" Security of the Believer"

 

The LORD JESUS said, "My sheep hear MY voice, and I know them, and they follow ME: 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 10:27-29

Did CHRIST mean what HE said, and did HE say what HE meant ? Of course HE did. The LORD JESUS always spoke TRUTH. So, how secure are we as believers ? What if we don't feel like a Christian ? What if we don't always act like a Christian ? Do we still have eternal life ? For the answer to these and many other questions let us look at GOD's WORD.

First, Salvation is a Gift

Romans 6:23, ". . .the gift of GOD is eternal life through JESUS CHRIST our LORD."

All that we have we got one of three ways. We worked and earned it. Someone gave it to us, or we stole it. Salvation cannot be earned by good works. We certainly can't steal it. The only way to receive salvation is to receive it as a gift. "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." Ephesians 2:8-9

Salvation Depends Upon the Finished Work of CHRIST

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the SON of MAN be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in HIM should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:14-15

"When JESUS therefore had received the vinegar, HE said, It is finished: and HE bowed HIS head, and gave up the Ghost." John 19:30 When the LORD JESUS said, "It is finished" HE had taken the sinner's place and had paid the penalty of all our sin.

The Requirements for Salvation is to Believe

"He that believeth on the SON hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the SON shall not see life; but the wrath of GOD abideth on him." John 3:36

To believe "on" CHRIST means more than believing "in" CHRIST. It means that we trust HIM fully. You don't go to Heaven because you believe in HIM. You go to Heaven because you turn to CHRIST in repentance and faith and believe "on" HIM.

Secondly, Salvation Establishes a Relationship

"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." 1st.John 3:2

"HE came unto HIS own, and HIS own received HIM not. But as many as received HIM, to them gave HE power to become the sons of GOD, even to them that believe on HIS name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of GOD." John 1:11-13

When we receive CHRIST, we are born into GOD's family. HE becomes our heavenly FATHER.

Our Relationship is Eternal

"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 6:40

Sin Affects Our Fellowship But Not Our Relationship

There are two words that every Christian should know: relationship and fellowship. We are brought into the family of GOD when we receive JESUS CHRIST by faith. This relationship is eternal. Our mistakes and failures affect our fellowship but not our relationship. Carefully read the following:

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness:" 1st.John 1:8-2:1

"And whatsoever we ask, we receive of HIM, because we keep HIS commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in HIS sight." 1st. John 3:22

Our going to Heaven when we die is the result of our relationship. If GOD blesses us here and whether we are used of the LORD in this life is determined by our fellowship with CHRIST. We can break fellowship with the LORD, but we will never lose our relationship with CHRIST.

THIRDLY, Nothing Can Separate Us from GOD

"Who shall separate us from the love of CHRIST ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword ?  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through HIM that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of GOD, which is in CHRIST JESUS our LORD." Romans 8:33-39

It is impossible for anything to separate us from GOD and HIS WORD says, ". . .Neither shall any man pluck them out of MY hand." John 10:28  If no man can pluck us out of GOD's hands, then we cannot pluck ourselves out of GOD's hand.

The Christian is Sealed by the HOLY SPIRIT

". . , ye were sealed with that HOLY SPIRIT of promise." Ephesians 1:13

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the SPIRIT of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, FATHER. The SPIRIT ITSELF beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of GOD:" Romans 8:15-16

Being sealed by the HOLY SPIRIT gives us the assurance that we belong to CHRIST and that HE will return for us.

The Bible Says That there is No Condemnation

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in CHRIST JESUS, who walk not after the flesh, but after the SPIRIT." Romans 8:1

The child of GOD will never stand in the same judgment with the unsaved. We will one day give an account of our lives as to what we have done with our life, but we will never be judged and cast into Hell.

JESUS Promised to Preserve Our Relationship Forever

"All that the FATHER giveth ME shall come to ME; and him that cometh to ME I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37

The LORD JESUS has promised never to cast us out. There will be a day when the unsaved man will be cast out into the Lake of Fire, but the child of GOD will never be cast out.

Dr. Tom Sexton

WordToTheWorld@aol.com

www.FiveStarChristianMinistries.com