Assurance

If you have placed your faith in Christ alone, and you were to die tonight, do you know for certain that you would go to heaven? Jesus said:

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. — John 5:24

*Most assuredly I say unto you…*	How certain of this was Jesus?
*He that hears My word…*	Have you heard the Words of Christ in the pages of this web site?
*And believes in Him who sent Me…*	Do you believe that God sent Jesus to die in your place?
*Has everlasting life…*	Does this say that you will receive it later or that you already have it?
*And shall not come into condemnation…*	Does the Bible say “might not” or “shall not”?
*But has passed from death into life…*	At what moment does one pass from death into life?

According to this verse, how can you be sure that you have truly been saved? Choose 1 or more that you think is true:

You can be sure that you have truly been saved if your life begins to change, showing that God has really come into your life.
You can be sure that you have truly been saved if many years from now you are still walking with Christ.
You can be sure that you have truly been saved if you bear the fruit of good works.
You can be sure that you have truly been saved if you heard the Gospel and believed it.

(Also see 1 John 5:10-13.)

Eternally Secure

If you fall into sin tomorrow or next month, is it possible for you to lose your gift of eternal life? The Bible says:

We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever [past, present and future], sat down at the right hand of God…For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. — Hebrews 10:10-12,14 According to the Bible, for which of your sins did Jesus pay when He died?

Your past sins.
Your past and present sins.
All your sins forever: past, present, and future.

According to this verse, how often are you sanctified (made holy) by the death of Jesus Christ?

Once a week.
Once a month.
Once every time you confess your latest sin and ask forgiveness.
Once for all.

ETERNAL SECURITY:
A NECESSARY CONCLUSION OF OUR LORD’S DEATHOne does not lose the gift of eternal life because of sin. That’s the very reason that Christ died… to pay for your sins! It is because He died for all sins forever – past, present and future – that He is able once and for all to declare you not guilty… not only of our past sins, but of all your sins: past, present and future! To refuse to believe this is to refuse to believe the very Gospel itself! (Review The Gospel, Imputation, Substitution, and Propitiation).

Eternal Security: A Necessary Conclusion Of Grace

If after you had trusted Christ you were required to keep the laws of God to “stay saved” . . .

Could you honestly say that eternal life was by grace (a free gift)?
-OR-
Would that imply that your salvation ultimately depended upon the works of the law?Therefore, if someone flatly denies the Bible’s teaching on eternal security, how is he actually trying to reach God, by grace, or by the works of the law?

Can anyone be justified (saved) in this way? Review the sections Grace: A Free Gift and Grace: It Must Be Free.

How does the Bible say that a man is justified? See Romans 3:28 for help.

In another passage of the Bible, Jesus said:

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone 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 My Father’s hand. — John 10:27-29 In the above verse, what type of life did Jesus say He gives?

Temporary
Conditional
Eternal

If it is truly eternal as Jesus said, could it ever be lost?

In John 10:27-29, who did Jesus say was greater than all?

How great would someone have to be to take himself out of God’s grip?

Are you greater than God?

In light of this verse, if you have believed the Gospel of salvation, is it even possible for you to do something that would result in God’s eternal condemnation?

(For additional passages on eternal security see: Romans 8:37-39; Ephesians 1:13-14; John 6:37-40; Hebrews 13:5).

Shall We Continue To Sin Then?

Although no sin can ever deprive a believer of the eternal life which was freely bestowed upon him once and for all, sin nevertheless has grave consequences both in this life and in the life to come. First, there are natural consequences of sin. A person who drinks to excess may kill himself or an innocent victim in an automobile accident. One who engages in immoral activity may contract AIDS and die. Knowing Christ as Savior will save one from hell, but it will not save one from the natural consequences of sinful or foolish living. (See Galatians 6:7-8; James 2:14-17). Secondly, there are eternal consequences for sin. Receiving a free ticket to a sports event guarantees one entrance into the stadium, but it does not guarantee one a front row seat. Similarly, receiving the free gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ guarantees a person entrance in to God’s eternal kingdom, but in no way guarantees one an exalted position in that kingdom! Our position in heaven and the rewards associated with that position are totally dependent upon the holy life and godly works which we manifest in this lifetime (1 Corinthians 3:11-17; 9:24-27; 2 Corinthians 5:10-11). While the pleasures of sin in this life may at times appear more important than some distant hope of future rewards in heaven, Scripture teaches that those who barter away their “inheritance” (their future rewards in heaven) for the pleasures of sin will one day weep uncontrollably when they see the unspeakable rewards which they forfeited when they pursued their own sinful pleasures in this lifetime. (Hebrews 12:14-17; Luke 19:11-27; 2 Peter 1:8-11; 1 John 2:28).