God's Awesome Grace, Pt 8

Again, God's grace gives us confidence.  It is through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that we are saved.  We ought to understand grace giving to God.  It is God-honoring.  We ought to give God the best we can through the local church and other Christian ministries.  We ought to honor God in a sacrificial sense.  God will never forget the honor we give Him.  We ought to practice generosity in the midst of our problems.  We have freely received to help people in the midst of trails and pain and suffering.  We can learn from our trails the compassion we need to bless others.

God gives us grace in the problems of trail.  Grace giving provides us with joy.  We have been brought by God out of the darkness into His light.  We ought to give generously (2 Corinthians 8:2, 5).  We ought to give ourselves to the Lord.  What Jesus Christ gave is incomprehensible.  Jesus laid His glory aside and became man but He was fully divine. Grace giving is practicing what Jesus did at the Cross. 

God's Awesome Grace, Pt 7

The grace of God gives us confidence.  May we approach the throne of grace with great confidence.  May we approach it to receive mercy and grace in help of time of need.  Surely, this is a great invitation to those who do not know Jesus; that is, He is there for us to help us.  We are converted from a throne of wrath to a throne of mercy.  We will experience the untold blessings of Christ in spiritual redemption. 

Jesus Christ is God Incarnate and our Great High Priest.  He comprehends us.  He knows our greatest need.  We come to Him not for condemnation but for blessing.  He is waiting for us to come to Him to counter judgment and secure triumph over temptation.  He gives us victory over sin through His kindness over sin through deep repentance. 

We must trust in Jesus and we will find grace.  If we trust something or someone else, we will not find grace in time of need.  We should come to the throne of grace not just for trouble but also good times as well.  We approach the throne of grace so He can empower us.  Is there trail?  He can help us.  Is their temptation?  He can deliver us.  Is there anxiety?  He can give us rest.  Is there suffering?  There is healing for us in Jesus.  There is power to overcome through Jesus' blood.

We should comprehend the awesome power of the throne of grace.  We would go to the Lord more often if we understood His power that is open to us at His throne of mercy.  We ought to understand His abundant grace that He has for us if we come to Him in confidence.  May we renew our minds to understand that God is able to meet our needs at the throne of grace.   Amen.

God's Awesome Grace, Pt 6

God's grace is all-sufficient for us Christians (2 Corinthians 12:9).  God did not take away Paul's thorn in the flesh after he pleaded with God.  We are unsure of what the thorn in the flesh was for Paul.  His thorn was a great torment to him in every setting. 

We can identify with Paul.  But grace is power.  There is nothing like God's grace in all the world.  Grace can raise a spiritual dead person to life.  Grace is a supernatural power.  Grace helps us through the difficulties of our lives.  Paul goes through much suffering as described in 2 Corinthians 11 but he never asked God to take it away from him.  In 2 Corinthians 12, he asks God to take the unknown thorn away from him and we can all identify with him in this. 

The necessity of a thorn is a necessity of God's grace.  We can testify about God's grace in our thorny trails.  We always need God's grace in our lives. God's grace is a great light that shines out the darkness.  We do not experience God's grace when we think we do not need it.  We do not experience God's grace when we are strong in ourselves.  The grace of God is given to us when we are weak.  We ought to boast about our weaknesses because Christ's power rests on us.  We ought to pray, "Lord, do not let me focus on anything but Jesus.  Allow me to focus on all on Him and not my trails.  Amen."

God's Awesome Grace, Pt 5

We ought to think of Jesus.  If we think of Jesus, we ought to think of pure, holy and undefiled grace.  No one can lose their salvation.  We might fall from grace by sin but we are restored by His grace alone.  The grace of Christ alone saves us.  The grace of Christ sustains His people.  The grace of Christ alone will present us faultless before His glory.  God will see us through no matter what.

We should not cease to believe that grace can save us. If someone falls from grace, they have trusted in something other than God's grace.   We ought to never add something to the grace of God.  If we add something to the grace of God, we have fallen from grace.

