There is one basic want deeply engrained in the human heart. Nearly all people desire it, work hard to get it, and ultimately are driven to obtain it. And yet, although nearly everyone strives to obtain it, very few ever achieve it no matter how hard they try. We are talking about security. Whether we look at financial security, work security, social security, personal security, religious security, or eternal security, this fact is still true. For most security issues there seems to be no ultimate solution for many people. But that is not the case with the most important one—eternal security. Let’s see what we can find to bring light on this subject.

            Providentially, the word of God is lavish on this topic, so we will start there. The author of the book of Romans spoke to both sides of the great issues of righteousness by works and righteousness by faith. For example, “To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger”(Romans 2:7,8). On the surface this appears to be saying that we are saved by our own actions and nothing more. But when we add in the idea penned in Romans 3:10 & 11 we see another perspective. “As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.’ Good works on the part of sinners is great. They tell God we are doing our part. But unfortunately they may also be telling God we are trying to do His part as well. Lets be careful not to do that. God has ways of telling us what roles we are to play and what ones only He will play.

             It is quite plain that all humanity has a sin problem. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Yet, the Godhead devised a plan whereby sinners can be saved. This is good news to us sinners. It offers hope to the really big security issue we all face: “Will I somehow be miraculously saved from this evil existence I now have, to another existence that will include all the security, all the love, all the acceptance, all the joy I could ever hope for?” Read on, “and [all] are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). We might call this easy grace, but definitely not cheap grace.

            Lest we accept this idea of easy grace too quickly let’s look at a few more statements. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5: 8). “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). “For Christ died for sins once for all, to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18). “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us,” (Galatians 3:13). There are so many such texts that speak to this subject I hardly know where to quit, but I must move on. The truth of what God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, and God the Son have done for us in a collective work has been plainly explained in scriptures. That gives me a good deal of confidence in my personal quest for security. But, what about my propensity to do evil? Does it go away when I accept the gift of forgiveness that Jesus has so freely provided me? It’s a nice thought, but that’s not how it works for me, nor is that how it worked for the Apostle Paul who wrote, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Romans 7:15). It sounds like Paul’s experience in learning to be an overcomer was not all that different than mine, and perhaps yours. The process of learning to overcome cultivated and hereditary character flaws is hard work coupled with much prayer and trust in God’s help. But knowing that often leaves us feeling insecure in our relationship with God.

            Recently, I had the opportunity to provide a ride home from work for a church member friend of mine. As we rode along I asked how things were going for him spiritually. He was silent for a long time. So I asked if he was going through something that he would be willing to talk about. Then he opened up to me that he was approaching the point of giving up because he had lost his security of salvation. It just didn’t seem to him that he was becoming an overcomer, so what was the point in trying any more. Right then I understood the importance of knowing the Bible promises that confirm how it is that we are saved, who does the saving, who does the character revisions, and what is our role in this process.

Part 2 of 4

In part one of this analysis on security in salvation we learned from scripture that God has worked out a plan whereby sinful humans can be forgiven and enjoy eternal life just as though they hadn’t sinned. Following is an effort to make simple a somewhat complex relationship between our works and God’s grace coupled with His works. 

     Let’s start with God’s love for fallen mankind. Jesus spoke of Himself when He said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Following that statement He went on to explain that He called sinners to be His friends (verse 14). That would be all of us. But there are two conditions to qualify as friends: (1) Do what He tells us (verse 14), and (2) learn what He has made known to us (verse 15).

     These are goals. Sometimes we achieve our goals quickly, sometimes not so quickly or not at all. Jesus is used to some failures when it comes to achieving goals. It took Peter some time to achieve these goals, all the while Jesus prayed him through it. Then there was the psalmist David, who had such great faith to proclaim, ”The Lord redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in Him” (Palms 34:22). This was written by a man who stole another man’s wife and had the woman’s husband killed in battle.

     Who can forget that classic statement spoken by Job, “I know that my Redeemer lives…yet in my flesh I will see God” (Job 19:25-26). This statement of assurance in salvation came along with some statements blaming God for his troubles. And yet the Bible paints Job as a saved man. At one point in the chronicles of the Children of Israel God spoke through the Prophet Isaiah who wrote about God’s chosen people in two ways.

     “Before they (His chosen people) call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24). And then there is another group of His chosen people of whom He speaks, “For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in My sight and chose what displeases Me” (Isaiah 66:4). This group never turned from evil nor repented of their sins, while the first group obviously did repent.

     To say that God is highly committed to the saving of souls who have yielded their lives to Him is to greatly understate the case. Speaking to Timothy, Paul made this bold statement, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:15, 16).

     If Paul was the worst of sinners, what are the rest of us? And if Paul was safe in Jesus, why shouldn’t we also be safe in Jesus? Later Paul reminded Timothy of the crown of life Jesus had laid up for him in heaven but “not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8).

     If anyone really loves Jesus and longs for His coming, Jesus will do everything possible to save that person. He will forgive sins and remember them no more. He will give us constant reminders of His love. He will send the Holy Spirit to enable us to be victorious in overcoming sin.   

