In this sermon, I deal with the exegesis of Hebrews 6 on the question of our eternal security. The age-old question Can you Lose your Salvation?
Once saved always saved, also known as the doctrine of eternal security, believes that those who have been saved by grace through faith in the finished works of Jesus Christ can never lose their salvation.
In other words, once a person has accepted Jesus Christ as their savior and has been saved by God’s grace, they can never be condemned to hell or separated from God, no matter what they do.
Salvation is a gift from God and is not earned through good works, good behavior, or human effort. In fact, God calls our good deeds are like used menstrual rags.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.
~ Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
However, this belief is not held by all Christian denominations, it is a source of controversy and debate among Christians for centuries.
In this sermon, I want to settle in your heart your security in Christ Jesus, that you can never lose your salvation with proof beyond a reasonable doubt. So, let’s get started.
Unforgivable Sin: The Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
The number one contention against the Once Saved Always Saved doctrine is that if we sin willfully there is no more forgiveness of sins. The idea is that if you know you are committing a sin then there is no forgiveness. The only problem with that logic is that every sin we commit is a willful sin, not one sin is by accident. This wrong theology comes from
For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.
Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
~ Hebrews 10: 26 – 29 NKJV
On the surface because of almost 2000 years of religious conditioning, it looks like Hebrews is talking about losing our salvation when we sin. And yes, if you just read these random verses from Hebrews out of context, you might also end up believing the same thing.
For this reason, it is very important to read the whole chapter, even the chapters before and after. Understanding a teaching in the bible in its context is very important to combat bad theology.
Hebrews chapters 9, 10, and 11 talks about the Temple sacrifices of bulls and goats Jews had to perform every year in Jerusalem for their sins called the sin offering.
For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
~ Hebrews 10: 1 – 4 NKJV
Before Jesus died on the cross, the law required us to perform sin offerings for the covering of sins. It was only a covering, temporary. Every year you had to offer the sacrifice again.
After Jesus was crucified for our sins and raised from the dead for our justification, all our sins, past, present, and future are taken away. Remember they are not covered but taken away from us.
Under the law, their sins were covered for at least one year. Under the proponents against the theology of “Once saved, always saved” don’t even get a year.
If you believe you can lose your salvation, what happens if you die before you get back your salvation again? Before you get a chance to repent.
If you are against Once Saved, Always Saved if you believe you can lose your salvation then you are essentially saying what Jesus did on the cross was lower than the law.
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
~ Hebrews 6:4-6 NKJV
Do you see the problem now? Now that Christ has taken away our sins, we don’t need the temple to perform the sacrifices. God used the Romans to destroy the temple in 70AD because some Jews who had become Christians were going back to the temple for sacrifices.
These Jewish Christians were enlightened through the finished works of Jesus on the cross, justified by his resurrections, tasted the heavenly gift, and became partakers of the Holy Spirit. Yet they went back to the temple sacrifices.
This is the unpardonable sin, even after receiving the Holy Spirit, knowing what Jesus had done on the cross and still going back to the animal sacrifices is blasphemous towards the Holy Spirit who witnesses what Jesus had accomplished on the cross.
To these people, there is no more forgiveness of sin. You cannot commit this Sin mentioned in Hebrews 10. Most of us are not Jews and most importantly the Temple is no more so it’s impossible to commit this sin.
This is a very unique situation happening in Hebrews and going away from this context of Jewish Christians going back to the temple sacrifices and applying to losing our salvation is bad exegesis at best and possibly nefarious at worst.
I believe it’s a smoke screen the devil has been putting up to hide the truth. Think about it most Christians today will gladly go back to temple sacrifices if they could.
Many Christians are advocating for the Temple to be rebuilt in Jerusalem not knowing the abomination they are supporting because they are busy thinking Hebrews 10 is about losing our salvation and are oblivion to the fact that it talks about the abomination of Christians going back to the temple sacrifices.
One day in the future the Temple will be rebuilt again and this sin, this abomination of temple sacrifices will be conducted again according to the Bible. On that day many Christians will advocate for animal sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins insulting the finished works of Christ.
For now, this sin is impossible to commit. If this information was new to you then a sub to my channel would be divine. While you are at it, hit that like and share button too.
Jesus Preached Once Saved Always Saved
Knowing the truth about Hebrews 10 could it be that people have been wrong about the whole theology of losing our salvation? While our flesh might want to believe that we can lose our salvation by the next sin, Jesus taught the assurance of our salvation.
