GospelNotes.life

Category: Eternal Security

Notes on eternal security. You can’t lose your salvation.

  • You Can Know You’re Saved

    In 1 John 5:9-13, John says that we can know for sure that we’re saved by if we believe in Christ – not by if we have a changed life of less sin: “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 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.

    In Matthew 7:21-23 we can see that many will bring their works to show that they’re saved, ultimately to be rejected by having their faith in their works: “Not everyone who says to Me [Jesus], ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father [John 6:40 — the will of the Father is to believe in Jesus] in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name [a work they bring], cast out demons in Your name [a work they bring], and done many wonders in Your name [works they bring]?’ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity [the sin of unbelief].

    It’s not by having a changed life, sinning less, being a better person, etc. It’s by faith alone in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

    You can’t see someone’s salvation. But you can know they’re saved by their testimony of faith alone in the gospel. Hebrews 11:1 — Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen [their salvation].

    One of the Holy Spirit’s jobs for the believer is to convict them of their imputed righteousness in Christ. The Holy Spirit convicts the unbelievers of their sin, in order to lead them to Christ for salvation: John 16:8-11 — And when He [The Holy Spirit] has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me [unbelievers convicted of sin]; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more [to remind the believer of their righteousness in Christ]; of judgment, because the ruler of this world [Satan] is judged.

  • Eternal Security

    Once you’ve believed the gospel found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, you are saved, given eternal life and sealed with The Holy Spirit (which is the guarantee of your eternal life). You cannot lose your salvation. You have “eternal security”, also known as OSAS (Once Saved Always Saved):

    John 5:24 – Upon believing the gospel, we have already passed from death to eternal life – not temporary life until we sin again:
    “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into [everlasting] life.”

    Romans 8:1 – There’s no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus:
    “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit [all born again believers walk in the Spirit].”

    Romans 8:38-39 – Nothing can separate us from the love of God – not even ourselves.
    “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 created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

    Hebrews 13:5 – God will never leave us nor forsake us – no matter how much we sin.
    “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

    John 10:28-29 – No one is able to snatch a believer out of Christ’s and the Father’s hand – not even ourselves.
    “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone 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 My Father’s hand.”

    John 3:16 – When we believe the gospel, God gives us eternal life – not probationary life until we sin again.
    “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

    Ephesians 1:13-14 – The instant we believe the gospel, we’re sealed with the Holy Spirit, which is the guarantee of our salvation.
    “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”

    Ephesians 4:30 – We’re sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption – not until we sin again.
    “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

    2 Corinthians 1:22 – Again, sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of salvation.
    “who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”

    John 6:39 — Jesus will not lose any who come to Him.
    “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.”

    2 Timothy 2:13 — Even if we have a crisis of faith, God remains faithful to us.
    “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”

    2 John 1:2 — Christ will be with us forever.
    “because of the truth [Christ] which abides in us and will be with us forever”

    John 8:35 — When we believe the gospel, we become a child of God, and a child of God remains a child forever.
    “And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.”