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      "Eternal Security and Assurance"
      Selected Scriptures
      Theme: God wants His children to know that they belong to Him and feel the confidence of walking with Him.

        1. The Principle of Security – "We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever."

          1. The Power of God’s Protection: "… all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power …"

            1. In our last study together, we saw the tremendous truths of salvation opened up and enjoyed – how that sinners are saved by the grace of God while in a state of sin and defilement.
            2. Essentially it must be understood that salvation is a work of God – not a joint effort where we contribute some and God contributes some – a "50/50" effort.
            3. Since God is the One who performs the work of redemption, He also secures us by means of His power – just as we cannot save ourselves, we cannot keep ourselves saved!
            4. In essence, when we are born again, we become God’s possession – cp. Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 2:9
            5. As such, God prizes us and states that He will protect us against any and all threats to insure that we are delivered safely to glory – cp. 1 Peter 1:3-5
              1. This protection is the personal priority of Jesus Christ – cp. John 6:37-40
              2. This protection is the personal promise of Jesus Christ – cp. John 10:27-30
              3. This protection is the personal project of Jesus Christ – Romans 8:1; 38-39
              4. This protection is the personal plan of Jesus Christ – 1 Corinthians 1:7-8
            6. This all the power of heaven is behind the performance of redemption whereby sinners are brought safely home to glory – cp. Philippians 1:6.

          2. The Permanence of God’s Provision: "… and are thus secure in Christ forever."

            1. This provision redemption from God is not a temporal thing – it is eternal.
            2. In fact, the gift of grace given through Jesus Christ is called "Eternal Life" – referring to not only its quality but also its duration.
              1. "Eternal Life" is the opposite of "perishing" – John 3:16
              2. "Eternal Life" eliminates judgment & death – John 5:24; cp. Romans 8:1
            3. However, "Eternal Life" does not refer primarily to a period of time but a person - cp. 1 John 5:2; John 17:3.
            4. Eternal life is a relationship with the person of Jesus Christ and possessing His nature – cp. 1 John 5:11-12
            5. The inheritance of eternal life is something that is reserved for us – to be bestowed in exchange for the token of promise that God has given to the believer – the indwelling Holy Spirit – cp. Ephesians 1:13-14

        2. The Privilege of Assurance – "We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word; …"

          1. The Appreciation for Assurance: "… it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation"

            1. The work of God referred to above is not something that is supposed to be uncertain – God intends for the believer to rejoice in the knowledge of what He has accomplished for us – cp. 1 John 5:13
            2. It is the joy of knowing that we have indeed been reconciled to God by grace that incites the unquenchable desire on the part of men to praise and worship Christ Jesus

          2. The Attestation of Assurance: "… through the testimony of God’s Word"

            1. It is to the Word of God that we go to find the confidences that we are truly born again – cp. John 20:31; 1 John 5:13
            2. The Word of God is the testimony of God – given by His Spirit – that we must rely upon – cp. 1 John 5:9-10
            3. It is by constant exposure and reviewing of Scripture that we are able to enjoy a faith that is growing – cp. Romans 10:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13.

        3. The Parameters of Assurance – "… which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh."

          1. The Warning of Assurance – "… [God’s Word] clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh"

            1. Too often, people who have the theological conviction of eternal security presume on the grace of God and allow themselves to indulge in sin without fear – thinking that they are safe.
            2. In an effort to sanctify personal indulgence, they sometimes claim that the concept of Christian liberty provides them the latitude needed for such indiscretions or indulgences – cp. Galatians 5:13; Romans 13:13-14
            3. In its proper context, liberty is not associated most closely with freedom from law or obligation, but from the servile subjection to the flesh – I am no longer the slave of the flesh so as to be under its mastery.
            4. Instead, I am free to bring pleasure to the heart of God by yielding myself to Him as Master and Lord – cp. Romans 6:12-18
            5. Thus, to live by grace is to live in such a way as to surrender to the love of God and deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live uprightly – cp. Titus 2:11-15.

          2. The Withering of Assurance – "… as an occasion to the flesh"

            1. However, when the flesh encroaches upon the life of the believer, doubts of genuineness surface that often robs a person of confidence that they have truly been saved.
            2. When we begin to consistently fail to "walk worthy of our calling," it is not the intention of God to allow us to remain confident.
            3. Rather, His Spirit begins to convict and generate concern that all is not well between us and God.
            4. Most commonly, assurance is something gained from consistency in our relationship to God and is seen in:
              1. Walking in the light – 1 John 1:6-7
              2. Keeping His commandments – 1 John 2:3
              3. Loving the brethren - 1 John 3:14
              4. Belief in the Name of the Son of God – 1 John 5:13
            5. However, whenever these wane – God challenges us to go back to evaluate the reality of our relationship – cp. 2 Corinthians 13:5
            6. The distinction between eternal security and assurance needs to be understood:
              1. There are those who have assurance of salvation who are not entitled to it because of the failure to possess any kind of relationship with Jesus Christ and the absence of the regenerating work of God.
              2. There are those who have eternal security who wrestle with assurance because of the presence of besetting sin.
            7. God’s intention is that His children know that they have eternal life and that they walk in the light – even as He is in the light and enjoy fellowship with Him.

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