More Reasons Trusting Christ Secures Heaven

             More Reasons Trusting Christ Secures Heaven

Some Christians say the Bible teaches we can lose our salvation and Heaven: 1. A holy God won't allow serious continued sin. 2. There's an unpardonable sin. 3. God would be unjust to reward the faithful and unfaithful alike. 4. I know Christians who denied the faith and lost their salvation and Heaven. 5. If we're free to receive Christ, then aren't we free to reject Him. Now consider my response to these five statements, and then my reasons. You might also check my former article: Seven Reasons Trusting Jesus Guarantees Heaven. Limited space requires me to summarize texts.

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 My Response to the above Introduction.

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1. A holy God gives true believers freedom to sin, but His grace secures Heaven. Our Creator God is holy, and the Standard and Judge of right and wrong. But He also is love which means He cannot force us to be good. No Bible character is morally perfect. Israel's lawgiver, Moses, murdered an Egyptian. Israel's great King David, a man after God's heart committed adultery, and had her husband, a loyal soldier, murdered. God's great Apostle Paul admitted imperfection. God's people are never morally perfect. That's why salvation cannot depend on us, but on the perfect righteousness of Christ as bearing all our sin on His cross (2 Cor. 5:21). Where sin abounds, grace abounds much more so righteousness and eternal life is in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:19-20).

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2. The unpardonable sin is rejecting the Holy Spirit's witness to the Savior. We all sin so we all need a Savior and to say we don't sin we deceive ourselves (1 John 1:8,10). To blaspheme the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:28-30)  results in eternal condemnation or loss of Heaven. It seems to mean that the blasphemer has completely rejected the Holy Spirit's witness to him or her about Christ being the Savior. That's the only unpardonable sin. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11). If you fear you have committed this sin, it's unlikely that you have. But if you even think you have, say Lord Jesus I trust You now and forever as my Savior.
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3. God doesn't reward the faithful and unfaithful alike.  That's true, He doesn't. But God's discipline may take the physical life of unfaithful useless believers (1 Cor. 11:27-32; Heb. 12:5-8). Also, His faithful servants will be rewarded more than persons making deathbed professions. There are degrees of reward pictured as gold, silver, precious stones, or loss of rewards due to neglected opportunities or evil deeds as wood, hay, straw.  But the foundation for eternal rewards in Heaven is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:9-14; Rev. 22:12). Heaven's rewards differ as Hell's punishments differ--it's the principle of God's justice to each individual (Gal. 6:7-8).

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4. We can't always know who is and who isn't saved. Matthew 7:21-23 mentions many great works of some who call Jesus Lord. They are said to preach, cast out demons, perform wonders in His name. But Jesus told them to depart from Him as they didn't do the Father's will and He never knew them. There will be surprises in both Heaven and Hell. I know preachers who were saved in later ministry. Judas was chosen as Jesus disciple, appointed to keep the group's money, said to cast out demons, perform miracles and apparently thought well of by all the disciples. But it's clear Judas was not saved as Jesus said he was a devil and the only one of the twelve that was lost in fulfillment of prophecy (John 6:70; 17:12; Psalm 41:9; Acts 1:20).  All who profess Christ, don't possess Him.

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5. But if we're free to receive Christ, then aren't we free to reject Him? I know true believers who were led astray by skeptic college professors or contact with cultists. Others who some tragic experience caused them to deny belief in a good God. Yes, we have to say this happens. The Bible says we are saved by an act of faith in Christ; it doesn't say we have a constant attitude of faith. We know faith can be strengthen or weakened by arguments or by adversities. May I admit this honestly? If my salvation depended on me having constant strong faith, with all the questions and doubts I've had, I could have died many times and been lost. But as I understand the Bible, my salvation doesn't depend on me keeping strong faith, but on God's keeping me by His grace and power. Strong faith grows by keeping our focus on our Lord and daily fellowship with Him. Further, Christian faith has solid factual foundations for those willing to seek and find.
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Five More Reasons Trusting Christ Secures Heaven.
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God's gift of salvation is not subject to recall. The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable (Rom. 11:29). God gives believers in Christ salvation unconditionally--no if, but, maybe, or hope so about it. Like God's covenant with Israel, His covenant with the Church is eternal. God's infinite unchanging power and integrity assure its certainty. God would have to deny himself to allow it. He must keep His promises or we could never trust Him. See also 1 Peter 1:4-5.

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All God declares just will be glorified (Rom. 8:29-30). God knows the end from the beginning (Isa. 46:10). So from God's all-knowing perspective everything is predestined, even our free choices, and He declares whoever He calls will be justified and glorified--made fit to receive Heaven. First Peter 1:2 says much the same thing. So to God who sees the future our salvation is a certain reality.
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Believers are eternally sealed by God's Spirit.  When we trusted in Christ, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise who guarantees  our inheritance. It already a done deal at the moment of faith until the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14). God's sealing makes our salvation a permanent  purchased inheritance. No power or persuasion can break God's guaranteed seal.
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Nothing can separate believers from the love of God (Rom. 8:37-38). Here God's Apostle Paul gives a list of every created thing present and future and affirms nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Jesus too, having all authority, said he is with us (believers) always until the end of the age (Matt. 28:20).  If any words can convey certainty of salvation, these do.
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The risen Christ insures Christian labor is not in vain. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord (1 Cor. 15:58). If Christ is not risen our faith is vain or useless. But His resurrection means Christians will have a new powerful body in Heaven with Him and this should spur us on to always work harder. Five hundred people saw the risen Christ making Christian faith the only world religion that gives proof of life after death and of Heaven for followers. Hallelujah, praise God!
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What tremendous promises and guarantees Christians have that unbelievers don't! Our eternal well-being is the most crucial concern of our earthly life. God's Spirit speaking through God's Word may be giving an opportunity you may never have again. Please don't harden your heart and ignore God's voice of love, assurance, and eternal life. Say, I trust You Lord Jesus as my Lord and Savior now and forever. I look forward to receive my reward in Heaven. Thank You, Lord.
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Now tell your friends, circles, and others of your new found faith. Share these articles so they come to trust, love, and serve our Savior. Let's pray, share, and work for a better world.
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