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The New Testament was written in the common Greek language of the day, used by everyday people. One of the more interesting aspects of the language is the perfect-tense verb, describing an act that was brought to completion and has abiding, permanent results. The following verses, used in biblical context, emphasize security of the believer’s salvation based on this perfect-tense verb.

(1) EPHESIANS 2:5, 8: “… by grace you have been SAVED.”

The verb sozo means “to keep safe and sound; to rescue from danger.” Believers have been saved in time past, with the abiding result that their salvation persists through the present time. Due to God’s free gift of grace, at the moment you believed in Christ, your salvation from sin and eternal death is permanent.

(2) ACTS 26:18, “… those who have been SANCTIFIED by faith in Me …”

The verb hagiazo is translated as “sanctify,” with the adjective and noun being “holy” and “saint.” It means “to be set apart to God.” Believers have been cleansed of sin, separated from the world, with the abiding result that they always belong to God. You became a saint at the moment of salvation, and your position with God is permanent.

3) 1 PETER 1:23, “You have been BORN AGAIN … through the living and enduring word of God.”

The verb anagennao means “to produce again; to be born again, anew.” Believers are born again with the abiding result that they are continually new persons in Christ. At the moment of salvation, your new life is eternal because it was given by the eternal God through His eternal word. Your position as a born-again believer is permanent.

(4) JOHN 5:24, “… has PASSED out of death into life.”

The verb metabaino means “to change one’s dwelling; to move from one place to another.” Believers were transferred from death to life, with the abiding result that they will always have eternal life. This transition is made upon your belief in the Lord Jesus. Your eternal life is permanent.

(5) LUKE 10:20, “Rejoice that your names are RECORDED in heaven.”

The verb grapho means “to write; to register in a book.” Believers’ names are written in heaven with the abiding result that they are on permanent record. Believers are enrolled as citizens of heaven even while on earth. Your name is written in the Lamb’s book of life, and it will never be erased. It is permanent.

(6) ROMANS 6:7, “… he who has died is FREED from sin.”

The verb dikaioo means “to declare a person just or righteous; acquitted.” The sinners who died were made free with the abiding result that they stand in the position of permanent freedom from the sinful nature. Sin no longer has the legal right to force its mastery and control on a believer. Your justification, freedom from sin, is permanent.

(7) ROMANS 5:2, “… through Whom we also have OBTAINED our introduction by faith into this grace in which we STAND.”

The verb exo means “to possess or hold”; the verb histemi means “to place; make firm.” At salvation, believers obtained access to God and a firm footing through Jesus Christ to full salvation of God, with the abiding result that they will always have this access and firm footing. Your access to God, and your firm standing in His grace, are permanent.

(8) HEBREWS 10:14, “For by one offering, He has PERFECTED for all time those who are sanctified.”

The verb teleioo means “to make perfect; accomplish.” At salvation, believers were perfected with the abiding result that they are perfected forever. They are new creations whom God sees as holy. Christ’s sacrifice secured your complete and final salvation. Because of His sacrifice, your salvation is permanent.

(9) HEBREWS 3:14, “We have BECOME partakers of Christ if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end.”

The verb ginomai means “to become; to come into existence.” Believers became partakers of Christ, with the abiding result that they will always be in a permanent relationship with Him. The possession of your salvation is evidenced by your continuation of faith. Your union with Christ is permanent.

(10) JUDE 1:1, “To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and KEPT for Jesus Christ.”

The verb tereo means “to take care of; to guard.” Believers of Jesus Christ, from the moment of salvation, have been guarded with the abiding result that they are in a permanent state of being carefully watched. God is keeping the saints so that they might continue to be forever the possession of the Lord Jesus. Your eternal life, secured by God for Jesus Christ, is permanent.

(11) 1 JOHN 4:13, “By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has GIVEN us of His Spirit.”

The verb didomi means “to give, distribute, supply, or bestow.” At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit was given to the saints, with the abiding result that He is a permanent gift. This is proof of our fellowship with God. It is one of the clearest evidences that we are the children of God. He has lodged the image and fruit of His Spirit in our hearts. Your salvation is secure because the gift of the Spirit is permanent.

(12) 2 THESSALONIANS 2:13, “… brethren, BELOVED of the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit.”

The verb agapao means “to love.” It is a love of preciousness, esteem, and of prizing. Believers have been loved with an absolute love with the abiding result that it is a permanent attitude on His part. Christ is the Beloved of the Father. Because God the Father has always loved God the Son, believers are accepted in Christ, and are also beloved of God. The divine order is this: God the Father elects the sinner to salvation, God the Spirit brings him to the act of faith, and God the Son cleanses him from sin. Your place as a beloved child of God is permanent.

(13) JOHN 10:29, “My Father, who has GIVEN them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”

The verb didomi means “to give, distribute, supply, or bestow.” The elect were given to Christ by God, with the result that they remain eternally in His care. They were given to the Son as a trust to be managed by Him, and therefore, God will still look after them. Jesus had experienced the power of His Father upholding and strengthening Him, and therefore puts all His sheep into His hand too. Your salvation is secure because God’s power to keep you is permanent.

You asked, “If the Holy Spirit can leave a believer thereby leaving him in a lost condition, what level of sin will create this condition?”

This condition is not dependent on our performance, but on God’s decision to bestow mercy or not to bestow mercy (Romans 9:10-16). God has already decided our eternal condition before we were born, so in God’s perspective, He creates this condition not us.

You also asked, “If our salvation is conditional to our actions, where does the Holy Spirit contribute to our efforts to make our salvation sure?”

This debate is all about perspectives. From our human perspective we actually do contribute to our salvation. However, from God’s perspective, we are vessels fitted by Him for whatever He divinely chooses. So to answer your question, ultimately (when I say “ultimately” I mean “from God’s perspective”) the Holy Spirit directs every decision we make, so we do not contribute an ounce to our salvation. The Holy Spirit also ultimately sanctifies us so that we bear the fruit of the Spirit, the evidence of our salvation.

Surely we submit to God. But the Scriptures teach us to submit to one another, and the rulers of the Church, those who are genuine shepherds of Christ. Hebrews 13:7-9, 17 1 Peter 5:1-5 Ephesians 4

The Church is made of many local churches. And each church has elders and pastors, teachers, evangelists, and rulers. The congregation needs to submit to their elders and be accountable to them.

Of course there are exceptions to the rule, who may not have a church.

But basically, what i was sharing was a church member, who needed to come back to Christ. He certainly can cry out to Christ himself, and that is good, but he needs to go to his church leadership, and find restoration and acceptance in the church as well.

If someone sins, and does not hear the elders, then he is to be treated as an unbeliever. Hopefully he will come to repentance. If he doesn’t, then perhaps he was never a genuine Christian.

I hope this isn’t to far off the path.

That sounds almost Catholic. Christ can’t redeem and restore without the church? Better not live in the wilderness then! I’m sure that’s not what you meant.

If you are truly lost… you will not persevere.
If you do not persevere… you are truly lost.

-If the Holy Spirit can leave a believer thereby leaving him in a lost condition, what level of sin will create this condition?

-If our salvation is conditional to our actions, where does the Holy Spirit contribute to our efforts to make our salvation sure?

Respectfully,
Tim