Join us in this enlightening episode with Adrian Rogers, who unfolds the profound doctrine of eternal security in salvation. Through the lens of scripture and relatable analogies, Adrian discusses the foundations of what it means to be saved and secure. He delves into the promises of God that assure believers of their place in His kingdom, emphasizing that salvation is not just a temporary state but an eternal reality.
Adrian Rogers was a motivator, an encourager, and a leader of the faith. He was also passionate about presenting scriptural application to everyday life circumstances, and you’ll hear that in today’s message. Now, let’s join Adrian Rogers.
SPEAKER 02 :
Find in God’s Word, John chapter 10. John chapter 10, and when you found it, look up here in just a moment. We’re going to begin reading in verse 27. Let me ask you a question. Is there something even more wonderful than knowing that you can be saved? Yes, there is. It is knowing that you can be saved and be certain that you’re saved. Well, is there anything more wonderful than knowing that you can be saved and knowing that you can be certain that you’re saved? Yes, there is. And what is it? It is knowing that you’re saved, knowing that you can be certain that you’re saved, and knowing that once you’re saved and certain you’re saved, you can also know that you can never, ever lose your salvation. Now, I want to talk to you today about this subject, how you can know that that you are eternally secure. Listen to the scripture, God’s word. John chapter 10, verse 27. Jesus said, my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life. and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. Now we’re not talking about something that is incidental. We’re talking about something that is fundamental when we’re talking about the eternal security of the believer. How you can know That you are eternally secure. It is necessary for your spiritual health. Can you imagine what the emotional state of any child would be if that child did not know from day to day whether or not he or she were a member of the family? Today I was a good boy. I’m a member of the family. The next day I wasn’t so good. I’m no longer a member of the family. I’m loved of my father. I am not loved of my father. I am received in the family. I am not received in the family. Friend, that would make a person a neurotic not to know that he is accepted in the family. He may be punished. Yes, indeed. He may have to go up to his room. Yes, indeed. But he or she knows that they know that they are part of the family. It is necessary for emotional strength. in the natural world and so it is in the spiritual world. These people who do not know that they’re saved and secure do not have the emotional stability, in my estimation, that a child of God ought to have. I’ll tell you another reason why it is so important that you understand this. It’s important if you’re going to be a productive, fruit-bearing Christian. When you know that your future is secure, Then you can concentrate on the present. In 1937, they built that marvelous bridge that many of us have seen, the Golden Gate Bridge. I can remember very vividly the first time I saw that monumental structure as they began to build what at that time was the world’s longest suspension bridge. But as they built it, they built it very high above those swirling, perilous waters. Many of the workers were afraid that they might fall, and it seemed like the very fear of falling was what caused them to fall. Though they spent $77 million on this bridge, at first they failed to build a safety net when they were building the bridge and twenty three people on the first section of the bridge fell into the water and perished on the next section of the bridge they spent one hundred thousand dollars to build a safety net now one hundred thousand dollars back in that time was a monumental sum but they felt it was worth it and so they built a safety net under the workers on the next section of the bridge after they built the safety net on the next section only ten fell But every 10 that fell were caught and were safe. The lives were not lost. But here’s the important thing. With the safety net there, the work went 25% faster. The people could concentrate on their work because they knew that beneath them was a safety net. And so it is with the child of God. When he knows that his future is secure, he can concentrate on the present. Now I’ll tell you another reason why what I’m talking about today is very, very important. Not only for your spiritual health and your spiritual productivity, but to help you in evangelism and in soul winning. Do you know why a good number of people never get saved? Very frankly, they’re afraid they’ll not be able to hold out. They think, you know, maybe someone like these other people, someones like these others are able to do it, but I’m just not able. I don’t have the strength. I don’t have the wisdom. I don’t have the knowledge. I don’t have the willpower. I don’t have what it takes. And rather than go down there and make a false start and then fall away, I just won’t go at all. Many people feel that way. There are some of you who really in your heart of hearts want to be saved, but you’re just fearful. You’re fearful that you’ll make a false start and then you will fall away. Oh, if we could only teach people what the Bible has to say about the fact that the God who saves you is the God who secures you. He is the God that keeps you. he has saved me and kept me and i can tell you truly that the god who saved me is the god who will save you and the