Let's Go Back to the Bible

Salvation God’s Way—How Can One Remain Saved?

The greatest treasure to be obtained on this earth is the salvation from the horror of sin through the love, grace, mercy and blood of our Lord.  Can you imagine someone having the greatest treasure on this earth (greater than all the wealth of all the world) and then turning it loose?  It is not only possible for someone to do that (which will be studied in the next article in this series), but it is happening—and happening in the hearts and lives of far too many souls.  So, how can we prevent it from happening in our lives?  How can we keep hold of this eternal treasure and remain in a saved condition in the sight of God?  There are three keys found in Paul’s appeal to Christians in 1 Corinthians 15:58.

To remain saved, Christians must be consistent in their service to the Lord. Paul charged his readers, “be steadfast…”  The Christian life demands that we constantly maintain Christ-like actions, words and attitudes.  If we behave differently during the week around our worldly friends than we do on Sunday around our church friends, that’s not consistent.  If we randomly go to worship some Sundays but not others, that’s not consistent.  To remain saved, we must be consistent in our Christian lives.

To remain saved, Christians must be convicted in their service to the Lord. Paul further charges his readers to be “immovable.”  Some stray from the faith and are “movable” because they are not completely convicted by the compelling nature of the love of Christ and the need for their faithful obedience.  Why are some trees able to withstand hurricanes and driving winds while others are not?  It is because they have been rooted and established and are unaffected by their surroundings.  Read Colossians 2:1-7 and find the same solution for Christian strength and conviction.

To remain saved, Christians must continue in the service of the Lord. Finally, Paul charges, “always abounding in the work of the Lord.”  Too often Christians just stop—sometimes from fatigue, discouragement or plain laziness.  God calls upon us to keep on keeping on in our service to the Lord.  “Always” means don’t ever stop.  “Abounding” means don’t set a limit.

God provides us with this assurance if we will consistently, with conviction, continue in our to service Him—“knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”  God sees.  God knows.  God rewards.  Will you remain faithful?