The Baptist Pillar © Brandon Bible Baptist Church 1992-Present www.baptistpillar.com
"...The church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."
I Timothy 3:15
God Promises All Believers Eternal Life
Louis A. Turk, B. A., Div. PhD.
Available in Tract Form. Contact the Editor.
"And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even ETERNAL LIFE." (1 John 2:25)
God's gracious promise to give eternal life to every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is the best news of all ages. Anyone including you--can receive eternal life by simply believing God's promise. Have you believed God's promise? If you die today are you absolutely certain you will go to Heaven?
Beware lest you make God a liar by disbelieving His promise to give eternal life to everyone that receives Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior. Because if you do not believe that once a person believes in Jesus Christ he is saved once and forever by the Lord Jesus Christ, then you have NEVER really trusted in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you are lost in your sins, and you are heading straight to Hell. This is true even if you have been baptized and are an active church member, and is true even if you are a Sunday school teacher or preacher.
This is written, not to offend, but out of genuine concern for your soul. Because, repeat it, if you do not believe in the eternal security of the blood-bought believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, then you have NEVER been saved, and except you repent of your unbelief you will end up eternally tormented in the flames of the lake which burns with fire and brimstone:
But the fearful, and UNBELIEVING, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Rev. 21:8)
PEOPLE IN HELL HAVE NEVER KNOWN CHRIST
Said the Lord Jesus Christ:
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Mat. 7:21- 23)
Who is this verse referring to when it says "he that doeth the will of my father"? Not those who have "done many wonderful works," but rather BELIEVERS in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and Christ will NOT lose or cast out God's children. "For ye are all the CHILDREN of God by FAITH in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:26).
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; AND HIM THAT COMETH TO ME I Will IN NO WISE CAST OUT. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I SHOULD LOSE NOTHING, but should raise it up again at the last day. AND THIS IS THE WILL OF HIM THAT SENT ME, that every one seeth the Son, and BELIEVETH on him, may have EVERLASTING LIFE: and I WILL raise him up at the last day. (John 6:37-40)
Note in Matt. 7:21-23 above that on the judgment day Jesus will tell all religious, but UNBELIEVING, professing Christians. "I NEVER knew you." He will NOT say to them, "I once knew you, but then you sinned and lost your salvation."
People who believe that salvation can he lost are trusting in their own religious works to save them, and are not trusting in Christ. They believe that they are doing "many wonderful works," perhaps even including having "cast out devils," and are therefore worthy of salvation. Because they are trusting in their own good works instead of in the finished work of Christ upon the cross, they have NEVER been saved.
SALVATION IS BY GRACE, NOT BY WORKS
The reason some people believe a saved person can lose his salvation is because they believe good works are necessary for salvation. Yet they know in their hearts that their works are often sinful, not good. Therefore, such people believe that you cannot know for sure that you will make it to Heaven until after the Judgment Day. Then, "If your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds", they reason, "you will be allowed into Heaven. Otherwise, you will go to Hell or Purgatory." This is a tragic misunderstanding (or rejection) of what the Bible teaches about salvation.
The Bible very clearly tells us that salvation is by God's grace through faith in the finished work of Christ, and is NOT of our own works.
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. (Eph. 2:8-9)
NOT BY WORKS of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made hers according to the hope of eternal life. (Tit. 3:5-7)
None of us are worthy of salvation. If we get what we deserve, we will all end up in Hell.
For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. (Ecc. 7:20)
But we are all as an unclean thing, and ALL our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we ALL do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isa. 64:6)
As it is written, There is NONE righteous, NO. NOT ONE: there is NONE that understandeth, there is NONE that seeketh after God. They are ALL gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is NONE that doeth good, NO, NOT ONE (Rom. 3:10-12)
For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (Rom. 2:23)
Without Jesus Christ, none of us are righteous, none of us are good, and none of us are profitable to God. Quite to the contrary, without Christ, all of us are unclean, all of our righteousnesses are filthy, and we sin continually. Only because of the finished work of Christ is there hope for us wicked sinners.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
SALVATION IS ETERNAL
As the above verse illustrates, the Bible very clearly tells us that the salvation Jesus Christ authored is ETERNAL salvation.
So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard that he feared; though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of ETERNAL SALVATION unto at them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. (Heb. 5:5-10)
EVERLASTING MEANS NEVER ENDING
It is amazing how many people do not understand the meaning of the words everlasting and eternal. They claim to have everlasting life; yet, claim that they can lose it if they fall into sin. Webster's Dictionary defines “everlasting” as "never coming to an end; lasting forever; eternal." Now to lose life is to die. Death ends life. Life is not eternal life or everlasting life if it can end in death.
