Eternal Security of the Believer

Those of us who believe in the Biblical Doctrine of Eternal Security are sometimes ridiculed for it. On more than one occasion, I've heard, "If I believed that, I'd get saved and then sin all I wanted.". Well, number one, if you have that attitude about sin, you can't get saved in the first place. Number two, if you are truly saved, and then choose willfully to sin, God promises to chasten you. I don't know about others, but I don't want the God of the Universe, the all powerful creator and sustainer of life to get aggravated with me and punish me for being a bad girl! Woe would be me!

So let's take a look at this doctrine more closely.

First, let me say that the Doctrine of Eternal Security of the Believer ONLY applies to TRUE BELIEVERS - those that have put their trust in Jesus Christ for their salvation and have been "born again". The Bible says that not all who claim salvation actually have it. They may "profess" it, but not "possess" it. They may only "say" they have faith (James 2:14). They may really be "tares" among God's wheat (Matthew 13:24-30), they may be "wells without water" (II Peter 2:17) or those who "were not of us" (I John 2:19).

With that in mind, here is what the Bible says about Eternal Security of the TRUE BELIEVER:

A lot of people have trouble with this doctrine, even though it is a Biblical truth. They have bought into Satan's lie that "good people" go to heaven and "bad people" go to hell.

What they don't understand is that God's Word says NONE of us are good.

"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:10

"...there is none that doeth good, no, not one." Romans 3:12

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags..." Isaiah 54:6

Like it or not, God's standard of perfection was, is and always will be PERFECTION.

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:48

We're not perfect BEFORE we get saved, and we won't be perfect AFTER we get saved. That's why Christ died on the cross. Not as a "down payment" to be followed up with our "good works" payments, but as PAYMENT IN FULL.

Both Calvinism and Arminianism teach that only those who persevere will enter heaven. Calvinists teach that only those who persevere were ever really saved.
Arminians teach that those who don't persevere will lose their salvation.

The problem with both of these is that in both cases, MAN has to persevere, which means that works are a part of the equation. But the Bible says that you can't mix works and grace...

"For by grace are ye saved by faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Ephesians 2:8-9

"And if by grace, then it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.
But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work." Romans 11:6

The definition of grace is "unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification...a virtue coming from God...a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace." If works had anything to do with gaining or maintaining salvation, then grace would have nothing to do with salvation.
To include works as a condition for salvation takes the glory away from what Jesus did on the cross and gives part of it to man.

"I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." Galatians 2:21

OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES REFERRING TO ETERNAL SECURITY (my emphasis in bold)

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. " John 3:16

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life..." John 3:36

"Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life." John 6:47

"I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand." John 10:28

"Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." Romans 5:9-10

" Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works." Romans 4:6

"...the gift of God is eternal life" Romans 6:23

"Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." I Corinthians 1:8

"Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" Galatians 3:3