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Light for Living

A BAPTIST CHURCH MANUAL

Compiled by A. L. Davis

Sioux Baptist Chapel, 1972

A Standard of Faith and Fellowship for Baptist Churches and Missions

(Dedicated to the Office Staff of the Northern Plains Baptist Convention)

Rev. A. L. Davis is a retired Southern Baptist minister, home missions pastor and Indian missionary. He lives in Rapid City, SD. You can contact him at: alewisdavis@webtv.net.

To see a recent photo of Rev. Davis click HERE

Table of Contents

Prologue

I. The Bible

II. The New Testament Church

III. The Lord's Day

IV. Salvation

V. The Kingdom of God

VI. The Return of Christ

VII. Man

VIII. God

Appendix: The Security of the Believer

NOTE: We are working to make all scriptural references available to the reader through direct links. At the present time, only the book of Matthew has been completed. Any reference to Matthew in the main text can be seen simply by clicking on the highlighted reference.

Prologue

This booklet has been written to set forth the basic Bible teachings and practices as a basis of faith and fellowship among the members of the local church. It describes the new relationship between the convert and God, and between the convert and other members of the church. Its purpose is to help the new church member to become a worker for Christ, and thus to provide light for living the abundant life.

I: The Bible

1.....The Bible is God's written word to man. It reveals what man needs to know about God and his love for man. It tells about God's will, plan, and provision for man. It is true and without any errors. It is the one and only authority in all matters of faith and practice. (See: Matthew 5:17-18, 22:29; Luke 21:33; John 5:39, 17:17; Romans 15:4; II Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2, 4:12; I Peter 1:25; II Peter 1:19-21.)

2.....The Bibles commands the teaching of the Word of God:

i.....The disciples were sent to teach and to witness to all of the world. (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8.)

ii.....The New Testament Christians taught the truths of the Gospel to both the converted and the unconverted. (Acts 21:40-42, 8:4-6, 9:20, 16:31-32; 17:22-31, 19:9-10, 20:20; II Timothy 2:2.)

3.....Believers who obey God's Word will be helped in the following ways:
  1. They will have a solid foundation for their faith and a guide to help them to live for Christ. (II Timothy 3:16-17.)
  2. They will have the continual presence of Christ with them. (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5.)
  3. They will have the power of God in their lives. (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:18-20; Philippians 4:13.)
  4. They will enjoy the love of God. (John 14:15; 14:21, 14:23-24, 15:9-13.)
  5. They shall enjoy true spiritual freedom. (John 8:31-32, 8:36; Romans 8:1.)

II: The New Testament Church

1.....Definition: A New Testament church is a local body of baptized believers in Christ who have of their own free will joined themselves together by covenant to do the will of Christ. This involves maintaining public worship of God, teaching the Bible, keeping the Ordinances, and preaching the gospel of Christ to all the world.

2.....The church was founded personally by Christ. (Matthew 16:18, 18:17; Luke 6:12-38; I Corinthians 12:28.)
  1. Those who were saved at Pentecost were added to the church. (Acts 2:41, 47.)

3. ...The church is a local visible body of baptized believers
  1. It is able to hear grievances. (Matthew 18:17.)
  2. It has the authority to receive and exclude members.
  3. The word translated "church" means "those who are called out." It gets its meaning from the Greek city states. It is used 115 times in the New Testament. As least 92 times it refers to the local congregation. The other uses are in reference to the church in prospect (the final great assembly in heaven), and to the church in the institutional sense. None of these uses violates the basic concept of the local church.
  4. The concept which many refer to as the "universal church" is Biblically the Kingdom of God or the Family of God. (John 3:5; Ephesians 3:15.)

    5. 4......The believers in Christ who live in the same community should come together to form themselves into a local New Testament church. (Matthew 16:18, 18:17,20; Acts 2:47, 8:1, 9:31.)

  5. The purpose of the church is:

a....To worship God in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23-24; Psalm 117; Colossians 3:16.)

b....To teach and be taught the doctrines of the Bible, and thereby to grow in knowledge, holiness and love. (II Peter 3:18; II Timothy 3:14, 3:17; II Corinthians 7:1; John 13:34.)

c.....To evangelize the local community and the world. (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8.) This is expressed:

5....The spiritual nature of the church is revealed in Bible symbols:

(1).....The body of Christ. (Ephesians 1:22-23, 5:23; I Corinthians 12:12, 27.)

