel of pain and suffering, I still had peace like a river in my soul, knowing that Heaven is my home and that I already posses eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ my blessed Savior. Oh, it is wonderful to be a Christian...

Oh, It Is Wonderful To Be A Christian

Be of good cheer dear friend (John 16:33), for Jesus Christ is risen from the dead and has ascended into Heaven on our behalf (Hebrews 9:12, 24). Jesus is every believer's High Priest. Hebrews 4:14, “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.” I receive many emails from miserable believers, some even talking about suicide. The reason why they are so sad and miserable is because their mind is broken. They don't go to church. They have no fellowship with other born-again saints. They think negative because that is all they think about and look at in life, the negative things. They talk negative. They think negative. They don't live in God's promises. Of course they are miserable!!!

There but for the grace of God go I, so I am not judging anybody. Dear friend, God is real. The Word of God is not just a storybook, it is the eternally inspired Words of almighty God. I listen to several sermons today by Pastor Bruce Mejia. I listen to sermons by Pastor Steven Anderson all the time, because we all need Bible preaching. We are what we think! Everything in life comes down to a mindset. Whether you think you can or not, you're right! Get your mind out of the doldrums, and start taking hold on the eternal life which God has already given to you by faith dear friend. Life is too short to live with a burden of hatred, anger or regret. Leave your troubled past at the cross of Calvary, and move forward by faith with God your Savior.

Eternal Life is FREE

Eternal Life IS FREE (a Gift), all a person has to do IS BELIEVE.

THAT’S RIGHT, just believe (Trust in Alone Completely) that the Lord Jesus Christ Died on the cross, shed his blood, was Buried and 3 days later Resurrected from the dead and that is all you have to do.

The moment that YOU DO you are FREE FOR ETERNITY (forever) from ever having to go to hell.

– God said it,

– God wrote it in the Bible,

– That settles it,

– JUST BELIEVE IT.

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold Explains How To Be Saved

If Salvation Could Be Lost, God Would Have To Undo Numerous Things

John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” 1st John 3:14, “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.”

The inspired Holy Bible is very clear that when a person gets saved, they have PASSED FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE. Getting saved is a bridge that cannot be crossed over twice, nor can we return to the former place of being unregenerated as before we received Christ. The new birth can be likened unto the physical birth in numerous ways:

1. Once born, always born (John 3:4).
2. Neither the physical or spiritual birth can be undone (John 6:47).
3. Just as the first birth was beyond our control, so also is the new birth completely of God (John 1:12-13).
4. No one has ever been born physically or spiritually twice. You can be born twice, but only once physically and once spiritually.
5. Just as we had to be born of the flesh to be alive physically, so also must we be born of the Holy Spirit to be alive spiritually.
6. A person can die physically, but cannot undo being born. Likewise, all humans are both spiritually dead, which is why we need to be born-again of God; but once born-again no one can ever be unborn spiritually. It is absolutely impossible!

If salvation could be lost or undone once spiritual rebirth has already occurred in a believer, God would then have to do numerous things the Bible never speaks of nor teaches! Surely the Holy Scripture would clearly illustrate these things, if God's gift of salvation could be forfeited.

Here are some of the things which God would have to undo, and would happen, if you and I could lose God's free gift of salvation (which is by faith alone in the Gospel):

