Eternal security or conditional security?

[Christ_empowered]

Jumping in late here...this seems to be a kind of heated discussion (120 posts and counting, lol).

I'm interested because I lean towards eternal security (He who has begun a good work in you shall see it through to the end), but I was introduced to Christianity+Bible studies by Pentecostals, who are big on conditional security (work out your salvation with fear and trembling).

My problem with OSAS is that I don't think a commitment to Christ is as simple as a Born Again experience. I say this as someone who has lived in The Bible Belt ("1,000 miles wide, 1 inch deep") my whole life. "Getting saved" is part of the culture, and I often don't see a difference between many "Christians" and everybody else, except the "Christians" are more judgmental, harsh, and often better at hiding their sins/misdeeds.

I read that the Barna group found that 9% of the US as a whole has what they consider a Biblical worldview. Since so many people call themselves Christian, Born Again, etc. that % jumps to (I think...) 19% or so for self-identified Christians.

I think of Billy Graham crusades where people made a "decision for Christ" and then...well, for a lot of them, not much changed. Are they saved, too?

I'm genuinely curious, btw. Not trying to prove a point or anything. Like I wrote above, I"m kind of slanted (disillusioned?) because of my own life experiences.

 

[JLB]

Jumping in late here...this seems to be a kind of heated discussion (120 posts and counting, lol).

I'm interested because I lean towards eternal security (He who has begun a good work in you shall see it through to the end), but I was introduced to Christianity+Bible studies by Pentecostals, who are big on conditional security (work out your salvation with fear and trembling).

My problem with OSAS is that I don't think a commitment to Christ is as simple as a Born Again experience. I say this as someone who has lived in The Bible Belt ("1,000 miles wide, 1 inch deep") my whole life. "Getting saved" is part of the culture, and I often don't see a difference between many "Christians" and everybody else, except the "Christians" are more judgmental, harsh, and often better at hiding their sins/misdeeds.

I read that the Barna group found that 9% of the US as a whole has what they consider a Biblical worldview. Since so many people call themselves Christian, Born Again, etc. that % jumps to (I think...) 19% or so for self-identified Christians.

I think of Billy Graham crusades where people made a "decision for Christ" and then...well, for a lot of them, not much changed. Are they saved, too?

I'm genuinely curious, btw. Not trying to prove a point or anything. Like I wrote above, I"m kind of slanted (disillusioned?) because of my own life experiences.

Keeping it real and simple.

If a person believes in Christ they are a believer.

If a person believes in Christ, for a while, then no longer believes in Christ, are they still a believer?

The promises of God are to those who believe, not to those who no longer believe, as they have returned to unbelieving.

7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things,and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:7-8


I do believe that God is for us, and loves us dearly. He sent His only begotten Son to die in our place, so we could be reconciled to Him.

However, if we decide one day that we would rather become a Muslim, and renounce Jesus Christ, and confess Allah as Lord, then let's face it, we are no longer a believer in Jesus Christ, we have returned to being an unbeliever.


I just don't find in the scriptures where unbelievers, or ex-believers, or non-believers do very well on Judgement Day.


Peter said it this way -

20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.” 2 Peter 2:20-22

...it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it...



JLB

 

[chessman]

My problem with OSAS is that I don't think a commitment to Christ is as simple as a Born Again experience. ... Since so many people call themselves Christian, Born Again, etc. that % jumps to (I think...) 19% or so for self-identified Christians.

I know people that say they are Christian when asked what religion they hold to. But then when asked what makes them a Christian, they say "cause my parents are Christian". That doesn't cut it, IMO. Nor do I think Paul would claim that particular person had a salvational belief, either.

Not to many years ago you might get the answer; "I'm a Christian cause I live in the US" but that's probably not very common anymore.

I think both sides of this OSAS debate (in this thread anyway) have pretty much implicitly stipulated that we are both discussing whether a true Christian can loss their salvation or not. We all recognize that someone can simply claim to believe unto their salvation but not really be saved. That's not what's up for debate.

I would point out that it's always been true that some people claim to be 'saved' but really aren't. From the very early stages of the Christian church.

