Security Survey: A Biblical Explanation
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Your Relationship with God by faith in Christ is Secure!
Christians have entered a relationship with God by faith in Christ’s forgiveness for our sins by his death on the cross. By His gracious sacrifice, God sees you as without fault and completely accepted by Him (Ephesians 2:7-9; Romans 3:21-25; Romans 10:9).
As a Christian you are SECURE in your relationship with God. Why is this critical? We cannot grow in our faith and serve others well if we lack confidence that God accepts us.
Our sure positions in Christ
The Bible itself provides a great example in Ephesians 5:20-33. In this wonderful passage the Apostle Paul likens the relationship between Christ and the church (individual believers) to marriage. In the same way a married couple will find it difficult to grow in their love, intimacy and confidence in each other if they fear their partner will reject them, so a Christian will find it nearly impossible to grow in the love of God if they fear His repudiation.
Likewise, our loving God, who made and understands us, knows we cannot grow in His love without the confidence that He will not reject us. Wow, this seems incredible!
How can we know from Scripture we are secure?
- Direct statements – God states directly that we are secure in a number of verses (1 Peter 1:3-5; John 10:27-31; Romans 8:28-39).
- Positions – After we become a Christian by faith alone, we are not simply then labeled a Christian, there is so much more. Our precious salvation gains us several wonderful irreversible morphologic and legal positions in our standing before God. No scripture indicates that these sure positions can be reversed to return us to our original corrupt and sinful selves.
- Legally innocent – We are declared not guilty; as in a court of law this cannot be overturned (Romans 3:21-25)!
- Adopted – We are made a member of God’s family as His children (Ephesians 1:5).
- God’s possession – We are sealed by the Holy Spirit to salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Corinthians 5:5). The Holy Spirit is God’s down payment that He will complete the transaction of salvation when we die
- Spiritual baptism – We are baptized by the Holy Spirit, being made like Christ in his death and resurrection. Therefore, we are a new person in Christ, a change that cannot be undone (Romans 6:2-9)
- Perseverance – God Himself causes us to persevere through our life unto salvation not by our own stamina (2 Timothy 1:12; Philippians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:23).
What great promises! Because of our faith in Christ we are a new person who cannot be unmade, with legally unchangeable promises that guarantee our salvation. This comfort and confidence allows us to invest ourselves in knowing and serving God. We should not be burdened with guilt and worry over the status of God’s acceptance of us.
Correct answers below have a supporting Bible verse next to them.
9. Typical reasons why you would be secure in our salvation:
- I am legally justified by a righteous God through the blood of Christ – Romans 3:23-26
- I am adopted into God’s family – Ephesians 1:5
- I am sealed by the Holy Spirit to the day of our Redemption – Ephesians 1:13-14
- I am God’s possession – 2 Peter 2:9
- I am placed in the church (the universal fellowship of all believers under Christ) – 1 Corinthians 12:12-13
- I perform all the sacraments including water baptism and confession
- Direct statements in Scripture that I am secure – 1 Peter 1:4-5
- God chose me for salvation before the beginning of the world – Ephesians 1:4,5,11
- God causes me to persevere – 2 Timothy 1:12
- I maintain my salvation through my good works
- God tells me to move on from worrying about the things of salvation to maturity – Hebrews 6:1-8
- I am regenerated into a new person in Christ, as my old self died, and was buried – Romans 6:2-12
10. In the Bible, which of the following can be undone if you sin too many times? Please see last question
- That I am legally justified by a righteous God through the blood of Christ
- That I am adopted into God’s family
- That I am sealed by the Holy Spirit to the day of our Redemption
- That I am God’s possession
- My membership in the church (the universal fellowship of all believers under Christ)
- That God chose me for salvation before the beginning of the world
- That God causes me to persevere
- That God tells me to move on from worrying about the things of salvation to maturity
- My regeneration into a new person in Christ and our old self is died and buried
- Nothing can undo the sure positions and promises of salvation through faith in Christ
11. Can too much guilt indicate you are not saved?
- No, I am forgiven and justified by my faith in Christ – Romans 3:23-26
- No, the positions in question #9 cannot be undone – Please see Question 9
- No, there is no provision in the New Testament Epistles for guilt for a true believer in Christ – The Epistles do not mention guilt for sin in a believer’s life
- No, my guilt indicates I have displeased God but is unrelated to salvation
- Yes, my guilt indicates that I have lost my salvation
- Yes, my guilt indicates that I am in danger of losing my salvation
12. If I have a problem with sin how do I handle this biblically?
- Feel guilty
- Get re-baptized
- Tell myself I will lose my salvation if I do not stop my sin
- Realize God might correct me as a father with salvation not in view
- Go to confession
- Confess my sin to a fellow believer
- Ask God for forgiveness every time I sin
- Acknowledge my sin, realize I am forgiven, thank God, and prayerfully and faithfully obey – Best answer biblically. The Bible does not tell us to ask forgiveness as a believer but to go forward putting to death the deeds of the flesh through the power of the Spirit (Romans 8:13); it frequently tells us to obey (Romans 6:12,16; 2 Corinthians 10:5; 1 John 2:3-6)
- Ask others to pray for me
- Do a good deed so I feel better about myself
- Punish myself in some manner
- Pray through the rosary
13. When I die I will go to heaven?
- No, I will not be admitted
- No, there is no heaven
- Yes, I will receive grace to salvation because of my good works and adhering to the sacraments
- Yes, my good works outweigh my bad
- Yes, God forgives me because of my good works
- Yes, God forgives me by faith alone through Christ’s death on the cross – Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:23-26; Romans 10:9
14. I can lose my salvation due to:
- Committing too many different varieties of sins
- Committing the same sin too many times
- Committing a really bad sin (for example, sexual sin or murder)
- Not following scripture
- Not making Jesus Lord of my life
- Not doing enough good works
- Not doing enough good works and adhering to the sacraments
- Nothing, salvation by faith cannot be lost – Please see Question 9
