ETERNAL SECURITY
THE GIFT OF OUR SALVATION
The way of salvation is simple enough. We are saved by God’s grace, through faith in Christ, plus nothing:
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Salvation is a free gift to anyone who will believe: John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Salvation is promised to everyone who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ: Acts 16:31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…
THE SEAL OF OUR SALVATION
But how can I know that after I have believed, God will give me eternal life? One of the most assuring passages of Scripture is found in: Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Notice that there are three steps in obtaining the assurance of your salvation. (1) You must first hear the word of truth. (2) Then you must believe the Gospel. (3) Then God seals you into the Body of Christ.
(1) Hear the Word
I Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
The Gospel (good news), then, is that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. Whosoever believes this Gospel will be saved.
(2) Believe the Gospel
Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.
Romans 3: 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
It should be noted that salvation is all of God’s grace. It is nothing we deserve or merit but is the gift of God. It is received in the believer, not by any works that we can do, but by faith in Jesus Christ and the work that He has already done for us on the Cross of Calvary.
(3) Sealed by the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of your inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
This is it! After we hear and believe in Christ as our Savior, God does something remarkable for us that can only be known by reading His Word. In verse 13, it says He seals us with the Holy Spirit. This is accomplished when a person believes in Jesus Christ as his Savior. At that moment the Holy Spirit baptizes the person into the Body of Christ: I Corinthians 12: 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews of Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
The word earnest in Ephesians 1:14 means a pledge or guarantee. Every believer in Jesus Christ is guaranteed a heavenly inheritance that he or she will possess at the time of the Rapture or the Resurrection.
So then, God not only promises us eternal life if we will accept the gift of His Son, but He also guarantees us that if we will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will seal us until the day of redemption. Nothing can be surer in this world than the assurance of a believer’s salvation. God guarantees it!
THE GIFT OF OUR SALVATION
The way of salvation is simple enough. We are saved by God’s grace, through faith in Christ, plus nothing:
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Salvation is a free gift to anyone who will believe: John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Salvation is promised to everyone who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ: Acts 16:31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…
THE SEAL OF OUR SALVATION
But how can I know that after I have believed, God will give me eternal life? One of the most assuring passages of Scripture is found in: Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Notice that there are three steps in obtaining the assurance of your salvation. (1) You must first hear the word of truth. (2) Then you must believe the Gospel. (3) Then God seals you into the Body of Christ.
(1) Hear the Word
I Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
The Gospel (good news), then, is that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. Whosoever believes this Gospel will be saved.
(2) Believe the Gospel
Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.
Romans 3: 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
It should be noted that salvation is all of God’s grace. It is nothing we deserve or merit but is the gift of God. It is received in the believer, not by any works that we can do, but by faith in Jesus Christ and the work that He has already done for us on the Cross of Calvary.
(3) Sealed by the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of your inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
This is it! After we hear and believe in Christ as our Savior, God does something remarkable for us that can only be known by reading His Word. In verse 13, it says He seals us with the Holy Spirit. This is accomplished when a person believes in Jesus Christ as his Savior. At that moment the Holy Spirit baptizes the person into the Body of Christ: I Corinthians 12: 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews of Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
The word earnest in Ephesians 1:14 means a pledge or guarantee. Every believer in Jesus Christ is guaranteed a heavenly inheritance that he or she will possess at the time of the Rapture or the Resurrection.
So then, God not only promises us eternal life if we will accept the gift of His Son, but He also guarantees us that if we will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will seal us until the day of redemption. Nothing can be surer in this world than the assurance of a believer’s salvation. God guarantees it!
