Eternal Security: a Scriptural Defense | Part 2

We must endure in times of trials so that our faith will not fail.

Here's Adrian Rogers. Jesus answered them, Have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. For he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve. Jesus chose Judas with his eyes wide open. Jesus knew that Judas never believed in him. Nothing got out of hand. The point is, Peter endured Judas didn't.

Why? Why did Peter endure to the end? And why did Judas not endure? spiritual health and productivity depend on it. And because we live by the promises of God and scripture, we can build a scriptural defense for our eternal security. You'll definitely want to have your Bible for this lesson. If you have one handy, go ahead and turn to John Chapter 10 will begin in verse 27 as Adrian Rogers concludes a powerful message.

Eternal security, a scriptural defense. Turn with me to Matthew Chapter 24 here. Here's another scripture that people will frequently use to try to prove that once we are saved, that we can lose our salvation. Matthew Chapter 24 and verse 11. And many false prophets shall rise and deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

And someone will put that verse under your nose and say, Don't you see it? That in order for you to be saved, you have to endure to the end. But God teaches here that in order for you to endure to the end, you have to be saved.

That's all he's saying. You want to know who's saved? Those who endure are the ones who are saved. They're not saved because they endure. They endure because they are saved.

You see, endurance is the mark of reality in the life of a human soul. Now, you can see that soul wonderfully if you'll turn to Luke Chapter 22. Luke 22 and verse 31. And the Lord said to Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat. But notice verse 32.

But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not. But there's another person in this same chapter, and that other person is Judas. Notice in chapter 22 verse 47.

And while he yet spake, behold a multitude. And he that was called Judas, one of the twelve went before them and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the son of man with a kiss? And here's Judas in this same chapter, Peter and Judas. Before Judas betrayed Christ, if you'd put Simon Peter up there and put Judas up there, which one would you say is saved? I dare say almost every one of us would say it was Judas. And not Peter.

Almost every one of us. We'd just look at him and say, well, bound to be Judas. Certainly not Peter. I mean, Peter was a mess. But the only time Peter ever opened his mouth was just to change feet. He's always putting his foot in his mouth. He's always impetuous. He's always blustery.

He's always this and that. We would have said, Peter, he's not saved. Probably not, that big old fisherman. But now Judas, we'd say he's saved.

Why do you think we would say that Judas was saved? Who do you make the treasurer? The person you trust the most.

Isn't that right? The person you trust the most. Judas was the one who had the bag, the money bag. They trusted him. When Jesus said, one of you is going to betray me, none of them said, well, it must be Judas. None of them suspected Judas. Well, did Judas endure? Of course he didn't endure.

He fell away. He cursed, I mean, he betrayed the Lord Jesus, committed suicide, died in hell, and went to hell. But now look, if you will, in John chapter 6 and verse 64. Jesus said, but there are some of you that believe not. He's talking to those who are standing around him.

But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and who should betray him. Do you think it took Jesus by surprise?

Do you think he said, what a revolting development this is. Oh, no. How could I have chosen Judas?

Wow. Look, here's the man that I was trusting and now he's betrayed me. Oh, no, friend. Jesus chose Judas with his eyes wide open. Jesus knew that Judas never believed in him.

Look in the same 6th chapter to verses 70 and 71. Jesus answered them, have I not chosen you 12 and one of you is a devil? Jesus said, he spake of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. For he it was that should betray him being one of the 12.

Nothing got out of hand. Jesus said in another place, I've chosen Judas that the scripture might be fulfilled. What's the point? The point is Peter endured, Judas didn't.

Why? Why did Peter endure to the end? And why did Judas not endure?

Very simple. Peter had faith. Peter, I prayed for you that your faith fail not. Judas didn't have any. Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not. Judas never believed.

Simon Peter did. And he that endures to the end, those are they that are saved. And so those who go away don't lose their salvation. Those who don't endure don't lose their salvation because they fail to endure.

They never had salvation. Well, let's turn to John 11. John 15 while we're in the book of John. And look at another passage here that some people would use to try to say that once you're saved that you can lose your salvation. John chapter 15. And I'm going to read beginning in verse 5. Jesus said, I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing. You say, well, I think I can do a little bit. May I say that's yours?

That's your opinion. Jesus said, you can't do anything without me. You know what that is?

That's a zero with the edges trimmed off. Nothing without me. And then Jesus said, if a man abideth not in me, he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gathered them, not him, them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If a man abideth in me, the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abideth not in me, if ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be my disciples. And so somebody says, well, here's a picture of somebody who was in Christ. They're cut away from Christ.

They're thrown into the fire and they are burned. May I tell you that the Lord Jesus here is not talking about salvation at all. He's talking about fruit bearing. Our Lord is using an illustration.

