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I'm scared that I have lost salvation! Is eternal security true?
Readers Question / Comment - Is eternal security true? I'm scared that I have lost salvation!
Hi,
If you have time can you possibly pray for me? I'm so scared. I know I used to be saved. I know your site believes in eternal security. I hope your right. I'm just so confused on this whole subject. I try to find info online and it's mainly on conditional security. I'm so scared because I've read sites that say things like "OSAS sends people to Hell". I want to believe in eternal security again. I thought trusting Jesus was all I needed. Now I'm terrified that I'm never going to be good enough. How can God possibly love me? After all I'm never going to be good enough. A website I was reading says certain sins, if you commit one time, you lose your salvation. Than I read in Heb. 6 [the interpretation if conditional security is right] that those who fall away can't be renewed to repentance. If one sin [who knows which sins if you commit once cost you your salvation. He didn't give a full list.] costs you your salvation then...I'm just so confused.
I'm just asking for prayer that God shows me if eternal security is true or not. I know your site believe in eternal security. I'm just so confused and scared.
JPN Reply:
Hi,
thanks for the email though I'm sorry to see that you are scared about your salvation. Certainly if we are looking at our own works then salvation looks very shaky at best. This applies to anyone including myself because we will always find something that doesn't measure up - we still have a fallen nature and do fail. If we are looking at what Jesus did on our behalf and the gift of salvation that He offers to those that believe, then our hearts can rest. But we won't find rest elsewhere. Not in our works. As the old hymn states:
My hope is built on nothing less, Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus' name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand.
The fact is that if one sin caused a loss of salvation then all of us would not be saved. Thankfully God knows that we are but dust and hasn't offered a salvation that rests in the unpredictable nature and weakness that is fallen man.
The Bible says: 1Jn 5:11-13 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (12) He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. (13) I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
God wants us to know that we have eternal life. He does not want us to have "daisy salvation" where we say "He loves me, He loves me not' each day depending on whether we had a good day or not. If you are a genuine believer in Christ, then He wants you to have assurance of your salvation.
I have written a little about the assurance of salvation here:
http://www.jesusplusnothing.com/questions/assurance.htm
There are also various Q&A's on salvation and eternal security here (which you may or may not have seen)
http://www.jesusplusnothing.com/questions/index.htm
You are right that you are not ever going to be 'good enough' to gain or hold onto salvation through your own 'righteous' life. One of the greatest joys as a believer is in discovering what Jesus has done for us... and this lays the foundation for a life of thankfulness and gratitude leading to a desire to serve and follow the One who loves us so.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 4:5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,
And when we do sin we come to the One who paid the price for that sin. We repent and approach the throne of grace, to the One who CAN sympathize with our weakness, as Hebrews tells us:
Hebrews 4:15-16 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. (16) Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
1 John 1:8-9 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Hebrews 6 has scared many people over the years but it is not talking to true Christians or those seeking salvation with God. It is talking to apostates who are not interested in God's offer of salvation anymore. You may have seen this quote in one of my other articles but it is worth reading again. The Believers Bible Commentary (William MacDonald) states this on Heb 6
"Some earnest Christians are troubled when they read Hebrews 6 and similar passages. Satan uses these verses especially to unsettle believers who are having physical, mental, or emotional difficulties. They fear that they have fallen away from Christ and that there is no hope for restoration. They worry that they have drifted beyond redemption's point. The fact that they are even concerned about it is conclusive evidence that they are not apostates! An apostate would not have any such fears; he would brazenly repudiate Christ."
I hope some of this helps. But in the end the answer may be as simple as answering these two questions:
1. Does God want us to experience the peace, and be assured of, our salvation?
2. Will you (or can anyone) ever have peace and assurance if their eyes are on your own works?
All the best and I will pray,
God Bless.
Hi,
thanks for the email though I'm sorry to see that you are scared about your salvation. Certainly if we are looking at our own works then salvation looks very shaky at best. This applies to anyone including myself because we will always find something that doesn't measure up - we still have a fallen nature and do fail. If we are looking at what Jesus did on our behalf and the gift of salvation that He offers to those that believe, then our hearts can rest. But we won't find rest elsewhere. Not in our works. As the old hymn states:
My hope is built on nothing less, Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus' name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand.
The fact is that if one sin caused a loss of salvation then all of us would not be saved. Thankfully God knows that we are but dust and hasn't offered a salvation that rests in the unpredictable nature and weakness that is fallen man.
The Bible says: 1Jn 5:11-13 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (12) He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. (13) I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
God wants us to know that we have eternal life. He does not want us to have "daisy salvation" where we say "He loves me, He loves me not' each day depending on whether we had a good day or not. If you are a genuine believer in Christ, then He wants you to have assurance of your salvation.
I have written a little about the assurance of salvation here:
http://www.jesusplusnothing.com/questions/assurance.htm
There are also various Q&A's on salvation and eternal security here (which you may or may not have seen)
http://www.jesusplusnothing.com/questions/index.htm
You are right that you are not ever going to be 'good enough' to gain or hold onto salvation through your own 'righteous' life. One of the greatest joys as a believer is in discovering what Jesus has done for us... and this lays the foundation for a life of thankfulness and gratitude leading to a desire to serve and follow the One who loves us so.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 4:5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,
And when we do sin we come to the One who paid the price for that sin. We repent and approach the throne of grace, to the One who CAN sympathize with our weakness, as Hebrews tells us:
Hebrews 4:15-16 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. (16) Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
1 John 1:8-9 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Hebrews 6 has scared many people over the years but it is not talking to true Christians or those seeking salvation with God. It is talking to apostates who are not interested in God's offer of salvation anymore. You may have seen this quote in one of my other articles but it is worth reading again. The Believers Bible Commentary (William MacDonald) states this on Heb 6
"Some earnest Christians are troubled when they read Hebrews 6 and similar passages. Satan uses these verses especially to unsettle believers who are having physical, mental, or emotional difficulties. They fear that they have fallen away from Christ and that there is no hope for restoration. They worry that they have drifted beyond redemption's point. The fact that they are even concerned about it is conclusive evidence that they are not apostates! An apostate would not have any such fears; he would brazenly repudiate Christ."
I hope some of this helps. But in the end the answer may be as simple as answering these two questions:
1. Does God want us to experience the peace, and be assured of, our salvation?
2. Will you (or can anyone) ever have peace and assurance if their eyes are on your own works?
All the best and I will pray,
God Bless.