This article is brought to you compliments of: HIS BOARD -- (805) 652-1478 Sysop: Bob Harris and Bible Bulletin Board -- (318) 949-1456 Sysop: Tony Capoccia ~1a BAPTIST DOCTRINE #2 ------------------- DOCTRINE OF ETERNAL SECURITY PART ONE This is a study of the Baptist Doctrine of Eternal Security, also known as the Doctrine of Preservation. I strongly believe that when you finish this study of Eternal Security, you will better understand this important New Testament doctrine, that our beloved Apostle Paul, taught and lived. This is part-one, of a two-part series on the Doctrine of Eternal Security. If when you finish this study, and have any questions, please contact me, and I'll try to help you, in any way that I can. Thank You, Bro. Chuck Moss ________________________________________________________________________ To begin with , let me explain what the Doctrine of Eternal Security is, and what it is not. First, Eternal Security is the belief based on evidence, found throughout the scripture, that a person who is saved through faith,by grace is eternally secure in that salvation. Also a saved, born again believer need not worry about losing his salvation once he has gained salvation. Before you can prove that a person has lost his salvation, you must prove that he had it to begin with. A man can never lose something he never had. Don't base a man's salvation on outward appearances... just because he walked an isle and was baptized, or spoke with tongues,or any other outward manifestation does not prove that a man is saved. Only GOD and that man know for sure. A man can deceive others into believing he is saved,but he can never fool GOD. One day GOD will say ..." and then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (MATT 7:23) ***NOTE: GOD never said depart from me because I used to know you and now I forgot you... Rather GOD said, I never knew you before at all. Just because a man professes Christ,does not mean that he possesses Christ. Second, Eternal Security is not getting saved so you can sin and not worry about going to Hell. A person that has that attitude can not get saved, nor will get saved unless he has a change of attitude, and a change of heart, and a change of mind. Jesus said in (LUKE 13:3) -" I tell you Nay : but except you repent, ye shall all likewise perish." The word repent is the GREEK WORD (METANOEO) which means to have a change of heart, and a change of mind, and a change of attitude. In order to get saved, a person needs to do three things...(see Baptist Doctrines #_1 on Salvation ) 1) realize that he is lost, (see himself as GOD sees him) 2) realize that Jesus died for him and place his trust/faith in Jesus as LORD/MASTER of his life, and 3) Repent of his sins. A person who tries to get "saved" to sin and not worry about hell will not get saved, because GOD knows the intent of your heart. (HEBREWS 4:12) says "For the word of GOD .... is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Eternal Security is also not a license for a truly saved person to commit sin either. A child of GOD, when he commits sin on a continual basis,will be chastised by GOD for his sin. ( see PSALMS 89:26-37) ***NOTE: there is a difference between chastisement and punishment. ( see Baptist Doctrines #_3 on Punishment of the Wicked ) OUTLINE OF ETERNAL SECURITY --------------------------- ( ROMANS 8:1-39 ) 1) WE HAVE A NEW POSITION (VS. 1-3 ) A) IN REGARDS TO THE SON OF GOD (VS. 1) B) IN REGARDS TO THE LAW OF GOD (VS. 3) 2) WE HAVE A NEW GUEST (VS. 9-11) A) THIS INDWELLING IS PERMANENT (EPH 4:30) 3) WE HAVE A NEW ADOPTION (VS. 14-17) A) CHILDREN OF GOD (MATT 18:3) B) HEIRS OF GOD (VS. 17) C) HEIRS WITH CHRIST (VS. 17) 4) WE HAVE A NEW PRAYER HELPER (VS. 26-27) A) HIS IDENTITY B) HIS NECESSITY C) HIS INFALLIBILITY D) HIS INTENSITY 5) WE HAVE A NEW PROMISE (VS. 33-39) A) WHO WILL CONDEMN US B) WHO WILL SEPARATE US C) PAUL'S ANSWER Please open your BIBLE to ( ROMANS 8:1-39),and read the entire passage. Then continue with this study; however please keep your BIBLE open to follow along from the word of GOD. The saved believer remains eternally secure because of five reasons. First, the believer remains secure because he has a new position . In regards to the son of GOD, he is no longer under the law of GOD, (See Rom 8:1-3),but he is in Christ,a new position. We used to be under the law of GOD, (vs. 3), but now we are in Christ. Paul says here that the law of GOD could not save us, because of the weakness of the human flesh. God's law was not weak , but man was to weak to keep GOD'S law. The only purpose of the law was to show us that we are sinners and that we could not keep the law, and that we needed a savior to save us from our lost, sinful condition. Turn in your BIBLE to (Galatians 3:24-25). The apostle Paul says here "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come ,we are no longer under a schoolmaster. " The purpose of the law was to point to Christ. Now that I am saved I am under Christ and not under the law. Now what does that mean to the believer ? When I was lost I was judged under the law, but now that I am saved I will not be judged under the law, however I still need to obey the law , not to get or keep salvation, but to be what God wants me to be which is holy.(Romans 12:1-2). In (Rom 8:1) Paul says that there is now...no...condemnation to them...