To be unmovable and consistent in the Christian way of life, was one of the most compelling admonitions declared by the Apostle Paul to the new believers in Corinth. These admonitions are pertinent for today! “Therefore, my beloved brethren, by ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). What is proclaimed here gives assurance that the work of all believers in Christ shall not be in vain. This assurance is clearly outlined in the following scriptures beginning at verse fifty-one.
“Behold I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. But thanks be to God which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:51-57). These powerful words are clear declarations upon which the admonitions to steadfastness, immovableness, and a life abounding in the work of the Lord are made. The believer’s work cannot be in vain because of the certainty of the basis upon which the admonitions are made. What is it that is clear and absolute? “All shall be changed.”
All who are members of “the church of God which is at Corinth,” all who “are sanctified in Christ Jesus,” all who are “called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:2). The all at Corinth applies to you also. Many of these believers in Christ were not the most consistent or persevering, yet Paul exempted no one. No conditions of behavior were demanded nor is there any that can be implied. It is clear that “we shall all be changed” vs 51. This was their reality because victory over death is accomplished solely by God through Jesus Christ, and “God is faithful, by whom you were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9). If it is possible (and it is not) for anyone who is now saved to be excluded from the “all” as presented here, and are not given victory over death by Jesus Christ, the appeal by Paul loses its impact. If there is any remote possibility that anyone now saved might not be “changed” at the last trump, then there is a possibility that such a person has served the Lord in vain. You cannot make sense out of nonsense. If anyone who is saved can be lost, then whatever labor such a person has accomplished for the Lord has indeed been in vain. If this possibility exists for any believer (and it does not) it surely exists for all. Therefore, no one can know that his labor is not in vain. This erroneous conclusion contradicts Paul’s statement, “You know that your labor is not in vain.” Therefore, to deny the eternal security of the believer in Christ makes void God’s Word upon which He bases His encouragement to steadfastness. A concerned believer once encouraged a growing friend that he should not squander all his assets but save for the future. The young believer replied: “But I might die before I can use it, then it would be useless.” The uncertainty of the future caused that individual to be unsure of the need to live a disciplined life and wisely prepare for the future. As an incentive to do the work of the Lord, God’s word gives assurance that the work of the believer for God’s glory shall not be in vain. The believer’s full assurance of everlasting life is the greatest incentive for a steadfast, immovable, and productive life that abounds with the work of the Lord. Those who teach believers that they might become lost are in reality encouraging them to consume themselves in the present world because there is no definite assurance that they shall enjoy the fruits of their labor in eternity. Admonitions to steadfastness are found elsewhere in the scriptures and are based on sure and unalterable conditions. “Therefore, my brethren … stand fast in the Lord” (Philippians 4:1). This portion of the word looks back to, “For our manner of life is in heaven: from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself” (Philippians 3:20,21). Further encouragements are as follows:
“Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word or our epistle.” The “therefore” in this scripture refers to …“God has from the beginning chosen you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 2:15, 13, 14).
The admonition here is based solely upon God’s choosing and calling; therefore, there can be no possible failure. Very clearly God first gives full assurance to the believer that he shall be raised from the dead or changed at the last trump; that his vile body shall be fashioned like unto that of the Lord Jesus Christ by the working of the infinite power of God (and not the working of man). This will occur because God has chosen, and called by the gospel. It is only after God has made these matters clear and understandable that He appeals for steadfast immovable lives abounding in the labor of God. To deny the eternal security of the believer denies the certainty of what God makes definite and robs the believer of his assurance of eternal life, thereby undermining the word of God. You may be assured it is by His amazing grace that God provides sufficient divine operating assets for the enabling of the believer to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present world. And too, it is His eternal and abiding love that provides impact and dynamics for a productive Cristian way of life. HIS mercy and grace guarantees a full realization of the unalterable standing of the believer in grace.
The full realization of the believers position in Christ provides the greatest incentive for a full dedication of body, soul, and spirit to a sovereign, holy, and righteous God. The high calling in Christ as planned, determined, and carried out according to the good pleasure of His will is the greatest incentive for living a productive life that honors Christ and is separated sufficiently from the world. It is the clear knowledge of being transformed into the image of Christ and appearing with Him in glory that is the biblical basis for living a God honoring life that is distinct from worldly desires and lusts. The incorruptible God given nature of the new life in Christ is the reason for consistently feeding upon the Word of God. A consistent intake of God’s word provides scriptural knowledge and assurance of a resurrection body that will transform our present body, with its vile and corrupt sin nature, into a new body fashioned like unto His glorious body. This the greatest appeal to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.
Each of the conditions upon which these appeals are made demand an understanding of the eternal security of the believer in Christ. And sadly, to teach that it is possible for one who has been saved can be lost is to undermine the very basics of God’s provisions for a life that is secure and acceptable to Him. The ill-advised charge that the teaching of eternal security leads to unfettered carelessness and a mindset that believers can do anything they so desire is not only false but assails against the security of immature believers who can be discouraged by these incorrect teachings. Perhaps, they are responsible for the creation of human conditions and requirements that can only come from a mature believer who is steadfast and mature in the word of truth. They seem to make no allowances for the operation of an old sin nature that is incessantly prone to sin in both immature and mature believers. To ignore or neglect the teachings of these scriptural truths is a very serious matter. God never leaves those He has saved in the hands of any human being as their hands and behavior cannot hold or secure the unseen and unfelt soul. Only God can hold a soul in His hands and this is exactly where every believer is and will remain. To be in human hands is a guarantee for failure. “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 Fathers hand” (John 10:27-29).