But it's probably not a bad idea to clarify what I mean by "saving belief" here:

It is my understaning that Paul's record of the earliest Christian creedal statement is to affirm:
Jesus is the Messiah spoken of in the OT, that He (being The Son of God) died for your sins, was buried, rose from the Dead bodily and appeared to the disciples after His death and burial.

I get this from the famous 1 Cor 15 passage.

I assume everyone here would agree that if a person believes those things Paul lists in 1 Cor 15, they are saved. Right?

Then we are debating what the Bible says happens to people that 'change their mind' so-to-speak about that Gospel belief later on in their life, for whatever reason.

 

[chessman]

Keeping it real and simple.

If a person believes in Christ they are a believer.

JLB

Muslims and Mormons believe in Christ. Granted, not the Biblical Christ. But hay, even Satan believes in Christ. I consider their 'belief' in Christ to be far from adaquate for salvation, though. But the point is, you have to get at least a little more specific about who Christ is and what He did for you than simply "believes in Christ".

 

[Christ_empowered]

OK...so people who "make a decision for Christ" and do all the church stuff, go off to college, and come out agnostic or whatever....how do we categorize them? Cuz that seems to be fairly common.

 

[JLB]

Muslims and Mormons believe in Christ. Granted, not the Biblical Christ. But hay, even Satan believes in Christ. I consider their 'belief' in Christ to be far from adaquate for salvation, though. But the point is, you have to get at least a little more specific about who Christ is and what He did for you than simply "believes in Christ".

Jesus said "believe and be saved'.

12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. Luke 8:12-13

Believe = Saved
Believe for a while = saved for a while.

Do you agree that according to Jesus, those who believe are saved?

The question for you is: Are those who believe for a while, then fall away, still believers?



JLB

 

[JLB]

OK...so people who "make a decision for Christ" and do all the church stuff, go off to college, and come out agnostic or whatever....how do we categorize them? Cuz that seems to be fairly common.

Paul predicted a great "falling away" in the last days, before Christ's return.

Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first... 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3


Here is a link to just one website that has thousands of Christians who no longer believe.

http://www.ex-christian.net/topic/71830-the-sentence-that-led-to-my-deconversion/

http://www.ex-christian.net/


JLB

 

[Jethro Bodine]

It seems if it's up to me to hang on to a living faith it must entail some work on my part.

It does in the sense that the faith that justifies (all by itself apart from works) is the faith that will then work:

"6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything (towards justification--see context), but faith working through love." (Galatians 5:6 NASB bold and parenthesis mine)

He's not saying the work of love does the justifying. He's saying the faith that justifies is the faith that can be seen in your love for others. IOW, the footprint of the faith that justifies (all by itself) is obedience. You show that you have been justified by faith (all by itself) by the fact that you are obedient to love (i.e. Luke 7:47 NASB). But so many people in the church believe that the faith that doesn't work (that is, doesn't cause me to do works of righteousness) also justifies, in complete and utter contradiction to what Paul said above.

The faith that justifies is the faith that can be identified by the change of nature it solicits in the person with that faith. Faith that can't be seen in a person's behavior indicates that you have a faith that did not justify you. If you did have a faith that can justify (all by itself) we'd be able to tell by your works. So it is in that sense that faith does entail some kind of work on my part--not as a means of securing justification, but as the expected and obligatory consequence of having that faith.

So, in regard to OSAS: Most strains of OSAS say the person who doesn't continue to believe, and as a result stops working, was not born again to begin with. And, surely, that may be true in some cases and is a respectable argument worthy of examination. But there is this strain of OSAS that says even the person who stops believing (and by consequence of their unbelief also stops doing works of righteousness) is still saved despite their denial of Christ, because, as they say, salvation is so utterly not of works, and they were irreversibly saved while they believed. That argument is the one that is completely undeserving of any respect, IMO, because of the simple fact that it has active, professing Christ deniers inheriting salvation at the resurrection. And because it violates so many passages of scripture that teach the necessity to continue in one's faith and not deny Christ to be saved in the end.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

I'm interested because I lean towards eternal security (He who has begun a good work in you shall see it through to the end)

