Eternal Security

by McCormick, F. | Category: Eternal Security | Oct 1957

I am the happy possessor of eternal life even now, though I know that many will challenge my claim. The astute and worldly-wise spend their time and talents in making their lot secure in this world, and it is passing strange that so few give thought to the matter of their eternal security ; yet, by comparison this, is the most important of all questions facing mankind. By eternal security I mean-

1.that my sins have been righteously dealt with and forgiven;

2.that I will never again be charged with my sins;

3.that I possess eternal life now, and can never lose it

4.that I am certain of heaven and the glory to come.

These benefits and blessings have come to me by reason of the efficacy of the work of Christ on the cross. I have done nothing to procure them myself; I accept them as given gratuitously by God.

The forgiveness of sins is a first essential to eternal security, for if the barrier of sin remains, the liability to judgement remains. How then can one know forgiveness of sins? Only by the frank admission that one is a sinner, and that only God, who has been sinned against, can forgive. God can righteously forgive the sinner because His own Son bore the penalty for sin, therefore in His grace (unmerited favour) He can forgive. God grants to the undeserving sinner forgiveness upon his admission of guilt and acceptance of His mercy, through Christ. (See Ephesians 1.7).

The person who accepts salvation through Christ finds relief from the terror of judgement to come, and is filled with joy as he realizes that his sins have been judged and put away at the cross. He is forgiven, quickened (made alive) and justified (reckoned righteous) before God.

"Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin (Romans 4.7-8).

of such the Saviour Himself has said

"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish"

Sometimes, however, believers do not appreciate the certainty of their salvation, and doubt creeps into the mind to mar and becloud their new-found joy. This may be due to a variety of causes and we need to remind ourselves of the certainty of Cod's promise He has pledged His word to give eternal life to all who put faith in Christ He is a God of faithfulness and truth He is a God who cannot lie (Titus 1.2). He will never go back upon His word of promise to do so would be a denial of His character. (See Numbers 2. 3-19) No stronger reason can be produced as to the certainty of the believer's possession of eternal life than the verity of God's word. God's honour and faithfulness are brought into question the moment His word is doubted.

"He that hath received His witness hath set his seal to this that God is true" (John 3.33).

God will never withhold or retract that which He has promised "For the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance (without change of mind) (Romans 11.29).

The Nature of the Gift

It is well also to consider that the nature of the gift which God gives is eternal. If the life received at the new birth is eternal then it can never terminate; if it could, it would not be eternal and God's word would not be true, and the gospel message would be nothing less than a solemn mockery and deception. God gives Eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, and "this life is in His Son " (John 5.11).

Further, " If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature " (2 Corinthians 5.17), and he is also possessor of a common life in Christ. Christ lives in " the power of an endless (indissoluble) life " (Hebrews 7. 16), therefore if the believer's life is in His Son, that life is also eternal and indissoluble, he can never perish. Death hath no more dominion over Him, nor can it have over those who are in Him Our life is hid "with Christ in God" (Colossians 3. 8); here the believer has double safety, a double refuge, even as he is held in the

double grasp of the Almighty Father and Son, as seen in John 10.28, 29.

It would require the renouncing of Christ and His crosswork by the Father before one child of God could be lost; this He will never do, for He has declared concerning Him-

"Thy throne, 0 God, is for ever and ever" (Hebrews 1. 8). Created things may perish, But Thou continuest."

"Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail " (Hebrews 1. 11, 12).

Christ is an imperishable Saviour, and the simplest believer is as secure the moment he puts faith in Christ, as he will be in the glory of heaven. We have an imperishable and unchangeable Saviour, and in Him an imperishable and unchangeable salvation. Because I live, ye shall live also."

The believer's eternal security then rests upon-

(a)the efficacy and acceptability of the Person and work of Christ;

(b)the absolute certainty of the promise of God, wh6 cannot lie,"

(c)the unchangeable character of the life given to the believer and this life is in His Son." (See 1 John 5.13).

Strange as it may seem, some believers never seem to live in the full enjoyment of these blessings. Many confuse their state with their standing, their spiritual condition with their eternal position in Christ; this is a grave mistake, and a cause of much unhappiness iii those who do so. It may be helpful to point out that our state, or spiritual condition, is liable to change; it ebbs and flows according to circumstances, but our standing in Christ is ever the same, unchanged and unchangeable, even as Christ is the same yesterday and today, yea and for ever. This standing we have been given on the basis of grace alone; we played no part in procuring it, and nothing we do can change it.

" There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8.1).

No accusation can be validly laid to the charge of God's elect, for all claims have been met in the death of Christ, and no separation can be effected by any power in the universe for all believers are bound up in the bundle of life with Christ with bonds of love which none can sever. These are eternal verities bestowed upon the believing sinner through grace alone (see Romans 8).

McCormick, F. | Oct 1957
Eternal Security