These two questions are often asked, and they penetrate to the core of our souls. The true answer to both questions is a definite "Yes!" Let's consider them in order:

"Must I continue to obey God until death in order to be saved?" There are other ways of stating the question: "Must I persevere in good works until death for ultimate salvation?" or "Must I be faithful until death to receive the crown of life?" However we state the question, the meaning is obvious. There are a multitude of scriptures we could cite to prove the case of the absolute necessity of perseverance, some of which will be listed at the end of this article for you to look up. Of this matter there is no doubt. We were created in Christ for the very purpose of good works, and to think of salvation without a corresponding transformation of our lives into the image of Christ is preposterous and flies in the face of God's intention in redeeming us. We exist to bring glory to God, and that would not be achieved by a life of continued rebellion. "Shall we go on sinning that grace may abound?" asked Paul, and he followed it with a resounding "May it never be!" or as the King James renders it, "God forbid!" (Rom. 6:1-2) Though our obedience is never perfect in this life, it must still continue.

"Will God keep his children from losing their salvation?" Again, there are other versions to this idea: "Will God preserve his people from fatally and finally falling?" or "Can anything separate the justified from the love of God?" And we again find that there are abundant passages in scripture teaching quite plainly that those who are savingly joined to Christ, God will keep to eternal life. Note the scriptures listed at the end of this article, and remember that Paul asserted that nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:38-39), and that Jesus promised "My sheep shall never perish!" (John 10:28) It is inconceivable that Christ would atone for our sins, that God would declare us acquitted of sin by faith, that the Father would purpose and will our salvation, Christ would continually intercede for us, and the Holy Spirit seal and guarantee our salvation, and then we could lose it. If God loved us when we were still sinners; how much more will he love us now that we are his by adoption? If he loved us once, surely he will love us forever. As Jeremiah says, he loves us with an everlasting love (Jer. 31:3). Though the Christian may fall into deep and serious sin, the Father is not willing that any of his own should perish, and the good shepherd will come after a sheep who wanders away and draw him back into the fold.

But are these two twin Biblical truths not contradictory? Not at all. As one who has had a life-long love affair with railroading, may I give you a simple analogy? Trains run on a railroad track that consists of two parallel rails joined regularly by ties made either of wood or concrete. Should we remove one of the rails, we have a situation known as derailment or in railroad terms "wheels on the ground." A train will not run long on the ground. It will come to a stop, perhaps it will even turn over and wreck. Those two rails never meet, but they run concurrently and are both necessary for the train to move successfully from its point of origin to its point of destination.

In the same way, the two truths of the absolute necessity of perseverance and the absolute promise of God's preservation run parallel. They never meet in this life, but they are both necessary for God's eternal purpose as he receives glory to himself and brings his loved ones safely home. They are joined at points by scripture "ties," as "As you have always obeyed÷continue to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (perseverance), for it is God who works within you both to will and to do his good pleasure (preservation: Phil. 2:12-13; see also another "tie" in 2 Tim. 2:11-13, or, of course, Rom. 5:20-21 and 6:1-14). If we remove the rail of perseverance, we have the absurdity of someone living a life of unchanged sin which would defy the purpose for which he was created. John says this is impossible (1 John 3:9). Such rebellion could not exist in a heart truly renewed by the Holy Spirit, and if so would be an example of total ingratitude to the God who had shown us such love. The train would not run on the one rail of preservation alone, at least not according to God's plan.

But also, should we remove the rail of preservation, we would leave the Christian without hope or assurance, relying only on his own will and good character to carry him through. What is worse, his ultimate reason for salvation would be himself and not God, and he would find himself in the same situation as the people who at the judgment argued with Jesus that they should be admitted based on the fact that they had done certain good works, but Jesus claimed that he never knew them (Matt. 7:21-23). The rich young ruler thought he could inherit eternal life, something impossible of itself, by keeping the law, and Jesus showed him that this was impossible. The disciples wondered how anyone could be saved, and Jesus told them that "with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible!" (Matt. 19:16-26). Again, the train could never make it on the one rail of perseverance alone. Both are necessary and a part of God's eternal purpose for his children.

We hope these words are a source of both accurate Biblical knowledge and encouragement to you. Please contact us for further information on this vital subject. Scriptures to look up which teach the necessity of obedience: Rev. 2:10, Heb. 5:9, James 2:14-26, 1 Tim. 4:16, Col. 1:23, Eph. 2:10, John 8:31, 1 John 1:7, 2 Tim. 2:12, Matt. 25:31-46, 2 Cor. 5:10, Rev. 22:12, Matt. 7:24-27, and many more. ÜScriptures which teach the promise of God's securing his own to everlasting life: Jer. 32:40, John 5:24, John 6:37-40, 44, John 10:28, John 17:2, 15, 24, Acts 13:48, Rom. 4:8, Rom. 5:9-11, Rom. 6:14, Rom. 8:16, Rom. 8:28-39, Rom. 11:29, 1 Cor. 1:8-9, Gal. 1:3, Eph. 1:13-14, Phil. 1:6, 1 Thess. 5:23-24, 2 Tim. 2:11, 13, Titus 3:4-7, Heb. 6:13-20, Heb. 10:10, 14, 1 Pet. 1:3-5, 1 Pet. 5:10, 2 Pet 3:9 (see also Matt. 18:12-14), 1 John 3:9, 1 John 5:18, Jude 1, 24, and many more.