Copyright 2000 by Robert H. Kreger. All rights reserved. Anyone may reproduce this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold under any circumstances whatsoever without the author's written consent.
1.Jude - This is actually "Judas." This was a very common name in the first century. In the New Testament there is "Judas Iscariot, and Judas not Iscariot" in Jn 14:22. In Matt 13:55 we have "Judas a brother of our Lord."(This actually refers to Jude). In Acts 5:37 we see"Judas of Galilee." In Acts 9:11 there is "Judas of Damascus." Then in Acts 15:22, we have "Judas of Barsabas." For the sake of not causing any confusion, we will still call the writer of the book Jude. Jude is one of the half brothers of Jesus Christ. He is mentioned along with his other brothers in Matt 13:55,"Is not this the carpenter's son? (Jesus), is not his mother called Mary? and his brothers, James and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas? In Mk 6:3 there is a parallel passage. "Is not this the carpenter (Jesus), the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joseph, and of Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him." Therefore, the author of the book of Jude is a half brother of Jesus.
2. Preserved - This is a translation of the Greek word "TEREO" meaning, "to keep watch upon, to watch over protectively, to guard, to shield, to keep in custody, to preserve." This refers to the eternal security of the believer in Jesus Christ. When we believe in Jesus Christ we receive something that is perfect. Through our faith in Jesus Christ we actually become possessers of God's grace gift of salvation, and at the same time we become a part of God's plan. We are in it and we can never get out of it. We can't fight our way out, we can't lie our way out, we can't blaspheme our way out, and we can't sin our way out. We possess it, and we will always possess it, and there will never be a time when we won't possess it. Doctrine of Eternal Security (1) DEFINITION: Once you are saved, you are always saved. Once you are saved, you can't lose your salvation. Since you possess God's eternal salvation, it is very important to understand what salvation really is, and what it is not. Salvation is not inviting Christ into your heart. Salvation is simply an expression of faith, belief and/or trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. You are not saved by feeling sorry for your sins, or by giving up your wicked and evil ways, or by being baptized in water, or by joining a church. The only way you can be saved is to "believe in," or "trust in," or to "rely on," what Jesus Christ did on the cross. Acts 16:31, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved....." Jn 3:16, "...whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but will have everlasting life." Jn 20:31, "These are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you might have life through his name." You cannot become unsaved after you are saved. You couldn't even if you wanted to. No matter what you do after salvation, you are still in the plan of God. You can be disciplined as a disobedient child, and you can be hurting so bad that you could wish you were dead, but you cannot get out of the plan of God. 3. Called -This refers to the Doctrine of Election. When you believed in Jesus Christ and were saved, you became a part of the plan of God. God knew billions of years ago that this would occur. The word "called" simply relates the plan of God under election to the Doctrine of Divine Decrees. Doctrine of Election (1) Election means "a choosing," or "a selection." God chooses or selects. Jn 15:16, You did not choose me, but I chose you...." The words "choose" and "chose" are in the middle voice in the Greek, which means that the subject is benefited by the action of the verb. You could translate this verse in this manner: "You did not choose me for your benefit, but I chose you for my benefit." Jn 6:44, No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him......" Zech 4:6, "....not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty." Matt 22:14, "For many are called, but few are chosen." It is the Holy Spirit who does the calling, or choosing, and He does so according the plan of God. This plan, which was designed in etenity past is called the Divine Decrees. B. According to the Doctrine of Unlimited Atonement, Christ was judged for the sins of the entire human race on the cross. Therefore, everyone can be saved. The only reason that people are not saved is because of their own negative volition. C. Unlimited Atonement offers potential salvation for the entire human race, but restricts actual salvation to those who believe in Jesus Christ. D. Unlimited Atonement provides salvation for both the elect and the non-elect. For the saved and the unsaved. In other words, salvation is provided for all. That is grace. E. Unlimited Atonement is also compatible with man's two steps toward salvation. F. Therefore, negative volition in the human race is the cause of man's failure to receive salvation. The principle is this: man manufactures his own problems, and only God can solve them. I Pet 2:4, "As you come to him, the living stone, rejected by men but CHOSEN by God and precious to him..." I Pet 2:6, "For in the Scripture it says; See, I lay a stone in Zion, a CHOSEN and precious corner stone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." If you are going to have a plan, it must center around a key person. In God's plan, Jesus Christ is that key person. 