Lesson 10 - Kept By God's Power

Peace of mind is extremely important to a person's well-being. Polls conducted have always rated "peace of mind" at the top of the list of things necessary for happiness. And yet this "inner peace" seems so elusive today.

Also, nobody wants to live with a false sense of security. The ideal is peace of mind brought forth by genuine security. This is exactly what Jesus offers to His disciples. We are going to consider various questions concerning security in Christ that have been debated for centuries. "How secure is salvation and upon what is this security based?" "Can a child of God ever forfeit His salvation and be lost?"

HOPE IN CHRIST

Christianity is based upon a message of hope in the place of despair, faith rather than doubt and purpose rather than emptiness. There is no reason to live life or face eternity without hope. To do so leads to cynicism. Paul reminded the Christians at Ephesus of how they had been before: "...having no hope and without God in the world." (Ephesians 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:13). Apart from faith the "eat, drink and be merry" philosophy makes tragic sense. But there is something better (1 Corinthians 15:32; 57-58)!

• remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. (Ephesians 2:12)
• But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. (1 Thessalonians 4:13)
• If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE. (1 Corinthians 15:32)
• but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:57-58)

God has offered to give dignity and purpose to our lives and peace to our souls. Let us flee to Him for strong encouragement.

• In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. (Hebrews 6:17-20)

The peace which God offers does not depend upon outward circumstances. This peace may be enjoyed in a mansion or in a dungeon and is conditioned upon "hearing His voice" (John 10:27-29). We are only protected by the power of God through our faith (1 Peter 1:3-5). It is entirely possible for a Christian to leave His Lord and thereby leave the security which He gives (John 6:66-68).

• "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. (John 10:27-29)
• Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
• As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?" Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. (John 6:66-68)

Other passages in the Bible which show that security is based upon remaining in Christ are abundant (John 15:4-6). WE learn that there is no condemnation to those who live in Christ (Romans 8:13; 37-39). Abiding in Christ means keeping His commandments (1 John 2:4-6).

• "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. (John 15:4-6)
• for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (Romans 8:13)
• But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)
• The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. (1 John 2:4-6)

ENDURANCE

God requires our loyalty. There is no acceptable reason to deny our faith. There is no loss or sacrifice so great that we ought to feel that our Lord will excuse our disloyalty to Him, whether the loss of possessions, money, friends, status or even the good will of our family. The Lord has much to say about enduring faith. He tells us that we must be willing to "endure to the end" even if our own brother rise up against us.

• "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. "You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. (Matthew 10:21-22)

Jesus told us to abide in His word (John 8:31-32). Our perseverance will bring us to our goal of eternal life (Romans 2:6-8). Christians at Corinth were urged to "hold fast to the word" (1 Corinthians 15:1-2) and we are told that "in due we will reap if we do not grow weary" (Galatians 6:9).

• So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (John 8:31-32)
• who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. (Romans 2:6-8)
• Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by 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)
• Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. (Galatians 6:9)

Only if we endure will we reign with Him (2 Timothy 2:12). We are God's house and partakers of Christ if we "hold fast our confidence" until the end (Hebrews 3:6; 14). God tells us that we need endurance so that when we have done His will we may receive what has been promised (Hebrews 10:26). The crown of life belongs them that are "faithful unto death" (Revelation 2:10).

• If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; (2 Timothy 2:12)
• but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house--whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. (Hebrews 3:6)
• For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, (Hebrews 3:14)
• For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, (Hebrews 10:26)
• 'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation 2:10)

WARNINGS AGAINST FALLING

God considers these matters so important to our well being that He has given repeated warnings that it is possible to fall from grace. It would certainly be wise to heed these warnings as we seek to avoid the consequences of apostasy.

In the parable of the sower Jesus illustrated the possibility of being saved from sin and then returning to sin and being lost. Note especially the seed that fell on the rocky soil (Luke 8:4-15). The disciple is warned to take heed "lest he fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12).

