If you have trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior (Acts 16:31) your salvation is irrevocable! “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29 NASB ).
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8: 28).
“And these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, Him He also glorified” (Romans 8:30). Please reference Romans 8 verses 28-39.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 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. I and the Father are one” (John 10:27-30). NASB
Eternal Security is all about the believer’s relationship to God. “I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:14, 15 NASB).
Our very relationship to the Godhead is made possible because of the Cross of Christ. Everything in life points to the Cross. The Cross defines the reality of man’s depravity and God’s Reconciliation of man to Himself — without the Cross we could not have a relationship to God.
The believer’s Relationship to God is provided by God, through the Cross of Christ His Son, by faith in the finished work of Christ. The believer’s relationship as a child of God is executed by the Holy Spirit’s authority or power (John 1:12). No other religion can make these two statements.
Everything that Christ accomplished on the Cross requires eternity to explain and understand. Christ will be our teacher. God’s Word is very clear and emphatic when defining the believer’s relationship to the Godhead of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. “At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you” (John 14:20).
The Father is in the Son, the Son is in the Father, and the Holy Spirit is in the Father and the Son. The Godhead indwells every believer and we are one with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Herein is the heart of Christianity. Herein is defined our Positional Truth. This is the believer’s Eternal Security. WE ARE ONE WITH GOD, IS THE GREATEST CONCEPT IN CHRISTIANITY.
Let’s look at just six of the many declarations that describe our (believers) relationship with the Godhead:
1). The believer is in God the Father (1 Thessalonians 1:1). This is our Position.
2). God the Father is in the believer (Ephesians 4:6). This is our Possession.
3). The believer is in the Son (Romans 8:1). This is our Position.
4). Christ the Son is in the believer (John 14:20). This is our Possession.
5). The believer is in the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9). This is our Position.
6). The Holy Spirit is in the believer (1 Corinthians 2:12). This is our possession.
Our position and relationship in Christ is further amplified in the following verses:
1). The believer is the branch, Christ is the Vine (John 15:5).
2). The believer is a sheep in the flock of Christ (John 10:27-29).
3). The believer is a member in particular in the body of Christ, by the baptism of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13).
4). The believer is a new species — a new creation, and Christ is the head of this new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
5). The believer is light in the Lord (Ephesians 5:8).
6). The believer is a stone of many that make the foundation wall of the building of which Christ is the Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:19-20).
7). The Church Age believer is a member of the Church which is the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-27).
8). The believer is a priest in a Kingdom of priests under Christ our High Priest forever (1 Peter 2:5,9).
When we trust Jesus Christ as personal Savior, the Holy Spirit baptizes us into union with Christ (Romans 6:3-4; 1 Corinthians 12:13). What does it mean to be IN CHRIST? In Christ is a declaration so unique, so perplexing that eternity is required to fully comprehend all that is incorporated “in Christ.” To receive Christ (John 1:12) is a “possession.” To be in Christ is a “position.”
We will look at the born again believers position in Christ, for in Him we exist and have our being. We have countless possessions because of Christ who died in our place. Christ died because we can never be good enough to earn our way to Heaven (Ephesians 2:8-9)!
Throughout Paul’s epistles, the believer is said to be “in Christ.” Eternal Security is our position in Christ where the Holy Spirit places us and seals us at salvation. Our position IN Christ is eternal.
Romans 8: 38,39 — “I have confidence that neither death nor life (nothing could happen in life or even death), nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.” The prepositional phrase “in Christ Jesus,” is a term used to describe our union with and our relationship in Christ through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In Christ we have eternal life (John 17:2; Romans 6:23; Hebrews 5:9). We are justified through faith in the Cross-work of Christ.
God’s own Righteousness is imputed to each new born believer (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3, 9,22). This verse in Genesis is the first occurrence of this vital condition of salvation. Salvation was indeed the same in the Old Testament as it is in the New Testament.
In 1 Corinthians 1:30 Paul states: “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.”
We are the righteousness of God in Christ. Christ is eternal life and we have His life (1 John 5:11-12) – “This is the record: God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has (eternal) life; he who does not have the Son does not have (eternal) life.”
In Acts 13:39 “By him all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” In Romans 3:21-30; 8:1, 30 & 31 Paul expounds on our justification. And in Romans 8:28-30 “…Whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, Him He also glorified.” Romans 8:31 “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us who can be against us?” Romans 8:33 “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifies.”
Our union with Christ and in Christ means: We share the Righteousness of Christ with Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21); we are accepted in Christ forever – Ephesians 1:6; we share His destiny and Heirship – Ephesians 1:5; we share the election of Christ – Isaiah 42:1; Ephesians 1:4; we are sanctified in Christ – 1 Corinthians 1:2, 30; we share His Sonship – Galatians 3:26; we share His Kingship – 2 Peter 1:11; we have a seat in the heavenly places with Christ – Ephesians 2:6.
