In The Master's Service

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Concepts of eternal salvation

Elder J W. Patterson

December 31 is the last day of the year. The resurrection is the last day of time. The resurrection takes place at the last day. Consider the following scriptures:
"And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." (John 6:39-40).
"No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:44).
"Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day." (John 11:24).
"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." (II Timothy 4:8).

If the dead are resurrected on the last day, then the rapture (caught up with them in the clouds) takes place at the same last day - not before. At that same last day the last trump shall be sounded. If it is the last trump, then there are no trumps to follow. If it is the last day, then there are no days to follow. "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (I Corinthians 15:52).

The last trump shall sound at the last day. At the last day the dead shall be raised and changed, and the living elect shall be changed and caught up with the resurrected saints in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. The crown of righteousness (glorification) shall be given at that day. It shall be given once and once only. God loved and foreknew his elect once only; He predestinated them once only to an adoption, inheritance and conformation; He calls/regenerates them once only; He justified them by His blood once only; and He eternally glorifies His elect once only. There are no recurring events in the things that work together for the eternal salvation to God's elect.

What about gospel salvation? Does the same concept of once only hold true for all the events in gospel salvation or conditional time salvation as some call it? If the things that comprise gospel salvation happen more than once then a clear distinction needs to be made between eternal salvation and gospel salvation.

Gospel Salvation: Is Repetitive: Happens Time and Again Gospel salvation involves preaching the gospel, hearing the gospel, believing the gospel, remembering the gospel, being baptized, taking communion, contending for the faith, giving as the Lord has prospered, forgiving, praying, persevering and a number of other things mentioned throughout the scriptures. In the previous list every event (except baptism) is repetitious. Preaching the gospel involves much repetition. Judas and Silas were to repeat the same things. "We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth." (Acts 15:27). Paul repeated the same things in his letters. "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe." (Philippians 3:1).

Hearing and believing the gospel happen more than once. "Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them." (Matthew 11:4-5).

Paul knew his gospel work would have to be repeated in Galatia. "My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you," (Galatians 4:19).

Gospel salvation is experienced by those that repeatedly continue to remember the gospel. "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." (I Corinthians 15:1-2).

To this Peter agrees by saying, "Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance." (II Peter 1:12).

Sermons on cassette tapes and CDs are an additional blessing to present day saints because the sermon can be listened to again and again.

Taking communion is part of gospel salvation. Remembering the Lord's death in communion is not a once only event. "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come," (I Corinthians 11:26). Giving as the Lord has prospered is an important part of gospel salvation. "It is more blessed to give than to receive," (Acts 20:35), were the words of the Lord Jesus. Giving is something that should occur at least fifty-two times a year. "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come." (I Corinthians 16:2) Forgiving one another is essential to gospel salvation and should be a very repetitious event in the lives of God's children. "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven," (Matthew 18:21-22). Praying and persevering are repetitious as well. "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;" (Ephesians 6:18).

Additional examples of gospel salvation could be given, but the previous examples should suffice to prove that gospel salvation contains much repetition. Preaching is repetitious, hearing is repetitious, and believing is repetitious. Keeping in memory rerequires repetition. Remembering the Lord's death till He comes requires taking communion time and again. Forgiving, praying and persevering are not one-time events in gospel salvation. Most all things that comprise gospel deliverance repeat themselves.

The concept of once only DOES NOT hold true for all things that make up gospel salvation. However, the concept of once only DOES hold true for all things that constitute eternal salvation. God loved and foreknew His electonce only; He predestinated them once only to an adoption, inheritance and conformation; He calls/regenerates them once only; He justified them by His blood once only; and He eternally glorifies His elect once only. There are no recurring events in the things that work together for the eternal salvation to God's elect.

Conclusion: Eternal salvation remains clearly distinct from gospel salvation. In concept one identical salvation held true for eternal salvation, yet failed when compared to gospel salvation. The things of eternal salvation happen to each and every one of the thousands of millions of God's elect, while the things of gospel salvation happen to some of God's elect. In this second concept of once only salvation, the things of eternal salvation were proven to happen once only, while most all things of gospel salvation were proven to be repetitive.

The reason that God's foreknowledge and love, predestination, calling, justification and glorification are once only things is because eternal salvation is God's work and His work alone. "He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he." (Deuteronomy 32:4).