There is no Biblical doctrine today any more controversial than the Eternal Security of the believer. The internet has become extremely popular since the 1990s and many people are seeking for answers in cyberspace. Sadly, there is much misinformation and perversion of the Scriptures on the internet. Hence, I am writing this book in defense of the great Biblical doctrine of Eternal Security. You are welcome to freely share and republish this book, and please do so.
It is the author's hope of this manuscript to convince the reader, using sound Biblical teaching, that a believer can NEVER lose salvation. In other words, “Once Saved, Always Saved.” I actually prefer the statement, “If Saved, Always Saved,” because many professed “Christians” these days have never been saved to begin with. They have been duped by a false gospel. Howbeit, those who are saved are eternally secure in the everlasting arms of their Heavenly Father.
Before entering into the truths found in this book, this author simply asks the reader to bow his head and pray, “Lord, teach me the truth about Eternal Security.” May the Lord use this manuscript as a part of His answer to your prayer.
John 6:37, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
Likewise, every new believer is sealed with the Holy Spirit, making us eternally secure and preserved in God's protective hands. The Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are saved. Romans 8:16, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." Amen! We are sealed by God the Father when we get saved. John 6:27, "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." Notice the words, "him hath God the Father sealed." Every believer is sealed with the Holy Spirit at the time of salvation, safe and secure in the loving hands of the Heavenly Father.
In view of the plain teaching of the Scriptures, how ridiculous it is for anyone to question the eternal security of the believer. We are sealed by God's Holy Spirit, i.e., that Spirit of promise, the moment we place our faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. Salvation is a matter of God keeping His promise to those who come to Him by way of His Son, Jesus Christ. John 14:6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 6:37,47, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life." God the Father PROMISES eternal life to those who believe on Jesus Christ! We repeatedly find the word "promise" in the Scriptures concerning eternal life. For example, Titus 1:2, "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began." Notice the word "promised."
Those critics who reject the Biblical doctrine of the Eternal Security of the believer are calling God a liar, because they have not taken God at His PROMISE. God PROMISES eternal life to anyone who acknowledges their guilt of sin and comes to the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness. God then seals that person with the Spirit of PROMISE. The Holy Spirit Who lives within the body of every believer then testifies "with our spirit, that we are THE CHILDREN OF GOD" (Romans 8:16). No amount of sin, nor backsliding, nor anything else can cause us to lose our salvation, because God PROMISED eternal life to anyone who believes on the Lord. Salvation is a matter of God keeping His PROMISE; and not how we live or think as believers. Salvation is receiving; not giving. Our part is only to believe, God does the rest. God gives us His Holy Spirit of PROMISE the moment we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior, and the Holy Spirit witnesses with our spirit that we are God's child. If salvation can be lost, and then gained, and then lost again, and then gained, then salvation would not be a matter of God keeping His PROMISES to us; but, rather, of how well we are doing in our Christian life, which is self-righteousness. No my friend, salvation cannot be lost, because God has PROMISED eternal life to him who believes.
Ephesians 4:30, "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." The Bible teaches that the believer is "SEALED WITH THAT HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE" (Ephesians 1:13). Jesus PROMISED that the Holy Spirit would come once He was departed from the earth. John 14:26, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would come, and so it is. This is why the Bible refers the the Holy Ghost as "that Spirit of promise." God keeps His promises. This is why we are encouraged in Romans 10:11, "For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." Many people misinterpret this Scripture to mean that one who is embarrassed of Christ is not saved. No, no, no! That is not what this verse means at all. Look at the Apostle Peter, who cursed the name of Jesus and denied any affiliation with the Savior. Yet, later Peter wept bitter tears of sorrow and got right with God. Romans 10:11 means that Jesus won't fail anyone who believes on Him. This is another wonderful Scripture that exposes the heresy that salvation can be lost. The Bible PROMISES, and I love that word "promise," that whosoever believes on Jesus Christ will not be disappointed whatsoever!
Every believer is given the Holy Spirit of God at the time of salvation, which is God's seal upon us, showing that we belong to God and are eternally secure and preserved in Christ Jesus. Our salvation is secure in the PROMISES of God.
