Is it possible for a lowly human being to know for a certainty they are going to heaven? Many are persuaded it is impossible to know for sure they will eventually be transported to heaven from earth at death. They are persuaded it cannot be known until all good and bad deeds are compared to determine which is greater. They reason, if the good exceeds the bad, there just may be a chance that you can go to heaven, but it cannot be known until God measures both to determine which is greater.
If the good is greater than the bad, they reason, the gates to heaven may open, ever so slowly. The strong antagonism against the Bible doctrine of eternal security is primarily due to a misunderstanding of what is taught in the scriptures. There has been severe misrepresentation of this doctrine from a number of sources. There is a small number of individuals who make use of this doctrine to be a license to sin or to live as you please. This is unfortunate as those who embrace this concept are held up as proof that eternal security is something to be scoffed at as the lives that are observed by the viewing public appear to be incompatible with a legitimate Christian way of life. Whether or not such persons have ever been saved is a question that God alone can answer. It is not the prerogative of any imperfect human being to judge the eternal destiny of anyone as they too are guilty of sins that may not be judged overtly but are certain to occur covertly. What is not seen overtly in the hidden or covert thoughts of anyone can be equally sinful and contradictory to the Christian way of life. It is easy to dismiss the extent to which the mind embraces unspeakable thoughts that are far from an exemplary manner or life. Somehow, some seem to think that overt thoughts are thoughts for which we are not responsible. Everyone has bad thoughts at different times in their life. True, true, and true! This is the reason the Bible has declared all are under sin and that our iniquities have taken us away.
“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” (Isaiah 64:6).
It is not reasonable to judge the Bible doctrine of eternal security by the misrepresentations of those who attempt to use it as a covering for their unsavory conduct. To point to the failings of men and argue that eternal security is evil, and to be rejected, is just as reasonable as it would be to examine a counterfeit one-hundred-dollar bill and insist that because of it, all good one-hundred-dollar bills should be rejected. When counterfeit bills are found, they are taken out of circulation in order to protect the sound bills. In like manner, when someone uses the doctrine of eternal security as a permit for promiscuous sin, the error should be exposed that the truth might be retained.
Another reason for the antagonism to eternal security is because of the misrepresentation of the doctrine by some who are opposed to it. The opposition may not always be intentional but it is no less harmful. It simply does not comport to their rational humanistic mind. They reason, if God is good and saves those who are bad, how can those who are saved from their bad by his good continue in their bad? They conclude the continuation of the bad means they were never saved in the first place. They suggest the new believer only had a head belief and not a heart belief or they world not pursue such carnal behavior. A false belief is certainly possible when the gospel is presented as a behavior pattern and a better way to live as opposed to a volitional choice to believe in Christ alone as the object of saving faith. Many have been asked to raise their hand or come forward if they believe in Christ. Some may respond to this request without understanding the gospel need to fully believe in Christ as the object of their immature faith. What tragedy it is to proclaim to anyone that to become a Christian one only needs to come forward, raise their hand, and repeat a prayer they neither know nothing about or don’t understand.
Public confessions must follow a sure and certain exercise of faith in the person of Jesus Christ. No one can rightly follow Jesus until they become members of His Royal family. Following Jesus means first to know Him by the exercise of faith in His person. He is the one who saves; He is the unique One that must be the object of believing faith that becomes meritorious when placed in Him. This can only become a reality by the operation of God the Holy Spirit who opens the blind eyes of the unbeliever so that unbelief and doubt concerning the saviorhood of Jesus Christ becomes belief and absolute certainty. The belief must embrace the unseen and unfelt Savior by means of faith in Him. When Jesus Christ is clearly understood as the only way, the only truth, and the only life the trusting person is comporting to scriptural truth and understands “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
The certainty of the possession of eternal life comes by learning what the Word of God says about what is required in order to actually possess eternal life. As a rebellious unbeliever, I knew nothing about salvation being in, and through the person of Jesus Christ. I had never attended church or read the Bible and was skeptical of anyone who claimed to be a Christian. I gave them a very wide berth and hoped they would not approach me with their ‘gobbledegook’ about spiritual matters. I thought that being a Christian was someone who, when Christ was received, would truly live it for the rest of their lives. I was determined, at an undetermined point much later in life, to be fully dedicated as a Christian and really) live an obedient life. I was persuaded I would not be a hypocrite! I had heard scant and confusing words about what is required to become a Christian and was puzzled about the soundness of the messages. At the end of some of the messages many statements seemed to be unclear and ambiguous. They spoke of many things that should be done, but I had no capacity or desire to perform them. I felt I was alright as I was and did not want to be disturbed.
