ETERNAL SALVATION-SETERIOLOGY
Exegetical Institute
Course Study By: Dr. Grady
INTRODUCTION
I will begin this study by using an actual experience as a hospital chaplain to begin this writing. Many times I was called to the emergency room floor to find a young teenager “DOA”. So many times I have heard parents and grand parents of those young people make the statement, “oh my God my child is in hell.” As I began to question the parents I found that not only they believed in loss of salvation, they had molded and forced into the mind of their children, the same belief.

An example:
The teen would begin to party and drink. Although this is wrong, and under no circumstance does God approve of this conduct, the adults would say, “Keep that up and you are going straight to hell”. Next thing my investigation usually indicated was the same teen began having sexual activity, and had received the same kind of statements, “keep that up and you are going straight to hell”. Then usually the last step was encountering drugs of some kind, by now the teen has become pregnant, experienced drinking, experienced drugs, and they receive the same statements with a little more force and damnation, “You see, you have lost your salvation, you are a sinner, you are doomed to hell.” Now the teen sees no hope for he or she can not be the perfect person, the person required to hold on to eternal salvation, they see little hope, become more and more careless, a wreck occurs, and yes now lying in the emergency room is the body of a lifeless teen . As the chaplain, I then hear from the adults “Oh my God, my child has gone to hell; he or she was living in sin when they died. ”

I pray you will read every word in this writing, not all perfected by me, but through other writers as well. I pray you will open your mind, heart and soul because what you have been taught and what you are teaching may not be following the same Jesus of the Bible. Satan has many ways of deception. I ask you one question, if you are not following the Christ of the Bible, then, who are you following? Jesus shed His blood for you and me. He did not shed His blood for Satan to use and deceive His children.

SATAN AND SIN
To say one can lose their salvation is to say that Satan can actually go into the nail scared hand of Jesus and pluck you out. This is impossible, if Satan were to touch the blood of Jesus he would become saved, for Satan tried to be god, but did not succeed, neither can he succeed at plucking you from the hand of Jesus.
Acts 4.12 declares “nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved”. When one tries to provide salvation for himself, he will be hopelessly lost.

Some people have tried to become elevated to the status of “gods.” In the futile attempt to fill a void in his life, man has looked to everything to provide salvation. While some have found eternal salvation, most live in a self-centered, self-contained world with a false sense of security. If man could have saved himself Jesus would not have had to die at Calvary’s cross.

Biblical scripture declares that God is love (1 John 4.16). Many people today see the God of the Old Testament as different from the God of the New Testament. In the Old Testament, God was portrayed as vengeful. He destroyed nations because they were sinful.

In today’s society few sermons show this wrathful side of God. The liberal thinking of today, does not allow for God being a God of wrath. God gave His only Son as the way of salvation. They think if God would do this for sinful man, surely He would not allow anyone to spend eternity in hell. This writer disagrees with this theory completely. There is a heaven and a hell, a literal fire burning hell. How dare they believe they will not suffer in hell. For us our Lord, Jesus Christ, suffered on the cross, went to hell, beat death and arose.

Bible Scripture is clear in its teaching of God’s love. However, Scripture is also clear in declaring that those who do not experience the new birth will spend eternity in a sinner’s hell. It is God’s desire that no one should perish, but He will save only those who, through faith, profess Christ as their Savior.

Found in Luke 12.16-21 one finds the story of a farmer who experienced an abundant crop. The farmer declared that he would tear down his old barns and build new ones to hold his over-abundance of goods. He would store up these treasures for the years to come allowing him to eat, drink and be merry. He failed to recognize a most important question. What would he do about his soul? He did not realize that there was life after death, and the need to store up treasures in Heaven.

FOR TODAY OR FOR ETERNITY
Evolution and unbelievers teach that there is no life after death. When this life is over there is nothing left. The motto “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow you die,” has replaced the Ten Commandments as the law of the land. Television portrays a life style that declares there is no life after death.

Dr. Hovind’s writing, “Creation vs. Evolution,” verifies the following statement, “Darwin’s theory of evolution was the basis of thought that many had been looking for over the centuries.” For the many thousands who could not, nor would not, believe in the God of the Bible, this atheistic view allowed them to sink to incredible depths of decay. Evolution teaches we come from a rock. The Big Bang Theory, then after millions of years the rain fell on the rocks until a soup was made and we came from the soup, therefore, we come from a rock.

The Word of God is very clear on the subject of Hell and Lake of Fire. If there is no life after death, then God’s Word must be rejected not only concerning life after death, but in every doctrine recorded in His Bible. Therefore, one must confer the Bible to be a lie. This cannot be because historical evidence has now proven the Bible is the best record of historical data. Therefore, one must believe the Bible to be true and correct. Science and History has now verified the scripture to be accurate. The Bible is the only writing that has recorded history as history was being made.

ADAM AND EVE AND SATAN
God commanded Adam and Eve to not eat the fruit of a certain tree. If this command were broken, then an entirely different set of circumstances would come into play. If Adam would become lost by breaking God’s commandment, then he would fall from grace. This writer wants the reader to understand that in Old Testament times God did not look upon sin. In New Testament times Jesus does not leave a dirty house. Jesus died for our sins, past, present and future. Through Him, by grace, we are saved eternally. Jesus lives within us. Salvation is to remove someone or something from impending danger. Had Adam and Eve not sinned, God after a trial period, intentions might have been to remove Satan from the earth. The events in the book of Revelation, concerning Satan and the fallen angels, could have already taken place, leaving a perfect place in which to live. This statement is not an exegetical statement, but only a statement of what could have happened.
The method and mode of salvation for earth’s first couple was the same as it is today. The Bible reveals to us that God created Adam and Eve. He gave them a place to live. He provided for their food, shelter, and every physical need. Adam only had to remain faithful to God’s command to continue life in this paradise. This was then as it is today, a daily challenge. As long as Adam was obedient he would remain in fellowship with God. If he disobeyed, the fellowship would be broken.
This is in direct opposition to salvation today. Once one undergoes the new birth, he is no longer in danger of loosing his salvation. Man tried for 2000 years and could not be obedient to God. I ask the question, does man in this day and times really think he can do this for himself?

