There are only 3 possibilities regarding when a believer receives eternal life:
1. when they first believe
2. some time during their life on earth
3. at the end of their life, when they enter eternity
Some argue that 1 Peter 1:9 indicates that eternal life is received at the end of their life. "for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
If salvation and eternal life are synonymous, and most would agree that they are, then we can't really view anyone as saved during their life on earth, if "end of your faith" is synonymous with "end of your life". But it should be quite obvious that the 2 phrases are not equivalent at all.
So Arminians cannot view themselves as saved during their life. And one cannot lose what one does not possess. So the argument about losing salvation becomes irrelevant.
Are there any verses that indicate that eternal life is given during some point after initially believing in Christ? No, there are not. So we can eliminate #2 and #3 straight off.
So, that leaves #1, when they first believe.
So, what does the Bible say about it?
John 3:15 - that everyone who believes (present tense) may have (subjunctive) eternal life in him.
This verse indicates from the subjunctive that not everyone will believe, but of those who do, they will have eternal life in them.
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes (present tense) in him shall not perish but HAVE (present tense) eternal life.
John 5:24 - “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes (present tense) him who sent me HAS (present tense) eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
John 6:47 - Very truly I tell you, the one who believes (present tense) HAS (present tense) eternal life.
1 John 5:11 - And this is the testimony: God has given (aorist tense) us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1 John 5:13 - I write these things to you who believe (present tense) in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you HAVE (present tense) eternal life.
What is clear from these verses is that those who believe possess eternal life. 1 John 5:11 clearly indicates that eternal life is something already given, by the aorist tense, which is generally a past completed action.
Finally, Jesus tells us that it is He who gives eternal life: John 10:28 - I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.
So, it's clear from Scripture that the gift of eternal life is given WHEN one initially believes. Not some time after that.
Therefore, one is eternally saved WHEN one believes in Christ.
1. when they first believe
2. some time during their life on earth
3. at the end of their life, when they enter eternity
Some argue that 1 Peter 1:9 indicates that eternal life is received at the end of their life. "for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
If salvation and eternal life are synonymous, and most would agree that they are, then we can't really view anyone as saved during their life on earth, if "end of your faith" is synonymous with "end of your life". But it should be quite obvious that the 2 phrases are not equivalent at all.
So Arminians cannot view themselves as saved during their life. And one cannot lose what one does not possess. So the argument about losing salvation becomes irrelevant.
Are there any verses that indicate that eternal life is given during some point after initially believing in Christ? No, there are not. So we can eliminate #2 and #3 straight off.
So, that leaves #1, when they first believe.
So, what does the Bible say about it?
John 3:15 - that everyone who believes (present tense) may have (subjunctive) eternal life in him.
This verse indicates from the subjunctive that not everyone will believe, but of those who do, they will have eternal life in them.
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes (present tense) in him shall not perish but HAVE (present tense) eternal life.
John 5:24 - “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes (present tense) him who sent me HAS (present tense) eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
John 6:47 - Very truly I tell you, the one who believes (present tense) HAS (present tense) eternal life.
1 John 5:11 - And this is the testimony: God has given (aorist tense) us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1 John 5:13 - I write these things to you who believe (present tense) in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you HAVE (present tense) eternal life.
What is clear from these verses is that those who believe possess eternal life. 1 John 5:11 clearly indicates that eternal life is something already given, by the aorist tense, which is generally a past completed action.
Finally, Jesus tells us that it is He who gives eternal life: John 10:28 - I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.
So, it's clear from Scripture that the gift of eternal life is given WHEN one initially believes. Not some time after that.
Therefore, one is eternally saved WHEN one believes in Christ.