At the conclusion of some of the messages many of the remarks confused me such as, “Come to Jesus as you are. Walk this isle. If Jesus walked up Calvary’s hill for you, surely you can walk down this isle for Him.” Other statements confused me like “Give Him your heart, surrender to Him now, and make Him your Lord.” These statements seemed strange to me, and I felt I had nothing worthy to offer a holy and perfect Savior. So, I did nothing but ponder these statements and would, at a later date, explore their accuracy and test them by the plumb line of truth, which according to them is the Bible.
Somehow, I located a well-worn Bible that was placed by the Gideon’s and began to read with an inquiring mind. Where do I start? I had no idea! I read a few chapters from the Old Testament and didn’t understand anything! I was intimidated by many of the Bible declarations and by what I didn’t know. I continued to read and hoped to get to the bottom of some of the things I had heard from evangelists on television and the radio. Finally, I began reading the New Testament and was further confused. I did not understand what applied to me and to others, like Israel, the nations, the kingdom and denominations. I continued to read and turned to the book of John. At an unknown point in time a sliver of light began to illuminate my dark soul and I began to understand small particles of this Holy book.
What I most desired was assurance and clarity regarding the truth of how to appropriate eternal life. I was dumbfounded by some of the clear statements that pointed to eternal life being purchased by the blood sacrifice of a unique Savior described as the Lord Jesus Christ. The more I read the more I embraced the truth that God the Holy Spirit was unfolding to my biblically uneducated and uninformed soul. I read the book of John over and over again and before each reading I uttered a short prayer to the God I did not know! In each prayer I asked God to open my understanding of His truth and to instruct me in the pathway of embracing a correct, accurate, and totally clear Gospel. I acknowledge to God, “I know nothing. I want to be taught by You to know the truth about what the only and right way to Heaven is.” I prayed, “Oh God, please don’t let me be deceived. I know little and less than nothing… I can embrace error or truth. I believe You are the God of truth; I ask You to personally hear me and lead me away from error to your infallible and eternal truth. I do want to go to Heaven, Oh Lord, please don’t let me be deceived.”
Let me share with you a few scriptures that arrested my soul and drew me to God’s truth. Please consider these scriptures and think with me as you read and ask God to give you the light, He gave me in my darkest hour. In this God provided hour of opportunity a pathway and door to light, truth and eternal life was given to me by the matchless grace of God. Who is the author of truth? It is God. How do I know? I know because I know I am not the creator of truth, but by God’s grace truth from His word tells me that He is truth and all that comes from Him is truth. How amazing! I didn’t create this truth, but I began to believe that all truth is from Him and His truth from the Bible resonated like angelic music deep within my soul. Here are some of the scriptures I read and have since memorized. “The lord gave the word” (Psalm 68:11). I carefully thought, this scripture says, it is God who gave this word. I asked Him for truth, and He communicated to me, that He is the source of truth and what comes from Him is the absolute truth. This became my plumb line, and it has served me well and has protected me from man’s slanted truth and deception.
“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4).
This is what we have when we realize the true value of God’s word. When we read and meditate on His word, we are gleaning treasure from the diamond mine of truth. “Blessed is he that reads” (Revelation 1:3). Yes, I was abundantly blessed every time I read the truth of His truths, and you will be too as His word cannot be depleted. It was enlightening to me and will be to you also! Read to understand; it is not a time to be understood. God knows all about you; look away from you to Him; He is revealed in His word, the more you know about His word the more you will know about Him; the more you know about Him the more you will know about yourself.
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).
This scripture became very personal. This word that was drawing me to Him actually comes from the mouth of God. How clear, and how believable. I was reading words of truth from the very mouth of God. By His amazing Grace I began to understand; this is the spiritual nectar I will need for the rest of my life.
“The Holy scriptures are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ALL scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect (mature) thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:15-17).
The Holy scriptures make you wise regarding the fact that the salvation of your soul resides in Christ Jesus and not in you or your best behavior. (This was an eye opener). “Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it (Luke 11:28). To hear is one thing, to truly listen is quite another. Listening to learn is how we add to what we already know. If we simply listen to confirm what we already know it is impossible to add information to what is already in our inventory of knowledge.
Memorize, memorize, memorize, and occasionally review the information that is stored so that you are ready to apply this knowledge to your experiences. More than seven thousand promises are in the written word just waiting for you to know, and claim. Each or these promises are designed and available for application and use only in time (while you are alive). None will be applicable in eternity. In eternity we have been delivered from our trail of tears and from every testing. We will be face to face with the One who was available to be believed, and perpetually trusted for every problem, trial, and exigency. I encourage you to become familiar with His word and all of His reliable promises. Increase your sense of awareness and realize that today is the day that you should begin to seek His face and do His will. We are wise when we increase our awareness of the uniqueness of each day and realize that it is truly a gift from God.
