Quote:
Originally Posted by Drake
StG,
Well said. If you were going to take it to the next level I suggest three extensions of what you started. First, the assurance of our eternal security is based on God’s righteousness.... He has bound Himself to the sacrifice and shed blood of Christ and can never change His mind. He cannot make a claim on two for sin, His Son and us... were He to do that He would be unrighteous. There is a Psalm that says the foundation of His throne is based on righteousness, meaning His ruling in the universe is based on righteousness. Therefore, our eternal salvation is assured because He is righteous and could never do anything uprighteous like demand payment for the same sin twice. If He ever were unrighteous, even in one small matter, like not forgiving a little brother whose sins, each and every one of them, have been washed by the blood of Christ then the foundation of His throne would collapse and the universe would no longer exist as we know it.
Secondly, related to God’s righteousness is reward and punishment for works, deeds, profit, growth, and readiness after becoming a born again child of God. He is righteous in this also in that He has given us everything pertaining to meeting the standards of the reward of the Kingdom and to enter the joy of the Lord. The parable of the talents show that the entrance to the kingdom was based on a doubling of what the Lord had given each servant. To the one that was given 5 talents a total of 10 were returned to Him. Likewise to the one given 2 another 2 were added, so 4. These servants were counted worthy of entering the joy of their Lord. Had the servant given 1 talent doubled what he had been given he too would have been rewarded the same as the other two servants. By this we can see how righteous the Lord is in the matter of reward and punishment. The parable also hints that had the unfaithful servant merely returned interest he would have received something!
Third, I suggest adding your three principles at the beginning as a framework for the article and a summary of them at the end. Tell them what you are going to tell them , then tell them, then tell them what you told them.
Alb, if you have read this far I encourage you to read StG’s article. I believe it is the Lords timely provision for you as are replies to you specifically about eternal salvation by other brothers in this thread.
Drake
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Thanks for taking the time to read it and to give some thoughtful feedback! I have given the draft to a number of ones and will see what everyone thinks - I appreciate the suggestions you gave and will consider implementing them. As said, it really was a first draft - it just flowed out during two plane rides I made last week, and is basically the same as it was on the yellow legal pad I used. So I know it very likely needs improved organization, etc.
Did you find the references good enough, or should I add more? - there's a balance in this for the sake of reading simplicity (and length), but I want to be sure the reader knows the pertinent scripture.