Grace Bible Church
Pastor Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
Eternal Security: Every Believer is Positionally in Union with Christ.
061220
Fruit that is fresh is food that you desire as you live in Joh 10:10 when the life that we have is that life more abundantly.
Joh 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I [abide] in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.
- If you live in Him as a loser believer or unbeliever, you will be in prison the rest of your life.
- If God’s word was found in believers today, you would be an invisible hero.
- ou would be a hero today but a fool tomorrow.
- You would ask whatever you desired and it will be with you because you would have done such a greater grace job
JOH 15:15 “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
Does this passage answer certain questions that lead to false doctrine such as the doctrine of Eternal Salvation or Eternal Security?
In our passage, which deals with our fellowship with our Lord and not our salvation as Joh 15:3 says, but do you see the word salvation in this verse?”
(Q) First of all, Do you see the word “lose” in this verse?
No, you don’t see the word lose at all because our Lord is teaching His disciples the importance of the principle of “abiding” which refers to our ‘fellowship’ with our Lord and not our salvation.
(Q) Second question: Do you see the word “sin” in this verse or in this passage for it is sin that causes believers to lose their salvation according to those who believe the “satanic lie” that they can lose their salvation?”
If a believer does willfully sin, he does not lose his salvation, he loses the principle of “abiding” or “fellowshipping” with our Lord.”
HEB 7:27 Our Lord does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins, and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
(Q) Third question: Do you see the word salvation in this passage?
All of us should be alert to the fact that there are always individuals who distort passages like JOH 15:2 which says that “Every branch [believer] in Me that does not bear fruit, He [TLJC] takes the fruit) away; = (that’s the first part).
The question is what did our Lord mean when He said that if we do not bear fruit that He will “take away” the branches or the believers.
Notice that our Lord said to those who do not abide in Him are thrown away as a branch, and dries up; it does not say that they are found and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”
“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”
All of you understand that you cannot lose your salvation and we will approach this subject very carefully by using the word “Approach.”
As you are living the spiritual life, you proceed to advance toward the goal that is set before us you as PHI 3:14 says, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
To do this you have to make sure that you do not fall away from the Lord but believe that you can live the spiritual life as you forget what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead.
- So, we are finally at the beginning of our “first approach” concerning the doctrine of eternal security = the Positional Approach: Rom 8:1; Eph 1:3-6; Jude 1.
The positional approach is that every believer is in union with Christ and is perfect in their position but not in their condition which is why the apostle Paul says certain things the way he does in Rom 8:1.
If you are “in Christ,” then this verse says you will never be condemned or judged by God no matter what you think, say, or do or what others think, say, or do.
There is no condemnation or judgment for those who are “en Christou Ieesou” or “in Christ Ieesou”
There is conviction by God the Holy Spirit, which is legitimate guilt, but there is a condemnation which is not one of them.
Holy Spirit conviction always gives us a way out in which the grace of God is magnified and reconciliation is the goal of God the Holy Spirit.
Whereas satanic accusations condemn a person and has no way out except satanic condemnation.
It is the Spirit verses Satan.
Carnality verses charity.
Conviction verses condemnation.
It is life spiritually or death experientially.
Even though our lives will be judged according to the word of God; (Joh 12:47-48) , it is an evaluation of our works not condemnation for our sins.
We have our Lord’s word on the type of judgment we will face; Joh 7:24 “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
Joh 3:17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.
JOH 5:22 “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son,
Even when our Lord had to judge us which was really His way of evaluating the lifestyle that we live; He did so with grace and honor motivated by agape love.
Most of you have heard these passages throughout the Word of God and when we are told that we are “in Christ” that is our position and not our condition.
Our position in Christ guarantees that there is no condemnation for any of us who have been saved.
The prepositional phrase “in Christ” gets right to the point — Because we are “in Christ,” we will never lose our salvation.
The apostle Paul stresses that we are in Christ and we can never lose what God has given by means of grace.
What we have noted so far really has to do with the fact that we share what Christ has and we share who Christ is.
What a great doctrinal principle backed up by the “Divine Promises” from God; 1Jo 3:1-2.
- Christ has a destiny; we share His destiny — Eph 1:5.
- Christ is the Son, we are in union with Christ, we share His sonship; 2Ti 2:1.
- Christ is the heir; we share His heirship; Rom 8:16-17.