When a person trust's Jesus Christ to get saved, the Holy Spirit immediately indwells that person, i.e., God the Father and God the Son come to live within that person in the form of God the Holy Spirit. Amen!
The Bible teaches in 2nd Corinthians 1:22 that God not only seals us with His Holy Spirit at the time of salvation, but He also gives us the Holy Spirit as proof of God's downpayment on us! 2nd Corinthians 1:22 reads, "Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." The word "earnest" means "a pledge, i.e. part of the purchase-money or property given in advance as security for the rest."
God has given each believer the Holy Spirit as a PLEDGE, or PROMISE, that He will make good on His PROMISE to give us everlasting life and joy and a home in Heaven that the Lord Himself is preparing. This is such a wonderful truth! God has given us the Holy Spirit, as believers, to testify that we are God's children, and as a pledge that He is coming back to get us, that where He is, there may we be also. John 14:1-3, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." What a wonderful Savior! God didn't just make a bunch of empty promises to us, He placed His Spirit into our hearts the day we were saved as evidence that He will make good on all His promises to us. Oh, how God wants to bless us and give us good things as His children! For now, Jesus said we would suffer tribulation in the world, and be hated by the world for Christ's sake, and suffer persecution; but there's a blessed home beyond the sunset where our Lord is preparing a special place for us to live.
It is common practice for shoppers to buy something on a lay-away plan. They don't have the money upfront, so they leave a downpayment instead, evidence that they'll be back to claim the item at a later time. Likewise, God has given us His Holy Spirit as evidence that He's coming back to get us. Sometimes when a boyfriend or girlfriend is going away for a long time, there is apprehension and worry that their friend may not come back, so the departing one will leave something of sentimental value or something that is dear to them as assurance that they will come back. The same is true with the Heavenly Father, Who has given to us His Holy Spirit as assurance that He is coming back again to receive us as His own. This is what 2nd Corinthians 1:22 means when it says that God has given us "the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." Amen!
What in the world does that big word mean . . . IMPUTETH? The word “impute” means “to pass to one’s account, to count over” It means that Jesus places His righteousness upon our record when we trust upon Him for salvation. Romans chapter four speaks concerning Abraham, “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was COUNTED UNTO HIM for righteousness” (Romans 4:3). What a beautiful truth! Abraham was not saved by good works; but rather, he believed God and was saved by Christ’s righteousness. Christ’s perfection was imputed (placed) on Abraham’s record in Heaven. God the Father viewed Abraham thereafter as having the righteousness of Christ. What a Savior!
Abraham believed God concerning the coming Messiah which was to save His people from their sins . . . “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). Why was Abraham able to simply believe God in place of merit or good works? It's simply because Jesus paid the price for mankind's sins. You see, Abraham could NOT please God in his own self-righteousness, nor can we (Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 10:3,4; Titus 3:5). No matter how much good we may do here on earth, our sins are still recorded in Heaven. Our sins must be dealt with. This is why Jesus came to earth to paid the price for our sins with His own precious blood . . . “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” All mankind is corrupt and destitute of God. Even in our sincerest efforts, humanity is tarnished with the curse of sin and rebellion. We need HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, i.e., the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. We are saved by Jesus' righteousness through faith.
“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5).
We read in Romans 4:8, “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not IMPUTE sin.” Not only was Christ’s righteousness imputed (counted) to Abraham’s record, but Abraham’s sinful record was imputed to Christ. Literally, Jesus became as sin for us and died a sinner's death . . . “For HE HATH MADE HIM TO BE SIN FOR US, WHO KNEW NO SIN; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2nd Corinthians 5:21). Amen!
We read concerning Abraham . . .
“And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was IMPUTED to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be IMPUTED, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead” (Romans 4:22-24).
