The Case for Eternal Security

[St. SteVen]

This is typically discussed under the derogatory term OSAS (once saved always saved)
So, I wanted to present the topic under positive terms.
To me, the comparison is between Eternal Security and Eternal Insecurity. (my own derogatory term)

Those who oppose OSAS (Eternal Security) usually don't realize what they are throwing away.

My position on the subject is as follows. (which I have posted many times on the forum)

We cannot by an act of our own will undo what only God could do in the first place.
Even in the case of Reprobation, it is God's choice, not ours. And his aim is to return the lost sheep to the fold.
He is, after all, the Good Shepherd. - St. SteVen

I found this list of seven principles online that I thought was pretty good. Source link at the bottom of the page.
There are other presentations available with a lot more items.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

7 Proofs Your Salvation Is Eternally Secure ​

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish;
no one will snatch them out of my hand. - John 10:28 NIV

And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice
of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. - Hebrews 10:10 NIV

When you first believed in Jesus, you were saved.
But after a while, perhaps because you sinned or failed God in some way, maybe you began to question whether it’s possible to lose your salvation.
A genuine believer in the Lord Jesus shouldn’t be tormented by this question.
The Bible tells us that once we believe in Jesus Christ, we can never lose our salvation.
In this post we’ll look at some verses that show seven proofs of our salvation being irreversible and eternally secure.

1. Our salvation was initiated by God​

Ephesians 1:4 says:

“Even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world
to be holy and without blemish before Him in love.”

God chose us before we were born, even before the universe was created.
Then, when the time was right for us to be saved, He called us.
Do you think that God would choose us so long ago, send His Son to die for us,
wait for us to be born, and then call and save us, only to abandon us after we’re finally saved?
No, He would not. God is the One who initiated our salvation
before the foundation of the world and carried it out.

2. God’s love for us is eternal​

Jeremiah 31:3 says:

“I have loved you with an eternal love.”

This verse says God loves us with a love that’s eternal.
That means His love is unchanging.
Human love can be fickle, but God’s love never changes;
it doesn’t depend on what we do.
God loves us eternally.

3. God is righteous in saving us​

Psalm 89:14 says:

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne.”

God’s throne is immovable and unshakable because the foundation of His throne is His righteousness.
God’s love motivated Him to save us from eternal judgment. But God’s righteousness is the base of His salvation.
Many fear God’s righteousness and associate it with His wrath. His righteousness is indeed a fearful thing.
Because God is righteous, He cannot tolerate or overlook sin; He’s bound to judge all unrighteousness.
But God’s righteousness is also the base of our salvation, which is truly wonderful.


Let’s see how this is so. Romans 6:23 says:

“The wages of sin is death.”

This means that all who sin must die.
The righteous God has no other choice but to judge sinners and assign them their wages: eternal death.
But the Lord Jesus came and bore the judgment of death for sinners on the cross.
God accepted Jesus’ sacrifice as the full payment for our sins. Just as in a court of law, a judge can’t require
a debt to be paid twice, God is bound by His righteousness to honor the price Christ paid for us.
So if God wants His throne to stand, He must act in accordance with His righteousness.
Since Jesus paid the penalty for our sins by dying in our place,
God’s righteousness won’t allow Him to demand further payment from us.
This means our salvation is secured by God’s righteousness;
He can’t take it away from us. Praise Him for His righteousness!

4. We have become God’s children​

John 1:12-13 says:

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God,
to those who believe into His name, who were begotten…of God.”

When we accepted Jesus as our Savior, we were saved from eternal perdition.
But that’s not all. These verses tell us we were also begotten of God to be His children.
This is something that can’t be undone.
We all know that children misbehave from time to time.
But no matter how much they may misbehave, their bad behavior can never negate
the fact that they were born of their parents. Even when children are disciplined,
that discipline doesn’t undo their relationship with their parents.
In the same way, our sins and failures can’t negate the fact that we’re born of God
and are children of God. We may sometimes require God’s discipline,
but we’ll always be God’s children, born of His divine life.

5. God keeps us in His hand​

John 10:28-29 says:

“And I give to them eternal life, and they shall by no means perish forever,
and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. My Father…is greater than all,
and no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”

All kinds of things may try to snatch us from the Father’s hand—sin, the world,
difficulties, even Satan himself. But in these verses, the Lord Jesus assures us by saying that
it’s impossible for us to be snatched away. No one and nothing is stronger than God.

