Permanent Salvation

At the moment of faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit places the believer in union with Christ. This union is created by baptism of the Holy Spirit. The believer's union with Christ qualifies the believer to live with God forever, making him a new spiritual species (2 Cor. 5:17) and guarantees the eternal security (Rom.8:38-39).

The non-meritorious phrase believed in God is considered by God as act of acceptable righteousness like in the case of Abraham (Rom. 4:3). But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness (Rom. 4:5) For with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation (Rom. 10; 10)

Nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified (Galatians 2:16)

Eternal security means that every believer possesses eternal life now and that which continues forever (John 5:24). This assurance stands on the essence of God and not on man (Numbers 23:19) and that God is eternally perfect (Deut. 33:27) and all His gifts to men are perfect (James 1:17). God gave the right to become children of God to those who believe and receive Jesus Christ (John 1:12) as guaranteed by His unchanging character. Every believer is saved once and for all eternity (Acts 16:31).

The term saved means eternal, unchangeable, permanent salvation. Think about this, Why would God revoke salvation just because of personal sins committed by a believer? when in fact God solved the problem of sin while the entire human race was in sin (Rom. 5:9-10). God solved the problem of sin apart from our knowledge or participation. Christians are saved by the grace of God (Rom. 5:15, 17,20).Grace is everything that God does for men apart from human participation, contribution or assistance.

Salvation guarantees no condemnation (Rom. 8:1) for those who are in Christ Jesus. This positional truth is guaranteed by the perfect integrity of God. Christians are the sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:26), this is a permanent relationship (1 Cor. 12:21) that cannot be removed, altered, changed or desalinated by anything else (Rom. 8:38-39).

Every believer remains saved by the power of God (2 Timothy 1:12) not by human power that fails often time. Every believer is born again by the imperishable seed of the Word of God (1 Peter 1:23) not by any inconsistent power, unwavering faith of men, religious activity or sacrifices.

The eternal security of the believer rests on the faithfulness of God. Any person who believed and accepted the free gift of eternal life cannot remove, change, cancel, alter, revoke or invalidate his salvation. An individual may decide to renounce his Christianity but if God has saved him, his salvation will remain intact and he is saved forever.

Nothing can change the verdict of God to justify the believer through the finished work of Christ and not on the work of men. A person may renounce his faith, embrace any atheistic ideology or doctrine, but if he is saved, his salvation will remain effective until eternity. Salvation does not depend on men but on God. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself” (2 Timothy 2:13).

If salvation is dependent on men then nobody will ever go to heaven that is because we are inconsistent, changeable, untrustworthy and devious in everything. The title or Deeds of our Salvation enters our names as beneficiaries and Jesus Christ as the Benefactor. The authority and assurance of salvation rests on the Benefactor not on the beneficiary. The free gift of salvation is eternal and permanent.

GOD’S PLAN OF GRACE is always misunderstood. Majority of Christians rest on false assumption that God's plan of grace is built on human love. As a result, they try to base their lifestyle, relationship with others and with God on these obscure, imprecise and unclear feelings called love.

In God's plan, all the glory belongs to Him, He has all the merit, He receives all the credit, because He does all the work. Grace is the policy of God's plan which is extended to the undeserving, totally helpless and condemned individual. God treats us in His justice. He is always fair to every person. His justice conforms to the demands of His righteousness and everything He does conform to His righteousness. God cannot accept the imperfect righteousness and good work of men.

There is nothing we can do to earn the love of God or the right to live with God forever. We are qualified only by non-meritorious faith in Christ, which is express to man in the simplest form

J. R. Cherreguine Bible Doctrine Ministries