Jesus preached on Once Saved Always Saved, Jesus preached that you can never lose your salvation. You can make up theologies using obscure out-of-context passages, or you can believe clear-cut truths Jesus taught on. The truth Jesus himself preached.
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
~ John 10:28 KJV
When Jesus said he came to give eternal life, how do we conclude that it is not eternal but temporary? When Jesus said no one can pluck us from his hand, how do we preach that we can pluck ourselves out of his hands?
Those against Eternal Security agree no one will be able to pluck them out of God’s hands but in all their wisdom they argue they can take themselves out of God’s hand. Now that’s grasping at straws.
My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
~ John 10:29 KJV
When Jesus says “No Man” it is indeed “No man” including yourself. How great of an ego a man must have when he did not earn that Eternal Life in the first place presumes, he can lose it with his efforts. Such a person suffers from an extreme form of a god complex.
God so loved the whole world that while we were still sinners, he sent his only son to die for us so that we might have eternal life.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
~ John 3:14-16 NKJV
When Jesus is talking about eternal life, if it is not eternal pray tell me what is he talking about. Preaching against the assurance of salvation takes a special kind of religious gymnastics, one that is contradictory and against itself.
If it wasn’t enough to say it once, Jesus said it twice that “No one can pluck” us from God’s hands in John 10: 28 -29.
Can you Lose your Salvation if you Commit the Same Sin Again and Again?
Can you Lose your Salvation if you Commit the Same Sin Again and Again?
Theologians against the theology of Eternal Security complain that preaching Once Saved Always Saved encourages people to commit the same sin again and again.
As if these theologians themselves are immune to never committing the same sin ever again in their lives. They don’t understand the basics of Sin sacrifice in the Old Testament.
Even ancient Israel had one year of coverage of their sin, every year on the day of atonement they had to do it again. We don’t value forgiveness of sins as much as Jesus valued forgiveness of sins.
Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
~ Matthew 18:21-22 NKJV
And we think we can lose our salvation on our next sin; we don’t even get a year. If bulls and goats would cover for one year, how much greater The Cross is over bulls and goats?
Would Jesus preach something that he himself will not follow? The worry the theologians have about people committing the same sins, again and again, surpasses that of Jesus. Yet look at Jesus’s position on this issue. Forgive, Seventy Times Seven.
Does Once Saved Always Saved create a sense of False Assurance?
Those against the theology of Eternal Security also complain that Once Saved Always Saved gives people the motivation to sin since there is no more the threat of hell looming over them.
For some reason, Christians sinning becomes the grounds for dismissal of the Biblical truth. In fact, all the proof against the assurance of eternal security is grounded on Human Experience than from the exegesis of the Bible.
Those against once saved always saved usually argue through the natural. Arguing that people will sin and do whatever they want. They believe Somehow if people are assured that they are forgiven they will commit the same sin again and again. But Jesus has something to say on this matter.
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
~ Luke 7:47 ESV
Those who are forgiven little will love Jesus little and those who are forgiven much will love him much. Clearly, Jesus’s dealing with sin does not correlate with our fear of others’ sin.
If you are worried about sin then you should be more worried about the Law, the 10 commandments being preached in the churches. Trying to keep the 10 commandments is a license to sin.
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
~ 1 Corinthians 15:56 NKJV
Most Christians will think that preaching the 10 commandments, showing people their sin would decrease sin in the church, but the result is the opposite.
Those worried about Once Saved Always Saved causing people to go crazy with sin. What I fail to comprehend in your position is that knowing the 10 commandments are the strength of sin you are not doing anything about it.
There is a way out of this predicament though, preaching Grace because Grace is the way out of any sin or sinful lifestyle. How do I know this?
For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
~ Romans 6:14 NKJV
The Bible is clear on the issue that the law, the ten commandments arouse the sinful passions that are in our flesh. This is the reason we sin, when we go back to the law sin becomes exceedingly sinful in our flesh.
So, Pastors and leaders if you are worried about sin then don’t put your congregation under the law. Our eternal security in Christ Jesus solidifies our love for him and the result is our righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
The Church starts living a life that bears fruits to God without any effort. To an outside observer, it’s as if people under Grace live a holy life without even realizing it. Of course, we know it’s no accident but the Grace of God working through us.
Can you Lose your Salvation based on your Behavior?