Over and over again in the Bible Jesus promises eternal life or everlasting life to all who place their faith in Him. Here are just a few examples:
And this is the promise that he bath promised us, even ETERNAL LIFE. (1 John 2:25)
That whosoever believeth in him should NOT PERISH, but have ETERNAL LIFE. (John 3:15)
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 NAND. I and my Father are one. (John 10:27-30)
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end EVERLASTING LIFE. For the wages of sin is death; but the GIFT of God is ETERNAL LIFE through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom. 6:22-23)
In hope of ETERNAL LIFE, which God, that cannot lie, PROMISED before the world began. (Titus 1:2)
NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH WE HAVE DONE. but according to his MERCY he saved us, by the washing of REGENERATION, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his GRACE, we should be made heirs according to the hope of ETERNAL LIFE. (Titus 3:5.7)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should NOT PERISH, but have EVERLASTING LIFE. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is NOT CONDEMNED: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3.16-18)
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)
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath EVERLASTING LIFE, and shall NOT come into condemnation; but IS PASSED FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE. (John 5:24)
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 (John 6:40)
Now if Jesus is the author of eternal salvation, who, we must ask, is the author of non-eternal salvation? Surely, none other than Satan himself. People worshipping a non-eternal, salvation-giving Jesus are actually worshipping Satan himself without realizing it!
BEWARE OF "ANOTHER" JESUS WHO PROMISES NON-ETERNAL SALVATION
The Jesus of the Bible is the author of ETERNAL salvation. The Jesus of the Bible gives all those who believe in Him EVERLASTING life. The Jesus of the Bible saves repentant believing sinners and KEEPS them saved. The Jesus of the Bible does not need us to help Him save our souls. He is FULLY capable of saving us ALL BY HIMSELF. He does not need our help to keep us saved; he keeps all believers saved ALL BY HIMSELF.
Some people, however, believe in a different Jesus than the Jesus of the Bible. They believe in a Jesus that is weak and powerless and cannot finish what he starts. Their Jesus is, in fact, a liar, for he promises eternal life, supposedly gives it to people when they believe in him, but then, that "eternal" life ENDS when they sin. The eternal life he gives is fake, and he is a fraud. He starts to save people, but is unable to finish the job.
Thus, in reality, he is of no use whatsoever, for people have to end up saving themselves by their good works anyway. They are thus stronger than their phony, useless, counterfeit Jesus. THEY ARE REALLY TRUSTING IN THEMSELVES. THEY ARE THEIR OWN GODS. Their Jesus is a creation of human imagination--they have created and must do for their god, rather than God creating and doing for them, and so they are actually greater than their Jesus. VAIN PRIDE is the basic reason this false Jesus and false gospel is so popular.
The apostle Paul wrote the following divinely inspired words to the churches at Galatia and Corinth concerning this phony gospel and phony Jesus:
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the GRACE of Christ unto ANOTHER gospel: which is not another: but there be some that trouble you, and would PERVERT the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, LET HIM BE ACCURSED. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, LET HIM BE ACCURSED. (Gal. 1:6-9)
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth ANOTHER Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive ANOTHER spirit, which ye have not received, or ANOTHER gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.... For such are FALSE apostles, DECEITFUL workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. (2 Cor. 11:2-15)
TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION
Realizing the meaning of eternal salvation and ever lasting life—that is, that eternal does mean eternal, and everlasting does mean everlasting—, some people who reject the doctrine of once saved always saved defend their position by saying that no one is saved until God judges his works on the Judgment Day. Therefore, according to these people salvation does not come at the moment we put our faith in Christ, but rather sometime after physical death.
Such an idea, however, does not originate with the Bible. For example, when wicked tax collector Zacchaeus trusted Christ as personal Lord and Savior, he was saved that very day.
And Jesus said unto him, THIS DAY is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:9-10)
Also, the Bible never says that the Judgment Day is the day of salvation. Rather it says, "behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation." (2 Cor. 6:2)
"I WILL NOT BLOT OUT HIS NAME OUT OF THE BOOK OF LIFE"
The Lord Jesus very plainly promises that He will not blot the names of overcomers out of the book of life:
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will NOT blot out his name out of the book of life, but I WILL confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (Rev. 3:5)
That certainly means once saved always saved for overcomers. Who then are these overcomers? And do they overcome by their good works or by their faith in Christ? We are not left to guess.
Whosoever BELIEVETH that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.... For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our FAITH. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that BELIEVETH that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4.5)
Every human being's name was written in the book of life before the foundation of the world, but the names of those who die without trusting Christ as their Lord and Saviour are blotted out.
Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous. (Ps 69:28)
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Rev. 22:19)
IF A BELIEVER'S WORK BE BURNED, HE SHALL SUFFER LOSS: BUT HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED
What about a person that gets saved, but backslides? Won't that person lose his salvation? Not if he really got saved. Anyone who has placed his faith in Christ Jesus has laid a sure and everlasting foundation for his life.
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now it any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: BUT HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; YET SO AS BY FIRE. (1 Cor. 3:11-15)
In other words, if a believer's works do not meet with God's approval, he will lose all rewards on the Judgment Day—a horrible and eternal loss. "But he himself shall be saved;" he will NOT lose his soul!
While the life you live is certainly important, of much more importance is the foundation upon which you build your life. Mat. 7:24 speaks of the "wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock." 1 Cor. 10:4b says: "...and that Rock was Christ."
I once knew a man who hired an unscrupulous contractor to build his home. Alas, while he was away the contractor poured a shallow, unreinforced foundation. Upon this paper shell foundation was built a luxury home with the very finest of materials. Even before it was finished, great cracks appeared in all the walls, and it began to sink in one corner. Its ruin was great, and there was no remedy. So is a seemingly clean and moral person, doing many good works, but who has never trusted Christ as personal Lord and Savior. Without the foundation of Christ, cracks will soon develop in his golden life to render it ruined, and he will die to spend eternity in the torments of the flames of Hell.
Lot is an example of a saved person who wasted his life, yet was still saved. The Bible says he "pitched his tent toward Sodom" (Gen. 13:12). He eventually got so far away from God that he got drunk, and in his drunkenness got both his daughters pregnant (Gen. 19:30-36). Yet, in the eyes of God Lot was still considered a "just" and "righteous"—though miserable—man. The Bible says that God "delivered JUST Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that RIGHTEOUS man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his RIGHTEOUS soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)" (2 Pet. 2:7-8).
Cain is an example of a lost religious man. He believed there is a God, and even gave an offering to God. But his offering was bloodless, showing that he was trusting in his own good works to save him, and was not trusting in the coming virgin-born Messiah who would shed His blood on a cruel cross for the sins of the world.
And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. (Gen. 4:3-8)
Cain was never saved, and so did not lose his salvation. One cannot lose that which one never had. Being religious will not save your soul: only Jesus can save your soul. Believing God exists is not saving faith. Believing Jesus Christ died on the cross to give you eternal salvation (once saved always saved type salvation) is saving faith, without which you will go to Hell.
"I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE NOR FORSAKE THEE"
One of the most comforting verses in the Bible is Heb. 13:5 which says, "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE, NOR FORSAKE THEE."
A similar verse is John 6:37 where Jesus promises, "...and him that cometh to roe I will IN NO WISE cast out." These verses certainly teach "once saved always saved," for if a believer could lose his salvation and end up in Hell, Christ could not honestly say that that believer was neither forsaken nor cast out.
"IF I BELIEVED ONCE-SAVED-ALWAYS-SAVED, I WOULD LIVE LIKE THE DEVIL!"
Unbelievers will often say, "The idea that once you are saved, you are always saved encourages people to sin. If I believed once saved always saved, I would live like the Devil. I would drink, smoke, dance and fornicate and do drugs. Why not if once saved always saved?"
Such an attitude reveals a great misunderstanding of God's plan of salvation, and also reveals the true desires of these unbelievers' hearts. Because they have never truly been born again, they very much want to enjoy the pleasures of sin. Drinking, dancing, fornicating and doing drugs (or other sins) are what they consider fun. They think that to save their souls they must abstain from all those fun sins and force themselves to do "boring things" like praying, reading the Bible, and going to church, and act like they like it, when they really don't. However, because their nature has never been changed by the new birth, their efforts to live right are doomed to failure. For it happens to them according to the true proverb:
The dog is turned to his own vomit again: and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." (2 Pet. 2:22)
There is, of course, only one cure for a sinful nature: YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN. (John 3:7)
Therefore if any man be IN Christ, he is a NEW CREATURE: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Cor. 5:17)
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. (Gal. 6:15)
The fact is, people who are believing in Christ to save them once and for ever are the true believers in Christ, and because they have been born again (and therefore have a new nature) they tend to live much more holy lives than do those who believe that salvation once gained can be lost. True believers love Christ for giving them everlasting salvation, and therefore serve Him with a willing heart.
People who do not believe once saved always saved tend to resent Christ down in their hearts, for they think He is forcing them by threat of Hell to live what they consider to be an unhappy, "goody-goody" life instead of what they consider a fun, sinful life. This is why Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man he born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:31)
IN CONCLUSION
Salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ is a "once for all" and a "for ever" event.
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: but this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for was FOR EVER, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. (Heb. 10:10-13)