What About Them?

At the end of John's Gospel he tells the story of how Jesus explained to Peter how he would die (John 21:18-22). I've always thought it was a bit enigmatic, but Peter got it and, pointing to John, asked, "Lord, what about this man?" Jesus told him to follow Him.

We want to know that, don't we? Who is going to make it? Who is not? We are, quite understandably, concerned about our loved ones and even ourselves. Are they going to heaven? Are we? And there is always this threat of loss. "Can I lose my salvation?" Even among the "once saved always saved" folks, the question seems to niggle at the back of their minds. Is there a conclusive answer?

There are biblical texts that suggest that salvation can be lost (e.g., 1 Cor 9:27; 2 Tim 2:5; Php 2:16; Heb 6:4-6; Heb 10:26-28, 35-36; 2 Peter 2:20-22; 2 John 1:8-9) and there are biblical reasons to conclude that it cannot (e.g., John 10:28-29; Rom 11:29). I've actually discussed this multiple times over the years. But there is a key concept here that, I think, gets missed far too often.

John wrote, "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God" (1 John 5:1). Notice the verb tense there. "Has been born of God." Not "is being" or "will be," but "has been." The English tense is "present perfect" indicating that the action happened at some time before now. It's a done deal.

Now, take that "born of God" as a done deal and follow it through. John wrote, "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God" (1 John 3:9). There is a "cannot" here, an inability. It is not possible for a particular set of people to make a practice of sinning. There is a premise here, a "why." "He has been born of God." So the "cannot" is premised on "born of God" and we know that those who believe in Christ have been (already happened) born of God. Therefore those who are born of God cannot keep on sinning -- cannot make a practice of sin. How does that work?

When the discussion of "lose it or not" occurs, the "lose it" always emphasizes "what I do." We need to persevere, to keep at it, to not lose faith, to not surrender to sin. But if that 1 John 3:9 text is true, that's not possible. Or, here, let me try this from the point I'm trying to make.

In Romans 8 we read, "Those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified" (Rom 8:30). First, note: It is an unbroken string. That is, "Those whom He predestined" ends up at "He also glorified." No break. No "ifs." No contingencies. Second, note the acting party: "He." There is nothing in this verse that references "we" or "me." It's all "He" -- God at work. And that is my primary point. Our salvation is provided and maintained by God. This notion occurs over and over in Scripture.

[Christ] will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor 1:8)

And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Php 1:6)

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it. (1 Thess 5:23-24)

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)

You should see by now a running theme. The reason that we cannot lose salvation is 1) we didn't provide it and 2) it is God who sustains it. This isn't a claim to personal ability; it's a confidence in God's ability.

This is such an important concept that it even appears in the Old Testament.

I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of Me in their hearts, that they may not turn from Me. (Jer 32:40)

God's work includes a changed heart. God says that they will not turn from Him, but the reason is not that they will work so hard at it and be so faithful. It is due to what God does.

When John talked about the antichrists that were coming "from us," he said this: "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us" (1 John 2:19). How could John know that they would not go out from us? Not because of the superiority of human will. Because of the supremacy of God's work. I don't trust that I was saved, am being saved, and will be saved because I'm working so hard at it. I trust in God's faithfulness, sovereignty, power, and promises. That's available to anyone who is born of God.