Eternally Saved by Grace

hummingbirdofgod11
Mar 27
42 min read

Updated: Apr 22

These two issues are ones that have been debated upon for nearly as long as the Church has been an officially established entity. They are common themes on sites like Quora, on which I am very active. For the last several months, I have been keeping a list of Frequently Used Verses in order to aid some of my responses. Within that framework, I have also compiled lists of references that deal with specific questions. The other day, I actually bought index cards and a container so that I can organize these even more efficiently. So anyway, that has been the series of events that has led me to write this post.

While I have separate lists of verses pertaining to Eternal Security and Grace vs Works, it occurred to me for this article, that they should be combined. After all, when we first understand that Salvation is necessary to the determination of our eternal destiny, we may want to explore exactly what that means and how it works, right?? This article will answer both of those questions without refute for those who interpret the Bible properly. I don't say this to be prideful or anything like that. It's just that I understand how to take Scripture and get the full context before coming to a conclusion on any given issue. Not everyone does that, and so they come to the wrong answers for the questions they're asking.

Eternal Security --

Okay, so to begin, we need to define the word "Salvation". What is it and why do we need it?? We're all familiar with the experience of feeling like someone saved our lives, right?? Whether that was a figurative or a literal situation, we might say that person was our "savior". And that's all well and good. People helping people is never a bad thing. But that's not what we're dealing with here. This concerns the eternal destiny of our spirit as an immortal entity.

The first thing we need to understand is that we are all sinners. For those of us who are already Saved, we know what that means. For the rest of you, I'll put it in the most basic terms. Sin is any intentional action that causes a problem between yourself and another person. Lying, cheating, gossip, etc... you know when you've sinned because you feel badly about it in your heart. (or you should)* There is nothing we can do to fix this on our own that will change our eternal destiny. This is why we need a Savior. (Note the lowercase letter in the earlier part vs the capital letter here*) Further insight as to the question of sin comes from the book "Misreading Scripture through Western Eyes", by E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J. O'Brien. Based on their experiences in Indonesia, they bring out the truth that, "while the issue of sin is universal, the definitions of sin may be different based on cultural influences. The examples they use are that, here in the US, a "good Christian" should not smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol. At the same time, "good Christians" in Indonesia don't have a problem with smoking, but wouldn't be caught dead in a Pool Hall. (No further explanation is given for this, I can only think it has something to do with gambling) shrugs --

The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23 that, "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God". The fact is, there's none of us perfect, nor are we inherently capable of it. That's where God's love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness come in. John 3:16 encourages us by revealing the truth that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten* Son, that whosoever believes on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."

The second thing we need to understand is this. While the "mechanics" of Salvation always work the same way, the process of it may look different for others than it did/will for us.* Let me explain. Many people, like myself, can give you a specific (or close) time and date of our having been "born again". For others, like one man in my Fellowship Group at Church, it was a long time between hearing the Gospel, considering the truths, deciding to explore, and finally solidifying God's offer in his heart. (He actually spent some time teaching Sunday School before it happened!!) At the same time, I have also come to agree with a former pastor of mine when he said that there's going to be a lot of surprises in Heaven. Both as to who is there and as to who isn't. Only God can judge our hearts. It's not for us to point fingers and claim that someone (or some group) who doesn't share 100% of our views is or is not Saved. The truth is that there are individuals in every church who are Saved and others who are not. It doesn't matter if you show up every Sunday of your life. That's not what Saves you. My mother is a 3rd generation Church Organist who has been in one church or another all her life. She is 82 yrs old. She didn't understand her need to be Saved until 1986.* While there are a number of analogies that are used to express this, one I like to use is that walking into a McDonald's will never make you a Big Mac. Neither will walking into a garage ever make you a car. The impetus for change needs to come from within.

Finally, we need to understand that there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING we need to do in order to gain Salvation, or to keep it other than what we are told in Romans 10:9-10. Simply believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died (and was resurrected) for our sins. Believe it in your heart, and profess it with your mouth, and you will be Saved. (or more accurately have the promise of Salvation.*) Some people will try to tell you that you need to be Baptized* in water and/or the Holy Ghost* before Salvation can be secured. Others may even insist that you join a Church in order to guarantee your eternal destiny. None of this is true and I'll give you chapter and verse to prove it -

Luke 23:32-43 gives us the story of the Crucifixion from his viewpoint. In it, we find that Jesus has been crucified along with 2 other men. One of them recognizes Jesus and acknowledges Who He is, and repents of his criminal activities, encouraging the other to do the same. In response to the Penitent Thief, Jesus assures him that, "Today, you will be with me in Paradise". While there may be various interpretations on this, I believe that those of us who are Saved will potentially see this man in Eternity.*

Now that we've settled that, let's get into the questions at hand. Can we be sure of Eternal Security and are we truly Saved solely on the grace of God??

