A. Introduction

There are a number of reasons why many Christians lack the assurance of their salvation or why
they believe that it is possible for one to be saved and then lost again. Often there is an incomplete
understanding of (1) our standing and state by nature, (2) the definition and character of sin, (3)
the nature of God, and/or (4) the believer’s blessings and standing in Christ as a result of
salvation. It is hoped that the following outline study of the way of salvation and the eternal
security of the believer may be of help in leading true believers in the Lord Jesus to the blessed
assurance and peace that they are eternally secure and can never be lost.

B. Our Standing and State by Nature

1. Dead in trespasses and sins (Gen. 2:17; Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13).

2. Separated from God, alienated, enemies of God (Isa. 59:2; Eph. 2:12; Col. 1:21).

3. Slaves of Satan (John 8:44; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2,3).

4. Servants of sin, free from righteousness (Rom. 6:17,20).

5. Not righteous, not seeking after God, not doing good, no fear of God, guilty before God,
ungodly (Rom. 3:10-23; 5:6).

6. Under a curse (Gal. 3:10).

7. Unclean, corrupt (Isa. 64:6; Eph. 4:22).

8. Gone astray, turned to our own way (Isa. 53:6).

C. The Definition and Character of Sin

1. The Greek word translated "sin" in the New Testament literally means "missing the mark" (or
the bull’s eye of a target); thus it means a deviation from God’s perfect standard of righteousness
and purity and obedience to His Word.

2. "Sin is lawlessness" (1 John 3:4 JND); this includes not only transgressing the law, but
behaving as if there were no law, as if God were not in charge, doing what pleases me; doing my
will and not God’s will.

3. Some scriptural examples of sin:

a. Fornication, homosexual behavior, covetousness, envy, murder, deceit, backbiting, pride,
boasting, disobedience to parents (Rom. 1:20-32).

b. Uncleanness, anger, malice, blasphemy, filthy language, lying (Col. 3:5-9).

c. Foolish talking, jesting (Eph. 5:4).

d. Foolish thoughts (Prov. 24:9).

e. Knowing to do good and not doing it (James 4:17).

f. Despising one’s neighbor (Lev. 19:18; Prov. 14:21).

g. Failing to help one’s enemy when he is in trouble (Exod. 23:4,5).

D. The Nature of God

1. Holy (Lev. 11:44; 20:26; Isa. 6:1-5; Hab. 1:13).

2. Avenger of evil (Exod. 34:7; Psa. 89:32; Amos 3:2; Rom. 12:19; Heb. 2:2).

3. Just (Gen. 18:25; Isa. 45:21; Acts 3:14; Heb. 12:23).

4. Merciful (Exod. 34:6; Psa. 136; Rom. 15:9; Eph. 2:4; James 5:11).

5. Love (John 3:16; Titus 3:4; 1 John 4:8-19).

E. The Way of Salvation

1. The substitutionary death of Christ (John 11:50,51; 19:30; Rom. 3:25; 5:6-8; 1 Cor. 15:3; 2
Cor. 5:21; Heb. 9:27,28; 1 Peter 2:24).

2. Acknowledgment of our sinfulness; repentance (Mark 2:17; Luke 15:21; 18:13; Acts 3:19;
17:30; 1 John 1:9).

3. Trust (faith, belief) in Christ and His finished work on the cross as the only possible means of
our salvation (John 3:16,18,36; 5:24; Acts 16:31; Rom. 3:28; Rom. 4; Eph. 2:8).

4. Receiving Christ into our lives as Saviour and Lord (John 1:12; Rom. 10:9).

5. Salvation not of works (Rom. 3:20,27,28; 4:4-6; Gal. 2:16; 3:11; Eph. 2:9; Titus 3:5).

6. Salvation not begun by faith and completed by works (Gal. 3:3).

F. The Believer’s Standing in Christ as a Result of Salvation

1. Forgiven (Eph. 1:7; 4:32; Col. 1:14; 2:13; 1 John 1:9).

2. Justified (Rom. 3:24,26,28; 4:5-7; 5:1; Gal. 2:16).

3. Redeemed (1 Cor. 6:20; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; 1 Tim. 2:6; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 1:18,19).

4. Reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:18-20; Eph. 2:16; Col. 1:21,22).

5. Born again, a new creation (John 3:3; 2 Cor. 5:17; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:23).

6. Given eternal life (John 3:16,36; 5:24; 10:28; 17:2,3; Rom. 6:23; 1 John 5:11-13).

7. Made sons (Rom. 8:14-16; Gal. 4:4-7; Eph. 1:5; 1 John 3:1,2).

8. Indwelt and sealed by the Holy Spirit (John 7:39; Acts 2; Rom. 8:9,16; 2 Cor. 1:21, 22; Eph.
4:30).

9. Accepted in the Beloved (Eph. 1:6).

10. Given peace with God (Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:14).

11. Made members of the Church, the One Body (Rom. 12:4,5; 1 Cor. 12; Eph. 2:20-22).

G. The Eternal Security of the Believer

1. The meaning of eternal security:Once a sinner has been regenerated by the Word and the Spirit
of God, once he has received a new life and been made partaker of the divine nature, once he has
been justified from every charge before the throne of God, it is absolutely impossible that that
person should ever again be a lost soul. This does not necessarily mean that if owe professes to
be saved, if one "comes forward" at an evangelistic meeting, if one "joins a church," is baptized,
becomes a communicant, or takes an interest in Christian work, that that person is forever secure,
for such persons are not necessarily regenerated.