1. God would have to pass us back from life unto death. John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
2. God would have to take back His free gift of eternal life, making Him a liar. Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
3. God would have to remove us spiritually from being seated with Christ in heavenly places. Ephesians 2:6, “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”
4. God would have to "un-join" us from Christ. Ephesians 4:16, “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”
5. God would have to "un-wash" us from the blood of Jesus that already washed me (1st Corinthians 6:9-11; Revelation 1:5). 1st John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
6. God would have to "un-seal" us from the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13-14, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”
7. God would have to impute our sins back to us, which He has already imputed to Jesus Christ by faith. Romans 4:5-6, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,”
8. God would have to restore our sins, no longer removed as far as the east is from the west. Psalms 103:12, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”
9. God would have to remember our sins again, which He had previously forgotten. Isaiah 43:25, “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”
10. God would have to break His own covenant He made with His Son and therefore would make Him a liar. Ezekiel 16:8, “Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness:​​ yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine.”
11. God would have to "un-adopt" us as His child. Romans 8:15, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”
12. God would have to leave and forsake us, even though He promised to never do so. Hebrews 13:5, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
13. God would have to "pluck us" out from His own hand, which He has already promised that nothing could ever do! John 10:28: “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.”
14. God would have to take back the free gift of eternal life that He has already given to us by faith. Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
15. God would have to “undo” the righteousness that He has already imputed to you and me by faith. Romans 4:6, “Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,”
16. God would have to fail to raise us up on the last day, going back on His solemn promise to do so. John 6:40, “ And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
17. God would have to fail in completing the “good work” in us, that He has already promised to perform. Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”
18. God would have to ignore the prayers of His Son on our behalf, Who intercedes for us as believers. John 17:9, “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.”
19. The Holy Spirit would have to stop making intercession for us when we pray. Romans 8:26. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
20. Jesus would have to stop being our heavenly High Priest. Hebrews 7:25, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
21. It would mean that salvation is really a reward and not a free gift, since we must do something to keep it. Romans 3:19-20, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
    
22. It would mean that we are no longer married to Christ. 2nd Corinthians 11:2, “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.”
23. It would mean that no believer can rejoice with 100% confidence that our name is written in Heaven, because we might lose it. Luke 10:20, “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”
24. It would cause every believer to live in fear, worry and uncertainty, never knowing if we are truly saved. 1st John 5:13, “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.”
25. The entire Bible would have to be written to retain God's integrity. The Gospel of John teaches us simply to BELIEVE to be saved. If salvation could be lost because of sin, unfaithfulness or any other reason, for the man that BELIEVES, then God lied. John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” Titus 3:5, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

I Still Sin A Lot And Am Worried I Might Not Be Saved

Romans 10:12-15, “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”

Many people have been lied to by preachers, misled to think that they are not saved unless their life has changed for the better, but that is not true. One of my favorite quotes is from Pastor M.R. DeHaan (1891-1965)...

"There is a vast difference between coming to Jesus for salvation and coming after Jesus for service. Coming to Christ makes one a believer, while coming after Christ makes one a disciple. All believers are not disciples. To become a believer one accepts the invitation of the Gospel, to be a disciple one obeys the challenge to a life of dedicated service and separation. Salvation comes through the sacrifice of Christ; discipleship comes only by sacrifice of self and surrender to His call for devoted service. Salvation is free, but discipleship involves paying the price of a separated walk. Salvation can't be lost because it depends upon God's faithfulness, but discipleship can be lost because it depends upon our faithfulness." —Pastor M.R. DeHaan, “Hebrews”; Zondervan Publishing House; 1959 (p. 117)

If I were to ask you the question dear reader—Do you know for sure that if you died today, would you go to Heaven?—what would your answer be? If I were asked that same question, my answer would be—I know I am saved because my only hope for forgiveness of sins and eternal life is what Jesus Christ has already done through Calvary's cross to pay for my sins. I realized a a 13 year old boy that I was a guilty sinner in God's sight, and by faith I received what Christ did to pay for my sins on the cross. I am only trusting upon Jesus' death on the cross, His burial and physical resurrection from the dead three days later (1st Corinthians 15:1-4). That is all that I am trusting in to get me to Heaven. If you're answer is different, then you need to get saved friend.

Your behavior, sins and feelings have nothing to do with being saved. You are either solely trusting what Christ did to pay your debt of sin through Calvary's cross, or you're not. Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith. Turning away from sinful ways would be a work. Faith puts all of the merit where it belongs, on the object of our faith, Jesus and His work. The true Gospel always points you to CHRIST; a false gospel always points to YOU.

“Sound doctrine is like a sound ship. There are no holes in it.” —Pastor David Baker

I say “through” because Jesus after He raised up from the dead, still needed to take His literal liquid blood to Heaven to sprinkle upon the Mercy Seat in the presence of God the Father on our behalf (Hebrews 9:12, 22-24; 10:1-4, 12:14). Redemption wasn't “finished” on the cross, for Christ hadn't even died, been buried or resurrected yet. When Christ said “it is finished” (John 19:29-30), He was referring to all the Messianic prophecies concerning Himself up until that point, right after He uttered the words “I thirst” (thus fulfilling Psalms 69:21).