god who has kept me is the god that will keep you now what do we mean when we’re talking about the eternal security of the believer well first of all let’s talk about what we mean when we say the believer we’re not talking about someone who just has head knowledge We’re not talking about someone who has joined a church and been baptized and gives his money and does religious things. That’s all well and good. But none of these nor all of these can save. We’re talking about a person who has received Christ into his heart by faith. who has become a partaker of the divine nature, who has been twice born, who has received the new birth. This person can never, ever, ever again be a lost soul. Well, you say, now, wait a minute, pastor, that causes me a problem. I know of some people who wants were saved and now they’re no longer saved be careful when you say that because you may have thought that you knew that they were saved but they never truly were saved do you remember the scripture there in matthew chapter seven Verses 22 and 23, where Jesus was talking about the judgment and he said, many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderful works. And Jesus said, and then will I profess unto them, depart from me ye that work iniquity. I never knew you. Now listen, he didn’t say I once knew you and you lost it. He said, I never knew you. You may have prophesied. You may have thought that you cast out devils and did many wonderful works. But I never knew you. Now we’re not talking about people who profess to be religious and turn away. we’re not talking about those we are talking about people who have truly received the Lord Jesus remember the scripture that I read to you just a few moments ago Jesus said my sheep hear my voice and I know them I know them and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. You say, well, Pastor, what about these people who join a church and get baptized and live for God for a while and then go away? Are you telling me that they were never saved? Yes, that’s what I’m telling you. If they go away and stay away, they were never saved and John tells us about them and put this verse in your margin as a matter of fact get out a piece of paper and put down we’re going to give you so many verses I want you to jot them down but in first John 2 and verse 19 John explains those who start for a while and then fall away and this is what John says now listen to it carefully 1 John 2, verse 19. They went out from us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us. But they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. Now that’s 1 John 2 verse 19. They went out from us because they were not of us. John said if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. And the reason that they fell away is they were never truly saved. The faith that fizzles before the finish had a flaw from the first. Now that’s it. People who make a false start and then fall away, they didn’t lose their salvation. They never had it. Judas fell. never lost his salvation. Judas was never saved. The Bible says that Jesus knew from the beginning that Judas did not believe in him. So when we’re talking about eternal security, we’re not talking about eternal security for people who’ve never been saved. We’re talking about eternal security for people who have had a personal vital relationship with God through Christ. Now let me give you some reasons why and how you can know that you are eternally secure. Get a piece of paper and jot them down. I’m going to give you eight reasons and I’m going to let every one of them begin with the letter P so you can’t forget it. And the very first is the word promise. Promise. Promise. God has promised to you eternal security. Turn to Romans chapter 8, if you will, and look with me in verses 38 and 39. Now Paul says, here’s something I’m absolutely certain of. Here’s something that I am persuaded of, for I am persuaded. That means I have a deep conviction that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth. in case he left anything out nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of god which is in christ jesus our lord paul has given a list of ten mighty opponents that cannot separate you from the love of god he says death can’t do it if you die you’re still in the love of god life can’t do it if you still live you’re still in the love of god angels can’t do it good angels and bad angels satan is an angel a fallen angel Principalities, that means kingdoms can’t do it. Powers, that means authorities can’t do it. You name the authority. And then he says things present. Anything that happens, anything that is in the world today. And then he says things to come. Anything that may ever be created. Anything that may ever come into being. Heights, that means anything in heaven above. Depths, that means anything in hell beneath. And just in case he didn’t cover all the bases, he says, nor any other creature. Anything else, I mean. So he just covers the bases. He is saying, I promise you there is nothing that can separate you from the love of God. And if we went no further than that, just the promise, that’s the first reason. Here’s the second reason. The second P. Not only promise, but perseverance. God will complete what he has begun. Now take your Bibles and find Philippians chapter one, and you’re going to find a wonderful, wonderful verse. Philippians chapter one and verse six. Here again, Paul says, here’s something I know for certain. He begins this verse with this phrase, being confident. He began the last verse by saying, I am persuaded. He begins this one