I want you to focus your mind away from eternal security and toward the Biblical teaching of 'eternal life'. I believe that the problem is not in believing in eternal life, because the Word of God is unmistakable about this. John 3:16, the focal verse of the New Testament, makes it clear that whosoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ shall not perish, but have everlasting life. Some other passages are: John 10:28,29; John 5:24; Romans 6:23; Hebrews 7:25; I Peter 1:5.
Therefore, no serious Bible student will object to the fact of eternal life. Many cults deny the concise Bible teaching of the eternal existence of the soul, but these rejections of eternal life and eternal death are direct violations of Scripture. A person who denies the eternal destiny of the soul has done little Bible study and probably bases his belief on extra-Biblical sources. The Bible is clear. The believer receives eternal life, and unbeliever receives eternal death.
The problem is not the fact of eternal life, but the time when one receives eternal life. Notice the words 'ETERNAL' and 'LIFE'. Eternal means never ending, and life in the spiritual sense means union with God, the Source of spiritual life. Therefore, those who have spiritual life, have eternal life. Spiritual life is the life of God imparted to the believer through faith in Christ and the regeneration of the Holy Spirit. So, once eternal life is obtained, it can never end. If it were possible for eternal life to end, it would not be eternal.
The question is not the possibility or availability of eternal life, but rather the exact time in which eternal life goes into effect. The debate is not whether the believer has eternal security or can lose his salvation, but rather the question: When does the believer obtain eternal life? There can be no doubt that the moment it is obtained, eternal life will last forever.
The whole argument can be summed up like this: Those who do not believe in eternal security, do not believe that a person can have eternal life this side of the grave. Those who do believe in eternal security, believe that a person can not only have eternal life, but can also know and have assurance that they have eternal life.
We could play theological ping-pong with our pet verses on both sides of the court, but I want to simply 'Why I believe in eternal security/life':
(1) The believer's position in the family of God: John 1:12 says, 'But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.' My position in the family of God through the new birth (John 3:1-8) is that of a son of God. The entrance into the spiritual family of God is impossible without a spiritual birth, and a spiritual birth means a spiritual life. God has no dead children. Their bodies may lie down and rest in the grave, but the spirit or the child of God is alive forever more (John 11:25,26). Since the spiritual birth brings me into an eternal family, it also brings me into an eternal life. this happens the moment that I receive Christ as my personal Saviour.
(2) The beliver's new nature: The moment that I receive Christ, I become a new creature created in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17-25). Many hold to the idea that a person may lose his salvation by coming to a point where he no longer wants to be saved. We've all heard the argument that although no one can pluck a person out of the hand of God, that a person could jump if he or she desired. This idea is quickly dispersed in the light of Romans 8:37-39 where it is stated that no person or thing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. These verses include the believer himself. The new nature of the believer is not bent away from God, but toward God. The new nature thirsts and longs after godliness. No person who has known God in true salvation would want to break that perfect union. Simply knowing that we have eternal life and peace with God makes our worst day as a believer a million times better that our best day as a lost person. Who having the divine nature of God, would ever wish to be lost again?
(3) The indwelling of the Holy Spirit: Romans 8:15-16 'For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.' I believe that the word 'fear' says a lot. To know that there are such things as eternal life and eternal death and not have the assurance of our eternal destiny would provoke a life of total fear. If a person cannot know tha he or she is saved, then that person will live a life of fear.
How can I know that I am saved? How can I know that I am a child of God? How can I know that I have eternal life? There's only one way. The Holy Spirit bears witness with my spirit. This is knowledge that passes all understanding. I cannot assure myself that I am a child of God. Merely reading and memorizing I John 5:10-13 cannot give assurance of salvation, but the Holy Spirit can take the Word of God and give assurance to the inner man.
I believe in eternal security because I believe in eternal life. I have eternal security because I have eternal life. I have eternal life because I have the Holy Spirit of God living in me. I have the Holy Spirit of God because I trusted in the work of Christ on Calvary for total and complete salvation. I trusted in Christ because I realized that I could not trust in my own works.
Those who trust in their own works, feelings and ideas have just cause to be afraid, insecure and uncertain. A salvation that could be earned through the works of man could be lost through the works of man, but a salvation that is received on the merit of the Son of God is secure. Salvation is not a life of trying to get it or wondering if you have it. Salvation is an instantaneous work of God in the heart of a believer when he receives Christ; then eternal life begins and never ends!!
Therefore, those who do not believe in eternal security cannot say that they have eternal life. They cannot say that they have a Christian life because they do not know if they are Christians!
Why do I believe in eternal security? Because I believe in the eternal Son of God. I can say with the Apostle Paul, 'I know whom I have believed, and am persuade that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day'. If your want security, take the keeping of your soul out of your hands and commit it to Christ. Turn from self and sin and trust Him!