Falling from grace is falling into legalism.  Legalism is grace plus something else.  We ought to never add to the Gospel of Grace.  However, we ought to be obedient people to the Ten Commandments.  It will point us to the divine Savior when we fall into sin.  We ought to never practice sin.  We ought to practice repentance unto holiness.  We are not able to keep the letter of the law.  We fail.  We ought to keep the spirit of the law.
We ought not to hate or murder.  However, no sin is beyond the forgiveness of Christ.  If someone receives Jesus as Lord and Savior, they will be radically changed.  We have received Christ as Lord and Savior by faith alone because of God's sovereign Spirit and powerful Word.  When we know Jesus as Lord and Savior, we will forgive everyone of their sins against us.  Forgiveness is the key to living a life of freedom from pain and ill-will.  Some people forgive if the offender has not repented.  Its up to the forgiver to decide if they should forgive everyone or wait until they repent.  I suffered in my life and chose to forgive everyone before they repented because its the most gracious.  This is the spirit of the law. 

God's grace will change hearts. The Spirit of God indwells His people to live a life of godliness and holiness; however, let repentance never be used as an excuse to sin more; that is, Jesus died so we could live holier lives.  Everything is preordained so we would do good works (Ephesians 2:10).  It is spiritual salvation by faith alone unto good works.  We are not saved by good works or performance.  Jesus lived a sinless life so we would not have to earn spiritual redemption.  Legalism will never change our hearts but Jesus will.  However, God's awesome grace provides us with the empowerment to live godly and obey God.  We will not be perfect in this life but we will be people who seek and try to obey God in spirit and in truth.  I think a person has fallen from grace when they add something to God's mercy.  We ought to never add to God's mercy. 

God's grace is so awesome that it is about unconditional election.  That is, He saved us not on the basis of foreseen faith or merit or good works but He saved us by His awesome mercy through Jesus Christ our Lord and Redeemer.  God's grace is particular; that is, it is for His elect alone because they were predestined to eternal salvation through Christ our King.  Everyone who provides the evidence of faith and repentance are of the elect.  God saves us in regeneration; however, some think its water baptism but its simply the Spirit and the Word.  We are given a new heart and Christ's merit in regeneration or effectual calling.  God's grace is preserving; that is, we will always be kept by Christ unto the very end.

Gospel Repentance and the Gospel of Matthew

The Bible speaks about repentance unto remission of sin.  We are called in a universal sense to repent of every known sin particularly.  There is no sin that we should leave uncovered in terms of repentance.  There is no doubt that sin will be in the lives of God’s people as long as there is a sinful nature.  However, this should not give us permission to sin against God and His holy character.  We will be glorified and we will not need to repent.  Glorification means creaturely sinlessness. 

There is true and false repentance.  False repentance is asking for forgiveness because of fear of punishment.  True repentance is asking for forgiveness because we have offended God and grieved His tender heart.   If someone repents, that person should repent through Christ crucified.  Let us look at the doctrine of repentance in the New Testament.  Let us start off with the Gospel of Matthew:

Repentance and the Gospel of Matthew:

Matthew 3:2 KJV
And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Matthew 4:17 KJV
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

We see that we should repent of our sins because the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  That means that kingdom of heaven is upon you.  Jesus came casting out devils and raising the dead and healing all manner of sickness. 

Matthew 3:8 KJV
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

We ought to bear fruit that is for repentance.  I think one of the fruits of repentance is abstaining from that particular sin you always commit or doing good deeds that have something to do with your repentance.

Matthew 3:11 KJV
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

John the Baptist called the people to repent and he conducted water baptism.  He wanted the people to live better lives unto good deeds and repent of their sins.

Matthew 9:13 KJV
But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Jesus did not call good people to repentance but he called sinners to repentance.  There are small and great sinners alike.  Everyone is a sinner in need of a Savior. 

Matthew 11:20 KJV
Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:

They should have repented because of the mighty deeds done in their cities, but they did not repent.   We ought to repent of all our sins. 

Matthew 11:21 KJV
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

Tyre and Sidon would have repented long ago if the works done in them were done in Chorazin and Bethsaida.  Repentance carries with it a concept of sackcloth and ashes.  It is to experience humiliation and surrender to God with no more rebellion. 

Matthew 12:41 KJV
The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

They preached at the preaching of Jonah in Nineveh but Jesus is greater than Jonah.  Jesus is God Incarnate and Jonah is a mere human being. 

Matthew 21:29 KJV
He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

Repentance is always a sign of loyalty to God against sin.  We ought to repent and do the right thing.  Repentance can cover a multitude of sins.  It is the essence of practical righteousness over sinfulness.  Repentance means a turning away from our sin to God and doing right things that demonstrate our faith.  If something cannot be done for any reason, we ought to pray.

