The Assurance of Our Salvation

Note: All Bible verses are from the New International Version; all bold emphases on the Bible verses are added by the author. The underlines indicate the words of Jesus.


How Do We Know We Are Saved?

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 5:12)

From these promises we know that everyone who believes in Jesus has eternal life now and will have eternal life in the future. But what is it to believe in Jesus? How do we know that we are true believers?

Many people are mistaken and think that “believe” is merely a one-time mental activity. They think that as long as a person has made a momentary decision to become a Christian, no matter what kind of life he lives afterward, he shall have a full assurance of salvation.

But how can we base our assurance of salvation on a past moment of our own heart, which is subject to self-deception and unfaithfulness? Can we judge about whether we are saved? To judge means to make a definite, unmistakable conclusion with authority. In this sense, it is only God who can judge, because only God has the full knowledge about the truth, about the future, and about our true spiritual condition. At the end of the age, God will make a final determination regarding who is saved and who is lost according to each person’s deeds.

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. (Matthew 25:31-33).

(Also see Matthew 13:29-30, Matthew 13:40-43, Matthew 13:47-50) 

More Supporting Bible Verses

(Matthew 13:29-30)

“No,” he answered, “because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn?”

(Matthew 13:40-43)

As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear?

(Matthew 13:47-50)

Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 Indeed, in the Judgment Day, many people who think that they are saved will find out that they are self-deceived. Jesus said:

Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord,...” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:22-23).

Knowing whether our faith is genuine and whether our salvation is real is immensely important to all who believe they are Christians. It is so important to us that Jesus’ most beloved disciple, John the apostle, wrote an epistle (1 John) to specifically address this question.

From the context of 1 John, we perceive that at the time, some professed Christians presumed that they were saved, yet were not living for Christ. For this reason, the apostle wrote this letter to warn them: do not be led astray or self-deceived. John did not tell his audience that they should have a full assurance of salvation no matter what kind of life they live and what kind of fruit they bear. Instead, throughout the letter, he instructed them to evaluate their faith based on their life and deeds. He called them to live a life that is holy and devoted to God so that they can be sure that their salvation is real. In the end of the letter he wrote:

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13).

We will see more in this article, the instructions John’s epistle gives us regarding the assurance of salvation.

Examine Yourselves

Because our human heart is deceitful and our human mind fickle, we should constantly examine ourselves whether we are in Christ, whether we truly believe in Him. A person may once have made a momentary decision of accepting certain Christian doctrine, but if his life does not demonstrate that he walks as Jesus did, he should ask of himself a fair question: “Do I truly belong to Christ?”

1 John gives several tests for us to evaluate whether our faith and salvation is real. I summarize them into five points: We are in Christ if we:

1. Turn away from sin (1 John 1:6, 1 John 3:2-10, 1 John 5:18)

2. Live whole-heartedly for God (1 John 2:15-17)

3. Keep God’s commandments (1 John 2:3-5, 1 John 5:2-3, 1 John 3:14-20, 1 John 4:17, 1 John 4:19-21)

4. Walk as Jesus walked (1 John 2:5-6)

5. Have the testimony of the Holy Spirit (1 John 3:24)

In the following sections, we will look at each of these verses in detail.

1. Turn away from sin

From 1 John, we shall be convinced that anyone who continues in sin will NOT have eternal life.

If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. (1 John 1:6).

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. (1 John 3:2-10).

We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. (1 John 5:18)

What is “continue in sin”? A person continues in sin if he submits to his sinful nature, keeps on sinning willfully. He cherishes sin with self-excuse or self-deception. For example, if a person knows the good he ought to do, yet does not do it because of selfishness or laziness, he sins.

Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins. (James 4:17).

This same truth was also spoken again and again by apostle Paul:

For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. (Romans 7:5).

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. (Romans 6:12-14).

Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. (Romans 8:12-14).

