SECURITY
by George Addair
More than ever before, we hear throughout the world the mention of the word "security". We read in our news-papers about national security. A major topic of the labor unions is job security. Investment brokers and life insurance salesmen talk about financial security. Merchants contract a security patrol to guard their business at night. Factories employ a security force to guard their plants. The medical profession talks about the security of our children from the psychological standpoint. Women desire a man who provides income security. The pursuit of security is revealed by the locks on our doors, cars, and other things which we possess. Our older citizens are very much dependent upon social security. The largest expenditure of almost all cities is the police force which is designed to give security to citizens against the lawless.
The very fact that so much emphasis is being placed on security reveals that people are more insecure today than ever before. It is the very nature of people to become alarmed over that which they do not have. If we all had the feeling of security that we desire, there would be little talk of it and we would not be constantly engaged in a pursuit for more of it.
The feeling of insecurity that prevails today is due to a false set of ideals. In spite of the emphasis placed on security. we hear very little talk of "spiritual security". It is with this realm that we are primarily interested.
One of the major doctrinal issues of many of the churches has always been known as the "security of the believer". It is contended by some that "once you are saved, you are always saved", while others believe that you can lose your salvation over and over again. This issue is vital to these people and in many cases it is used as a basis for fellowship. Without attempting to settle any issues for these churches, it is our intention to examine the security of the members of the body of Christ, while confining ourselves to one small area of the Bible. It is my belief that if a person could grasp the truth contained in the few verses which we will cite, it would settle the question of security in his mind forever, both material and spiritual security.CHOSEN IN HIM
Ephesians 1:4 declares unconditionally that we were chosen in Christ. This expression "in Him" is very common in the book of Ephesians and I wish to call your attention to it. It is the key to understanding of the entire first three chapters.
What does it mean to be chosen in Him? It means simply that we were chosen by God, not because we had any virtue of our own, but we were accepted because Christ represented us. When I was in the Air Force, I met a fine young man who became a close friend to me. I was discharged from the military before him, and on my way home, I stopped in a small town where my friend lived to visit with his parents. After locating the house, I knocked at the door only to be met by a cold stare and a rude, "yeah, what do you want?"‘ I informed the man that I had served in Korea with his son. He immediately changed and smiling he took me in his arms and pulled me inside the house. He called loudly for his wife to come and see, "one of Mike’s friends". In a small way, this illustrates how we are accepted in Christ. I was not accepted by this man because of anything in myself, I was only accepted in his son. This removes any idea that we are accepted by God because we deserve it. We are accepted only because Christ "deserves it".
The view that holds to the "once saved, always saved" doctrine is called Calvinism, named after its most colorful advocate, John Calvin, The position which claims that you can be lost over and over again is called Arminianism, and is named after James Arminius, the theologian who laid this viewpoint down in an orderly presentation. The Baptists have followed the Calvinistic theology while the Methodists and the Pentecostal groups have accepted the Arminian viewpoint.
However, the one thing common to both groups is their contention that it is up to the individual to decide whether or not he wants to be saved, and consequently this individual is required to "choose God" if he wishes to escape eternal torment. The final analysis of salvation, according to both of these popular views is that the individual must "choose God". This is just the opposite of what the Scriptures teach in Ephesians. Eph 1:4 says that God has "chosen us" in Him, and proceeds to tell us exactly when we were chosen. It was before the disruption of the world, which identifies this time to the period before the creation of man. As man persists in doing, many attempts have been made to make this verse mean something other than what it actually says. The most commonly accepted view is that God foreknew whether or not we would accept Christ, and therefore, based on His foreknowledge, He chose us in Christ. This is nothing more than conjecture and is easily shown to be wrong by many verses of Scripture; one of which we will cite now: "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the ages began". 2 Timothy 1:9.
This confirms Eph 1:4, and further states that our goodness (or lack of goodness) had nothing to do with our being chosen. Rather it was according to "His own purpose". Because this takes all the responsibility off man, and places all the responsibility on God, many people refuse to believe it. Their instant reply is, "That’s nothing more than predestination". For those who reply in this fashion, we direct you to Eph 1:5 which says, "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children . . . . . according to the good pleasure of His will". Humanly speaking, it seems that the insecure world would welcome such a message. This is real security, to be chosen in Him.
ACCEPTED IN HIM
Ephesians 1:6 declares joyfully that we are also accepted in Christ. The Concordant Version reads, ". . . which graces us in the Beloved". It is evident from the message of verses 5 and 6 that we did not make ourselves acceptable to Him. It plainly states that HE hath MADE US accepted in the Beloved. Our very best efforts could not permit us to be accepted in the realm of God’s holiness. Our only hope was to have Him intervene, which He did, and His grace, according to verse 6 has made us accepted in Him.
