ETERNAL SECURITY?

ETERNAL SECURITY?

The cost of salvation has always been the same. For Adam and Eve God himself provided a blood sacrifice on their behalf (Gen. 3:21). This was certainly no fashion statement. And if it was only for a covering against the cold Adam could have done it. This was an offering for sin. And Cain and Abel made sacrifices too. The only one God accepted was the blood sacrifice of Abel (Gen. 4:1ff). Why? Because, to remove the penalty of sin there must be a blood sacrifice (Lev. 17:11). The O.T. teaches us that God was planning all along to provide that sacrifice for us. It was teaching us that Jesus would be the sacrifice we needed (Gal. 3:22-26).

But God’s laws required the offering to be made in a way that we were totally incapable of doing. We needed a spotless offering, made by a holy and sinless high priest, in God’s temple and on His altar in Heaven. You will find this expressed in Hebrew 8-10 (particularly read, 8:1-2; 9:11-12; 9:24-26; 10:10).

If that is what it takes to save you, what would it take to lose your salvation? That is the question Paul asks his Jewish friends in Heb. 6:4-6. Allow me to paraphrase, “It is impossible, if a person were truly saved (v.4,5), and if they lost that salvation, to ever regain salvation because they would need another sacrifice (v.6).” You see, Paul is saying that if you lost your salvation the only way to regain it would be to re-sacrifice Christ; and God will never allow such a thing. He states the case in Hebrews 10:26-29. The Jews had taught that Christ forgave past sin but willful, outright sin after conversion required the temple sacrifices be continued for future forgiveness.

Listen to Paul’s explanation:

Heb 10:26 For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, (no other sacrifice can work if Christ’s sacrifice was insufficient. His sacrifice cleanses from past, present and future sin or…not at all.)

Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. (If his sacrifice was ineffective hell is inevitable)

Heb 10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

Heb 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?  (“trodden under foot” and “counted the blood of the covenant…an unholy thing” is the unstated attitude of the person who feels they need something in addition to Christ’s sacrifice.) 

Remember the question leading the above paragraph, “If that is what it takes to save you, what would it take to lose your salvation?” Adam, in a sinless state, committed one act of disobedience. He simply ate of the tree that God had restricted. In that one act of disobedience he condemned all of humanity (Romans 5:12ff) for all of eternity. If we can lose salvation it will be lost with our very first act of disobedience. And according to what we saw in the above passages we can never reclaim it because we would need to re-sacrifice Christ which would “put him to an open shame.”

Also, if a person is truly saved God made a down payment on their soul. He put within each of us His Holy Spirit, a promise that He would come again and claim us as His very own (Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:15-16) and God has never lost a down payment yet.

Now look at Romans 8:29-39 God knows all things and so He knows who will or will not be saved. (I believe He “knows” but does not “determine” who will be saved; a study I will not get into here.) So, He does everything necessary to secure our salvation and safe arrival in Heaven. He predetermined that we would be like Christ, and placed us in right standing before Himself (justified) and has already glorified us. And if that is not enough look at verses 31-33. Who can stand against us? God gives us everything we need to remain His child. Who can say we have sinned? Only God, and He is the one who said we are in right standing with Him (v.33). Who can condemn us? Only Christ, but he is the one who died for us, was raised as proof of our forgiveness, and now intercedes on our behalf before God (v.34). So, then what can separate us from God’s love which is ours in Christ? Nobody, nothing, ever, anywhere (v. 35-39).

You see, God had a plan that one day he would have a people who would stand before him holy, blameless and in a loving relationship and he would accomplish that through his son Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:1-13). Through the blood sacrifice of His son all who would believe will, assuredly, stand holy and blameless before God bringing glory to God for his love and grace in saving us.

Have you noticed that in all this discussion there has been no mention of what “we” do? “He” planned it, “He” enacted it, and by His Holy Spirit “He” sealed it. His plan will not fail because none of it depends upon us or our ability. It is simply a matter of trusting that God really does love us that much (John 3:16).

See also: http://christxalted.blogspot.com/2016/01/how-to-be-born-again.html