For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. (Ephesians 5:5-7)

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

Today many people are influenced by the false teaching that Christians are free to sin without having to face eternal judgment. This false doctrine tells people that because of God’s grace, a Christian can live whatever way he wants—even if he submits to sin and cherishes wickedness, he does not need to worry about losing his salvation; because he has already been forgiven and accepted by God. This false doctrine is a counterfeit of the true gospel. It directly contradicts the Bible.

The true gospel of the Bible is that we are saved by God’s grace through faith; this salvation first and foremost is the salvation that redeems us from the bondage of sin; consequently, it is the salvation that delivers us from the doom of eternal death. The very purpose of salvation is to set us free from sin.

“…She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

By God’s grace we are able to overcome sin and have eternal life. It is NOT that by God’s grace we are free to sin; it is that by God’s grace we are free FROM sin. Sin is not a freedom, but a bondage of Satan; it is God’s grace that empowers us to escape this bondage. Anyone who submits to sin REJECTS God’s sovereign grace and salvation.

For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8)

We should be very clear about this: the New Jerusalem—with the new heaven and new earth—is the home only for the righteous who overcome evil, NOT for unrepentant evildoers and hypocrites.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. (2 Peter 3:10-14).

He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. (Revelation 21:7-8)

Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Revelation 21:27)

Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. (Revelation 22:14).

2. Live whole-heartedly for God

From 1 John, we shall also know that our faith MUST lead us to live a life whole-heartedly for God.

Anyone who lives for himself does not have eternal life, because a person who lives for himself belongs to the world(—the principle of the world is to live for self); and anyone who belongs to the world will pass away with the world. Thus John exhorts us: do not love the world.

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:15-17).

James, Jesus’ brother, also spoke the same truth. In his epistle, he denounced the half-hearted Christians who were in fellowship with the world. From the context of James, we perceive that although some of the Christians he addressed had been converted to Christianity to some degree; their hearts were still full of worldly desires and bitterness, causing them to be jealous of each other and fight; especially, they were living in the sins of greed and pride, like many Christians living today. James urges these people to wake up from their dangerous self-deception, to repent and turn their heart to God; otherwise they will remain the enemy of God.

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (James 4:4-10).

Anyone who loves the world is God’s enemy. He cannot love God because the love of the world is at enmity towards God; and anyone who does not love God is damned.

If anyone does not love the Lord—a curse be on him. Come, O Lord ! (1 Corinthians 16:22).

3. Keep God’s commandments

The third point 1 John teaches us: We KNOW that we have faith in Christ IF we keep God’s commandments.

We know that we come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says, “I know Him,” but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. (1 John 2:3-5)

This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. (1 John 5:2-3).

God’s commandment for us is to love God by loving one another, especially by helping the brothers who are in need.

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. (1 John 3:14-20).

In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. (1 John 4:17).

We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 John 4:19-21).

4. Walk as Jesus walked

John also told us that if we claim to believe in Jesus, we MUST walk as Jesus walked.

This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. (1 John 2:5-6)

To walk in the manner Jesus walked is to live for God in obedience through self-sacrifice and self-denial. It is to seek to do God’s will, to live by God and for God under all circumstances. It is to walk the narrow road—the way of the Cross—and the way of salvation.

5. Testimony of the Holy Spirit

Our knowledge about our salvation comes from the testimony of the Holy Spirit, as 1 John 3:24 puts it:

Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. (1 John 3:24)

The same truth was also spoken by apostle Paul:

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. (Romans 8:16)

From here we see the point: The Holy Spirit is the ultimate witness that we are saved and have eternal life. When we do what God commands us to do—to live by the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will testify to our heart that we are God’s children. By this, we have confidence that we have eternal life.

