How to Be You Have eternal life (week 3)

2 Peter 2: 20-22

2 Pet. 2:20-22 HOW TO BE SURE YOU HAVE ETERNAL SECURITY #2

Intro:

- Salvation is, absolutely, the most important thing in life.

- Salvation, requires a personal, faith relationship with God through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

-Nothing is more important than being saved, since salvation, or the lack thereof, determines our eternal destiny. Hell for the lost, Heaven for the saved!

-Next to salvation in order of importance, is the absolute assurance that you have passed from death unto life.

To be saved and know it is to be liberated from doubt and the dread concerning the soul and it’s relationship with God.

After assurance, there is the question of security. It is put this way,

“I am saved, and I am sure of it. Is there anyway that I can ever be lost again?” The answer is a loud, resounding “NO!”

Last Sunday, we gave positive proof from 8 passages in the Bible that once a person is truly saved, they are saved forever.

Today, I want to deal with a few passages that have been twisted and used over the years to teach that people can indeed lose salvation. Now, if the Bible says in one place that we are eternally saved, and in another that we can lose that salvation, that, my friends, is called a contradiction.

We know that the Bible is totally without contradiction, so any apparent contradiction must be a simple lack of understanding on the part of the reader. As we have time, let’s notice a few passages that some say teach the loss of salvation. Let’s find out what they really say as we consider again, How to be sure you have eternal security. I. 2 Pet. 2:20-22

TRANSFORMATION

A. Many feel that these verses teach the loss of salvation. In fact, they teach the opposite!

B. These verses tell of the person who turns over a new leaf without receiving a new life. They get into church, make an outward change, but inwardly, they are unchanged, still lost. They have recognized the claims of Christ, but have never been changed by His transforming power. (Ill. Judas is a classic example!) This is religion without redemption. This always leads downward. In other words, the person who lives this lifestyle cannot maintain the illusion. They will eventually live out what they really are. (Ill. “Entangled” – to weave something. Their pattern of life is so woven into them that their true character eventually emerges!

C. Sinful desires cannot be conquered by reformation. They will simply hibernate and wake up stronger than before. Only transformation by salvation can defeat the old nature and give new life. (Ill. The new birth – John 3:3, 7)

D. Ill. V.22 – A person’s true nature will always come out! Just as a dog may be taught obedience and tricks, he will always be a dog and will have a dog’s nature and will eat his own vomit. A pig can be bathed, bowed and buffed to a high gloss, but it will always be a pig and will head straight for the wallow when turned loose. (Ill. Men can look good in church, but live in sin in the world. You will always do after you own nature!) This is why Christians can be assured of their security in Jesus. A new nature wants to avoid sin and please God. We are not reformed, we have been transformed – 2 Cor. 5:17; 2 Pet. 1:4. II. Matt. 24:11-13

TENACITY (Sticking to something until it is done!)

A. Many people believe that these verse mean that endurance leads to alvation and the lack of it to loss of salvation. That is totally backwards!

B. The Christian is not saved because he endures, he endures because he is saved! True Christianity is marked by TENACITY. (Ill. Simon Peter – Luke 22:31-32 – Ill. His trial. Christ told him, who will be sifted, your faith will not fail! He fell, but his faith did not!) (Ill. Eternal security is like a spiritual rubber band placed on us by God at the moment of salvation. We may, and will, wander off, but He will keep drawing us back. All the while we wander, we will feel the tug of home – Ill. The Prodigal – Luke 15:11-24.

C. Ill. Many are like those mentioned in the Parable of the Sower – Matt. 13:1-23. When things get hard, they will wither away and die; they possess no endurance. True faith endures. (Ill. Judas – He was devoted, active and trusted, yet he was never saved – John 6:70. He had no endurance because he had no salvation! III. John 15:5-8

TRADE MARK

A. Again, many teach that this is the picture of a Christian who has ceased to live for God, is cut off and cast into hell.

B. In truth, Jesus isn’t even talking about salvation. He is dealing with fruit bearing. His whole point in this passage is that a healthy, abiding Christian bears fruit, while a weak, careless Christian bears no fruit and is a spiritual castaway – 1 Cor. 9:27. C. This passage deals not with the loss of salvation, but of rewards – Rom. 14:12; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Cor. 3:10-16. IV. Heb. 6:4-9

TURNING AWAY

A. This is perhaps the most misunderstood passage in regards to eternal security. The writer says that it is impossible for a certain class of people, if they fall away, to be renewed again to salvation. Some believe that these verses teach that you can lose your salvation. If so, it also teaches that you can never get it back again. (These verses can be interpreted as a hypothetical situation. “If it were possible…”)

B. A second interpretation is far more serious. It speaks to people who have been confronted with the truth of the Gospel, have had their hearts gripped by the Holy Ghost in conviction, have been enlightened and have seen the truth, but have walked away from Jesus Christ. These people have been to the very threshold of salvation and looked in on the things of God, have seen that they are true and that they needed what they saw, but they turned away. They will not be brought to that place again! (Ill. Like tasting something new and wonderful and deciding to buy it until the price is found to be too high. Then it is returned to the shelf.) (Ill. The fields – one a saved life, good seed; the other a lost life, bad seed.)

C. Sadly, this type of person may never have another opportunity to be saved. This passage does not talk of losing salvation. It warns against rejecting salvation. Ill. A very dangerous thing! – Gen. 6:3 Conc: If you are saved, you are eternally saved! That is cause for rejoicing! (Ill. Luke 10:20!)

If you have never been saved, and are aware of your need of Christ, then please do not walk away! This altar is open for all who need it today. Jesus will save you, restore you, or simply meet any need that you may have right now. All He asks is that you come to Him!