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The Bible has absolute proof regarding eternal salvation and security, if some care to heed the Bible:
Shall we depend on our works for salvation, if so, then we might lose our salvation! Why is this type of statements believed by so many?
God's Word the Bible, moreover, declares that salvation is the work of God:
Jonah 2:9: salvation is of the Lord.
God teaches us that salvation originated by God the Father, wrought through Christ Jesus the Son of God, implemented by God the Holy Spirit - this work is all the work of the Godhead, not men. When God uses the word "salvation" in His Bible, it communicates a truth regarding the terms: saving, rescuing, deliverance, preservation from the bondage of sin, the bondage of the Law, deliverance from the policy of evil by Satan, deliverance form the consequences of sin which are to be levied in hell. The word "salvation" communicates to us a permanent restoration unto God, thus making the believer to be a partaker of the infinite riches of God's grace.
The Apostle Paul gives a clear description of how a sinner is saved by saying that salvation is Ephesians 2:8: by grace through faith. The Apostle Paul says salvation is not "by works of the Law" "For by grace are ye saved through faith". If Paul had reversed this statement, then it would read, "faith through grace", but this would place the emphasis upon man's faith rather than God work to save us - it is by grace which places the emphasis upon God to perform the work, and not on man to perform the work.
Galatians 2:16: Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ,
If a fully assured salvation was not a present possession that we have, then it would be possible that we might lose it. But God's Word the Bible declares that a believer already has been saved (using past tense grammar). God's Word also declares that a believer already has the possession of heaven with all its blessings!
In God's Word the Bible declares that a believer already has been saved from the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13), from wrath (I Th. 5:9), from death (see II Corinthians 1:10), and from destruction (II Thessalonians 1:9). A sinner who trusts in Christ becomes: a son of God (Romans 8:14-15), a child of God (John 1:12-13), regenerated from sin (Titus 3:5), a new creature (II Corinthians 5:17), a heavenly citizen (Philippians 3:20), an heir to God's grace and inheritance (Romans 5:2; Ephesians 1:18), and is declared complete in Christ (Colossians 2:9-10).
These truths are made possible because these efforts are by the declaration and council and will by THE immutable Holy God, which God declared that any sinner who ultimately has faith in Christ Jesus is then immediately "declared righteous" BY GOD (Romans 3:21-26), declared to be "justified" BY GOD (Romans 3:24), declared "sanctified" BY GOD (I Corinthians 6:11), declared BY GOD to be perfected forever (Hebrews 10:14), and delivered BY GOD from the powers of darkness (Acts 26:18), and placed on the solid Rock which is Christ (I Corinthians 3:9-15). If we trust God that He is of God, then we must trust His Word's regarding the things that God has declared (Romans 3:21-26, I Corinthians 6:11, Hebrews 10:14, Acts 26:18, I Corinthians 3:9-15).
In the future eternal state all believers shall be: raised from the dead - For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (I Thessalonians 4:16), changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (I Corinthians 15:52), we shall be like Him - Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is (I John 3:2), be with Him - Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (I Thessalonians 4:17).
If our salvation did not depend solely upon the grace of God, we might lose it.
In God's Word the Bible declares that eternal life is dependent totally upon God the Life-giver. To promote eternal security as a work which is dependent on man to perform works for salvation is the same thing as to place dishonor to God the Life-giver. It is impossible for man to make himself his own preserver of his own eternal life - to overcome the death penalty of sin.
If a man could work to make himself his own preserver of eternal life and salvation in order to overcome the death penalty of sin, then that man's works would play a major part in man's salvation - this would therefore nullify the grace of God (Romans 4:4). Scripture clearly teaches that the reward of good works is debt to God:
Romans 4:4: Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of DEBT.
DEBT is the reward one must pay to God if one depends on good works for affecting the means of one's salvation. This Scripture does not talk about bad works! Rather, it is talking about good works that a man can utilize to contribute as to make his salvation more secure. But does God use man's good worlds to save a man? THe reverse is the fact that we find in the Bible.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them
For his workmanship are we, created in connection with Christ Jesus for good works. This is what we are. This is what must think of ourselves in regard to good works. Our own effort of good works are nothing but the product of what God himself has made us to be when He created our spiritual life by His grace. The grammar emphasis is on the "we are his" workmanship, not on our workmanship of good works. Therefore, we see clearly that God's Word says that believers are not saved by works, but by grace through faith in which follows good works as the by product of God himself creating for us to perform.