saying, being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Now, when you got saved, who began the good work in you? Was it you or God? It was God. We love him. Why? Because he first loved us. He began the good work in us. He was the one who called us. Now, the Holy Spirit of God is the agent of the new birth. And let me tell you what the Holy Spirit is. First of all, he is the convictor. He was the one who convicted you of sin. He was the one who showed you that you were a sinner and needed to be saved. Not only was he the convictor, he was the converter. He was the one who opened your eyes. He was the one who helped you to understand the gospel. He was the one who put faith in your heart and helped you to receive the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the convictor and the converter. And listen, my friend, he is also the completer. He is also the completer. He who hath begun a good work in you, the convictor and the converter, will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ. Have you ever started anything you weren’t able to finish? I’ve started many things I haven’t been able to finish. But Jesus has never started anything he’s not able to finish. God the Father has never started anything he’s not able to finish. The Holy Spirit has never started anything he’s not able to finish. I heard that Billy said to Jimmy, my dad has a list of men that he can whip. And Jimmy, you need to know that your daddy’s name is on that list. Jimmy went home and said, dad, I want to tell you something. Billy says that his daddy has a list of men that he can whip. And your name is number one on the list. Jimmy’s daddy went to see Billy’s daddy. He rolled up his sleeves and said, I understand that you have a list of people that you can whip. And my name is number one on the list. Is that right? He said, yeah, that’s right. He said, well, you can’t do it. What are you gonna do about it now? He said, well, I’ll just take your name off the list. I am so glad that God never has to take anybody’s name off the list. I’m so glad that God never starts anything he’s not able to finish. That the job is not too big for him. Paul said, I am confident of this thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it. You see, if any child of God, any of God’s elect… were to perish, that would mean that God the Father is defeated in His purpose. That means that God the Son is disappointed that His blood had no saving efficacy to keep. It would mean that God the Holy Spirit is disgraced because He’s not able to complete that which He began. So, perseverance. Not the perseverance of the saints. It’s not the saints that persevere. It is the God of glory who is able to complete what he has begun. The third P. The first one, promise. The second, perseverance. The third one, predestination. Turn to Romans chapter 8 now and look with me, beginning in verse 29. And I hope you’re getting these verses down, but listen. The Bible says, for whom he did foreknow, speaking of God, he did also predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son that he, that is God’s son, might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called. And whom he called, them he also justified. And whom he justified, them he also glorified. Now the Bible says… that God foreknew certain ones, and when God foreknows those ones, then God predestines those ones. For whom He did foreknow, them He did predestinate. Do you know what predestinate means? It means your destiny is already predetermined. God has predetermined your destiny. You cannot be more sure than predestined. If you’re predestined to be in heaven, then you’ll be in heaven. If you don’t get to heaven, you were never predestined to be in heaven. God says that you are predestined to be like the Lord Jesus Christ. And you couldn’t be in hell and be like the Lord Jesus Christ. And in these verses, God gives you a chain with five golden links for knowledge, Predestination, calling. Justification and glorification. If you’re a child of God, God already sees you glorified. He already sees you in heaven. It doesn’t say he will glorify. Look at that verse. He says you’re already glorified. You see, your salvation did not begin with you. Your salvation began before this world was swung into space. God saw you before he ever created this world. And God saw you glorified. God saw you in heaven. God knows the past, the present, and the future all at one time. And God sees you now predestined for heaven. God sees you now already in heaven. God sees you predestined to be like Jesus and already glorified. Now tell me, tell me what can stop that? What can hinder that? How could I ever lose my salvation if I am already predestined to be like him? There was in West Palm Beach, Florida, a teenage boy. He didn’t deserve to be saved. He had no merit of his own. He deserved to die and go to hell. But God foreknew that boy. God saw that boy. God looked at him. God saw that boy repenting of his sin. God saw that boy repenting asking Jesus to save him. God saw that boy open his heart and receive the new birth. And God said, it is, listen, predestined. Adrian Rogers is going to be like Jesus. It’s predestined. It is settled. It is absolutely settled. That could anything be more sure than to be predestined. Friend, what is settled in eternity cannot be undone in time. And what has been decreed by heaven cannot be annulled by hell. Say amen. Listen. Romans 11 and verse 19, the Bible says the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. What does that mean? It means God never changes His mind. God never changes His mind. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. God foreknew and God called and God repented. Oh, my dear friend, predetermined that I would be like the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn to the book of Hebrews chapter 10 and look with me in verse 14. What a wonderful verse this is. I love this one. It may be my favorite of all of these verses. Hebrews 10 verse 14. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. By one offering, he, Jesus, hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Now, what is that one offering? His precious blood. poured out on Calvary’s cross. That one offering makes you perfect forever. For by one offering, he hath perfected for how long? Forever. Learn this about salvation. When you get saved, you don’t just get a fresh start. God doesn’t say, well, I’m going to make the down payment and you have to keep up the monthly installments. Now, that’s the way a lot of people believe salvation is. They believe that God just simply says, all right, here’s a fresh start. I’m going to forgive your past and I’m going to give you a fresh start here. I’ve made a down payment for you. And if you can keep up the monthly installments, if you can just keep on making deposits on your good account, then maybe you can get to heaven. Oh, no. Listen, he paid it all the way through for by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are Sanctified it is done. I mean I am a perfect forever in God’s sight. I didn’t get a fresh start friend I got a new nature now notice this by one offering he hath perfected forever I Want to give you a challenge? find anywhere in the Bible where anybody was ever saved twice. You can’t do it. You know why? Because it’s impossible to be saved twice. Nowhere in the Bible will you ever find where anybody is ever saved twice. These people who believe you can get saved and lose your salvation, they believe that you must be born again and again and again and again. They believe that you keep on getting saved. But no, by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Did you know in order for you to be saved twice, Jesus would have to die twice? I mean, when you got saved, you got a ticket marked, good for one salvation only. You are perfected forever. Jesus is never going back to that cross. He’s never going to die again, for by one offering, we are perfected forever. And so perfection, well, you say, but wait a minute. You’re not perfect, Adrian. I know I’m not perfect. Oh, that is true. That is true. In our flesh, we are not perfect. What are we talking about here? Somebody says, what if you get saved? What if you get saved and then you sin again? Did I hear you say, what if? What if? No, you see, we can disobey God. And if we do, he carries us to the woodshed. Whom the Lord loves, he chastens. And we’ll talk more about that in another message. But let me give you some scripture here that talks about that perfection. Now, I want you to watch this very carefully. And it’s found in Romans chapter 4. And it’s very important that you look at this. Romans chapter 4. And let’s begin in verse 5. But to him that worketh not. But believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. You’re not saved by doing good works. People who believe you can lose your salvation believe, many of them, that you lose it because your good works are not enough. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works. Isn’t that wonderful? Do you know what the word impute means? It means to put that on your account. When you go to the store and you want to charge something, if you want to have a little fun with the clerk, don’t say charge it, just say impute it. It means the same thing. God… imputes or puts righteousness on your account without works. Not one scintilla of an iota of good things did you do in order to get saved. Now, so that’s a blessing. Yes. Verse six, but now look in verse seven, blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven. That’s a blessing. Hallelujah. Every stain, every blemish, every blot, every blur is washed cleaner, whiter than snow. It is forgiven and whose sins are covered. What does that mean? Not only does he forgive it, He won’t bring it up again. It is gone, buried in the grave of God’s forgetfulness. Because we uncovered it, God covered it. Because we confessed it, God forgave it. All right. Now you say, could it get any better than that? Yes, it does get better than that. Look in verse 8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Oh, hallelujah. Glory to God. Yes, blessed is the man to whom God imputes righteousness. Yes, blessed is the man forgiven. Yes, blessed is the man whose sin is covered. Hallelujah. But blessed is the man to whom God will not impute sin. You see, one half of one sin would send me to hell forever. I mean, I wouldn’t trust. You’ve heard me say this many times, the best 15 minutes I ever lived to get me to heaven. But blessed is the man to whom God will not impute sin. Why? Why? For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Just put down perfection. All right, now let me give you the next P. And it is position. Position. You are already positioned in the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 17. 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 17. I love this. 2 Corinthians 5 verse 17. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. Now there’s the old creation, that’s Adam and his children. There’s the new creation, that’s Jesus and his children. Everybody is either in Adam, the old creation, or they’re in Christ, the new creation. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, a new creation. I am in the Lord Jesus Christ. What pertains to Jesus pertains to me. I’ll lose my relationship with God the Father when Jesus Christ loses His because I am in Christ. You see, what is true of Christ is true of me because I am in Christ. I am not Christ, but I am in Christ. I’m a part of His body. Somebody says, what if you slip out of His hand? Friend, I’m one of His fingers. I am in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, it’s illustrated in the Bible by Noah’s Ark. Peter tells us that Noah’s ark is a picture of our salvation. Noah’s ark is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is more than just the story of a great ship. Now, remember how Noah was saved. Let’s see how good you are on your Bible history. God said to Noah, Noah, I’m going to destroy the world with a flood. But I don’t want you to perish, Noah. And I don’t want Mrs. Noah to perish. And I don’t want Ham and Shem and Japheth to perish. And I don’t want their wives to perish. All eight of you need to be saved. So Noah, here’s what to do. Put eight pegs on the outside of the ark. Drive them in good and secure. When it starts to rain, get a stepladder. Get up there and get hold of those pegs, Noah. And hold on as best you can. And if you can hold on until the water goes down, Noah, you’ll be safe. Is that the way it happened? Please don’t say yes. Is that the way it happened? No, that’s not the way it happened. That’s the way some people think salvation is. Oh, they believe that Jesus is like the ark, but rather than being on the inside, they’re on the outside holding on. Have you ever been in a prayer meeting where anybody would say something like this? You folks, please pray for me. I’ll hold out faithful to the end. Please pray for me. I’ll hold out faithful to the end. I can see Noah holding on to that slimy peg saying, Ms. Noah, Ms. Noah, please pray for me. I’ll hold out faithful to the end. You know Noah never would have made it. Not a one of them would ever have made it. What happened? Listen, God brought them in the ark. If any man be in Christ, God brought them in the ark. In Genesis chapter 7 and verse 1, the Bible says, And God said to Noah and his family, Come thou into the ark. Come in. Now, when God said, come in, that meant that God was inside. Now, if I’m in a room and I say, come in, I’m inside. If I am in a place and I say, go in, that means you go where I’m not. But if I say, come in, that means you come where I am. God said in Genesis 7, 1, come into the ark. That means that God was in that ark and Noah was in that ark. And then the Bible says that God shut the door. Now, why did God shut the door? To shut the water out and to shut Noah in. To shut the water out and to shut Noah in. God shut the door. It wasn’t Noah that shut the door. It was God that shut the door. There’s no doorknob on the inside. The Bible says in the book of Ephesians, after we have believed, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. And so it was God that shut Noah in that ark with himself. Now, the only way that Noah could have gone down would be what? For the ark to go down. The only way for me to lose my salvation is for Jesus to go down because, friend, I am in Christ. I am in the Lord Jesus. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. Now, Noah may have fallen down many times in the ark. but he never fell out of the ark. That’s the important thing. Sure, a Christian can slip and stumble and fall, but God shut Noah in. God shut the door. After that, she believed you’re sealed with a Holy Spirit promise. Now, there’s some people have the idea that one day they’ll be secure, but they think that when they’re secure is going to be when they get to heaven. They’re going to step into heaven, slam the door and say, boy, I made it. Hallelujah. I am safe. I’m now in heaven. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. What makes you think you’re going to be safe up there if you’re not safe down here? The angels fell from heaven. You see, security is not in a place. Security is in a person, and his name is Jesus. His name is Jesus. If any man be in Christ, in Christ, he is a new creation. So your position is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, here’s the next P. Possession. Possession. You already have eternal life. Listen to this scripture. John 5 and verse 24. Jesus said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me has everlasting life. Not will get it. You have it. Everlasting life is not something you get when you die. Everlasting life is something you get when you believe. Listen to the verse again. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me has everlasting life. That means you’ve got it right now. Old King James English, hath. Hath and has is the same word. Hath everlasting life. You have it right now. You’re eternally secure. Now suppose a man is saved for five years and then he loses his salvation. What did he have? Five year life. Suppose he’s saved for 10 years and could lose his salvation. What did he have? 10 year life. But if a man has eternal life, if he ever loses it, whatever it was, it wasn’t eternal, right? He might have called it eternal life. Whatever you have, if you ever lose it, whatever it was, it wasn’t eternal. Jesus said that you have eternal life. Friend, that is your possession right now. You have eternal life. I wish I had more time to talk about that, but just know this, friend, that my eternal life will not begin when I die. My eternal life began the moment I received the Lord