The First Thing A Christian Should KNow

The First Thing That A Christian Should Know Is That He Is Passed From Death Unto Life
by Gary Alford

“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13


Passed From Death Unto Life

Jesus said, "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. " John 5:24

The first thing you should know as a child of God is that you have passed from DEATH unto LIFE. This life, in fact, is ETERNAL LIFE according to John 3:15. " Whosoever believeth in him (Jesus Christ) should not perish, but have eternal life." Eternal life means, of course, life that lasts forever. The reason that this is so important is that this should make clear to the Christian that you cannot lose salvation once you have eternal life.
Furthermore, Paul said (Romans 6:23) that ETERNAL LIFE is the GIFT OF GOD through Jesus Christ our Lord.

If there is still any doubt at all about the doctrine of ETERNAL SECURITY for the believer, study the following and believe the scripture (John 2:22)& then you will know the truth.

According to Romans 3:22, the righteousness of God is by faith and unto all that believe. Notice carefully that there is no mention of works for God's righteousness. Then, read carefully verse 24 and notice that justification is FREE.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says that salvation is through faith and not of works. Verse 10 goes on to say that we are saved to do good works.
Now to make that clear, read Romans 4:1-5. Notice carefully what Romans 4:5 says. " BUT TO HIM THAT WORKETH NOT, BUT BELIEVETH ON HIM THAT JUSTIFIETH THE UNGODLY, HIS FAITH IS COUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. " I am really amazed that anyone could believe that works is involved in salvation after reading this verse. How much clearer could it be said? There it is in plain English. NO WORKS / BELIEF ON JESUS / FAITH IS COUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Next, read Romans 5:10: " SAVED BY HIS LIFE ". Now, do you see that we are saved by the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, not our life, HIS LIFE?
Since I am saved by his life, not my life, then, I didn't get saved by how I live, I can't stay saved by how I live, and I can't lose my salvation by how I live.

I Corinthians 12:13 says, " For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body ". According to Galatians 3:27-28, that body which we are baptized into is the body of Christ. Ephesians 1:12-14 tells us further that this happens when you believed. Ephesians 1:13 says, " in whom [Christ] also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise ". So, when a person gets saved, he is baptized into the body of Jesus Christ and sealed in the body of Christ. Verse 14 goes on to say that ye are sealed " until the redemption of the purchased possession ". Ephesians 4:30 agrees, saying, " ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." The 'purchased possession', according to I Corinthians 6:19-20 is your body. This is further confirmed by Romans 8:19-23. The redemption of our body is described in I Thessalonians 4:14-17 and is commonly called the rapture.

Now to review, If you have received Jesus Christ as your Saviour:
1. You have PASSED FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE.
2. You were SAVED BY FAITH WITHOUT WORKS.
3. Your ETERNAL LIFE IS A GIFT OF GOD.
4. Your JUSTIFICATION WAS FREE.
5. If you don't do good works after you are saved, YOUR FAITH IS COUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
6. You are SAVED BY THE PERFECT LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST & CANNOT LOSE YOUR SALVATION BY HOW YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE.
7. YOU HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST.
8. YOU ARE SEALED IN THE BODY OF CHRIST UNTIL THE RAPTURE.

NOW IF YOU BELIEVE THE BIBLE AND HAVE READ ALL OF THE ABOVE (INCLUDING CITED VERSES NOT QUOTED), THEN, YOU MUST CONCLUDE THAT SALVATION / ETERNAL LIFE IS A FREE GIFT FROM GOD AND ONCE YOU HAVE RECEIVED JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOUR, YOU ARE ETERNALLY SAVED, AND " YE MAY KNOW THAT YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE".
(IN OTHER WORDS, ONCE YOU ARE SAVED, YOU CANNOT BE UNSAVED!)