Genesis 3.15 is the first mention of a Savior and the Messiah coming to redeem sinful man. In this Scripture there is a clear reference to Satan being defeated by the seed of woman, a clear reference to Christ. This writer also teaches The Book of Genesis and from this scripture forward, in the Old Testament, Jesus is proclaimed to be our salvation. Are we to deny the complete teaching that Jesus is not the Messiah?
It stands to reason that Adam and Eve must have told their sons of the wonderful fellowship they previously enjoyed with God. The two sons were undoubtedly told of the temptation from the devil as well as the consequences of the original sin. Eve named her third son Seth, indicating her belief that God had replaced her murdered son.

THE OLD TESTAMENT SACRIFACE
Three reasons have been offered as to why God did not accept Cain’s sacrifice:
God had already set the example of a blood sacrifice when He killed innocent animals for clothing. Cain offered a sacrifice from the ground. God had already cursed the ground because of Adam’s sin. The last reason and the most accurate can be found in Genesis 4.7. God told Cain that sin was in his life. If Cain’s heart had been right, his sacrifice may have been accepted.

Abel’s sacrifice surely must have been the result of his understanding of God’s promise to destroy Satan. Job must have known a great deal of God’s promise to redeem man. We find Job offering sacrifices for his family. Job 1.5 declares; “and it was so and rose up early in the morning, offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all;” for Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Job knew that God expected a blood sacrifice for the remission of sins.

Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. He preached for a hundred years anticipating the reality of God’s promise. His faith in God’s call to build an ark resulted in the salvation of his family. It would have been very easy to go the way of the world during Noah’s day. He must have experienced a great deal of ridicule. No one had heard of the word rain, much less did they believe the world would soon be destroyed?

Abraham, although coming from a pagan background, believed God when told to leave his father’s house for a new land. Abraham offered sacrifices to God. He must have known of the future sacrifice, the One who would take away the sins of the world.
This Writer believes that one of the most important reasons Abraham believed in the promises of God is found in the sacrifice of Isaac. Abraham was told to offer his only son as a sacrifice to God. When Abraham went into the mountains to offer up his son, he had full faith that if Isaac was indeed sacrificed, God would raise him again. In Genesis 22.8 Abraham declares, “And … My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering; so they went both of them together.” There are two interpretations of what Abraham meant when he said “God would provide himself a lamb.”

God could have meant that He would provide a lamb. In that area, finding a stray lamb would be a simple matter. God really did not intend that Isaac would be sacrificed. At the appropriate time, a lamb would be found. The second interpretation, and this being God was going to offer his son as the sacrifice later and this was to be a type of the sacrifice. Christ was the sacrificial Lamb.

The Paschal Lamb of Exodus 12 is a clear reference to the Lamb of God described throughout God’s Word including verses as Gen 22.8; John 1.29; John 3.6; Rev 7.17; 15.3; 21.23; 22.3. Walvoord, an author of study, writes concerning the sacrificial lamb; “The slaying of the animals (instead of the Israelites’ first born sons, v.13) and the sprinkling of blood prefigured the substitutionary death of Christ. He is ‘our Passover Lamb’.”

The sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb (relating to the Passover) was used by Paul as a picture of the death of Christ. In John 19.14 the author uses the same image as a picture of Christ. Jesus Christ is the lamb that takes away the sins of the world.

The red heifer ceremony in the Old Testament produced ash that was mixed with water to symbolically remove impurity in the Israelite nation. In Hebrews 9.4 the writer uses the image of the red heifer ceremony to picture Christ’s “cleansing believers of the effect of dead works’. In the third temple to come the same procedure will be conducted.

At Mt. Sinai Moses received the Ten Commandments. In Leviticus chapter 1-7 the requirements are given for the sacrifices. Regulations were given for the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, the ordination offering, and the fellowship offering. These regulations were given to the nation of Israel.

Salvation came through the obedience to the offerings not in the offerings or sacrifices themselves. Every aspect of these rituals pointed toward a future, final sacrifice. Each animal to be sacrificed had to be an unblemished animal. It had to be a male. The sacrifice involved shedding blood that was offered by sprinkling in and around the holy place of the temple. On the Day of Atonement the high priest would go into the Most Holy Place and offer a blood sacrifice for himself and for the nation of Israel.

The Mosaic teaching concerning redemption and salvation is focused on the observance of the continual sacrifice. Salvation was accomplished by following the law. Each feast including the Passover Feast signified redemption from sin by keeping the regulations of the sacrifice. The focal point of the blood sacrifice was the shedding of innocent blood, the innocent dying for the guilty.

SACRIFICE COVERS SIN
Scriptures including Isaiah 1.11 and The Book of Hebrews declare that these sacrifices did not really please God. They certainly did not remove sin. They did, however, cover those sins until the final sacrifice would be given. This final sacrifice would not only cover, but do away with the sins forever. This is our Lamb, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins that we may have eternal salvation.

