Can You Lose Your Salvation 3

When inviting people to put their trust in Jesus Christ to renew their lives now and give them eternal life, how can they know that God isn't mad at them because of their previous lifestyle. What surety do they have from God's word that their reconciliation with God is complete?

Is there anything that could be quoted to give them assurance of the right standing of the believer who makes Jesus their Lord?

For starters, let's look at 2 Cor 5:17-21

2 Cor 5:17-21 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, Who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation; That is, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He has made Him, Who knew no sin, to be sin for us; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

I'm sure that you would have noticed in that passage the special relationship that we have with God now, because of Jesus' death and resurection.
1. We (Christians) are new creations. The old man is gone - dead!
2. The world has been reconciled to God - We realize He's always loved us!
3. God is not imputing our sins (trespasses) against us.
4. God wants us to be reconciled to Him in return!
5. God has made us righteous, in Christ Jesus!

When you accept Jesus' sacrifice and make Him Lord, His righteousness is imputed to you and your sins are taken by Him. It's often called the divine exchange. Because your sins have been borne by Jesus you, in Christ, are seen by God Who is spirit from the spiritual aspect and He sees your new perfect spirit and sees you as righteous!

But some may still worry that they have to DO something to be counted worthy by God! But what does God say to this? Can we earn salvation by our obedience? Look at what Paul says in Galations, Chapter 3 and verse 10.

Gal 3:6-14 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know you therefore that they who are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In you shall all nations be blessed. So then they who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

And the law is not of faith: but, The man that does them shall live in them.

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ;
that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Notice the points that I have highlighted.
1. It was Abraham's belief (faith) that was counted towards him for righteousness; not his obedience! His obedience was as a result of his righteousness.
2. Gentiles are justified (made righteous) before God because of their faith.
3. If you are relying on law keeping you are under a curse, because you cannot continue keeping all that is in the book of the law. Not just the ten commandments - all laws in the book of the law; the Torah; Genesis to Deuteronomy!
4. The just shall live by faith!
5. Law keeping does not rely on faith! Law keeping is based on self-righteousness!
6. Christ by His sinless life and death on our behalf has redeemed us from the curse of the law; death!
7. On accepting Jesus as Lord, in faith, we receive the promise of Holy Spirit to live in us.

This should give you much assurance. It tells you that your salvation is in the hands of Jesus to accomplish, not in your own hands. This is good because we know that of ourselves, "none is righteous, no not one"!

On the other hand, Holy Spirit in you, will continue the work started in you and He will complete it at the return of Jesus. What God starts He finishes! Take a look at Phi 1:6.

Phi 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

As Paul tells us under inspiration in Titus, Chapter 2..

Tit 2:11-14 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works.

So, In Christ; that is 'only' In Christ, "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus". (Romans 8:1)

This is in a way re-itterating what we learn in Ephesians, Ch. 2, verse 8.

Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God...

As saved people of God none can condemn you and God does not condemn either! So we can approach God's throne, the Holy of Holies, boldly, with confidence, as children of God, holy, righteous and beloved. Not our holiness or our righteousness of course, but that of Jesus/God, imputed to us.

Romans 4:5-8 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

“BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED.
“BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.”

So David, probably looking back at the life of Abraham, though God could have given him a revelation of our day, said, "Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account". This is the situation of the Christian under the new covenant, as Paul points out here, but if you don't know it or don't accept it, then you will continue living under law and condemnation.

But when we know this...

Rom 8:33-34 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, Who was raised—Who is at the right hand of God, Who indeed is interceding for us.

Since God has justified us, no-one can bring a charge of sin against us! Christians will be disciplined by God for doing wrong things but sin will not be imputed against them. And, as 1 John 3:9 says, “Whoever has been born of God DOES NOT SIN, for His seed remains in him; and he CANNOT sin”

Our 'spirit man' is new, perfect, and cannot sin! God sees us in our spirit, while working through Holy Spirit to renew our minds (soul) to the stature of Jesus.

So what else is there that coroborates this...

1 Cor 6:18-19 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?

We have Holy Spirit within us and our bodies are His temple as it says above, but have you noticed that Paul was talking to people caught in relations with pagan temple prostitutes? Yet, despite this, Paul says that their bodies are still temples of the Holy Spirit? Holy Spirit had not departed, so they were not lost! But, living like this would have grieved Holy Spirit within them. We have been bought with a price (the blood of Jesus) and so we should glorify God in our bodies by living in purity. And where we fall into temptation....

Heb 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

And having received mercy and grace, God's favour, and with Jesus living His life in us by Holy Spirit, we will be enabled, empowered, even impelled to walk in the Spirit!

Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

AS A CHRISTIAN YOUR ETERNAL LIFE IS SECURE.

And THAT is Good News to share with others!


Attlee.


Another thought....

Can you lose your salvation? - 1 2 3 4 Conclusion