True Eternal Security

The believer can be assured that he now has eternal life (1 John 5:13; John 3:16, 36; 10:27-29), that he can keep it eternally by remaining in Christ (John 15:1-6; 1 John 2:24-25; Col. 1:23; 2:6-7), that it is given by Christ (John 10:10, 28) and God (Rom.6:23), that it is by believing “in” Christ (John 3:16; 1 John 5:11) and “on” Him (John 3:36; 6:47; 1 John 5:13), that one need never perish (John 10:27-29), that Christ is our eternal life (John 17:3; Col. 3:4; 1 John 1:1, 2; 2:24-25; 5:11-13), that we have redemption (Eph 1:7; 1 Pet 1:18-23; Heb. 9:12), that we are righteous (1 Cor 1:30; 1 John 3:7), that we are reconciled to God (Col 1:21; 2 Cor. 5:17-21; Rom.5:10), and that we have passed from death to life (1 John 3:14; Eph 2:1-9).

The Bible also gives us the assurance that we have peace (Rom.5:1; Eph 2:14; Col. 1:20), atonement (Rom.5:11), an inheritance (Eph. 1:11, 18; 1 Pet 1:4), hope (Heb. 6:19; 1 Pet. 1:3; Tit. 1:3; 3:7), access to God (Rom.5:2; Eph. 2:18; 3:12), liberty (Gal. 5:1), a good conscience (Acts 24:16; 1 Tim. 3:9; 1 Pet. 3:16), an unction (1 John 2:27), an advocate (1 John 2:1), a high priest (Heb. 4:14-16; 7:25; 9:24), the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16; 2 Tim. 1:7), confidence (1 John 5:14), and salvation (Acts 4:12; Rom.1:16).

As believers we can know that we are forgiven (1 John 1:9), justified (Acts 13:39; Rom.5:1), sanctified (1 Cor. 6:11), born again (John 3:1-8; 1 John 5:1, 18), and that we are saved and Christ abides in us and we in Him (Matt. 1:21; John 15:1-7; 2 Cor. 5:17; Rom.8:9, 10), but all these things are based upon conditions. Otherwise, if it is on an unconditional basis that we experience and keep all these blessings, and if it is solely God’s choice and man has nothing to do about it, God would be obligated to bless all men alike. In this case, no man could lose his soul but this is not true. Conditional eternal assurance is the only kind in Scripture and the only kind of assurance we can know. The unconditional kind cannot be known, because it could not be real assurance. Anyone who wants unconditional security so that he can do as he pleases and still be saved is not right at heart. There is no possible righteous motive in such an attitude. If the purpose is not to give one an excuse to continue in sin, then what is the purpose? If one’s purpose is to have assurance that one can be saved eternally, that is the purpose of conditional security teaching, and he can have this kind of security. That is the principle we contend for and what the Bible teaches, so there need not be the slightest doubt that one can continue eternally saved by means of grace that is provided in the Gospel through Jesus Christ.