If one would study God’s Word it is obvious that the entire Old Testament pointed toward the fulfillment at Calvary. Israel should have been intimately familiar with the teachings of the prophets. Some books (Job, Genesis, and others) were either written earlier than the exodus or during the exodus. From Israel’s entry into the Promised Land, they were a nation on a mission. A history being recorded as history was being made becomes evident throughout the Old Testament.

The stories of Adam and Eve, Cain, Abel, Seth, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had been told and retold by family members. The idea of a blood sacrifice for sin was as much a part of their everyday life as any type of worship, ceremony or festival.
The purpose of these sacrifices was two fold. Although many Israelites were not faithful to God’s direction, many did try to live a life according to the law. It must have been extremely frustrating trying to live a godly life. Everyday brought new and different trials, most of which were impossible to keep. To many today they find themselves in similar circumstances. We use the excuses of falling away, or even go to placing themselves as if living Old Testament times, under the law. Jesus came not to do away with the law but to fulfill the law. People, who claim you can lose your salvation, are contradicting Jesus’ statement.

It would seem that God accepted these sacrifices to allow the repentant Jew peace of mind in his daily life. The second and more important reason for offerings was they continually gave hope of a coming Messiah, a Lamb to remove the sins of the world, past, present and future. Jesus took upon himself sin, all sin.

MAN MADE SALVATION
The sacrificial system was not instituted in the book of Exodus or Leviticus, but in the third chapter of Genesis. When Adam and Eve sinned, they tried to cover themselves with fig leaves. This was the first attempt at man-made salvation. God showed them their inadequacy by providing the skins of innocent animals. God’s plan for the redemption of man was now brought into play.

An excellent picture or group of types is presented in the Old Testament of the sacrificial Lamb, Jesus. In Genesis 3.15, one finds the first prophecy concerning the suffering of the Messiah. The “seed of woman” would ultimately crush the head of Satan. In the sacrificial system, the innocent died for the guilty. The lambs, goats, and bulls did not sin, but were killed to satisfy the demands of a righteous God. The penalty of sin is death. If the sinner did not pay with his life, a suitable substitute must be found. Satan bruised Christ. This idea of bruising actually was Christ dying at Calvary. The seed of woman crushing the head of the serpent was a picture of Christ’s victory over Satan at Calvary. Are we to re-crucify Christ over and over again through the teaching of loss of salvation?
Isaiah 53.4-5 talks of the Messiah bearing the grief’s and sorrows of humanity. Jesus Christ would be wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. On the Day of Atonement, a sacrificial lamb would be used to symbolically receive the sins of the nation of Israel.

Isaiah 53.12 declares, “He hath poured out His soul unto death.” Christ would be numbered with the transgressors of the law. In this prophecy Christ would be crucified between two thieves. In the sacrificial system the innocent would be slain for the guilty. Christ the innocent became the sacrifice for the guilty. Psalms 16.10 declares that Christ would be raised from the dead. This indicates that Christ would have to die before He could be raised.

The idea of a blood sacrifice, as earlier mentioned, did not originate in the book of Leviticus. There were at lest three different times before the institution of the sacrificial system, that a blood sacrifice was used. In the preceding pages one finds that God instituted the blood sacrifice in the Garden of Eden. Later Abel offered a blood sacrifice. Finally, as Abraham was about to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, the Angel of the Lord, provided a suitable substitute. The Angel of the Lord, in original Hebrew language is Jesus, Himself.

CHANGE BY RECONCILIATION
There are many words that talk of salvation. Many of these, including reconciliation, talk of the necessity for Reconciliation meaning to change from a position of an enemy to one of friendship. As sinners, man is an enemy of God. Ephesians 2.16. This scripture talks of reconciliation only by the cross.

Propitiation means “to render favorable, to appease, to satisfy.” In 1 John 4.10 one finds that God sent His Son to be the “propitiation for our sins.” In Genesis 15.6 God counts Abraham’s faith as righteousness.

God dealt with sin before Calvary through an idea called atonement, the biblical use of atonement means, “to cover,” Hebrews 10.4 tells that the blood of bulls and goats could not remove the sin. The sacrifice did make the sinner acknowledge his sin and that the penalty for sin was death. The blood sacrifice was given in anticipation of the shed blood of Christ. The blood of the sacrifice was a symbol of the future shed blood of Christ. These sacrifices only covered the sin. The future blood of Christ actually removed the sin, never more to be remembered or held against the repentant sinner.

If there had been any other way of salvation, Christ would not have had to die at Calvary. Salvation is by God’s grace. One’s faith in the Son of God dying at Calvary, being raised from the dead, being resurrected on the third day, and now sitting on the right hand of the Father is what determines salvation. Simple faith in the finished work at Calvary is sufficient for salvation. God is perfect and He does not do something in partial fulfillment.

JESUS IS THE WAY
To understand the scripture in more detail, one should view Jesus as God. The doctrine concerning Jesus as Deity is of great importance to the Christian faith. Christ possesses each of the attributes that are exhibited in the Father. Jesus is eternal. Several scriptures including John 1.15; John 8.58; and Col 1.15 declare Jesus as being eternal.

As a student in seminary I learned of these phrases. Once explained to me, it was evident that Jesus was physically as well a part of history recorded as history was being made throughout the Old Testament. Jesus is omnipresent. John 3.13 declares that Jesus was in Heaven while on earth. Christ is omniscient. John 16.30; 21.17 are scriptures that reveal Jesus knows all things. Christ is omnipotent (John 5.19). Christ is immutable. He does not change (Heb 1.12).

Jesus Christ is the creator of all things (John 1.3). He is the upholder of all things (Col 1.17). Jesus Christ forgives sin (Matt 9.2). Jesus Christ is readily identified with Jehovah in the Old Testament. These are but a few of the many different reasons why Jesus Christ is God.

