The Basis of our Eternal Security
1) Upon His Sovereign Purpose
Eternal purpose declared: Eph 1:11-12. This eternal purpose is anchored within the veil, confirmed by an oath: Heb 6:17-20.
2) Upon His Solemn Promise
Our salvation depends upon His promise, and not our faithfulness: Rom 4:16: Therefore, it is of faith [nothing on man’s part], that it might be by grace [everything on God’s part]; to the end the promise might be sure…
If it depended at any point upon human ability to continue to believe, then the promise could not be secure. The promise that those who believe will be saved is confirmed everywhere: Gen 15:6; Jn 3:16; Acts 16:33; Rom 4:23-24, et al.)
3) Upon His Infinite Power
He is free to save us. Christ’s death has rendered God free to save us in spite of moral imperfection. Our eternal security does not depend upon our moral worthiness. Christ is the propitiation for our sins (1 Jn 2:2).
(To assume that there is some sin which is sufficiently serious to cause us to forfeit our salvation is to assume that we were less worthy of salvation after having committed this sin than before, and it reduces salvation down to human ability to merit it.)
He has purposed to keep us saved:
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 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. 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.
John 6:37-40
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.
John 10:28, 29
“Shall never” is a double negative in the Greek, a form which is especially emphatic.
Note: There are two hands involved! I have searched the original texts; I cannot find “Whoops!” (no one has ever called God “Butterfingers”).
Some suggest that we, ourselves, can yet snatch ourselves out of the Father’s hand. What kind of security is it that offers no security against our own weaknesses? (Jn 5:24).
4) Upon His “Much More” Love
His intent is love based: Cf. Rom 5:6-10. God knew when He saved us that we were totally depraved, and therefore any new manifestation of sin in our lives after our conversion cannot be any motivation to God to change His mind and withdraw His grace and His salvation. Cf. Rom 11:29; Rom 8:32, 38-39.
He saved us for reasons independent of us and outside of us. He was motivated by His electing love, and not by observation of good in the sinner. We will explore that in our next session we review, Romans 9:10-13.
5) Upon His Answer to the Prayer of His Son
We, as believers, are called many things in Scripture: saints, believers, elect, sheep, partakers, etc. But the title most dear to the heart of Christ is repeated seven times in His high priestly prayer (Jn 17): “those whom
thou hast given me.” (Cf. Jn 17:11-12). Jesus prays that we will be kept from hell (17:15); and will be with Him in heaven (17:20, 24). [This keeping is from perishing, not necessarily all forms of inheritance.]
I believe that the Father always answers the prayers of the Son (Jn 11:42).
A Chain of Five Links: Romans 8:29-30
God’s sovereign purpose is exemplified in these two verses:
29] For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30] Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
This eternal choice and foreknowledge involves more than establishing a relationship between God and believers—it involves the certainty of our sanctification! Those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son (Rom 8:29).
1) Foreknow: prior choice, as well as advance knowledge (Amos 3:2): a personal, loving, and intimate prior choice. The process starts with foreknowledge. The entire group is brought into God’s eternal plan by divine foreknowledge and choice is predestined, “predetermined.”
2) Predestinate: simply planned in advance. Eph 1:4-6 adds insight…
3) Called: referred to here is the efficacious call to come to Him. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice and they follow Me” (Jn 10:27-30).This is an effectual calling: all that are justified will be glorified (Rom8:23).
4) Justified: declared righteous (Rom 5:1; Cf. Rom 3:24, 28; 4:2; 5:1, 9).
5) Glorified: “Glorified” is another way of saying that God’s children will be “conformed” to His Son; and that is God’s ultimate “purpose.”No longer will they “fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). In theprocess not a single person is lost.
These are five unbreakable links: “Those…he also”: This is a clear statement of the eternal security of the saints.
The resurrected and glorified Lord Jesus Christ will become the Head of a new race of humanity, purified from all contact with sin and prepared to live eternally in His presence: cf. 1 Cor 15:42-49 (which precedes the rapture passage!).
Between the start and finish of God’s plan are indispensable steps:
1) being called (cf. Rom 1:6; 8:28),
2) being justified(cf. Rom 3:24, 28; 4:2; 5:1, 9), and
3) being glorified(cf. Rom 8:17; Col 1:27; 3:4).
…and in the process not a single person is lost. God completes His plan without any slippage or shrinkage of inventory! Precisely the same number of men are called, justified, and glorified.
Excerpt from the Study on Romans chapter 8- Chuck Missler/
www.Khouse.org