ETERNAL SALAH

ETERNAL SALLAH

How is the holiday going ?
Thank God for the muslims. We get a lot of holiday from them. Happy Eid Kabir. Assallamu aleikum!

By the way, that topic was just to get your attention. Today I want to share my thoughts on Eternal Security. I know it has already created arguements in your mind. Luckily, I am not even in the mood to argue right now.

I think we will all be right at the end of the day. Because those of us who kick against Eternal Security have good intentions. We believe the doctrine will make believers throw caution to the wind. And I discovered that all of us quote from Scriptures. I am almost tired of arguing with a fellow well meaning believer. Just believe what is working for you as long as you are saved by Christ Jesus. Paul and Peter did not behave so much like they always agreed. Even John the Baptist and his cousin Jesus did not relate so much like they were sync on many fronts. We can disagree and both be right. That is how God uses the foolishness of our preaching to produce His manifold wisdom.

But let me tell you this secret. I became saved sixteen years ago. Since that fateful day in November on the campus of Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife, I knew in my heart of heart that I was on an eternal journey and I was bound to a destination. You cannot convince me that I will not make it to be with Christ forever. I cannot convince myself that I can lose what I found that day. Okay, did I tell you about Olumide ?

Olumide was a friend on campus. He knew me shortly before I got saved. We both were active sinners and our nature was sin. I met the Lord some time later and Olumide was present in one of the gatherings where I gave a testimony about my past and how the Lord had saved me. After the meeting, Olumide came to me and said 'Deolu, don't be too serious about this thing. I myself have been saved over and over. I keep going back. You will soon find out it does not last'. I cannot remember my exact response that day. But it looks like I could say something like this 'Lummy, what I know is something very real has happened to me. About what happens later, I will have to wait to know'.

But you know, Olumide did strike a chord that day. I myself knew a number of 'so-called believers' who 'turned back' to their vomit. I do not want to be one of that number. If this is not going to last, whats the point? If there is no assurance of reaching the destination, why begin the journey? What now makes this God so different if He can not keep what is given to Him? Anyway, like I told you I may not say some things exactly back then, but I know a few things for sure. One of them is that; that night after Olumide said those words to me, I went to pray to God. And I am sure I must have cried to God with desperate tears. I said things like ' Lord Jesus, keep me till the end. I do not want to ever return. Please Lord... Please Lord... Please oh Lord... '. I prayed till I felt some peace in my heart or till there were no more tears dropping, maybe.

Men and brethren, this is just 16 years out of Eternity. And I can tell you I have fallen a number of times. Laughs. Go ahead and judge me. When you are through, judge yourself. If you have never fallen since you met Christ then you are among the 144,000. Laughs. (Oh Jehovah! These witnesses will not kill us). So there have been times I struggled and a number of times I stumbled. But I have never for a fraction of a second lost my assurance of being eternally saved. Say what you like.

Now I know the scriptures to quote. In fact I just finished a series on 'Jesus Christ, our High Priest' in Sunday School. With all my scriptures and passion, I still felt a thick smoke of resistance in the air. Believe what you like, bro. Just make sure you make it at last. Then we will compare notes. And like I said earlier, I think we will both be right.

Let me confess really, this gospel (or doctrine) of Eternal Security is what is mentally keeping me in the faith. I would have reasoned my way out if I had believed that I could somehow eventually not make it to God even after believing His Son. I would have asked 'If His priesthood could not be forever, why did He bother to come?' (Please forgive my audacity). I would have just prefered the annual Feast of Atonement. I would at least be eating ram and on a pilgrimage to the Holy land. I would not bother leaving Egypt if He could not take me to the Promised Land. Yes. That's me reasoning. What now is the difference between the Old and the New Testament? The best the Old could do was to take only two people through among the multitude that left. Oh dear, if it is meant for two, I won't join the rat race. Leave me where I was and let me just revel in my vanity. I can not sacrifice that for a venture that is not sure. No sir. Not me.

But I know better. I knew it early in my Salvation that Jesus Christ will ensure my eternity once I become born again.

Okay. One Scripture. Maybe two.

John 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Laughs. You see, that John Chapter 17 was a prayer Jesus prayed for our eternal security. So when Paul said in Hebrews that He ever lives to intercede for us, you have an idea what His prayer points are.

Now take note  of that scripture above. Jesus said we are the ones God gave Him and He keeps us. None of us will be lost except the son(s) of perdition. Anyway, if you ever gave your life to Christ, you can take it back when you like. But if God gave you to Jesus Christ by saving you, and you ever miss it, just know today that your surname is Iscariot. Son of perdition. Doomed for destruction. Read Psalm 109 to understand the forces that sealed Judas' fate. And see if they apply to your life. Good luck to you.

Another scripture.

John Chapter 6:

 37  All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

 38  For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

 39  And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

 40  And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Jesus said again that whoever comes to Him was given to Him by His Father. That He neither casts them away nor loses them. He went on to say that it is His Father's will that He loses none of us. And that we all (who have believed in Him) be raised on the Last Day.

Anything else you have believed or have read in the Bible that does not allign with these clear words of Christ is a result of your misunderstanding of the Truth of the Gospel of Grace.

I knew I cannot convince you. I only wrote because I felt led to.

If by chance you are liberated by what I have shared, just before you get excited, please check if you were saved  indeed by Christ. Once you have that witness  of the Spirit, go ahead; shout.

Halleluyah. Glory to Jesus! Amen.

- Adeolu Olumodeji