A Baptist brother and gracEmail subscriber asks about the permanent well being of God’s true people. “Doesn’t the Bible teach a doctrine of eternal security?”
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The believer’s assurance of salvation rests on the solid promises of Jesus himself — that none of those whom the Father has given him will perish, that he will lose none of them, but that he will raise them in the last day and give them eternal life and glory with him forever (John 6:37-40; 10:27-29).
For New Testament writers, our eternal security is not an independent or theoretical doctrine to be viewed for its own sake. It always appears in good company, in a context which stresses either the all-sufficiency of Christ’s saving work and/or the faithfulness of God to those who trust his promises.
Unlike many modern preachers and authors, no biblical writer ever presents eternal security in the abstract, as if to say, “Here is a DOCTRINE — if you ever accept Christ you can never be lost.” Our security does not reside in a doctrine of “security,” but in an all-sufficient Savior and a faithful, promise-keeping God.
The New Testament also contains warnings. We should hear it with both ears — sometimes it speaks to one part of our head or heart and sometimes to another. Those who desire a postcard theology written only in black-and-white will usually twist, bend, cut or stretch some biblical passages to fit the doctrine they wish to express. Let us be duly warned, for God is not mocked. And let us draw near to God with true hearts in full assurance of faith — for he who promised is always faithful.
