Guarantee(s) of Eternal Life (#3)

Purpose and Terms

1.  Let us divide and separate God’s guarantee(s) of eternal life from our assurance of it.
2. Contrast His guarantee of death for Adam in Eden, who then assured himself of death.
3. Assurance of eternal life is the evidence or proof you are one of God’s elect for heaven, which we usually emphasize and have taught in great detail before … here, here, here, here
4. Assurance of eternal life is certainly dear to us (Matt 7:21; I Thess 1:2-4; II Pet 1:5-11).
5. We love the ABCs of assurance for eternal life in I John (I John 2:28; 3:19,21; 4:17)
6. Making our calling and election sure requires our great diligence to bear specified fruit
7. But here and now we want to ignore those things we studied before to grasp God’s side.
8. Guarantee(s) of eternal life are God’s nature, plan, covenant, commitment, purpose, promises, and actions to save His elect all the way to eternal heaven without loss of any
9. Our God and Father has written us in detail of the certainty of eternal life by His part.
10. Jesus Christ, Who was assigned and foreordained for us, declared He would lose none
11. The Bible has no offer or proposition of eternal life but God’s promise and performanc
12. Understand the difference here – not assurance by your acts, but certainty by God’s acts
13. Rather than swearing in wrath against Israel, Jehovah swore for our hope in Jesus Christ.
14. We value guarantees for all kinds of things, but this guarantee covers our greatest risk.

Our Doctrine of Salvation

1. God saved a certain number of people infallibly by His own will and power and for His own glory through Jesus Christ to an eternity in heaven with Himself, leaving others to the just condemnation of their sins and an eternity in hell with the devil and his angels (Matt 1:21; 13:24-43,47-50; John 1:13; 3:8; 6:38; 17:2-3; Romans 5:12-19; 8:28-39; 9:6-24; Ephesians 1:3-12; 2:1-7; II Timothy 1:9-10; 2:19; I Peter 1:2; 2:8; Jude 1:4).
2. Not a single elect can or will be lost; not a single reprobate can or will be saved; the number and persons of each is certain and final (Matt 1:21; 13:36-50; 25:31-33; John 6:39; 10:26-29; 17:2; Rom 8:28-39; II Tim 2:19; Heb 2:13; 7:22; Jude 1:1; Rev 20:15).
3. The gift of eternal life is best understood by Seven Proofs and Five Phases … here, here.

 

Related Sermons

1.Assurance of Eternal Life – PPT … (2022) … here, here.

2. Assurance of Eternal Life – Details … (2014) … here, here.

3.No Fine Line – Sermons/Outline … (2005) … here.

4.Free Gift of Eternal Life … (2024) … here, here, here.

5.Eternal Life Is a Gift … (2005) … here.

6.A Lake, A Book, A Lamb … (2021) … here.

7.Book of Life – Sermons/Outline … (2001) … here.

8.Seven Proofs & Five Phases … (1987) … here, here.

 

 

Hebrews 6 … Divided for Warning, Assurance, and Guarantee

1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3 And this will we do, if God permit.
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Hebrews 6:9-20

 

Judgment for Backsliding (1-8)

1. The Bible has first principles, which are elementary basics of our religion and considered to be milk (5:12-14).
2. To go on to perfection – Christian maturity with significant knowledge – requires learning new things (6:1-3).
3. The more advanced material that Paul wanted to present was about Melchisedec and a new covenant (5:10-11).
4. Paul had taught enough to make each converted Jew to be accountable against returning to the temple (6:1-3).
5. If they were to do so, because there was now a curse on the nation, they could not be recovered again (6:4-6).
6. By returning to animal sacrifices after knowing Jesus and His death, they would become His crucifiers (6:4-6).
7. Using ground and plants, Paul compared believers blessed by God and apostates cursed for a burning (6:7-8).

Assurance of Eternal Life (9-12)

1. Paul encouraged his readers that he was persuaded they were better than the cursed by proofs of salvation (6:9).
2. God is faithful and righteous and would not forget their loving work by their continued serving of others (6:10).
3. Paul exhorted them to show to the end the diligence they had shown before for full assurance of hope (6:11).
4. Slothfulness is not evidence of eternal life, but rather to follow the faith and patience of Israel’s elders (6:12).

