Salvation is Forever: Session 1 – Which Part of ‘Eternal Life’ Don’t You Understand

Notes:

Which Part of ‘Eternal Life’ Don’t You Understand? Rom.8:31-39        See Session Slides Here    

Everyone who trusts in Christ for salvation is eternally secure because of:

1) The Father. Rom.8:14-16. When we get saved we get born into the family of God. This means:

  • We are out of the courtroom and into the family. God is our Father, not our judge. As a believer you will never be judged for your sins. God settled that, even knowing that you would sin! We have not received a spirit of slavery again to fear, but of adoption.
  • Once a son, always a son. We have been born again. We cannot be unborn. We are not born again and again and… We can be bad sons, prodigal sons, but not unborn sons.
  • When we get saved, God’s supreme work in us is to get us to trust Him. Could you ever put your total trust in a Father who may unadopt you?
  • Rom.8:29-30. God’s salvation is a purposeful salvation. It is tied to an eternal plan. Justification was not our first encounter with God; it was our fourth in the five-link plan of eternal redemption. Those who are justified are glorified.
  • None of these 5 things involve anything we do, but what He has done. The fulfillment of God’s great purpose does not rest ultimately with us. See Rom.4:16. We are in His grip of grace!

Rom.8:31-32. Objections: What do you say to these things?

  • ‘But there’s a limit to God’s patience and forgiveness.’ What is that limit? At what point do you lose it? Where sin abounds…Sin will never outdo grace.
  • ‘I couldn’t teach people eternal security; look what they will do with it.’ As a Bible teacher I can’t choose what I teach on the basis of what others might do with it.

What does Paul say to these things?

  • God is for us.
  • Rom.8:33. ‘Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?’
  • Rom.8:35-39. Our salvation is not based upon our love to Him, but His unconditional love to us.

 2) The Son.

  • We have been given to Christ as a gift from God for safe-keeping. (Jn.6:37).
  • He is our High Priest. Heb.7:25. Jesus intercedes for us. See Rom.8:34.
  • ‘…they shall never perish…no one will snatch them out of my hand…no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand’ (John.10:28-30).
  • ‘…your life is hidden with Christ in God’ (Col.3:3).
  • Rom.5:9-10. Did God love you more when you were a sinner than now you are a son?

 3) The Holy Spirit. Eph.1:13-14. Every Christian has been sealed with the Holy Spirit:

  • The Holy Spirit is a pledge of God’s intentions concerning us. Like an engagement ring. ‘Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a deposit’ (2 Cor.1:21-22).
  • Every Christian has the Holy Spirit as a seal. We seal something is to protect it and make it secure. E.g. the tomb of Jesus, letters, etc.
  • A seal is a proof of ownership. God has put a seal on you to prove you are His. How long will the seal last? ‘And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption’ (Eph.4:30). Until the day of redemption, i.e. the day of Christ’s return. See Rom.8:23. Nothing we can do can remove that seal.


# Answers to this quiz are found in the notes above. Click on quiz to commence. Only correct spelling is recognised. A minimum 70%  correct is required to advance to the next session.