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A Work of God
Salvation is a work of God and what God does is forever:
"I know that, whatsoever God does, it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it."
Ecclesiastes 3 v 14.
This new birth is God's work and it is forever.
"Therefore if anyone be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold all things are
become new. And all things are of God who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ…."
2 Cor.5 vv 17,18.
We who are saved, born again, are no longer our own; we are bought with a price (1 Cor. 6 v 20). What the
Lord has bought, what the Lord possesses, He will never let go. So our faith is in the perfect work of God and
NOT in what we can do.
"The Lord will perfect that which concerns me." Psalm 138 v 8.
Our trust is in Him who said that we were secure in His hand.
"And I give unto them eternal life: and they shall NEVER perish, neither shall anyone pluck them out of
my hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than all: and no one is able to pluck them out of my
Father's hand."
John 10 vv 28,29.
That is pretty comprehensive and absolute. There is not even room for that feeble protest raised by some that
the individual may remove himself from the Lord's hand. Utter nonsense. We are no longer our own; we are the
Lord's possession and He will hold us securely in His hand. We shall never perish. Are you saved? Have
you been born again of the Spirit? Then you can be confident of this very thing that, "He which has begun a good
work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1 v 6)
Not Works of Man
Ephesians 2 v 8 states quite plainly that we are saved by grace through faith…
"not of works, lest any man should boast, For we are His workmanship….."
Yet this teaching, prevalent among so many well-meaning Christians, that one can lose one's salvation, has, in a
subtle way, substituted works and human effort as the way of salvation. After this life, many would be able to glory
in their own effort. This is contrary to the teaching of Scripture which shows that God saves us, God puts His
desires in our heart and God keeps us by His mighty power.
Then, one must ask, what degree of sin makes one lose salvation, if that doctrine were true? Murder, adultery,
stealing? These certainly may be evidences that someone has never been saved or known that new birth, for
no murderer has eternal life dwelling in him. But if we offend in the smallest point, we offend in all (James
Chapter 2 v 10). On that basis, if we are doing anything less than 100% of the perfect will of God, we are living
in disobedience. The whole idea is untenable in the light of Scripture which shows that it is God who justifies the
ungodly, it is Jesus, our Great High Priest, who ever intercedes for us on account of our failures and
shortcomings, but we are kept by the power of God.
Some make the accusation that the doctrine of eternal security gives Christians a licence to sin, because their
salvation is guaranteed. Paul faced a similar allegation when he proclaimed the grace of God. Those accusers
do not seem to have understood the nature of the new birth.
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. (definitely not)
How shall we that are DEAD to sin live any longer therein?" Romans 6 vv 1,2
John explains:
"Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin; for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin because he is
born of God." 1 John 3 v 9.
The new creation that we are in Christ Jesus, born of God, born of incorruptible seed, is incapable of sin….the
scriptures declare it; it is written. Yes, we may certainly experience trouble with the flesh, but we are instructed to
reckon ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin; the old man was crucified with Him that the body of sin might be
destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Rom 6 vv 6-13. We
thus encounter three enemies, the flesh, the world and the devil, but we have the victory. We have been saved
from the penalty of sin, delivered from the power of sin (Rom 6 v 14) and one day we shall be taken from the
presence of sin. Within is the new, Divine nature.
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