The Eternal Security Of The Believer

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Category: Eternal Security

Published on Saturday, 28 March 2009 06:06

Written by Ryan Hicks

THE ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER

By Ryan Hicks

Twice in the 18th Chapter of Ezekiel God says, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:4, 20). How does this harmonize with the modern-day doctrine of the eternal security of the believer, or once saved, always saved? It doesn't harmonize at all, because the once saved, always saved doctrine is a doctrine of man, not of God. The modern-day eternal security doctrine cheapens the grace of God. (Although it can not actually be cheapened, they try to make up their own cheapened version of it.) If God were to forgive a believer without them confessing their sin and repenting of it, then He would have to forgive the sinner that sins without them confessing their sin and repenting of it. Otherwise He would be a respecter of persons (see Romans 2:11) and an unjust judge, but the word says, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right" (Genesis 18:25)?

God says in Exodus 34:6-7, "...The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty...." Unless a Christian who has sinned repents of and confesses their sin they will not be cleared. Colossians 3:25 says, "But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons [with God]."

Many people today twist, distort, and pervert many Scriptures in their vain attempt to prove that once someone is saved they can never forfeit their salvation. Let's look at a few of these Scriptures. "And I give unto them [His sheep] 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" (John 10:28-29). A quick glance at these verses may seem to imply that once you receive eternal life you can never forfeit it, but a careful interpretation of Scripture with Scripture proves quite the contrary. Jesus said, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned" (John 15:5-6). If someone does not abide in Christ then they willingly abandon the gift of eternal life by sinning.

Some may ask, "How can you be given eternal life and then forfeit it? Wouldn't that make it temporary life and not eternal or everlasting life?" This question stems from a lack of understanding of what exactly eternal life is. Eternal life is the life that Christ gives us when we are born-again. Whether we possess it for one week or forever does not change the fact that this kind of life is eternal. Such a question could be answered with a question such as, "If I have a watch that would last for all eternity and forfeit it, does it cease to be an eternal watch simply because I did not possess it eternally?" Of Course not! So it is the same with eternal life. The duration of this life is for eternity, although our possession of it may be temporary.

Another Scripture used to "prove" the once saved, always saved doctrine is Romans 8:38-39 which says, "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." In the context of this chapter these verses tell us that nothing can separate us from the love of God, because "in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us" (Romans 8:37). As long as we abide in Christ, we are more than conquerors, and nothing can stop us from loving God.

"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (1 John 2:3-4). This Scripture alone destroys the sandy foundation that the doctrine of once saved, always saved is built on (Matthew 7:24-27). Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15), and "He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings" (John 14:24). The Holy Spirit inspired John to warn us of these false prophets who proclaim once saved, always saved. John wrote, "Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil... Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God" (1 John 3:7-9). As long as we live righteously according to God's word, the seed of the word remains in us, and we cannot sin. If we sin, we break our union with the word, and His seed no longer remains in us.

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever" (1 Peter 1:23). "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:21). Through the incorruptible seed of God's word we are born-again, and as long as we let the engrafted word grow in our spirits, we are saved. Jesus said, "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you" (John 15:12). "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5:2-3) All we have to do to stay saved is love God, and keep His commandments.

"Be ye holy; for I am holy" (Leviticus 11:44-45; 1 Peter 1:15-16). "For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness" (1 Thessalonians 4:7). "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Titus 2:11-12). "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 7:1). "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth" (2 Thessalonians 2:13). "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness" (Ephesians 4:23-24). "That he would grant unto us, that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life" (Luke 1:74-75).

"Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:4). "When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die" (Ezekiel 18:26). "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind [sodomites], Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness" (Romans 6:15-16)?

"The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die" (Ezekiel 18:20-28). The Lord makes it very clear that His ways are equal. If "the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die." In the same respect "when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die."

Forsaking salvation not only makes one liable for their current sins they committed after salvation, but according to the above verses it also makes them accountable for all the previously forgiven sins. Matthew 18:21-35 also makes this same point in regard to a believer not forgiving someone who sins against us and then asks for forgiveness, "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses."

"For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me [yes, God leaves you when you sin, see Judges 16:20; 1 Samuel 10:9-13, 16:14, 18:12; Hosea 9:12 or it could be better stated that you leave Him]. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation [he had forfeited it through sin]; and uphold me with thy free spirit" (Psalm 51:3, 7-12).

"But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die" (Ezekiel 18:24). "When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby" (Ezekiel 33:18). "Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth. When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and committeth iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it" (Ezekiel 33:12-13).

"Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins" (James 5:19-20). "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it" (Hebrews 4:1). "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else hold to the one, and despise the other" (Matthew 6:24). "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free [from sin]. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant [of sin] abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free [from sin], ye shall be free indeed" (John 8:31-32, 34-36).

