The Word of God contains enough warning to preclude any thought of presuming on the Grace of God. Followers of Christ are exhorted to “watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation” (Mt. 26:41); to “beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness” (2 Pt. 3:17); to “give diligence to make your calling and election sure” (2 Pt. 1:10); to hold “faith, and a good conscience” in order to avoid shipwreck (1 Tm. 1:19); to “be careful to maintain good works” (Ti. 3:8); to “stand fast in the Lord” (Phil. 4:1).

The Christian is warned of mortal danger: through salt losing its savour (Lk. 14:34, 35); through failing to abide in Christ (Jn. 15:6); in being moved away from the hope of the Gospel (Col. 1:23); in erring from the faith (1 Tm. 6:10); in being taken captive by the Devil (2 Tm. 2:24–26); in neglecting so great salvation (Heb. 2:3); in departing from the living God (Heb. 3:12); in being hardened through the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 3:13); in wilfully sinning (Heb. 10:26–31); in erring from the truth (Jas. 5:19, 20); in being overcome by the world (2 Pt. 2:20–22); and in leaving one’s first love (Rv. 2:4, 5).

However, in recognizing the possibility of the union with Christ being broken, we must not think of returning to a legalistic position where we are kept by our own efforts. A Christian can no more keep himself in the power of the flesh than he can save himself by this means. We are “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation” (1 Pt. 1:5). Our part is to believe Him; His part is to keep us. The believer’s responsibility is to continually take advantage of the means of grace which God has provided for His children. He cannot keep himself, but the Christian must submit himself to the mighty keeping power of God within him. The only way he can work out his own salvation is as God works within him (Phil. 2:12, 13). The believer’s part is to constantly feed on God’s Word, to yield to the ministry of the Holy Spirit and to maintain unbroken fellowship with God through prayer. Through faith, and obedience, and yieldedness to His Will, he avails himself of all God’s Grace has supplied. We are not saved because of our faith and obedience, nor are we kept saved by these. But it is faith and obedience that keeps us in fellowship with Christ Who is faithful to keep that which we have committed unto Him. “For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Tm. 1:12).

If the follower of Christ will do these things he is eternally secure. If through flagrant unbelief, unconfessed, willful sinning or apostasy, he does not abide in Christ he has no promise that he will be kept. Nowhere in the Scripture are we given license to presume against God’s Grace. We have a High Priest Who is “touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Heb. 4:15), and Who “is able also to save them [us] to the uttermost that come unto God through Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them [us].” (Heb. 7:25). But we are enjoined to “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,” and to “hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering” (Heb. 10:22, 23). Maintaining our salvation is not a neat balancing act that we must perform as we endeavor to walk a narrow path with a deep chasm on either side. There is a chasm, to be sure; but by faith, obedience and faithful communion with our Lord we are privileged to walk farther and farther from it as we make our way up the headlands toward the city of God.