Today, on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. In a world of uncertainty, in a world of insecurity, Those who love Jesus Christ. Have the unchanging and unchangeable hope of the gospel. We can absolutely depend on Christ. Not only for today, Not only for tomorrow, but for all of eternity.
This is the verdict. The Bible teaching ministry of Pastor John Monroe. Our world is full of uncertainties. You might feel happy and secure one moment, but then the unexpected occurs and you're left shaken. Today on the verdict, we're discussing the security of salvation.
How do we know that we're saved? Is it possible to lose your salvation? Let's discover the biblical answers to these tough questions. Here's Pastor John Monroe with today's lesson. As I've mentioned before, One of the most frequent questions I'm asked is, Can I lose my salvation?
The question is a crucial one. As human beings, We are often insecure. insecure in our relationships. Perhaps in our employment. and in a relationship with God.
Is it possible to be saved and then offend God or commit some unpardonable sin that revokes his forgiveness. The only deep and lasting security any of us will ever have is to be secure in Jesus Christ. Can I lose my salvation? as we continue in our study of Colossians. What does the Apostle Paul write on the subject?
Let's look at Colossians chapter 1 verses 22 and 23. Father Thank you. For the Church of Jesus Christ, we're going to read this. part of a letter that was written to local church. uh almost two thousand years ago, this little letter to Clase.
And we thank you that we can benefit from the instruction given to them because your word. is ever eternal. We humble ourselves under the lordship of Christ. We look to the leadership of the Holy Spirit to teach us as we look to your word. In Christ's name, amen.
Let me ask you to open your Bibles now to Colossians. Chapter one. And we're going to be looking particularly at two verses. 22 and 23, but for the sake of connection. Let's read From verse 19.
The theme of Colossians, we've been Learning is the supremacy And the sufficiency of Jesus Christ is all about how. Christ. Paul writes here, Colossians 1:19, for in him that is in Christ. all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell. and through him to reconcile to himself all things.
whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he is now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death. In order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him. If indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, Not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard. Which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became A minister.
I'm sure you agree with me that life is often full of unexpected potholes, uncertainties, twists in the road and roadblocks. One minute our lives may appear to be secure and predictable, but the next minute our lives are in upheaval. The rich can lose their riches. The healthy can lose their head. Health.
The employed can lose in one day, half a day, an hour, half an hour, can lose their jobs. The married can lose their spouse. The athlete can lose his or her place on the team. The student can fail an exam. In life Our happiness and security are transitory at best.
One moment we may be happy, we may be fulfilled, and then the unexpected occurs and we are plunged into despair and uncertainty. insecurity at all levels Whether personal or relational, is one of the deepest emotional problems in our generation. As a pastor, I can say, as I meet with people, insecurity is one of the most common problems. That we as pastors have to deal with. People are insecure.
But it is at this point that the brilliance of the gospel, the Christian gospel, shines. In a world of uncertainty, in a world of insecurity. Those who love Jesus Christ. Have the unchanging and unchangeable hope of the gospel. We can absolutely depend on Christ.
Not only for today, Not only for tomorrow, but for all of eternity. I am Jehovah, Malachi says. regarding the Lord, I am Jehovah, I change not. In the New Testament, we read in Hebrews 13. That Jesus Christ is the same.
Yesterday. Today and for Ever. And as we studied, as we last studied in Colossians 1, 19 through 21, we considered one of the great New Testament concepts, which, if we understand it and allow it to impact our minds and our very souls, will produce in us great security, this wonderful theological concept which is so relevant to our Christian life. this concept. of reconciliation.
We who were once far away from God have now been brought close to Him. In fact, so close that we're in His family. We who are once alienated, hostile, engaged in evil deeds, as we read in verse 21, are now accepted in the Beloved, our Lord Jesus Christ, who has made peace for us through the blood of his cross, Paul says. And what peace? What certainty?
What's security? This gives us. And doesn't this great truth of the rapture that we've been thinking about produce in us security and certainty? That whatever may happen, Whether the Lord returns or whether we die, For us, it is present. forever with the Lord.
We don't know what tomorrow holds. regarding our health, regarding employment, regarding our family. Regarding the economy, Regarding international affairs and all of that, great uncertainty, but this we do know: that we can absolutely depend upon the promises of God, we who belong to Christ, once we were far away. Once we were lost, but now we're found. But is it possible to be reconciled to God.
and later alienated from him. Is it possible truly to be in Christ and then cast away out of Christ? Is it possible to be on that narrow road which leads to life eternal that Jesus spoke on, and yet end on the road which leads to destruction? Is it possible to be once a son of God, a child of God, but then end up disinherited and disowned by God? Is it possible?
to be on the road to heaven And end in hell. Is it possible to be saved by God's grace today and to be lost tomorrow? Can I lose my Salvation.
Now this question surely. is a very profound one and one which impacts us certainly on this whole subject of security. We want to consider this question in the context of the passage that we read, in the context of reconciliation, and in the particular context of Colossians 1. twenty-two and twenty-three, which is our text. As I said, central To Colossians, don't forget Paul's argument overall, central to Colossians is the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ.