(a)....This expression shows the relation of the church to Christ, its head; and the relation of the members to one another.

(b).....It shows that spiritual authority rests in Christ alone, and not in any intermediate person on earth.

(2).....A building or temple. (I Corinthians 3:9, 16; I Peter 2:5-7; Ephesians 2:20-22.)

(a)....Christ is the rock upon which the temple (church) is built, the members (baptized believers) being spiritual stones used in its construction.

(b)....God dwells in the church to guide and to bless her.

(3)....The true vine. (John 15:1-8.)

(a).....The believer receives his spiritual life from Christ.

(b).....He is a branch which should bear fruit.

(c)....God, the husbandman, purifies (prunes) each believer so that he will bear more fruit. (Hebrews 12:5-11.)

(d)....The believer is made a partaker of the Divine nature which gives to him faith, hope (confidence), love, and courage. He is to bear fruit, winning souls to Christ.

6..... How to become a member of the church:

(1).....The primary requirement is salvation (regeneration). The Bible calls this the new birth, or being born again. (John 3:3,5,7.)
    1. This involves:
    2. Repentence. (Luke 13:3,5; Acts 2:38; Matthew 9:13.) This means to be sorry for our sins and to turn away from them. (I John 1:9; John 8:11, 5:14.)

b. Faith in Christ and his death on the cross for our sins. (John 3:16, 14:1-6; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-9; I John 1:7-9.) Faith involves a personal invitation to Christ to come into the believer's heart and life. (Revelation 3:20.)

(2).....A public confession of faith in Christ. (Matthew 10:32-33; Romans 10:9-10; Mark 8:38.)

a.....Baptism. (Acts 2:41,47; Romans 6:3; Acts 8:38.)

b.....Baptism is the immersion (burial) of a believer in water in obedience to the command and example of Jesus Christ and upon the authority of a New Testament (Baptist) church.

7.....The financial support of the church:

(1).....Salvation cannot be bought. Neither can we pay for God's blessings upon us. (Matthew 10:8; Isaiah 55:1.)

(2).....Money is required to pay the expenses of the ministry, to maintain the church building and other equipment, and to evangelize the world.

A.....The members support the church with their tithes and offerings. The tithe is the tenth part of a person's income. Offerings are gifts over and above the tithe.

B.....Tithing to support the work of God has always been the practice of faithful men of God in every period of Bible history.

a.....Before Moses, men paid tithes to God. (Genesis 14:18-20, 28:22; Hebrew 7:4.)

b....Tithing was included in the law of Moses. (Leviticus 27:30-34.)

c.....To emphasize the importance of tithing, God pronounced a special blessing to those who tithed and pronounced a curse on those who do not tithe. (Malachi 3:8-10.)

d.....Tithing is taught in the New Testament. (Matthew 23:23; I Corinthians 16:1-2, 9:13-14; Hebrews 7:1-22 -- note especially verses 1, 2, 11, 15, 17, and 22.)

3.....The Christian's motive for giving is love and gratitude. (II Corinthians 9:6-8.) The entire ninth chapter of II Corinthians deals with the grace of liberality.
    1. The Christian under grace is even more obligated to pay tithes to Christ than the Old Testament Jew was to pay tithes to the priests.

8.....The ordinances of the church -- Baptism and the Lord's Supper:
    1. They are pictures showing basic Bible teachings.
    2. They are baskets holding fundamental Bible doctrines.
    3. They are hitching posts about which all Bible doctrines are tied.
    4. Therefore, it is necessary that the ordinances be kept in their simple Bible purity. (I Corinthians 11:2.)
    5. Baptism:
    1. The proper (scriptural) mode or method is immersion. (Matthew 3:16; Acts 8:38-39; Romans 6:4-5.)
    2. The proper (scriptural) candidate is a born again believer in Christ-- one who has experienced repentance and faith. (Acts 2:38.)
    3. The proper (scriptural) purpose is to obey the command and example of Christ. (Matthew 3:15 -- "to fulfil all righteousness."Baptism does not save and is not for unsaved or unregenerate people. (Ephesians 2:8-9.)
    4. The proper (scriptural) authority is a New Testament (Baptist) church -- one which believes and practices the teachings of the Bible.
    5. Baptism presents three pictures. (Romans 6:1-11.)

