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In 1 John 5:13, the Lord declares His desire for those who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord to be sure of their salvation. However, some believers are hesitant to claim the permanency of their saved status. Fortunately, thoroughly studying Scripture reveals Christ’s gift of salvation remains in the permanent possession of all who truly receive it.
First, salvation is entirely dependent on what God has done for us. For example, Romans 3:20, 23 and Isaiah 64:6 explain that we cannot earn Christ's salvation because we have broken the Father's law, we stand guilty before Him as sinners, and our sin-stained works are as filthy rags before Him. Also, Ephesians 2:8-9 declare that because of this, salvation is only possible through God making it a gift solely received by grace through faith. Furthermore, Hebrews 12:2 and Romans 12:3 note that even the faith we possess was given to us by Christ. Additionally, Galatians 3:3 notes how our flesh (or natural life) cannot continue the work the Holy Spirit started in us upon salvation. Thus, because we could not earn our salvation, we are equally incapable of maintaining it; both are only possible through God's grace and providence.
Second, He makes our status as believers permanent. One way He does this is by sealing us with His Holy Spirit, who permanently dwells within our regenerated spirit upon salvation (Acts 2:38; Tit. 3:5). 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 and Ephesians 1:13-14 explicitly state that the Holy Spirit dwelling in us guarantees our salvation. Also, our status as believers is made permanent through God adopting us into His family as His children (John 1:12; Gal. 3:26; Eph. 1:5). Just like the Prodigal Son remained a son even after leaving his father's house and backsliding, so does God respectively promise to remain faithful when we fail to do so and to never cast us out in 2 Timothy 2:13 and John 6:37. Additionally, God never takes back His gifts of salvation and eternal life after someone receives them. Not only is eternal life incapable of being temporary, but also Romans 11:29 assures us God's gifts are irrevocable. Thus, our salvation is made permanent by the Holy Spirit's indwelling, our adoption into God's family, and His promise to never revoke His gifts.
Finally, our sins, feelings, and failures cannot affect our salvation. For example, believers are guaranteed to struggle with various sins due to our flesh warring against the Holy Spirit (Rom. 7:15-25; Gal. 5:17; 1Jo. 1:8). Not only has Christ’s single sacrifice paid for every sin we have and will commit (Col. 2:13-14; Heb. 10:12, 14), but also our sins prove our salvation when we experience godly guilt from the Holy Spirit convicting us and we respond by confessing and repenting from them (2Co. 7:10; 1Jo. 1:9). Also, our salvation does not depend on whether we feel close to Him. Rather, God permits this feeling to ebb and flow to draw us closer to Him (Jam. 4:8), lead us to seek Him with our whole heart (Jer. 29:13), and indicate when sin interrupts our fellowship with Him (Isa. 59:2). Finally, God anticipates our failures and uses them to demonstrate His grace and His hand upholding us (Psa. 37:23-24, 145:14; Pro. 24:16; Jam. 3:2). They are also integral to our growth in Christ by revealing our weakness and teaching us to rely on His perfect power to serve Him over our limited natural strength (2Co. 12:9). Thus, our salvation is independent of our habitual sins, volatile feelings, and personal failures, which are all used by God to reveal our weakness, His gracious hand, and His Son's perfect power.
All who genuinely turn to Christ in repentance and faith to receive His salvation have no need to fear losing it. This gift of His is irrevocable, for it is entirely based on what He has done for us, He makes our status as believers permanent, and it is independent of our sins, feelings, and failures. As John 10:27-29 declare, our Good Shepherd has forever given us eternal life, a promise we will never perish in hell, and assurance that we will never be taken out of His hand.
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