Welcome to the InTouch podcast with Charles Stanley for Friday, June 26th. Salvation is God's free gift. Or is it? Today, we clarify that eternal life is truly available to all who believe. No catches, no exceptions.
Now, what I'd like to do to begin with is to distinguish between the very idea of eternal security and assurance, because what I want to talk about primarily is the fact that you and I can have assurance. that we have the gift of eternal life. Because many people have the gift of eternal life, but are not assured of it. And they'll go through all of their life.
Sort of partially tormented oftentimes with the idea: well, suppose I really don't have it. Suppose I have made this decision, but I really and truly do not have eternal life.
So let's talk about what eternal security is for a moment. Eternal security is that work of God. by which he guarantees The gift of eternal life, once received, is forever. and can never be lost. It is God's guarantee.
That the gift of eternal life, once received, is forever and cannot be lost. That's what eternal security is.
Now, assurance. is a confident realization that you possess Eternal life. It is an intellectual and a spiritual Recognition. and confidence that you possess this life that lasts forever.
So with that in mind, Let's talk about why people doubt. the idea that they really and truly have eternal life when If you ask them now, what did you do to receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? Here's what they'll tell you. Oftentimes, they will give you the very exact truth that you and I know. They have acknowledged that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
They've acknowledged their sinfulness and that their sin has separated them from God. They've acknowledged that if they confess their sins, that Jesus will forgive them. They acknowledge that His death at the cross paid their sin debt in full. They acknowledge the fact that if they ask Jesus Christ to save them, He will do it. Go through all of that.
Are you sure of your salvation?
Well, you know what? I just, you know, they hesitate and him all around.
Well, I'm just not absolutely sure.
So there's some very specific reasons.
Now, listen carefully. More than likely, If you doubt, that you have the gift of eternal life. You doubt that you've been saved, you doubt that you're eternally secured by God, more than likely you're going to find a reason in one of these that I'm going to mention.
So let's begin with the first one, and that's this. One of the reasons that people doubt They're assurant, they have no assurance, they doubt. Their eternal security, they doubt their eternal life, is because they don't have it. That's the reason they doubt it. because they've never been saved.
They had some good feelings. They made some decisions. They decided to change the way they were going to live. They walked down a church aisle and said, I want to be baptized. I want to join this church.
I want to be better. I want to do good. I wanted this and I wanted that and I wanted the other. And you know what? Never trusted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.
Never looked to the cross for the forgiveness of their sins. And so, one of the primary reasons people have no assurance of salvation is because they've never trusted Jesus Christ personally, deliberately, willfully, at a moment in time with their soul, with their spirit, with their whole eternal destiny. That's the primary reason.
Well, another one of those reasons that people doubt their salvation, doubt what God has done in their life. And I think probably a reason that Most people will usually denied sometimes. It's simply this, it's just a satanic attack.
Now let me ask you a question. If God says When you place your trust in Him, you're saved through your faith in Christ. Satan comes along and says, no, you're not. God says, yes, you are. When you start doubting your salvation, Whom did you choose to believe?
Satan, what does the Bible say about Satan? He's the father of lies. He's the accuser of the brethren.
Now I either am going to believe what God says or I'm going to believe what the devil says. You see, it is cut and dried. It is black and white. It is very clear. It's not a matter of being dogmatic, it's a matter of facing the truth.
And if I face the truth, I've got to believe what God says, and I've got to believe what the devil says.
So it may be that Satan's just harassing you. And remember what he said to Eve? He said, now, wait a minute. Did God really, is that really what he said?
Well, one of the primary reasons people doubt their eternal life is because they can't pinpoint the exact time.
Now, there are people who say, Well, I know I got saved back down to somewhere, but you know what? I'm not sure exactly when it happened.
So I don't know whether I'm saved or not.
Well, let's talk about it. What did you do?
Well, you know, I can't exactly remember that.
Well, tell me about your attitude now. I mean, you know, wanting to live godly before Him, trusting Jesus Christ. I mean, did listen to their testimony to be as good as any of ours? But they can't tell you the exact time. And so what happens?
They begin to doubt. That they were saved.
Now, listen, the Bible doesn't say, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and don't ever forget when it happened, and thou shalt be saved. doesn't say that. Because I can name a few very, very, very prominent Christians in this country that none of us have doubt their salvation who tell you, I can't remember when.
Now, somebody says, Well, here's the prayer you pray, and you say, Well, Lord, I do want to ask you to forgive me of my sins, and I'm trusting You as my personal Savior. In a split second, somewhere in that. You become a child of God.