6. God never changes​

Hebrews 13:8 says:

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes, even forever.”

Everything changes: people, circumstances, environments, the weather.
Even our own emotions fluctuate constantly; we can be up one minute and down the next.
But our salvation doesn’t hinge on our feelings. God never changes and neither does His salvation.

7. Christ has promised not to cast us out​

John 6:37 says:

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and him who comes to Me I shall by no means cast out.”

What a precious, unconditional promise from our Savior!
He will never cast out or reject those who have come to Him.
We can fully trust in Him and His Word to know our salvation is eternally secure.
So we shouldn’t live our Christian life in constant fear and doubt.
Our salvation is eternally secure, and we can and should trust in the Word of God,
which assures us of this fact.

We encourage you to learn more about this important topic by reading
Basic Elements of the Christian Life, vols. 1-3, a free book set that has helped
thousands of believers. If you’re a US resident, you can order the free three-volume set here.
You can also download them from anywhere in the world here.

Source
/

 

[Lambano]

We cannot by an act of our own will undo what only God could do in the first place.

What exactly did God do?

 

[RedFan]

My position on the subject is as follows. (which I have posted many times on the forum)

We cannot by an act of our own will undo what only God could do in the first place.
Even in the case of Reprobation, it is God's choice, not ours. And his aim is to return the lost sheep to the fold.
He is, after all, the Good Shepherd. - St. SteVen

It's an interesting proposition. If you had said "We cannot by an act of our own will do what only God could do in the first place" the statement would be tautological, and nobody could disagree. But you said undo. I need to think about that one. (The analogy I am thinking of is that only God can set the planets and other bodies in space on their appointed courses. But man can change an asteroid's trajectory.)

 

[Randy Kluth]

Yes, I believe all can experience the power of God, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. But to be "regenerated" means that we have been completely absorbed by God's Spirit in the sense that we have ceased belonging to ourselves and now belong to God. We are Sons, and not merely servants occasionally carrying out tasks. Our character has changed, along with our role.

Being in the Sinful Flesh we can belong to God and still insist on doing things our own way, as if we don't belong to God. But once devoted to God we can hardly undo that. Our failures is not God's failure. He will save those who belong to Him and yet wander. They have truly committed to Him as their Father, and that Father will save all of His children. He will not lose one.

 

[amadeus]

@St. SteVen

Joh 17:12

While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Of the initial twelve Jesus personally called while walking as a son of man, there was only one son of perdition, only one who walked away from what Jesus offered.

But... of the multitude called since the Holy Spirit was poured out on that day of Pentecost, about 2,000 years ago [per Acts 2] have many others been lost? Have many others chosen the broad way that leads to destruction?

Mt 7:13	Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mt 7:14	Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto LIFE and few there be that find it.

Without the Life which Jesus is and which Jesus offered to men, what was the alternative remaining to men? Was it not the death which men already possessed?
Have many actually been saved from their bondage, like the natural children of Jacob and then being saved walked against God and found themselves back in death with no more hope?

Nu 14:22	Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;
Nu 14:23	Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:

And then there are the ones who having known and served the Master have turned backed...

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?

 

[St. SteVen]

What exactly did God do?

The subject is whether salvation can be lost.
So, the inference is that he saved us. Something he did that we can't undo.



/

 

[St. SteVen]

17 Bible Verses about Eternal Security

Source: 17 Bible verses about Eternal Security

Most Relevant Verses

John 10:28-29
and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 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.

1 John 5:13
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Romans 5:1
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Romans 8:31-39
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;read more.

Ephesians 1:13-14
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Hebrews 6:18-20
so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

John 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Hebrews 13:5
Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”

1 Peter 1:5
who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Psalm 97:10
Hate evil, you who love the Lord,
Who preserves the souls of His godly ones;
He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

John 10:28
and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

Hebrews 7:25
Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

John 10:29
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.

Ephesians 4:30
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

John 6:39
This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.

Source: 17 Bible verses about Eternal Security

 

[RedFan]

17 Bible Verses about Eternal Security

Source: 17 Bible verses about Eternal Security

Most Relevant Verses

John 10:28-29
and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 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.

1 John 5:13
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Romans 5:1
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Romans 8:31-39
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;read more.