Someone under Grace even if they murder. THEY WILL NOT GO TO HELL. First off, it is impossible for someone under Grace to murder since sin does not have dominion over such a person because they are not under Law but under Grace.
But let’s say for the sake of argument such a person exists because religious folks always bring this up. To show the power of the finished works of the cross, let’s say a Grace based person kills someone.
Such a person will not lose his salvation and STILL WILL GO TO HEAVEN. How do I know this? What is my scriptural basis for this?
According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.
If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
~ 1 Corinthians 3: 10 – 15 NKJV
Two people have Christ as their foundation, one builds his house with Gold, silver, and precious stones (Beholding Jesus, as Jesus is so we are on this earth) and another person builds his house with wood, hay, and straw (murder, sexual promiscuity, smoking, etc.).
Under FIRE, the house built with Gold, Silver, and precious stones will remain to receive a reward because his works are clear. But the house with wood, hay, and straw will be burned, he will suffer loss. BUT HE HIMSELF WILL BE SAVED.
The person under Grace who murdered will suffer in this life with consequences of Jail, torture, and torment but he will not lose his salvation.
Now some people might vilify me for preaching this, and in extreme cases, some might even accuse me of encouraging murder among Christians.
First off I am being true to the Bible instead of the opinions of Man. I am teaching accountability here. No one has gone to heaven and come back.
So, it diminishes the gravity of our actions since according to the traditional Christian religion the reward or punishment is after our death.
I am only keeping people accountable, our actions have consequences here and now on this earth not late by and by.
Corrections in the Church
Being accountable for our actions allows for corrections in the church when needed. A Church that is secure in Eternal Salvation found in Christ Jesus is always open to correction.
The Corinthian Church was perhaps the most carnal Church that Paul preached in, and we see in these epistles to the Corinthian Church some of the important teachings of Law vs Grace.
While most modern Christian understanding is that while we sin, the holy spirit is taken away from us. Paul’s position on this issue is different.
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
~ 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 NIV
While the typical Christian position is that the Holy Spirit leaves us when we sin. Paul’s position in this matter is that we still have the Holy Spirit in us even when we sin, so honor God with our bodies.
The Corinthian Church was one of the most carnal churches Paul ministered in. Yet Paul did not put the church under the threat of losing their salvation but corrected them by showing and teaching them that they are the temple of God.
This is the reason the Holy Spirit always convicts a believer of righteousness not of sin. There is a correction as Paul did, but the Holy Spirit does not convict a believer of sin.
Typology of Eternal Security found in the Ark of the Covenant
The assurance of eternal life can be found in the typology of the Ark of the Covenant. Items placed inside the ark give us a deeper understanding of our eternal security in Christ Jesus.
Inside the Ark of the Covenant, there are three items, two tablets of stones with the Ten Commandments inscribed on them, Aaron’s rod that was budded, and the golden pot of Manna.
which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.
~ Hebrews 9:4 NIV
The golden jar of Manna represents our rebellion towards God’s provision (Anti-prosperity theologians, I am looking at you). The two tablets of the Ten Commandments speak of our rebellion against God’s law. Finally, Aaron’s staff that had budded shows our rebellion towards God-appointed human authority.
All three call for our death because we have been such rebellious creatures. The Ark of the Covenant is sort of our spiritual coffin so to speak.
But Jesus took our place. These three things are covered by the mercy seat, where the blood is sprinkled. This speaks of the Cross, on how the blood covers these three human acts of rebellion.
If anyone removes the mercy seat to look into the 10 commandments or the golden pot of manna or Aaron’s rod that was budded, THEY WILL DIE.
In the same manner, if we go back to the 10 commandments, we experience death. This is why the 10 commandments are called the ministry of death.
For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.
~ Galatians 5:4 NLT
Even I, a preacher of Grace will go back to the law from time to time, relying on my own self-efforts. When I do that, in that area, Christ is cut off from me and I fall from Grace in that area.
God is merciful though; he does not consider this as the unpardonable sin. But going back to the temple sacrifices is going back to the animal sacrifices knowing what Christ had accomplished on the cross, to those there is no more forgiveness of sins.
Again, God is merciful, in order that people don’t commit the unpardonable sin he allowed the temple to be destroyed in 70AD. So, this sin is impossible to commit today.
In the Ark of the Covenant, as long as the mercy seat is not removed regardless of the behavior of the Israelites, no one died. But if anyone removed the mercy seat and looked inside the ark, looked into their failures there was death.