(believers) who are in.... Christ...! Does that mean until I commit the first sin as a believer? Look again. He says there is now no condemnation ( none whatsoever) to the believer. Next in regards to the law of GOD, I am not judged by the law anymore. But I do still earn rewards under the law, not my salvation. Remember...my salvation is a free gift.(Romans 6:23) " But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. " also (Romans 5:1-21) talks about the gift of GOD. Also (Acts 2:38) says that when we are saved, we will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is eternal life, not tongues as some would have you to believe. Again we earn or rather work for rewards, and we can lose rewards.( 1John 1:8) " Look to ourselves that we lose not the things which we have wrought (worked for),but that we receive a full reward. I don't work for my salvation. GOD gave me eternal life when I didn't deserve it. How can I lose it, am I worse off now as a believer than before? No I don't think so. You see,if GOD gave it to me when I didn't deserve it as a lost sinner, is he going is he going to take it away from me now that I am saved ? The answer of course is no. please see (Romans 6:10). here Paul says "for if when we were once enemies, we were reconciled to GOD by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. " Paul says here that Christ died to save me, But he lives to keep me saved. THE second reason the truly saved person remains saved is because he has a new guest living in side of him, which is the Holy Spirit. Look at (Romans 8:9-11),Paul says here that if you saved, you will have the Holy Spirit living in your heart as your new guest. As a christian, who is saved by faith thru grace, the moment you ask Jesus into your heart to save you, and to be Lord of your life, at that moment the Holy Spirit comes into your life to dwell in your heart. Now there are several things I want you to see about this indwelling of the Holy Spirit. First the Holy Spirit comes upon you at the moment of salvation not some time afterwards. Look at (Rom 8:9), here Paul says that if the Holy Spirit does not live in you, then you are not a child of GOD. Some people teach that you can get saved and later get baptized by the Holy Spirit. That is false teaching,because at the moment of salvation you are baptized by the Holy Spirit. The purpose of this is to place you into the body of Christ. (Rom 8:1) here Paul says that we are in Christ (Rom 8:11) says the Holy Spirit is in us. So at the moment of salvation we are placed into Christ, and the Holy Spirit is placed in us. Now the second thing about this indwelling of the Holy Spirit is that it is a permanent indwelling. Please turn to (Eph 4:30) " and grieve not the Holy Spirit of GOD, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." How do you as a child of GOD grieve the Holy Spirit ? Remember the Holy Spirit lives in you, he goes where you go, he is with you in what you do. You grieve the Holy Spirit by sinning as a saved person. When you sin it saddens the Holy Spirit, but does it say here that he leaves you when you sin ? No, it says here that the Holy Spirit is sad, but he does not leave you. Why ? Because you are sealed until the day of redemption by the Holy Spirit. For instance... you write a letter to a friend, and then you seal the envelop and mail the letter. Under penalty of federal law, no one can open or unseal the envelop except the person who's name is on the envelop. The same is true here, at the moment of salvation you are seal by the Spirit of GOD. Look in (Eph 1:13-14) " in whom ye trusted,(God) after ye heard the word of truth, (Bible) the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory " Here paul says that after you believe on Jesus Christ to be your Lord, then you are sealed until the day of redemption. Now when is the day of redemption ? It is the day when God calls his church home in the rapture. So I'm sealed until that day. Did Paul say that I would be sealed until I committed the first sin and then be unsealed ? No ! So the second reason that I remain saved is because I have a New guest living in me that will never leave me nor forsake me. THE Third reason that the believing, saved person remains saved is because we have a new adoption. Look at (Romans 8:14-17). Paul says here that when we are saved we become the children of GOD. Turn to (Matt 18:3). Here Jesus says that you need to get converted (get saved) and become as one of God's children, to get in heaven. ( John 1:12 ) says that when you get saved you become God's child. (Romans 8:14-17) says "for as many as are led by the Spirit of GOD they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry ABBY FATHER. the spirit bear witness with our spirit that we are the children of GOD, and if children , then heirs ;heirs of GOD, and joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together. " Now Paul is saying here that we don't have to worry about bondage to fear again. he says we don't have to worry about HELL anymore, isn't that my greatest fear. Folks why don't I have to worry any more... ? because Paul said in (Rom 8:1) that there is now no more condemnation to the child of GOD. Also that when we become a child of GOD we are adopted into GOD'S family. We become a heir of GOD, and that means that everything GOD has is mine.