Something I've been having trouble understanding recently is whether there is such a thing as eternal security. In other words, if salvation is permanent or not.
The thing that confuses me is that there are verses like Ephesians 2:8-9 which state that salvation is by faith, not works. Then, there are verses like 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 that list certain types of people who won't enter Heaven. Well here's the thing...not only does Paul mention at least once in the Bible that he struggles with sin, but don't all true Christians still struggle with sin at least a little bit? This is what confuses me...for example, it only takes one instance of adultery to become an adulterer/adulteress. People who are true Christians can sometimes make these mistakes. But does this mean they lose their salvation since adultery is one thing listed that can prevent someone from entering into Heaven?
The fact is, nobody does everything right 100% of the time. Granted, people grow as they walk with Christ, but sometimes we all stumble. If one instance of making a mistake put someone into the category of adulterer, thief, or another one of those categories listed in Corinthians, does that mean they are destined for Hell? Or do verses like Corinthians 6:9-11 refer to people who are unsaved only? Obviously the Christian life is marked by coming out of these sinful activities, but even true Christians make mistakes. Even Peter and Paul made mistakes.
I'm confused...
Salvation and Eternal Life are TWO DIFFERENT things.
Look at this passage...
2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
2Pe 1:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
In verses 3 and 4 Peter specifically teaches that God has given us everything we need that pertain to life and godliness and that we have been called to glory and virtue. He then speaks of the great promises through which we may be partakers in the "divine nature" having ESCAPED the "corruption in the world through lust."
The question to ask yourself is HAVE YOU escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust? For one must first have escaped that before they can be partakers of the divine nature.
Peter then teaches that having escaped this corruption that we are to then diligently add to our faith and that if we do in fact do this then abundant entrance into the kingdom shall be ministered to us. Notice that this is a parallel to this statement...
Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
Rom 2:7
To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
Rom 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
See how verse 7 above parallels what Peter was teaching? If one adds to their faith in the manner Peter describes then they will be "patiently continuing in well doing seeking for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life."
There IS eternal security in the sense that God will grant us entrance into the kingdom IF WE CONTINUE. This is why Peter would say something like this...
1Pe 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
1Pe 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
1Pe 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear,
ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
1Pe 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
1Pe 5:6
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1Pe 5:7
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
1Pe 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
1Pe 5:10
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
Paul stated this...
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.
Php 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Php 3:16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
Php 3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
We are secure in this sense...
Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that
he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
But that is a conditional promise in the context that we must REMAIN and CONTINUE. If we are to WALK AWAY then that work will not be performed in us.
You see God works in us to will and to do (Php 2:13) but we have to work fully in the application (Php 2:12, note: "work out" means "work fully, work to completion.") which is why both Jesus and James taught that we must be DOERS of the word and not hearers only (Mat 7:24-27, Jam 1:21-22).
If you study Hebrews 11 you'll clearly see that FAITH is the "doing aspect" which dynamically and effectually makes grace effectual. Noah BUILT the ark by faith but God authored the blueprints by which he built off. The working together with God (2Cor 6:1) ensured that the grace was not received in vain. This is why the Bible teaches that God is the "author of salvation of those who obey Him" (Heb 5:9), without obedience there is no righteousness (Rom 6:16) and thus no holiness (Rom 6:19) and the end of holiness is eternal life (Rom 6:22). This is why the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ (Rom 6:23), if one does not "abide in Christ" which means they are walking after the Spirit in submission to the will of God then there will be no eternal life for them.
The grace that saves teaches us how we should live (Tit 2:11-12) and when we yield to it purity of heart is the result (Act 15:9). Hence we are saved by grace THROUGH faith. When the Bible says it is "not of works" it is in the context of the "works of the law" which can only cleanse the outside of the cup and not the inner man.
Many false teachers take the "not of works" and imply that it is "not of a WORKING FAITH." They are in error for faith IS a work (1Th 1:3) and faith work by love (Gal 5:6) and it is through the exercise of a faith that works by love that one FULFILLS the righteousness of the law (Rom 8:4) with the law having been established in the heart (Rom 3:31). This is how "our righteousness is to exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees."
Righteousness comes by walking in the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ (Rom 8:2) whereby we are vessels willingly yielded to God with Him manifesting through us.
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
1Jn 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
So going back to an early point, make sure you have first escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2Pet 1:3-4). It is lust which draws men into sin (Jam 1:14-15, Gen 3:6) and a Christian who goes through a broken godly sorrow and repentance (2Cor 7:1-11) and dies WITH Christ (Rom 6:4-7) is set free from the dominion of sin and thus no longer yield to the lusts of the flesh (1Pet 4:2) and sin in that way (1Pet 4:1). A Christian has crucified their flesh with the passions and desires (Gal 5:24).
So summing up we die with Christ putting off the old man so that we can be raised up by God as a new man. We are then to run the race by adding to our faith as we will mature more and more into the image of Christ. Do this and you will assuredly be granted entrance into the kingdom.
