ETERNAL SECURITY
Queen for a Day was a game
show that aired on the radio from 1945-1957 and on
television from 1956-1964.
The television series was hosted by Jack Baily and became very popular, so
popular that television commercials eventually aired for $4,000 per minute. The
younger crowd probably isn’t familiar with it, but those in my age group should
remember it well.
When I hear people react
negatively to once saved, always saved (OSAS), I think about this game show.
They act as if “everlasting life” is something God passes out temporarily and
confiscates when we mess up. However, “everlasting life” means just what it
says. It is everlasting. It has no end. It lasts forever. It is eternal.
For a true Christian, everlasting
life is just that. It will never end. While on this earth it is everlasting,
and when we leave this earth it is everlasting in Heaven with our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ. It never ends.
God has always been
everlasting (eternal). He has no beginning and He has no end. With those who
are true Christians, we do have a beginning, but we have no end, because Jesus
has provided for us everlasting (eternal) life. God has gifted those of us with
the same everlasting life of Jesus because He lives within each of us.
So, if Jesus saves us, are we
saved for a day, as the game show was played? Are we just saved until we mess
up, or is it everlasting (eternal)? When coming to Christ as an unbeliever, is
it really all that important to believe that He will save us permanently
(everlastingly, eternally) and not just temporarily? If we can only believe in
a temporary salvation, what kind of belief is that?
Eternal Security (Saved & Lost)
Two issues keep coming up
concerning this whole thing of OSAS. First of all, should OSAS even be
considered when coming to Christ to be saved? Secondly, many Christians and
non-Christians think we can lose our salvation once we get it.
Should OSAS even be
considered when coming to Christ to be saved? I will say up front, “Yes.” Why?
I believe it is a natural part of the “belief” or “faith” process when we put
our faith in Jesus to save us.
Many will quote Acts 16:31.
“And they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and
thy house.” I have quoted it many times myself. The problem arises when something
to the effect of, “just believe,” or “all you have to do is believe” is stated
with no thought of what that involves. Both are true, but what does “believing”
actually involve?
James said, “You believe that
there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder.” The book
of James is all about, “what is true belief?” So the question is, “what do we
mean by “believe?” I know what God means by “believe,” but what do we mean by
it?
I can’t imagine going through
life and constantly worrying about someone or something taking my gift of
salvation away from me that Jesus bled and died for.
The Apostle Paul tells us, “What
shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He
that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not
with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge
of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is
Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right
hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from
the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed
all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all
these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 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.” (Romans 8:31-39)
To say “eternal security”
(OSAS) is unscriptural or not important, is absolutely not true. I’m sorry, but
there’s just no other way to describe it, and I haven’t even touched the host
of other passages in God’s Word that address this.
So, is OSAS really that
important? It is very important to understand and accept when becoming a
Christian and living out our lives as a Christian. When saying “I believe” in
Jesus to save me I recognize several factors in that one, small, two-word
statement: I am a sinner. He will forgive me all my sins (past, present and
future). He is not only my Savior, but also my Lord. I will always be His
forever and ever (OSAS) because He bought me with His own precious blood. There
is nothing I can do to save myself or keep myself, but as my Redeemer He saves
me and keeps me. All of that, in an instant, is included in those two words; “I
believe.”
Eternal Security Is A Gift
The Apostle Paul says in
Ephesians 2:8-10 the following:
“For it is by grace you have
been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of
God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork,
created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us
to do.”
Notice carefully that our
salvation is a “gift” from God when we put our trust in Jesus. It is without
works on our part. Jesus supplied the works. Faith is the vehicle, and
salvation is the reward. Also notice further what Paul says in Romans 11:29
about gifts: “for God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.” By God’s own
promise, once the gift of salvation has been given to us by God through the
works of Jesus Christ, they are IRREVOCABLE.
When I put my trust in Jesus
to save me, I knew it was a gift and I trusted Him to never take it away from
me. As one who has been a Christian for sixty years, I still have that gift. I
have never deserved it, but I am so thankful to Jesus that I can have it and
keep it forever and ever without end. I am also thankful that my salvation is
sealed (guaranteed, 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30) by the Holy
Spirit and stored securely in Heaven.
I can’t imagine witnessing to
someone and telling them that the gift of salvation Jesus offers is not
permanent and that there are many factors that determine whether or not they
get to keep it.
Come As A Child
How many, on Christmas day or
a birthday, will hand out gifts with the condition that the recipient must
forfeit the gift(s) if they don’t live up to certain standards? I have never
given a gift under those conditions. I have never received a gift under those
conditions.
When a child is small his/her
parents are almost like a god to them. (We parents know that attitude changes
when they become teenagers.) They have absolute trust in their parents. This is
where Jesus was coming from when He said, “…Suffer little children, and forbid
them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew
19:14) He is emphasizing absolute trust in Him.
A child’s belief in their
parents includes everything written in this article and more. They don’t just
believe and ignore the fact that they are a permanent part of that family.
Regardless of what happens in their lives, they will always be a part of that
family and that fact is IRREVOCABLE.
To The Rescue
The life guard may not like
me, but if I am drowning and call for help he will rescue me. Will he decide
later, for whatever reason, to throw me back in to be shark food? Of course
not!
If a fireman rescues me from
a burning building, will he toss me back into the burning building if I fail to
live up to some preconceived standard? No, that will not happen.
Jesus knows we will never
live up to His standards. We will constantly fall on our face. Jesus did not
come to call the righteous (because there aren’t any), but sinners to
repentance (Luke 5:32). We believe (trust). He saves. He keeps that which has
been entrusted to Him.
Part 3 will conclude with “repentance
and works.”
Grant Phillips
Email: grantphillips@windstream.net
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