The key to understanding non-OSAS in regard to Philippians 1:6 NASB and similar passages is being able to see that it is the person who has faith, and continues in that faith, who will continue to have access to the saving, sanctifying power of God. A sanctifying power that will indeed accomplish that which it can and will do and which will not let anybody down, but which will only do so as long as it is being applied through faith. But so many people in the church interpret Philippians 1:6 NASB to mean the promise has nothing to do with me whatsoever. Reliance on the sureness of God's power to save/sanctify us doesn't mean that power works all by itself without any input from us. That's like saying my microwave oven will still heat my water even if I unplug it because the power of electricity alone is what does that all by itself, not me.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

I say this as someone who has lived in The Bible Belt ("1,000 miles wide, 1 inch deep") my whole life. "Getting saved" is part of the culture, and I often don't see a difference between many "Christians" and everybody else, except the "Christians" are more judgmental, harsh, and often better at hiding their sins/misdeeds.

My kids noticed the exact same thing.
And thus the danger of OSAS. It leaves a person thinking they are irretrievably saved and can, therefore, safely indulge sinful lifestyles with no fear of eternal damnation on the Day of Wrath. What they don't understand is their sinful lifestyles show they don't have the faith that shields them for that day:

"an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:5 NASB)

See, Freegrace's version of OSAS takes the 'through faith' part of the verse out and says you are still shielded by God's power until the day we receive the eternal inheritance, kept in heaven for us, even if you stop having faith. Also, notice that the 'eternal' never-ending aspect of the inheritance isn't that you have it eternally no matter what, but rather that you inherit an eternal kingdom that will never end (in contrast to the kingdoms of the world). Faith is how you enter into, and stay in, the promise of that eternal life presently being kept in heaven.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Paul was affirming that they DID possess the Word. It seems you're stuck on using the "if" the way we do in the current English language. You've got to understand how the Greeks thought and used words. If you don't, you CANNOT understand Scripture.

So everybody can understand what we're discussing let's look at the passage we're talking about:

"1Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)

See, even your argument that the 'if' is actually a Greek way of Paul telling them that they are indeed holding fast to the word confirms what I'm saying that it is necessary for them to do that in order to be saved.

 

[Chopper]

I must say, FreeGrace, that you have presented a very accurate doctrine of a Salvation, orchestrated by our Almighty YHWH to be effective, alive, binding, and everlasting until the end of the ages, and effective to usher the true Believer into the Kingdom of Christ Jesus in Whom that person has believed. Bravo!! This is a "Home Run" thread in how you presented it. Very wise and thoughtful.

In all the posts that I've studied here from this OP, the glaring error to me, is those who believe in the loss of Salvation are not considering this one Truth....

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Now, everything that FreeGrace listed in her OP is valid for those who call upon the Name of the Lord Jehovah, SHALL BE SAVED, period!! Now, all this about loosing ones Salvation is not valid for those who are truly saved. Lets look at....
John 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Scripture also states that not all who believe on Jesus is truly saved....

John 2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.
2:24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
2:25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

So, the question is not, can you loose your Salvation. The question is, are you truly saved? I love the parable of the Sower and the seed. Here is a true message of whether a person is truly saved or not....

Matthew 13:18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
13:20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
13:23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

The one who is truly saved is the one who understands the doctrine of Jesus being the Son of God Who died for our sins, was crucified, buried, and rose again, that person will be saved. A truly saved person will domonstrate that Salvation with works of righteousness. That persons guarantee of retaining Salvation right up to and including entrance into the Kingdom of God is wonderfully listed in FreeGrace's opening statements.

Conclusion? If a person is truly saved, that person will NEVER loose what God Almighty, thru His Son Christ Jesus gifted them with, an eternal Salvation that will never fail because Jehovah our Elohim never fails!! NEVER!!

 

[JLB]

But there is this strain of OSAS that says even the person who stops believing (and by consequence of their unbelief also stops doing works of righteousness) is still saved despite their denial of Christ, because, as they say, salvation is so utterly not of works, and they were irreversibly saved while they believed. That argument is the one that is completely undeserving of any respect, IMO, because of the simple fact that it has active, professing Christ deniers inheriting salvation at the resurrection. And because it violates so many passages of scripture that teach the necessity to continue in one's faith and not deny Christ to be saved in the end.

:amen

 

[Jethro Bodine]

In all the posts that I've studied here from this OP, the glaring error to me, is those who believe in the loss of Salvation are not considering this one Truth....