Matthew 21:32 KJV
For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

No repentance is a bad thing and a great sin before God.  We ought to repent of our sins and believe Jesus.  God requires us to repent in progressive sanctification where we are made holy.  No repentance is a violation of God’s command.

Matthew 27:3 KJV
Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
 

Judas repented unto attrition.   He repented unto a fear of punishment.  We would like to think he repented unto contrition.  There is no evidence of that here.  We can learn from Judas and always repented because we have offended God and grieved His tender heart.  This would be wise counsel in light of the alleged ‘repentance’ of Judas.  Someone must always repent through the shed blood of Christ.  God will always accept someone’s repentance if its through His dear Son.

A Call to the Glorious Glad Tidings of the Gospel of God

All of us are sinners and totally depraved:
Romans 3:9-20 KJV
⁹ What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
¹⁰ As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
¹¹ There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
¹² They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
¹³ Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
¹⁴ Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
¹⁵ Their feet are swift to shed blood:
¹⁶ Destruction and misery are in their ways:
¹⁷ And the way of peace have they not known:
¹⁸ There is no fear of God before their eyes.
¹⁹ Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
²⁰ Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

We ought to believe in the name of the Son of God and know we have eternal life:
1 John 5:13 KJV

¹³ These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

We ought to proclaim belief in Christ alone:
John 3:16-21 KJV
¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
¹⁸ He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
²⁰ For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
²¹ But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

We ought to proclaim belief in His unified righteousness:
 Romans 3:21-31
²¹ But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
²² Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
²³ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
²⁴ Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
²⁵ Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
²⁶ To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
²⁷ Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
²⁸ Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
²⁹ Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
³⁰ Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
³¹ Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

We are not saved by adding something to the finished work of Christ alone:
Galatians 2:16-20 KJV
¹⁶ Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
¹⁷ But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
¹⁸ For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
¹⁹ For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
²⁰ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
²¹ I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

We are saved by gifts of grace alone through faith alone:
Ephesians 2:4-10 KJV
⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
⁵ Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
⁶ And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
⁷ That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.
¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
  
There is NO condemnation to them in Christ Jesus:
Romans 8:1 KJV
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

No one can take us out of God's love:
Romans 8:26-39 KJV
²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
²⁷ And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
²⁹ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
³⁰ Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
³¹ What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
³² He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
³³ Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
³⁴ Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
³⁶ As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
³⁷ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
³⁹ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God gives us a heart of flesh:
Ezekiel 11:19 KJV
And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
Ezekiel 36:26 KJV

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

 

The gospel is about free grace through the cost of the Son of God's death.  No one can take spiritual salvation away from anyone.  It does not matter what you have done in your life, there is hope for everyone who calls on the name of Jesus Christ:

 

Acts 2:21 KJV
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

God's Awesome Grace, Pt 4

It is a great thing to have God's grace throughout our lives.  No one's good works will get them into heaven.  No one is worthy of spiritual salvation because of the fall of Adam.  But God's grace was victorious over sin through the shed blood of Jesus Christ at the Cross on Calvary.  That is, Jesus offered the only way of spiritual salvation.  However,  before God came into our lives we were spiritual dead people. 

The Holy Spirit had to breath life into our lives or we could not stand for God.  We were dead in our transgressions and sins.  We lived in the corruption of the flesh under Satan who works in the disobedient.  We are dead men walking before grace came into our lives.  Grace is all-sufficient and all-availing.  We were enslaved to sin before we had grace in our lives.   God has the power to overcome sin in our lives through the life and death of Christ alone.  Before grace, no one ever had room for God.  We took part in the sinful nature and followed the passions and lusts of wickedness. 

By nature, we were objects of God's hot displeasure.  We ought to turn and repent to God through Jesus Christ.  Everything changes when we have Jesus in our lives.  It does not mean we do not sin.  It means we turn and repent to God against our sins. 

We are saved by grace alone and we have been raised up with Christ and seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.  We are no longer enslaved to sin, because we are seated in the heavenly realm.  We are freed from the power of sin because of our new position with God.  We were set free when we came to Christ.  Before we came to Christ we were captive to sin, but after we came to Christ we are no longer captive to sin. 