Your behavior, sins and feelings have absolutely nothing to do with being saved. You are either solely trusting what Christ did to pay your debt of sin through Calvary's cross, or you're not. Many people are trusting Christ PLUS something else, and they are not saved. You must put your trust (reliance) upon Jesus only, believing that He is the Christ, the only begotten Son of God (John 20:31). I again recommend that you read Michael P. Bowen's helpful book, "I Never Knew You."

Many people are trusting Christ PLUS something else, and they are not saved. You must put your trust (reliance) upon Jesus, believing that He is the Christ, the only begotten Son of God. I again recommend that you read Michael P. Bowen's helpful book, "I Never Knew You."

I encourage you to listen several times to the Gospel of John, which is God's Gospel tract.

The sins of bitterness, gossip, lust, hate, drunkenness, worry, gluttony, hatred, covetousness and other vices are something that every believers struggle with. Even the best Christians still sin every day and struggle with the sinful flesh. We all have a Skeleton Closet of sins that we don't want other people to know about. That doesn't mean you're not saved. Faith is the only righteous thing that anyone can do to be saved.

You cannot turn away from your sinning and neither can I or anyone else. You might be able to reform and clean up your life, so that you feel more self-righteous and others may think you are a good person, but you still sin and are a sinner. We are saved by trusting in Christ's righteousness, not ours. That is critically important for you to understand. Every Christian should memorize this Bible verse from Philippians 3:9, "And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:" You need HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS!!! That is, we are saved by God's imputed righteousness (Romans 4:4-7). By the way, all Bible citations are ONLY from the inspired King James Bible, because all of the modern revisions are corrupted by Satan.

You need to understand that eternal life is a "FREE GIFT" (Romans 5:18) from God. A gift cannot be merited, earned or deserved in any way. Salvation is not a reward, it is a gift for the guilty. You may say that you still sin horribly and worry you're not really saved, but that is exactly who Christ died for, "THE UNGODLY" (Romans 5:6-9). Please don't make the common foolish mistake of looking at your behavior, instead of trusting completely in what Jesus has already done through the cross to pay your massive debt of sin.

The way that you choose to live as a saint is a separate matter of service (Romans 12:1), not salvation (Galatians 3:26). How you choose to live as a born-again believer will determine your rewards and happiness in Heaven, but it has nothing to do with getting saved, which Christ alone did for you, paying for your ticket to Heaven with His precious blood (1st Peter 1:18-19).

I also encourage you to look up these Scripture passages that I have shared with you and memorize many of them. You'll never be able to settle the assurance of God's salvation if you are not familiar with the Word of God. I know I am saved because I can stand upon the promises of God in the Holy Bible. But I have memorized hundreds of Scripture passages in my 43 years as a born again believer since age 13, which help me immensely.

If you still have doubts, pray and ask God to give you the peace you seek, by helping you to understand His great plan of salvation. As long as you associate the new birth with your change of behavior, you will remain confused and worried. One thing has absolutely nothing to do with the other. If I offer you a gift, but then require you to live a better life to keep it or to prove that it actually is yours, it wouldn't and couldn't truly be a "gift." Romans 6:23 and Ephesians 2:8-9 teach us that eternal life is the "gift" of God. You simply TAKE a gift.

The Eternal Security Of The Christian Believer

John 10:25-30, “Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.”

Is the person who puts his faith in Jesus Christ eternally secure? Yes, dear reader, they are! Believers have (present tense) eternal life! Here are two wonderful Bible studies from one of my favorite Bible preachers, Dr. Curtis Hutson (1934-1995).I love this dear saint of God. The Lord took Brother Hutson home in 1995 from prostrate cancer. I thank God for a simple country boy Curtis Hutson, whom God used to turn many lost sinners to the righteousness of God by faith (Daniel 12:3)....

• ETERNAL SECURITY - PART ONE
• ETERNAL SECURITY - PART TWO

These two Bible studies are the best I've heard , hands down! I hope that you will take the time to listen to them. John 10:28, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” A skeptic of eternal security once said that the Bible doesn't say you cannot get out of God's hand. As a rule you don't base doctrine on what the Bible does NOT say, but upon what the Bible does say! The Bible says that no man can pluck us out of God's hand.