Ephesians 1:13-14
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Hebrews 6:18-20
so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

John 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Hebrews 13:5
Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”

1 Peter 1:5
who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Psalm 97:10
Hate evil, you who love the Lord,
Who preserves the souls of His godly ones;
He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

John 10:28
and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

Hebrews 7:25
Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

John 10:29
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.

Ephesians 4:30
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

John 6:39
This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.

Source: 17 Bible verses about Eternal Security

Thanks for this.

The question presented by Eternal Security, as I understand it, is whether one is irrevocably "saved" at a particular moment in time (corresponding to when one was "born again" or however you wish to characterize the salvific moment of faith), such that nothing occurring after that moment can knock one off the path of salvation. Despite the verses you quote, my answer to this is "No."

Paul is equivocal on the point. I've posted on this before, and won't repeat myself. But I find John the more interesting writer on the subject.

I agree that John 10:28-29 and John 6:39 quote Jesus as saying something which seems to furnish a "Yes" answer to the question. Since John presumably overheard Jesus and I didn't, I will take John's testimony at face value. What I will not do is twist John's understanding of the theological point behind Jesus's words. I will not twist John 3:3's "unless one is born again" prerequisite to seeing the kingdom of God into more than a prerequisite. I will not twist John 1:12's "But as many as received him, to them gave the power to become sons of God" into "But as many as received him, he made into automatic sons of God." And I will not twist John 3:16's aorist subjunctive me apoletai ("should not perish") and present subjunctive eche ("should have") into future indicative mood.

 

[Lambano]

The subject is whether salvation can be lost.
So, the inference is that he saved us. Something he did that we can't undo.

The reason I asked: There's a thing the theologians call the "ordo salutis", or "the order of salvation". (And then the Calvinists and the Arminians fight like cats and dogs over what happens in what order and when and who does what.) Anyway, it may or may not include:

• God's Foreknowledge
• Election (Does this happen before foreknowledge or after?)
• Hearing the Gospel
• Faith
• Justification (being declared right with God or being made right with God?)
• Spiritual Regeneration (Whatever that is. Controversial over whether it happens before faith or after.)
• Sanctification (Being made set apart for God including the shedding of sin. One time event, or a lifetime endeavor?)
• Perseverance (this subject)
• Glorification (or getting our resurrection bodies)

Anyway, it's not that simple, since some things like "glorification" haven't happened yet.

 

[Lambano]

17 Bible Verses about Eternal Security

And now, some verses warning against apostacy:

(Warnings against apostacy is one of the major themes of the book of Hebrews.)

Bible vs. Bible. Who will win?

 

[St. SteVen]

The question presented by Eternal Security, as I understand it, is whether one is irrevocably "saved" at a particular moment in time (corresponding to when one was "born again" or however you wish to characterize the salvific moment of faith), such that nothing occurring after that moment can knock one off the path of salvation. Despite the verses you quote, my answer to this is "No."

Well said. That is the crux of the issue.
Not that I agree with your conclusion, but... I respect it.

/

 

[St. SteVen]

The reason I asked: There's a thing the theologians call the "ordo salutis", or "the order of salvation". (And then the Calvinists and the Arminians fight like cats and dogs over what happens in what order and when and who does what.) Anyway, it may or may not include:

• God's Foreknowledge
• Election (Does this happen before foreknowledge or after?)
• Hearing the Gospel
• Faith
• Justification (being declared right with God or being made right with God?)
• Spiritual Regeneration (Whatever that is. Controversial over whether it happens before faith or after.)
• Sanctification (or being made set apart for God including the shedding of sin)
• Perseverance (this subject)
• Glorification (or getting our resurrection bodies)

Anyway, it's not that simple, since some things like "glorification" haven't happened yet.

Excellent. That's why I like to put the word "saved" in quotes. What does it really mean.
And become even more complicated (or less complicated) when you are a Christian Universalist. - LOL

/

 

[Hobie]

17 Bible Verses about Eternal Security

Source: 17 Bible verses about Eternal Security

Most Relevant Verses

John 10:28-29
and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 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.

1 John 5:13
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Romans 5:1
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Romans 8:31-39
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;read more.

Ephesians 1:13-14
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Hebrews 6:18-20
so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

John 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Hebrews 13:5
Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”

1 Peter 1:5
who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Psalm 97:10
Hate evil, you who love the Lord,
Who preserves the souls of His godly ones;
He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

John 10:28
and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

Hebrews 7:25
Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

John 10:29
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.