For starters, I'll share an insight I encountered within the past few days concerning Eternal Security. It stems from research on a Quora post answer or comment. In seeking out an informed response, I found an excellent article that started with the fact that the word "eternal" means "everlasting". It's nothing to do with anything that's "temporary". As we saw earlier in talking about John 3:16, the verse ends with the phrase "eternal life". This is the truth John learned directly from Jesus. The man went on to propose that, if Salvation is offered by God, then He will not go back on His Promise. He cited Psalm 119:89 to support his premise. This verse affirms the truth that God's Word is forever established in Heaven. This isn't just referring to the Hebrew Scriptures, which was all the "Bible" the psalmist had at his disposal. This is talking about God's Promises throughout history.* He is speaking to the point of God's faithfulness here.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I've been compiling lists of verses to support what we in "Church World" refer to as "OSAS". For you "newbies" and uninformed, this means "Once Saved, Always Saved". My research has brought me to the understanding that this concept is fully supported in Scripture and that any passages used to refute it are not being interpreted properly. Within my lists, there are various categories or aspects of Salvation that speak to this point. I try to maintain Biblical order, but most have more than one verse on the same subject, so I'll just "wing it" and call it good enough. (As long as it all gets covered, right??)

I'll do the ones that have legal references first -

Adopted/Children/heirs - John 1:12, Romans 8:16 and 23, Ephesians 1:5, and 1 John 3:1 all share this concept in connection to our Salvation. This term meant the same thing then as it does today. You adopt a child, it has the same legal rights as any of your biological children. Except for the birthing processes, that is your child. Full stop. That boy or girl is now a member of your family. That being said, you could, potentially, give them back, but I've never personally heard of anyone who did. But that's what's different about God. He doesn't lie. (Numbers 23:19 and Titus 1:2) And He will never abandon us. (Hebrews 13:5) Romans 4:16-17 speak of Believers as "heirs of the promise given to Abraham". Galatians 3:26 and 4:7 refer to us as "children" and "heirs". Finally, Romans 11:19-24 talks about how the Gentile Believers have been "grafted into the Nation of Israel" due to the failure of the Jews to share the love of God to others voluntarily.*
Bought with a price -- I Corinthians 6:20 and 7:23 both tell the Believer that we have been "purchased" by God. Other references include the ideas of redemption and ransom -- Psalm 111:9 and 130:7, 1 Corinthians1:30, Galatians 3:13-14, Ephesians 1:7, Titus 2:11-14, and Hebrews 9:12. This involves the idea that our debt of sin has been wiped out by the blood of Jesus. We no longer need to pay for what we've done because Jesus took care of it in one go. (Romans 6:10, Hebrews10:10,1 Peter 3:18, and Jude 3)
Sealed - John 6:27, 2 Corinthians 6:20, and Ephesians 1:13 all encourage our faith in the assurance that our promise of Salvation has been "sealed unto the Day of Redemption". This is as good as a Notary Public verifying the authenticity of a document. Something that has been proven true cannot be "unproven" in this instance. At the same time, another point brought out in the article I mentioned above was that we read in John 3 about Jesus' interaction with Nicodemus and the question of having to be "born again". Once a baby has been born, it isn't possible, as Nicodemus said, to "return again to my mother's womb". Likewise, with Salvation, once we are "born again in the Spirit", we can never be "unborn". Makes sense to me, what do you think?? Another couple of verses that apply here are John 5:24-29 and 1 John 3;14. Both of these speak to the fact that we, as Believers, have "crossed from death to life". This means that, due to Adam's and Eve's sin in the Garden, humans no longer retained the original immortality God created for us to have physically. (Romans 6:23 tells us that "the wages of sin is death". (See Genesis 3 for the full story) Since that time, humanity has needed God to step in and rescue our souls to eternal life. Although our bodies will all die at some point, our spirits/essence are always immortal. This is why it's important to know what will happen to them later.

Other aspects that support the idea of OSAS are as follow --

We've all heard the expression, "whiter than snow", right?? Even for those of you who may have never experienced snow, you've at least heard of it, if only via internet or TV. The countryside gets covered with a pure, sparkling white "blanket" of nearly frozen water particles. It's beautiful, right?? None of the imperfections of dirt or "dog mess" can be seen. The Bible has verses about that in relation to the forgiveness of our sins by God.

In Psalm 51:7 and Isaiah 1:18, we find this brought out in different ways.