Positional Truth is not something we feel — it is not an ecstatic experience. When the Holy Spirit places us in union with Christ He seals us for eternity.
Positional Truth is not progressive — it is perfect.
It has nothing to do with human merit. Positional truth is the Grace of God in action for the believer at a point in time (faith in Christ), for all time. Eternal security (Positional Truth) is positional not conditional.
We are a brand new creature (creation) — a new spiritual species Ephesians 4:24 “new creature;” Colossians 3:10 — “put on the new self.” We are a child of the King; we are Royal Family and Royal Priests forever; we are in the Body of Christ; we are Heirs to the Throne; we are Ambassadors for Christ; Galatians 6;14-16; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 5:11-13, 20. We have obtained eternal redemption with Christ as our High Priest — Hebrews 9:11-28. Christ is the supreme object of faith Hebrews 3:7 – 4:16. The absolute Superiority of Christ is expounded in Hebrews 5:1 all the way through Hebrews 10:39! We share all things in Christ by faith in His Victory on the Cross.
Romans 6:6. “Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:3)
We are partakers of God’s own divine nature 2 Peter 1:4. We are God’s eternal children (John 1:12). We have been sealed once and for all time (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30; 2 Timothy 2:19). God’s seal can never be rescinded, never be repealed or appealed. We have God’s seal (signature), His Word, on it — our salvation is a done deal positionally. We are bought with the price Christ paid and we are the permanent Temple (dwelling place) of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). God keeps the believer from the evil one forever because of His Son Jesus Christ (John 17:12-16).
A proper understanding of the Sealing of the Holy Spirit is essential to our position in Christ. Chester A. McCalley, Pastor-teacher, in his booklet “The Holy Spirit” described the Sealing of the Holy Spirit as used in the first century: “A Seal was used to indicate a finished transaction. The seal showed the purchase was official and complete.”
In II Corinthians 1:22, Paul tells us that God has “sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.” At Salvation we are given the Holy Spirit so that we know that we are sealed (permanently secure) in Christ – salvation is complete. On the Cross Christ exclaimed “it (our salvation) is finished” – (complete).
McCalley gave a second illustration for how a seal was used: “to obtain security.” In Ephesians 1:13 and 4:30 we are “sealed for the day of redemption.” Another use of the seal McCalley stated is “to show ownership.” We are God’s purchased possession and sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14). Sealing also “identifies” as in II Timothy 2:19 “…having this seal, the Lord knows those who are His…” the sealing work of the Holy Spirit identifies us as the property of Christ. God’s warranty to every believer is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit until the Church is Translated (raptured).
Pastor/Teacher Robert R. McLaughlin in his booklet entitled “ETERNAL SECURITY” does an exegesis of the original Greek signature of the Scriptures in several passages. Here are a few excerpts and conclusions that He brings in defense of salvation and eternal security: “Ephesians 2:8 in the original Greek is one of the most powerful statements in Scripture regarding salvation. It is a complete affirmation of eternal security. “For by grace you have been saved (once and for all), through faith.” In the original Greek, McLaughlin states that our salvation is emphatic and can never be lost.”
McLaughlin, in his exposition of Acts 16:31, states that ‘believe’ is in the “aorist tense” meaning at a point of time that you believed, God saved you. It is in the active voice, which indicates that the subject produces the action of the verb and that there is no violation of human volition. The imperative mood tells us that this is a command; in fact, it is the only way of salvation. The indicative mood in the Greek reveals a dogmatic statement that cannot be changed. He further states that the passive voice reveals the fact that mankind can do nothing for salvation, and he can do nothing from his sin nature to please God after he has been saved.
Pastor/Teacher McLaughlin goes on to state that “sozo” (saved) appears in the passive voice, indicating eternal security in the following passages: Ephesians 2:5 “have been saved”; John 3:17 “should be saved;” John 5:34, “may be saved;” John 10:9, “shall be saved;” Acts 2:21, shall be saved;” Acts 15:11, “are saved;” Roman 5:9, “shall be saved;” Romans 10:9, “shall be saved;” Romans 10:13, “will be saved;” 1 Titus 2:4, “to be saved;” 2 Timothy 1:8, “saved us.” In all of these passages, salvation is in the passive voice in the Greek which reveals eternal security, meaning you cannot lose your salvation because God keeps you saved no matter what you do or don’t do, as long as you have believed in the Cross work of Christ. Everything between God and Man revolves around Jesus Christ. As God and man, He provided our salvation and eternal security.
Throughout Scripture, salvation and eternal security are taught as an emphatic in the original signature, by faith in Christ. If you doubt your salvation, may I suggest that you spend more time in God’s Word, especially reviewing the Scripture referenced in this study. God is perfect and He has a perfect plan for all who will trust His Son. God will not let you down because His Son went up on the Cross just for you.
Happy Studying!