Grace gives us a right standing before God. Grace is the life and death of Christ alone.  It is a Person: Jesus Christ our Righteousness!  We are ambassadors to Christ.   He expressed His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  He will give us far more grace when we see Him.  We ought to thank and praise God for His grace.  We ought to have right hearts before God and sincerely thank Him for His boundless grace. 

God's Awesome Grace, Pt 3

We ought to live in the lifestyle of the holy grace of God alone.  Every disciple should live in light of the grace of God unto His glory.  We ought to understand the consequences of sin and the justice of God. We can understand the awesomeness of God's grace. 

We ought to learn that God gave Adam and Eve every good thing they needed to live but they chose to sin through the mutability of their own wills.  The tree was forbidden to eat because it was the tree of the knowledge between good and evil.  The consequences of eating the forbidden fruit was death.  Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sinned by transgression.  The consequence was death. 

God sent His Son to destroy death and Jesus is the second Adam.  We must see God's grace in light of God's righteous judgment against sin, because if we see grace in light of sin we will appreciate grace all the more.  Satan denies the existence of sin, transgressions or iniquity.  We must understand that the necessity of sin calls for the necessity of grace.

Adam and Eve caused physical and spiritual death for all mankind, but God gave them both coverings and through grace spared them of hell.  The covering points to Jesus Christ because He is the covering for all repentant sinners, for He was a sure sacrifice for sins.  This is His awesome gift of grace, love and fellowship in friendship to lost sinners who embrace Him by faith.  This faith comes by the Spirit of Christ and Holy Writ.  The Father through His Son by His Spirit gives us the spiritual application of the imputed unified merit of Christ as a sure covering for our sins and takes out a heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh. 

God's Awesome Grace, Pt 2

Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV

⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.
¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Titus 3:4-7 KJV
⁴ But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
⁵ Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
⁶ Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
⁷ That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Galatians 2:16, 20-21 KJV
 ¹⁶ Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
 ²⁰ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
²¹ I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

We are here to understand the meaning of sovereign grace.  The crux of the Christian faith is not human effort.  Instead, it is the very grace of God.  Grace is something that is unique in the Christian faith.  Grace is not something that is found is some other religious system.  We can't earn our way into heaven.  Grace means it is impossible to successfully earn our way into heaven.

Grace and faith are gifts of God.  We are saved by grace alone through faith alone.  We are not saved by ourselves and we are not saved by our works.  No one can say they have lived a good life.  Romans 3 says no one is good and no one is righteous.  No one can say they do not need to be saved.  None of us are good.  In fact, we all are no good.  Is someone trying to earn their way to heaven?  It is a folly.  We ought to rely on the grace of God alone in spiritual salvation.  Only by the grace of Christ alone can someone make it into heaven.  Heaven has already been earned!  It is by the work of Christ alone that has earned heaven.  Christ has done all the work necessary for us to earn heaven.  All of us are under Adam's curse of sin and none of us are worthy of salvation.  It is only by the Spirit of God and the Word of God.  Grace is not won by rules nor is grace cheap.  With grace, comes a cost.  The cost was the precious life and death of Christ alone in His victory over death, sin and Satan.

There is such a thing as "common grace" and "redemptive grace."  Common grace is a grace that God gives to everyone in His work of creation.  The rain falls on the just and the unjust.  This might be known as "general benevolence" in God's work of creation.  People are permitted to enjoy God's work of creation.  It extends to the elect and the non-elect.  Sometimes, however, the non-elect get things from Satan.  This involves great sin.  Redemptive grace is to the elect alone.  It is God's special grace that is given to those who are born again by the Spirit and the Word.  People receive this grace before they even ask for forgiveness.  Christ died while we were yet sinners.  This grace is given to everyone who receives it by faith.  This special grace gives great meaning to our lives.  God's grace does not mean we are to sin with permissiveness or license.  God does not over look our sin.  He directly forgives our sin but also gives us chastening.  Nothing can be hide from God.  There is a price to pay when we sin.  Grace is the cost of the Cross in His shed blood.  We do not deserve God's mercy but He showers us with it.  We ought not to take sin lightly because Jesus shed His own blood for our redemption.  He also did not die to give us a life of legalism.  We ought to comprehend the cost of our sins.  We ought to understand God's own sacrifice for sin, and we will cherish our relationship with God's dear Son.  We ought to love God supremely and we will draw closer to Him in our relationship with Him.  We will notice that He truly cares about our lives.  We ought not to live in terror of God but cherish His love for us because He took our place at Calvary.  We ought to thank Him for His grace and cherish it every day of our lives.  Amen.

