The Spirit Preserves
Big Idea: Our salvation is secure because it rests on Christ’s finished work, the Spirit’s seal, and God’s unchanging love, freeing us to live confidently in his grace.
A Peanuts cartoon featured Lucy and Linus looking out a window at a steady downpour of rain. "Boy," said Lucy, "look at it rain. What if it floods the whole world?"
"It will never do that," Linus replied confidently. "In the ninth chapter of Genesis, God promised Noah that would never happen again, and the sign of the promise is the rainbow."
"You've taken a great load off my mind," said Lucy with a relieved smile.
"Sound theology," pontificated Linus, "has a way of doing that."
Sound theology has a way of taking a load off our minds. Many Christians are insecure about their salvation. They are insecure either because they are not sure they are saved, or because they fear doing something that will cause them to lose their salvation. This morning, we are going to talk about one of the most important aspects of the Christian faith. And it's this: Do you have to worry about losing your salvation? Is it possible, once you've become a Christian, to become an unbeliever again? Or can we have confidence that if we're truly Christians, the Spirit will preserve us and keep us eternally secure?
Two Views
There are two schools of thought on this matter, and I want to see which one you belong to.
Arminianism
The first school of thought is called Arminianism. Arminians believe that true believers can lose their salvation due to sin or abandoning their faith. They find the idea of eternal security troublesome, because they think it lures believers into complacency. They think, "If I'm a Christian no matter what, then I can live as I wish." The downside is this: you always have to worry about wandering away from the faith. When someone asks you if you know you're going to heaven, you can only say, "I hope so, but it depends on my future behavior. There's always a chance that I could stray from the faith." Many Christians live with the fear that although they may be Christians now, there's no telling what might happen in the future.
Calvinism
The second school of thought is called Calvinism. These Calvinists believe in something called "eternal security." They believe that once a person is truly saved, he or she can never be lost. A true Christian is forever saved and is never in jeopardy of eternal condemnation.
Now, I'm interested. Who believes it's possible to lose their salvation? Who believes that once you're truly saved, you can never be lost? I'll tell you my thesis. And then I'll tell you the Holy Spirit's role in all of this. My thesis is this: a true Christian can never lose his or her salvation. As one man said, a true Christian can never become like Seven-Up™, an "un-cola." A true believer is eternally saved and never again in jeopardy of condemnation.
Now, we could write a book about this. We can't get into all the arguments for and against. But let me tell you why I believe this. We're saved not because of what we do, but because of what Christ has done. And Christ has promised:
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. (John 10:27-29).
The Bible says in Romans 8:35-39 that nothing can separate the believer from the love of Christ or God.
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39).
Paul also writes:
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)
Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:5 that we are those "who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." As Spurgeon said over a hundred years ago, "Until God can be unjust, and demand two payments for one debt, he cannot destroy the soul for whom Jesus died."
In the Scriptures, calls to live godly lives are mostly based on what God has done for believers and Christ's promised return, rather than the fear of losing salvation. Nothing can separate you from his love. No one will snatch you out of God's hand. He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Many believers often make a mistake. They think they remain saved because they're holding on to God. But the Bible is clear that you are secure because God holds on to you. A grandfather went out for a walk with his little granddaughter. The grandfather said to the little girl, "Hold on to my hand." The grandfather was taken back and said, "Why not?" And the little girl replied, "You hold on to my hand." She realized that her security came not from holding grandpa's hand but from grandpa holding hers. Our security comes not from our grip on God, but from God's grip on us. Hebrews 13:5 reminds us: "He has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you'" (Hebrews 13:5).
The Role of the Holy Spirit
The reason I'm focusing on this doctrine this morning is because of the Holy Spirit. A careful study of the Biblical data shows that the Spirit has a crucial role in preserving us. I want to look at two passages, and then speak about what the Holy Spirit means to our eternal security. Please open your Bibles to Ephesians 1:13-14.
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14)
And then I'll read a verse from Romans 8:23.
And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:23)
According to these two passages, the Spirit has three roles in giving us eternal security.
The Holy Spirit is our seal.
One ministry of the Holy Spirit is that he is our seal. When we receive Christ, the Holy Spirit indwells us and we automatically become sealed with the Spirit. Seals were used back then much as they are today. The seal represented genuine authenticity and established ownership. The Spirit seals us and verifies that we belong to God. The moment of our salvation, we become sealed with the Spirit. God saved us and gave us this eternal seal.
The Holy Spirit is our deposit
According to verse 14, the Holy Spirit is also our deposit.
In other words, the Spirit is our pledge or down payment, the first installment. The word means that an initial payment has been made, guaranteeing complete payment in the future. The Spirit is God's initial gift of salvation and a promise that the complete inheritance will follow. God possesses us and has given his Spirit as a down payment, and we can be sure that the transaction begun.
We have received the firstfruits of the Spirit.
And then in Romans 8:23, the passage says that we have received the firstfruits of the Spirit.
