Pastor’s Corner
Straight talk from our Pastor
Pastor Smart is the foundeing author of The Everlasting Messenger and The Family Under God blogs.
The Everlasting Messenger
This site is dedicated to the presentation, propagation, and practice of sound Bible Doctrine. I stand unashamedly on the verbal inspiration and preservation of the Word of God revealed in the King James Version of the Bible. The King James Bible is the foundation for all truth and must be read, studied, taught, and practiced that the blessed Christian faith might flourish in the land.
The Family Under God
I am thrilled that you chose to visit The Family Under God, a blogging site designed to provide Christian families with articles, Bible lessons, and insights into current world events while shedding light from the word of God on issues about which we should be informed and be ready to express an opinion. On this site you will find information about how to establish and maintain a functional Christian home, keep your marriage strong, and raise your children to know and serve the Living God of the Bible. Please take my brief survey and also feel free to leave any comments you like at the bottom of each blog.
The Nature of Eternal Salvation
Dr. G. Antonio Smart – D.Min
John 3:3 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
The concept of the new birth in Christ must be understood in light of the physical world with which Nicodemus was familiar.
John 3:10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
As a child may only be born once into a human family, likewise a spiritual child may only be born ONE time into God’s family.
John 3:6-7 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
The new birth is brought about by the incorruptible seed which is the word of God (1 Peter 1:23), and the work of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5).
There is no partial work of salvation; Romans 8:9 and 1John5:12.
The literal meaning of the word SAVED comes from the Greek sodezowhich means to protect, deliver, or preserve. A saved person isPRESERVED in Christ as stated in Jude 1:1. Salvation in Christ is a free gift (Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9) that cannot be reversed.
John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
The expression “I will in no wise cast out” is a double negative that indicates that the Lord will never at no time, no place deny the believer his place of security in Him.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
In this text Jesus links salvation with a transition from one state to another , “from death” which is separation from God “unto life” which is union with God; there is no reversal for the process; “shall not come into condemnation.”
The Sealing of the Spirit
Ephesians 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,
A seal, which being put on anything, distinguishes between those things which are authentic, and those things which are not. (Geneva commentary)
In the culture of the ancient world, the recipients of the epistle would clearly understand the importance of a seal. It attested to the authenticity of a document. The authentic Christian is permanently sealed, the fake Christian is not, and God knows the difference. Since we are bought by blood (1 Peter 1:18-19) God owns all genuine believers in Jesus Christ and has no intention of giving us back to the Devil, neither does the Devil have authority over the soul of the blood bought believer.
The Ministry of the Great High Priest
Another compelling evidence for the doctrine of eternal salvation is found in the ministry of the Great High Priest eloquently documented for us in the book of Hebrews.
Hebrews 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
Notice that ‘eternal salvation’ is mentioned in the Bible text.
Hebrews 7:25-26 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. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
The expression ‘to save them to the uttermost’ refers to the ability of the High Priest in Heaven to fully deliver all sinners from the penalty of their sin; coming form the Greek panteles it denotes something that is complete and fully done.
Hebrews 9:11-12 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
The blood of Christ which has been offered before the throne of the Father IS the full payment for sin. There is no other way to satisfy God’s wrath against sin, therefore, this offering made by the Great High Priest Jesus Christ is FINAL and IRREVERSIBLE. Once the sinner asks God to save him he is cleansed of his sin as the blood of Christ is applied to his account.
Hebrews 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
Our High Priest is in Heaven, has access to the Most Holy Place and is alive to daily intercede for us when we sin. In order for a saved person to be lost the High Priest would have to be either killed or resign. Neither one of these options are possible; He has already conquered death and He is God who will not deny Himself.;
Hebrews 10:11-12 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Jesus’ work is complete, finished (John 19:30) thus there is no additional work that anyone can do improve the method of salvation. Salvation is a: 1. Free gift. 2. Full pardon. 3. Finished work.
1 Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Since we didn’t earn salvation there is nothing we can do to keep it. We are kept by God, preserved in Christ until the day of redemption when the body will be changed to an incorruptible body (1 Corinthians 15:52-54) until then we are to make our salvation and our Savior known to the world.
Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. The passage is teaching that the work that Christ has begun on the inside should be manifested on the outside with reverence and awe towards God in deepest humility and faith. It implies spiritual growth in the areas of knowledge, practical wisdom, and the ability to take on greater responsibility to the glory of God.