History of Romanist Tradition, Pt 2

1079
The institution of the celibacy of the priesthood by Pope Gregory VII

1090
The institution of the rosary, repetitious praying with beads (created by Peter the Hermit)

1190
The institution of indulgences to take time off of purgatory

1215
The institution of the Mass as transubstantiation and confession to a priest by Pope Innocent III

1438
The institution of purgatory as a dogma by the Council of Florence

1545
The institution of Tradition as equal with divine Scripture by the Council of Trent

1854
The institution of the Immaculate Conception of Mary by Pope Pius XI

1870
The institution of the infallibility of the Pope by the Vatican Council

1922
The institution of the Virgin Mary as co-redeemer by Pope Benedict XV

1950
The institution of the assumption of Mary by Pope Pius XII

Roman Salvation, Pt 2

Let us examine spiritual salvation.  Is spiritual redemption by God alone?  Or, is it by man and God in cooperation?  Is it through good works and merit or grace and faith alone?  These are important questions on how someone is right with God.  Here we see that baptism is the way someone is right with God and adds to the Gospel:

1213 Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: "Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word."

1215 This sacrament is also called "the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit," for it signifies and actually brings about the birth of water and the Spirit without which no one "can enter the kingdom of God."

Good works and indulgences are required:

1477 "This treasury includes as well the prayers and good works of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They are truly immense, unfathomable, and even pristine in their value before God. In the treasury, too, are the prayers and good works of all the saints, all those who have followed in the footsteps of Christ the Lord and by his grace have made their lives holy and carried out the mission in the unity of the Mystical Body."

1479 Since the faithful departed now being purified are also members of the same communion of saints, one way we can help them is to obtain indulgences for them, so that the temporal punishments due for their sins may be remitted.

It is possible, according to Catholicism, to merit salvation and attain eternal life:

2027 No one can merit the initial grace which is at the origin of conversion. Moved by the Holy Spirit, we can merit for ourselves and for others all the graces needed to attain eternal life, as well as necessary temporal goods.

Sin can separate one from God (cf. Romans 8 and 9):

1035 The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, "eternal fire." The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.

No one can be right with God except through Roman baptism.  No one can be right with God except through good works and indulgences and personal earned merit.  This is the Roman Catholic system of spiritual salvation.  Sin can take us out of God’s grace.  In Reformed theology, sin cannot take us out of God’s grace.  God uses all things to work together for good to them that love God.  Sin can cause a loss of rewards and injure our fellowship to God, but it can never break the spiritual cords of salvation.  No sin can take us out of the state of grace, because grace is more powerful than sin. 

God’s Awesome Grace, Pt 1

The grace of God is all-sufficient for the Christian.  I have no idea what you are going through, but I know the grace of God is sufficient for you.  The Lord does know what you are going through.  The Lord’s grace is indeed sufficient for you no matter what you are enduring.  No one can take you out of God’s hand, because He is all-powerful.  Satan and human beings are not all-powerful.  But God is able to help you because His grace is sufficient for you.  We ought to have unshakeable faith in Christ and be faithful to Him.  The Lord responded to Paul that His grace was sufficient for him.  The Lord’s power reigns in us because of our weaknesses.  The world does not offer us grace.  God’s grace does amazing things in the hearts of His people.  God’s grace causes us to reach out and love a people who once hated us.  We ought to forgive abundantly because He is our great Lord who forgives us. 

God’s gift is free.  It goes against human behavior and human tradition.  We may wander from Him but God offers us grace through His Son.  His love is unconditional and His generosity is awesome and everlasting.  Pride may hinder us in spiritual salvation.  Pride tells us that we do not need to be saved.  Pride tells us that we can live a good life and earn heaven.  The enemy twists what God has said in His Word.  We do God a disservice to think sin is small and we do a disservice to God when we forget who we sinned against.  We ought to never forget that the enemy is a liar.  We all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory.  We are only right in God’s eyes by the redemption we have in Christ.  In Christ, we have the goodness of His love and the mercy of His kindnesses!  The grace of a believer is unmerited.  That is, no one can merit the grace of Christ.  The grace of Christ is inexhaustible because it is found in Christ alone.  The grace of Christ is irresistible because it is His promise.  God’s grace restores us.  He satisfies all our longings.  We ought to rest in the grace of Christ as a Christian.  The grace of Christ saves and empowers us to live for Him alone for His glory alone.  Amen.

