Hello brother’s & sisters in Christ,
“For by grace you have been saved through faith & that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not works lest anyone should boast” Ephesians 2:8,9.
I have noticed in my study of God’s word that very often, if not always, when we see a promise or blessing of God it is connected to a corollary condition that secures the legitimacy of that promise or blessing in a person’s life. Here are some examples for your edification. I will use a (P), for promise & (C) for condition.
Romans 8:1(P)” There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are (C) in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
Colossians 1:21-23 (P) ” And you who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body to present you holy and blameless, and above reproach in His sight (C) – if in-deed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard.”
2nd Peter 1 8-10 (P)” For these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. (C) Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these thing you will never stumble.”
1st Corinthians 15:1,2 (P) ” Moreover, brethren I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, (C) if you hold fast that word which I preached to you – unless you believed in vain.”
John 15 :7 (C) ” If you abide in Me and My words abide you, (P) you shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you.”
1st John 2:3-6 (P)”Now by this we know that we know Him,(C) if we keep His commandments. He who says he know Him and does not keep His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. (P) But whoever keeps His word truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.” (C) He who says that he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”
Finally, the age old debate. If you are saved, are you always saved? Do you have eternal security? It is the once saved always saved question. The answer is yes. The condition is, if you are truly saved. This question comes from this passage in John. Notice the condition. John 10:27-28 (P)” My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, (C) and they follow Me. (P) “And I give them eternal life and they will never perish; neither will anyone snatch them out of My hand.“
I want to conclude by leaving you with this disclaimer. In every one of these examples where we see a condition that secures the legitimacy of the promise in an individual’s life. Never,ever is the condition the means of receiving the promise or blessing. The condition is the evidence of receiving the promise or blessing. It is the manifestation and the work of the Holy Spirit of God – working in one’s life. So lets go back to our 1st verse in Ephesians 2:8, 9 and add verse 10. (P) ” For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast.” For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus (C) for good works, which God had prepared beforehand that we might walk in them.
In closing, let’s not assume that an individual is a Christian just because he or she says so. If Christ has really taken up residence in a person, you will see the manifestation of a work of the Spirit in that person. You will see a changed life. Otherwise, we would have to conclude that Christ is not a wonderful Savior. Sanctification is a part of salvation; as a process, while we are still in this body. We know that Christ is a wonderful Savior! Therefore, if one claims to know Christ and there is no evidence of salvation or sanctification. Who is responsible? There are only 2 options. The individual or Jesus. We know that Jesus is our great Savior and He will complete the work of sanctification in a true believer. Therefore, we can be sure that if a person is truly saved and knows Christ, we will see he or her change in a way that will glorify God.
2nd Corinthians 5:17 “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold all things have become new.”
