They Shall Never Perish
A friend of mine, commenting on the sad events that took place last September, said there is no way a full assurance of any security could be guaranteed to anybody anymore.
I told my friend, who was very concerned, that I know the Scriptures give full assurance of the eternal security of the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
As a believer you are:
- Forgiven (1 John 2:12 ; Col. 1:14, 2:13)
- Saved (Eph. 2:8 , 2 Tim. 1:9, Tit. 3:5)
- Justified (Acts 13:39, Rom. 3:24, 1 Cor. 6:11)
- Have eternal life (John 3:36, 5:24, 6:47)
- Sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13, 4:30)
Let nothing shake your confidence as to these things, for they are as sure as the word that reveals them. The enemy of our souls, Satan, presents wrong teachings, doubts, and reasoning, "Yea, hath God said?" Genesis 3:1. The Holy Spirit encourages simple faith, prayerful belief in the Word of God.
Let us consider what the Lord said in John 10:27-29, "My sheep . . . shall never perish."
As His sheep, our security is the sole responsibility of the shepherd and bishop of our souls (1 Peter 2:25).
I want to draw your attention to the word "NEVER" in verse 28. In the Greek, this word is the strongest-doubly emphatic. He, who declares the sheep shall never perish, knows well their continual proneness to wander and their timidity and weakness on the slightest apparent danger. Nevertheless, in John 5:24, He, who endured the judgment of God for them, assures them that they shall never come into judgment: "Neither shall any pluck them out of my hand." How safe the sheep are! No enemy can reach them there. Nor is it the good sheep alone which are grasped by and held in the secure hand of their omnipotent Savior. All the sheep are equally maintained by divine power; all are equally safe. "My Father which gave them me is greater than all," (v. 29). Believers are the Father’s gift to the Son. This very fact in itself insures the resurrection of every one given to the Son (John 6:37, 39.40; 17:24). "No man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand." We are in the hand of the Son (v. 28), and in the hand of the Father (v. 29). "Kept by the power of God,"1 Peter 1:5.
Thus our eternal security is in other and more powerful hands than our own.
Relationship and Behavior
"But does my behavior have any impact on my relationship with Him? Could my bad behavior cause me to lose my salvation?" my friend asked.
Although our relationship is permanent our behavior is often variable. With these two distinct truths every child of God should be well acquainted, as they are of utmost importance for our spiritual understanding and happiness.
Our relationship to God as His children is unchangeable. Natural birth constitutes you a child of your parents.
The relationship is an eternal one. Good conduct cannot in the nature of things strengthen it, nor failure weaken it. That which is born of God abides forever (1 John 3:9). Once a child of God, His child you cannot cease to be. "To as many as received him, to them gave he power to be come children of God." John 1:12, 1 John 3:2.
Behavior that is unbecoming such a blessed relationship as a child of God will most certainly mar the feelings proper to it, and forfeit for the time being the joy of salvation; but neither the relationship nor the salvation can be lost. The advocacy of the Lord Jesus with the Father (1 John 2:1) and the prayer of the Lord Jesus for even a self confident disciple (Luke 22:31, 32) were not to restore a relationship which was not broken, but to restore fellowship and the loss of joy. David, after his sin, did not pray for the restoration of salvation, but for the "joy" of it (Psalms 51:12, 23:3). Parents have to correct a child who misbehaves—but he is still their child!
Remember that good behavior is never the means of keeping salvation, it is rather the evidence that one has been saved.
So, my friend...
You are in His hand, and kept by His mighty power. He will never withdraw His eyes from you, never let you out of His hand; but love you and keep you to the end.
He may have to teach you how weak you are, that no good thing lives in you (Romans 7:18). He may rebuke and punish you (Hebrews 12:5-11) but will always comfort and encourage you. His love is unwearying. Having taken you up, He will not let you go, but will bring you safely through every opposing thing; for salvation from first to last is of the Lord.
Now, what security company in the world can offer any measure of safety like the security of His firm hand?
Remember, He said they would never perish.
