Eternal Security-- John 10:22-30

Introduction

Good Morning Church, would you go to the Lord in prayer with me?

Alright, 2nd—5th graders you guys are free to dismiss. Parents you can pick those children up at the Wetlands Center after the service.

Well welcome to CBC, my name is Andrew McClure and I’m one of the Pastor’s here, and this morning I want you to open your Bible’s to John 10.

Now, we briefly skipped today’s text so that we could look at Jesus’ identification as the Resurrection for Easter, and as much as I wish it would have just synced up naturally for Easter, I suppose I’m just not that smart or forward thinking.

So today we have to backtrack a bit, but I’m glad we get to because I believe today’s text will be a great comfort and encouragement to many this morning.

Many different people have come to our church over the last 2.5 years, and many of those come to the decision that our church is just not for them.

And listen, far from being frustrated by that it makes me grateful for other churches in our community that honor God, and preach the Gospel, and make disciples.

But the reasons people leave are vast, and most of the time I never get the chance to know why.

But one time someone left for another church, and decided to share with me the reason.

In their opinion, we preach to much to the already Christian, and in their opinion we needed to preach more with the unbeliever in mind.

Well, I affirmed their passionate heart for the unchurched, but went on to say

that I am not ashamed, nor apologetic about the fact that I’m here to preach to the believer.

I recognize that in a church our size, there will inevitably be those not yet converted present, but my task or responsibility is not to cater to them.

No my task is two fold:

To equip the saints, who are the believers, for the work of ministry—- which is the work of serving, and proclaiming the Gospel to non-believers.

It’s your job to evangelize, and it is my job to equip you.

But secondly, it is to build up the body of Christ, until you grow into full Christian maturity, or the measure of the stature of Christ.

This is my Job Description

Ephesians 4:11–13 “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,”

And if by God’s grace, I can do my job with conviction and faithfulness and in the power of the Holy Spirit, than we become a mature body of people who are equipped to reach more and more people for the Gospel.

So unapologetically, I am here to speak to the believer, to the church.

To strengthen you. To build you up. To lead you on to maturity in Christ.

And one of the best ways to do that, is for sure to teach the Whole Counsel of God… to teach the whole Bible.

Book by Book, and chapter by chapter.

But on top of that, as we preach the Whole Counsel of God, I believe a way we mature is to pay careful attention to certain Christian doctrines.

Doctrines that challenge our minds, but in the end magnify our God and stir our affections for Jesus.

Yes church, we must study doctrine.

But you hear that, and kind of sigh and groan, don’t worry you can be honest. But we sigh and groan because we think doctrine is boring, or inapplicable.

So, you just want me to get you the little nugget.

The one takeaway.

The, answer to “what does this mean for me.”

But I promise you, that is perfect recipe for you to remain immature in your faith.

No we must study doctrine:

Because it is Doctrine that anchors our faith, giving us stability and protecting us from false teaching.

It is doctrine that deepens our worship! Painting a picture of God, that makes our response of worship more heartfelt.

it is doctrine that fuels our obedience, as we say here all the time, our beliefs drive our behaviors!

So then, we must study doctrine.

And today, I want us to study some Doctrine.

Specifically, the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints, or put more simply, the doctrine of Eternal Security. The belief, that once saved always saved.

And I promise you, an understanding of this doctrine will be a great comfort and encouragement to the believer, and perhaps by God’s grace cause to reflect and evaluate for the unbeliever.

So let’s read our text, and then I’ll give you our outline:

John 10:22–30 ESV

At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

Eternal Security-

Jesus says, John 10:28–29 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”

There are Two Extremes when it comes to this Doctrine.

Now these are embellishment's, but I wonder which camp you lean toward...

First, some do not believe God Preserves at all—- that it’s all up to us. We must Persevere!

Either you believe, you must earn your salvation by your perseverance,

or… you don’t believe you can earn your salvation, but you live like you do.

You live your life with fear.

Deep worry and anxiety.

Fear of sinning. Fear of upsetting God. Because if you offend the Great Police Officer in the Sky, you fear He’s going to retract his offer of salvation

You don’t believe God Preserves you—- you live as if it’s all up to your Perseverance.

But secondly, there are others who unfortunately live with a False Assurance.

These are those who bank on God’s Preservation, without a care or concern at all about our call to Persevere.

These are those who are convinced their saved, trusting in a prayer prayed, or an aisle walked, or a baptism—-

But when you look at their lives, there is no PERSEVERANCE.

But each of these approaches to this Doctrine are Faulty.

And living by them will rob God of His glory, and rob you of the life God intends for you.

So we need to understand this doctrine.

