If you do not believe in Eternal Security, you are legalizing the Grace of God and that… is “illegal.”
Just as you cannot work for salvation, you cannot work to keep yourself saved (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans Chapter 8; Romans 11:5-6,33,36). God saved us through Christ and God keeps us saved through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:35-39). Notice I said God saves us and keeps us saved. This is why God can be glorified in us and through us – He does the work. God is not glorified if our human works are involved in any way.
If we could keep ourselves saved then we deserve the credit (glory) – not God. If we could keep ourselves saved then we would not need the Holy Spirit. But because He indwells us, we need Him! Taking credit (glorifying self) for the work of God is blasphemous. It is denying God the credit (glory).
We are going to sin and struggle against sin as long as we live, just like the Apostle Paul (Romans 7:14-25). The law of faith excludes self-righteousness for salvation and after salvation (Romans 3:27). Salvation is a free gift from God because Christ paid the debt for the believer. The Christian life after salvation is God’s gift to us through the Holy Spirit. This is the purpose of His indwelling. He empowers us against sin through the Word when it is studied, metabolized, and applied in our soul and spirit.
The justified shall live by faith (Romans 1:16-17). We are to be a living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God which is our reasonable service (Romans 12:1). We do this by learning God’s Word daily and applying it to the circumstances and events in our lives.
The Holy Spirit must control if God is to be glorified, because when the Holy Spirit is in control then God’s Plan of Grace is manifested and lived out in our lives. When the Holy Spirit leads (controls) we follow, and God is glorified. When we lead, we are out of fellowship – our sin nature is in control. Our efforts become “wood, hay and stubble” at the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:6-16).
Christianity is all about God minus man, therefore we are to be all about God minus self.
This is the Christian Life: The Trinity in us executing God’s Plan through us. We are to be willing sacrifices by yielding to the control of the Holy Spirit. God’s Plan of Grace is simple for both salvation and for living a life of intimate fellowship with Him. God has taken care of everything. Learn to trust Him. Remember, legalizing Grace is illegal and completely unacceptable to God.
Christ is the manifestation of God’s Grace for salvation. The Holy Spirit is the manifestation of God’s Grace for living the Christian life. God’s Plan cannot fail and neither can you if you stay in diligent study of the Word. When we study the Word and apply its principles, God is glorified – He gets the credit, not you – this is Grace by God’s design for the believer.
If believers and unbelievers would stop their love affairs with their own egos they could see God and know His Unsurpassable Grace. Amen.
Happy Studying!