• When a large crowd was coming together, and those from the various cities were journeying to Him, He spoke by way of a parable: "The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up. "Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. "Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out. "Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great." As He said these things, He would call out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable meant. And He said, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that SEEING THEY MAY NOT SEE, AND HEARING THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND. "Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. "Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. "Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. "The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. "But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance. (Luke 8:4-15)
• Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. (1 Corinthians 10:12)

In fact, some disciples at Galatia were "severed from Christ" and had "fallen from grace" (Galatians 5:4)! God also predicted that in later times some would "fall away from the faith" and therefore urged us to exercise care (1 Timothy 5:8; Hebrews 3:12). We are warned that spiritual death awaits those who "stray from the truth" if they do not turn back again (James 5:19-20). Yes, one can have his named erased from the book of life (Revelation 3:5).

• You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. (Galatians 5:4)
• 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)
• Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. (Hebrews 3:12)
• My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. (James 5:19-20)
• 'He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. (Revelation 3:5)

SECURITY AND PEACE

God offers security and the peace which it brings by His grace. We receive and maintain it by our own continued faith. This is our confidence and hope. Our God will not allow us to be tempted beyond our ability to bear, but He will allow us to be tempted and to choose our own way. He will not forsake us. We must not forsake Him (1 Corinthians 10:13; (Hebrews 13:5-6).

• (1 Corinthians 10:13)
• (Hebrews 13:5-6)

Yes, we can know that we are right with God. This knowledge does not come from intuition or feeling; feelings do not always lead to truth. We can know by that which God has caused to be written.

• And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:11-13) 

The peace of God is not flimsy like that of the world (John 14:27). It passes understanding in that it comforts and encourages the disciple in good times and bad (Philippians 4:7). It rules the heart and fills the man or woman of faith with gratitude (Colossians 3:15).

• "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. (John 14:27)
• And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)
• Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. (Colossians 3:15)

CONCLUSION

The faithful Christian knows that nothing will defeat him as long as he abides in Christ. He is secure in that knowledge and his peace is based upon it. God is always faithful. "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...If God be for us who can be against us?...But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1; 31; 37-39).

To test your comprehension of what you've just studied, email the answers to the questions below to the address on our "Contact us" page. Your graded responses will be returned by e-mail.  Be sure to include your name and email address.

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Lesson 10 - Kept By God's Power

    HOPE IN CHRIST
1. If there is no resurrection, what should we be doing and why (1 Corinthians 15:32)?

2. What three things will happen "in the twinkling of an eye" at the last moment of time (1 Corinthians 15:52)?

3. What six things does Jesus say about His sheep (John 10:27-28)?

4. If one does not heed the voice of Christ, is he one of His sheep?

5. Do the promises of "eternal life" and "shall never perish" apply to those who cease to follow Jesus?

    ENDURANCE
6. The disciple who endures to what point will be saved (Matthew 10:22)?

7. One is saved by the gospel if he does what (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)?

8. If we endure what will happen? If we deny Jesus what will happen (2 Timothy 2:12)?

    WARNINGS AGAINST FALLING
9. Why is the Christian warned to "take heed" (1 Corinthians 10:12)?

10. What two things happened to some of the unfaithful disciples who were seeking to be justified by the law of Moses (Galatians 5:4)?

11. What does Jesus say we must do in order that our names in the book of life not be erased or blotted out (Revelation 3:5)?

    SECURITY AND PEACE
12. What does God promise concerning temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13)?

13. What do the scriptures ("things written") allow us to know (1 John 5:13)?

14. What guards the hearts and minds of the faithful disciple (Philippians 4:7)?

This has been the final lesson of the course. If we can be of any further service, please let us know. If you are in the Marietta, Pennsylvania area, and would like to look into these matters further, please contact us for assistance. If you are from outside the Marietta area, we will be happy to try to assist you in finding some further study opportunities in your area. Please send email to ddrs@suscom.net to make any comments or requests. Thanks!

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The "Through the Bible Study Guides" Bible lesson series copyrighted by Jon W. Quinn. Used by permission.
Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, copyright 1995, by the Lockman Foundation.  Used by permission.

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