Definition of saving faith

From the above discussions we conclude: saving faith is NOT merely a momentary mental activity, it is a new way of life. First, it starts with acknowledging the truth that the Spirit of God reveals to us—that Christ is the Son of God and our Lord and Savior. It does not stop here; with this conviction, we must live by a new principle that is apart from the world—God’s principle—to turn away from sin and embrace Christ’s righteousness. Third, we must submit our life to the Lordship of Christ—to live for Him and keep His commandments—to love God and serve God with all our heart, all our soul and all our mind. Forth, we must seek to be united with God by giving our conscience to Him, to constantly let the Holy Spirit direct our hearts, our minds and our deeds.

When most of us first decide to become Christians, we may not have a complete saving faith. A full saving faith is often the result of a prolonged work of the Holy Spirit in our heart.

…The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. (John 3:8).

For this reason, our spiritual growth is vital to our salvation. We MUST CONTINUALLY follow the guidance of the Holy Sprit, to grow spiritually and become closer and closer to the likeness of our Lord. Otherwise, we may believe in vain.

Continually Abide In Christ

We are saved by knowing Christ. To remain saved, we MUST continually abide in Him.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. (John 15:1-6)

These words of Jesus tell us that the only security for our salvation is to continue abiding in him and bearing fruit. Apart from this there is no security.

What is to remain in Christ? The following verses tell us that it is to keep God’s commandments and love each other.

If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. (John 15:10-14).

The Danger Of False Security

A false doctrine called “Eternal Security” or “Once Saved, Always Saved” teaches that faith is merely a momentary mental activity, and as long as a person has once experienced this momentary faith, he is guaranteed of eternal life. By this they mean that even if such person continues submitting to sin (or constantly goes back to sin)—to live as a “carnal Christian” or a “nominal Christian”, he is still saved and will never loose his salvation.

This “Eternal Security” doctrine is totally unbiblical. Yet, many people take it for granted without any in-depth study of the Bible. Many Christians who presumed they were eternally secure have gradually lost their focus on God and turned to seek the world, causing them to backslide and shipwreck their faith.

There are numerous people recorded in the Bible who once had an intimate fellowship with God, yet later were eternally ruined by their apostasy. For example, Balaam the prophet (Numbers 22 to 24) once was a servant of God (Numbers 22:18-19). God spoke to him personally and prophesied through him about the coming of Christ (Numbers 24:15-19). But he loved the wages of unrighteousness. Eventually he followed his greed and seduced the Israelites to commit grievous sin against God (Numbers 31:16, Revelation 2:14, Numbers 25). He was slain by the sword and was forever damned (Numbers 31:7-8, 2 Peter 2:15-17, Jude 1:11-13).

(Numbers 22:18-19)

But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God. Now stay here tonight as the others did, and I will find out what else the Lord will tell me.”

(Numbers 24:15-19)

Then he uttered his oracle: “The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one whose eye sees clearly, the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth. Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong. A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.”

(Numbers 31:16)

They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice and were the means of turning the Israelites away from the Lord in what happened at Peor, so that a plague struck the Lord’s people.

(Revelation 2:14)

Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.

(Numbers 31:7-8)

They fought against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and killed every man. Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

(2 Peter 2:15-17)

They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—a beast without speech—who spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness. These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.

(Jude 1:11-13)

Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; ?They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.

Judas Iscariot once was Jesus’ disciple. But he also loved money (Luke 22:3-6, John 12:4-6), and eventually betrayed the Son of God for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16, Matthew 26:45-50). Because of this he perished into eternal perdition (Matthew 27:3-5, John 17:12).

(Luke 22:3-6)

Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.

(John 12:4-6)

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

(Matthew 26:14-16)

Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

(Matthew 26:45-50)

Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.”

Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.

Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came for.”

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him.

(Matthew 27:3-5)

When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

(John 17:12)

While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

The Israelites who followed Moses out of Egypt (Exodus, Numbers) all had been under God’s special care and protection on their way to the Promised Land (1 Corinthians 10:1-12), but later many of them were destroyed by God en route because of the sins they committed (1 Corinthians 10:1-12, Exodus 32, Numbers 10, 11, 14, 16, 21, 25). They died without inheriting eternal life (Exodus 32:31-35, Hebrews 3:7-11).

