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SAFE AT LAST "...ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." Rom 6:22b by Doug DoddTHE ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER Eternal life has always been an issue of faith, not of works. Man can be saved eternally based upon his faith in what God tells him to believe. The content of faith can change from one dispensation to the next, but the mechanics stay the same. Please consider the following examples: NOAH *S DAY*s wrath. 2. God told Noah what he had to do to escape that wrath. 3. Noah *s faith in what God said caused him to build the ark.OUR DAY *s coming wrath. 2. God tells us what we must do to escape that wrath. 3. Our faith in what God says causes us to believe the gospel of grace. The question arises, "Is ‘once saved-always saved * a true statement?" The reason this question gets asked is because of a failure to understand the cross work of Christ.We will quote scriptures, discuss them, and realize why we can rest assured of being SAFE! VERSE: "Therefore ~f any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of Goa~ who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them, * and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." 2 Cor 5:1 7-19VIEWPOINT: When Christ died two thousand years ago, all our sin was still in the future. He paid for all sin, for all men, for all time. God is not imputing (charging to one*s account) sin to anyone today. We are not saved by getting rid of our sin, but by belief of the truth of the gospel which is "Christ died FOR our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day" (1 Cor. 15:3-4). VICTORY: We no longer have to carry around the guilt of our sins. Jesus has set us free from the bondage and dominion of sin so that we could do something we could never do before -- serve Him! VERSE: "In hope of eternal life, which Goat that cannot lie, promised before the world began;" Thus 1.2 VIEWPOINT: Eternal life is a promise from God, who, by the way, cannot lie! Eternal life is life that is eternal, just as eternal death is death that lasts forever. Notice that God promised eternal life "before the world began!" Before He made a ‘when * or a ‘where* He had you and me in mind all the time.VICTORY: God keeps his promise. VERSE: To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." Eph. 1:6 VIEWPOINT: God has already (past tense) made us ACCEPTED in Christ (his beloved son). All we have, we have because of Calvary. God has accepted us, not on our own, but in Christ. VICTORY: When God looks at us, he sees his son! VERSES: "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness." Rom. 4. *5"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Eph. 2:8-9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began," 2 Tim. 1.9 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us..." Thus 3:5a "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? " Gal. 3:3VIEWPOINT: We are NOT saved by our good works, or trying to stop sin in our lives. We are saved by grace (the provision of God) through faith (believing what God said).VICTORY: If we are unable to save ourselves, are we foolish enough to think we could keep ourselves saved? God has provided a better way, he has provided himself for us. VERSES: "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God,* Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit is our hearts." 2Cor 1:20-22in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise," Eph. 1: 13b "And grieve not the holy Spirit of Goat whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Eph. 3:30 VIEWPOINT: The Spirit of God keeps us. VICTORY: The seal of the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our redemption in Christ by God. VERSE: "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Eph. 2:6 "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead and your life is hed with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear than shall ye also appear with him in glory" Col. 3:1-4 VIEWPOINT: From God*s perspective, we are seated already in the heavens. Our life is hid with Christ in God and when Christ comes back we will go to be with him. VICTORY: Seated with Christ in glory above, another recipient of his wonderful love. VERSES: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did fore know: he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his So,,, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called. and whom he called, them he also justified: a,,d whom he justified, them he also glorified What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" Rom. 8.28-32 VIEWPOINT: We have been called according to his purpose of forming the church, the body of Christ. The gospel call goes out. Those who respond are "the called, justified, and glorified" (present perfect tense) eternal saints of God. VICTORY: Question: If God is for us, and He is, who can be against us? Answer: Nobody, no one, no how! In summary, is ‘once saved-always saved* true? Yes* Is it because we are such good, wonderful, courageous people? No, it is because of the total provision of God for us through Christ.
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