East Baptist Church – Denison, TX

The Doctrine of the Eternal Security of The Believer

John 10:27-30/ Romans 8:35-39

John 10:27-30 (NASB)
27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 "I and the Father are one."

Romans 8:35-39 (NASB)
35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, "FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED." 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Please take note of the fact I used the word Believer in our title for today’s message from the Word of God. The doctrine of eternal security teaches that every genuinely saved believer is permanently secure in Jesus Christ because salvation rests upon the finished work of Christ and the faithfulness of God rather than human performance. Jesus said in John 10:28, “And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish.” Eternal life is not temporary life. It is an everlasting life given through Jesus Christ.

I knew this was a basic Baptist teaching, but it took time for me to know it was a Biblical truth also. One of the reasons I am Baptist is that we have been the People of the Word.

My beloved, we also need to see that Eternal security does not mean believers become perfect after salvation. Christians still battle temptation, weakness, failure, and spiritual struggles. Salvation does not remove the believer’s humanity overnight. However, eternal security teaches that true salvation cannot be lost because God Himself secures it.

1st Eternal Security is not a license to sin. Some falsely claim that if salvation cannot be lost, then believers can live carelessly ruled by the desires of the flesh. That idea completely contradicts Scripture. Genuine salvation changes the heart, produces conviction, and creates a desire for holiness. A truly saved person may stumble into sin, but they cannot live comfortably and continually in rebellion without conviction and chastisement from God.

2nd. Eternal Security has never meant freedom to abuse grace. Paul addressed this directly in Romans chapter six when he asked, “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound God forbid.”  The free gift of Grace does not encourage sinful living. In fact the opposite is true in the real believer, Grace teaches believers to pursue godliness. Eternal security never has been permission for spiritual laziness, rebellion, or worldly living. A believer secured by grace should love Christ more deeply, not less deeply. Real security produces gratitude, worship, obedience, and humility.

3rd. Eternal Security also never will mean we as believers lose responsibility for spiritual growth. Christians are still called to pray, study Scripture, resist temptation, confession, and pursue holiness faithfully. Security in Christ strengthens the believer’s walk rather than weakening it. The temptation to NOT go through the effort to grow is cultivated by Satan.

The child of God obeys Christ because they are saved already. Eternal Security ultimately magnifies the greatness of God’s Grace. The same Savior who died for believers continues holding them securely until the day they stand complete in His presence forever.

The Promise of Eternal Security: The doctrine of eternal security rests upon the promises of God Himself. Salvation is secure because the God who saves believers also keeps believers. Many Christians struggle with fear and uncertainty because they focus more upon human weakness than Divine strength and His faithfulness.

Let me tell you something we do not talk about and for sure preach on and that is I think that part of growing up in Christ Jesus is to have a time of doubt or a time of needing to know why we believe in Eternal Security of the Believer. What the Scriptures tell us not what we feel.

The Shepherd Keeps His Sheep: John 10:27-28 (NASB) ²⁷ “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; ²⁸ and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” Psalm 23:1 (NASB) The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: John 10:27 (NASB) ²⁷ “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;” Psalm 23:2-3 (NASB) ² He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. ³ He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

And He (God) gives unto them eternal life and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of His hand: John 10:28 (NASB) ²⁸ “and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” Psalm 23:6 (NASB) ⁶ Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

The authority of the Father is lived out in the power of the Son:  John 10:29-30 (NASB) ²⁹“My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”