First of all, the psalmist, David, is lamenting his sin in desiring Bathsheba. He is crying out to God saying, ""Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow". Later, we read the prophet Isaiah quoting the words of God, "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool. (There's also a hymn written on this theme, included below)

In relation with this idea of cleanliness, we see in John 13:8-10 where Jesus is washing the feet of His Apostles. Part of the conversation involves Jesus saying that while a person's feet need cleaning daily, a washed soul only requires one. This goes along with the aforementioned fact that Jesus died once for all. (Bought with a price) It occurs to me just now that, if Jesus dying only once was enough to secure our future forever, then it would follow that we need only accept Salvation once. Let me expand on that for a second. While some groups (or individuals) feel that we can lose our Salvation, they also believe it can be restored. The truth is that, IF we can "lose our Salvation", then it begs the question of whether or not our Salvation was ever valid. At the same time, there is the idea that we "choose Jesus every day". This doesn't mean that we choose Salvation on a daily basis, only that we choose to "live what I believe", as Amy Grant phrases it in her song, "I Have Decided". (Included below) It's about living our lives in such a way that people see Jesus in us. (more on this later) We also see in Hebrews 1:3b where, after Jesus provided purification for sin, He sat down at the right hand of the Father. While not all of us are experts in laundry and have the knowledge and capability to get any and all stains out of our clothing (I'm not), Jesus gets out every. single. one. from our hearts. So pure it's as if it were just coming off the sewing machine. No store chemicals yet, or anything!! How cool is that!!??

Speaking to the point of losing Salvation or not, we find reassurance in John 6:37-40. Jesus has just finished feeding the 5,000 and is sharing spiritual truths with His Apostles in relation to this. He is talking here about being the "Bread of Life"* and how no one who calls on Him will ever be turned away (vs 37). In verse 39, He says that, "no one will snatch them out of My hand". Verse 40 tells us that God will raise them up at the Last Day. (See also Ephesians 2:7)

Now, I don't have this one written down yet, but skipping down to verse 44, we find Him talking about the fact that "No one can come to Me unless the Father draws them..." This brings the question of Predestination into play. I will be tackling that issue in a future post; but for now, let me just say that I have encountered a new perspective on God's omniscience in recent months. Rather than the view I've grown up with that, due to His existence outside of time and space, God is like the guy in the Goodyear Blimp who can see the end of the parade from the beginning, supported by Isaiah 46:10; it really makes more sense to think that God simply deals with things as they happen, knowing that His Sovereignty will win in the end.* Flipping over to John 10:28, we read that "No one will snatch them out of My hand". Turning then, to Romans 8:38-39, Paul shares his confidence in the fact that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

"neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons (some translations say "principalities"),[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation..."* This in turn, suggests that even we cannot "undo" our Salvation. Once again, this would beg the question of our sincerity, thus potentially negating the existence of our proclaimed "Salvation". Jesus' words in Matthew 7:21-23 speak to this issue. He makes it abundantly clear that "Not everyone who says 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of My Father..." Now, while some may use this passage to underscore the requirement of works, that's not what He's saying here. All Jesus means is that there are charlatans, or False Teachers who will claim to be of God, but unless one's heart and actions are aligned with God, they are not to be trusted by men, nor will they be accepted by God. This goes back to the questions of sincerity and ignorance (as with my mother). She thought for a long time that just going to church meant she was in good standing with God, but as we've seen above, individuals are required to make their own decisions, either for God or against Him. Matthew 12:30 shows Jesus as having said, "If you are not for Me, then you are against Me." The fact is, NOT choosing actually equates to CHOOSING in this case.

Confidence in our faith is further supported by verses and passages like Romans 5:5, which tells us that our hope will not be disappointed because God has put His Holy Spirit in our hearts. Some versions say "will not be put to shame". Because God will keep His promises. One way to think about it is that we have the Holy Spirit as a "down payment" on the future fulfillment of our Salvation. (Think of it as a down payment on an inheritance. We can experience a portion now, but the rest comes later) In his letter to the Philippians, Paul writes that God will complete the good work He started in us. (Ch.1, vs 6) Reading in 2 Corinthians 5:1-8, we find Paul talking about a home in the Heavens, not made by human hands. (Steve Green has a song about that, included below)

Also, Jesus' invitation in Matthew 11:28-29 would be pointless unless we could be sure that He would always be there to bring rest, don't you agree??

Two final points on the question of Eternal Security are these -

Romans 11:29, a bit farther down from our previous passage, we find that, "the gifts of God are irrevocable". This means that the Gift of Salvation will never be rescinded from anyone who has accepted it. The other point here is that His call on our lives through the gifts of skill He has assigned can never be changed. For example, God has gifted me with abilities in both English and creativity in order to publish this blog and make the cards and jewelry for myself and others. (See more on the "About" blurb or somewhere, I forget... ;p)

Finally, in looking at 1 Corinthians 15:42-56, we read that our mortal bodies cannot enter Heaven, but those who are in Christ will be raised incorruptible in our spirits. This relates to 1 Peter 1:23 where he is encouraging his audience with the thought that our faith in God is like an incorruptible seed through the living and enduring Word of God. Also, skipping back to verses 3-5, we discover his description of our Salvation as being an "imperishable inheritance, undefiled, unfading, kept in Heaven for you". Amen!!??