1. God Purposed Eternal Life. 2nd Timothy 1:9, “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,” Acts 13:48, “And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.” They were ordained unto eternal life. This does not mean God predestinates anyone to salvation. The Bible never says that God predestinates people to salvation; but rather, believers are predestinated to be conformed into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). God knows who will be saved (by our own freewill, not prechosen), and He predestinates those saints to ultimately be conformed into Jesus' holy character (which is sanctification).
2. God Promised Eternal Life. John 3:14-16, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” There might be some doubt about what God meant, but there is no doubt about what He said. God said that whosoever believes on His only begotten Son has everlasting life. Titus 1:2, “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;” 1st John 2:25, “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.”
3. God Produced Eternal Life. 1st John 5:10-11, “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. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” We are not going to have everlasting life someday, we already have it right now! 1st John 5:13, “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.”
4. Believer's Have Precisely What God Purposed, Promised And Produced.

I read this amazing Bible verse the other day. Daniel 11:33, “And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.” I am just a humble sinner. I don't profess to know everything, I certainly don't. Albeit, I have been greatly blessed by God, since I got saved at age 13, to be introduced and taught by some of the greatest men of God; namely, Jack Hyles, Curtis Hutson, Max D. Younce, J. Vernon McGee, A. Ray Stanford, Lee Roberson, Hank Lindstrom, Mark G. Cambron, Harry A. Ironside, Ralph Yankee Arnold and John R. Rice, to name the major influences upon my life and doctrine. Is the person who puts his faith in Jesus Christ eternally secure? Yes, dear reader, we are!

Here are some important observations on eternal security made by Dr. Curtis Hutson:

1. God makes His promise of eternal security doubly sure. John 10:28, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” Here we see double security—not only shall we never perish, but also no man can ever pluck us out of God's hand. Likewise in John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” Not only is the man who believes promised everlasting life, but also, he shall never come into condemnation, he is passed from death unto life. Amen and amen!
2. Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith. Hebrews 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” The Lord will begin what He has started. Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”
3. We are saved by God's grace, not our own works. Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
4. Believers are kept by God. If we as saints had to keep ourselves saved, we would all be lost 10,000 times a day. My life is hid with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3, “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Think of this truth as 3 barrels. God the Father is the biggest barrel. Jesus is the medium-sized barrel. The born again child of God is the small barrel inside the two bigger barrels. In order for the Devil to get to the smallest barrel, he must first break through the biggest barrel, and then the medium-sized barrel. We are safe in God the Father and His dear only begotten Son, Jesus.
5. We have an inheritance in Heaven. 1st Peter 1:4-6, “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:” Would God reserve something in Heaven for you, if there was any doubt whether or not you were going to go to Heaven? The fact that the Lord is reserving something for you, indicates that He knows you are going to Heaven. Would that make any sense? No, it would not. We have an inheritance reserved for us in Heaven, and God is reserving us for our inheritance. We're not kept by our own power; We are kept by the power of God! What an awesome Savior!!!
6. Jesus prays for our security. John 17:11 and 20, “ And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. ...Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;” Here we see that Jesus is not only praying for those who were alive and trusting Him at the time, but also those in the future who will believe upon Him. Jesus prays for our security! If the Father always hears the prayer of Jesus, and Jesus has already prayed for His Father to keep us, then the Father Has to keep us (and He has promised to keep us). Hebrews 7:25, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Jesus prays for our security.
7. The Holy Spirit seals the believer. Ephesians 4:30, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” The “day of redemption” here refers to the Rapture, when our mortal bodies will be changed into an immortal body, fashioned like unto the Lord's resurrected perfect body (Philippians 3:21). Ephesians 1:13-14, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” If a believer could ever be lost, it would mean that Jesus would speak falsely at the judgment.
8. The Lord knows who are His. 2nd Timothy 2:19, “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” How does this passage compare to Matthew 7:22-23,  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” If Jesus at some future point were to ever say: “I never knew you,” to someone who had previously been saved, but then lost salvation, Christ would be lying. Jesus could say: “I once knew you, but then you were lost,” but He would be a liar to say “I never knew you.” Dear reader, the Bible is abundantly clear that salvation can NEVER be lost.
9. If a lost sinner could ever be saved but then lost, it would make the sinners better than Christians in some respects. Many skeptics of eternal life use Hebrews chapter 6 to justify their false doctrine. Hebrews 6:4-6, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” For someone who errantly thinks that if they get saved, but then lose their salvation, they can never get it back, they won't want to get saved until their death bed. According to their flawed understanding, it would be better to never have been saved at all, then to get saved by lose it. Dear friend, it should be clear to you how silly the idea is that you can be saved, but then lose it somehow. The Holy Bible teaches: IF SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED!!!
10. If you could lose salvation by sinning, how much sin would you have to commit to lose it? No one can answer this question. The truth is that a man is not lost by the number of sins he commits, but by the nature of sin. Sin is rebellion! Sin is self will! Sin is going away from God. Isaiah 53:6, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” The emphasis in Isaiah 53:6 is not where you went, but what you went away from. Sin is sin! If you had to pay for even one of your sins, you'd have to be cast into Hell and burn forever (James 2:10; Revelation 29:11-15).

