RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-06-25	Why is it Impossible for Christians to Lose their Salvation?
		This subject has much emotion attached to it. There are those who believe they are saved, but they are not. I do not want to give someone false assurance. However, there are those who are saved, but do not have full assurance of that salvation. This will be the focus of this article. So the most important first question to ask is whether the person in question was saved in the first place? Too often we wonder if someone has lost their salvation, when they may never have been truly born again. Remember the parable of the Sower. Jesus told about the seed sown on the rocky ground (Mk.4:16). These hear the word, respond with enthusiasm, but have shallow soil (heart). When difficulties arrive they wither away. Make sure you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior in the first place. If you are not sure, ask Him right now to save you from your sin. Make sure you are not trusting in your decision, but in Christ alone for salvation. Ask yourself three questions: (1) Do you believe in the Gospel as defined in the Bible? [i.e., death, burial, resurrection of Christ for your sin] (2) Do you sense the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life? [Ro.8:16, “the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God”] (3) Do you desire to live a Godly life? [The struggle to be godly is evidence one is a believer, Romans 7] We do not work FOR our salvation (Ep.2:8-9), but we are to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Ph.2:12). It has to be real inside of you to work it out. Good works give us evidence a person is saved (Mt.7:16; Jn.10:27; 14:23; 15:5-8). They are never the means to obtain salvation. You did not do anything to be saved in the first place. If you could lose your salvation, you would. If salvation was dependent on you, you would lose it. We do not have the power to gain salvation, nor the power to keep our salvation. The writer to the Hebrews tells us Jesus “always lives to make intercession for them” (He.7:25). He.7:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Christ does this for the purpose of bringing us to glory (He.2:10). The reasons Christians are going to get to heaven, is not because they hold on. It is because Christ holds on to us (Jn.10:27-30). If Christ did not hold on to me, I would never get there. That is the incredible reality of Christ's high priestly ministry. You “pass from death into life” the moment you believe (Jn.5:24). You do not get eternal life when you die, you get it when you believe during this life! Right NOW we have everlasting life. Joh 5:24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. If you want to have assurance with the wonder of your salvation, think about the truth that Christ right now is holding on to you eternally. In His everlasting arms He will not let you go (Du.33:27). It is not simply that you look back at what He did. You also realize what He is doing right now as He makes intercession for you. Your joy comes from the perfect work of Christ as your Savior. Jesus is not simply a helper to get to heaven. He is our perfect Savior guaranteeing our entrance into heaven (He.7:25). Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

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