In Ephesians 2:10, the emphasis is on the phrase: "unto good works" plus the relative clause: "which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them". So completely is this idea that our salvation is due to the works are due only as the result of God's saving work in us. These "good works" are such as God adjudges as good and not the world judges as superficial. They are all of the thoughts, reckoning, words, doctrines and deeds in which the righteousness and holiness of the new life In Christ have manifested themselves in us who are saved. They all spring forth from faith and doctrine, and are all done unto Christ. Such works are an utter impossibility before our salvation; only the new creature in Christ Jesus is able to bring them forth to fruit. This, too, is god's purpose that every one of us who lives in Christ should manifest the fruits of such a life. John 15:8: Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit;
God's Word explicitly teaches that saving faith will be followed by good works AFTER the guarantee of our salvation, NOT as the instrument TO ACHIEVE salvation! It is GOD that causes you to perform His good works AFTER salvation:
Philippians 2:13: For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
It is God that causes these good works for you to perform, it is not the possession of man's will or man's pleasure to do them. The book of James does NOT trump the grace of God preached in the Pauline epistles. God's Word explicitly teaches "For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works" (Ephesians 2:10).
Paul, writing to the carnal Corinthians said that it is "our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful..." (I Corinthians 1:8-9). The psalmist wrote, "For the Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance" (Psalams 94:14; cp. Hebrews 13:5).
If Grace salvation does not unite us to Christ, then some say we might lost our salvation.
Every believer is inseparably united by God the Holy Spirit into Christ's body (Romans 6; I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 5:23-32). "For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones" (Ephesians 5:30). Being "in Christ" is an extremely strong support for eternal perseverance. "Your life is hid with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). The phrase "in Christ" is found 12 times in the book of Ephesians alone! If God declares that the believer is placed "in Christ", then God will be our guarantee that we can never amputated from that position of In Christ, which is His will for us.
Romans 8:31: What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:33: Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
Romans 8:34: 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.
There are so many Scriptures here that support perfect assurance of eternal security for salvation In Christ…. If anyone uses Scriptures that counters these Scriptures, then that person is effectively saying that God is a liar in Scriptures like Romans 3:21-26, I Corinthians 6:11, Hebrews 10:14, Acts 26:18, I Corinthians 3:9-15! Moreover since we can trust God fully for His declarations and councils of righteousness, sanctification, perfection, then we can then believe and know with absolute certainty that we are of God (I John 5:19), and we have passed from death unto life (I John 3:14), and that we are "in Christ" and "in Him" (Romans 8:1, 125, I John 2:5), and that we as faithful trust that we do possess eternal life (I John 5:11).
Why can’t you just have faith that you have been saved? Who needs proof?
You use His name, but does He know you?
Proof is not in the Bible,(although it is correct) proof is in the experience.
Ping
My salvation is assured because I have faith. I believed, repented and I asked for salvation. That is all that is required.
Reckon I'll know it when I get there.
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life ,and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13)
Jesus said so. Jesus promises us that security.
John 3:14-18 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
John 6:37-40 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 10:7-9 7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
John 10:27-29 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.
**The Bible has absolute proof regarding eternal salvation and security, if some care to heed the Bible:**
OK, started heeding! look at the initial conversions of the Ephesians in Acts:
19:1 we read that Paul came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples that apparently had a belief in Jesus Christ (possibly from the testimony of Apollos. 18:28).
vs 2. He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost SINCE ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
vs 3. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptised? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.
vs 4. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
vs 5. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
vs 6. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
vs 7. And all the men were about twelve.
FACT: All the epistles were written to people that were already born again. Those letters are to be read and understood in THAT context.
“Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints....” Romans 1:6,7
Paul reminded the saints in Rome about their conversion: “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life”. Romans 6:3,4
Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:
Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of general interest.
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (18ο λογος γαρ ο του σταυρου τοις μεν απολλυμενοις μωρια εστιν τοις δε σωζομενοις ημιν δυναμις θεου εστιν)It's a process that's initiated in this life. It's finalized upon his return when you stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Nothing will keep you from being there, unless you turn away and are lost.
--I Corinthians 1:18
"For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." (15οτι χριστου ευωδια εσμεν τω θεω εν τοις σωζομενοις και εν τοις απολλυμενοις)
II Corinthians 2:15
AN EXCELLENT SOBERING SERMON . . .
related to being acceptable to God and ready for Heaven. . .
BY UGANDAN PASTOR JOHN MULINDE about being sold out to Jesus and forsaking sin etc:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4WSe5tK_2Y
He’ll let you know when you get there.
Hopefully He won’t choose to judge based on these “holier than thou” threads.