“This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).
“Boast not thyself of tomorrow for thou knowest not what a day (today) may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1).
Today is a gift from God; tomorrow may never come. To store the infallible word of God in the human spirit is to possess a mighty fortress of protection and spiritual capacity in order to meet and persevere through any test or exigency that may be encountered by the child of God. Please be reminded; God is not always a way out, but he is always the way through. Notice the enablement in all of these powerful verses that must be stored in your permanent frame of reference. If they remain closed and confined within the printed pages of the Bible, they will be useless. Does the word of God provide for your victory over personal sins? Yes! “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11). If the word of God is not within you there is no capacity!
“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119: 9).
Looking for a straight, clean, and certain path? Hide and heed these words in your heart before taking the next step! When you hide and heed God’s word in your heart you are fortified with pure truths that eradicate error and limited human viewpoint. “Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him” (Proverbs 30:5). His pure and infallible word will be your personal shield. You are wise when your trust is deposited in the personal God who is revealed in His word. You will never find a source of truth that declares with absolute certainty that it, as a source of truth is absolute truth. God’s word without hesitation or ambiguity declares, “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17). You are wise when you know, believe, and rest in its truth!
Personal human power is temporal, but power outside of you from His impeccable word is eternal. “The word of God is alive and powerful sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner (critic) of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). What will you be challenged to do by this living and powerful word? The admonition is to “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). To be approved by the study of this Holy Word is to be taught by it, to learn from it, and to continue in it.
“If you continue in my word, then (not before) you are my disciples indeed” (John 8:31).
When quality time is centered in His word, many questions and concerns will be addressed and answered. The issue of salvation from God to man will be declared over and over again, and you will be enabled to see and understand matters that you have never contemplated or understood.
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
When a direct and simple statement like this is simply digested and trusted it will become clear that the human mind can know there is no need to search for many gods. There is only One God. Then too, there is only One Mediator (not more) between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Ask yourself: What was the primary mission of this Mediator? The answer to this question calls for a why, a godly reason. The why is answered immediately “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners… (that’s you and me) of whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1:15). In clear and solemn words Jesus makes an unequivocal declaration that points to a certain salvation which offers eternal life in and from Him. “Jesus said unto him, I AM the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).
Many of the unwise are tempted to doubt this eternal statement and are persuaded there must be more that can be done to secure eternal life. Man can consider many ways in his quest for truth. However, man’s ways are only ways that seem right to him. To appear right is not good enough, absolute truth must be the light that leads to God’s truth! “There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). Many have become complacent and look at life from the wrong end of the telescope. Therefore, they do not see beyond their temporal physical lives. Yet there is abundant information from the word of God that addresses what is truly important and where emphasis should be directed. “A man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses” (Luke 12:15).
Suppose an individual accumulates great wealth and ascends to the highest positions, “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul” (Mark 8:36)? All that man may gain is temporal and will perish with use. What will not perish is the appointment he must keep that gives account of his rejection of Jesus Christ as personal Savior. “For it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the Judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). He who is born only once must die twice (physically and spiritually). He who is born twice (physically and spiritually) must only die once. Physical death only.
All men work for and gain a certain wage because of their sins. These wages are due and must be paid.
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
Do not overlook the last twelve words in this verse “the gift of life is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Look further to another very similar verse. “And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that has the Son has life: and he that has not the Son has not life. These things have I written to you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that you may KNOW that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:11-13).
Want to see more of the consistent truth for the necessity to believe only in Jesus Christ for eternal salvation?
“But these are written, that YOU might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through His name” (John 20:31).
You may wonder… just what is life eternal. The answer comes from this scripture “And this is life eternal, that you might know Him, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent” (John 17:3). What is your option after viewing these several scriptures? If you have faith, (something you can’t see, taste or feel) you may deposit that faith here. “He (that’s you) that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him (John 3:36). It is true. “God is angry with the wicked” (Psalm 7:11).
But then He pronounces, ever so tenderly, a supreme alternative. “Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be But then He pronounces, ever so tenderly, a supreme alternative… “Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow: though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18). How amazing that the God of the universe extends something from His person that is unmerited, and beyond all good deeds that may be performed by all human beings.
“For by grace are you 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).
This amazing gift is received by a non-meritorious act of simple faith. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Hebrews 11:6). If you are uncertain regarding this issue or if you are convinced that you are too far away or too sinful, consider these words:
“Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
“And him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37).
“Behold now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).
“But God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
“How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation (Hebrews 2:3)?
“Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3).
“Come NOW, and let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; and though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18).
“Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
“And the peace of God, which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
“Casting all your care upon Him: for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
“My peace I give unto you… Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).
Is Eternal Security Sure?