Jesus Christ is fully God and was fully man while here on earth. He emptied Himself from heaven to become man, but was already God. Jesus Christ was called a Lamb from the foundation of the earth. While many men are destined for greatness, Jesus was born to die. His primary role in His humanity was to die at Calvary. Revelation 13.8 talks of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the earth. His sacrifice and shedding of blood required a real body.

All types of Christ in the Old Testament required the incarnation of the Son of God. Every prophecy in the Old Testament required an incarnation. Jesus Christ’s humanity is seen in His annunciation and birth as recorded in Luke 1.31-35.

Jesus’ entire life from Bethlehem to Calvary revealed His humanity. The uses of the names “The Son of Man,” and “The Son of David,” require a natural man. Jesus had a human parent. He is referred to as “this man’s seed,” “The Seed of David,” and “The Seed of Abraham.” Matthew 26.38 and John 13.21 state that Jesus Christ possessed a human body and spirit. Jesus had self-imposed human limitations.
Jesus Christ’s humanity can be seen in His suffering on the cross. A literal body was hanging on the cross at Calvary. It was a real body that died on the cross. It was a real body that was resurrected three days later. That same glorified body that arose from the grave is now sitting on the right hand of the Father in Heaven. When Jesus Christ comes again, He will come in that same glorified body that He possessed when He ascended into Heaven.

Jesus possessed the three aspects of human life. He had body, soul, and spirit. In Matthew 26.12 Jesus declares that His body is being prepared for burial. In Matthew 26.38 He declares that His soul is sorrowful, even unto death. In Luke chapter twenty-three we read that Jesus gives up His Spirit. All this because He loves us so much He gave His life for our sins, that we may have free will, a free will which chooses to believe upon Him, and accept eternal salvation.

TWO ARE ONE
As a believer in Christ, one must believe Jesus possessed two distinct natures in His one person. However, this union is quite different from a marriage relationship. In a marriage relationship both partners remain separate persons. This union is not the same as a believer’s relationship to Christ. Jesus Christ’s divine nature does not dwell in Him the same way that Christ dwells in the believer.

Thinking of how we comprehend God, in order to believe and be saved, Jesus had to of come as the final sacrifice for sins. How could Jesus become a sacrifice for sin if He had not become man? A sacrifice must be killed. Jesus Christ as God could not die. Jesus had to become man in order that He could die at Calvary. God’s sacrifice had to be a spotless sacrifice. Jesus as God could not sin. He is God. God cannot be tempted to sin. Jesus as God could not be tempted. The pre-incarnate Christ could not have been our High Priest without first becoming man. He could not perform the duties of our High Priest unless he became man.

Old Testament priests were to accept the offerings from an individual and then offer that sacrifice to God. The priest was a go-between between man and God. The priest represented man to God. Scripture declares in many verses that the priest would have to offer a sacrifice for himself. On the Day of Atonement the high priest would go into the Most Holy Place and offer a sacrifice for himself before he offered a sacrifice for the nation of Israel.

God had assigned the Priesthood of Aaron to offer up sacrifices. In some instances these men were as sinful as the ones they represented. Jesus was tempted and yet He did not sin. One who could not be tempted to sin could not qualify for the sin-bearer. Jesus Christ as God could not be tempted. It was only within His humanity that Jesus could be tempted. The primary function of the priest was to offer sacrifices.

Jesus is documented as fully man in many Scriptures. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all tell the story of the virgin birth. They talk of His conception and describe His birth. Later as Jesus becomes an adult, His physical characteristics are described. Jesus hungers, He thirsts, He needs rest, He suffers, He bleeds, and He dies on the cross. These qualities would not be exhibited if Jesus Christ was totally God and not human.

Jesus Christ’s Deity is most clearly brought out in the Gospel of John. John 10.30 “I and My Father are one.” It is understood that the Father is Jehovah God. If Christ is one with Jehovah God, then He must be God. John 10.38 declares “but if I do … the Father is in me, and I in Him.” In John 14.9, Jesus declares to Philip that anyone who has seen Him has seen the Father. John 14.10 declares that the Father dwells in Christ. John 17.11 says that the Father and Christ are one. John 17.21 states “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in me, and I in you.” John 1.1 declares that Christ (the Word) was with God in the beginning and in fact was God Himself.

The bible reveals to us that Christ is God. In the human mind, it could be thought impossible for both Godhead and manhood to be united in a human body. One must realize much of God’s actions can neither be explained nor understood in man’s limited wisdom.

Scripture reveals to us that Jesus prayed to His Father regularly, his prayer life was not the means by which he was divine. Jesus had an intimate fellowship with the Father before He became flesh. In the religious arenas in Israel, the idea of a Messianic salvation was viewed simply as redemption (Luke 2.38). In all probability this redemption was also a political redemption, however it was understood that the primary deliverance was spiritual. This deliverance included the knowledge of salvation, the remission of sins, holiness, guidance, and peace.

PAID THE PRICE
The scripture is very plain: I Tim 2.6 “Jesus came to ‘give His life a ransom.” The words ransom, price, purchase, and redeem are not to be taken simply as figurative especially in the sense that Christ procured salvation at the cost of great suffering.

Released From Bondage, by Neil Anderson allows a better understanding of how Christ even today releases us from bondage. The most basic meaning of redemption is the release or freedom from the paying of a price, or deliverance by a costly method. There are two Old Testament verbs that are used synonymously with redemption. The Hebrew word gaal is translated as “to redeem.” This is graphically demonstrated in the story of Ruth and Boaz. The Hebrew word pidyon is usually translated as “a ransom…” contrary to what some may think, the redemption paid by Jesus Christ did not require that a ransom be paid to anyone, but rather that His mercy required His almighty power and involved the greatest depth of suffering.