In our previous studies in Colossians, we've learned. That Christ is supreme in creation. He is the creator, he is the architect. Everything is made in him and for him and through him. He is not only the agent of creation, but he is the goal of creation.
He is supreme. In creation, but he's also supreme in the new creation in the church. He's the very head of it, he is supreme. In the church, and also. Paul is telling us as he continues in our passage, he is supreme in salvation.
Salvation is not all about you. Salvation. is all about Him, our Saviour.
Now, when we studied verses 19 through 21, although I dare say few of you can remember this, we learned of the reason for reconciliation. The objects of reconciliation and the means of reconciliation. This evening, as we focus on verses 22 and 23, we will learn the goal of reconciliation and the result of reconciliation.
So we must understand these verses in the overall context of the supremacy of Christ and in the particular context of reconciliation. And as we look at these verses, I trust they will strengthen your faith. In our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is the great reconciler. Our subject this evening, then, is. Can I lose my salvation?
We're going to learn from verse 22 that the goal of reconciliation is holiness.
Now, an understanding of this will help us to answer our question: Can I lose my salvation? God's goal in reconciling you is to present you. Holy. Look at verse. Twenty-two.
He has now reconciled In his body of flesh by his death. Here's the goal. In order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach. before him. God has reconciled us.
through the person and the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul contrasts what we once were, verse 21, with what we are now, verse 22. Our salvation I hope we're clear on this, is accomplished Through the person and work of Jesus Christ. We have been reconciled, says Paul, and perhaps this unusual expression. Verse 22, in his body of flesh by his death.
Some of the false teachers at Colossi were probably denying, or at least de-emphasizing, that Jesus Christ had a human body. This pre-gnosticism emphasized that all matter was evil. It's interesting, as I've been talking about the rapture, some of you have been saying, well, why is the resurrection of the body necessary? What's the big deal about our body? Our bodies, can I say, is a big deal.
Can I remind you, your body is given to you by God. It was the Greeks, Plato particularly, that tried to say that the body was evil and the soul spirit was good. No, everything is good. God made us in His own image. Image.
And God one day will resurrect that body, will transform, as Paul says in Philippians 3, our lowly body, our body of humiliation, and conform it to His glorious body. And Paul is insisting here. that Jesus Christ suffered and died in his physical body. That Jesus Christ was fully man and perfect man. Peter says he himself bore our sins in his body on the tree.
Jesus Christ was 100% man. And that Christ died physically on the cross is an essential doctrine in the Christian faith. This took place In order that you And me? that we would be reconciled Yeah.
Now, the purpose of this reconciliation is that we may be presented in holiness. To God. Verse He has reconciled you in his body of flesh by his death in order to present you. holy and blameless and above reproach by him. This word, this term, present, is used both of offering a sacrifice and of bringing someone before a judge.
And I think the legal context may be in due here. The term is used in Acts 27, verse 24, regarding Paul standing or being presented before Caesar. The picture then is of an individual being presented before a court of justice. In that situation, how will this individual get on? Will he or she survive the examination by the judge?
They are going to be presented before God. And Paul is telling us and how wonderful it is. That through the reconciling work of God in Christ, we will. In that future day, be perfectly accepted by God. when we appear before God.
Paul uses these three words. He says, We will be presented, first of all, holy. What is holiness? It is being set apart from sin and set apart from sin. to God.
We have been reconciled for this purpose that we would be presented to God as holy. Secondly, he says, as blameless, I'm reading from the English Standard Version, blameless. We are blameless. This word blameless was used in the Old Testament of the sacrifices, where an animal had no blemishes or flaws. It was also used of Christ, the perfect lamb, says Peter in 1 Peter 1, verse 19, a perfect lamb without blemish.
Our spot. On a future day, We who are reconciled Will be presented to God without spot, without blemish. We will be presented to Him blameless. No blemish on us at all. I remember a few times one Young bride in particular on her wedding day was so absolutely crushed.
because some kind of spot had appeared on her face. She was so concerned about it. Here it was. In the most important day of her life, and of all days, this pimple or something had appeared on her, this spot. And she seemed to forget everything else, all that she was concerned about.
How do I get rid of the spot? I don't give any advice when it comes to cosmetics. Nothing I could do to help her. But her bridesmaids and mother and everything managed to get rid of the tears so the spot could be covered up. Just think.
of that day when we appear before God. Through the grace of God and through the work of Christ on the cross, we will be presented to Him holy. without spot, absolutely Blameless. Paul uses another word. He says, holy and blameless and above reproach before him.
This term above reproach is really a legal term emphasizing that the believer is free of all charges. No just accusation can be brought against the believer. It's used incidentally for the qualification of church leaders in 1 Timothy that they are to be above reproach. There is to be no occasion for criticism. When we stand because of the work of Christ in reconciling us, no one in the whole universe will be able to point the finger at us.