4. Beloved - This word tells us that the writer is addressing this to believers with emphasis on positional truth. Doctrine of Positional Truth (1) Positional Truth refers to our position in Christ in the plan of God. Before we accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, our position was in Adam. But after we believed in Christ and were saved, our position was changed from in Adam to "in Christ." I Cor 15:22,"For in Adam all die, but in Christ all will be made alive." When we were born physically we were born into an earthly family. All earthly families are in Adam, and "in Adam all die." I was born into the Kreger family. I will always have Kreger blood, and be related to the Kreger family for as long as I live. That will never change. But being "in the Kreger family" does not guarantee my entrance into heaven. Therefore, I must be born-again. Born into the family of God through faith in Jesus Christ. When I was born into the family of God, my position came to be "in Christ." I am a member of that family and I will always be a member of that family. This is my position. 5. Write - The Greek word GRAPHO is used throughout the Scriptures to refer to the writing of the Word of God. GRAPHO means, "to write or to engrave." It is used in both the present and perfect tenses. The present tense is used to emphasize the writing of the Bible over a period of time. It took over 1500 years to complete the canon of Scripture. When the perfect tense is used emphasis is placed on the permanency of the Bible. The perfect tense refers to a past completed action having permanent results. The word "write" actually deals with the Doctrine of Inspiration. Doctrine of Inspiration (1) The principle behind the Doctrine of Inspiration is found in a Greek noun which is found in II Tim 3:16, "All Scripture is given by INSPIRATION of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." All Scripture - This refers to the entire Word of God from Genesis through Revelation. is given - Not in the Greek text. by inspiration of God - This is one Greek word. THEOPNEUSTOS. It is a compound noun. THEOS, meaning "God," and PNEUSTOS, meaning, "breath, or to breathe." THEOPNEUSTOS means, "God-breathed." II Tim 3:16 should be translated, "All Scripture is God-breathed." The English word "inspiration" is very misleading. Song writers are inspired, but the songs are not "God-breathed." Poets are inspired, but their poems are not "God-breathed." The Biblical concept of "inspiration" means that the writers of the Word of God were "moved along," or "carried along" by the very breath of God. II Pet 1:21. This means that every word in the original language of the Bible is the direct ministry of God the Holy Spirit. God's Word is accurate, and God's Word communicates exactly what God wants it to communicate. Every word in the original languages of the Bible are the very words that God personally chose, and the writers recorded it. II Tim 3:16, "All Scripture is God-breathed....." II Pet 1:21, "For the prophecy came not in old times by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
(2) Eternal security is true because of Positional Truth. Every believer is in union with Jesus Christ. Rom 8:38-39, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the Love of God that is IN CHRIST JESUS our Lord." If you have believed in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, at the point of your salvation God the Holy Spirit placed you into union with Jesus Christ. You are in Christ forever, whether you like or not. You didn't do anything to get in, and you can't do anything to get out. He did the doing, you simply believed in what He did, and you were in.
(3) Eternal security is true because of the logic of Rom 8:32, and Rom chapter five. Rom 8:32 says, "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him graciously give us all things?" Rom 5:1 says, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we keep on having peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." It is impossible to lose your salvation. It is impossible because of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. He did the most for us while we were still sinners, He did the most for us while we were still His enemies, and now that we are saved, and are the children of God, He can only do much more than the most. Five times in Romans chapter five we read the phrase "much more than." That phrase emphasizes the fact that you cannot in any way, shape or form lose your salvation.