Part 3 of 4

There are times when we feel all alone in our walk with God. But this is only our imperfect senses talking. Jesus promised, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). The way Jesus does this is through our prayer life and through the infilling of the Holy Spirit (see THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, Dennis Smith, some ABC stores). So if we are in regular communication with God and we have asked for the Holy Spirit in our lives, we can be sure that God is doing His work in us, even when we temporarily fail to fully do the will of God. Think of it this way. There are times I may disappoint my wife by my actions or inactions. But I am still her husband and she forgives me and like God, she finds ways of showing her love to me. If that works for people, think of how much more it works in our relationship with God.

Briefly, I want to review the core of the plan of salvation. The Godhead thought of the possibility that mankind would commit a sin and start the evil spiral down. They devised a plan that would be implemented in such an event. In this plan God the Son, Jesus, would come to earth as a man, not as God. He would live a life without sin and die the most cruel death possible. In so doing His life would be put in place of the sinner's life should the sinner choose to accept it. God can read the heart, so there is not chance of a mistake here. Friends, I can lay this plan out in words, but the significance of what God has done for us still challenges my creative thinking. So like many of you I will continue to trust Him that what He says is true.

It is popular in some churches to ask the question, "Are you saved?" The idea expressed there is a way of finding out whether a person has accepted Jesus into their life. And for many, the belief exists that once a person has been saved they can never be lost, hence the term once saved/always saved. One principle of God is to honor the will of each of His created beings. So if I change my mind and decide to leave the protection of God and do my own thing (or more accurately join Satan's family) God will sorrowfully allow that to happen. Ellen White spoke to the issue this way, "There is nothing so offensive to God or so dangerous to the human soul as pride and self-sufficiency. Of all sins it is the most hopeless, the most incurable. . . Never can we safely put confidence in self or feel, this side of heaven, that we are secure against temptation. Those who accept the Savior, however sincere their conversion, should never be taught to say or to feel that they are saved. This is misleading. Everyone should be taught to cherish hope and faith; but even when we give ourselves to Christ and know that He accepts us, we are not beyond the reach of temptation." Christ's Object Lessons 154, 155.

That is what we might call a balance statement. It says to us that even though the word of God is rich in assurances of God's promises to complete the work in us that He has started, we still have a free will that might turn away from God should we start putting too much confidence in ourselves. Personally, I am committed to my Savior. I am resolute to follow where He leads me regardless of the consequences. It is my first work to commit my life to Him at the start of each new day. And I am resolute to take my directions from Him regardless of what people think or say, or what the Devil tosses at me. As a result I have every expectation that I will be among the saved at the great second coming of Jesus, not because of what I have done but what He has done.

Part 4 of 4

Following are some of my favorite Ellen G. White statements which give me great assurance that there need be no uncertainty about whether God is able make good on His promises to make us safe to save.
“The scriptures teach us to seek for the sanctification to God of body, soul, and spirit. In this work we are to be laborers together with God. Much may be done to restore the moral image of God in man, to improve the physical, mental, and moral capabilities. Great changes can be made in the physical system by obeying the laws of God and bringing into the body nothing that defiles. And while we cannot claim perfection of the flesh, we may have Christian perfection of the soul. Through the sacrifice made in our behalf, sins may be perfectly forgiven. Our dependence is not in what man can do; it is in what God can do for man through Christ. When we surrender ourselves wholly to God, and fully believe, the blood of Christ cleanses from all sin. The conscience can be free from condemnation. Through faith in His blood, all may be made perfect in Christ Jesus. Thank God that we are not dealing with impossibilities. We may claim sanctification. We may enjoy the favor of God. We are not to be anxious about what Christ and God think of us, but about what God thinks of Christ, our Substitute. Ye are accepted in the Beloved. The Lord shows, to the repenting, believing one, that Christ accepts the surrender of the soul, to be molded and fashioned after His own likeness”
(2Selected Messages 32,33).

“When any soul approaches God as his Father, heaven becomes his home. He is a member of the royal family, a child of the heavenly King. He holds a life insurance policy endorsed by the Lord God who created him; and all who hold this life insurance policy are linked with the family of the redeemed by a tie which cannot be broken”
(6 Manuscript Release 31.2).

“The perishing sinner may say: “I am a lost sinner; but Christ came to seek and save that which was lost. He says, ‘I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance’ (Mark 2:17). I am a sinner, and He died upon Calvary’s cross to save me. I need not remain a moment longer unsaved. He died and rose again for my justification, and He will save me now. I accept the forgiveness He has promised” (1 Selected Messages 392).

Having reviewed the topic of the assurance of salvation a logical question does beg for an answer. What term can we use that accurately depicts the Christian’s standing and relationship with God? The messenger of God suggests the term “Saved” automatically suggests a once saved always saved connection. So here is my suggestion, and I do admit I am already using it with some success. When speaking of a person that we know to have a connection with God we could say that he or she is “Safe to save,” or just “Safe” for short. It is like saying “I am safe in the arms of Jesus.” The term carries with it the notion that salvation is all about what God has done, is doing, and will do in the future for me the sinner. It further declares that I, the sinner, have committed my life to Him for the long haul. Now that is something to really feel secure about!