ETERNAL LIFE ONCE RECEIVED IS AN ETERNAL & INTRINSIC PART OF THE BELIEVER NEVER TO BE LOST

I) SCRIPTURE TEACHES THAT LIFE IS AN INSTRINSIC PART OF AN INDIVIDUAL

A) OT: "LIFE" = "NEPHESH" = THAT INVISIBLE AND IMMATERIAL LIFE PRINCIPLE WHICH ANIMATES THE BODIES OF ANIMALS AND MAN

[Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, Vol 2; R. Laird Harris, Editor, 1980, pp. 589-99]:

"In some passages nephesh is best translated by "life," but "life" here denotes the living self with all its drives... when nephesh occurs as the subject of the verb it is usually rendered 'soul' - desires, inclinations, etc.; as the object of the verb it is frequently rendered by 'life' - the state of personal existence as over against death.

Many passages refer to the 'saving' of a man's nephesh 'life'...

Here too belongs Lev 17:11, one of the most decidely theological and distinctively meaningful passages where the word nephesh is of major significance, and one which certainly defines the term as meaning life:

1) [Lev 17:11]:

"For the life (nephesh) of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life."

It comes as no surprise, then, that in some contexts nephesh is best rendered by 'person,' 'self,' or simply by the personal pronoun..[him, her, etc.]..

The word 'life' [Gen 1:20] occurs for the first time in this verse (Hebrew 'nephesh'). Actually, this is the word also for 'soul,' and is frequently used to refer to both the soul of man and the life of animals.

2) [Gen 1:20 YOUNGS]:

'''And God saith, 'Let the waters teem with the teeming living [nephesh Str # 5315] creature, and fowl let fly on the earth on the face of the expanse of the heavens.' '''

[Dr. Robert A Morey states, ('Death and the Afterlife,' Bethany House, Minneapolis, Mn 1984, pp. 45-46)]:

"...the word 'nephesh' [Str 5314 nephesh {neh'-fesh} ]refers to that invisible and immaterial life principle which animates the bodies of animals and man. In Gen. 1:20, 21, 24, 30; 2:19; 9:10, etc., an animal is call[ed] a 'nephesh' as long as it is living. A dead animal is never called a 'nephesh' because its body would be devoid of the life principle. In this sense, once the life principle was breathed into the body of Adam, he became a 'nephesh,' a living creature (Gen. 2:7).... That 'nephesh' is an immaterial and invisible life principle is seen from the fact that Adam's body was complete yet unanimated until God placed in it 'the spirit of life,' i.e., the life principle (Gen 2:7). Adam did not become alive when his body was complete. His body awaited the introduction of the invisible and immaterial life principle before he could become a 'nephesh,' that is, a living creature.

Note that the Greek word "psuche" is the rendering for the Hebrew "nephesh" in the Septuagint.

B) NT: "LIFE" = " PSUCHE" = THAT INVISIBLE AND IMMATERIAL LIFE PRINCIPLE WHICH ANIMATES THE BODIES OF ANIMALS AND MAN

[Dr. Robert A Morey states, ('Death and the Afterlife,' Bethany House, Minneapolis, Mn 1984, pp. 55-56)]:

'''Arndt and Gingrich in A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (pp. 901, 902) define psuche as (1) physical life, i.e., the life principle in man and animals, (2) earthly life itself, (3) the soul or inner self which transcends physical life and is the seat of intellect, emotion and will. 'It stands in contrast to the body.... The soul is the center of both the earthly and the supernatural,' and (4) used in a figurative sense as a metonymy to refer to living people in general. It is used as a synechdoche, i.e., a part is put for the whole.

Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (p. 677) views psuche as meaning (1) 'the vital force which animates the body' of men and animals, (2) a figure of speech for living persons, (3) the soul as the seat of emotion, intellect and will, 'the soul regarded as a moral being destined for everlasting life...as an essence which differs from the body and is not dissolved by death ....a disembodied soul.'

The word psuche like nephesh has several different meanings. First, it refers to the invisible and immaterial principle of physical life which animates the bodies of animals and man (Rev 8:9; 16:3; Matt 2:20). Second, it is used in a relational or functional sense to refer to earthly life (Matt 6:25). Third, it is used as a figure of speech to refer to people in general (Acts 2:41). Fourth, it is used of God in Matt 12:18 and Heb 10:38 in the sense of God's transcendent self. That psuche cannot mean physical life when used of God is obvious. It is used to refer to the seat of emotion, intellect, and will in God. Fifth, as the image-bearer of God, man also possesses a psuche which transcends the physical life of the body (Matt 10:28).

The Apostle John clearly contrasts the physical life of the body to the condition of man's transcendent soul in 3 John 2. As a result, man's soul, or ego, is the center of his intellect (Acts 14:2), emotion (Matt 26:38), and will (Eph 6:6).