This is a beautiful passage of Scripture, teaching that God is willing to IMPUTE Christ's righteousness to us as well, just as He did to Abraham, if we'll simply believe on the Lord... “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”
These Scriptures were written for us, that we might also have Christ’s righteousness imputed to our record, and our sins imputed to Christ’s record. He who knew no sin, became as sin, that we who knew no righteousness could be made the righteousness of God in Christ (2nd Corinthians 5:21). What a wonderful truth! To think that Jesus would actually bear our sins upon Himself and sacrifice His precious blood for our sins—we are not worthy. Thankfully, God looked beyond our faults through His love and saw our need . . . “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
I cannot express in Words how much I thank the Lord for what He has done for a sinful worm like me. Do you realize all that you will miss if you reject Christ as your Savior? Eternal life is a free gift (Romans 5:15; 6:23), which anyone may have simply by acknowledging their guilt of sin and believing on the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness . . . “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43). It is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ that we are saved, so that God the Father may view us as having the righteousness of Christ which is imputed unto us at salvation . . .
“Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto
whom God IMPUTETH righteousness without works” (Romans 4:6).
“And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was IMPUTED unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God” (James 2:23). Would you like to be the friend of God? It all begins when you say yes to Jesus and let Him become your Savior. Jesus earnestly wants to impute your sin to His record and impute His righteousness to your record. All you must do to be saved is admit your guilty condition before God for violating His holy Law (Romans 3:19), and then trust upon the Son of God to wash away your sins with His shed blood. Admit you’re a sinner deserving of Hell. Turn to Christ now in faith and trust Him to forgive your sins and cleanse you.
Christians at best are people, and people at best are sinners. No one can live above sin all the time. If we could, we would be sinless like Christ. Only Jesus is without sin. II Corinthians 5:21, "For He [God the Father] hath made Him [God the Son] to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." Thankfully, God will one day replace this old corruptible body with an incorruptible body. I Corinthians 15:52,53, "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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." Amen! What a day that will be. But until that glorious day, we will always be at war with the flesh. I Peter 2:11, "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." The Bible calls fleshly lusts "a war against the soul." A war is won fighting one battle at a time.
King David was called a man after God's own heart in I Samuel 13:14b, "The LORD hath sought Him a man after His own heart." Tragically, David coveted Uriah's wife, Bath-sheba, committed adultery with her, impregnated her, and then murdered her husband to hide the sin (II Samuel 11:1-17). What a horrible king! How could such a rotten person be a man after God's own heart? It just proves that even the best of Christians mess up big sometimes. Every believer struggles with the sinful flesh on a daily basis. David was a man after God's own heart because David loved God's Word. Psalm 119:140, "Thy word is very pure: therefore Thy servant loveth it." Yet, David ruined his life because of sin. His reputation was ruined. His friends and own family turned against him. He lost his throne for a time and his beloved son Absalom was executed. David's first child by Bath-sheba died. David paid dearly for his sins. In Psalm 51:3,4,12, we read David's prayer of repentance unto God, "For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight: that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free Spirit." Notice that David did not ask God to save him again; but rather, to restore the "joy" of salvation. Also notice that David calls it "Thy salvation." Salvation belongs to God alone, that is His department. Our part is to BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST (Acts 16:31).
No believer has God's permission to sin. Romans 3:31 plainly states, "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." And again in Romans 6:15, "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid." These Scriptures clearly teach that believers are no longer under the curse of the Law; but rather, are under God's saving grace by faith in Christ Jesus. We are under grace and salvation is completely in God's hands. Nevertheless, some believers do choose to live in sin, as witnessed in the lives of many of God's men in the Bible. Noah got drunk (Genesis 9:21). Samson had sex with a prostitute (Judges 16:1). Abraham and Sara doubted God, laughing at His promise (Genesis 17:16,17). Jeremiah quit preaching God's Word (Jeremiah 20:9). Isaiah had unclean lips (Isaiah 6:5). Jonah fled from God's will (Jonah 1:10). Peter cursed the name of Jesus and denied knowing Him (Mark 14:71). The Apostle Paul said he struggled with sin continually (Romans 7:14-25). These are just a handful of examples of believer's who struggled with sin in their lives.