Well, you know, I can remember the event, but I can't remember the day. I think it was in the summer. I know how old I was. But if somebody says, Now tell me exact when, I couldn't tell them that, but I can tell you for sure I know I'm saved. And there are multitudes of people out there who can't tell you the exact time.
So when somebody says, well, you know, I'm not sure I can because I just can't remember.
Now, you will also hear people say, If you can't remember the event and you can't remember the time, more than likely you've never been saved, get down here on your knees.
Well, you know what? You can't justify that. You can't prove that. There's nothing in the Bible says that's true. Here's one of the most prominent reasons right here.
Listen to this. Person says Sometimes I'll read the scripture to them and say now. Have you, is that what you've done? You mean to tell me that you read the scripture, you asked Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sins, you told him personally, deliberately and willfully in that moment in time, you would trust in him as your person says. Yes, I did.
And you're not sure? No, I'm not sure. After I read that to a person, then I give it and let them read it. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, believe in your heart God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Is that true?
Yes. Have you done that? Yes. Are you sure? Not sure.
Well, after I give it to him about three times, and I have had some people read it ten times.
Now, read that to me again. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. You believe? Yes, I do. You understand what it believes means to believe?
Yes, I do. You're not saying, well, I'm not sure. Then I know what's wrong. Then I know there's something going on in their life. which they either have not dealt with refuse to deal with.
Which undercuts their assurance, which we said a few moments ago at the very beginning about sin. And so it comes up and finally, well, I never have been baptized. That's it.
Well, what's that got to do with my assurance? He's got everything to do. And here's the reason. He says, as you go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the name of the Son of God. Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all these things that I've commanded you, and Lord, I'll be with you all the way.
My friend, let me tell you something. You can reason all you want to. But if you refuse to be baptized, once you're saved, you are deliberately, willfully living in disobedience to the will of God. You are not in the will of God. You're not living in the will of God for the simple reason yet you have refused to do what God said do.
Well, I'm already saved. I don't need to be baptized. You may already be saved, but you know what? You need to check attitude. Because if you refuse to do what God says do, well, I don't, you know, that water bothers me.
Well, you know what? You'll get over it. It's real, it doesn't take very long. You know, dip you down, bring you right back up. That's not the excuse.
There's something wrong. If you're unwilling to be baptized, either you're unsaved Are you living in rebellion? If baptism was good enough for Jesus, And the command of Jesus: give me one biblical reason for not being baptized. And if your feeling is argumentative, And if your attitude is rebellion, then you need to ask yourself the question. Have I ever been saved?
Why would I resist something so simple but so profound and so meaningful in the eyes of Almighty God? Why would I resist that? If something in my life was not absolutely Totally. out of order with the plan of God. Another reason that people doubt their eternal gift of salvation is this.
They say, you know what, I think maybe I may have committed unpardonable sin. I just have a feeling I have.
Well, what did you do to commit that?
Well, you know, I'm not sure, but way back yon in my life, I feel like I have sinned so much in my life that I must have committed unpardonable sin.
Well, what do you think that is?
Well, they give you all kind of reasons. Of what they think. Let me tell you something. You're listening carefully. You cannot commit the unpardonable sin in this day and time.
Listen to what the Bible says. If we confess our sins, all accept the unpardonable. No, that's not what he says. If we confess our sins, listen, God is faithful and He is right. In forgiving, cleansing, as the Bible says, forgiving us as sins.
Why? Because that's what Jesus went to the cross for.
Now listen, if you die without Christ There is no forgiveness on the other side. But as long as you have breath in this body of yours, And you can ask God to forgive you of your sins. You can be forgiven no matter what. The Word of God says. If you confess your sins, he's faithful and just to forgive you.
The word of God says, He that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast him out.
So, when you say, Well, I'm just afraid I've committed unpardonable sin, no, you haven't. You die without Christ, there's no pardon on the other side. And so when I think about all these reasons that people Give for doubting our Lord, doubting his security.
Somewhere along the way, more than likely you've heard yours now. Here's what I want to think about. Is that all right? I've heard all that, but now what's the real basis now of my assurance? There are four bases.
for our absolute unwavering assurance. that we are eternally secure in Him. That we have the gift of eternal life once we trust Christ as our Savior. And the first, listen, the first. Basis of it is this.
The powerful Unchanging promises of Almighty God. I want you to turn, if you will, let's start with John 3:16. We'll take you through a few verses here. Uh The powerful, awesome. Unchangeable promises of God, and here's one of them.
Number one, John 3.16. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Promise number one. Chapter Number Five. And listen to this verse.
Verse 24. Truly, truly I say to you, he who hears my word, this is the Son of God. He who hears my word and believes him. God who sent me has presently eternal life. Does not come into condemnation or judgment, but has already passed.
out of eternal death into eternal life. I listen back. He says If we believe. If we hear it and we believe it. We have already passed out of eternal death into eternal life.
