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He that endures to the End..

 

There is no doubt in the Bible about the complete security of all who are ‘in Christ’.  Jesus says in John’s gospel’

John 10:28,29:  I give them (his sheep) eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.

Our salvation rests on the ability of the strong hands of the Father and Son to hold us securely.  Paul backs up such strong assurance in the magnificent words of Roms 8

Rom 8:28-39  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us.  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?  Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword.  As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."   No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We could look at many Scriptures that stress the security of all who are God’s people.  All would place the emphasis on God’s great ability to protect and keep those who have placed their trust in Jesus.

Paul’s wonderful gospel promise is

Rom 10:9,10  That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Ringing words of certainty and salvation.  It would be good to rest here but we cannot.  We cannot for Scripture doesn’t.  There is a dynamic at work in Scripture and in salvation that celebrates assurance – Christians daily believing that they are saved and that all the resources to live and finish the Christian life are theirs in Christ – but it forbids complacency or presumption.

For example the previous text to that in John which says,

John 10:28,29  I give them (his sheep) eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.

says

John 10:27  My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

In other words those who are Christ’s listen to him and follow him.  If we do not listen and follow (however weakly) we cannot presume to be his sheep.

 

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About John

Hi there - I am a member of Greenview and have been for over 20 years. For a number of these years I functioned as an elder, however, indifferent health forced me to take more of a back seat. I see this as an opportunity to do a little writing, often focussing on issues that are a matter of evangelical debate today. Naturally the views expressed are my own and may not reflect the views of the elders or church at large, though differences are likely to be in the detail and not the substance.

These articles and sermons were written partly to clarify my own thoughts and partly with the intention of provoking thought in others who may read them. If you read one I hope you find it stimulating. Please feel free to give me feedback or discuss my articles in the forums.

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