1.....The believer's death to the old life of sin, his burial of that old life, and his resurrection to a new life in Christ.

2.....The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ for our sins.

3.....Our faith in the resurrection of the body, a glorified body, in the great resurrection day.

6.....The Lord's Supper. (Matthew 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:19-20; I Corinthians 11:17-34.)

A.....The Lord's Supper pictures Christ's death for our sins. (I Corinthians 11:26.)

B......It is a memorial to his death on the cross. (I Corinthians 11:24-25; Luke 22:19.)

C......It is to be observed in and by the local church.

D......The qualifications of those who partake of the Supper:

a....They must be saved (born again). (I Corinthians 11:29.) Note "not discerning the Lord's body."

b....They must be in doctrinal unity. (I Corinthians 11:19-20.)

c.....They must be in organic union. (I Corinthians 11:18-20.)

d.....They must be obedient, baptized followers of Christ.

e.....They must be members of the local church. (It is a church ordinance, not a Christian ordinance.)

E....The "cup," "fruit of the vine," symbolizes Christ's blood which was shed for the sins of the world.

F.....The bread symbolizes the body of Jesus broken for our sins.

G.....The Lord's Supper is a proclamation of the Lord's death for our sins. (I Corinthians 11:26.)

H.....Before taking the Lord's Supper the Christian should examine himself in the light of the Bible teachings concerning the supper, and get his heart right with God.

9......The officers of the church:

(1)......The ordained officers are pastor and deacons.

A.....The pastors are also called bishops, elders, overseers, and shepherds. (Ephesians 4:11; Acts 14:23, 20:28; Philippians 1:1; I Timothy 3:1-7; 5:17, 5:19; Titus 1:5; I Peter 5:1-4.)

B.....Deacons are "servants" of the church in both the temporal and spiritual work of the church. (Acts 6:1-7; I Timothy 3:8-13; Philippians 1:1.)

(2).....The church may elect such other officers as it feels are needed in order to carry on the work of the church, i.e. treasurer, clerk, Sunday School director, etc.

III: The Lord's Day:

Sunday, the first day of the week, is the Christian Lord's Day. In it we keep the spirit of the Old Testament Sabbath and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave. It is to be used for public and private worship and service to Christ. The Lord's Day should not be used for worldly amusements or for unnecessary secular work. (Exodus 20:8-11; Matthew 12:1-12, 28:1-10; Mark 2:27-28, 16: 1-7; Luke 24:1-3, 24:33-36; John 4:21-24; 20:1, 20:19-28; Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 16:1-2; Colossians 2:16, 3:16; Hebrews 10:25; Revelation 1:10.)