What does it mean to be accepted in Him? A simple illustration will somewhat serve to show this: When a man is elected to the office of President of the United States, his wife is automatically regarded as the "first lady" of the land. It is not because she has any special talent or personality. It is not because she earned the position or that she even deserves it. She is accepted as first lady because of her husband. If he loses his position, she also loses her status as first lady. We can truthfully say that she is accepted in him. The same rule applies to us. We have nothing in ourselves that warrants our position in the heavenly places. We are accepted in Him.
What greater security could a person have than this ? We were chosen in Him, before the ages began. We have been accepted into the heavenly places in Him. And in neither case did we do anything to earn this position. It was done for His own pleasure and to the praise of His glory.
REDEMPTION IN HIM
Ephesians 1:7 says, "In whom we have redemption, through His blood". We have seen that we are chosen in Him and also accepted in Him. Now we learn how this all came about. It is all made possible because of redemption. It is a wonderful experience to understand something of the word redemption. There are three Greek words which are translated redeem.
1. AGORAZO. This means to purchase in the market.
2. EXAGORAZO. This means to buy out of the market. The thought indicated is that which is purchased is never again to be put on sale.
3 . LUTROO. This means to loose. To free by paying a price.
This presents a beautiful picture in view of Romans 7: 14 which states that we are sold under sin. The word sold means literally to dispose of. Our imagination takes us back to the times when slaves were auctioned off to interested buyers. As bids were being made for us, Christ purchased us, or redeemed us, by paying the highest price one could pay. Eph 1:7 says He redeemed us through His blood. To know the full scope of the word redeem, it is a marvelous feeling of security to know that we were purchased, then taken out of the market, and then turned loose never to be offered for sale again. The more we pursue the subject of the salvation of mankind, the more assured we are that it has been fully accomplished by God and man had nothing to do with it.
FORGIVENESS IN HIM
Ephesians 1:7 also states that in Him we have "the forgiveness of sins". It would seem enough that we were chosen and accepted in Him. But God has explained also that we were redeemed in Him. Now we learn that we have also been forgiven for our sins. The verse further explains that there is no limit to this forgiveness. It is according to the riches of His grace. Romans 5:20 states, "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound". This is a marvelous illustration. It indicates that the more sin there was the more of God’s grace there was revealed to forgive this sin.
Romans 5:l states that we are justified by faith. The word justified is also a blessing when understood. When a person is justified, he is more than simply forgiven for his sins. It is just as if he had never sinned at all. If a person commits a crime and is confined to prison, the officials of that state can forgive this man, and pardon him. They can also free him. But they cannot justify him. They cannot remove the fact that this man did commit a crime. The man is nothing more than a forgiven criminal. However, when we are justified by God, we are not only forgiven, we are also justified. It is just as if we had never committed the sin in the first place. Our sinful past is erased. Only in this fashion could God accept us. If we were only forgiven, God would be compromising with sin, by accepting a sinner. But His marvelous grace did that which man cannot do. It erased our past by imputing Christ’s righteousness to us. Now when we are looked upon by God, He sees us as righteous as Christ Himself because we have His righteousness imputed to us and we are fully justified. Our sins have been erased. There is no greater security than this.
SEALED IN HIM
Ephesians 1:13 states, "In whom (Christ) also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise". In Scripture, the word sealed means at least three things. It would be well for us to examine these.
1. A finished transaction. In Jeremiah 32:9-10 a transaction was made for the purchase of property. The money was counted, witnesses were present, the evidence was subscribed and the transaction was sealed.
2. Ownership. Jeremiah 32:11-12 indicates that after the transaction was completed, ownership was then exercised. 2 Tim 2 :19 gives an even more vivid illustration. "Nevertheless the foundations of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His."
3. Security. When Daniel was cast into the lions den, the mouth of the den was sealed. But an even better illustration is found in Eph 4:30 which states that we are sealed by the holy spirit until the day of redemption.
When we understand the full significance of being sealed in Him, it becomes futile to think that our little deeds of good or bad could influence or change the great work He has already done for us. To be sealed in Him is true security.
COMPLETE IN HIM
One of the greatest statements in the Bible is found in Co1 2: 10 which states, "And ye are complete in Him". Many people have missed the significance of this statement. If we are complete in Him, there is nothing that we can do to make ourselves more complete. When a glass is full of water, it is impossible to make it "more full". In the true sense of the word, nothing can be added to that which is complete.
Those who believe they are more secure in Christ because they join a church, pray, witness, refrain from certain things, or do certain things are misled. When a person is complete in Christ, nothing can be added by anyone. The following verses in Co1:2 explain in detail that nothing, not even the ordinances practiced by most churches can add to your standing with Him. Our security is in Him alone.
Reprinted from
Echoes of Grace; Number 4; no date.
Echoes of Grace
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Phoenix, Arizona 85005