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

The problem I see in this argument is concluding that simply because we are saved now (which non-OSAS agrees with) that automatically equates to being saved forever. The thinking being that because you have something now you will always have it.

 

[Hospes]

It does in the sense that the faith that justifies (all by itself apart from works) is the faith that will then work:

"6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything (towards justification--see context), but faith working through love." (Galatians 5:6 NASB bold and parenthesis mine)

He's not saying the work of love does the justifying. He's saying the faith that justifies is the faith that can be seen in your love for others. IOW, the footprint of the faith that justifies (all by itself) is obedience. You show that you have been justified by faith (all by itself) by the fact that you are obedient to love (i.e. Luke 7:47 NASB). But so many people in the church believe that the faith that doesn't work (that is, doesn't cause me to do works of righteousness) also justifies, in complete and utter contradiction to what Paul said above.

The faith that justifies is the faith that can be identified by the change of nature it solicits in the person with that faith. Faith that can't be seen in a person's behavior indicates that you have a faith that did not justify you. If you did have a faith that can justify (all by itself) we'd be able to tell by your works. So it is in that sense that faith does entail some kind of work on my part--not as a means of securing justification, but as the expected and obligatory consequence of having that faith.

So, in regard to OSAS: Most strains of OSAS say the person who doesn't continue to believe, and as a result stops working, was not born again to begin with. And, surely, that may be true in some cases and is a respectable argument worthy of examination. But there is this strain of OSAS that says even the person who stops believing (and by consequence of their unbelief also stops doing works of righteousness) is still saved despite their denial of Christ, because, as they say, salvation is so utterly not of works, and they were irreversibly saved while they believed. That argument is the one that is completely undeserving of any respect, IMO, because of the simple fact that it has active, professing Christ deniers inheriting salvation at the resurrection. And because it violates so many passages of scripture that teach the necessity to continue in one's faith and not deny Christ to be saved in the end.

I agree with most of what you have written. There are a couple of things I think I may see differently than you:

1. Feel free to correct me if I misunderstood, but it seems as if you are writing there is a faith that has the natural fruit of works and a faith that does not. I unequivocally believe "faith" not resulting in works is not faith at all. As James wrote, you can not have faith without works. Sadly, what I see rampant is the idea that mental ascent to, i.e. "believing", a set of truths constitutes faith, It does not. We can mentally ascent to things we have come to see as true and yet not have the God-given gift of faith. Such belief does not necessarily lead to salvation; It does not save us.
2. Again, feel free to correct me if I misunderstood, but it seems as if you are writing the once we receive the gift of faith from God, it's our part to produce the good works. I think good works are the the irrepressible fruit of faith. If you have faith, you will produce good works. Even the good works are gift from God; we have no grounds, i.e. no claim, to boast in them.

I see God's sovereign hand in my being given faith, in the good he accomplishes through me, and in keeping me for eternity. Even at the judgement,when God rewards me for my good works, I believe I will see clearly those good works were a gift; I have nothing good that I have not been given.

 

[Hospes]

OK...so people who "make a decision for Christ" and do all the church stuff, go off to college, and come out agnostic or whatever....how do we categorize them? Cuz that seems to be fairly common.

Categorize them as ones who are in grave danger of being not born again, dead in their trespasses, lost, deceived, etc. CE, there are many who have been convinced by well-meaning Christians they are saved, when God's work of giving them new life has never been accomplished. Sad, sad, sad.

 

[JLB]

Conclusion? If a person is truly saved, that person will NEVER loose what God Almighty, thru His Son Christ Jesus gifted them with, an eternal Salvation that will never fail because Jehovah our Elohim never fails!! NEVER!!

Chopper, I have to agree with what you are saying here.

What I believe you, and many don't seem to understand is when we are truly saved, vs saved by faith.

Now in this life we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ, and what He alone did for us on the cross.

It was His obedience and His sacrifice, and His blood that wrought our salvation.

It is by faith in His sacrifice 2000 years ago, that we are saved.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

It we have faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, we have the substance of the salvation we are hoping for, which is the evidence of our salvation, not yet seen, not yet realized, not yet obtained in reality.

Paul explains -

23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Romans 8:23-25

Look at what Paul says here... we were saved in this hope.

Were saved is past tense, however he goes on to say, ...in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?