(1 Corinthians 10:1-12)

For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.” We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!

(Exodus 32:31-35)

So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”

The Lord replied to Moses, Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.

And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.

(Hebrews 3:7-11)

So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways. So I declared on oath in my anger, They shall never enter my rest.

These things were written down as warnings for us. But some of you may think that these lessons have nothing to do with you, because all the apostates mentioned here are evil or greedy people. You might think that you cannot follow their footsteps. But before you make that conclusion, I want you to honestly answer to yourself the following questions: Do you covet? Are you half-hearted towards God? Are you more eager to serve mammon rather than to serve God? Is your heart devoted to this world more than to God’s kingdom? If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, then you should earnestly ask God again and again to save you and purify you, lest during a time of trial and temptation, you may move to a destructive path as they did. They died as evil people because they took their sin lightly, and did not turn away from it when they could. Eventually they were overcome by their sin and become Satan’s possessions.

 Jesus clearly taught his followers that the destructive nature of sin is so dangerous that it can lead them to eternal death. We must not take sin lightly.

Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! If your hand or your foot causes you to sin cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. (Matthew 18:7-9).

(Also see Matthew 5:27-30, Luke 17:1-3, Mark 9:42-50).

More Supporting Bible Verses

(Matthew 5:27-30)

You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

(Luke 17:1-3)

Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourselves?

(Mark 9:42-50)

And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where “their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.”

Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.

The Scripture clearly says that the judgment on apostasy sin is eternal damnation.

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation. (Hebrews 6:4-9).

(Also see Hebrews 10:26-31, 2 Peter 2:20-21, Revelation 17,18).

More Supporting Bible Verses

(Hebrews 10:26-31)

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

(2 Peter 2:20-21)

If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.

 

The curse on those false teachers who love the wages of wickedness, and turn God’s grace into license for sin is clearly pronounced in the Bible.

Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion. These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm, shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.( Jude 1:11-13).

(Also see 2 Peter 2:15-17).

More Supporting Bible Verses

(2 Peter 2:15-17)

They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—a beast without speech—who spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness. These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.

How secure is our salvation? The answer is the following: If we faithfully follow God, if we treasure every ray of light that God sends to us and eagerly seek Him and obey Him, we can have a full assurance that we WILL be saved at the end. In such a case, even if we stumble accidentally, God will forgive us because He sees our heart. He will bring us back to repentance and raise us up with His mighty hand, just like He restored His disciple Peter and King David; because He is loving and faithful and full of mercy. He promised that He would not put us in a test that we cannot endure (1 Corinthians 10:13). He assures us that no one can snatch His sheep, who always follows Him and hears His voice, out of His hand (John 10:27-30).

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. (John 10:27-29)

But God’s promise of assurance is to those who are His disciples, those who always follow Him and listen to His voice. They treasure His truth more than any worldly possessions; they are willing to give up their life for His sake; they take up His cross and submit unto His yoke daily; they are humble and poor in their own spirit.

You may think: It is so hard; who then can be saved? I believe that if we surrender our will and our life to God, if we truly trust Him and rely on Him, He will be able to mold us into the way He desires. But we MUST make all personal efforts to die to ourselves—to our pride, our flesh, and our worldly desires; because God’s promise is fulfilled through our whole-hearted obedience and commitment.

God’s promise of assurance is NOT to those who are half-hearted or uncommitted (Matthew 13:45-46, Luke 9:57-62). It is NOT to those who “made the decision”, yet never count the cost (Matthew 10:32-39, Luke 14:25-35). It is NOT to those who are lukewarm, who care more about their material life than their spiritual life (Revelation 3:15-18). It is NOT to those who take hold of the plow and then look back (Luke 9:57-62). It is NOT to slackers who are content with only meeting the minimum requirements for heaven (Luke 13:22-30). It is NOT to those who profess to believe in God, yet do not live by His Word and His principles (Matthew 7:21-27, Luke 6:46-49, Matthew 25:31-46). Let’s constantly examine ourselves and STRIVE not to remain in any of these categories.