So let me give you a working definition:

The Perseverance of the Saints, or the Doctrine of Eternal Security is the Promise of God to PRESERVE every true believer in Christ until he reaches glory. And is evidenced by the believers perseverance to end where he/she attains glory.

It’s two fold:

God’s Promise to Preserve

Our Response to Persevere

And that will be our outline this morning:

God Preserves

Man Perseveres

But first let me give you some quick context.

Context

Jesus is in Jerusalem, at the Temple, and it is during the time of the Feast of Dedication.

Now you will not find this Feast in the Old Testament Scriptures, because it is a Jewish feast instituted after the canon of the OT had closed.

It was inaugurated during the Intertestamental Period.

IN 167 BC, Antiochus Epiphanes conquered Jerusalem and began to desecrate the Temple.

He tore down the alter. And forced the Priests to eat Pork.

Well many of the Jews revolted, and embarked in guerilla warfare against the Greeks.

Eventually under the leadership of a Jew named Judas Maccabaeus, they overthrew Antiochus and recpatured the Temple,

dedicating it back to the Lord, on the 25th day of the Jewish month Kislev, which coincides with December.

So for 8 days they rededicated the temple, and feasted unto the Lord, and since there, every year, on december 25th, the Jews honor this Feast of Dedication.

Also known as Hannakuh.

So during this Feast, the Jews surround Jesus in the Temple and say, John 10:24 “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.””

They corner him, and ask him directly if He is the Christ, which is just the greek version of the Hebrew word Messiah.

So Christ is the same as Messiah.

And so the timing of this question isn’t shocking, because the term Messiah had so many political and militaristic connotations.

That was the Jewish expectation of the Messiah— that he would be a political leader, and military warrior who like Judas Maccabaeus, would overthrow the Roman Empire and rededicate the land of Israel back to God alone.

This is why Jesus so often avoided the title Messiah. Not that He wouldn’t claim it, but he rarely used it for himself, because of the wrong associations the Jews had grown to make with the title.

So while the Jews are remembering the Military Conquerer Judas Maccabaeus during the Feast of Dedication, they’re wondering if Jesus is the Messiah or not.

To which Jesus says, John 10:25 “Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe.”

He’s already been identified by His Words, and the words of others.

He’s told them He is the only Son who has come to save.

He’s told them that He is the Light of the World, the bread of Life, the Door of salvation, and the Good Shepherd.

The Samaritan Woman and the Blind Man both testified to who Jesus was.

Yet despite all of His words, they refused to believe.

But His works have also testified.

He has turned water into wine, healed a paralytic, fed the 5000, walked on water, and healed the man born blind.

All of which attest to His Divine Power.

Yes, even his works have testified to his deity. Which is what Jesus says in our text.

John 10:25 “Jesus answered them, The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me,”

So Jesus has already told them with His Words and His Works… they just didn’t believe.

Because, they couldn’t believe.

But look at what Jesus says next… John 10:26 “but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.”

Did you catch that!?

He didn’t say, “You are not of my sheep, because you don’t believe.”

He said, “You do not believe, because you’re not of my sheep!”

The reason they do not believe is because they are not among His sheep.

If they were among His sheep, they would hear his voice. They would believe. They would follow.

But because they are not of His sheep, they do not hear His voice, they do not believe, they do not follow.

You see church, apart from God’s own initiative as the Good Shepherd, no one can believe in Him, because we are all spiritually dead.

And what can dead people do!? Nothing!

Lazarus was dead. in the tomb 4 days, beginning to rot and decay. What could he do!?

Nothing.

But Jesus called Him by name, and ordered him to come out—- and he came.

It was the Call of Christ that brought the dead to life.

And it is the Call of Christ that brings about spiritual life from death as well.

The following of the Shepherd begins, with the Call of the Shepherd.

He is the initiator of our faith.

We could not believe, if He did not call.

But does this truth eliminate our Responsibility to Repent and Believe!?

No! God’s Sovereignty has always worked through Man’s Responsibility.

They are not at odds! God Sovereignly accomplishes His Will, through Man’s Responsibility.

So when God Sovereignly Calls you by name to salvation, you are called to respond by repentance and faith.

Now you couldn’t respond, if he didn’t first call.

But because He calls, you now have the ability respond with faith.

And what Jesus is telling these Jews is that THEY CAN’T BELIEVE because He has not called.

This is challenging isn’t it church?

For years, I pushed back against this doctrine of effectual call, or the idea of the Elect, because it doesn’t fit my understanding of fairness.

But we must remember: Fairness would result in the damnation of all.

So the wonder isn’t that God doesn’t call everyone, but that He chooses to call anyone at all.

But it also doesn’t fit my understanding of Free Will.