Proverb 24:16 states, "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief." Everyone fails at times when it comes to living right. Even the most mature of Christians mess up. If we were perfect we wouldn't need a Savior. Yet, there is a vast difference between the heart's attitude of the righteous versus the wicked. Many people don't even try to live right anymore. The nicknaming of Las Vegas to the hideous "SIN CITY" is evidence of this. What a mockery of God! I can assure you that what HAPPENS in Vegas is recorded in Heaven! God will not be mocked. Galatians 6:7, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." It is no trifle matter with God when men live in sin, defying the Word of God, indulging in that which God calls abominations.
Here are three Scriptural principles to help us live right for God:
- Psalm 119:11, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." This is reading, studying and memorizing the Scriptures. Remember, sin is the breaking of God's Laws. All sin is against God.
- Mark 14:38, "Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak." Prayer is asking. We need to continually pray about everything, trusting upon the Lord through prayer.
- Galatians 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave himself for me." God doesn't merely want to help us live the Christian life; but rather, to live the Christian life through us.
A genuine born-again believer cannot live in sin without being convicted by God's Holy Spirit. Hebrews 12:7,8, "If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." The Bible teaches that a true believer will be chastened (disciplined) by God. A person who does not have the Holy Spirit living within their body is not saved. Romans 8:9b, "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." It is God's Spirit that causes the believer to desire to please God, to get back up when we sin and try to do better, to ask God to lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. The unsaved person doesn't have God's Spirit living within them, and doesn't care about living right. The wicked parade their sins publicly and defend their wickedness as being acceptable and moral, which it certainly is not. Most people who claim to be Christians nowadays are not. Most people have churchianity without Christianity. Many people think that attending Catholic mass will get them to Heaven, but Hell will be their home if they don't become born-again as Jesus commanded in John 3:3, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Many arrogant religious people will be horrified one day when they are cast into the Lake of Fire forever. In John 10:35c Jesus warned, "The Scripture cannot be broken."
The Bible openly declares that a just man, i.e., a saved man, stumbles seven times; yet riseth again. The number seven in the Bible represents God's perfection. Hence, a righteous man spends his entire life trying to live for God, while messing up along the way, and continually getting back up because he desires to please the Lord. This is exactly what Paul said in Romans 7:15, "For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I." The wicked are not so, but quit, and don't even try to please God. That's what Proverbs 24:16 means. The wicked person couldn't care less about pleasing God with their life. While they indulge in vile sins, they condemn the believer who stumbles even once into sin.
It is important to make a distinction between the believer who falls seven times, yet rises up again because they love Jesus; versus the unbeliever who has no desire to live right because they've never experienced genuine Biblical repentance concerning their sins. This is vastly different than losing one's salvation, which is IMPOSSIBLE. The fact that God said a just man falls down repeatedly evidences that salvation cannot be lost. Christians do sin, sometimes horribly so, but the evidence of their salvation is that godly sorrow worketh repentance, and they will hopefully, eventually, get back up for God. Yet, Paul clearly stated in I Corinthians 5:5 that a saved man can be turned over "unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." Self-righteous religious people need to stop condemning those who they feel are more sinful than themselves, for they are just as sinful according to James 2:10, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." A hypocrite is someone who views another person as being a bigger sinner than them self. We're all a bunch of dirty, rotten, hell-deserving sinners.
When a backslidden believer gets right with God, that doesn't mean they're getting saved again, it just means they're getting right with their Heavenly Father. Contrary to what Pentecostals teach, king David DIDN'T lose his salvation when he sinned with Bath-sheba and murdered her husband. There is absolutely no Scriptural evidence to support the claim of Pentecostals that David lost salvation. The Bible says, "A just man falleth seven times." You can't rise up if you don't fall. Although sin is never acceptable to God, struggling with sin is an inherent part of the Christian life, because our flesh continually wars against the Spirit of God living within our body.
Here are some precious words from Psalm 103:8-14, "The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will He keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear Him. For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust." What a beautiful passage of Scripture! What a wonderful God! Our Lord knows them that fear Him and He remembers that we are dust. How ridiculous is it for anyone to teach that God takes away the birthright of His own children, kicking them out of the family of God because of sin in their life. "For a just man falleth seven times." The Bible says that fallen man "riseth up again," it doesn't say he gets saved again. The second birth cannot be undone. If saved, always saved.