Why? We will be presented in Christ. Above Yeah. When I was a prosecutor in Scotland, considering Charges brought by the police against an individual. Our system in Scotland is a little different from here.
Here, you've got a grand jury to decide probable cause. We don't have that. In Scotland, the prosecutor is called the master of the instance. It is up to us entirely whether we prosecuted the case or whether we didn't. Every morning Police would come and they would tell us all of the unfortunate inhabitants of Edinburgh and its area who were imprisoned.
And we would assess the evidence. And sometimes, to the consternation of the police, we would mark the papers no pro, meaning no proceedings. That meant that the individual had to be released. Didn't mean to say that the individual was always innocent, but it meant that there was not sufficient evidence in law, in our opinion. to prosecute.
The unfortunate individual. No case. was going to be brought against the accused. That meant if the accused was in custody, he or she was immediately released. They were now above reproach, free of all charges.
When we stand before God. How wonderful to know that written over us There will be this tarm. No legal proceedings, no condemnation. Above reproach. What an amazing truth for us to contemplate.
Do you get that in verse 22? How astonishing it is that Paul is writing in these wonderful terms. We who were once unholy and hostile to God were now holy, blameless, and above reproach in our Lord Jesus Christ. That's the gospel. He takes our sin And we receive His righteousness.
Says Paul in Ephesians 1, verse 4, even as he chose us in him. Before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. We are reconciled. Not only a declaration of not guilty, there is many a man, many a woman in a law court who has a verdict of not guilty, but morally they are guilty. Not only does God say of us not guilty.
He pronounces us righteous. Above reproach, holy. And blameless. That's one of the most mind-blowing truths in all of Scripture, isn't it? That God takes people like you and me, the chiefest of sinners.
cleanses us with the blood of his son. clothes us in Christ's righteousness and keeps us from stumbling, so that as Jude says in Jude verse twenty four, that he will present us faultless. before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. Aren't you excited about that future? We don't need to fear.
Appearing before God? That in Christ we are righteous. We're free. We're forgiven. No condemnation.
As Robert Murray McShane writes, When I stand before the throne, Dressed in beauty not my own, When I see thee as thou art, Love thee with unsinning heart, Then, Lord, shall I fully know. Not till then. much. Aye all. See, if we don't understand this truth of reconciliation, we will have this insecurity and we will think that when we fall or when we sin, that somehow our salvation is gone and Paul is saying, absolutely no, you're going to be presented on that future day, holy.
And blameless and without reproach. The goal of reconciliation, then, is holiness.
Now, the result of reconciliation, verse 23, is the perseverance of the believer. If indeed you continue in the faith, verse 23, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. The goal of reconciliation Holiness. The result of reconciliation is the perseverance of the believer. The New Testament presents this wonderful truth that the true believer, I emphasize true, the true believer in Jesus Christ does.
Persevere. The true believer will not lose his or her salvation, but will continue in the faith. But you say, what about the if at the beginning of verse 23? Doesn't this present some doubt? Is this future presentation of holiness only a reality if we continue in the faith?
Is there a possibility that Paul is saying that a true believer will not continue and so be eternally lost? The if here is one of argument, not of doubt. The statement is assumed to be true for the sake of argument. Paul is convinced that the Colossians are continuing. and will continue in the faith, they will persevere.
The true believer In Jesus Christ. will not lose his or her salvation. This is the verdict featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe. There's still more to hear when John returns in just a moment, so stay with us. From matters of truth and identity, to the subjects of love and grace, our world seems more confused than ever.
but to find truth and certainty about who we are and find peace, we must turn our attention away from the world and look to the Word of God. To help you do that, John wrote a booklet titled Eternal Security, Finding Certainty in a Chaotic World. Through this special resource, John shares his personal testimony, along with a careful examination of Scripture, to offer us clarity on matters of eternity. Get your copy today by visiting our website at theverdict.org. While you're there, consider making an investment in this Bible teaching ministry.
Whether it's $5, $50, or more, your gift today helps cover the cost of sharing these gospel messages to listeners around the world. And if you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to the Verdict Podcast, featuring John's weekly podcast exclusive called Avizandam. It's available wherever you get your podcasts, or simply go to our website. Again, that's theverdict.org. The verdict is a ministry of Calvary Church in South Charlotte.
We're located on the corner of Highway 51 and Ray Road. If you've been looking for a church home or a community to help you grow in your walk with Christ, We invite you to join us for our Sunday services. For more details about Calvary and our service times, visit theverdict.org.
Now, here's Pastor John Monroe.
Well, what's your verdict? Are you secure in your relationship with Jesus Christ? If your salvation is based on what you do or on your feelings, you will never have security. But when we understand that our salvation is based on what Christ has done for us, We begin to understand our security is in Christ Jesus. All of the benefits of salvation are freely given to us by God when we receive Christ as our Savior.
That security. Don't forget to join me next time as we think further on this important subject. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict. I'm Michelle Davies. Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