Psuche is also used to describe disincarnate souls which worship at God's throne in Rev 6:9. In Acts 2:26, 27, Luke clearly states that the conscious psuche of Christ went to the underworld (Hades), while His body went to the grave. It is used as a synonym in connection with such words as heart, mind, and understanding (Matt 22:37; Mark 12:33; Acts 4:32).'''

Notice that psuche, like nephesh, is an intrinsic part of the individual, inseparable from his being.

II) MODERN ENGLISH DEFINES LIFE AS AN INTRINSIC PART OF ONE

[Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary [G & C Merriam Co., Springfield, Mass, 1980]:

Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary defines life as "a principle or force that is considered to underlie the distinctive quality of animate beings; an animating and shaping force or principle." Hence, this principle is inherent in the individual, an intrinsic part that animates every part of ones being.

III) CONCLUSION

When the term "life" is used in Bible it often means physical life in the body, the existence and activity of the man in all his parts and energies. It is the person complete, conscious and active. Thus the life that one possesses is an intrinsic part of one. Although it is a possession, it is a unique one, such that it pervades the entire being and cannot be thought of as a finite material possession like a diamond that can fall out of ones pocket and be lost and then found again periodically. If one loses ones life, it obviously means that one's very existence has dramatically changed, usually irretrievably. Certainly, losing a diamond is not equivalent to this as some might insist.

IV) SCRIPTURE TEACHES THAT ETERNAL LIFE IS AN INSTRINSIC PART OF AN INDIVIDUAL

In the same way, eternal life once received becomes an intrinsic part of the individual when he believes in the Son of God and receives it.

A) [Jn 3:16]:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Notice that eternal life becomes the present possession of the individual the moment he expresses believing in the Son being given for him.

B) [Compare Jn 6:53-54]:

(v. 53) '''Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no [eternal] life in you.

[Notice that the word life refers to eternal life, (v. 58), and the context leading up to v. 53. This eternal life once received is described here as "in you", implying an intrinsic part of you]

(v. 54) Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

Since eternal life once received is "in you" inferring an intrinsic part of you for eternity, then it is not portrayed in the Bible as occupying space in a particular part of your anatomy such that it can be removed and lost from within you and then recovered again.

Furthermore, the concept of eternal life existing outside of an individual is comparing apples and oranges. The concept of something cannot be compared to the possession of it. The concept of eternal life is one which is forever, everlasting, without end, of course; but the eternal life of a particular individual does not exist until he believes, at which time the eternal life cannot go out of existence because of some infraction and must by definition be an intrinsic part of that individual's existence forever. An individual's eternal life cannot be measured apart from the individual any more than an individual's physical life can be measured apart from the individual's physical existence. The concept of life can be discussed in general but that discussion does not apply to an individual who does not yet possess physical life or eternal life.

Finally, even if it could somehow be lost, it could not be described as eternal life - but life for the duration of time that it was an intrinsic part of that individual. Thus eternal life is eternally secure because it is defined as an intrinsic part of the individual for the duration of eternity.

But let's do a hypothetical test of this, assuming one can lose one's salvation, repent and recover it again:

A man sinned in the past and lost his salvation. Ten years later he completely repented and regained eternal life, (if that were possible and it is not), at which time he dies. Hence is the length of his eternal life one eternity + ten years!!

Consider that once physical life begins an individual exists. Once it leaves an individual, the individual ceases to exist as he originally began to exist, hence he is destroyed. Portions of that creation may and do continue to exist, but in a totally different format wherein the physical body is a mass of matter, dead, lifeless no longer containing a soul or spirit which the latter entities occupy other space. The context of the argument does not permit entering into this any more than you can say that water can lose its oxygen. Just as the oxygen is intrinsic to the existence of the water and losing it would destroy the water, albeit change it into something else which no longer functions as water, so taking away physical life from an individual destroys that individual such that he no longer exists as originally created. In the same way, once eternal life is received the individual is a new creation that cannot exist without that eternal life, it being an intrinsic part of that individual forever by definition. So it is not a viable argument to say one can lose something intrinsic as eternal life as if the individual would not be destroyed, no longer in existence and go back to the point he did not have eternal life as part of his intrinsic makeup. Recall that one is forever intrinisically in Christ, intrinsically part of His indestructible body at the point of faith in the gospel, sealed by the intrinsically indwelling Holy Spirit, (Eph 1:13-14). So how can one lose the life in Christ apart from destroying Christ? How can the eternal body of Christ be lost? How can the permanently indwelling Holy Spirit in one be destroyed?

B) [Compare 2 Cor 5:17]:

"Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."

1) BELIEVERS ARE IMMEDIATELY AND INTRINSICALLY A NEW KIND OF CREATURE IN CHRIST JESUS

"passed away"= "parelthen"= This word which is translated as 'passed away' in the Greek Bible is stated in a way that means that it came to an abrupt end.

It didn't just gradually fade away so it can't be your conduct which gradually might become better. 'Passed away' is an abrupt action indicating that something other than the sin nature has passed away.

Otherwise, believers would always be absolutely sinless from the moment of their conversion.