Well church, you must remember, that apart from Christ, your WILL has never been free.

Apart from Christ, you are dead in your sin—- a slave to your sin.

So your will isn’t free, it’s a slave.

But when God calls, he actually liberates you, and gives you a new will.

A will, that will WILL GOD.

Okay, that was confusing, but when God calls—- he gives you a will that is actually free to believe and follow Him.

It’s challenging, but God’s Call is not unfair—- It is one of Grace.

God’s Call is not coercion, but liberation to respond by Fatih.

It’s a weighty doctrine, but one that reminds us that our salvation is not due to our decision, but a Gift of God.

That’s what Jesus says next.

John 10:28 “I give them eternal life…”

Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

What the Scriptures consistently attest, is that your salvation is not by your own merit, but by grace.

Titus 3:5 “he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy,

We do not earn eternal life with our works,

but let me be clear—- we prove it by our works.

The calling of God’s grace, will always result in a response to do God’s work.

This is what Jesus says in vs. 27.

John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

One of the greatest evidences of the effectual call of God upon your life, is a response of obedience.

You will hear His voice, you’ll follow Jesus.

There will be an evidenced change. A sense of being led by the Holy Spirit, and an ever increasing evidence of fruit of the Holy Spirit.

But this too is by grace. All beginning with God’s gracious effectual call.

And I emphasize that this morning, because the process of Salvation is similar, if not identical to our Preservation.

God Calls and Saves, and we respond in Obedience.

if God did not save, we do not respond.

But similarly God Preserves, and we respond in Perseverance.

If God would not Preserve, we would never persevere.

Look at vs. 28

God Preserves

John 10:28–29 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”

God Preserves.

Just as you are saved by Grace due to the Father’s Initiative, so too will you be Secure to the End by Grace, due to God’s Initiative.

Church, rest in the Promise of Preservation by your God.

There is no sin you have, are, or will commit that will make God change His mind about your salvation.

There is no future evidence, that will make Him regret His decision in choosing you.

Why!? Because He did not choose you on your MERIT, but on Christ’s.

Therefore, your Security between now and Eternity is not based on your Merit, but on Christ’s.

John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

As Puritan John Owen said, “Though you take but weak and faint hold on Christ, he takes sure, strong, and unconquerable hold on you.”

He knows your weakness, he knows your temptations, he knows, and yet He Holds On.

You don’t have to live in fear that you’re going to do something to mess it all up.

You can stop panicking and instead start praising God who Preserves you.

Oh church, this is a tremendous promise that provides us great comfort.

It should infuse you with deep hope, encouragement, and peace.

If God has called you to His Son, there is NOTHING that can pull you away.

Because there is nothing greater than God the Father who is greater than all.

Romans 8:35 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?”

Romans 8:37–39 “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Our Security rests in His Omnipotence.

NOTHING can snatch you from His Hand.

You are Preserved by God.

1 Corinthians 1:4 “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,” …

1 Corinthians 1:8 “who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”

1 Peter 1:5 “who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

That word “guarded” is a vigilant military garrison.

The Power of God is a literal fortress to your salvation.

You are safe, and secure in your salvation, because your security rests in none other than the Power of God.

He Preserves

Have I made it clear?

But does that eliminate our Responsibility!?

NO, we respond to His Preservation, with our Perseverance.

Evidence of His Preserving Power is our continuation of faith, with perseverance.

We Persevere

Pastor and Author, Joel Beeke writes, “Christ’s promises of eternal life are solid and sure for all believers. However, we abuse these promises if we promise eternal security to people regardless of whether they continue to follow Christ in faith and obedience.”

This is the False Assurance alluded to previously:

many depend upon a previous experience, walking an aisle, commitment to a church, or praying a prayer for their salvation.

But do not persevere in faith, or no present obedience to Christ.

Don’t we all know people this applies to?

Well the Bible would say, they were actually never saved. Never a part of God’s fold.

Jesus references these type of people in His parable of the soils, people of rocky soil:

“Luke 8:13 “And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.”

They didn’t lose salvation, it had never taken root to begin with.

Now, if you’re a Bible reading person, you may want to point me to Hebrews chapter 6.

Hebrews 6 is usually the go to passage, to argue against the Doctrine of Eternal Security.

But I argue this morning that this too is not speaking of true believers, but speaking of rocky soil believers.

Let’s read the passage in question:

Hebrews 6:4–6 “For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.”

Upon cursory reading, it seems clear—- It is impossible for those who have been saved, if they fall away, to be saved again.

It seems it’s teaching you can actually lose your salvation.

But let’s break down the phrases describing this person

First, a person who have once been enlightened can simply mean someone who has heard the truth, or sat through the preaching of the Gospel.