Supporting Bible Verses

(Matthew 13:44-46)

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

(Luke 9:57-62)

As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He said to another man, “Follow me.” But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.

(Matthew 10:32-39)

Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.

Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn

“a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.”

Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it?

(Luke 14:25-35)

Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.

“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

(Revelation 3:15-18)

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm —neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing. But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

(Luke 13:22-30)

Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

He said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us. But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.

“Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets. But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!

“There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.

(Matthew 7:21-27)

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.

(Luke 6:46-49)

Why do you call me, “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.

(Matthew 25:31-46)

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?”

The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.”

They also will answer, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?” He will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.” Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.

The teaching of the “Eternal Security” will NOT give a Christian a true Biblical assurance for salvation. On the contrary it will take away his assurance. Because that teaching is like a strong dose of poison—strong enough to numb one’s conscience, poisonous enough to pervert one’s mind and pollute one’s soul. It is The Great Babylon’s maddening wine that will put people into a spiritual slumber, make them believe that they are guaranteed of eternal life even if they are lazy in studying God’s Word, even if they love the world more than they love God, even if they take their sin lightly, even if they are unfaithful....

I am personally convinced that this “Eternal Security” doctrine is one of Satan’s vilest traps, a Trojan horse from the devil. On the outside it looks like a gift, “free!”—no cross, no discipleship, no turning away from sin and you don’t have to obey God’s Word, you don’t have to do any work. But inside it is full of deceit and danger. It will give you a false security by doing to you exactly what the false prophets did to God’s chosen people in Jeremiah’s time:

They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. “Peace, peace,” they say, when there is no peace. (Jeremiah 8:11).

It will take away your soberness and fear of the living God. It will lure your heart further and further away from the truth. Eventually, it can cost you everything—your eternal life and salvation. This doctrine is a deceiving road sign, which says “Short Cut to Heaven”, but actually points to the broad and easy way that leads to hell.

This dangerous heresy is severely damaging the body of Christ, and leading many believers astray. This is a part of the reason why today the Laodicean church is so large. So many Christians are content with the riches and pleasures the world gives and forget the great commission given by our Lord; they take their sin lightly and live the way the world lives; they are comfortable with being the salt that has lost its saltiness. But Jesus clearly said:

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. (Matthew 5:13)

2 Peter 2:1-3 warned us about those false teachers who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them.” (2 Peter 2:1). “In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” (2 Peter 2:3).

We need to decide for ourselves what to believe and who to follow. We ought to believe in the truth, not lies. We ought to follow the Spirit of God, not the spirit of falsehood. Ultimately, our salvation is our individual responsibility. Each person will stand before God ALONE in the Judgment Day. Let us NOT take our salvation lightly. Let’s do everything we can to defend God’s truth, never allow His precious truth to be perverted.

Always Keep In Mind

Finally, we should always keep in mind that eternal life is NEVER promised to the unfaithful, but ONLY to those who overcome—those who keep their robes clean and their hearts pure, those who endure by grace though faith to the end.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. (Revelation 2:7).

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation 2:10)

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. (Revelation 2:11)

He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. (Revelation 3:5)

Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. (Matthew 24:12-13)

By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:2)

We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. (Hebrews 3:14)

To close this article, I would like to urge each and every Christian with this Bible verse:

Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. (2 Peter 1:10)


Copyright © 2001 by Come To Christ, All Rights Reserved

This article was written by members of Come To Christ in April, 2001.  You are welcome to circulate this article for nonprofit evangelical or educational purposes. For any other use, please contact CTC in the administrative section of our forum

 

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