Here are some of my own observations regarding eternal security:

1. There are no examples in the Bible of anyone who lost salvation. Search the Scriptures and you will see, that no one ever lost God's free gift of eternal life. Some saints sinned so woefully, like Samson and King Saul, that it cost them their earthly life, but there are no recorded incidents of any saint losing salvation.
2. King David lost the “joy” of God's salvation, not salvation itself. Psalms 51:3-4 and 12, “For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. ...Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” David had lusted upon Bathsheba as she bathed on the roof. I do not think for one second that she didn't know exactly what she was doing. I am fully convinced that she put on a naked show for David, knowing that the king might be looking from his palace rooftop (and he was). Women have a sixth sense about this kind of stuff!
   
   Long story short, David commit adultery together with her and she became pregnant, which David didn't intend. David ended up deciding to murder Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, to hide his sins with Uriah's wife. If anyone ever had a reason to lose salvation, it was David for what he did. Yet, the Bible in Psalm chapter 51 records his prayer of repentance to God (this was actually a song which the Jews sang, strangely enough... lol). David asked God to restore “the joy of thy salvation” (verse 12). I love what Evangelist Luke Bishop said: “You can live it UP, but you cannot live it DOWN!”
   
   David lived it up in sin with Bathsheba for a short time, but then paid for it dearly for the rest of his miserable life on earth. His family fell to pieces. David's kingdom was torn away from him by Absalom, his own rebellious angry son. David's half-children children raped and murdered one another, resenting their father's sin and hypocrisy. Ahithophel, David's most trusted advisor, joined with Absalom in the rebellion against David. It is obvious to understand why when you learn that Ahithophel was Bathsheba's grandfather! Oh, how sin weaves its ugly thread. The Devil's apples all have worms! Satan is a beautiful liar. Sin thrills and then it kills. Sin fascinates and then it assassinates. The middle letter in the word “sin” is “i.” Just like the Devil, we all have “i.” problems! Isaiah 14:13-14, “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” Five times in these two Old Testament verses we find Satan putting himself before God. David got his priorities wrong and it led to sin. The guilty king lost the joy of his sweet fellowship with the Lord for several months, but he never lost free gift of God's salvation, which is by faith alone.
3. Just like the first physical birth, the new spiritual birth is irreversible. Just as the first physical birth cannot be undone, neither can the second spiritual birth be undone. Jesus said: “Ye must be born again” in John 3:3b. He didn't say that you have to be reborn again and again. Not one verse in the Holy Bible says anything about losing one's salvation, or of needing to be reborn again and again into God's family. Jesus plainly said in John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” The moment that you come to God as a guilty sinner, and put your childlike trust in the 'GOOD NEWS' (Gospel) that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God—the buried and risen Christ who died on a cross to pay for your sins, you are forever saved. Nothing more is required or allowed by God. If you're born twice you die once, if you're born once you die twice. It is that simple friend.
4.  If salvation could ever be lost, then it is dependent upon our faithfulness, which means God owes us a debt. Romans 4:4-5, “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

It is my hope, pray and privilege for God to use a broken humble sinner like me to help teach others for Christ. There is much heresy on social media; such as the lie that God's free gift of salvation can be lost, or must be maintained to stay saved. The Bible teaches: ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED (OSAS). To God alone be ALL the praise, credit and glory.

