The subject of “eternal security” or “perseverance of the saints” is one of great comfort and encouragement as we glean from some powerful statements in God’s word.
John 10:27–30 (ESV) — 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
Consider how you came to Christ. When the Gospel was presented and your heart was touched by God’s grace in the fact that you saw yourself in desperate need of help as a helpless bankrupt sinner before God. Thankfully, God didn’t leave you there. In fact, the good news of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection described God’s paying the price for your sin and now your believing is evidence of your acceptance before God.
Ephesians 2:1–7 (ESV) — 1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Going back to the words of Jesus as He is making sure you know that your response to the Gospel is going from not following the great Shepherd, to hearing His voice and following Him. Now, notice what Jesus has for those who follow Him – eternal life and eternal security. The security question is so undeniably great that the Lord Jesus Christ describes double security that His sheep are placed in His hand, from which nobody is able to pluck them out, but He goes deeper and reminds us that nobody is able to pluck them out of His Father’s hand as He and the Father are one.
Romans 1:16–17 (ESV) — 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Job 17:9 (ESV) — 9 Yet the righteous holds to his way, and he who has clean hands grows stronger and stronger.
This is called perseverance as the person who is declared righteous or “justified” is declared righteous, not a righteousness that is earned but one that is bestowed by God through faith, the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hence that person who is declared righteous by God shall hold on His way, secured by the grace and power of God and the working of the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 1:15–21 (ESV) — 15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
As a person comes to the knowledge that salvation is by the grace of God, there is found a rock-solid hope, which is an expectation beyond us and is based upon the word and power of God. This hope is best described in the concluding verses of Romans chapter eight:
Romans 8:28–39 (ESV) — 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Not one of God’s elect will be lost. God the Father elected each one before the foundation of the world as He chose them in Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ came to this world to save His people from their sins and He did it. The Holy Spirit brings the life-giving work of heart transplantation to each one that Christ died for, each one that was chosen by God and predestinated to be an adopted child of God.
Ezekiel 36:25–27 (ESV) — 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
In Heaven, all will be there having been chosen, redeemed, and called. Not one will be lost. All glory to God!
Godspeed,
Bob Brubaker, Pastor
Christ Community Presbyterian Church
Clearwater, FL