"have become new"=

This verb is in the perfect tense which means that at some point in the past something happens and the results of that continues forever and ever and never stops. You have become a new creation in Christ Jesus and because of this tense, it tells us that it starts and can never stop. That's another evidence that you can never lose your salvation.

"new creature... the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." = "new" = "kaine"

[Theological Dictionary of the NT, 1 Vol., Kittel & Friedrich, Eds, by Geoffrey W. Bromiley, Eerdmans Publishing, 1985, p. 388]:

"As distinct from néos, 'new in time,' ['kaine', str 2537] means 'new in nature' (with an implication of 'better').", i.e., unique as opposed to renewed or improved over time.

This corroborates the concept that eternal life has become an eternally intrinsic part of an individual making that person a new creature in Christ Jesus forever.

C) [Compare Eph 1:13-14]:

(v. 13) '''And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a Seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

(v. 14) who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.'''

1) PASSAGE PORTRAYS A SINGLE COMPLETED ACTION MOMENT OF BELIEVING

"Having believed" is an aorist, active, participle which portrays a completed action, i.e., a single moment of believing in order to produce the stated results which are indicated in the passage:

a) HAVING BELIEVED ONE IS INCLUDED IN CHRIST FOREVER

"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him [Christ] with a Seal, the Holy Spirit of promise" =

At the point of "having believed the gospel of your salvation" the promised Holy Spirit "included" the believer "in Christ". Notice that being placed into Christ is an eternally secure picture of eternal life in Christ. There are passages throughout the New Testament that picture the building up of the Church, the Body of Christ by believers being included in Christ but never the losing of parts of that body by the loss of believers and then the reinstating of them - especially over and over again as each believer sins and repents and sins again and repents again. Thus one who believes in the gospel has eternal life by being placed into Christ, i.e., the Body of Christ and is eternally secure in one's destiny to heaven.

b) INDIVIDUALS AT THE MOMENT OF HAVING BELIEVED ARE SEALED PERMANENTLY AND FOREVER INTO CHRIST WITH THE PROMISED HOLY SPIRIT

"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him [Christ] with a Seal, the Holy Spirit of promise" =

Believers in the gospel are, at the point of believing, sealed permanently into the Body of Christ with the Holy Spirit of promise Who places them into Christ as the Seal within them permanently and forever into the Body of Christ.

In view is a permanent sealing into Christ, i.e., the Body of Christ by the Seal, the Holy Spirit as a promise of God Himself Who indwells the individual as the actual Seal. By definition a seal is a guarantee that the promise will be fulfilled - and that Seal is God Himself!

Furthermore, since there is no obligation of the individual stipulated in this passage except to express a moment of belief in the gospel, then after that, it is a unilateral guarantee and promise and seal of God Himself once one becomes a believer in the gospel.

Considering the absolute holiness and absolute power of God, any unilateral promise of God will be fulfilled. So there is no question that the believer will remain sealed into Christ forever, i.e., eternally secure in his salvation.

3) INDIVIDUALS AT THE MOMENT OF HAVING BELIEVED ARE SEALED PERMANENTLY INTO CHRIST WITH THE PROMISED HOLY SPIRIT WHO HIMSELF IS A DEPOSIT GUARANTEEING OUR [ETERNAL] INHERITANCE

"Having believed you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit Who is a deposit guaranteeing our [eternal] " =

"deposit" = "arrabon" = an earnest, a down payment with more to come, i.e., the final redeemed state of the believer’s perfection in Christ. God being the One Who has put down this earnest, Who actually is the earnest, He will absolutely deliver. It is a unilateral and absolute guarantee because there is no stipulation in this passage for the individual to perform except to believe and because God is absolute power and holiness. So there is nothing the believer can do to undo it.

4) GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE DEPOSIT, THE ABSOLUTE EARNEST, THE ABSOLUTE GUARANTOR OF THE [ETERNAL] INHERITANCE OF THE BELIEVER WHICH IS THE REDEMPTION OF THE BELIEVER, I.E., HIS FINAL PERFECT STATE WHEN HE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY REDEEMED TO LIVE WITH GOD FOREVER

"Having believed you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit Who is a Deposit guaranteeing our [eternal] until the redemption of those who are God's possession to the praise of His glory." = So God the Holy Spirit is the absolute Deposit, the absolute Earnest, the Absolute Guarantor of the believer’s eternal inheritance which is the redemption of the believers "who are [now, being in Christ] God's possession, i.e., his final perfect state when he has been completely redeemed to live with God for all eternity.

5) HAVING BELIEVED THE BELIEVER IS NOW GOD'S POSSESSION AND IT IS ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD INFERRING ETERNAL SECURITY

"Having believed you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit Who is a Deposit guaranteeing our [eternal] inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession to the praise of His glory." =

Notice, after all is said and done, upon believing, the individual becomes God’s possession and God alone is to get the glory, hence man cannot be involved in contributing to his redemption, but must trust in God to do it all. Since God does it all and the believer is God’s possession, it is eternally secure.