If God's Gift Of Salvation Could Be Lost, God Would Have To Undo Many Things

John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” 1st John 3:14, “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.”

The inspired Holy Bible is very clear that when a person gets saved, they have PASSED FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE. Getting saved is a bridge that cannot be crossed over twice, nor can we return to the former place of being unregenerated as before we received Christ. The new birth can be likened unto the physical birth in numerous ways:

1. Once born, always born (John 3:4).
2. Neither the physical or spiritual birth can be undone (John 6:47).
3. Just as the first birth was beyond our control, so also is the new birth completely of God (John 1:12-13).
4. No one has ever been born physically or spiritually twice. You can be born twice, but only once physically and once spiritually.
5. Just as we had to be born of the flesh to be alive physically, so also must we be born of the Holy Spirit to be alive spiritually.
6. A person can die physically, but cannot undo being born. Likewise, all humans are both spiritually dead, which is why we need to be born-again of God; but once born-again no one can ever be unborn spiritually. It is absolutely impossible!

If salvation could be lost or undone once spiritual rebirth has already occurred in a believer, God would then have to do numerous things the Bible never speaks of nor teaches! Surely the Holy Scripture would clearly illustrate these things, if God's gift of salvation could be forfeited.

Here are some of the things which God would have to undo, and would happen, if you and I could lose God's free gift of salvation (which is by faith alone in the Gospel):

1. God would have to pass us back from life unto death. John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
2. God would have to take back His free gift of eternal life, making Him a liar. Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
3. God would have to remove us spiritually from being seated with Christ in heavenly places. Ephesians 2:6, “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”
4. God would have to "un-join" us from Christ. Ephesians 4:16, “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”
5. God would have to "un-wash" us from the blood of Jesus that already washed me (1st Corinthians 6:9-11; Revelation 1:5). 1st John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
6. God would have to "un-seal" us from the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13-14, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”
7. God would have to impute our sins back to us, which He has already imputed to Jesus Christ by faith. Romans 4:5-6, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,”
8. God would have to restore our sins, no longer removed as far as the east is from the west. Psalms 103:12, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”
9. God would have to remember our sins again, which He had previously forgotten. Isaiah 43:25, “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”
10. God would have to break His own covenant He made with His Son and therefore would make Him a liar. Ezekiel 16:8, “Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness:​​ yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine.”
11. God would have to "un-adopt" us as His child. Romans 8:15, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”
12. God would have to leave and forsake us, even though He promised to never do so. Hebrews 13:5, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
13. God would have to "pluck us" out from His own hand, which He has already promised that nothing could ever do! John 10:28: “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.”
14. God would have to take back the free gift of eternal life that He has already given to us by faith. Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
15. God would have to “undo” the righteousness that He has already imputed to you and me by faith. Romans 4:6, “Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,”
16. God would have to fail to raise us up on the last day, going back on His solemn promise to do so. John 6:40, “ And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
17. God would have to fail in completing the “good work” in us, that He has already promised to perform. Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”
18. God would have to ignore the prayers of His Son on our behalf, Who intercedes for us as believers. John 17:9, “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.”
19. The Holy Spirit would have to stop making intercession for us when we pray. Romans 8:26. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
20. Jesus would have to stop being our heavenly High Priest. Hebrews 7:25, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
21. It would mean that salvation is really a reward and not a free gift, since we must do something to keep it. Romans 3:19-20, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
    
22. It would mean that we are no longer married to Christ. 2nd Corinthians 11:2, “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.”
23. It would mean that no believer can rejoice with 100% confidence that our name is written in Heaven, because we might lose it. Luke 10:20, “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”
24. It would cause every believer to live in fear, worry and uncertainty, never knowing if we are truly saved. 1st John 5:13, “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.”
25. The entire Bible would have to be written to retain God's integrity. The Gospel of John teaches us simply to BELIEVE to be saved. If salvation could be lost because of sin, unfaithfulness or any other reason, for the man that BELIEVES, then God lied. John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” Titus 3:5, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