The best biblical example of the word Gaal is found in the love story of Ruth and Boaz. Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi were in great need. As was the custom of the day, Ruth’s next-of-kin Boaz, was expected and required by Jewish law to act as the Gaal. In Ruth 4.4 the word Gaal is used. This means to ‘acquire by purchase.” The idea of price paying lies at the very heart of redemption.

Paul writes of “the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (Rom 3.24). Ephesians 1.7 declares that ‘we have redemption through His blood.” I Peter l.l8-l9, “it was not with perishable things … that you were redeemed … but with the precious blood of Christ.”
Boaz met the others at the gate, the normal place of doing business. There was a nearer kinsman than Boaz. However, the nearer kinsman could not nor did he want the added responsibility of having to buy the land and marry Ruth.

God’s holiness and righteousness demanded that a payment be paid for sin. Romans 6.23 declare that the wages of sin is death. God demands a payment, a sacrifice for sin. The ransom paid by Jesus Christ’s death was sufficient to satisfy God’s demands. Jesus’ death was sufficient to satisfy God’s demands. Jesus’ death was a necessary penalty, which He laid down his human life for the sinner (Rom 4.25; 2 Cor 5.21). To believe in salvation lost is to nail our Jesus Christ to the cross again. We are saved by grace, not of works.

THE RANSOM
One of the things as a seminary student, under the directions of Dr. Cox, we learned soon on was there are three New Testament words that express the idea of a ransom. “The first is derived from the root word Agora -Greek with the meaning a town square or a market; Agorazo -Greek meaning, “to go to market, to purchase in the market, to redeem.” Because man is a sinner, he is under the penalty of death (John 3.18-19). Romans 7.14 states that man is a slave sold under sin. The act of redemption, purchased by Jesus’ blood, pays this sin debt. The sinner is literally ransomed by the blood of Christ, saved by grace.

The second Greek word used to express the idea of ransom is exagorazo means “to buy up ransom,” “To rescue from loss”. It is derived from the Greek word Ex meaning origin, point where motion or action proceeds, and from the Greek word Agorazo meaning to go to market, to purchase, to redeem. This means we as sinners have been bought and more importantly that we have been removed from farther sale. We know from history that slaves have been bought and then resold many times, but Jesus made and still does to day makes it impossible for the individual to be resold. The redeemed person has now been removed from the auction block. A sealing by the blood of Jesus is for the believer.

The last Greek word is lutroo from the root of Lutron means “something to loosen with” “let loose” or to “set free.”, but Lutroo means “to ransom or redeem”. Therefore, redemption biblically means” the purchase, removal from sale, and the complete freedom of the ransomed individual through the death of Christ and the application of redemption by the Holy Spirit.”

WORK OF CHRIST
It would be impossible to cover all the works of the work of Chris, therefore, we know from scripture that Christ did fully understand the sins of man; it was in His substitutionary death that salvation came. Because Jesus Christ died for the world’s sins, one is now able to enter into the correct relationship with the Father. The eternal salvation bought and paid for by Jesus is our substitution, as man could do nothing for himself.
A better understanding or a word used in today’s world is atonement. Atonement “is the understood as something done to make up for having done something wrong or harmful.” The Old Testament Hebrew language for atone is derived from the word Kaphar, means to cover. Jesus sacrificed himself to atone us. His blood covers us.

Old Testament prophets prophesied the coming Messiah’s ’ ability to “reconcile” or “satisfy” the demands of a righteous God. The New Testament, Hebrew 9.22 declares that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. Therefore, prophecy was fulfilled, as Jesus said, “I come to fulfill the law”.

Those that lived in the Old Testament time, their day-to-day understanding of atonement was “to cover with blood or to bring back peace of ever lasting life, better known today as “Eternal Salvation”, those that were separated.” Since the blood of bulls and goats could not accomplish this, blood from another sacrifice had to be used. The blood of bulls and goats could only cover the sin. The blood could not remove the sin; Jesus was the only sacrifice that could take upon all sin, past, present and future.

Genesis Chapter 7 states that Noah took upon the ark seven each, two unclean. An exegetical study reveals, a set of scriptures verifying sacrifices were kept separate until the Messiah, who would be our perfect sacrifice would take upon Him sin. A sacrifice had to be perfect, unblemished. However, as the author of Hebrews states, these sacrifices, no matter how spotless, were never able to both cover and remove the sin. The final sacrifice had to be perfect, one without blemish, and the sacrifice had to be acceptable to God. The only sacrifice that accomplished God’s demand for a spotless sacrifice was Jesus Christ.

ATONEMENT
Scripture tells us that Jesus did not die for His own sins (John 8.46;Heb 4.15; 1 Peter 2.22). Jesus’ death was a vicarious death. The suffering of Jesus was for the sins of the world.

This idea of the vicarious death puts aside the doctrine that Jesus died only for the elect or those preordained as some teach. If one is preordained, then why would Jesus have to die for their sins? The scripture is evident, Jesus was pre-ordained to die for our sins. There are some who are teaching today that there are only so many who can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. There are others preaching that those have already been accounted for. They are using the scripture out of context. If this teaching is true, then Jesus died in vain. It is God’s will that no one should perish. Jesus’ death was for every person. Jesus became the sin sacrifice. Jesus died for our sins in substitution for us.