Having the Holy Spirit today not only shows our current salvation but also guarantees our future inheritance. The Holy Spirit has been given as a firstfruit of the harvest God has in store for us.
Two Implications
There are two implications we need to face this morning.
Not everyone who thinks they are believers really are believers.
Some of the most zealous believers I've known no longer serve God. They appeared to come to Christ, and they blazed brightly at the beginning, but they then fizzled out. Charles Templeton was an evangelist with Billy Graham, but now is an agnostic.
On that day many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?" And then will I declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness." (Matthew 7:22-23).
It's like the parable of the sower and the seed:
And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. (Mark 4:16-17).
This morning, we need to make sure that we are true believers in Christ. We need to make sure that we're born again. Not everyone who thinks they are a believer are believers. "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). How can we know that we have eternal life?
Do you have a present trust in Christ for salvation? Some people give "testimonies" of a conversion that might have happened 20 or 30 years ago. My question is, if that testimony of faith is genuine, what is happening in your life spiritually today? Do you have a present trust in Christ for salvation?
Is there evidence of a regenerating work of the Holy Spirit in your heart? The Holy Spirit develops character traits known as the "fruit of the Spirit," which include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). The question is not, "Have I perfectly attained all these attributes." Rather, the question is, "Are these things general characteristics of my life? Do I sense these attitudes in my heart? Have I been growing in them over a period of years?"
What is your influence on other people? Some people claim to be Christians, but they discourage others, hurt their faith, and create controversy and division. They do not build up others and build up the church, but they tear it down. Some others can't help but bless you whenever they open their mouths. They seem to edify others in every conversation, in every prayer, and in every work of ministry.
You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit... Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. (Matthew 7:16-17, 20)
Are you keeping God's commandments?
Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. (1 John 2:4-6).
Some people argue that Christians will be lulled into a sense of complacency. They will think, "Once saved, always saved, so I may as well do as I wish." It's doubtful that the person who thinks this way is even a believer in the first place. It's as absurd as claiming that having health insurance means we will intentionally harm ourselves. Only a fool would do this. Yes, God has secured us with an eternal insurance policy, the Holy Spirit. But God does not cover us eternally so we can go out and abuse his grace. If we really know Christ, we will be trying to please and obey him.
A preacher once was walking down a street. A drunk recognized him and exclaimed, "Aren't you so-and-so? Why, I'm one of your converts!" The preacher replied, "That must be true, because you certainly aren't one of the Lord's converts."
Do you know that you are a true believer in Christ? That you have been born again? If not, you can know for certain. If you're not sure, please talk to me or someone else about how you can know for sure whether you're a believer or not. We need to make sure we're one of the Lord's converts.
This is a tremendously comforting doctrine.
If we reflect on these questions and recognize the Spirit's influence in our lives, it becomes a very comforting belief. No one who has such assurance needs to ask themselves, "Will I be able to persevere to the end?" You can rest secure in the assurance that nothing can separate you from the love of God. Don't worry; nothing will prevent you from what God has promised.
As someone has said, our feelings are not our Savior. We don't put our focus on ourselves and how we feel, we depend on Christ. When the Spirit convinces you that your commitment to Christ is real, you can be sure that God will help you stay in that relationship, and nothing can separate you from his love. "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).
Have any of you been dumped in a relationship? I think everyone's been dumped at one time or another. I'm here to tell you this morning that God will never dump us. He has saved you and sealed you with the Holy Spirit, and he's not going to dump you. That will never happen. No one can ever snatch you out of his hand.
Why does God want us to know that we are secure in him? Imagine how you would feel if you weren't sure that your spouse loved you. This apprehension would keep you constantly off balance and insecure in your marriage. You would be wondering if some little thing would trigger your mate, and they would disappear. And that your attempts at love would be spurned or ignored. Well, God doesn't want us to feel insecure. He loves us unconditionally. Which is another way of saying that he couldn't possibly love us any more or any less. God loves you and nothing will ever separate you from that love. Amen?
You know, I love my daughter unconditionally. When she was born, in my mind I knew that I would feed her and clothe her no matter what the cost. Her eating and being clothed was unrelated to her behavior. She may need discipline and can be rebellious at times, but I will ensure she has everything she needs to grow into a responsible adult. We are God's by birth, and nothing can change that. We may need discipline at times, but God says, "You're mine, and nothing will ever change that."
The gospel teaches that our salvation relies on Jesus Christ's completed work, not our own efforts. Jesus' death and resurrection provide eternal life for those who trust in him, and the Holy Spirit assures us that nothing can separate us from God's love. This truth liberates us from fear and insecurity, showing that our relationship with God relies on his constant grace, not our actions. We can live confidently, knowing that God holds us securely and will complete the good work he started in us for his glory.
In the Peanuts cartoon Lucy said, "You've taken a great load off my mind." "Sound theology," pontificated Linus, "has a way of doing that."