- Christ is sanctified, we share His sanctification; 1Co 1:2.
- Christ is a King; we share His kingdom; 2Pe 1:11.
- Christ is the High Priest; we share His priesthood; Heb 10:10-14.
The Bible says we will all have to face not only deserved suffering but also underserved suffering as well; PHI 1:29; 1Pe 3:12-18.
The apostle Peter says that you and I can suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. = Undeserved Suffering.
One of the most important messages our Lord taught His disciples in the Vine and the branches is the place of suffering according to the Word of God.
The apostle Paul taught His disciples and followers how they can glory in their sufferings and the great principles that suffering produces, such as perseverance; character; and hope.
Rom 5:3-4 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
The apostle Paul also gave some great doctrinal advice to the Corinthians concerning the divine viewpoint on suffering; 2Co 1:2-7.
Speaking of the positive results of suffering, Peter says in 1PE 4:1 Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.
That is ceased from the power of the Old Sin Nature controlling the souls of believers and unbelievers.
“ceased from sin” does not mean that they no longer sin but it does mean they have reached a point where the sin nature no longer has dominion over the individual.
ACT 5:41 So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.
Prin-All undeserved suffering requires you to use the inventory of your doctrine resident in your soul.
GAL 6:5 For each one shall bear his own load.
LAM 3:27-28, “It is good for a man that he should bear the yoke in his youth [time of youthful vigor]. Let him sit alone and be silent since has laid it on him.
We mentioned Jacob this past winter and in GEN 32:24, it wasn’t until Jacob was left alone with the Lord that his named was changed to Israel, a prince with God.
One of the most important principles of doctrine is found in GEN 32:24 Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.
Jacob is alone, and he has learned some important principles of doctrine concerning how to handle being alone with the Lord.
It was not until Jacob was left alone with the Lord that his named was changed to Israel, a prince with God.
We all need to have that experience of going through struggles in life alone with God — It is part of becoming spiritually self-sustained.
In 2CH 32:31 God left Hezekiah alone to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.
There are times when the silence of God is manifested by all the doors in your life being closed and then you must make your own decisions.
It is God who is testing the doctrine that is in your own heart.
In JOH 8:9, it wasn’t until the woman caught in adultery was left alone with the Lord that she was set free.
JOH 16:32 “Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
Prin: Right now, there are many believers who are having a little trouble with the silence of God.
Prin: Right now, there are also many believers who know that they have done nothing wrong to have the personal suffering that they are going through in this life.
Remember, in your devotions or dedications, give the Lord thanks for all things, even undeserved suffering.
It was not until Jacob was left alone with the Lord that his named was changed to Israel, a prince with God.
The Lord is going to have to teach His disciples how to handle the problem of loneliness because they are about to experience the real meaning of loneliness when they go forth to fulfill the PPOG.
For some individuals their loneliness reveals their inability to solve their own problems that they think is a problem.
It is true that way back in Gen 2 our Lord did tell Adam, it was not good for him to be alone.
We all need to be reminded of the fact that “God knows what’s going on!”
Many believers freak out and forget some of the principles of divine attributes and the essence of God rationale.
God is sovereign, and God will make sure that the believer is protected and not tested beyond what he is able to bear; 1Co 10:13.
God will never let you down; He’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; He’ll always be there to help you come through it.
God is just, and this means that God is fair; it is impossible for God to be unfair in the function of His justice.
God is wise, incorruptible, and perfect righteousness therefore, He is the perfect and fair judge, the one judge who has never rendered a wrong decision.
We must never try to get Christ to serve us instead of us serving him; they tried it, and God launched an epidemic of poisonous snakes.
Forget about self‑confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God‑confidence.
No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face.
1Co 10:19 Do you see the difference? Sacrifices offered to idols are offered to nothing, for what’s the idol but a nothing?
Or worse than nothing, a minus, a demon! I don’t want you to become part of something that reduces you to less than yourself.
He wants us‑‑all or nothing.
Another part of God’s essence which the believer needs to recall during undeserved suffering is the omnipresence of God.
Omnipresence means that God fills space and time with His presence, sustains it, and gives it purpose and value.
The omnipresence of God guarantees us that He will fulfill His promises.
MAT 28:20b I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Heb 13:5 Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”
Mal 3:6 “For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
”Prevailed” — yakol = to be able, to attain, to endure, to overcome with power and to prevail, or come out as a winner.