The law of God was preordained to be satisfied and fulfilled at the same time. The death of Jesus was the satisfaction atonement that a holy and just God demanded. Every sin; past, present, and future must be dealt with or atoned. God justifies no one outside the

REDEMPTION
If someone commits a crime in today’s society and receives a pardon, this simply means they are still guilty of the crime, but set free. Being redeemed means, “to receive a full release.” In Romans 3.24 redemption is explained, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Redemption means that someone has been set free and has been declared not guilty.

Acts 20.28 declares that Christ purchased the church with his blood. John 6.51 states that Christ gave his flesh for the life of the entire world. John 10.11 declares Christ to be the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep. John 15.13 demonstrates Christ’s greatest love by giving his life for his friends.

Many have made “professions of faith” solely because they were preached to with scare tactics. Hell and Brimstone approached caused their decision. A decision to accept Jesus Christ, as your savior should be presented through the preaching of the Gospel, which is the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, who died for our sins. On the other hand, many preachers are telling the people that they can lose their salvation. I ask only one question, “Is this fear preaching not only teaching the wrong thing, but actually doubling Satan’s chance for further souls to be delivered to hell?”

Salvation removes a person from the penalty of sin and assures his position as a child of God. According to Romans 6.23, the wages of sin is death. This death is a spiritual death, a separation from God. Because of this separation, “man has condemned himself to an eternity forever separated from God. So a decision is simple, all have free will to make the decision to accept Jesus as their savior.

The bible teaches through Paul, that the new Christian must be aware of temptations. Any man who claims to be of no sin is untruthful with himself. Therefore, how can he justly say one loses his or her salvation if they sin and begin to live a life of the world? One who makes these statements does not understand the seven judgments. A Christian, who lives in this day and time, is a member of the bride of Christ. Every person who has told me they believe in losing salvation also will tell me that they believe we will be judged after the rapture before Jesus Christ. Then if they are in heaven already at this judgment, how can they have lost their salvation? If one can lose his or her salvation, then they are judged at the Great White Thrown Judgment. This happens at the end of the thousand-year reign of Christ here on earth. So one that believes salvation can be lost, could not have possibly believed in salvation in the first place. My job in this writing is to make sure you understand complete teaching. One must ask, then what will happen at the Great Marriage Super with Christ, after the rapture. Taking time to study the five Christian crowns may enlighten you with a new understanding of the scripture. The five crowns are defined as the first judgment, one of seven. One can find those five Christian crowns in a study bible.

SALVATION
If you are saved by grace, and have the faith that prayer will be answered, then you have an army of tools available. A Christian can live a completely different life through his redemption. If you are not saved by grace, wealth, health, or fame, you can never be completely happy until he has received Christ as his Lord and Savior.

Jesus fulfilled the OT law, and proclaimed eternal salvation for all those that would receive. This sacrifice, according to Hebrews, was a final sacrifice. Old Testament sacrifice covered the sin only to be remembered at the next offering. Christ’s offering was a final sacrifice.

Two thousand years past and man an could not save himself in Old Testament times nor can he save himself today. Salvation was taken from man by his inability to keep the law. It was then placed in the ability of Jesus to live a spotless life and God’s ability to raise Him from the dead. Jesus was able to satisfy the demands of a holy and righteous God. Because of faith man is justified.

Your salvation is only available by grace, which is available because Christ died on the cross, nothing more, and nothing less. 1 John 5.13 declares, ‘These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life”.

FAITH AND WORKS
Some preaches are using the Book of James to justify loss of salvation. In this book some see justification by works. Salvation, however, comes by faith and not by works. Does this mean that works are unimportant? James 2.20 declares that faith without works is dead. This means if one has faith, his faith will produce works. Paul speaks of justification before God. James describes justification before man. We are justified by faith, says Paul. We are justified for works, says James. Paul is interested in the root of justification. James is concerned with the fruit of justification. If a man has faith, he will have works. It is impossible to please God without faith, and if that faith doesn’t result in good works, that faith is dead. This scripture tells us what Jesus told us, you would know them by their fruit. Satan is a deceiver, and one of his best deceptions to convince a Christian that he may not be really saved. Once a person begins to doubt if his salvation experience was real, he or she will become so bogged down in doubt that he cannot effectively serve Christ.

If salvation was based on works or if the keeping of one’s salvation was based on works, then Christ died in vain, but God is omniscient. He knows of no other way to obtain salvation other than through the blood of Christ. If salvation or the keeping of one’s salvation could have been accomplished by any other means, Jesus would have had to die at Calvary. God gave His Son as the only means of salvation. Salvation depends on God’s ability to save and on His ability to keep one saved. If any man believes his own ability keeps him saved, then he is putting himself as god.

To understand eternal security one must first understand what salvation is and how it is accomplished. Salvation means to successfully remove someone or something from impending danger. This danger is two fold. God’s Word declares that an unsaved man will spend eternity in the Lake of fire. The saved person will spend eternity with Christ Jesus. A study of the seven judgments is a must for the Christian so that he or she understands where they fit in the salvation picture.

SECURITY
The Armenian teach, “a born-again believer can lose his or her salvation by turning away from the Christian faith”. They are talking about a person whom we call an apostate. An apostate is one who deliberately abandons his faith.

A seminary professor says it best, “One must understand that the security of a believer does not rest in his ability to not sin or to keep the law, but whether God is able to keep His promise concerning the keeping of a soul. Salvation rests solely on the power of God to keep those whom He has given to His Son, Jesus Christ.”