(which includes eternal life) Also I become a equal partner with Jesus Christ. My wife ,Hilda and her brother were adopted when they were children, and several years ago,her parents died. Now my wife and her brother were heirs of their adopted parents. Everything that her parents had now belongs to her and her brother. Also my wife is a Joint heir with her brother. That means that they are considered equals as far as the LAW goes. This the same idea that Paul is trying to get across here. Folks...I am a child now of the KING, I am a heir of my father, and a joint heir with Christ. Folks do you know that as a child of GOD that if I were to die and go to hell that Christ would have to go to hell with me. then it would not be hell because Christ would be there. Or else GOD would be a liar. (Psalms 139:8) says "if I ascend up to heaven,thou art there. If I make my bed in hell,behold thou art there." Now who was talking here ? King David,who was a man after GOD'S own heart, who also is the same man that committed adultery and murder, he wrote this verse. David was a saved child of GOD (he was carnal at times) but he said that if you were to die and go to hell then Christ would have to go to hell and we know that, that is impossible. So the third reason that I remain saved is because I have a new adoption as a child of the King. Now there is also fourth reason that I remain saved,... and that is because I have a new prayer helper. Look in (Romans 8:26-27) " likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what to pray for as we ought, but the spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which can't be uttered" Paul says here that when the believer cant pray because of infirmities (grk ASTHENEIA -human weakness,sin) that the spirit prays for me in intercession. Why ? Because when I am in sin as a Believer I cant pray effectively like I should,because of the accompanying guilt that comes with the sin. Now if infirmities mean diseases here, it would have been the grk word ( nosos- diseases/sickness) However realize that no sickness/disease ever keeps the child of God from praying effectively. So what is Paul saying here ? That when I as a believer sin, I don't lose my salvation, rather the Holy Spirit makes intercession for me. Now there is some who teach that in verse 26 that this is a private prayer language or tongues here. however look at the verse... (Rom 8:26) "the spirit maketh intercession for us with groanings which can't be uttered." The word uttered is the grk word ( AlALETOS - which means no speaking, total silence) there is no sound made here at all. the holy spirit prays silently to the father in your behalf. There is no speaking in tongues here, just total silence. Look in the next verse (8:27) Paul says that God reads the mind of the spirit and knows what is on your heart. There is no speaking here, tongues or other wise. GOD reads the mind of the spirit because there is nothing said. You can not get tongues out of this verse. Please do not take this passage out of context here. What Paul is saying here is that when the believing christian sins that the spirit intercedes in the behalf of the believer. That is the fourth reason that the believer remains saved. The fifth and final reason that the believer remains saved after salvation is because we have a new promise. Read (Romans 8:31-39). Here Paul says " What shall we then say to these things (the things about eternal security ) if GOD be for us, who can be against us? (vs.31)."Who shall lay any charge to GOD`S elect? Is it God that justifieth ?" NO! WHY? Because GOD is the one who declared me just in (Rom 5:1). If he declared me just and righteous is he going to call me unjust? The understood answer is no.(vs.33)."Who is he that condemneth, is it Christ that died,yea rather is risen again, who is even at the right hand of GOD,who also maketh intercession for us."(vs.34). Paul ask here will Christ condemn me? The answer is no. He died to save me, now that I am saved is he going to condemn me ? no way Jose! Look in verse 35 " Who shall separate us,from the love of GOD? shall tribulation,distress, peril,famine, or nakedness, or sword? NO but in all these things we are more than conquerors thru him that loved us. NOW LOOK in (Rom 8:38) Paul says here ... " FOR I AM PERSUADED... that neither death , nor live ,nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come " Paul says here that not even death, can separate me from heaven,not even life can separate me from GOD. Not one thing in life that I do can separate me from GOD.( nor principalities) not even satan can cause me to lose my salvation, not even the angels,nor the demons of hell can keep me from losing my salvation. But look not things present in my life, (such as sin can keep me out of heaven) Does not sin fall under things present in my life right now? How about this... (Nor things to come...) Not even the future sin I commit will cause me to lose my salvation . So the fifth reason that I remain saved is because of the promise I have in Jesus Christ. Paul says in (Rom 10:13)..."that whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.."Folks a person is saved by faith thru grace . salvation is a free gift given to me by GOD. He gave me eternal life when I was lost in sin,how much more is he going to give me, now that I am saved ? This is eternal security / part one. Please look at eternal security / part two which continues this discussion , but using other scripture. If you have questions or comments, please contact me and I will answer your questions.