Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Understanding Grace: Once You're Saved You're Always Saved!


18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18

 We've been in a series on understanding grace. So far we've seen how we are always accepted with our Father. We are forever forgiven. Our past and present and future sins are completely forgiven and cleansed by Jesus and the Finished Work. We have discovered our worth in light of redemption. 

 Today, I wish to continue with this series and address the issue of our security in Christ. Far too many believers reject the notion of a secure salvation. When presented with the truth of eternal security alarms go off and red flags are raised.

 Many believers start a panic when they even sense you are referencing a secure position in Christ. They immediately produce the "proper" Christian check list. Performance and faithfulness are suddenly the foundation of the Christian faith. Christ and His Finished Work of Redemption are no longer on the forefront. The Finished Work takes on less significance in comparison to a Believer's performance, faithfulness, obedience, achievements and their current level of faith.

 When one references our secure salvation we must first understand what salvation is. Just exactly what does it mean to be saved? Does salvation mean we quit cussing and smoking and drunkenness and go to church? Although it is beneficial to attend church, and cut out tobacco and drunkenness, and exchange profane speech for more wholesome speech this is not what salvation is. 

Salvation means we have placed all our faith and hope and trust in Jesus Christ alone for redemption, new life and a blessed hope. It means we have passed from death unto life. 
 24 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. 1 John 1:24

 Salvation means we have been Justified (declared and made righteous through the Blood) and have peace with God
Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Romans 5:1 

 Salvation means we have been redeemed and cleansed by the precious Blood of Jesus
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace Ephesians 1:7

 Salvation means we are forgiven of all our sins once for all time
...Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. Colossians 2:13b
12 With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. Hebrews 9:12

 I liken Salvation to mean we are:
 Saved from the penalty of sin, spiritual death and eternal separation from God. Saved from a guilty conscience and condemnation from the Law and the accusations of the enemy.
 Saved for a beautiful and fulfilling relationship with Father God. Made new creations in Him, always acceptable to Him, and made sons and daughters in His Family. 
 Saved unto a new life with overcoming faith and fruitful life in abundance in Him. It is Christ living through us. 

 For one to lose this salvation then one would therefore be unredeemed, unforgiven, unclean, unrighteous, and passed from life back to death. If we could lose it this process could be repeated many times throughout our lifetime. 

 The proponents of eternal insecurity have never been able to pinpoint exactly when someone has in fact forfeited or lost their salvation. Remember this is their standard, confess in order to be forgiven. They then also cannot pinpoint the standing of a believer before God who has just sinned but has yet to "confess" this sin in order to be forgiven. 


Why it is vital for the Church to understand Eternal Security

 The Word of God is clear. It perfectly illustrates the condition of man before and after redemption. What is man apart from redemption? He is spiritually dead (separated, not ceasing to exist) and has the "disease" of sin dominating him. 

 The Finished Work reveals that Christ on the Cross put away sins forever. His Blood has eternally cleansed us. That through the resurrection of Christ He gave new life to spiritually dead men. Jesus didn't die to make bad people good but dead men alive! He purchased new life and forgiveness once for all time for those who freely receive it.

 Follow this illustration then. If one had stage four cancer and died in the hospital what would that one need to experience life again? If you healed the disease then all you would have is a healed dead man. If you raised him back to life and didn't remove the disease he would die again. 

 For redemption to be perfected, we needed to have the "disease" of sin removed from us and then be made alive to God. If we believe that our salvation is insecure this means we are just made alive in Christ but still susceptible to sin's dominion and curse. 

 More plainly stated, look at Adam. He was born innocent. Now how many sins did it take for him to fall and need redemption? It only took one. So for the Christian what precisely occurs the moment we blow it and sin? In the span of time between the having just committed transgression and the time we must "confess" it to be forgiven? 

 Now remember Old Covenant minded Saints believe we must confess in order to be forgiven. Therefore pinpoint that time between the transgression and confession. What is that person's standing before God? If you truly believe we must confess in order to be forgiven and that salvation is insecure you are only left with one option. You must believe each time you sin you are unrighteous and spiritually dead again. 

 This is why it is vital to believe in eternal security. Either we are  spiritually lost each time we sin, and are without hope if we fail to confess. Or we are eternally cleansed by the blood and our sins have been forever put away by Jesus. Redemption isn't opposing itself. It only took one sin for Adam to fall. Therefore redemption is one or the other. Meaning it is complete and secure or it is partially complete and only perfected by our continual confession for forgiveness. 

 Since it only took one sin for Adam to be lost. Why then are we not lost the moment we sin? This is the key to understanding the vital importance of once saved always saved. Jesus forever put away sins in His body on the tree. Sin has no longer the ability to separate the Believer from God. Because of the Blood of Jesus we are eternally redeemed and cleansed. 

 This blood and Finished Work was enough.  
18 And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices. Hebrews 10:18
In light of this, we can't confess enough to be forgiven. We can't perform enough to be forgiven. We can't do anything to be forgiven. We simply put our faith and trust in Jesus' Blood for our redemption and forgiveness. 

 Once you're born again and made righteous you aren't on the indentured servant program attempting to repay Jesus back. You're eternally redeemed and secure. This is grace. This is perfect redemption. Grace is the safety net. This security enables us to freely pursue God and do great things without fear of falling, failing or forfeiting our place in Him. 

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