NO HUMAN HAS THE POWER TO TAKE FROM GOD THOSE WHOM HE HOLDS IN HIS HAND! Believe it! This is eternal truth!
Eternal security resides exclusively in the person of Jesus Christ! It is not maintained by any imperfect human being. The case for the security of the believer does not rest on the refutation of human arguments, but on the positive revelation of God as it is found in the doctrines of grace. The arguments against eternal security are untenable, and cannot be sustained nor supported by a correct interpretation of scripture. A familiar argument against eternal security is expressed as: “We know from our own experience of persons who have been saved, but have later been lost.” The human observation and conclusion drawn from such instances may both be incorrect, as humans are far from being infallible. Anyone who makes a definitive statement concerning someone, that was supposedly saved and is now lost, is making a double judgment whereby he intrudes himself into the prerogative of God. What is stated in scripture concerning the judgment of the heart from individuals? “The Lord sees not as man sees, for man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). This holy word from God clearly declares that man cannot judge whether anyone, at the core of their soul, is acceptable to Him. No individual can definitely declare of another that he/she is either saved or lost.
The lives of two men, as recorded in scripture, will display God’s judgement as to whether either of these men were saved or lost. In both cases God’s evaluation is the opposite of man’s as man measures success by human experience. Some have stated Lot was a lost soul as indicated by the fact he pitched his tent toward Sodom. Others have emphatically stated that as a result of this first move toward Sodom, Lot became a lost soul. They use this outward experience of Lot as the basis for measuring the eternal destiny of his soul. Those who erroneously assume this position have entirely overlooked what is recorded in the word of God almost two thousand years subsequent to Lot’s death. The record is found in 2 Peter 2:7,8. “And delivered JUST Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation (manner of life) of the wicked. For that RIGHTEOUS man dwelling among them (the people of Sodom) in seeing and hearing, vexed his RIGHTEOUS soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.” Many pious humans emphatically state that Lot was a lost soul. However, God, the righteous judge of his soul, determines him to be just and righteous. Who is correct, God or judgmental man? Not many in the biblical record appear more hopeless than Lot.
Also, many propound that they know from their own experience persons who have been saved are now lost. Let no one say this incident involving Lot should not be mentioned because it may encourage a sinful life. The fact that it is recorded in His word is sufficient authority for its proclamation. When correctly understood, the life of Lot can serve as a sure warning. It shows in concrete terms what it means to be saved so as by fire. The meaning evaporates when it is used to warn believers of the alleged possibility of being lost. Although Lot’s life contrasts the life of Abraham, both were imputed with perfect righteousness apart from works. Another person in the word of God is an individual whom many consider to have been saved, but God declares he was lost. This addresses the traitor, Judas Iscariot. Judas is the ever-present proof to many for the possibility of being saved and later lost. In reading about his life, it may be found he was numbered as one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He was trusted by the other disciples and even made their treasurer. He was with the twelve when they were sent out to preach the gospel of the Kingdom. There is no record of any of the other disciples mistrusting him. He was included in the “we” when Peter said, “We believe and are sure that Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God” (John 6:69). Most certainly, from experience, Peter and the other disciples thought that Judas was a saved believer. Notice carefully. When Peter made that great confession of faith in Christ, which is in itself the basis that supports a sure salvation (John 3:36), and included Judas in it, Jesus immediately challenged it by saying, “One of you is a devil.” What made the difference in these judgments? Peter only knew the outward being of Judas—Jesus Christ knew the depts of his heart and such was known from eternity past.
Another important point… after Jesus had washed the disciples feet, He was very precise when He said, “You are clean, but not all, for he knew who should betray Him; therefore said He, you are not all clean” (John 13:10,11). Jesus had washed the feet of Judas as well as the others. The difference between Judas and the others was that he had not been bathed (v. 10), therefore he was not clean. This is a reference to the washing of regeneration which is the same root word as is used for bathed in John 13:10 by which Judas had not been cleansed. “It is according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). This is a reference to a once for all cleansing and Judas had never been cleansed according to the record of the scripture as recorded in (Heb. 10: 1-12). Judas had never been saved, according to this precise word of God that abides forever. In the days of the early Church, some among the true believes went out from among them to pursue their differences. It is written of them: “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us, but they went out that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us” (1 John 2:19). The very purpose of their departure was to manifest that they were not of the believers who stayed. It is clear that they had been fully recognized as believers. However, they may have left for reasons that are not disclosed in this scripture.
When anyone says from their own experience, that “there are those who have been saved but are now lost,” they are projecting their own observations and judgment above clear declarations from the word of God that are contrary. Also, such individuals allow their own limited observations and judgment to deny what is taught in all of the doctrines of grace which demand the eternal security of the believer. Such fallacious speculations place the fallible and finite judgments of men above God’s infinite and infallible word. When looking into the soul of man only God is the final arbiter and not limited and judgmental man. There are known knowns and known unknowns. What we don’t know will fill an ocean, what we do know from the word of God is truth. This is what we must embrace and not conjecture and the speculations of men. The greater question is do we know the God that can be known? Our faithful God not only knows. He reveals that we may know Him; to know Him is to know Jesus Christ who is the manifest Person of the Godhead. He is known by a theological process defined as Notitia, Ascensus, and Fiducia. The Holy Spirit gives notice to the unbeliever, the unbeliever accents and deposits their faith in the only Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is then by Grace …. the Lord hears and saves!
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.