One of the most powerful passages ever written about a man who wrestled with Jehovah, our Lord, and had seen Him face to face.
1SA 12:22 “For the Lord will not abandon His people on account of His great name,
Another part of God’s essence which applies to undeserved suffering is the omniscience or knowledge of God.
Every thought you would ever have, every motive that you would ever need would be formed from those thoughts, words or deeds by the decisions you would make from thought or lack of thought (which is impulsive), and every action which results.
There never was a time and never will be a time when you will have a thought, motive, or action that can make a decision to do something asinine that God did not know about billions and billions of years ago.
PSA 2:4 He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.
PSA 37:13 The Lord laughs at him; For He sees his day is coming.
PRO 1:26 I will even laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes,
Because he is immutable, God has never changed; and God’s knowledge has never changed as well.
MAL 3:6 “For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
Every sin that you would ever commit even after the day of your salvation.
God knows everything about you that is knowable, every thought you’ve ever had, your every decision, motive, and action; the same is true of billions and billions of creatures.
Time has nothing to do with God’s knowledge.
The future is as well known to Him as the past.
Another part of God’s essence which applies to undeserved suffering is the omnipotence of God.
The term “omnipotence” is used to describe the unlimited power of God.
God has created free will in man, so that man can go negative or positive to God.
From his negative volition, man can be out of control; but God is still in control of everything.
1Pe 1:5 “We are guarded by the power of God through faith for a deliverance, ready to be revealed in the last time.”
1SA 2:9 “He keeps the feet of His godly ones, But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness; For not by might shall a man prevail.
Isa 43:13 “Even from eternity, I am He, and there is no one who can deliver you out of My hand. I act, and who can reverse it?”
Another part of God’s essence which applies to the doctrine of eternal security is the faithfulness of God.
The faithfulness of God is an anthropopathism, which is a human characteristic ascribed to God in the Bible as the basis for confidence in who and what God is.
God is faithful in rebound, 1Jo 1:9, “If we acknowledge our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
God is faithful in logistical support, LAM 3:22-23, The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness.
We are daily sustained and supported by the faithfulness of God, regardless of whether we are carnal or spiritual, winners or losers.
1Th 5:24, “Faithful is He Who calls you, Who will also do [provide] it.”
God’s faithfulness to the reversionistic believer is the subject of 2Ti 2:13, “if we are faithless, He remains faithful; he cannot deny himself.”
The first time you believed in Christ, God gave you forty things; you do not have the power to cancel them and neither does God.
God’s faithfulness is stated in relationship to the prehistoric angelic conflict, 2Th 3:3, “But the Lord keeps on being faithful; He will support and guard you from the evil one.”
We cannot be demon possessed, but demon influence comes from false doctrine entering our frontal lobes.
The Lord keeps on being faithful, and He supports and guards both the loser and the winner from the evil one.
These verses on the faithfulness of God are a reminder to you that regardless of how you fail or succeed, the issue is not whether you are a winner or a loser, but whether or not you are a believer.
Job is a mature believer and a mature believer knows all of those principles I just gave you concerning the essence of God.
God knows what’s going on and Job will hear from Him at the right time.
Prin-There comes a time in the life of every believer when he must go it alone!
God never lets you go it alone unless you’ve been exposed to the doctrine.
You see, Job says “No, He would not contend with me by the greatness of His power because I’ve done nothing wrong!
Job maintains to the very end the fact that he has not sinned and he is not in some system of evil!
Job was confident that if he could just present his case that God would declare him innocent!
What Job does not understand is this problem of the silence of God which is a part of evidence testing.
God permitted a fallen angel of great ability to penetrate the wall of fire around Paul and to bother him.
Prin-Undeserved suffering or suffering for blessing is not designed to be removed by prayer.
Prayer is antithetical to the purpose for suffering for blessing.
You do not pray for the removal of the very means of advancing you to spiritual maturity and glorifying God.
You don’t judge why they’re suffering, but you do pray for those who suffer.
All suffering is a decision from the sovereignty of God.
The Christian does not pray for strength in time of suffering, because strength in suffering comes in other ways mechanically.
Ignorant and negative believers use prayer for everything, having no doctrine, no application of doctrine, and no spiritual growth.
God never puts on you more than you can bear; only you do that under the law of volitional responsibility.
Before God gives suffering for blessing, He always provides the means of handling it; 1Co 10:13.