IV: Salvation

Salvation involves the whole man, including the life as well as the soul. The soul is saved the instant a person turns to Christ in repentance and faith. Salvation is offered freely to all who will accept Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. Salvation includes regeneration, sanctification and glorification. (Genesis 3:15; Exodus 6:2-8; Matthew 1:21; Luke 1: 58-69, 2:30-32; John 1:10-14, 1:29, 3:14-21, 3:36, 5:24, 10:9, 10:28-29; Acts 2:21, 4:12, 15:11, 16:30-31; Romans 1:16-18, 5:8-11, 6:1-23, 8:28-39, 10:30-31; I Corinthians 1:18, 6:19-20; II Corinthians 5:17-21; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-22; Colossians 1:9-22; II Timothy 1:12; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:1-3, 5:9, 9:24-28; I Peter 1:2-23; I John 2:1-2; Revelation 3:20, 21:1-22,5.)
      1. Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace which makes the believer a new creature in Christ. The Holy Spirit convicts (convinces) the person of sin, leads him to turn from his sins to Christ trhough faith, and then creates a new heart within him. This new heart and new nature makes the believer able, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to live for Christ. (John 3:3-8; I Corinthians 15:10; Galatians 5:22-25, 6:15; Ephesians 4:11-16; Philippians 2:12-13.)
      2. Repentance and faith are two sides of the same experience. Repentance is turning from sin toward God; faith is the act of trusting Jesus and of committing the whole life to him as Saviour and Lord. (Matthew 4:17, 16:24-27, 27:22-28, 6; Luke 13:3, 5; Romans 2:4, 4:3-8, 5:1-2, 10:10, 10:13; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:8; Hebrews 11:1-12, 8.) Justification is the legal act of God which declares the sinner not guilty when he repents and trusts Christ. It brings peace and favor with God. (Romans 3:23-25, 5:1, 5:9, 8:30.)
      3. Sanctification is the act of God in setting aside the believer for God's service at the moment of the new birth, and includes the growth toward moral and spiritual perfection which should continue on throughout the believer's earthly life. (John 17:17; Acts 20:32; I Corinthians 1:30; I Thessalonians 5:23-24; I Peter 1:2.)
      4. Glorification is the final blessed state of the saved person in heaven where he will receive a crown of glory and the praise of Christ. (Matthew 25:21, 25:23, 25:31-40.)
      5. Eternal security of the believer describes the state of the one who has trusted in Christ as Saviour and Lord. It is often expressed as "once saved, always saved." See Appendix.

        6. V: The Kingdom of God: 

        The kingdom denotes God's general rule over the universe and his special rule in the hearts and lives of his people. It refers particularly to the realm of the saved into which men are born again through repentance and faith. The full reality of the kingdom will come when Christ returns and this age ends. (Isaiah 9:5-7; Matthew 3:2, 4:23, 13:1-52, 25:31-46, 26:29; Mark 1:14-15, 9:1; Luke 4:43, 8:1, 9:2, 12:31-32, 17:20-21, 23:42; John 3:3, 18:36; Acts 1:6-7; I Corinthians 15:24-28; Colossians 1:13; Hebrews 11:10, 11:16, 12:28; Revelation 1:6, 9, 5:10.)

        VI: The Return of Christ:

        In his own time and in his own way Jesus Christ will return to the earth to judge it. His return will be personal and visible. The dead shall be raised to be judged in righteousness. The lost, or unrighteous, will be condemned to hell for eternity. The righteous in their glorified bodies will live forever with Christ in heaven. (Acts 17:31; Matthew 16:17, 24:27-30, 24:36-51, 25:31-46, 16:64; Mark 8:38, 9:43-48; Luke 12:40, 17:22-37, 21:27-28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:1; I Corinthians 4:5, 14:24-28, 15:35-38; Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 3:4; I Thessalonians 4:16-18, 5:1-10; II Thessalonians 1:7-10; II Timothy 4:1, 8; Titus 2:13; James 5:8; II Peter 3:7-11; I John 3:2; Revelation 3:11.)

        VII: Man 

        Man was made by God in his own image and is the crowning work of God's creation. He was made innocent and without sin, but with freedom of choice. Under the temptation of Satan man disobeyed the law of God and fell from his state of innocence. Through Adam sin entered the bloodstream of humanity, so that all men are born with a sinful nature and in a sinful environment. As soon as they get old enough to know right from wrong they choose to do wrong. Thus, man is separated from God and becomes a hell-bound sinner. The whole purpose of God's grace, climaxing in Jesus' death on the cross, is to bring man back into fellowship with God. The fact that man was made in the image of God and that Christ died on the cross to redeem fallen man points out the sacredness and worth of each person. (Genesis 1:26-30, 2:5, 2:7, 18-22, 3:1-24, 9:6; Psalm 1, 8:3-6, 32:1-5, 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 16:26; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32, 3:10-18, 23, 5:6, 12, 19:6, 6, 7:14-25, 8:14-18, 29; I Corinthians 1:21-31, 15:21-22; Colossians 1:21-22, 3:9-11; Ephesians 2:1-22.)