Look here in verse chapter 10. And this is the last one, chapter 10. Look at this. Verse twenty-seven. These are all the promises of God, all in just one book of the Bible.
Verse 27, my sheep hear my voice. I know them and they follow me. I give unto them, listen to this, I give unto them eternal life. They shall never perish. No one shall snatch them out of my hand.
Period. My Father who gave them to me is greater than all. No one's able to snatch them out of my Father's hand. I'm the Father One. And look at that verse.
Look if you wanna verse 28. I give unto them eternal life. They shall never perish. No one shall snatch them out of my hand. Who can take you out of God's hand?
Nobody.
Somebody says, Well, I can just get out on my own. No, you can't. No, you can't. You say, well, he said somebody else snatch you out.
Well, listen, nobody can take you out of God's hand. He says No one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand and I and the Father one. You know what he says? You can't lose it.
So rest in it.
So basis number one. The awesome, irrevocable, unchangeable promises of God. That is the first basis of it. The second basis is this: the unconditional love of God for us. Look, if you will, in the eighth chapter.
of Romans and uh listen to this awesome passage that we know. He says in verse Yeah. Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies. He says, for example, who can charge any one of us with anything that would cause God to cast us out?
No one. Then he says, who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather, who was raised and who's at the right hand of God to make intercession for us. Then he asked this question. Who?
shall separate us from the love of Christ. Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril of sword? You may go through all those things, have all kinds of doubts and tribulations and trials. Will that separate you from God? Just as it is written: For thy sake we are all being put to death all day long.
We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered, but in all these things, all this turmoil, tribulation, heartache, we overwhelmingly conquer. Through Christ who loved us. For I am convinced, persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, things to come, nor powers, nor heights, nor depths, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus the Lord. You know what? He said, What can separate us?
Who can separate us? Who can charge anything up to God's elect? Nobody.
What can separate us from the love of God? Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Then, listen, if nothing can separate you from the love of God, nobody can charge you legitimately in the eyes of God, then tell me what in the world could cause you to be unsure of a salvation purchased by God through His Son Jesus Christ, given to you as a gift, and absolutely promised that it lasts forever. Give me a legitimate biblical reason for doubting your security. Right.
There is no legitimate reason. Basis number three is the finished work of Jesus on the cross. Read you just a couple of verses. Look, if you will, in the Hebrews. Finished work of Jesus on the cross.
This is the ultimate basis of it. Look at this. Here's what he says. Let's look first of all in the 11th verse. Jesus is called the high priest, the one who goes in before the Father to make atonement for us.
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, he entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, not through the blood of goats and calves and all of that. But he entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
Now, not only has he obtained it, but listen to what he says. Verse 25 of chapter 7. Hence, also, he is able to save for how long? What's that next word? He's able to say for how long?
Forever. Those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for us. The finished work of Jesus on the cross. That's what gives me absolute assurance. And then, one last thing, one last basis, turn to Romans chapter 8 again, and that is the witness of the Holy Spirit.
To our heart. Listen to what he says in verse 16, chapter 8. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our Spirit that we're the children of God.
Now, listen. How many times have you asked somebody when they got saved and said, Well, how do you feel? I feel fantastic. Or somebody will say Well I don't have a lot of feelings, but I just know I am. Oh, how do they know they are?
Witness of the Holy Spirit. You're sitting here listening, and I will say something, and you just feel something in your heart. That's the Spirit of God witnessing to your spirit, you're hearing the truth.
So I have four awesome bases for believing. that my salvation is secure forever. That I have the gift of eternal life. Number one, the awesome, irrevocable. Faithful promises of God.
The unconditional love of God. The finished work of God through His Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross. And then the witness of the Holy Spirit within me that I'm a child of the living God.
Now, here's the big question. All right. How do I make sure? I believe all this. How do I make sure?
You acknowledge That you do believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, as the Bible says He is, and that He went to the cross for your sins. You acknowledge that you have sinned against Him and that your sins have separated you from God. You confess your sinfulness to Him, asking Him to forgive you of your sin. You accept his forgiveness. On the basis that he promised to forgive you, and that's all you need.
And then you simply say to him, Lord Jesus, I do receive you as my personal Savior and the Lord of my life. And you know what? somewhere in the moments of prayer. in a split second somewhere. You're saying.
Thank you for listening to part two of Eternal Life. You can be sure. For more inspirational messages like this one, visit our online 24-7 station. And if you'd like to know more about Charles Stanley or In Touch Ministries, stop by intouch.org. This podcast is a presentation of In Touch Ministries, Atlanta, Georgia.