The Apostle Paul (writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) makes an amazing statement in Titus 1:2, “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” Before God ever spoke the universe into existence, he had already promised eternal life. Before God ever created the first human being, Christ has already been slain in the eternal mind of God. Revelation 13:8, "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." Notice the words, "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." In God's mind, Jesus had been crucified before the world began, which is why God was able to promise eternal life BEFORE the world began.
God in His foreknowledge knew that mankind would choose to go into sin. God created Adam and Eve, knowing fully that they would rebel against His Word. Yet, God loved humanity and made a way of escape before man was even created. Before the first man was ever formed from the dust of the earth, God had already PROMISED eternal life to mankind. Thus, God made a provision, the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, Jesus, to take away the sins of mankind.
We must realize that God does not live in the limitation of time as does humanity. God lives in eternity, where there is no past, present, nor future. This is why the Bible tells us in 2nd Peter 3:8, "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." Whereas mankind is forced to wait and wonder and hope due to the uncertainty of our future; God KNOWS exactly what the future holds, because it is not the future to Him. This is why it is important as Christians that we pray and trust upon the Lord, because He knows the way.
Notice in Titus 1:2 the words "hope of eternal life." The word "hope" here does not speak in the sense of uncertainty; but rather, in the sense of expectation. Thus, we don't hope that God will give to us eternal life; but rather, we HAVE A HOPE that God has given to us eternal life. We already have it! Every believer has the blessed assurance of sweet salvation and eternal life. When we pass away from this earthly life as believers, our spirit which is already alive forevermore will simply enter into eternity to be with the Lord. 2nd Corinthians 5:8, "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
The Bible does not teach soul sleep. This is clearly taught in Acts 7:54-59, "When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Notice that as Stephen was being martyred, he looked up into Heaven and saw Jesus standing on the right hand of the Father. Jesus was welcoming Stephen home, giving him a standing ovation. The Bible says that Stephen said, "I see the heavens opened." How much clearer could the Bible be, that departed loved ones who have been saved go to Heaven to be with the Lord? Amen! Stephen saw the Heavens opened and his wonderful and precious Lord waiting to receive him home into glory.
The Bible tells us that eternal life is A PROMISE to the believer! If salvation were by works of self-righteousness, then eternal life would merely be a reward. But salvation is not a reward, it is a free gift from God. If salvation were by religious affiliation, then it would be a privilege. But salvation is not a privilege, it is a free gift from God. If salvation were by nationality, then it would be inherited. But salvation is not an inheritance, it is a free gift from God. Ephesians 2:8,9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Those who teach that salvation can be lost attempt to nullify and cast doubt upon the PROMISE of God to give eternal life to him that believeth. John 3:36a, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life." This is God's promise to mankind. God's Law indicts all humanity as guilty sinners. Romans 3:19, "Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." Notice the words, "all the world may become guilty before God." We are all guilty sinners. God the Father is the Prosecutor, whose holiness demands justice and punishment for sin. Jesus Christ came to the Father as our Attorney and offered a plea agreement on our behalf, that we might be pardoned for our crimes against God. Jesus, the holy Lamb of God Who knew no sin, became as sin, that we who knew no righteousness could be made the righteousness of God in Christ. 2nd Corinthians 5:21, "For He [God the Father] hath made Him [God the Son] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." If the proponents of the heresy that salvation can be lost would only accept this Biblical truth, they would cease from attacking the PROMISE of God to save those who simply believe. We are saved by HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, i.e., the righteousness of God which is through faith in Christ Jesus crucified.
Before God ever created the world, He had already made a promise to mankind. That promise was eternal life according to Titus 1:2, which also states that God “CANNOT LIE.” To say that salvation can be lost renders a believer hopeless, living in constant fear and doubt, wondering if they've sinned too much and have lost their salvation. How tragic! How unbiblical! The very fact that the Bible proclaims the PROMISE of eternal life, is clear evidence that God wants the believer's heart to be comforted and settled concerning salvation. If salvation can be lost, then there is little comfort or assurance of salvation. God wants each believer to have the peaceful assurance of salvation because of what Jesus did for us, and not because of what we're doing for Him.
