Security of the Believer?
Once saved always saved?
Once saved always saved?
First of all, who is a believer?
It has been my experience in the different churches I have attended in search of the Truth, that most churches say you are a “believer” if you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God……but, “…the devils also believe, and tremble.” James 2:18-20
What does scripture say a believer is?
Mark 16:16-18 (King James Version)
16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
After the church began in Acts 2:38, the Apostles went out doing exactly what Jesus said “believers” would do…..and nothing has changed, there’s been no new covenant……so, it still applies, today….but, people don’t believe it, so they don’t practice it…..
1 Timothy 4:11-13 (King James Version)
11These things command and teach. 12Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers,
in word,
in conversation,
in charity,
in spirit,
in faith,
in purity.
13Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
11These things command and teach. 12Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers,
in word,
in conversation,
in charity,
in spirit,
in faith,
in purity.
13Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
Now, What does “security” mean?
Again, it has been my experience that “security” in most churches means “going to heaven”. But what does the scripture say “security” means?
Job 11:17-19 (King James Version)
17And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday: thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning. 18And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety. 19Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee
Judges 18: NIRV
9 They answered, "Come on! Let's attack them! We've seen that the land is very good. Aren't you going to do something? Don't wait any longer. Go there and take it over. 10 When you get there, you will find people who aren't expecting anything bad to happen to them. (“A PEOPLE SECURE” in the KJV) Their land has plenty of room. God has handed it over to you. It's a land that has everything you will ever need."
17And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday: thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning. 18And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety. 19Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee
Judges 18: NIRV
9 They answered, "Come on! Let's attack them! We've seen that the land is very good. Aren't you going to do something? Don't wait any longer. Go there and take it over. 10 When you get there, you will find people who aren't expecting anything bad to happen to them. (“A PEOPLE SECURE” in the KJV) Their land has plenty of room. God has handed it over to you. It's a land that has everything you will ever need."
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So we see what “security” and “believer” mean in the Word of God…….why then has it come to mean something very different in the church? It is because some “scholars” could not tolerate what the Word said because it did not accommodate their pet sins, so they rebelled against it and refused to submit to it…..but rather shook their fists in God’s face and said “I won’t believe You unless You conform to my spiritual comfort…”
Here’s a good example of that:
So we see what “security” and “believer” mean in the Word of God…….why then has it come to mean something very different in the church? It is because some “scholars” could not tolerate what the Word said because it did not accommodate their pet sins, so they rebelled against it and refused to submit to it…..but rather shook their fists in God’s face and said “I won’t believe You unless You conform to my spiritual comfort…”
Here’s a good example of that:
By I Gordon
‘…nor can I comprehend a gospel which lets saints fall away after they are called, and suffers the children of God to be burned in the fires of damnation after having once believed in Jesus. Such a gospel I abhor. If one dear saint of God had perished, so might all; and then there is no gospel promise true, but the Bible is a lie, and there is nothing in it worth my acceptance… If I did not believe the doctrine of the final perseverance of the saints, I think I should be of all men the most miserable, because I should lack any ground of comfort.’ What it is:: That once a lost sinner has put his/her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the only means of salvation and has been justified from every charge, being made a partaker of the divine nature, then it is impossible for that person to ever be lost again…Charles Spurgeon.
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Here’s another example – a friend of mine, an older man, told me that he’d been a tither and a deacon and always been a good husband and father, but that he was not going to give up his smoking for anyone, not even God…..and he believed that he and God would just have to come to a compromise over it…..
It has been my experience that God does not change for me or anyone else…..no matter how uncomfortable it is……I must do it His way, or take the highway……many was the time for me (and now for loved one’s of mine) that I wish(ed) God would relax His commandment to accommodate my discomfort or fear…..but it was not to be. Instead, He taught me that I could trust His judgement and I could be confident or His being just in all Hiw ways….therefore, I could pray within His will and abide by His answer, no matter what it was…..knowing that anything He decides is right…..no matter how it feels to me.
‘…nor can I comprehend a gospel which lets saints fall away after they are called, and suffers the children of God to be burned in the fires of damnation after having once believed in Jesus. Such a gospel I abhor. If one dear saint of God had perished, so might all; and then there is no gospel promise true, but the Bible is a lie, and there is nothing in it worth my acceptance… If I did not believe the doctrine of the final perseverance of the saints, I think I should be of all men the most miserable, because I should lack any ground of comfort.’ What it is:: That once a lost sinner has put his/her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the only means of salvation and has been justified from every charge, being made a partaker of the divine nature, then it is impossible for that person to ever be lost again…Charles Spurgeon.
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Here’s another example – a friend of mine, an older man, told me that he’d been a tither and a deacon and always been a good husband and father, but that he was not going to give up his smoking for anyone, not even God…..and he believed that he and God would just have to come to a compromise over it…..
It has been my experience that God does not change for me or anyone else…..no matter how uncomfortable it is……I must do it His way, or take the highway……many was the time for me (and now for loved one’s of mine) that I wish(ed) God would relax His commandment to accommodate my discomfort or fear…..but it was not to be. Instead, He taught me that I could trust His judgement and I could be confident or His being just in all Hiw ways….therefore, I could pray within His will and abide by His answer, no matter what it was…..knowing that anything He decides is right…..no matter how it feels to me.
Hebrews 10:26-30 (King James Version)
26For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
30For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
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According to scripture the security of the believer cannot lie in belief only, but in obedience and endurance in that obedience….
Matthew 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.
Matthew 24:13
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Mark 13:13And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
James 1:12
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
2 Timothy 4:3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
Hebrews 12:5 (King James Version)
5And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:6For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Even Paul didn’t consider himself “secure” until he was “there”… Hebrews 12: 12Not 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.
As for me, my only security is that God’s Word is true and He has given me breath to live and choice to choose Him or reject Him, and as long as I
(1) repent (turn away from) of my sin,
(2) receive His Holy Spirit like the Apostles and every other Christian in the New Testament did, with the manifestation of speaking in other tongues, and
(3) obey Him and follow Him, He will lead me right to Him……
and that, is all the security I need……in Jesus Name, amen.
