ASSURANCE OF SALVATION: CAN I LOSE MY SALVATION

The awesome and amazing plan of salvation existed before God ever created the heavens and the earth (1 Peter 1:20; Ephesians 1:4; Romans 8:29).  God is eternal, existing before He created time and space, and He is love (1 John 4:16), so His love for us is eternal. His love for us existed before creation of the world or time; He loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). We know this because we read, 'He wrote our names in the lamb's book of life before He created the world.' (Revelation 13:8). There was a plan for our salvation and it was nestled securely in heaven before the world was even created. I can rest in this type of security. 

But how do I REALLY know if my salvation is secure because I continue to sin?

The gospel teaches us that we are saved by faith; we are saved by God's grace through faith; it's not of works (Ephesians 2:8-9).  The works of your life are not placed on the balance scales of right and wrong to determine your fate. The winners aren't those who do more right than wrong. It's not given to the 'goody-two-shoes." It's not given to the 'good people' for our best day is but a filthy rage before God (Isaiah 64:6).

So the nicest and most generous person in the world, who gives and serves their entire life, and maybe even attends the best church every Sunday, they can not please God without faith. When the bible references the 'unbelieving' Jews; it's identifying those who believed they could please God by acts of righteousness, namely by keeping the law (Romans 9:31-32). This didn't work for the Jews for 2000 plus years, and it won't work for us. 

And without faith, it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6).
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So what must I do to please God (John 6:28)?

Jesus answered this question in John 6:29, 'The work that pleases God is to believe in Jesus,' the Promise sent by God. You simply can't please God without faith. In Romans 5:1 we see that we have been 'justified through faith' which results in 'peace with God'  because of what Jesus did on the cross. The word peace is present tense; This verse never becomes past tense. The peace with God remains upon our lives. Prior to coming to Christ, our flesh, our hearts and minds, were at war against God (Romans 7:18) but this changed. This is the new birth that Jesus referenced in John 3:3 when He said, "You must be born again to see the kingdom of God." 

You hear about salvation being bought by Jesus and given to us as a free gift (Acts 20:28), but people still say your actions and sins can cause you to lose such a gift, so how can we be so sure? The most famous verse states that God so loved the world that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16), yet it's not enough for some still teach falsely.  The key understanding in salvation, eternal life, is grounded in Christ Jesus, not ourselves. We see,  'the wages of sin are death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ' (Romans 6:23) and 'salvation is a free gift of grace given by God, not by any works of man so that no man can boast.' (Ephesians 2:8-9).  

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. (Hebrews 6:19), so we can take hold of the hope set before us (Hebrews 6:18) to put an end to all arguments (Hebrews 6:16). 

​God wanted you to have hope, joy, and peace in this life, so He encapsulated His spoken word in oaths and guarantees so we could truly know and believe in His promises. He sent His Son, who is the promise of salvation; He sent Him with miraculous signs of healing and raising people to life to show us that His promise is true. Jesus' miracles where His witness that He was the Son of God and our hope of salvation (John 2:23, 20:30-31; Matthew 28:17; Hebrews 2:4). 
 
So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. (Hebrews 6:18).

When God made His promise to Abraham, He swore it by Himself, since there was no one greater to swear by (Hebrews 6:13). He gave assurance by swearing with an oath that He would bring His redemptive work to completion ( Hebrews 6:17-18). This is why in 1 Timothy 1:1 we can read, "Our savior and Lord Jesus Christ is our hope" and add "and our hope doesn't disappoint" as we see in Romans 5:5. 

And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:5). 

As if the oath isn't enough, God has given even more assurance of this eternally secure salvation to you. A guarantee was given. It is locked in and secure, never to be undone for you were sealed. God even guaranteed our salvation by sealing, as a promise, the Holy Spirit within our hearts (2 Corinthians 1:22). The Lord your God goes with you, He will never leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6). We have this hope as an anchor to the soul (Hebrews 6:19). 

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified" (Romans 8:29-30).

All who believe upon Jesus as the Son of God; the promise of redemption, the removal of sin with restoration, a rightness with God, will be saved from the wrath of God. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), so peace with God is not through works of the law. Justification, being made right with God is the free gift of grace given by God through His Promise, His Son. 

Dear Heavenly Father, help us understand your Holy Word, give us the Spirit of Truth and discernment so that we may know your promises are true and eternally secure. Father let our eyes of understanding be opened, so we can rest in Your security and in Your peace. You've sent Your Son into this world so that we may have peace with You, Father I ask that it begins today. Let us have our assurance of salvation, our assurance of peace with You, through our understanding. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.