The Bible tells us that, by our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are given eternal life [John 3:15; 1 John 2:25, 5:11, 5:13]; we have everlasting life [John 5:24, 6:40, 6:47]. We shall never perish [John 10:28]. We have passed from death unto life [John 5:24]. And, we are no longer under condemnation [Rom. 8:1].
The Scriptures picture our salvation in many ways. Jesus called our salvation a "new birth" when he told Nicodemus, "Ye must be born again" [John 3:7]. This "new" birth is not a physical birth [John 3:4]. It is a spiritual birth. It occurs the moment we receive the Spirit of Christ into our hearts by faith [Rom. 8:9].
Salvation is pictured as a birth because it begins a new life in relationship with the Lord. That life Jesus gives us is eternal life. It is a life that cannot end. Because of this truth, the Lord himself declares that we shall never perish [John 10:28]. Once I have this eternal life, I have eternal life. Therefore, we know that once we are saved, we shall always be saved.
Jesus likens receiving our salvation experience to the common actions of drinking water or eating bread, both of which are done by faith. We do not test the water we drink, nor chemically examine the bread we eat. We eat by faith.
Jesus said, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst" [John 6:35,36]. The rich man died without faith in Christ and found himself in torment in hell [Luke 16:23]. But a man whose faith is in Jesus shall never know that thirst, for he has passed from death unto life [John 5:24].
Unlike the common actions of eating or drinking which may be done without much regard, our salvation is a conscious, deliberate choice. It requires repentance from dead works and conscious faith placed in the Lord [Heb. 6:1]. Salvation is not of works lest any man should boast of his works [Eph 2:9]. Salvation is by grace through faith [Eph. 2:8].
The Apostle Paul gives us the "process" of our salvation. He writes the following to the church at Ephesus regarding faith in Christ: "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory" [Eph. 1:13-14].
We know that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is immediate upon our faith in Jesus as the Christ because the Scriptures declare that no man can be Christ`s without the Holy Spirit dwelling in him [Rom. 8:9]. Thus, Paul asks the question of the Church at Corinth: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" [I Cor. 3:16].
The gospel of our salvation, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ, declares the following:
"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" [I Cor. 15:1-4].
I know I have salvation by the promise of the Word of God: "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" [John 3:36].
Salvation has been provided for all, but it is only applied to those who willingly receive it. For this reason, the Scripture tells men to call on the name of the Lord [Acts 2:21]. It is also why the Scripture declares that "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" [Rom. 10:13]. Jesus said it this way, "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" [John 6:37].
Do you have this eternal life? Have you come to the Lord Jesus Christ by faith?