        VIII: God:

        There is one and only one, true and living God. He is a personal, intelligent, and spiritual Being. He is perfect in holiness, righteousness, love, and all other qualities. He is the Creator, Ruler, Redeemer, and Preserver of the universe. To him man owes the highest love, respect, and obedience. God reveals himself to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each with clear personal qualities, but without any division of nature, being, or purpose. (Genesis 1:1-31, 2:1-25; Exodus 3:14, 15:11-18, 20:1-26; Leviticus 22:2; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 19:1-3; Jeremiah 10:10, 17:13; Isaiah 43:15; John 4:24.)

        1......God, the Father, rules with loving care over his universe, providing for his creatures, and directing the flow of human history according to the purpose of his grace. He is all powerful, all wise, and all loving. He is truly Father to all those who have been born again through faith in Jesus Christ. He is father-like in his love for all men. (Deuteronomy 33:6; I Chronicles 29:10; Isaiah 64:8; Matthew 6:9-34, 7:11, 23:9, 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; John 5:26, 14:1-3, 17:1-26; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14-15; I Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Hebrews 12:9; I Peter 1:17; I John 5:7; John 10:29, 37-38.)

        2......God the son is Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, who took upon himself flesh, was conceived of the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. He became man and was tempted just as we are, yet without sin. He kept God's law perfectly and showed us how to live fully. He died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and arose the third day. He appeared to his disciples who recognized him. He ascended back to heaven, where at the right hand of God, the Father, he always intercedes (looks our) for us. He will return to earth in power and glory to judge the world and to complete his redemptive mission. He lives in the hearts of all believers as the ever-present Lord. (Psalm 2:7-11; Isaiah 7:14, 53:1-12, 43:3; Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; John 5:26, 14:1-13, 17:1-26; I Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 4:6; I John 5:7; Matthew 1:18-23, 3:67, 8:29, 11:27, 14:33, 16:16, 27, 17:5; Mark 1:1, 3:11; Luke 1:35, 4:41, 22:70, 24:46; John 1:1-18, 29, 17:21-22, 20:1-20; Acts 1:9, 7:55-56, 9:20; Romans 1:3-4; 5:6-21, 8:1-3, 10:4; I Corinthians 8:6, 15:1-8; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:30; Philippians 2:5-11; I Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 1:1-3, 4:14-15, 13:8; I John 1:7; II John 7:9.)

        3......God the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, the third Person of the Holy Trinity. He inspired man to write the Bible and guides men to an understanding of truth. He glorifies Christ, draws men to him, and works the miracle of the new birth. He convicts men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement. He comforts and guides believers, grows Christian character, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which men serve God through his church. He seals the believer for heaven; and his presence makes sure the believer's faithfulness and growth. He came upon the church at Pentecost, and is with Christ's churches today, to give them power to witness and win souls. This power and purpose is expressed in evangelism and world missions. (Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalm 51:11; Isaiah 61:1; Joel 2:28; Matthew 1:18, 3:16, 4:1, 12:28-32, 28:19; Mark 1:9-12; Luke 1:35, 4:1; John 4:24, 14:16-17, 26, 15:26, 16:7-14; Acts 1:8, 2:1-4, 38, 4:31, 5:3, 6:3, 7:55, 10:44, 13:2, 15:28, 16:6; Romans 8:9-14, 8:26-27; I Corinthians 2:10-14, 3:16; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30; I Thessalonians 5:19; I Timothy 4:1; I John 4:13, 5:6-7; Revelation 1:10, 22:17.)

        Appendix -- The Security of the Believer

         Introduction: Baptists believe the Bible teaches security.

          1. The doctrine of eternal security minimizes human merit and magnifies the grace of god.
          2. It gives the joy of assurance. We have a right to know. The scripture was written that we may know (I John 5:13.)
          3. Faithfulness in works is prompted by a sense of security rather than fear.
          4. For a Baptist, the question is "What saith the scripture?" (Romans 4:3). So, let us search the scripture.

1......What the Bible teaches about the nature of the believer:

1......He is made alive. (Ephesians 2:1; I Corinthians 15:22.)

2.......He is born of God. (I John 1:13, 5:1.)

3.......He is born again (new birth.) (John 3:3, 5:7; I Peter 1:3.) "Hath begotten us again."

4.......He is created anew. (Ephesians 2:10; II Corinthians 5:17.)

5.......He "overcometh the world." (I John 5:4.)

