Eternal Security Part 3

 

MEMORY VERSES: Ephesians 4:30; Hebrews 12:8; 1 John 1:6; 2:1-2

 In this lesson we complete our study on the doctrine of eternal security by answering one final question.

 

If the disobedient believer does not lose his salvation, what does happen to him?

 

1.   The sinning believer is out of fellowship with the Lord and his people (1 John 1:3-7).

 

John was writing to instruct believers in how to maintain fellowship with Christ (1 John 1:3). We do this by walking in the light rather than in darkness. Walking in the light is walking in obedience to God’s Word. Walking in darkness is walking in disobedience. Thus, the sinning Christian is not in fellowship with Christ. He knows Christ as Lord and Saviour, but he is not walking in fellowship with Christ. The relationship

is not broken, but the fellowship is broken. This is a serious loss. To live out of fellowship with Christ means I do not have His wisdom and power and blessing. If I make major decisions while in such a condition, those decisions will invariably be wrong and will take me farther out of God’s will.

 

2.  The sinning believer grieves the Holy Spirit that lives in him (Ephesians 4:30).

 

To grieve the Holy Spirit means that His ministration in my life is hindered. He is the believer’s comforter and strength and guide and teacher. When He is grieved, I lose His blessing; I do not grow spiritually; I do not have spiritual power, enlightenment, and wisdom.

3.  The sinning believer is helped by the Lord Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1-2).

 

When we sin, God does not abandon us; we have an Advocate, a Helper. The name “Jesus” means Saviour, and He does not cease to be my Saviour when I sin. Jesus is there helping me, interceding for me, caring for me, seeking to restore me, as He did for Peter when Peter denied Him thrice in one night.

 

4.  The sinning believer is chastened by the Father (Hebrews 12:5-11).

 

God does not let His children sin without consequence. He spanks us. There is even the sin unto death if the believer refuses to repent (1 John 5:16-17). Some of the believers at Corinth sinned this sin (1 Corinthians 11:27-30).

 

5.  The sinning believer reaps corruption (Galatians 6:7-8).

 

There is a price to be paid for sin in this present world. Just because are saved, does not mean that we escape the law of sowing and reaping. Many believers have paid a terrible price, such as losing their marriage over such things as adultery, anger, and worldliness; losing their kids’ hearts; and losing their ministries. Any sin can be forgiven by confession, but sin has consequences. For example, I know many divorced believers who have confessed their sin but the divorce is still a reality, with all of its ugly and hurtful lifelong ramifications.

 

6.    The sinning believer loses irreplaceable opportunities for service and fruit

(Ephesians 5:14-17).

 

The sinning Christian can be forgiven, but he cannot regain lost opportunities. When the Israelites doubted God, they were forced to walk in the wilderness for 40 years even after they repented (Deut. 1:37-45). Many believers have lost irreplaceable opportunities by making important decisions when they were backslidden and out of God’s will, such as marrying the wrong person and

taking the wrong job. We can’t go back and start over in life, so we must live very cautiously and make sure that we are in God’s will every step of the way.

 

7.     The sinning believer will suffer loss at the judgment seat of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).

 

This is one of the clearest promises of eternal security in the New Testament. The sinning Christian who displeases the Lord and whose earthly works are burned up will himself be saved. His works will burn, but he will not burn. This is a wonderful truth, but for one’s earthly life to be wasted on something other than God’s will, for Jesus to be sorely disappointed in me, to have no rewards for His glory, to not hear, “Well done, thy good and faithful servant,” will be a very tragic loss.

 

Eternal security and problem passages

 

See the article “Eternal Security” at the Way of Life web site for a look at the passages that are used by those who deny the doctrine of eternal security. A more extensive list can be found in the book Things Hard to Be Understood: A Handbook of Biblical Difficulties.

 

 

REVIEW QUESTIONS ON ETERNAL SECURITY PART 3

 

1.  What are seven things that happen to the believer that sins?

 

2.  What book and chapter says that we walk in the light by confessing our sin?

 

3.  What verse warns against grieving the Holy Spirit?

 

4.  What does it mean to grieve the Holy Spirit?

5.  What happens when I grieve the Holy Spirit?

 

6.  What book and chapter says God chastens His children?

 

7.  What book and chapter warns about the sin unto death?

 

8.  In which New Testament church did some of the members die for abusing the Lord's Supper?

 

9.  What verse says that a man reaps whatsoever he sows?

 

10.  What happened to the Israelites when they doubted God?

 

11.  What book and chapter describes the judgment seat of Christ?

 

12.  What happens to the believer at the judgment seat of Christ if his works burn up?