Second, tasted the heavenly gift— to taste means experience, and we all know tasting doesn’t equate digestion.

Thirdly, shared in the Holy Ghost—- now this one can be tricky, but that word shared has definitely been used elsewhere as a union with Christ, but in other places in the NT it means to accompany or participate in.

And how many of you have known people who had experiences of the Holy Spirit, like conviction of sin, yet remain unconverted?

And finally, “tasted the goodness of the word of God”— again tasted doesn’t mean digested, but many sunday after sunday hear a sermon and say… “That was good.” but leave unchanged.

Church, all I’m showing is that this 4-fold experience can be had by unbelievers who attend church sunday after Sunday.

& consequently I do not believe this passage contradicts the doctrine of eternal security.

And to slamdunk my argument, keep reading the rest of Hebrews 6!

The writer goes on to say in vs. 9 Hebrews 6:9 “Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation.”

He says… no no no, I don’t believe that describes you. Instead, I’m sure that you are actually saved!

Alluding to the fact, that those described in verses 4-6 are the unsaved.

Because, simply having a religious experience or walking an aisle, or liking a sermon, or being baptized, but without perserving in the faith is false assurance of salvation.

Because, True believers, Will Persevere.

But does this mean, that the life of a true believer will be easy!?

Does this mean that the life of a true believer, will be without doubts, or sins, or seasons of cold affections toward Christ, and a hardness of heart toward their sin!?

Of course not!

And this is why, the writers of the NT go to such great lengths to warn you of remaining diligent!

Because Persevering is HARD

As the Westminster Confession of Faith States, “believers may through the temptations of Satan and the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of the means of grace (prayer, scripture, sabbath, church, etc), fall into grievous sins, and for a time, not continue in the faith.”

But you will not lose your salvation!

Now you’ll incur a great host of consequences.

If you grow lax in your perseverance, slip into this proverbial backslide, there will be consequences.

You’ll grieve the Holy Spirit in your life, grow cold in your conscience and love, live for less than what God has saved you for, and most likely negatively influence the faith of others with your poor witness.

But you will not lose your salvation!

But in order to help you avoid these consequences you will find warning after warning in the NT to keep you persevering til the end.

Yes, church, we are called by God to Persevere.

Warned from the Scriptures to be diligent in the pursuit of our faith.

But not out of fear of losing salvation, but in response to His great grace in Preserving.

although we will face many obstacles to our Perseverance unto Salvation—- we are not left to our own strength.

God is faithful, and our Preservation ultimately lies with Him.

Our Salvation depends on the faithfulness of God, not our own.

But it is evidenced in our Perseverance.

And as I begin to land this plane, let me point you to a great comparison of a False Believer who rejects Christ, and a True Believer, who also rejected Christ.

Judas was a disciple of Jesus- he betrayed Christ. In in light of that, he experienced deep sorry and was filled with great regret.

Peter was also a disciple of Jesus- he betrayed Christ 3x, and also felt great sorrow and deep regret.

But what was the difference?

Well we know how their lives ended…

Judas never repented and did not persevere with Christ—- instead he committed Suicide.

Peter on the other hand, did repent and became the leader of the Apostolic Church.

But what to that? Both made mistakes, how could 1 end up blessed and the other cursed.

Church, the answer is that Judas was not preserved, and therefore could not persevere.

Whereas Jesus Preserved Peter and so Peter persevered.

In fact, before Peter denied Jesus 3x, Jesus predicted it. And actually told Him,

Luke 22:31–32 ““Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.””

What was the difference?

Satan wanted them both.

But the difference was Jesus Persevered Peter.

Conclusion

God Preserves and We Persevere.

What a great encouragement for many of this morning.

Many of you have been through seasons of great trials, temptations, and maybe even some back-sliding. But you’ve found yourself not simply sorrowful, but repentant. And you’re pressing on, diligent to work out your salvation, that God has graciously worked in.

It’s all be cause He is Preserving. The Father, who is greater than all… will not allow you to be snatched from His Hand.

But for many in the room this morning, this may be a great warning for you.

That like the people of Hebrews 6, you’ve tasted, you’ve shared in some things, but there is no evidence of perseverance.

Perhaps today is the day as Paul says, 2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”

Why don’t you stand with me, and let’s pray:

Oh God,

What is our hope in life and death? It’s Christ alone, Christ alone.

What is our only confidence?

That our souls to Him belong.

Who holds our days within His hand?

What comes, apart from His Command?

And what will keep us to the end?

The Love of Christ, in which we stand.”

Thank you for your love, for the salvation by grace, and the eternal security you promise. Amen.