2. Eternal life a present possession (John 3:16,36; 5:24).

3. Secure in the hand of the Lord (John 10:28,29).

4. Kept by the power of God (1 Peter 1:3-5).

5. No separation from the love of Christ (Rom. 8:35-39).

6. No mention in Scripture of the possibility of losing any of the gifts and graces listed in "F"
above.

H. Scriptural Warnings to Challenge Professing Christians

1. Presented unblameable if we continue in the faith (Col. 1:22,23).

2. The apostles’ labor in vain (Gal. 4:9-11; Phil. 2:16; 1 Thess. 3:5).

3. Falling away after enlightenment (Heb. 6:4-6; 10:26-29).

4. Holding fast the confidence (Heb. 3:6).

5. Holding fast our profession (Heb. 4:14; Heb. 10:23).

6. Faith without works is dead (James 2:17-26).

I. Common Objections and Questions Concerning Eternal Security

1. If "once saved always saved," cannot a person trust in Christ and then go and do as he pleases?

a. If truly saved, a person will not have a continued desire to go and do as he pleases. The Spirit
will convict him of his sin and will make him miserable until he is restored to the Lord.

b. On the other hand, if a person says he is saved but manifests no spiritual fruit (that is, shows
no love for God’s Word, no desire to obey God’s commands, no desire to fellowship with other
believers, etc.), I have no basis for considering him to be saved (Matt. 7:15-20).

2. Cannot one gradually fall away from the Lord as a result of one unconfessed sin leading to
another, to the point of "pulling out the plug"_losing one’s salvation?

a. If one is truly saved, the Holy Spirit is always working within him to convict of sin and to
restore him when he sins. Note the wonderful restoration of Peter following his denial of Christ
(John 21) and of the Corinthian fornicator (1 Cor. 5; 2 Cor. 2:6,7).

b. In order to be saved in the first place, we must acknowledge our own complete inability to meet
God’s standard of holiness and moral perfection, and that Christ has done the whole work
necessary for our salvation. How then can we think that we can adequately satisfy God’s holiness
in keeping saved? If it were possible to fall away, once saved, in God’s sight one commandment
broken is as bad as breaking them all (Gal. 3:10; James 2:10). Thus the dividing line between
saved and lost can never be a certain number of sins or degree of departure, but must be between
absolute holiness and perfection and the slightest sin. But, thank God, our salvation does not
depend upon ourselves but upon Christ’s finished work.

3. If the believer does not have to fear the possibility of losing his salvation because of allowing
sin in his life, what is there to prevent us or discourage us from sinning? a. The answer is the
grace of God. The more we come to appreciate how much Christ suffered and gave up for our
sakes and how great God’s grace is toward us, the more it breaks our hearts to realize it when we
have sinned and dishonored His Name in our thoughts, words, or actions; thus we gradually,
increasingly come to judge and abhor and gain the mastery over sin. b. When a believer sins, a
cloud_a barrier_rises up between him and God. He feels uncomfortable in his Father’s presence,
does not feel like praying, indeed is a-shamed to pray and ask for help from One whom he has so
mistreated; in short, he wants to hide from God. Happily, God graciously seeks out the erring one
and leads him to confess and judge his sin, thus restoring communion between them. But the
misery the person went through in the process makes for a strong deterrent the next time the
temptation arises.

4. Does not Phil. 2:12 exhort us to work out our own salvation?

a. In the New Testament, salvation has three aspects:(1) Past salvation from the penalty of our
sins; (2) present salvation from the power of sin in our lives; and (3) future complete salvation or
deliverance from the very presence of sin (2 Cor. 1:10). We are often exhorted on the basis of our
future eternal deliverance from the presence of sin to live now in the power of this new, eternal
life which God has given us. Thus we are to work out in a practical way in our present lives that
eternal salvation from the presence of sin_to live as if we were already in the eternal state_to
live out the truth stated in Rom. 6, Col. 2, and Gal. 2 of our being dead to sin and alive unto
Christ, b. In the Philippian assembly there was a problem of strife, pride, and lack of unity (Phil.
2:2,3,14; 4:2). In 2:12 the apostle Paul exhorts that, in essence, not only should they be on their
best behavior when he is present with them, but also when he is absent they ought to work out or

show forth in a visible way their salvation by ceasing from strife and being of one mind.