The Security of Salvation
About 20 years ago, my wife and I decided to take our kids to Silver Dollar City, Missouri for some fun and recreation. We were going to meet a family up there that we had not seen for a while. I remember that we all had a good time, but it was a discussion that he and I had that day that I remember the most.
We had known the family for about 5 or 6 years before that day at the park. Whenever he and I had previously discussed the Bible, we could agree on how to treat our fellow man, but doctrinally speaking there was no agreement. So I was especially surprised that day at the amusement park when he said, "my wife and I have been studying and we no longer believe that people go to heaven when they die!"
He knew my belief on that subject and knew that I would be happy with their new understanding. We talked for a bit about how people are deceived about going to heaven and then I decided I had to say, "you know, you're not saved either!"
Needless to say I was about to learn what the pagan doctrine of "once saved always saved," means to those deceived by it. His response was standard protestant rhetoric, but he added a statement during our discussion that, at the time, surprised me. He said that it would scare him to death if he had to worry whether or not he was saved.
We could not truly discuss the subject because I was approaching the subject from a truth standpoint and he was approaching it from an emotional (fearful) standpoint. It did not matter what scriptures I quoted to him, he would not hear them, because from his perspective, anything I said was taking away his security.
Shortly thereafter he loaned me a set of cassette tapes he had obtained entitled "The Security of Salvation." My friend wanted me to listen to them because he thought they would explain more clearly what it means to "get saved." I believe that he did this as a friend, wanting to help me see this as he saw it, and to also have the feeling of security that he took so much comfort in. He wanted me to know and feel what it was like to be saved.
What my friend did not realize is that God is a covenant making God. There are conditional and unconditional covenants. An example of an unconditional covenant is the rainbow. (Gen 9:8-17) God will perform this covenant because of His own righteousness. The reason God establishes a conditional covenant is to create a relationship with man based in righteousness through which blessings may be given.
A person simply cannot have a relationship with God except through a covenant! The only way to maintain that covenant with God is if you obey the terms of that covenant!
Dan 9:4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
There are 4 things you must do to enter into covenant with God. They are as follows:
1) Repent of your sins.
2) Live in faith toward God.
3) Be PROPERLY baptized.
4) Receive the laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit.
These are 4 of the 6 basic doctrines of God's Church.
Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Heb 6:2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Heb 6:3 And this will we do, if God permit.
Baptism is a covenant, ratified in the blood of Jesus Christ! If we carefully follow these steps we can enter into a covenant with Almighty God and IF He permits we can move toward perfection. The very fact that a covenant exists and it is the vehicle through which God deals with us proves that we are not saved. If it was a matter of merely getting saved there would be no need for covenants because we would always do the will of God, which means we would already be perfect!
Satan has tried to cover all his bases! First he told Eve that she would not die. In order to believe that, you would have to believe that you were saved or could get saved. Additionally, since sin is the transgression of the law and the wages of sin is death, you would have to believe that Jesus Christ did it all for you on the pagan cross and the law is done away because any sin you commit would unsave you thereby causing the death that Satan said you would avoid!
But what does the Apostle John say?
1 John 1:5-10
1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Verses 6-10 all say "if." Your salvation is based on what you do. IF you obey (v.7 walk in the light) then the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. We all know that if we sin, we defile the covenant which separates us from God.
Let's understand this point very clearly, as long as we can sin, WE ARE NOT SAVED! It is impossible to be saved while we are physical, flesh and blood!
Let's look at the Scriptures to see what they say it is to be saved.
Mat 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Matt 24:9-13
Mat 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
Mat 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Mat 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Mat 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
1 Cor 9:24-27
1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
1Co 9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
1Co 9:27 But I keepunder my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
Castaway G96 adokimos ad-ok'-ee-mos
unapproved, that is, rejected; by implication worthless (literally or morally): - castaway, rejected, reprobate.
The Apostle Paul had been in the ministry for about 28 years when he said this. It is obvious he did not know anything about "getting saved."
Phil. 3:7-14
Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Php 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Php 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
The doctrine of "getting saved" otherwise called "The Security of Salvation" is a bold satanic lie designed to involve people's emotions so that they cannot rationally consider the truth of scripture. We must keep an eye on ourselves and not allow that tactic of Satan to affect us.
Let us look forward to the resurrection when we shall be changed into literal spirit beings that have the nature and character of Jesus Christ.