(4) Eternal security is true because of the anthropomorphism illustration in Ps 37:24, and Jn 10:28. Ps 37:24 says, "Though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand." In Jn 10:28 it says, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." These verses use the hand of the Lord with reference to security. Once you are in the hand of the Lord, you cannot get out. When you believe in Jesus Christ as you personal Savior, you were placed in His hand. He now holds you and He never lets you go.
(5) Eternal security because of the family illustration. Gal 3:26, "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus." Jn 1:12, "....to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." In Jn 3:3 we are told that we must be born into the family of God, which means that we must be born again. We must have a spiritual birth. Once we are born into a human family, we are always in that family. The same is true spiritually. We are born into the family of God through faith in Jesus Christ. At that point of time we become a child of God. We may be a good child or a bad child, but we are still a family member, and we can never change that.
(6) Eternal security is true because of the inheritance illustration. I Pet 1:4-5, ".....into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade, kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time." In other words, God has reserved an inheritance for us in heaven.
(7) Eternal security is true because of God's sovereignty. II Pet 3:9, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." It is God's desire that no one should perish, but that all would come to a change of attitude. Once we change our attitude and believe in Jesus Christ, Jude 24 says, "To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy." God makes a decision from His sovereignty at the point of our salvation that we would not lose what He gave to us, so, "He keeps us from falling."
(8) Eternal security is true because of the body illustration. I Cor 12:21, "The eye cannot say to the hand, I don't need you! And the head cannot say to the feet, I don't need you!" Paul uses believers as members of a body to illustrate eternal security. Christ is said to be the head of the body in Col 1:17-18, "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And HE IS THE HEAD OF THE BODY, THE CHURCH, he is the beginning and the first born from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy." In I Cor 12:21, "The head (Christ) cannot say to the feet (believers), I don't need you."
(9) Eternal security is true because of the Greek tense that is used in Eph 2:8-9. It says, "for by grace you are saved...." The word "saved" is in the perfect tense in the Greek. The perfect tense refers to an action that was completed in the past with the results of that action going on forever. Eph 2:8-9 would literally say, "For by grace you have been saved in the past with the result that you go on being saved forever."
(10) Eternal security is true because of Rom 8:38-39.
For I am persuaded - this means confident.
that neither death - the end of life.
nor life - nothing in life.
nor angels - this refers to fallen angels.
nor demons - this refers to disembodied spirits of the past who attempt to indwell human bodies.
nor principalities - this refers to human dictators.
nor powers - this refers to governments and laws.
nor things present - things going on right now.
nor things to come - referring to anything in the future.
nor height nor depth - refers to anything in any extreme.
nor any other creature - this includes any other creature that was not mentioned above, including yourself.
shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is IN CHRIST JESUS our Lord.(11) There are four areas of human arrogance that causes one to reject eternal security.
A. The arrogance of the believer who rejects eternal security because of constant sinning. He is actually saying that his sins are greater than the plan of God.
B. The arrogance of the believer who rejects eternal security because he succumbs to the pressure of adversity. He is actually saying that his suffering is greater than the plan of God.
C. The arrogance of the believer who rejects eternal security because of his emotion. In his emotion, he may not feel saved. He is actually saying that his feelings and experiences are greater than the plan of God.
D. The arrogance of the pseudo-spiritual believer who rejects eternal security, because he may think that he can't live the life God desires. He is actually saying that his morality, taboos, or works are greater than the plan of God.
(2) All members of the human race are potentially elected or chosen to be a part of the plan of God. This is the Doctrine of Unlimited Atonement. I Cor 15:22, "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." II Cor 5:14, "....one died for ALL." II Cor 5:15, "...that he died for ALL..."
A. Unlimited atonement is compatible with the sovereignty of God. In other words, God desires that all people be saved. II Pet 3:9, " The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." The fact that some people are not saved is a matter of their own negative volition. It has nothing to do with the will of God.
(a) God Consciousness: which is arrived at by human thinking. This is when a person becomes aware of his need of God.