Ephesians 4:30
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

John 6:39
This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.

Source: 17 Bible verses about Eternal Security

But you cannot forget...
Hebrews 10:26 - For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

 

[St. SteVen]

But you cannot forget...
Hebrews 10:26 - For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

Is that even true? (as you are interpreting it)
Somehow the Atonement was incomplete? God ran out of Grace when you backslid? Seriously?
Do you guys even think about what you are claiming?

/ cc: @mailmandan

 

[Hobie]

Is that even true? (as you are interpreting it)
Somehow the Atonement was incomplete? God ran out of Grace when you backslid? Seriously?
Do you guys even think about what you are claiming?

/ cc: @mailmandan

Is what true, I just said cannot forget. Bible interprets itself, so need to look and find what God has...

 

[Lambano]

Do you guys even think about what you are claiming?

It helps to be blind to our own sins.

 

[mailmandan]

But you cannot forget...
Hebrews 10:26 - For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

In regard to Hebrews 10:26, to "sin willfully" here carries the idea of deliberate intention that is habitual, which stems from rejecting Christ deliberately. This is continuous action, a matter of practice. Now we don't walk along our daily life and "accidentally" fall into a pit called sin. We exercise our will but, the use of the participle clearly shows continuous action. The unrighteous practice sin (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21); not the righteous, who are born of God. (1 Corinthians 6:11; 1 John 3:9)

 

[St. SteVen]

Is what true, I just said cannot forget. Bible interprets itself, so need to look and find what God has...

Well, you backed away from your anti-Eternal Security post pretty quickly.
We won't forget that. - LOL

/

 

[Behold]

Reader,


The reason that believers and fake believers, reject eternal security, is simply because they do not understand that Jesus is Salvation, and not their self effort.

So, its really just a matter of wrong belief, that is based on not comprehending that : Jesus is Salvation.

See, once you recognize that JESUS is Salvation, then you go to Him for it, and that ends, "enduring" and "water baptism" and "commandment keeping" and "law keeping" and "trying to imitate some idea you have of how to try to behave like Jesus" and all of this SELF EFFORT (LEGALISM)..... that has no means to deal with your SIN.

See, Salvation, is based on one thing only...

Has GOD dealt with all your sin, yet, or not? ?????????????????????

If He has then "God hath made Jesus to be SIN... for us'' .. because "Jesus is the one time ETERNAL sacrifice for SIN".

See, God was in the world 2000 yrs ago, as JESUS the Man, and He went to the Cross to deal with the sin of the world.

2 Corinthians 5:19 and John 3:17 and Romans 4:8

And, He did.
And every single person who will go to the Cross of Christ Believing in Jesus, .. God will receive your faith instantly.. and take that Blood and Death that Christ has offered as the one time ETERNAL Sacrifice for YOUR SIN... and apply it to you. = "SAVED".
And once that NEW COVENANT = BLOOD Atonement...... is applied to you, then your sin is now on JESUS and God's Righteousness has now become YOURS...

You now become "THE... righteousness OF GOD.... in Christ"...

A.) WELCOME TO : SALVATION.

= ITS A "GIFT".

The "GIFT of Salvation" and "the Gift of Righteousness".

And now that ALL your sin is gone, you are then birthed by the Holy Spirit into GOD's Spirit, as "born... .again"... and that is described as being "IN Christ". and "Translated from darkness .. TO Light".

See all that?
You didnt do it...
God did it all for you, if you are born again...

And this SALVATiON that is God's SON Offered for your SIN...., once applied.... to you.... will be completed by GOD, just as it is begun by God, Himself.

Philippians 1:6

So, READER.... learn to believe all this, and you can have divine confidence that is REAL FAITH in CHRIST.
And to have that is to have : ETERNAL Security.

 

[Lambano]

In regard to Hebrews 10:26, to "sin willfully" here carries the idea of deliberate intention that is habitual, which stems from rejecting Christ deliberately. This is continuous action, a matter of practice.

If you look at the theme of Hebrews, it's about Christ and the New Covenant being superior to the Old. The warnings are about falling away from Christ. If you leave Christ, when you sin willfully (and it's "when", not "if"), you no longer have atonement.

But every time I talk about looking for themes in a book or chapter and interpreting the meaning of a particular verse based on what the author is trying to establish overall, everybody looks at me funny, like they never heard of doing that.