If You Want Eternal Life, You Must Get It God's Way

John 6:27-29, “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

Thousands of people had followed Jesus for free food, having just witnessed the feeding of the 5,000 hungry people with a little boy's lunch. The blessed Savior rebuked the crowd for laboring for the meat which perishes (spoils). Instead, Jesus (always being soulwinning conscious, as we should be too) told the people that they should labor for the meat which lasts forever, which only Jesus can give someone. So the people naturally asked Jesus the $64,000 question: “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” The Lord's answer was as profound as it was simple: “believe on him...” (John 6:29b).

Dear reader, God's way of salvation is for you to BELIEVE ON JESUS! What must you believe? The Bible tells us:

1st Corinthians 15:1-4, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

There you have it, THE GOSPEL (meaning, “GOOD NEWS”):

1. Jesus died on the cross for our sins.
2. He was buried.
3. Christ resurrected from the dead the third day.

If you have BELIEVED, you have RECEIVED!!! You've simply got to believe the right thing. If you believe the wrong thing, then you WON'T receive eternal life.

One of my favorite passage of Scripture is Galatians 3:2, “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” What does that mean? Well, when a person gets saved, God immediately gives His Holy Spirit to live inside (indwell) that person's body, soul and spirit forever. Romans 8:99, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” The Apostle Paul is asking the Galatian churches how they got saved? Was it by keeping the law (works)? Or was it by the hearing of faith. That is, when you hear the Gospel preached, you simply put your faith (confidence) in it.

Paul wanted to know how they received God's indwelling Holy Spirit. 1st John 3:24, “And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.” I know I am saved because the Word of God says I am. I know I am saved because I have God's Holy Spirit living inside me. A person is saved the moment of belief, yet they have not lived one second of eternal life yet. Romans 8:16, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”

I know I am saved because the Holy Spirit bears witness with my spirit in accordance with the written promises of God's Word. I have obeyed the Gospel by trusting in Christ alone because of who He is (the Christ, the only begotten Son of God), and what He did for me (He died on the cross, was buried and bodily raised up the third day), and why He did it (because we are all guilty sinners and the wages of sin is death in Hell forever). I am saved by grace through faith alone—apart from all self-righteous works, repentance from sin, water baptism, church membership, public confession, running the race, persevering in holiness, exchanging all that I am for all that Christ is, forsaking the world, turning away from sinful bad habits, et cetera. If you add any of those things to the Gospel, you don't get grace!!!

In Galatians 3:2, the Apostle Paul wanted to know how they got saved. Was it by trying to keep the works of the law and merit their way to Heaven? Of was it by simply believing the Good News of Jesus crucified, buried and risen, which Paul had preached unto them. Dear friend, beware of all these false prophets today who add repentance of sin to faith. All that God requires to receive eternal life is that you BELIEVE ON JESUS. What saith the Scripture? John 6:40, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” The Bible is so simple! God's beautiful plan of salvation is so simple, free and easy!

The Holy Spirit wants us to believe what is WRITTEN in the Word of God, not feel saved based upon a chill or a thrill. 1st John 5:13, “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.” All God wants you to do to have eternal life is to BELIEVE His record in the Word of God that Jesus did it all for you on the cross. Simply BELIEVE that Jesus did it for you!!! John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” Simply BELIEVE on the only begotten (biological) Son of God.

The website of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) errantly teaches that to be saved a person must turn away from sin with all their heart. Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980) used to use similar words, but he clearly explained what he meant:

“Dear sinner, do not make this a difficult matter. There is one simple step between you and Jesus. When you trust Him, everything else is settled, and you have repented, you have come to Christ, you have received Him, you have done everything necessary to be saved.” —Dr. John R. Rice, a quote from his tract titled: “What Must I Do To Be Saved?”