(b) Gospel Hearing: which is the actual plan of salvation given to that person who has reached God Consciousness.(3) Christ was elected or chosen in eternity past, before time began. Isaiah 42:1,"Here is my servant, the one I uphold, my CHOSEN ONE in whom I delight: I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations."
(4) The election of Jesus Christ took place in eternity past, during the issuing of the Divine Decrees, also called "The Eternal Life Conference." Eph 1:4, "For he CHOSE us in him before the creation of the world..."
(5) Every believer shares the election of Jesus Christ. Rom 8:28-32, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been CALLED (chosen) according to his purpose. For those God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that they might be the first-born among many brethren. And those he predestined, he also CALLED (chose), and those he CALLED (chose), he also justified, and those he justified, he also glorified." Eph 1:4, "For he chose us IN HIM before the creation of the world..." This "choosing" or "election" is accomplished through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
(6) Election is based on the omniscience of God, not the omnipotence of God. In other words, God chooses because of His knowledge, not because of His power. Rom 8:28-32, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God FOREKNEW (omniscience) he also predestined to be the first-born among many brethren. And those he predestined, he also called, and those he called, he also justified, and those he justified, he also glorified."
(7) God does not choose or predestine anyone because He wants to. God chooses or predestines individuals because of His foreknowledge. In other words, before the world was created, God looked down through the ages, and in His complete foreknowledge of all things saw who would accept or reject His plan of salvation in Jesus Christ, and based on that knowledge God the Father chose all who would accept Jesus Christ.
(8) The election of individuals to salvation rests totally on the divine choice based on foreknowledge, not on human effort or human merit. Rom 8:28,"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called (chosen) according to HIS PURPOSE." Jn 15:16, "You did not choose me, but I chose you...." Again I want to point out the importance of the middle voice in the Greek of the verbs "choose" and "chose." The middle voice says that the subject is benefited by the action of the verb. So this could be translated, "You did not choose me for your benefit, but I chose you for my benefit."
(9) This election, or choosing, is made complete at the point of salvation. II Thess 2:13,"But we are obligated to give thanks at all times to God concerning you brethren, having been loved by the Lord, because God CHOSE you from the beginning to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth." Notice the word order here, "the sanctifying work of the Spirit," then,"belief in the truth." In other words, before anyone can "believe in the truth" and be saved, the Holy Spirit must do His job of "sanctifying"or "setting apart" the one who is to be saved. II Tim 1:9,"Who has saved us and called us to a holy life, not because of anything we have done but because of HIS OWN PURPOSE and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF TIME."
(10) Election is the foundation of the Church (universal), because election refers to all who are IN CHRIST regardless of where they may be geographically. Bible doctrine is the foundation of the Church (local).
(11) Knowing and understanding the concept of election only comes through the knowledge of the Word of God. The knowledge of the Word of God only comes through the self-discipline of attending regular Bible classes, concentration, and the filling of the Holy Spirit.
(2) The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the means by which positional truth is achieved. Acts 1:5, "For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT." I Cor 12:13, "For we were all BAPTIZED BY ONE SPIRIT into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free, and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." Eph 4:5, "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." The "one baptism" refers to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit that occurs at the moment of salvation.
(3) Positional truth belongs to the carnal, negative believer as well as to the spiritual, positive believer. It belongs to the legalistic believer, as well as to the grace believer. I Cor 1:2, "to the church in Corinth, to those SANCTIFIED in Christ Jesus and called to be holy...." I Cor 1:30, "It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God, that is, he is our righteousness, our holiness, and our redemption." I Cor 3:3,"You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like the unbelievers?" Even though the Corinthian believers were acting like unbelievers, they were still "sanctified in Christ Jesus."
(4) Positional truth protects the believer from divine judgment in eternity. Rom 8:1, "Therefore, there is now no judgment for those whe are IN CHRIST JESUS."
(5) Positional truth provides the qualification necessary to live with God forever.
A. At the point of salvation eternal life is given. I Jn 5:11-12, "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is IN HIS SON. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."