Roman Salvation, Pt 1

Let us seek to understand what Rome teaches on spiritual salvation.  What does she add to the Gospel of faith?  Is faith alone required for spiritual salvation?  Or, is it other things along side of faith?  We shall notice that a view of additions to faith is contrary to faith.  We must seek the purity of faith.  Here are some of the additions Rome makes to spiritual salvation that will bring us to an understanding of Roman salvation:

The sacraments are required for salvation:

1129 The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation. "Sacramental grace" is the grace of the Holy Spirit, given by Christ and proper to each sacrament. The Spirit heals and transforms those who receive him by conforming them to the Son of God. The fruit of the sacramental life is that the Spirit of adoption makes the faithful partakers in the divine nature by uniting them in a living union with the only Son, the Savior.

The mass is required for salvation:

1405 There is no surer pledge or dearer sign of this great hope in the new heavens and new earth "in which righteousness dwells," than the Eucharist. Every time this mystery is celebrated, "the work of our redemption is carried on" and we "break the one bread that provides the medicine of immortality, the antidote for death, and the food that makes us live for ever in Jesus Christ."

Church membership is required for salvation:

846 How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers? Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body:  Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.

Purgatory is required for salvation:

1030 All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

Indulgences are required for salvation:

1498 Through indulgences the faithful can obtain the remission of temporal punishment resulting from sin for themselves and also for the souls in Purgatory.

Baptism is required for salvation:

1256 The ordinary ministers of Baptism are the bishop and priest and, in the Latin Church, also the deacon. In case of necessity, anyone, even a non-baptized person, with the required intention, can baptize, by using the Trinitarian baptismal formula. The intention required is to will to do what the Church does when she baptizes. The Church finds the reason for this possibility in the universal saving will of God and the necessity of Baptism for salvation.

We ought to look at Galatians chapter 2, because Peter added circumcision to the Gospel.  I think Peter was forgiven for this transgression, but that is because Peter asked to be forgiven and realized his sin.  I think this also disproves papal infallibility because Peter erred on the truth of the Gospel.  Let’s look at Galatians 2,

Galatians 2 KJV

2 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. ² And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain. ³ But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: ⁴ And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: ⁵ To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. ⁶ But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me: ⁷ But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; ⁸ (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) ⁹ And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. ¹⁰ Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. ¹¹ But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. ¹² For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. ¹³ And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. ¹⁴ But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? ¹⁵ We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, ¹⁶ Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. ¹⁷ But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. ¹⁸ For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. ¹⁹ For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. ²⁰ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. ²¹ I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

We ought to add NOTHING to the Gospel of grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone!  The all-sufficiency of the Gospel is Christ alone.  We are not justified by sinner’s merit but by the UNIFIED MERIT of CHRIST ALONE.

A Gospel Study of Spiritual Salvation in the Bible

The Gospel is Salvation

Romans 1:16 KJV

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV

15 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

² By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
³ For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
⁴ And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Galatians 1:9 KJV

⁹ As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

The Gospel is of God Alone Not Man

Ephesians 1:13 KJV

¹³ In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

John 1:13 KJV

¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Gospel is Through Faith Not Works
Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV

⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.
¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Psalm 49:7-8 KJV

⁷ None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:
⁸ (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

The Gospel is By Grace Not the Sinner's Merit
Romans 3:24 KJV

²⁴ Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Romans 11:6 KJV

⁶ And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

The Gospel Rejected Is Hell 
2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 KJV

⁸ In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
⁹ Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

A Study of Doctrine on Jesus Christ in the Bible

^{Jesus is the Savior and Redeemer
Titus 3:5 KJV
5} Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
  
Jesus is the alone sinless Redeemer
1 Peter 1:18-19 KJV

¹⁸ Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
¹⁹ But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Jesus is the Mediator and Advocate 
1 Timothy 2:5 KJV

⁵ For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

1 John 2:1 KJV

2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

Jesus expiates sin

Romans 3:25 KJV

²⁵ Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Jesus completed spiritual salvation
Hebrews 7:27-28 KJV

²⁷ Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
²⁸ For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