Please don't miss what Dr. Rice said! The person who believes has repented. Repentance and faith are not two steps to be saved, they are two parts of ONE STEP! Repentance is a change of mind, period. I am sick and tired of incompetent preachers embellishing the meaning of repentance, perverting it. For example: The official doctrine of Campus Church's Foundations Class for all new church members at Pensacola Christian College errantly teaches: 

Screenshot of Heresy Displayed at 'Campus Church' on July 14, 2021

Dear friend, the Biblical meaning of repent (Greek noun: metanoia) is “a change of mind.” It does not mean, as PCC falsely teaches to its thousands of victimized students, that “repentance is a change of mind which results in a change of behavior.” Get thee behind me Satan! Sadly, when I kindly contacted Pastor Jeff Redlin about this heresy on July 15, 2021, he defended their heresy and refused to heed my Biblical warning. I came to Campus Church in a spirit of love and friendship, but was met with hatred by Jeff Redlin for my website ministry, contempt for me as a human being in need of love and guidance, and his arrogance as a snobby highly overpaid pastor of a cult. Any so-called church that perverts the meaning of repentance has corrupted God's grace and is a religious cult.

Listen, you cannot receive God's indwelling Holy Spirit through believing wrong! Anything that adds behavioral modification before, during or after the gift of salvation is another gospel (Galatians 1:6-9; 3:1-3; 5:4; 6:7). It is no light matter to pervert the grace of God. Getting saved is a legal matter of justification in God's sight. It has absolutely nothing to do with the way you choose to live thereafter. The way we choose to live as God's child is strictly a matter of sanctification, discipleship and service; and not of salvation, justification and sonship.

I love what Pilgrim's Progress author John Bunyan said:

“If you do not put a difference between justification wrought by the man Christ without and sanctification wrought by the Spirit of Christ within, you are not able to divide the Word aright; but contrariwise, you corrupt the Word of God, and cast stumbling blocks before the people.” —John Bunyan (1628-1688)

Amen and amen! John Bunyan nailed what is wrong with the Lordship Salvation crowd today, who combine and confuse sanctification with justification, and in so doing corrupt the Word of God and cast stumblingblocks before the people. That is the woeful sin of the Bob Jones University cult today, and false prophets like Marty Herron, Steve Pettit, Gary Walton, Charles Phelps, John MacArthur, Paul Washer, Ray Comfort, Beth Moore, Billy Graham, Franklin Graham and countless more evildoers. These wicked false prophets damn souls to the Lake of Fire with a counterfeit plan of salvation which cannot produce the new birth. Jesus warned in John 3:3b, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Jesus warned in Matthew 7:13-14 that there is a highway which leadeth to Hell, which many people are traveling. Jesus said that the way unto life is narrow, and the gate is strait, and only a few people will ever find it. The Savior tells us the reason why in Matthew 7:15, because of FALSE PROPHETS! Most people are going to miss Heaven and spend eternity burning in the fires of Hell, because they believed a false prophet instead of the written Word of God. Dear friend, if you want eternal life, you must get it God's way. Philippians 3:9, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” Again and again in the Holy Scriptures we are told that we are saved by GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS!!!

Folks, what does repenting and turning away from your sin have to do with God's righteousness which is BY FAITH? That's right, absolutely nothing!!! Nowhere in the inspired King James Bible does it say to repent “of your sin.” If a man is not saved by good works, then you cannot use good works as evidence that you are saved. Think about that. If good works prove that a man is saved, then why wouldn't a lost man who does good works also be saved? So we must have some evidence that is incontrovertible that we are saved, and that evidence is the written Word of God and the indwelling Holy Spirit who bears witness with our spirit that we are saved, because we obeyed the Gospel. The lost person does not have God's Spirit indwelling them, nor can they understand spiritual things (1st Corinthians 2:14-16).

God made His plan of salvation very simple. You are a guilty sinner, and so am I (Romans 3:23). Jesus is the blessed Savior who paid our debt of sin with His precious blood (1st Peter 1:18-19). To go to Heaven, we must be sinless! That means we need someone else to pay our way, which is what Christ did on the cross. The moment that you put your confidence in Jesus, accepting His sacrifice on the cross as payment for your sins, believing that He raised up from the dead the third day, you are eternally saved. You are now a redeemed and adopted child of God by faith. John 1:12-13, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

David J. Stewart, 2017