Jesus is our Ark of the Covenant, as long as we don’t push away the mercy seat, push away the Grace regardless of our behavior we will not see death.
If anyone who hears the false Gospel of works, the Gospel of Self-efforts, a preaching that says we have to work our way to heaven. Such preaching removes the mercy seat and exposes the hearer to the 10 commandments and his rebellion toward God. Such a listener, such a hearer is not saved, he has not received the gift of salvation.
This is why the message you listen to is very important. If a preacher is encouraging the congregation to follow the 10 commandments to please God, such a preacher is teaching the false gospel.
Can you Lose your Salvation when you leave the faith?
When the law is preached people are not saved, you can use the name of Jesus in your preaching until the kingdom comes but if you actively preach that we have to keep 10 commandments to be saved or maintain our salvation then you haven’t preached the gospel and your audience never had the chance to be saved.
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
~ 1 Corinthians 1:21 KJV
Preaching on the accomplishments of Jesus on the cross, on how he was crucified for our past, present, and future sins and was resurrected for our justification is the only way for people to be saved.
God ordained by the foolishness of preaching; people would be saved. This is the only delivery mechanism ordained by God so that the world would accept his son Jesus Christ and his finished works on the cross.
Instead of this if preachers exalt the law by saying that Christians need to keep the 10 commandments. Christ becomes of no effect and people are not saved.
They might look saved on the façade with their religious piousness like praying hard, looking solemn, doing good deeds, fasting, etc. But they are not really saved without the revelation of the Grace of God.
So, when these people “leave the faith” theologians claim they have lost their salvation and use that example to claim Once Saved Always Saved is not practical. But riddle me this, how does one lose something that which they never had in the first place?
They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
~ 1 John 2:19 NIV
John here is talking about the false teachers who left the church. The false teachers were never saved in the first place. They never really had revelation of the finished works of Jesus on the cross, they never really understood Grace.
So, when they left, John claimed they never were part of the church, they never were saved in the first place. If they were saved, they would never have left the church.
When the 10 commandments are preached, people are not saved. When Grace is preached, when the true gospel is preached then you see true salvation. A Christian can never lose his or her salvation even if they are backsliding or has fallen into some sin.
Sometimes in sorrow, people renounce Jesus and in hurt they forsake God. This usually happens during the unexpected loss of a loved one, instead of thumping the Bible on them, we should be patient with them in love.
Knowing they can never lose their salvation even though they are angry with God, this amazing love of God will lead them to repentance.
The root ideology held by those against the theology of once saved always saved is that Christians now that they are saved need to maintain their salvation by keeping the 10 commandments.
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.
~ Galatians 3: 1 – 7 NKJV
When we weren’t saved by the works of the law, how do we presume that we maintain our salvation by the works of the 10 commandments?
If we did not earn our salvation by doing the works of the 10 commandments then how do we claim we can lose our salvation by breaking the 10 commandments?
Just as Abraham believed and the gift of righteousness was accounted to him in the same manner faith in Christ Jesus brings about salvation.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing the words of Christ. This has no relation with our behavior, salvation is just like righteousness, it is a gift, it can never be earned nor be lost.
The Judgement Seat of Christ a.k.a the Bema Seat of Christ
When the Bible talks about judgements it’s not always judgment to go to hell or heaven. The Bible uses the word Judgement for rewards too.
And yes, there are rewards under Grace. It’s a really good position to be in, we use the Grace God gave us as a gift to enjoy the rewards as a gift too. Remember only believers will stand in front of the Judgment Seat of Christ.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what we have done whether good or bad.
~ 2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT
The rewards the believers will enjoy are based on the works they performed laid out to them by God for his good pleasure. Depending on the areas we did good or bad based on that each one will be rewarded according to the assignments we completed here on earth.
The reason believers never see the judgment is that Christ has been raised to live for our justification. So, each time we sin we are justified because Jesus was raised from the dead. For this reason, believers will not see the wrath of hell.
And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
~ 1 Thessalonians 1:10 KJV
Not all believers will receive the same reward. Depending on their works at the judgment seat of Christ, there will be those who suffer loss, but their salvation will be secure.
The gift of salvation is not hinged on us but on what Jesus accomplished on the cross. Our behavior will not take us to hell or heaven, but it will determine the rewards we will receive.