One time when I was teaching on the subject of eternal security and the possibility of forfeiting one's salvation I was asked by a woman, "Where is God's grace in that [the teaching of losing salvation through sin]?" The Holy Spirit immediately prompted me to prophesy and say, "My New Birth is my grace!" The Holy Spirit then brought 2 Corinthians 5:17 out of my spirit and I quoted it saying, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." You see, we could question God's grace if He only forgave our sins, but He didn't just forgive us of our sins when we were born-again, He also gave us a renewed spirit so we could live righteously as a new creature in Christ! In other words the grace of God is made manifest in the fact that He not only forgave us of our sins, but through the New Birth He enabled us to live free from sin! Praise God!

There is a big difference between apostasy and backsliding, although backsliding without repentance could eventually lead to apostasy. A believer backslides when they commit sin, and thus break their union with God. A believer apostatizes when they totally reject the faith and fall away. Once one apostatizes they cannot be renewed again unto repentance (Hebrews 6:6), because they have shut out the Holy Spirit's calling them to repentance through the hardening of their hearts (Hebrews 3:12-13).

The false teachers of today say that if someone totally rejects the faith and turns their back on God then they must have never truly been saved. They have to say this because it is a Scriptural truth that people do get saved and later apostasy from the faith, and this fact demolishes their false doctrine of once saved, always saved. Why would Paul exhort believers to "continue in the faith" (Acts 14:22) if once you are saved, you are always saved? How could someone have "erred from the faith" (1 Timothy 6:10, 21) if they never were in the faith? How can someone "transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ" (2 John 9) if they had never abode in the doctrine of Christ? How could two men err "concerning the truth" and even "overthrow the faith of some" if they and the ones whose faith they overthrew were never really saved (2 Timothy 2:18)? How can some "turn aside" from the faith if they never had turned to it (1 Timothy 1:5-6)? How can someone that was "clean" (righteous, saved) be allured into sin if they were never really clean or saved (2 Peter 2:18)? How can some people "depart from the faith" if they were never Christians (1 Timothy 4:1)? How did some of the Christians in Galatia become "fallen from grace" if they had never received that grace (Galatians 5:4)? Obviously these people all were saved, but did not stay saved through continuing to work righteousness (Acts 10:35).

"For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them" (2 Peter 2:20-21). The fact that these people had "escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" proves that they were born-again believers at one time (see 2 Peter 1:4). They were entangled again and overcome by the pollutions of the world. They didn't simply backslide, they apostatized by turning "from the holy commandment delivered unto them."

"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin" (Hebrews 3:12-14). "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" (Hebrews 6:4-6). "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul" (Hebrews 10:38-39). "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition [Anti-christ]" (2 Thessalonians 2:3). "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" (1 Timothy 4:1).

There is no need to fear that you may apostasy or have apostatized. If you repent and confess your sin you will be forgiven (1 John 1:9). If you live righteously then God "is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24).

"But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him" (Acts 10:35). "I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:19-23). Those who live righteously will receive the gift of eternal life, but those who sin, believer or unbeliever, get paid their wages of eternal death because God is no respecter of persons (2 Samuel 14:14; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25).

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh [commits sin] shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting" (Galatians 6:7-8). "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Romans 8:12-13). "For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 3:8). "But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end" (Hebrews 3:6). "For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end" (Hebrews 3:14). "It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he will also deny us" (2 Timothy 2:11-12).

"Look to yourselves, that we forfeit not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son" (2 John 8-9). "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things [the things mentioned in 2 Peter 1:5-9], ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:10-11). "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" (John 6:27).

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have a advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1). "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" (Philippians 1:6). "Beloved, now are we the sons of God..." (1 John 3:2). "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). "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved..." (Mark 16:16). "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" (John 3:15-16). "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" (John 5:24).

"...[He] that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting" (Galatians 6:8). "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption" (Ephesians 4:30) and "ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise" (Ephesians 1:13). "...I know in whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day" (2 Timothy 1:12). "Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Peter 1:5). "For we are saved by hope..." (Romans 8:24). "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved" (Matthew 10:22, see also Matthew 24:13). "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him" (Romans 5:9). "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love" (Ephesians 1:4).

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Romans 8:1). "[God] Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:8-9). "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand" (Romans 14:4). "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:36). "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. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (1 John 5:10-12). "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of [eternal] life which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 1:1).

These Scriptures all prove the eternal security of the believer, but not as it is taught by most people. Truly all believers are eternally secure as long as they live according to the word. This doesn't mean that works of righteousness save you, because they clearly cannot (Acts 13:38-39; Romans 4:6; 10:9-10; Galatians 2:16; 3:11-28; Ephesians 2:8-9), but it does mean "that faith without works is dead" (James 2:20).

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