This writer has discovered that the original Armenians took John Wesley’s sermon on “Perfection” out of context. Wesley did not say one could lose their salvation, Wesley said they could fall from grace. One should pay special attention to the fact that John Wesley died as a priest of The Church of England. The Church of England held to thirty-nine articles of religion. Listed very evident is the fact of eternal salvation. John Wesley never left the church as a Priest, therefore did not go against his church or teachings.

Article l8 of the Church of England reads: “Obtaining eternal salvation only by the name of Christ. They also are to be accursed that presume to say that every man shall be saved by the law or sect which he professes, so that he is diligent to frame his life according to that law and the light of nature. For Holy Scripture sets out to us only the name of Jesus Christ, whereby men must be saved.

This writer studied for many years John Wesley’s writings. What was made so perfectly evident is the fact that John Wesley’s theory was taken out of context as he said empowered grace, better defined, he read, “Heb 6.1, leaving the discussion of Christ Death for Our Sins, let us go on to the subject of perfection,” being the total message of his complete sermon. Yes we fall from grace, but not saving grace. We cannot lose our salvation. What can we lose? We can lose our five Christian crowns. The Book of Revelation is plain, Jesus said in Rev 3, “Beware that Satan does not steal your crown.” What will a Christian be judged for? Each Christian will be confronted for all he or she has done, but only judged as to the crowns earned. The most comforting part of this understanding is while this is all happening; we are already in heaven with Jesus. This is the first of seven judgments and no, Christians will not be judged for their sins in the last judgment, the Great White Thrown Judgment, for this is for the unsaved only. We are eternally saved as Christians.

The work and power to keep one saved is a threefold measure. The Father’s guarantee is unconditional. John 3.16 declares man to have everlasting life because of the Son. John 10.29 declares that the infinite power of God is able to save and to keep eternally. The Son’s work in eternal security can be found in Hebrews. Christ came as the final sacrifice for sin. Scripture declares that the blood of bulls and goats could not save. Only the blood of a spotless, innocent sacrifice would satisfy God.

The Holy Spirit’s Work in eternal security is the placing of a son (adoption) and the sealing of the believer. Ephesians 1.13 declares that the Holy Spirit of promise has sealed the believer. As one professor so admired by this writer, Dr. Dieringer, stated, “ John 10.28-30 states “And I gave unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them to me is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”

Abraham’s faith was the basis for God declaring him justified. In Genesis 15.6

God declares Abraham righteous. This did not mean that Abraham would never sin again. This declaration did not make Abraham perfect, but what it did ensure was that every time God saw Abraham He saw him as righteous, as justified.

From the book of Genesis one finds the idea of a blood sacrifice. God had to shed innocent blood to clothe Adam and Eve. This precedent was carried to its fulfillment in Christ at Calvary. Hebrews declares that Christ came as the final sacrifice for sin. If only those sins committed prior to the new-birth experience were covered by Christ’s death, then every sin after the moment of salvation would require a new sacrifice. However, God’s Word is extremely clear that Christ came as the final sacrifice.

The story of the prodigal son is one of the classic examples of eternal security. The rich son left his home, his position, and his family. He went to a far country and lived a life of riotous abandonment. If anyone ever had reason to reject him as his son, the father did. But this is not the case. The father continued to love, to hope, and to look for his return.

During the last few years this writer has had the opportunity to discuss eternal security with several different people. Some of these did not believe in eternal security. Some professing to be Christians did not have a thorough understanding of salvation, or just what was required for the new-birth.

If a person was a Christian but some how slipped or fell back into sin, he would lose his salvation. This is not true. This idea stemmed from the idea of salvation based on works and certain Scriptures taken out of context.

After having spent many years in study, this writer has learned one important thing the easiest part of being a Christian is becoming one. Living a Christian life, day after day, is a very difficult and almost impossible task. Several people were asked this question. Can a person save himself? No one has answered yes. Becoming a Christian is really very simple. When the Holy Spirit convicts one that he is lost, by simply responding to that gentle tug, one can be saved. True believers agree that the blood of Christ is the only way one obtains salvation. The work of salvation has been finished by Christ’s death at Calvary. Now if one cannot save himself, which is evident, how can one keep himself saved? Living the Christian life is difficult.

LOOSING YOUR SALVATION
Those who proclaim loss of salvation use scripture out of context. If one takes each scripture to the original language there the truth will be exposed. The proper way to research scriptures is through an Exegetical Study Method. This study reveals what the scripture says, what the scripture means, how the scripture applied at the time written, and how the scripture applies to you today.

Galatians 5.4 declares “You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” The term, ‘fallen from grace,” to many people means to lose one’s salvation. These three words have nothing to do with loosing one’s salvation.

What do they mean, if they do not mean to lose one’s salvation? The study revealed Two questions needed to be asked. Why did God choose to save sinners and what method did he use? God saves sinners because He loves them. He chose the method of grace, unmerited favor. God could have chosen works, baptism, tongues, or any number of methods, but He chose grace. To fall from grace, according to Charles Stanley, Eternal Security means to put ones trust in another method other than grace. There is no other method of Security than Christ, therefore making it impossible to lose your salvation.

Hebrews 6.4-6 is a classic passage used to support the erroneous idea of lost salvation. This scripture deals primarily with those who have only tasted the heavenly gift. This is common grace, which means The Holy Spirit has knocked on their door, but Jesus has not seen them, nor has He entered in and closed the door. On the other hand, the original Greek states, if they did in fact accept Jesus as their savior, then they would not even want to fall from grace, although man is a sinner and will sin, he will only lose his Christian Crowns. How do they gain those crowns back? Through repentance of sin and continue to do the work of earning a Christian Crown.

