Does salvation assurance of any kind exist? Yes, if you are referring to a present tense current salvation assurance as a follower of Jesus. However, there is no assurance of salvation for anyone who stops following Jesus and strays into wickedness. Ponder this passage carefully:
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 3:10)
Just two chapters later we read the most important verses in the whole Bible on salvation assurance. Here they are:
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 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 5:12,13)
NOTE: As long as we have JESUS we also have eternal life and salvation assurance. If after we begin with him we turn away (as many have), we are, at that point, without eternal life (salvation)! Also, notice 1 John 5:12 says has—that is present tense. It is only the one who has the Son who has life.
Verse 13 is similar and tells us that the only ones who can know they have (present tense) eternal life are those who are believing on Jesus. That is the only true salvation assurance taught in Scripture. In conclusion, the only assurance of salvation taught in the Bible is for the present tense follower of Jesus. Do NOT be deceived!
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● The Accusation of a Works Salvation?
It has been taught or suggested that one either believes in once saved always saved or must believe in a work's salvation with no salvation assurance. Such an inference could not be further from the truth!
● Does A Christian Have Salvation Security?
Can the Christian now relax and do nothing as far as his salvation is concerned? Does salvation security exist to that degree? If not, then what should he do? Is there salvation maintenance under grace?
We can know we are presently saved, with salvation assurance, because we are believing on Jesus. Love and general obedience (or hatred and general disobedience) to God are the checkpoints for this as cited by the Apostle John in his first epistle.
There is not a more important subject to study than the Biblical plan of salvation. In fact, there is not even a close second among all the many topics that have been taught over the centuries.
One of the most common arguments the eternal security proponents use is, “I know I am eternally secure because God has promised that He will never leave me and never forsake me.” This is quoted from Heb. 13:5b which is taken from the Old Testament reference of Deut. 31:6,8. That passage does NOT prove salvation assurance in sin!
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the LOVE OF GOD that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38,39).
● No One Can Snatch Them (Jn. 10:28)
Almost every book I've read through which tries to prove eternal security places heavy emphasis on Jn. 10:28. For many, this is the foundational proof text for this teaching. But does this verse really teach once saved always saved? NO! Furthermore, it doesn't give salvation assurance for the backslider.
● The Possession of Eternal Life
One of the most commonly presented arguments given in defense of the teaching of "once saved always saved" goes like this: "When one gets saved, he receives eternal life. If that life could be lost, it wouldn't be eternal! Therefore, once a person is saved, he is always saved." This argument has both truth and error mixed into it. Certainly, at the point of salvation, one receives eternal life, but does this necessitate or guarantee the possession of that life eternally?
● False Conversion and False Converts
Among many who profess to be evangelicals, the big issue regarding how a professing Christian lives is often said to be true or false conversion. In other words, if one who professes to be a Christian then strays into open, blatant immorality sometimes it will be mentioned that all he had was a false conversion and therefore was never really saved at all. At other times, the salvation of a person who strays into wickedness is never questioned, as when King David strayed into adultery and murder. This is one of the amazing inconsistencies they are blinded to.
● Eternal Security or Conditional Security
Is Eternal Security or Conditional Security the Biblical truth? While many Bible believers embrace NO eternal security, others live by once saved always saved. Many continue to be tossed back and forth on this salvation-related issue, but this need not be the case.
If one is acquainted with the various ways eternal security is presented, he will notice there are two versions of this false doctrine. The Reformed version that the Calvinists embrace is called the Perseverance of the Saints.
● Perseverance of the Saints by John Wesley
John Wesley had a foundation in Greek, Hebrew and Latin, preached approximately 40,000 sermons and traveled 225,000 miles, mostly on horseback. The number of works he wrote, translated or edited exceeds 200.
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