Eternal Security

When one man lays down his life and follows Jesus Christ, he enters into a covenant relationship that cannot be broken. He, through the grace of God, rids himself of the old sinful ways of life and pursues a lifestyle that contributes to the Heavenly kingdom. This man was once a stray dog, roaming free and chasing after all that attracted him. He now has an owner – someone who gives him his true identity and provides direction forever. This is the idea of eternal security. John 3:16, a well known verse indeed, says:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (ESV)

Notice “eternal life.” If eternal security were not true, then the very verse that many have ingrained into their heads would be a huge mistake in a book we know to be flawless. Once we follow Jesus, he seals us and never lets us go. John 10:28-29 lets us know this:

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. (ESV)

Okay I get it – So What?
The most important thing to understand about eternal security is that like our salvation itself, it is not earned but rather given by God through grace. Had God never granted believers eternal security, each believer would surely lose his/her salvation. In fact, John MacArthur said:

If you could lose your salvation, you would.

After all believers never deserved salvation in the first place. It is also important to note that if eternal security did not exist, believers would wake up each morning focused solely on maintaining their salvation rather than loving and lifting up their peers. A lack of belief in the gift of eternal security can easily lead to a selfish lifestyle. The Lord does everything for a reason, and I personally believe he gave us the wonderful gift of eternal security so that we can live a life full of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ rather than focus only on staying right with God.