Verses to Support Eternal Life

John 10
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.

 

2Timothy 1:12.

For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

Rufus

 

Personally I think Ephesians 1:11-14 is the most comprehensive statement in all the New Testament as to the Salvation process and the eternal security of the believer:

"11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory."
Ephesians 1:11-14(NIV)


The doctrine of unconditional election is clearly taught in verse 11:

"In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,"

The first part of verse 13 tells us when we were actually included in the body of Christ(dispelling some hyper-calvinist notions that we are saved before we even belief):

"13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed..."

The latter part of verse 13 tells at the moment we believe we are indwelled with the Holy Spirit:

"...Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit"

and tying together the end of verse 13 and 14 we see the doctrine of the eternal security of the believer taught:

"the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory."

The Holy Spirit is not only our guide, but our guarantee of our inheritance - (glorified bodies, and eternal life with the Lord). So in short "having believed" - we are guaranteed eternal life to come.

IFBReformer

 

1 John 5:13  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.

 

Matt 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

John 3:1-7,36 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again...36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 4:13-14 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

John 10:28 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.

John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

John 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Acts 10:47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

Acts 13:38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Rom 3:20,24,28 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...24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: ...28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Rom 4:1-8...8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

Rom 8:1-39 ...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.

I Cor 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

I Cor 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

(All of Galatians really)
Gal 2:16,21 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. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Gal 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. 18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

Heb 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: 19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

Heb 7L25 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.

(All of Heb 11)

Heb 13:5 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.

I Pet 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

I Pet 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

I John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

I John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

I John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world

I John 5:1a Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God

I John 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 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,

Jude 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy

Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Eph 1:13 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.

Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you

 

"But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” said by our Lord Jesus Matthew 24:13 NKJV

"I am the vine, you [are] the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw [them] into the fire, and they are burned. "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. John 15:5-7 NKJV

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 NKJV

Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 37 "For yet a little while, [And] He who is coming will come and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith; But if [anyone] draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him. Hebrews 10:35-38 NKJV

"He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 6 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Revelation 3:5-6 NKJV

BIBLICALLY, THE KEY TO HAVING ASSURANCE OF SALVATION IS IRREVOCABLY TIED TO PERSERVERANCE, ABIDING, AND OVERCOMING!!!

In the love of Christ,
Tim

 

Tim,

I agree that PERSERVERANCE in trusting Christ for my salvation, ABIDING in Christ for my salvation and OVERCOMING my disbelief and trusting in Christ for my salvation is the total
ASSURANCE of salvation I need.

You have to let people know the specifics of what
they must persevere in, abide in, and overcome.

Otherwise, they might get the wrong idea and think their works maintain their salvation.

IFBReformer

 

Out of context. That is talking about the survivors of the tribulation. Letting them know that it WILL end. (See Mat 24:14)

I asked Him to save me and He gave me the Holy Spirit and when He quits abiding in me then I will lose my salvation.

I John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him

Not a possiblility.

Did you read the previous verses?

v22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,

You aren't drawing back from salvation but, from full assurance. We CAN have full assurance ONLY because of Christ and not because of ourselves.

trodden under foot the Son of God,
hath counted the blood of the covenant...an unholy thing,
hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

To say that Christ is not sufficient, to say that I must perform to a certain level is a real slap in the face of Christ's work.

I John 5:5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

BIBLICALLY, THE KEY TO HAVING ASSURANCE OF SALVATION IS IRREVOCABLY TIED TO THE FINISHED WORK OF JESUS CHRIST[/QB][/QUOTE]

 

I hope that we still agree after I humbly try to explain my unpopular beliefs.

The BIGGEST argument against works as a means of salvation comes from Paul and I agree with him completely.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV

Yet there are these other verses, where we are told to do something and given consequences if we don't do this thing, that suggest there is more to salvation than Calvin's view of God choosing and that is all there is to it.

Take for example the John 15 passage. Jesus does not say that we will abide and bear much fruit. If He were saying that then there would be no need to explain what happens to those who don't abide. If it were already going to happen then Jesus would not have told us to do it. Therefore in this passage you also have the "IF." If you do then this, if you don't then this.

Faith can both grow and be fruitful or it can die. If a person dies without faith he/she dies eternally.

This is evident in what James wrote to us.

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. James 2:26 NIV

So how do I reconcile these two seemingly different truths in the Bible?

I cannot earn my salvation by works. I cannot do anything to make myself more appealing to God. If I help one hundred little old ladies across the road it will not erase one of my sins, ONLY THE BLOOD OF JESUS can do that.

However after I enter into this saving covenant relationship with God I am told by the Lord, Himself to Abide, in other words do something.

So the crux of my position is abiding in Christ and abiding means being obedient to the Holy Spirit. IF I am obedient then my life will produce fruits that will honor and glorify my Lord. He will prune those parts that are unproductive and I will produce more fruit. If I am disobedient to the Holy Spirit continually (not occasionally) then I begin to die spiritually. If that spiritual death is not corrected it becomes eternal.

Do we still agree??? I hope.

In the love of Christ,
Tim

[ September 12, 2003, 01:48 PM: Message edited by: Tim too ]

 

Out of context. That is talking about the survivors of the tribulation. Letting them know that it WILL end. (See Mat 24:14) </font>[/QUOTE]This one little small piece of Scripture even with the problematic pretrib rapture view proves that we must ENDURE.

He said, "he who endures to the end shall be saved." Why did Jesus say this? Because of all the persecution that happens at this point in the tribulation.

Are these believers not going to have the same abilities to endure as us? Of course they are. They, just like we have to abide unto the end to be saved.