Jesus. He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, I have heard it, and believes on him that sent me, I believe on the God who sent his Son, the Lord Jesus, has everlasting life. I have everlasting life. Now, here’s the eighth reason. Not only possession. Oh, excuse me. Here’s the seventh reason. Prayer. Prayer. Jesus is interceding for you. Jesus is praying for you. Turn to John chapter 17 for a moment. John chapter 17. Jesus Christ is praying his great high priestly prayer. And Jesus is praying for his disciples. And this is what he prays for them in John chapter 17 and verse 9. I pray for them. I pray not for the world, that is the unsaved, but I pray for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine. Jesus said, I’m praying for those that you’ve given me, Father. They belong to you. And then what does he pray for them? Well, skip on down to verse 15, and you’ll see what he prays for them. He says this, I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. Our Lord is saying, Father, I’m not praying that they’re going to escape tribulation and heartache and difficulty, not that you’ll take them out of the world, but Father, my prayer is that you will keep them from evil. Hallelujah. Now, I want to ask you a question. Has Jesus Christ ever prayed a prayer that wasn’t answered? Of course not. Why? Because he always prays in the will of God. And he said, Father, I thank you that you always hear me. I thank you, Father, that you always hear me. Well, you say, yes, but he was praying for Peter, James, and John. That’s true. But now go down to chapter 17 and verse 20. And Jesus said, neither pray I for these alone. But for them also which shall believe on me through their word. Isn’t that wonderful? I am praying for those that will believe on me through their word. You can just put your name there. Friend, Jesus Christ has prayed for you that you’ll be kept. Now, are you going to be kept? Of course. If you’re not kept, his prayer is not answered. Why? Why? Hebrews 7, 25, wherefore he is able to save unto the uttermost them that come unto God by him, seeing he what? Ever liveth to make intercession for them. I have a Savior, a dear loving Savior. He is praying for me day by day by day by day and night by night and night by night and year by year and year by year on the basis of his perfect sacrifice. That’s the reason I’m secure. Prayer. The last is power. It’s the last word. Now I want you to turn to 1 Peter chapter 1. And look at these verses. Listen to them. Oh, hallelujah. I love these. First Peter one, three, blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again into a lively hope. That means a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible. and undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last day. Who are kept by the power of God. Think of it. Kept by the power of God. You see, somebody says, but Pastor Rogers, what if Satan were to take you out of the hand of God? Remember the scripture we began with? My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish. Neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. Do you remember that? Neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. Can you think of a power strong enough to pry open… The mighty hand of God and of the Lord Jesus. My father which gave them me is greater than all. No man is able to pluck them out of my father’s hand. You say, but the word man is there. It doesn’t say that Satan can’t do it. Well, friend, if you look at your Bible real carefully, the word man is italicized. That means it’s only supplied by the translator to make it read more smoothly. What it literally says is neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. Remember what Jesus said to Peter? Peter, Satan has desired you, but I’ve prayed for you. Now, question. If Jesus is not able to keep you, if Satan indeed is able to pluck you out of the Father’s hand, why hasn’t he done it? Why hasn’t he done it if he’s able to do it? Let me tell you something, friend. The only reason he has not done it is because he can’t do it. If you think that Satan could take you out of the Father’s hand and he hadn’t done it, then you know what the conclusion would have to be? Satan has been good to you. And now you’re going to heaven by the goodness of the devil. Wouldn’t that be a strange doctrine? Oh, he could, but he just hadn’t. Well, you say, yeah, maybe Satan can’t take you out, but you could take yourself out. Friend, John chapter 10 verse 28 says, and they shall never perish. That is in the middle voice. It literally means they shall never destroy themselves. Listen, if he didn’t save me from me, he didn’t save me from my worst enemy. They shall never destroy themselves. A dumb, stupid sheep has such a savior that that savior will keep that dumb sheep. The power of God who are kept, kept by the power of God. That’s the reason we’re eternally secure. Now, what does that have to do with you? There’s somebody here today who needs to be saved. Let me just tell you. Come and give your heart to Jesus. And the same God who has saved and kept me is the God who will save you and keep you. I promise. Better than that, he promises. And if you are saved, you ought to rejoice today and say, hallelujah, I’ve got a savior, not a probation officer. Hallelujah. I’ve got a salvation, not just a down payment. Hallelujah. Thank God I’m saved and I am secure. Father, seal the message to our hearts. And I pray today that many will come to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. In his wonderful name I pray. Amen.
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