B. At the point of salvation God's own perfect righteousness is given to us. II Cor 5:21, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that IN HIM we might become the righteousness of God." (6) Positional truth is the key to understanding both Election and Predestination. Eph 1:3-6, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing IN CHRIST. For he chose us IN HIM before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will - to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us IN THE ONE he loves."
(7) Positional truth brings about a new creation in us based on who and what Jesus Christ is. Therefore, we are a new creation because of what grace accomplishes, not because of what changes we make at salvation or thereafter. II Cor 5:17,"Therefore, if anyone is IN CHRIST, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come." Eph 2:10,For we are God's workmanship, created IN CHRIST JESUS to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
(8) Positional truth guarantees the eternal security of the believer in Jesus Christ. Rom 8:38-39, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is IN CHRIST JESUS our Lord."
(9) Positional truth is classified under two categories.
A. Retroactive positional truth. This refers to our identification with Christ in His death. Gal 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ.."
B. Current positional truth. This refers to our identification with Christ in His victory, referring to His resurrection, ascension and session. Col 3:1, "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set you hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God."
Both categories of positional truth are found in Rom 6:3-11, "...don't you know that all of us who were baptized INTO CHRIST JESUS were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him in his death, we will certainly also be united with im in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God IN CHRIST JESUS."(10) Current positional truth implies that the believer shares certain things with Christ.
A. We share His life. I Jn 5:11-12, "..God has given us eternal life, and this life is IN HIS SON."
B. We share His perfect righteousness. II Cor 5:21,"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that IN HIM we might become the righteousness of God."
C. We share His election. Eph 1:4,"For he chose us IN HIM before the creation of the world.."
D. We share His destiny. Eph 1:5,"He predestined us to be adopted as his sons THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, in accordance with his pleasure and will."
E. We share His Sonship. Jn 1:12,"To all who received him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become sons of God."
F. We share His Heirship. Rom 8:17,"..if we are children then we are heirs, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.."
G. We share His sanctification. I Cor 1:2, "...sanctified IN CHRIST JESUS and called to be holy....."
H. We share His kingdom. II Pet 1:11,"..you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
I. We share His priesthood. Rev 1:6, "....he made us to be a kingdom of priests to serve his God and Father, to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen."(11) There are at least six characteristics of positional truth.
A. It is not an experience, nor is it emotion or ecstatics.
C. It is not related to human merit, ability, talent, or human good. There is no place in the plan of God for any type of human good.
D. It is eternal in nature. It cannot be changed by God, angels or man
E. It is known only through the Word of God.
F. It is obtained in total at the moment of salvation.(2) The Greek word THEOPNEUSTOS in II Tim 3:16, also possesses the concept of breathing. In breathing there is inhale and exhale. When we learn the Word of God in the filling of the Holy Spirit we are inhaling the very breath of God into our souls. Gen 2:7 says, "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul." The only way we can ever bring glory to God and Jesus Christ is to breathe in, to inhale the Word of God, then we in turn exhale the Word by our daily application.
A. God exhaled His Word through the Holy Spirit to the writers of Scripture.
B. The writers of Scripture inhaled the Word of God to their souls.
C. The writers of Scripture exhaled the Word of God in written form.
D. The Believer today inhales the Word of God from the written Word
E. The believer exhales the Word of God from his soul. This is application.
We must remember that God's complete message to man was permanently recorded with perfect accuracy in the original languages of Scripture.(3) The origin of Scripture is not human viewpoint. The origin of Scripture is the Holy Spirit (II Pet 1:20-21). It is only the Bible that records Divine viewpoint.
(4) The Bible is the mind of Christ, therefore, it is the absolute standard for believers. I Cor 2:7, "...we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began." I Cor 2:16, "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." Ps 138:2, "...for you have exalted above all things your name and your word."
(5) The Bible as the mind of Christ existed in eternity past before it was reduced to written form. I Cor 2:7, "...we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory BEFORE TIME BEGAN."
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