Guarantee of Eternal Life (13-20)

1. God’s promise to Abram of eternal life by his Seed included God swearing the only way He could swear (6:13).
2. Abraham patiently endured and obtained the promise of a Seed to bless all and heaven by the Seed (6:14-15).
3. Swearing – or an oath – is a powerful way that men confirm the truth of a matter to end all doubt about it (6:16).
4. God was not content promising eternal life – He added to His immutable promise abundantly by an oath (6:17).
5. It should thrill your mind and heart that we have two immutable guarantees – His promise and His oath (6:18).
6. Immutability – impossibility of change – because He cannot lie – is doubled to us for strong consolation (6:18).
7. What should you do? Run to God and His Son Jesus for the hiding place of expected eternity in heaven (6:18).
8. Hope here is the certain expectation of gloriously good things to come that anchors our souls from doubt (6:19).
9. Our hope is sure and steadfast – eternal life is certain and extends all the way into the presence of God (6:19).
10. We have a forerunner – someone that tested God’s promise – and is heaven now waiting for you and me (6:20).
11. Our Jesus is everything – He is the Surety Guarantor of our eternal life – a high priest like Melchisedec (6:20).

 

Baptist Historical Statements

 

1. The First London Baptist Confession of Faith, 1646 … And God hath before the foundation of the world, foreordained some men to eternal life, through Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of His grace; [having foreordained and] leaving the rest in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of His justice.
2. The Midland Confession of Faith, 1655 … That God elected and chose, in His Eternal counsel, some persons to life and salvation, before the foundation of the world, whom accordingly He doth and will effectually call, and whom He doth so call, He will certainly keep by His power, through faith to salvation. That election was free in God, of His own pleasure, and not at all for, or with reference to, any foreseen works of faith in the creature, as the motive thereunto. That Jesus Christ was, in the fulness of time, manifested in the flesh; being born of a woman; being perfectly righteous, gave himself for the elect to redeem them to God by his blood.
3. The Second London Baptist Confession of Faith, 1689 … By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ, to the praise of his glorious grace; others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of his glorious justice. These angels and men thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished. Those of mankind that are predestinated to life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love, without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving him thereunto.

 

Hebrews 6:17-20

 

Wherein God,

From the previous verse, where the convincing power of an oath to confirm statements and end all doubts is described, God our Father chose to use swearing Himself for our greater confidence.

willing more abundantly

God wanted to do something special for you; He was not content with His promise, so from His own heart, without any obligation to you, He enhanced His promise of eternal life by doubling it.

to shew unto the heirs of promise

Loving the seed of Abraham to whom He had promised justification and heaven, He was not content to let them live with only a promise, for He wanted to commend His love more than that.

the immutability of his counsel,

God’s will and decrees in eternity to save His elect are certain and cannot be altered, by the infallible rule and omnipotent power of a sovereign God, so He revealed this counsel to His sons.

confirmed it by an oath:

For the greater hope and joy of His children, God swore to Abraham His divine and eternal blessings to doubly insure to them the promise made earlier, for the full guarantee of the reward.

That by two immutable things,

God promised eternal life before the world began and repeated it to Abraham, but with His sacred oath added, there were now two guarantees, neither of which could be altered or changed forever.

in which it was impossible for God to lie,

Immutability is impossibility of change; and when God’s promise and oath are considered, it is due to the fact God cannot lie, for it is contrary to His nature and would violate His holy character.

we might have a strong consolation,

Believers in Jesus Christ, we, chosen by God for His gift of eternal heaven, are provided maximum assurance of His intentions and power, so they might have an absolute end to doubt, fear, or worry.

who have fled for refuge

God’s promise and oath of salvation are not for all, but for those who reject all human help and religious traditions to run to the promise of God and eternal life by the incredible gift of His Son.

To lay hold upon the hope set before us:

Hope of heaven exists by God’s promise and oath, revealed in the gospel of God’s love for His elect through Jesus Christ; those elect then lay hold of eternal life by making their election sure.

which hope we have as an anchor of the soul,

Though God’s children, we have volatile emotions and feelings, and we live in a world of constant change, but we have an anchor by His promise and oath that holds us constant while all else fails.

both sure and stedfast,

The hope of eternal life, sought and found by the elect, is sure – fully reliable and without possibility of failure or loss, and it is also steadfast – fixed in place with no change or movement.

and which entereth into that within the veil;

Our hope – the certain expectation of God’s blessings by promise and oath – is knowing God’s presence and heaven are opened to us for bold entry into His holy place for intimate fellowship.

Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus,

Our glorious Mediator and Redeemer, our saving Brother and Friend, the Lord Jesus Christ, is already in the presence of God for us, and as a Forerunner for us, He will make sure we get there.

made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Jesus, our Forerunner already in heaven for us, is as Moses described, and David prophesied, and Paul often repeated, an high priest forever like Melchisedec, by yet another oath of Jehovah.

 

 

Other Guarantees

 

II Samuel 23:5 … God hath made with me an everlasting covenant … it is all my salvation.

 

Psalm 89:34 … My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.

 

Psalm 110:4 … The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever….

 

Isaiah 9:6-7 … Unto us a child is born … the zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

 

Matthew 1:21 … He shall save His people from their sins (the angel to Joseph for naming).

 

Luke 10:20 … Rejoice! Your names are written in heaven … before time (Rev 17:8; 20:15).