Hebrews 10:14 KJV

¹⁴ For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

 Jesus provided the only way to saved by His life, death and resurrection
Acts 4:12 KJV

¹² Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Jesus' blood is the sole remission for sin
Hebrews 9:22 KJV

²² And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Jesus cleanses all our sin
Hebrews 1:3 KJV

³ Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

Colossians 1:22 KJV

²² In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

Jesus is Head of the Church

Ephesians 1:22-23 KJV

²² And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
²³ Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

The Second Coming of Christ
Acts 1:11 KJV

¹¹ Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

The Romanist Doctrine of Jesus, Pt 2

According to 1 Timothy 2:5 and 1 John 2:1, Jesus Christ is our Mediator and Advocate, but Rome teaches that the Virgin Mary is our advocate and mediatix (969).  

According to Romans 3:25, Jesus expiates our sin, but Rome teaches sin is expiated through the cleansing fire of purgatory (1030, 31; 1472-75).  

According to Hebrews 7:27-28; 10:14, Jesus finished the work of redemption, but Rome teaches He is offered and offered over and over again (1367) and (1414). 

The Blood of Christ

The blood of Jesus Christ is His sacrificial atonement for sin.   He died for all of the elect.  That is, all the believing ones.  The blood of Christ teaches us that He cleanses us from all sin.  That is, it purifies us from iniquity because He is God Incarnate.  That is, He has the power to makes us whole.  Communion is the remembrance of the sacrifice of Christ:

1 Corinthians 10:16 (NASB)
Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ?

He saved us by His blood:

Ephesians 2:13 (NASB)
But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

The blood of Christ gives us victory over dead works:

Hebrews 9:14 (NASB)
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Through the blood of Christ, He gives us grace and peace:

1 Peter 1:2 (NASB)
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.

The blood of Christ is precious:

1 Peter 1:19 (NASB) but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ

 Jesus loved us and released us by His blood:

Revelation 1:5 (NASB)
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood—

"Nothing But the Blood of Jesus"

 Remember this great hymn.  There is nothing that can take away sin but the blood of Christ alone.  We have spiritual redemption in the blood of Christ!  Praise God!

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain

Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my pardon, this I see,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing this my plea,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain

Nothing can for sin atone,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain

This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain

Now by this I’ll overcome—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
Now by this I’ll reach my home—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain

Glory! Glory! This I sing—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
All my praise for this I bring—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain

The question, "Did Judas go to hell?"

At http://www.catholic.com/quickquestions/did-judas-go-to-hell, it is said that Judas may have went to heaven, but he says he is not sure where his final resting place is.  The Bible says a quite different picture about Judas.  The Bible says that Judas went to hell, because Peter says he went to his own place (Acts 1:25).  Such a description is the revelation of the place Judas final resting place is.  Moreover, Jesus says that Judas is the son of perdition (John 17:12).  Jesus also says, "Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” (John 6:70 NASB).  Mr. Blackburn gives a comfortable and convenient response about Judas, but we also know that someone had to take his place in the apostle's ministry as it is revealed in the Psalms (Acts 1:20).  I think we can conclude that Judas went to hell though we wish that he is in heaven.

Satan Cannot Touch Us

We read in the High Priestly prayer of Jesus Christ in John 17 that He prays that our gracious Father will keep us from the evil one:

"I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one" (John 17:15 NASB).

The apostle John writes that the evil one cannot touch us:

"We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him" (1 John 5:18 NASB).

The Romanist Doctrine of Jesus

In the Bible Jesus saves us by His mercy but not by our works (Titus 3:5).  That is, no works we can do will save us except the work of Christ alone.  The Romanist Church says Jesus merely 'opened' heaven (1026) and through grace and good works we attain our own salvation (1477).  The fact is, no one can attain salvation except Christ alone.  We need His merit alone to have salvation.  


In 1 Peter 1:18-19 Jesus redeemed us with the precious blood of Christ alone.  They teach Mary was a co-redeemer in 494 in their Catechism and that she was "the cause of salvation for herself and the whole human race."  We will research more in the next session. 

The Tradition of the Roman Catholic Church, Pt 1

In AD 431 the Church proclaimed that infant baptism regenerates the soul.  However, this conflicts with Jesus in John chapter 3.  The water profits us nothing but the Spirit and the Word regenerates the soul.  Its not by works of righteousness we have done (Titus 3:5). 