Let's break down Titus 1:2 to disprove the notion that salvation can be lost:
God has provided ETERNAL LIFE to mankind through the redemptive work of Christ. But God wanted us to have more assurance than that, so He... - Made us a PROMISE that He'd give to us eternal life through His Son. But God goes further than that to comfort us in our salvation, He...
- Tells us that He made this promise BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN. Even still, God goes further and wants us to be completely comforted in our salvation by telling us...
- GOD CANNOT LIE.
So we see that God not only has provided eternal life to mankind through the blood sacrifice of His dear Son, Jesus, but has also committed Himself to us in the form of a promise, that He made before we were ever created, and God reminds us that it is IMPOSSIBLE for Him to lie about anything. God went out of His way in Titus 1:2 to comfort our hearts concerning eternal life. If I may paraphrase a bit, God is saying to us, "Look, I have a plan to redeem you, and by the way, you can hold me to this because I'm making a promise, and by the way, I made this promise before the universe was ever created, and if that's not enough, I absolutely cannot lie. So you can rest assure in your faith in Jesus as the Christ." This is our blessed hope of salvation. We can depend on Jesus that He won't disappoint us for our faith in Him. What a Savior!
The Word of God comforts us greatly, giving us strong encouragement, in knowing that God's arms underlie our salvation and are everlasting arms. God's arms never get wearied. God never gets tired. Our salvation is as secure as is God. It is a mistake for those who would rob us of our blessed assurance of salvation, to ignore such powerful Scriptures as Deuteronomy 33:27.
What good or purpose would there be in the Bible making such a comforting statement as, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms," if salvation could be lost? Here again we clearly see that salvation is dependent upon God alone. Those who teach that salvation can be lost do not focus upon the everlasting arms of God; but rather, upon the frail, weak and often collapsed arms of men.
Moses (writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in Deuteronomy 33:27), told God's people that they had nothing to fear, because the arms of the eternal God were protecting them. Notice especially verse 29a, "Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD." What wonderful words, "O people saved by the Lord." Salvation is of the Lord! The Apostle Paul states in Galatians 3:26, "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." Amen!
Notice the precious Words in John 10:28 spoken by our Lord, "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." Here again we are reminded of the unwavering promise of God to give eternal life which CANNOT be taken away. Those who believe on Jesus "shall never perish."
Notice the words, "neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." Notice that the Bible doesn't say “Satan,” it says "men." Who are these men who would pluck God's children out of His hand? They definitely include those false prophets who teach that salvation can be lost. It is a popular teaching in Charismatic circles still that king David lost his salvation when he sinned with Bathsheba, committing adultery with her, and then having her husband murdered. Although David sinned horribly, and shamefully, David only lost the “joy” of salvation. Psalm 51:12, "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit." Notice that David called eternal life, “THY SALVATION.” It is God's salvation. Our part is simply to "BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST" (Acts 16:31).
Thank God for the everlasting arms of Jesus Christ, upon which the believer can rest assure. Romans 10:11, "For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." This Scripture doesn't mean what many people think. It doesn't mean that one who believes on Jesus will never be embarrassed or follow from afar off like Peter did. Peter denied knowing Jesus and even cursed the Savior's name, but Peter didn't lose his salvation. Romans 10:13 is a quote from the Old Testament, from Isaiah 28:16, "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste." In other words, those who believe on Christ will not be disappointed. The everlasting arms are beneath each and every believer and salvation cannot be lost.
A correctly understood Gospel—The GOOD NEWS that Christ DIED on the cross for our sins, was BURIED and bodily RESURRECTED three days later, salvation by grace alone through faith alone on the basis of Christ's finished work alone—mandates eternal security. On the other hand, if one is trusting in one's works or a “commitment” to perform works or to live a certain way to be saved, then salvation cannot be assured, and the doctrine of eternal security is either negotiable or is denied.
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