What is Paul saying that we are eagerly waiting for, with perseverance?

The last thing Paul mentioned was salvation, we were saved in this hope. Faith is the substance of things hoped for...


Peter says it this way - receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:9

Paul plainly describes a group who no longer has a relationship with Christ, though they once were joined to Him, while also describing that we have the hope of righteousness that is a manifest reality.

4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. Galatians 5:4-6


The Point: People who have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ [not talking about people who have head knowledge] but genuine faith, have not yet obtained the reality of salvation, by have the hope of salvation, when Jesus Christ returns to earth to gather His people at the end of the age.

so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. Hebrews 9:28


From this point, I believe we should honestly discuss what it means to have faith, and what it does not mean.

If a person has faith from God for something, then by default they have the substance of the thing they are hoping for, they don't yet have the reality of that thing, that is not seen.

Is it possible for a person who has faith at one point, to deny his faith, or depart from his faith, or renounce his faith by words or deeds?

But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Timothy 5:8

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 1 Timothy 4:1-2


Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3


Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; Hebrews 3:12

I just don't see how anyone who is truly seeking the truth, can ignore this plain and clear language.
...an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;



JLB

 

[LovethroughDove]

OK...so people who "make a decision for Christ" and do all the church stuff, go off to college, and come out agnostic or whatever....how do we categorize them? Cuz that seems to be fairly common.

1 John 2:27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and that anointing is real, not counterfeit - just as it has taught you, remain in him.

I would say they had a feeling of being anointed with his Spirit, but weren't. Obviously. The Holy Spirit will teach you how to remain in him.

 

[Hospes]

I'm interested because I lean towards eternal security (He who has begun a good work in you shall see it through to the end), but I was introduced to Christianity+Bible studies by Pentecostals, who are big on conditional security (work out your salvation with fear and trembling).

My problem with OSAS is that I don't think a commitment to Christ is as simple as a Born Again experience. I say this as someone who has lived in The Bible Belt ("1,000 miles wide, 1 inch deep") my whole life. "Getting saved" is part of the culture, and I often don't see a difference between many "Christians" and everybody else, except the "Christians" are more judgmental, harsh, and often better at hiding their sins/misdeeds.

I grew up in GA and SC; I think I recognize well what you have seen. Let me explain my own journey out of it.

I grew up going to church 3x a week in very evangelistic churches. The "sinner's prayer" was treated as if Jesus' himself spoke them and saying the prayer was the chief evidence of someone being declared and assured they were saved. Later it was the Four Spiritual Laws into which the whole good news of Jesus was distilled and then used to "witness" to people. If you said the prayer in the back of the pamphlet, once again, you were declared to be saved. Notice the message was focused on getting someone to mentally ascent to truths and then to "make a decision" and "make Jesus the Lord of your life", capped off by being led in a wrote prayer covering all the theologically correct points. Notice how God is presented in this as a needy person desperately desiring you to let him give you a "wonderful life". By the mercy of God I was saved from this.

On a Wednesday night service at a 50-member Pentecostal Holiness church, God saved me. The message was unmemorable and I said no coherent prayer, but I was captured by a God who was not a needy supplicant desiring me to give him the privilege of my letting him be my Lord. He showed himself to me as Almighty God, Lord of all and in no need of me or my permission. Just like he did with the Apostle Paul, he opened my eyes to see Him. And just like with Lazarus, he said "Come forth!" and raised me to life. I had no more a part in my salvation than Lazarus had in coming back to life and walking out of the tomb.

My point: it is an act on God's part to save a person. Just like at the beginning of the Gospels when Jesus call his disciples, we hear the call and, from our perspective, we respond to the call. But look at this:

[Jesus praying to his father] I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. (John 17:6-7 ESV)​

From our perspective, we respond to God's call. But the truth is, even our response was an act of God giving his son what He already owned.

That is why I believe in eternal security. It was an act of God that saved me and it will be an act of God that will keep me to the end. "...for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. (2 Timothy 1:12 ESV)

 

[smaller]

That is why I believe in eternal security. It was an act of God that saved me and it will be an act of God that will keep me to the end. "...for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. (2 Timothy 1:12 ESV)

Nice account. Can it be any other way?

Romans 4:21
And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Jude 1:24
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,