Fire Insurance and the Get Out of Jail Free Card....

    As I write this blog, I'm sitting here wearing my SECURITY shirt from my old youth ministry is Mobile, AL.  It happens to have Romans 8:38-39 on it too!  Keep this in mind as you read!  Ironic!  Recently I posted a post on an online discussion question for the Systematic Theology class I'm taking pertaining to the Perseverance of the Saints.  In Baptist world, we like to identify this as as "Eternal Security" or "Once Saved, Always Saved."  This blog could easily coincide with the Calvinist vs. Armeniasm posts because this is yet another separation of the two camps of theology.  If you've not read those blogs, you should know that I profess to be neither a Calvinist (in the Hyper-Calvinist/Reformed sense), nor an Armenianist.  I believe that both of these theological camps have some major flaws in their presentation and theology.   I would rather be called Biblical!  Isn't that much better anyway?  I will identify with Jesus!   He's the only name I'd like to be linked to in a theological sense. 

    Our professor in that Systematic Theology class asked us to explain the meaning of perseverance of the saints. How does this doctrine provide assurance for the believer? How could its misunderstanding undercut accountability for obedience and Christ-like living, thereby providing a sense of false (unbiblical) assurance for those who have never genuinely entrusted their lives to Christ in faith?
   
 Here is my reply...
    According to Wayne Grudem in his Systematic Theology, the perseverance of the saints means that all those who truly are regenerated (born again) will be kept by God's power and will persevere as Christians until the end of their lives, and that only those who persevere until they end are truly born again. Although certainly objective (the work of God) in salvation, persevering in subjective (the work of the redeemed) in a sense too. If a "Christian" continues in the faith, then there conversion was genuine and authentic. If they fall away, they their conversion should be understood as false. We must never imply that salvation is a result of works (Ephesians 2), but faith must be accompanied by deeds (James 2). The Holy Spirit plays such a critical role here in assurance of salvation. If one professes a conversion but does not have the Spirit of God in their life convicting of sin, working in sanctification, and producing the fruits of the Spirit, then either they have suppressed the Spirit (which is dangerous) or their conversion is false. In Baptist life, we like to use the phrase, "once saved, always saved" and "eternal security". However, these phrases evoke a level of water-downed faith. It's basically like getting your fire insurance or "get out of jail free card". A genuine believer, however, cannot separate the saving aspect of salvation with the Lordship aspect of salvation! To have experienced conversion in a real way always leads to a pursuit of the things of God. This does not mean that Christians won't fall short and sin, but that sin won't be their master. The Lord is the Master! However, when a genuine believer sins, they do not lose their salvation because it is secure in the hand of God (see Romans 8:38-39). Christ is powerful enough to seal the believer's eternity!

     On a personal note, the burden of being called to pastor is in those "in the flock" that demonstrate no fruit of the Spirit in their life. It certainly is not ours to judge, but Scripture tells us that fruit will be evident of those redeemed. Yes, they may be on the church membership role, served as Sunday School teachers, deacons, committee members for years, but their relationship is not secure with God. This burden keeps me up at night because in the end this person will miss eternity with God by 18 mere inches, the distance from the head to the heart. Matthew 7:22-23 illustrate this burden, "On that day many will say to me, ‘ Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’  And then will I declare to them, ‘ I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’" May the church be true members of the Church! Salvation is found in other but Jesus Christ! No sacrament, church membership, position, title, or reputation can merit salvation!

   Can true believers lose their salvation?  No.  I cannot label this eternal security though because only genuine followers of Christ persevere until the end!  There are many good people in the church that believe they are genuine Christians because of a prayer they recited many years ago.  "Once Saved, Always Saved" is a delusion for these people.   You cannot lose something that you've never received!  

  So, how do you know?   How do you know that you have a relationship with Jesus Christ?
(1) Have you truly, in your heart, asked God to forgive your sins and turned in repentance?  Have you declared your belief in Jesus Christ as "the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6)?  Have you committed your life to following Him?  Has there been a change?  Jesus always brings change to the heart and life of those He encounters!  

(2)  Does your life bear fruit of this salvation experience?  True believers will develop Spiritual fruit... the fruit of the Spirit (See Galatians 5:22-23).   Are you becoming more like Christ daily and dealing with your sin problem?

(3)  Is the Holy Spirit's Presence active in your life?   Scripture says that the Holy Spirit is the "seal" of our salvation, the assurance of this relationship with God through Christ (see Ephesians 1).  If the Spirit is present, then your relationship is genuine!

    This blog isn't meant to make true believers question their relationship with God.  However, if you're reading this and banking on a mystical prayer, church membership, or good works to get you to God, then I beg you to fall flat on your face before God today in repentance, belief, and commitment to Christ!  Until next time....