He's using a metaphor that says we are to abide in the Lord Jesus if we bear much fruit. Now, in a grapevine, the husbandman, the vine dresser, trims the grapevine. He takes the suckers, the limbs, the branches that don't bear fruit. He takes his pruning knife.

He cuts them away. Well, what do you do with a branch that's been cut off from a vine? Well, it's the wood is not good. You can't carve it. You can't warm a house with it.

You throw it in the brush pile and you burn it. What our Lord is saying is this. If you don't abide in me, you're good for nothing.

You're just good for nothing. You're a good-for-nothing Christian. He's not talking about heaven. He's not talking about hell. He's not talking about salvation.

He's talking here about fruit bearing. It's the same thing that the apostle Paul said. I don't want to become a castaway.

I don't want to become a useless, good-for-nothing person. Never, ever try to get theology from a metaphor. You get your theology from the epistles, not from some illustration, some parable, or some metaphor. There's a truth that's taught there, and the truth that's taught there is a very wonderful truth, that if we're going to bear fruit, we need to abide in the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, let's look in Hebrews chapter 6.

I saved this one for the last because this is the one I think that so many people really want to go to, to try to prove somehow that we can lose our salvation. Hebrews chapter 6. I'm going to read beginning in verse 4. The writer of Hebrews is talking about an impossibility.

He says, Then he gives an illustration. All right, go back to verse 4. Something is impossible. If they fall away, the Bible says, it is impossible to renew them to repentance. May I say this, that if you use Hebrews 6, beginning in verse 4 and following, if you use that to prove that a person can lose his or her salvation, for you it proves too much. Because what does it prove? It proves that if you were ever once saved and lost it, if that's the way you're using this verse, it also proves that you can never be saved again.

Isn't that right? If they fall away, it is impossible to renew them to repentance. So, if you don't believe in once saved, always saved, you have to believe in twice lost, always lost. You understand what I'm saying? And once they do lose that salvation, they can never ever be saved again, for it is impossible to renew them to repentance.

So, what's he talking about? He's not talking about people who have been saved. You say, Pastor, how do you know he's not talking about people who have been saved? Well, look in verse 9. But, beloved, we're persuaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation.

Do you see it? He's not talking about saved people here. He's talking about people who come to the very threshold of salvation and turn away. It's impossible for these people who have done business with God, these people who know the truth, and they turn from the truth with their eyes wide open. It's impossible to bring them to repentance. They have committed the unpardonable sin.

Look at them. How many people have said in a service like this and been enlightened? They have tasted of the heavenly gift. We have preached and we have sung and they have heard about Jesus. They've made partakers of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Spirit of God has gripped their hearts. They've tasted the good word of God. They've heard the word expounded and the powers of the world to come.

They've tasted all of that. But then they turn away if they shall fall away. Not a person who sins in ignorance. Not a person who sins without understanding.

But a person with his or her eyes wide open says, no, I don't want Jesus. Now, the writer of Hebrews gives an illustration. You know, I love the illustrations in the Bible that make it clear. Look, if you will, in verse 7. The herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God. But that which bear thorns and briars is rejected and is not into cursing, whose end is to be burned. All right, now here's a plot of ground.

Look up here if you can. This side of the rug we're going to say is ground that has one kind of seed. Over here, away from the rug, we'll just say is another piece of ground and it has another kind of seed. Here's ground and here's ground.

And let's say there's a fence that goes between these two plots. All right, both of these get rain. God makes it to rain upon the just and the unjust. The rain falls here and the rain falls there. Both of them get sunshine. The sun shines here and the sun shines there. Both of them have the breezes that blow. The wind blows here and the wind blows there. Over here on this side, there comes wonderful fruit. Over here on this side, there are thorns and briars. Same sun, same ground, same rain, same atmosphere, but there is a difference in what's on this side and what's on this side.

What is the difference? The seed. The seed. Over here, thorns and briars.

Over here is wheat or good fruit or whatever. Now that's what he's talking about. There are individuals who can sit in an auditorium like this and hear the same sermon. They can hear. They can taste the good Word of God.

The Holy Spirit of God works on both sides and some hear and say yes to Jesus and some hear and say no to Jesus. Some bring forth fruit and herbs, vegetables. Others bring forth thorns and briars. And it all depends not on the seed.

It depends on the sun, not on the rain, not on the breezes, not even on the ground, but it depends upon the seed that's in the heart. Now, let's give the illustration. What he's talking about, this book is called what? The book of Hebrews. Hebrews is written to Jews. And it's talking about Jews who were coming out of the old way and now they're coming to the new way. They're coming out of the old dispensation, the Old Testament laws.