If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
~ 1 Corinthians 3:15 KJV
Do we rely on the spirit to do the work laid out for us or do we use our flesh to do the work laid out for us? One will result in rest, and another will result in restlessness.
Relying on the spirit to do the works God laid out for us will result in rewards while relying on our flesh to do the works laid out by God for us will result in wasted time.
When our dead works are burned, we suffer the loss of rewards, but our salvation is secure in Christ Jesus.
For example, cessationists were a pain to me when my dad died. Cessationists are the people who believe miracles, healing, and raising people from the dead have ceased.
So, when my brothers in Christ encouraged me to raise my father from the dead these cessationists called me a false teacher, an anti-Christ, prosperity preacher while I was grieving for my dad.
And when I couldn’t raise my dad from the dead these cessationists had a field day. Mocking what I believed in. These guys were supposed to be Christians.
Before I used to get angry at such Christianese behavior. But now after learning about the Bema Seat of Christ, I don’t feel the anger anymore.
For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
~ Romans 5:19 KJV
Both I and these cessationists are saved. We both will go to heaven one day, there is no doubt about it regardless of our behaviors.
But the rewards Jesus will give each according to their work will be different. So why get angry at people who will receive less because of their folly? In fact, we should feel sorry for them.
How does Once Saved Always Saved work?
Under the old covenant, the Priest used to be a representative of the people to God. He would perform offerings on behalf of the people to God.
But the priest was a flawed man with his own sins, so he had to offer sin sacrifices for himself before he could represent the people in front of the Holy God.
Under the New Covenant, all believers are priests and Jesus is our High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. Fully God, fully man, we have our own on the Father’s right hand interceding for us when we sin.
But Jesus is sinless and blameless. Peter who was a work-minded man said, “Jesus did not sin” in ~ 1 Peter 2:22 “Who committed no sin (ἁμαρτία), Nor was deceit found in His mouth”.
John the disciple whom Jesus loved, a man of the heart said “There was no sin in him” in ~ 1 John 3:5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins (ἁμαρτία), and in Him there is no sin (ἁμαρτία).
Paul the intellectual apostle, a man who would reason and who argued much of Christian theology said “Jesus knew no sin” in ~ 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin (ἁμαρτία) to be sin (ἁμαρτία) for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin (ἁμαρτία).
~ Hebrews 4:15 NJKV
So, Jesus is the perfect High Priest for a sinful human race, he did not sin, he knew no sin and him there was no sin. Yet he became sin on the cross so that we can become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
For this reason, it’s impossible to lose your salvation because Jesus continuously advocates for us on the Father’s right hand when we commit any sins. The only way for us to lose our salvation is to go back to the temple for animal sacrifices.
Which is impossible to do right now because the temple is no more. A word of advice to everyone listening to this sermon, beware of people asking for donations to rebuild the temple don’t unknowingly support the abomination of desolation.
Assurance of Eternal Security
The devil knows Christians cannot lose their salvation, so he always tries to bring fear and unsurety. He brings confusion by mixing obscure unrelated Bible verses.
The devil uses the Bible to condemn you, that you could lose your salvation by your next sin, and he uses preachers and theologians to do so.
Always remember don’t rely on obscure isolated verses that seem to say that you could lose your salvation which can be easily explained otherwise as I did in this sermon. Instead rely on the sure clear-cut words of Jesus on this subject.
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 NKJV
When Jesus himself assures us of eternal life we should rejoice in this blessed assurance and be secure in his hope of glory. The hope is that we have passed from death to life and will not see judgment.
Test every preaching, and see if they are from God. Any preaching that results in fear is not from God. Preaching that you can lose your salvation because of your sin is common, it is from the flesh and will result in fear.
This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
~ 1 John 4: 17 – 18 NIV
Perfect love drives out fear of losing our salvation, and our fear of the punishment and will give us confidence on the day of judgment.
We equate love with feelings or emotions, but our feelings fade away, change, or fluctuate. So, the Love John is talking about is not this human feeling of love. So, what is love?
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
~ 1 John 4: 10 NIV
NOTICE The very definition of Love is not even our love for God. Even though religious cliché says, “We need to love God”.
The more we learn the value of what Christ did on the cross, the more we understand love. The greatest love story EVER was when God sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
The more we understand this gift paid for by the finished works of Christ on the cross, the more we understand the gift of salvation which can never be earned or lost.
