Hold Me In Your Arms

Well now heal me, heal me with your touch
Your touch keeps me hangin’ on

The Black Keys

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

John 5:24

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:1

For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Hebrews 10:14

There is a perverse doctrine that permeates the church today, especially prevalent in charismatic circles where the church teaches that man is capable of coming to Christ on his own and that Christ's death has really only made men saveable. While this teaching is unbiblical, taking the next step of soteriology within this doctrine is downright frightening. It is the belief that a redeemed sinner can lose his salvation. Certainly, in order to lose something one must have had to earn it first. Yet we know that it is by grace alone that we have been saved. So how we can we lose what we never earned? The Bible is clear that God has set apart a people to be his own possession. Reading through the prophets of the Old testament, we can see a pattern laid out. The rebellious Israelites had turned from Yahweh and through His prophets, He threatens exile, terrors, famines, and other acts of judgments. But Yahweh always leaves a provision for His people. Because of His eternal covenant, He promises to bring them back, purify them, and place a love for His law in their hearts. The prophet Jeremiah says of the exiled Israelites, "I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me."1

To believe that you can lose your salvation is such a frightening prospect. Scripture says that our good deeds are like filthy rags. So much like filthy rags that our works have no merit on our salvation. If we are saved by grace, apart from our filthy rags, then it is illogical to think that our filthy rags would then disqualify from our salvation.

The beautiful truth of our Lord Jesus Christ is that in Him we were chosen before the foundation of the world, set apart to be a royal priesthood and a holy possession, saved completely by His death on a cross, justified in the eyes of God and adopted to be His children. This is the gospel. God came to save sinners. And in doing so, His grace will sustain them throughout this life. Jesus says that those who believe in Him, have eternal life. He does not say that those who believe in Him and then lead a good christian life have eternal life. Paul says that we have no condemnation if we are in Christ. According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of condemned is to be pronounced guilty; to declare to be reprehensible, wrong, or evil usually after weighing evidence and without reservation.2 If there is no condemnation for those in Christ, how can we lose our salvation? The Westminster Confession of Faith says that "they, whom God has accepted in His Beloved, effectually called, and sanctified by His Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved."3

So rejoice in a Savior who saves completely, who loves completely, and who has made those that He is sanctifying, perfect in the sight of the Almighty! Do not live in the fear that you can be too sinful for God. If you could not be good enough to earn His love and salvation then what makes you think you can be bad enough to lose His love and salvation.

1. Jeremiah 32:40

2.http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/condemned

3. chapter xvii section 1