They're coming to the new way. Many of these Jews and many of these early disciples who came to the new way, they had to turn their back on the old way. And when they turned their back on the old way, they were persecuted and many of them were put to death.

And very frankly, like the man at the checkout counter, they didn't want to pay the price. And so they turned their back on the Lord Jesus Christ. They have tasted. They have ingested.

They know. They've gone along with the Holy Ghost. They were in the synagogue and they heard the Scriptures read. They've heard the apostles testify. They've seen the changed lives.

They've seen it all. But the book of Hebrews is written to those who had a tendency to want to turn and go back into Judaism, back into the old way. And so here are two Jews. One who is a true believer.

That's this side of the fence. One who is not a true believer. He's never truly been saved.

He's had all of the influences, but he has never been saved. And someone comes along in authority and says, I see you two are followers of this Jesus of Nazareth. Is that true? This man says, yes, it is true. And this man says, yes, it is true. We're followers of Jesus. Well, he says, I just want you to know that if you persist in following this Jesus, you're going to be put to death. Do you understand that? This man over here who is a true believer says, well, if I die, I'll just have to die.

You read Hebrews chapter 11, and many of them did die, the last part of Hebrews chapter 11. If I have to die, I'll die. But I cannot deny the Lord Jesus Christ.

This man over here says, hey, it's just religion. I mean, after all, there's nothing that keeps me from going back to the old way. The old way was pretty good.

I will go back to the old way, but don't kill me. And they say, well, how do we know you really mean it? We have a way to find out. They would take this man out to an unclean place, and there they would sacrifice a sow, a pig, and the blood of that pig would be on the ground. And they would say, spit on that blood and say, I equate that with the blood of Jesus, the Nazarene.

Spit on it. And they would go back to their feet and say, that's what I think of the blood of Jesus. And you can come back to the old way. And he says, that's what I think of the blood of Jesus. And he goes back to the old way. But he knows what he's doing.

He's just trying to save his skin. He has tasted. His eyes have been opened. He's been enlightened.

He's rolled it around on his tongue. But he will not pay the price. Do you know what he did when he did that, friend? He committed the unpardonable sin.

He's damned it on his way to hell. And it is impossible to renew him to repentance. Look at the Word of God, verse 6, And they were sanctified, an unholy thing, and they have done despite unto the Spirit of grace. Now, he's not talking about a person who was saved who does that. A saved person couldn't do that. I couldn't do that.

You couldn't do that. A saved person couldn't do that. He's talking about an unsaved person, a person who's never been born again.

You say, Pastor, how do you know? Verse 9 he says, But, beloved, we're persuaded better things of you, things that accompany salvation. Hebrews chapter 6 is not talking in my estimation about a saved person who was lost because he says it is impossible to renew such a person to repentance. Now, these are certainly not all of the verses.

They're just some of the verses. Well, you say, Pastor Rogers, if that is true, then what about sin in the life of a child of God? God may carry him to the woodshed but not to prove that he's lost but to prove that he's saved. And if you were to take this same book of Hebrews and read chapter 12, you'd find out that it says, Whom the father loves he chastens and scourges every son whom he receives.

My dad used to give me whippings, not because he didn't love me but because he did love me. Not because I was not his child but because I was his child. And if you receive chastisement whereof all are partakers, all true sons are partakers, then are you sons and not illegitimate. What does all of this mean to you? Well, if you're a child of God, if you know you're saved, rejoice, rest in his love, and out of gratitude serve him and serve him and serve him because of such a wonderful salvation. I cannot work my soul to save that work my Lord has done, but I will work like any slave for the love of God's dear son. And if you are saved, just sing it over and over again.

Amazing grace. How sweet the sound to save a wretch like me. There you'll find answers you may need about your faith. There is a response section where you can share how this message or others have impacted you. Simply go to lwf.org slash radio and click the tab that says, Discover Jesus.

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Eternal security is like a strong rubber band that God puts around you when you get saved. You may stray away, but he just keeps drawing you back. And we hope you'll join us next time for more real truth that never changes, right here on Love Worth Finding. Well, we love to hear that you share these messages of Adrian Rogers with others. Here's someone who wrote us recently who said, As an Uber driver, my car becomes a pulpit for the blessed and challenging messages from Pastor Rogers. His voice continues to enrich this country that needs sound biblical teaching. Well, at Love Worth Finding, we are passionate about equipping believers with messages and resources to help share the gospel with this gloriously dark world. That's why when you donate to the ministry this month, we want to send you our Factors of Faithfulness Discipleship Tool. This seven-week study guides you through the essentials of disciple-making as you grow and lead others to grow in the truth worth sharing. Call with a gift today. We'd love to send it to you. 1-877-LOVEGOD. Ask for the Factors of Faithfulness Discipleship Tool. Or give online at lwf.org slash radio.