In Matthew 7.23 Jesus declares for some to depart from Him. This is argued that at one time some were believers and then Christ told them to leave, thus loosing salvation. However, this is not the case. Jesus is not saying I once knew you, but now I do not. What He is saying is that He never knew them. They were never saved in the first place. Also remember Jesus made history as history was being recorded as being made.
Therefore, Jesus had not died for ours sins at this point.

As a fellow student and reader of Charles Stanley’s writings; he once said that his belief in eternal security was not an instantaneous belief. He did not believe in eternal security for many years. It was only after many years of prayer and study that he began to see eternal security as something not left to man’s work.
Jesus came to give life and to give life more abundantly. This writer thinks that one benefit of abundant life is to really understand eternal security. If one could be saved today and lost tomorrow, there would not be much happiness in his salvation. God realized that man could not live the “perfect” life. He took salvation from our works and put it in His care.

Scripture is clear that no one can live a life good enough to earn salvation. If salvation could be earned, it would not be a gift. God’s grace saves. Salvation is a free gift. Many full gospel teachers use the following illustrations concerning losing salvation. Galatians 5.4 as proof of loosing ones salvation. The phrase “falling from grace” seems to catch their attention. They declare that falling from grace means loosing one’s salvation.
Charles Stanley, in his book Eternal Security, discusses this passage in very simple terms. He asks why God wants to save us in the first place? God desires to save us? God desires to save us because He loves us. What method does he use to save us? God could have used speaking in tongues. This would satisfy our Pentecostal, Assemblies of God, and other Charismatic friends, but He didn’t. God could have used water baptism for salvation, but He did not. This would put the thief on the cross in pretty hot water.
Following the process of the scripture as to what the scripture is saying, what the scripture means, how the scripture applied at the time written and how the scripture applies to you today, one must take this scripture very closely. Taking Galatians 5.4 in to full investigation reveals that first of all we are talking about the Jews of that day. The same Jews we are talking about today. Both then and now, neither accepts Jesus as their savior. Therefore, they are not saved.
The Greek number for grace in this verse is 5485 meaning exactly what it says, “To lose”. They lose their name from the Book of Life into the Books of Life. They are the unsaved, as one who would be a blasphemer. They will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment, which is Judgment number 7, the last judgment and cast into the lake of fire. Revelations 20.ll-15.

God could have written in the sky, Jesus saves. God could have used works for salvation. A person could then work his way into heaven. This would satisfy the Mormon sect, but He did not .God could have used money to get into heaven. A rich person could simply buy his way into heaven, leaving us poor folks without hope, but He did not. Stanley asks a very simple question; “What method did God use?” God used the method of grace.
To fall from grace would leave that person seeking, under the law, but the law could not save in the first place. To fall from grace has nothing to do with loosing ones salvation, only taking away the liberty one experiences under grace and removing crowns earned to date. We are dealing with two different subjects all together in this verse. Galatians 5.6 deals with the first, those under the law, not yet received Christ.

Lets us deal with what a Christian can lose for a few moments. There are five crowns a Christian can earn after being saved. Repentance of sin is the restoring of the opportunity to earn one or any number of the five. What an embarrassing day when Christians are judged for their works before Christ in the first judgment just after the rapture. The Crown of Joy I Thes.2.l9, Crown of Righteousness 2 Tim 4.8, Crown of Life James l.l2, Crown of Glory I Pet 5.4, and the Crown of Imperishable I Cor. 9.25.
Revelation 3.11 stated by Christ Himself, warns us to beware that no one steal our crowns. If the devil can make you believe he can steal your salvation, then certainly you will not work at your crowns. Beware of what Jesus says in the scripture, it usually is very important.

Therefore, it is Impossible for one to lose his salvation, once saved, and Jesus said,
“And I gave unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father who gave them to me is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” Christ Himself declares here that no man can pluck the believer or child of God from God’s hand. In Ephesians 1.13 we read, “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 the Holy Spirit of promise.”

If one could be lost, the first thing that would have to happen is that the seal of the Holy Spirit is omnipotent. However, if Satan could break this seal, he would then have to pry open the hand of the Father, he would still have to pry open the hand of the Lord. This is impossible because the Lord in omnipotent. However, if Satan could somehow break the hold that the Lord has on His children, he would then have to reach into the hand of the Lord and pluck the believer out. A major problem arises here. In the Lord’s hand are the nail scars and the blood from Calvary. Anyone who comes under the blood of Christ will be saved. The Bible is clear stating that Satan can never be restored to his former position and besides that he would flee immediately from the blood of Christ.

THE FIVE CROWNS
Lastly I pray that I have made sure the readers understand that the devil will try and deceive you through unlearned teachers and preachers. Also the only thing satan can possibly control in the Christian is the mind, will and emotion. The definition of the three defines the word “soul.” The lie from the devil is to make you believe that you are going to hell. Surely, you understand that Jesus asked God to receive His Spirit just before He died on the cross. Man has something very different than a tree or an animal; yes the spirit God gave to him or her for this old body we walk around in. Upon death of the body, the spirit goes to heaven if saved, just as Jesus requested His spirit be in the care of God when He died on the cross.

After the Rapture Before Christ Judgment Seat-Will You Be Washed In The Blood, Will Not Be The Subject-You Now Are Standing In Heaven? The question this course study asks –Will you have earned one crown, two crowns, three crowns, four crowns, five crowns, or will you face Christ with absolutely none? This is the lie the devil has put upon you, not loss of salvation, satan knows better, but the lie that keeps you from studying and learning about the true works of a Christian. Again, I challenge all to do an in depth study of Christian Crowns.

God Bless,
Dr. Grady
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