As Easter approaches, we focus our thoughts on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ at Calvary. From His atonement springs our blessed assurance of salvation and eternal life. Many people who trust Christ as their Savior know they are saved but are not quite certain about eternal security, the work of God that guarantees salvation is permanent. They believe salvation can somehow be lost through wrong actions or a voluntary choice to forfeit it.

    Eternity is one of God’s promises, and He wants His children to be confident about their guaranteed future with Him. That is why the Word of God says, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13, emphasis added). In fact, not even one scriptural passage in any way limits the saving power of Christ’s all-sufficient, sacrificial, substitutionary death.

    The Bible teaches that when we receive Jesus Christ as Savior, we unquestionably have eternal life. This God-given assurance influences every aspect of our faith and is a foundational cornerstone for effective and godly service in the power of the Holy Spirit. A believer who is sure of eternity is not working to get something from God, but is diligently serving Him out of love and devotion.

    The promise of heaven affects our understanding of repentance and forgiveness. We repent of our sins in order to receive Christ as our Savior. That is, we change our thinking about sinful behavior and confess our helplessness to God. Because of that repentance, we receive forgiveness and are “saved”—our eternal life starts immediately and continues without interruption. Thereafter, confession and repentance are not necessary for gaining our forgiveness, because we already possess a full measure. Instead, repentance makes right our fellowship with Christ.

    Assurance of salvation depends upon eternal security. Basing salvation upon anything other than the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross puts a person on shaky ground. Attempting to involve oneself in the salvation process by good works or right behavior leads to doubts about eternity—such thinking can lead people to feel they must earn God’s good will and heaven. Grace is a gift. If we add a single work requirement to salvation, it is no longer a gift; it is payment for services rendered, and that is simply not how God works in the life of the believer.