6.......He is of incorruptible seed. (I Peter 1:23.)

7.......Believers are partakers of Divine nature. (II Peter 1:4.)

8.......The believer has God's Spirit dwelling in him. (John 14:16; I Corinthians 3:16.)

9.......He is incapable of damning sin. (I John 3:9.)

10......He possesses eternal life. (John 3:16, 10:28.)

11......He will persevere. (I John 2:10.)

 

II.....God's promises in the Bible concerning security:

1....The believer is kept by God's power. (I Peter 1:5; jude 24; Psalm 125:2.)

2.....He is sealed by the Spirit. (Ephesians 1:13, 4:30.)

3.....He shall endure forever. "Shall never perish." (John 10:28) "Shall not come into condemnation (John 5:24.)

4.....God will remember the believer's sins no more. (Hebrews 10:16-17.)

5.....God will finish the work begun in the believer. (Philippians 1:6; Jude 24; Hebrews 12:2; Luke 21:18.)

6..... All things work for good "to them who love God." (Romans 8:28.)

7......God "will not impute sin" to believers. (Romans 4:8.)

8.......Nothing can separate the believer from the love of God. (Romans 8:35-39.)

9.......The believer will not be tempted beyond his ability to withstand. (I Corinthians 10:13.)

10......He has God's promise to deliver and preserve. (II Timothy 4:18.)

11.......The angels rejoice prematurely over his salvation. (Luke 15:10.)

12.......The Bible was written that we may be saved. (John 20:31.) And that we may know that we are saved. (I John 5:13.)

III.....What the Bible teaches about security:

I. The Christian is hid in Christ. (Romans 8:1; Colossians 3:3.)

II. Christ is the Christian's life. (Colossians 3:4.)

III. The Christian is justified by Christ. (Romans 8:33.) The Christian is judged by Christ. (John 5:22.)

IV. He is acknowledged in Judgement. (Matthew 25:31-41.)

V. He is kept in God's hand. (John 10:27-28.)

VI. Jesus is made a security for him. (Hebrews 7:22.)

VII. Christ is the guarantee (earnest) of his salvation. (Ephesians 1:14.)

VIII. Jesus prayed for our security. (John 17:15, 20.)

IX. God cannot deny Himself. (II Timothy 2:13.)

X. Christ intercedes for the believer forever. (Hebrews 7:25.)

XI. He saves to the uttermost those who trust Him. (Hebrews 7:25.)

XII. His blood cleanses from all sin. (I John 1:7; Titus 2:13-14; Hebrews 9:12-14.)

XIII. The redeemed are bought off the market, not to be put back. (Romans 3:24-25.)

XIV. Christ is stronger than Satan. (Matthew 12:28; I John 3:8.)

IV. ....Security in the Bible invitations to salvation:

1. ...The Christian "shall never thirst." (John 4:14.)

2......He shall never die. (John 11:26.)

3......He "hath life" (present tense) -- eternal life. (John 6:47.)

4......He "is passed from death unto life." (John 5:24.)

5......He shall not be cast out. (John 6:37.)

6......Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13.)

V....God's promises of everlasting life. (Eternal, unending life.) (John 3:15, 16, 36, 5:24, 6:40, 5:47, 10:28, 11:25-26; Romans 6:23; I John 5:11-13.)

VI....Salvation is reserved in Heaven for the believer. (I Peter 1:4. Note I Peter 1:3-5.)

VII....There would be no hope if a saved person could fall away. (Hebrews 6:4-6.)

VIII....We can know that we are saved:

1.....By our love of the brethren. (I John 3:14.)

2.....By the testimony of the Holy Spirit. (I John 3:24; Romans 8:16.)

3.....By the witness within us. (I John 5:10.)

IX. ...God is the Truth; and His Word is true:

1.....Jesus: "I am the Truth." (John 14:6.)

2.....God cannot lie. (Titus 1:2.)

3.....It is impossible for God to lie. (Hebrews 6:17-19.)

 

We have not attempted to catalogue all the scriptures dealing with eternal security; but these are listed with the prayer that Christians may be strengthened and inspired to victorious Christian living and sacrificial service to their Lord.