In the love of Christ,
Tim

 

Tim,

I agree that anyone who is a true believer will produce fruit, as Charles Ryrie says "somewhere, somtime, somehow".

Having said that the quantity is not always the same. And what is fruit?

Fruit is a changed attitude. But we don't all produce the same fruits either. We do work as a result of a fruit. But sometimes we may have a changed attitude but we don't always put it into action the way we should(work).

I must say though that I completely disagree with you. You are saying we do not merit our salvation(I agree completely here) but then you are saying we must do certain things to maintain our salvation.

So works don't merit our salvation - they maintain it. Either way you are making works part of salvation.

And the Bible is clear that this is impossible.

As far as your statement:

"However after I enter into this saving covenant relationship with God I am told by the Lord, Himself to Abide, in other words do something."

The only "something" that we must do to continue to abide is to trust in Christ for our salvation. It has nothing to do with our works we do before or after salvation.

Any true Christian will continue to abide(trust in Christ for his Salvation) while we as Christians will have differing levels of fruits and works our fruits and works have nothing
to do with maintaining our salvation as you suggest.

"16It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy."
Romans 9(NIV)

"28Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"
29Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent....
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away...
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day."
John 6:28-29 & 37 & 44(NIV)

The only "work" God requires for salvation is for us to place our trust in Christ as Savior. And since the Holy Spirit of God regenerates us and places that faith in us it is no work of ours.

IFBReformer

 

I am taking into consideration both concepts presented in the Bible. You are not. Will your theology not allow you to see both truths in the Bible?

Jesus did not say we will bear much fruit, He said "IF" we abide we will bear much fruit, and "IF" we don't abide we wither and die and are gathered and burned.

Why would Paul, who wrote the Scriptures that Calvin drew his notions about election exhort the churches to stand firm if it was going to happen? 1 Corinthians 16:13, Philippians 4:1, 1 Thessalonians 3:8, 2 Thessalonians 2:15

Why would Peter tell us to make our calling and election sure if he believed it was? 2 Peter 1:10-11

I will agree with this statement of your if you concede that we must continue trusting Christ for our salvation.

John Calvin said this, Jesus did not. Jesus said "IF"you abide you will bear much fruit.

If you are saying continue to trust Christ for our salvation, I agree. If not then I disagree. According to Jesus we must abide in the Holy Spirit and endure until the end.

In the love of Christ,
Tim

 

The Thessalonians were familiar with
this saying of Jesus which we now find
recorded in Matthew 24:13 (KJV1873):

But he that shall endure unto
the end, the same shall be saved.

But some said of their friend "He got
sick and died before Jesus came to
get him, poor soul."

Paul addresses this problem in
a clearly pretribulation rapture passage
1 Thessalonians 4:13 - 5:11,
one of the most comforting passages in the
Bible.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 - 5:11 (nKJV):

13 But I do not want you to be ignorant,
brethren, concerning those who have fallen
asleep, lest you sorrow as others who
have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and
rose again, even so God will bring with Him
those who sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord,
that we who are alive and remain until
the coming of the Lord will by no means
precede those who are asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice
of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.
And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain
shall be caught up (raptured)
together with them in the clouds to meet
the Lord in the air. And thus we shall
always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
5:1 But concerning the times and the seasons,
brethren, you have no need that I should
write to you.
2 For you yourselves know perfectly that
the day of the Lord so comes as a thief
in the night.
3 For when they say, "Peace and safety!"
then sudden destruction comes upon them,
as labor pains upon a pregnant woman.
And they shall not escape.
4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness,
so that this Day should overtake
you as a thief.
5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day.
We are not of the night nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do,
but let us watch and be sober.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night,
and those who get drunk are drunk at night.
8 But let us who are of the day be sober,
putting on the breastplate of faith and love,
and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
9 For God did not appoint us to wrath,
but to obtain salvation through our
Lord Jesus Christ,
10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep,
we should live together with Him.
11 Therefore comfort each other and edify
one another, just as you also are doing.

Later the Thessalonians wondered if they
had missed the rapture. Paul corrects this
in a second letter:

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 (nKJV):

1 Now, brethren, concerning
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
and our gathering together to Him,
we ask you,
2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled,
either by spirit or by word or by letter,
as if from us, as though the day of Christ
had come.
3 Let no one deceive you by any means;
for that Day will not come unless
the falling away comes first,
and the man of sin
is revealed, the son of perdition,

The falling away that comes first
is the Rapture!
Then the man of sin is revealed, the
antichrist. Then the Tribulation period
begins.

There is nothing HAS TO HAPPEN before
the rapture.
Here are some things that could happen
before the rapture but they do NOT
have to happen.

1) The destruction of Damascus (Isaiah 17)
2) the Ezekiel 38 Gog/Magog invastion
(the Ezekiel 39 and Revelation 20:8
Gog/Magog invasion will be after the
Tribulation period)
3) the building of a Temple in Jerusalem
on Mount Zion north of and alongside
the Dome of the Rock.

But again, these things do not HAVE
TO HAPPEN before the rapture, they may
happen after the rapture.

 

wow thanks for the verses you see bible believing christians here gets horribly ridiculed for saying that they are saved for eternity.

 

Amen, Brother Stubbornboy -- Preach it!

I'm Just as saved now as i was
as a child in April 1952.
I'll be just as saved at the rapture
(I hope) or resurrection (I know) as i am
now.

Father in Heaven, I lift up my Brothers
and Sisters in the Philippines.
Please save them now from the triple
fork of dispair: Catholics, Pagans, and Muslims.
Save them forever from the depths of
the Lake of Fire. Amen.

 

praise GOD