The question of whether the Bible teaches eternal security or that believers are “once saved always saved” is not uncommon at all. We might recall Nicodemus – a brilliantly educated Jewish leader – asking Jesus how things related to the new birth and salvation could actually be.[1] In a sense, Jesus’s answers were so simple that they seemed to throw Nicodemus for a bit of a loop. But Jesus’s teaching in John 3 is very clear.[2]
Jesus explains that a person must be reborn “of spirit” (or by the Spirit) in John 3:5-7. When Nicodemus voices his confusion, Jesus states plainly that the believing one in Him (Jesus) has (present tense) eternal life.[3] He reiterates this resoundingly in the very next verse.[4] The believing one in Jesus is not perished any longer but has – again, present tense – eternal life. The present tense is significant in these verses. They are subjunctives, meaning that if the condition is present (belief), then the result is also present. In other words, once a person believes in Jesus they currently possess eternal life. Eternal life, by definition, cannot end.
As Peter puts it this new birth is irrevocable: “…according to His mercy He has caused us to be born again to a living hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to obtain an inheritance imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heavens for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”[5] Peter’s statements are forceful, and contain no less than thirteen evidences of the eternality of our salvation.
- According to His mercy – if salvation is based on His mercy and not our merit, then how could it end because we somehow stopped meriting it? It couldn’t, because we never merited it in the first place.
- He has caused – again we see that this is His work, not ours. What He has caused, can we un-cause?
- To be born again – once a birth has happened, can that person be unborn? Not possible. One might take their own life, but they can never undo their birth. We may fail mightily, and we may walk poorly but we can’t undo the second birth.
- To a living hope – if ever that hope dies then it can no longer be described as a living hope – yet, a living hope is what we were born into.
- Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead – as He is our sacrifice for sin, and demonstrated His power and His qualification by His resurrection, then once again we recognize that our salvation and eternal security are based on His merit and power, not our own.
- To obtain an inheritance – we were born again to obtain what God has promised we would inherit. Paul explains that the Holy Spirit is the downpayment of that eternal inheritance.[6] What happens to a downpayment if someone defaults on their loan? They lose it, right? Can God lose His own Holy Spirit?
- Imperishable – by definition it cannot perish.
- Undefiled – there is no defilement in it. How can it become defiled? By what external means can it be made to perish or be defiled?
- Will not fade away – the glory of this new birth and its living hope cannot be lost.
- Reserved in heavens for you – notice the word for heavens is plural – this is the same way the kingdom of the heavens is described. The Creator and Sovereign – not just of the earth – but of the heavens has made a commitment and reserved the inheritance of our new birth in the heavens. Why there? Think of Colossians 3:1-4.
- Who are protected by the power of God – as Paul said, if God is for us who can be against us?[7] Paul’s answer: no one and nothing![8] If God protects us by His power, then is there anyone or anything stronger? Of course not.
- Through faith – our salvation is by grace through faith. God has used faith as the way for Jesus’s blood to be applied to our lives. Think of the Passover Lamb[9] – each family was to kill a lamb as a substitute for their first-born. But killing the lamb was not enough. That blood had to be applied exactly as God instructed – it had to be put on the doorpost of the house as a visible show of obedience.[10] Paul calls Jesus our Passover,[11] and John identifies Him as the Lamb who was slain.[12] We apply His blood to our lives exactly as God instructs – through faith in Jesus. We are saved by grace through faith.[13]
- A salvation ready to be revealed in the last time – while we have eternal life now, it will be fully unveiled in the future. How can it be described in this as way – as certain to be unveiled – if it can be lost?
Peter’s description of the new birth and eternal life affirms exactly what Jesus said. So does Paul’s. So does John’s. And so does…Jesus’s. Jesus consistently presents an eternal salvation by God’s grace through belief in Jesus (always, He is the object of that faith). In fact he exclaims that, “Amen, Amen (Truly, Truly) – I say to you the believing one has eternal life.”[14] If a person believes in Jesus at 8am, what do they have at 8am? Eternal life. If that person somehow sins a horrible sin at 9am, what do they have at 9am? Right – eternal life. Because at 8am they are a believing one (present tense participle). A believing one has (present tense) eternal life at that moment. This cannot be undone. A newly born person cannot be unborn.
Further, Paul explains that when we believe in Jesus, we are adopted as sons to God.[15] This is a legal pronouncement that God accomplished on our behalf. Who can undo that legal pronouncement of our vindication, righteousness, and our legal right as sons and daughters of the Almighty God?
But why would He do all that? Paul explains that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all deeply involved in each of us receiving eternal life. But why? In that context Paul explains that each One acts on our behalf for our salvation – the Father choosing, the Son redeeming in His blood, and the Spirit as the guarantee – for one reason and one reason alone: “to the praise of His glory.”[16] God has given us eternal life so that He might express His character, His magnitude, His muchness – His glory. Like an artist who expresses Himself in a painting, our Heavenly Father has done all this to express His very essence. If all of this can be undone by anyone or anything, then His glory isn’t very profound, and His muchness isn’t very much.
Therefore, who will bring a charge against the person to whom God has given eternal life? “God is the one who justifies.”[17] And who will separate us from the love of Christ?[18] The simple answer is: nothing.[19]
God is faithful. He is trustworthy. We can trust Jesus when He tells us that the moment we believed we began possessing eternal life, and we continue possessing it presently, and we look forward to His glorification when we will be glorified with Him and see the inheritance of eternal life completely fulfilled in our experience.
[1] John 3:9.
[2] For an extensive handling of John 3 [and the rest of John’s Gospel], check out these videos: https://vyrsity.com/tv-cbf-john/.
[3] John 3:15.
[4] John 3:16.
[5] 1 Peter 1:3-5.
[6] Ephesians 1:12-13.
[7] Romans 8:31.
[8] Romans 8:35-39.
[9] Exodus 12:6.
[10] Exodus 12:7.
[11] 1 Corinthians 5:7.
[12] Revelation 5:12,13:8.
[13] Ephesians 2:8-9.
[14] John 6:47.
[15] Ephesians 1:5.
[16] Ephesians 1:6,12,14.
[17] Romans 8:33.
[18] Romans 8:35.
[19] Romans 8:39.