In AD 500 the Mass was celebrated as the reenactment of Jesus' sacrifice.  The Mass cannot be a sacrifice because Jesus offered Himself once and for all (Hebrews 7:27).

In AD 1000 attendance at Mass became mandatory.  If it was not attended, it was mortal sin.  This cannot be true because Mass was not something God instituted for someone to attend.

We ought to understand that Jesus came to die for us and we cannot add anything to it.  It is nothing but the blood of Jesus that saves us.  His righteousness alone is all-sufficient for how we are right with God.  We do not need to add anything to what He has already done for us.  Amen.

Solid Scriptural Support for Eternal Security

There are warnings in Holy Scripture not to sin.  Jesus tells the man to sin no more.  However, once we are saved we can never be lost.  There is nothing in Scripture that says we can lose our spiritual salvation.  Here are some verses that speak to our eternal security:

Romans 8:29-30 KJV
²⁹ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

³⁰ Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Ephesians 1:4 KJV

⁴ According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Ephesians 2:10 KJV

¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

2 Timothy 1:9 KJV

⁹ Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,


1 Peter 1:2 KJV

² Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

We are chosen in Christ alone.  We are eternally secure in Jesus Christ.  God made these decisions beforehand that we might be saved in Him.  It is impossible for us to lose our salvation.  

Now we ought to understand the completeness of the redemption we have in Jesus Christ. Here are some verses from the book of Hebrews that speaks to this theological issue.

Hebrews 1:3 KJV

³ Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

Hebrews 7:25 KJV

²⁵ Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Hebrews 10:10-11 KJV

¹⁰ By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
¹¹ And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:

The nature of spiritual salvation is by grace alone.  The grace of God is the unified goodness and righteousness of Christ alone in His life and death.  We are saved by His redemptive kindness.

 Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV

⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.
¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

 Philippians 2:2-13 KJV

² Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
³ Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
⁴ Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
⁵ Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
⁶ Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
⁷ But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
⁸ And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
⁹ Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
¹⁰ That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
¹¹ And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
¹² Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
¹³ For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

 Titus 3:5 KJV

⁵ Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Spiritual salvation is a gift from God.  Let us look at some Scripture:

John 3:16 KJV

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

2 Timothy 4:18 KJV

¹⁸ And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.


Hebrews 9:12 KJV

¹² Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

We ought to understand it as the promise of God in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior!  Here are some Scriptures for this subject:

John 5:23-24 KJV

²³ That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
²⁴ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

John 10:25-30 KJV

²⁵ Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.
²⁶ But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
²⁷ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
²⁸ And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
²⁹ My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
³⁰ I and my Father are one.

Philippians 1:6 KJV

⁶ Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

He keeps us in Himself.  That is, we are unable to just walk away from Him or have some power take us out of His hand.  Here are some Scriptures on our union with Christ:

John 1:12-13 KJV

¹² But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 15:5 KJV

¹⁵ I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Ephesians 2:4-6 KJV

⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
⁵ Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
⁶ And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Colossians 1:13-14 KJV

¹³ Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
¹⁴ In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Hebrews 13:5 KJV

⁵ Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

We have a position in Christ.  Nothing can undo this position we have in Christ.
   


Ephesians 1:13-14 KJV

¹³ In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
¹⁴ Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 4:30 KJV

³⁰ And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

The Bible does not say we can lose our salvation.  However, when we sin there is God's chastisement.  If we repent right away, He will forgo His chastisement of us.  Sin means a loss of rewards but not a loss of spiritual salvation.

Hebrews 12:5 ESV

⁵ And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
    nor be weary when reproved by him.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 ESV

¹⁰  According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. ¹¹ For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— ¹³  each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. ¹⁴ If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.


Romans 14:10 ESV
¹⁰ Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;

The spiritual plan of God is about unconditional love.  We are eternally secure because of the sinless performance of Christ alone.  We are not saved by our performance.  Grace is something that we do not deserve.  There is nothing that can be done to merit grace.  Grace and faith are a gift from God.  

I remember when I first trusted Christ.  I asked Him for forgiveness for my sin and He forgave my sin and guilt.  I also remember when I made a decision to committed discipleship to Him alone.  I remember a time when I gained assurance of salvation.  We can be sure we belong to the Lord by His Word and the hearing of the Word preached.   I hope this was a helpful study for those who reject eternal security.