│>Next│
THE SECURITY of the BELIEVER in JESUS CHRIST A Radio Message Given Over All Broadcasts of A. M. Overton, Director (THIRD EDITION)
|
FOREWORD
Like everyone else who learns the truth of salvation by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, I have had a growing love and regard for the glorious truth of the eternal security of all those who believe in Jesus Christ for salvation from sin.
As a pastor I have studied, preached and taught this truth for many years. More than once I have spoken this message in part, or in whole, over the air in our radio ministry. The many requests that have come for this message in print constitute the immediate reason for this little volume. It is sent forth in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Whom this truth greatly honors and magnifies, with the sincere prayer that the Lord may use it to bring many into the great joy that peace and assurance alone can give.
If it helps one of the Lord's own into that happy realm where the Lord is served, followed and worshipped because of love, gratitude and appreciation, rather than from the selfish motive of salvation as a reward, I shall rejoice and count all that is involved in sending this volume forth as time, labor and money well spent.
A. M. Overton
Fulton, Mississippi
(Third Edition. October, 1951)
THE SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST
THE SECURITY OP THE BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST
This question of the security of the believer in Jesus Christ is one that has been muchly discussed throughout the centuries of the so-called Christian dispensation. To many it is merely a "denominational" question, with some denominations advocating it as a doctrine and with others dogmatic in their denial of it.
We would vehemently insist that this truth is not at all "denominational" in its character. It is Scriptural and eternal regardless of whether any or all groups of religious people believe it or deny it.
Some say that the teaching of the eternal security of all who believe in Jesus Christ as Saviour is a "dangerous doctrine". The danger in it is only to those who do not believe it! There is great room to doubt the salvation of anyone who does not believe in the security of those who believe in Jesus Christ. Certain it is that no child of God will fail to acknowledge the great mass of evidence of this truth when it is presented. Some of this evidence we set forth in this little booklet.
Sometimes we hear someone make a mighty ef-
—5—
THE SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST
fort to "prove" that there is no such thing as "the security of the believer". All such usually succeed in proving one thing emphatically—that they themselves know nothing of this glorious Scriptural truth, because they do not know the Jesus of the Bible.
When we say "the security of the believer" let it be definitely understood that we mean a believer in Jesus, the Christ, as the one, only and all-sufficient Saviour from sin. All people believe many things of a religious nature. But, only those who believe in Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Mary, as the Christ, the Son of God, the Saviour, "Who is not only necessary, but is eternally enough for our eternal salvation, have any security in Him.
"When we speak of a "believer" we do not mean merely the person who says he believes in Jesus, or one who makes a public profession that he believes in Him. Neither do we mean one who becomes a member of some religious organization, submits to so-called baptism, and engages in religious work. One may do all these things and still be a poor lost sinner-There is a vast difference between saying that one believes in Jesus and really believing in Him. God's Word never refers to a mere professor when it speaks of a "believer in Jesus Christ".
—6—
THE SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST
Let us consider some plain and unmistakable facts from God's Word on this question. Some may not believe these facts, but none can misunderstand them.
1. The believer in Jesus Christ has eternal, ever lasting life. Jesus Himself said so.
"Verily, verily, I say unto you. He that believeth on me hath everlasting life" (John 6:47). See also John 1:11-13, 3:14-16, 36, 5:24, Acts 16:31, Rom. 1:16, 10:4, etc.
Eternal life is the present possession of every one who believes in Jesus Christ as Saviour.
2. All who have salvation of God have an eternal salvation. Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, speaking also by the Holy Spirit's inspiration, declared, "I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever; nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him" (Eccle. 3:14).
Any one who declares that his salvation is not eternal at the same time declares that what he has is not of God.
3. David (a thousand years before Jesus was born) was settled on the security of God's saints.
—7—
THE SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST
"For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved forever" (Psalm 37:28).
A "saint" is a sanctified person, and all believers in Jesus Christ are sanctified, although far from sinless. The Corinthians were "sanctified in Christ Jesus" (I Cor. 1:2), but they were a sorry lot, as may be seen from the charges made against them in Paul's first letter. We are sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus (Acts 26:18). Those who believe in Christ Jesus are sanctified "once for all" through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ (Heb. 10:10). All who are sanctified in Christ are "perfected forever" (Heb. 10:14) by His once for all offering of Himself. And, all saints are preserved forever (Psalm 37:28). Only bold and bald unbelief will hesitate in the face of these simple and plain statements from God's holy Word.
4. David, as have millions of others of God's saints, rejoiced in the truth of peace and assurance, as we hear him say, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1).
If the Lord is my shepherd, then I am His sheep. No one who rejects the truth of the eternal security of the believer in Jesus Christ ought ever to read,
—8—
THE SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST
quote, or take comfort from this glorious Scripture. He surely does not believe it, because in talking about His sheep, the Lord Jesus declares:
"I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish (be lost)" (John 10:28).
Here is an unqualified statement from the Son of God Himself that He gives eternal life to His sheep (those who believe in Him as Saviour), and that they shall never be lost! And yet, in the face of this clear statement of the Lord Himself, a statement which cannot possibly be misunderstood, there are those who are bold enough in their unbelief to say, "It isn't so. A child of God may be lost!"
5. The eternal life of the believer in Jesus Christ is "hid with Christ in God" (Col 3:3), and has not been in the keeping of the believer at any time. We do not keep ourselves. We are kept.
The Lord Jesus guarantees that He will not, under any circumstances, cast out any one who comes to him: '' Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). This is a definite and unconditional guarantee from the Saviour Himself that nothing can arise that will cause Him to cast out even the least and weakest one who believes in Him.
—9—
THE SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST
This same Jesus, the Christ, the eternal Son of God, further guarantees that there is none who can ever get a believer out of Him. Listen to Him again:
"I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any (man) pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no (man) is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand" (John 10:28, 23).
We have placed the word "man" in parentheses because in the Greek text these expressions are "any one" and "no one". It includes men, angels, or demons. Neither the man himself, nor anyone else can possibly get the believer out of Christ, and out of God, where every believer in Jesus Christ abides by God's own gracious permission and power. And since we have His unqualified guarantee that He will not under any circumstances cast him out, no one who believes what He says can have any doubt whatever that this believer is eternally safe and secure.
6. The believer in Jesus Christ is not now under condemnation. This is a definite declaration of the Holy Spirit through Paul to the Romans.
"There is therefore now no condemnation (judgment) to them which are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).
—10—
│>Next│