 

John 6:37 … All those the Father gave to Jesus will come to Him and never be cast out.

 

John 6:39 … It is God’s will and Jesus Christ’s performance that guarantees eternal life.

 

John 6:44 … God the Father draws all those Jesus will raise up as the prophets wrote it.

 

John 10:14-18 … Our  good shepherd chose to die for the sheep by the Father’s command.

 

John 10:28 … Jesus gives eternal life to His sheep, not all men, and they cannot be touched.

 

John 10:29 … God the Father, greater than all, gave them to Jesus; His hand is greater yet.

 

John 17:2 … No offers of eternal life, but three divine gifts that get all the elect to heaven.

 

Romans 4:16 … Eternal life is by God’s grace evidenced by faith to guarantee all the seed.

 

Romans 5:6-11 … God’s love for enemies leading to Christ’s death and His life guarantees.

 

Romans 5:12-14 … Comparing the two Adams guarantees eternal life just as it does death.

 

Romans 5:15-17 … The comparison fails, for eternal life by Jesus exceeds death by Adam.

 

Romans 5:18-19 … But the conclusion of salvation by imputation is the best guarantee.

 

Romans 8:29-30 … The golden chain of God’s purpose for the elect finishes in past tense.

 

Romans 8:31-33 … Beyond the golden chain, the logic of free guarantee here is conclusive.

 

Romans 8:34-37 … No one can condemn the elect; Jesus is alive to more than conquer all.

 

Romans 8:38-39 … God’s love is guaranteed to us forever without anything taking it away.

 

Romans 9:15-18 … I will have mercy and compassion, or I will harden, even up to Pharaoh.

 

Romans 9:21-24 … The Potter can make anything He chooses, and He chose some to glory.

 

Romans 9:27-29 … Of Israel’s many, God guaranteed a small remnant by His short work.

 

Romans 11:25-29 … Just as God cannot lie, neither can He repent, of saving all the elect.

 

II Corinthians 1:20 … All God’s promises are guaranteed by our Jesus, the Yea and Amen.

 

Ephesians 1:3-6 … God chose and predestinated us by His will for His pleasure and praise.

 

Ephesians 1:11-14 … God’s will and purpose rules all, even future inheritance with bodies.

 

Ephesians 1:23 … Though Jesus governs all, He would be incomplete without all the elect.

 

I Thess 1:10 … The true God raised His Son Jesus to deliver all elect from coming wrath.

 

II Timothy 1:9 … God’s purpose and grace to save us was given before the world began.

 

II Timothy 1:12 … Paul knew the guarantee of eternal life to keep his soul to reach heaven.

 

II Timothy 2:13 … Our faith may be weak or overthrown, but He cannot deny Himself.

 

II Timothy 2:17-19 … The Lord knoweth them that are His … God’s foundation and seal.

 

Titus 1:2 … God promised eternal life in covenant before the world began; He cannot lie.

 

Hebrews 6:13-16 … God swore to Abraham, which guarantee ends all doubts, like for men.

 

Hebrews 6:17-20 … God wanted to give us a better guarantee, so He doubled it by an oath.

 

Hebrews 7:22 … Jesus Christ is liable for us and the Guarantor of eternal life (see Ps 15:4).

 

Hebrews 7:25 … Jesus saves to the uttermost by living without change (Rom 5:10; 8:34).

 

Hebrews 9:12 … Jesus our high priest took His blood into heaven for eternal redemption.

 

Hebrews 10:19-22 … Jesus opened and consecrated our way unto God for bold assurance.

 

Hebrews 13:20 … God raised Jesus again and His blood activated the everlasting covenant.

 

I Peter 1:18-20 … God foreordained Jesus before creation in Genesis to redeem by blood.

 

I John 2:25 … God has not offered eternal life for our compliance, but promised it to us.

 

Jude 1:24-25 … God is able, and He will, keep all elect from falling and to present faultless.

 

 

For Further Study:

1. Assurance of Eternal Life – PPT … (2022) … here, here.
2. Assurance of Eternal Life – Details … (2014) … here, here.
3. No Fine Line – Sermons/Outline … (2005) … here.
4. Free Gift of Eternal Life … (2024) … here, here, here.
5. Eternal Life Is a Gift … (2005) … here.
6. A Lake, A Book, A Lamb … (2021) … here.
7. Book of Life – Sermons/Outline … (2001) … here.
8. Seven Proofs & Five Phases … (1987) … here, here.

 

 

Hebrews 6:17-20

Wherein God,
willing more abundantly
to shew unto the heirs of promise
the immutability of his counsel,
confirmed it by an oath:
That by two immutable things,
in which it was impossible for God to lie,
we might have a strong consolation,
who have fled for refuge
to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul,
both sure and stedfast,
and which entereth into that within the veil;
Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus,
made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.