Now that we've sufficiently covered the question of Eternal Security, let's move on to the truth, brought out by Martin Luther with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, that we are Saved by Grace alone.

Due to writing this article over 2 days' time*, I had a chance to formulate some thoughts to introduce the subject of grace.

Grace vs Works --

As we did with the word "Salvation" above, let's start by defining the word "grace" here. If, like me, you grew up in "Church World", you probably know what I'm going to say next, so let's say it together, shall we?? "God's Riches At Christ's Expense". Good job!! :D

But that's just the Christian definition. By looking at the "regular", "human" meaning, we actually gain a more basic, and therefore more broadly understood perspective. This is where my thoughts led last night... When we stay over as a guest at someone's house, they are not obligated to provide anything more than a clean, safe, reasonably comfortable environment, right?? If that's all that actually happens, we probably don't say much about it, do we?? But what if they go "above and beyond" to make sure that all your favorite things are readily available?? They have the guest room bedside table stocked with a few magazines (or books) you especially enjoy, they have put your favorite soap in the bathroom you'll most be frequenting, they serve some of your favorite foods, etc... You would absolutely be amazed and impressed with them, wouldn't you?? After you got home, you'd be "gushing" over what a gracious host/hostess they were, right?? The same thing applies to God the Father* here. Although He Created us with Free Will, knowing that we would inevitably use it to have our own way, He was not obligated to provide Salvation for us.* He had already made a nice environment. He even put animals in it for His enjoyment. (I have to believe He smiled when He made things like small cats, dogs, squirrels, "chippies", etc... amiright??) He then decided to create something in His Own Image. (Genesis 1:26) Enter Adam. (Eve came later, see Genesis 2) He wanted a being who could reciprocate the love He was extending into His Creation. Free Will was a necessary element because true love requires a choice. Without it, our love for Him would be coerced and not necessarily sincere. He didn't want a bunch of carbon-based robots inhabiting the Earth. He wanted relationship that was voluntary and fellowship that was pleasant. He doesn't love us based on our failures, but in spite of them. That's why He chose to send Jesus as His representation in human form. (See Colossians 1:13-23 and 2:9) He went "above and beyond" to ensure that we not only had a comfortable environment physically, but a way to guarantee the purity of our spirits in preparation for our eventual reunion with Him in Eternity. That's just one aspect of God's ultimate Plan to restore all things unto Himself. (Colossians 1:20) It is by God's grace that Salvation is even made available to us. It is also how we can be assured of keeping it. In addition, we read in Hebrews 6:13-18 about how God's promise to Abraham was based on Himself, and was secured in the fact that God cannot lie. This passage also includes another instance of the phrase "heirs of the promise".

Let's dig into this and find the treasure, shall we??*

We'll start with the most commonly used verse to support the idea that works are mandatory to Salvation (or to keeping it).

James 2:26

New International Version

26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Here, Jesus' half-brother is saying that, "faith without works is dead". While this verse appears straightforward enough, we need to cross-reference it with other New Testament Scriptures in order to parse what is really being conveyed here. When we look at the full context of this verse, James is NOT saying that "if you do nothing to prove that you love God, you will lose your Salvation". All he's trying to express to his audience is that, if our love for God is actually sincere, then the evidence will naturally show in how we live our lives. It's just like the relationship between spouses. Your love for your partner is proven out in all of the ways that you find to express it, both publicly to friends and family, and privately in quiet moments of intimacy. For those of you who may be single, you see this played out in the lives of others, but for yourself, it may help to think in terms of a job. You work for a company a certain amount of time, you get the opportunity to sign up for benefits, right?? Paid vacations, medical, etc... your company may also offer Retirement Plans like a 401k. All that's required of you is that you continue working for the company. Management takes care of the rest. If you change companies, the 401k can usually go with you, and that's what we're focused on here, okay?? The point lies in the fact that you are continuing an association with the people who are making the investments toward your retirement, if not your current employment, right?? What I'm trying to say here is that Salvation works the same way. Once we have "signed on the dotted line", our future is secure. Just now, it occurs to me that a company that offers benefits, and especially retirement plans, is like God's grace being extended towards us. They are not all required, or obligated to offer benefits beyond those specified by law. In doing so, they are being gracious to those in their employ.

James is not mandating Salvation by works, he is questioning the sincerity of those claiming to love God. As we saw earlier, not everyone who professes faith actually has it; nor does everyone who THINKS they have it out of ignorance to the truth. Another point here is that our works (or lack thereof) doesn't render our faith alive or dead. It only speaks to the impact of our testimony in either scenario. One illustration I have used to explain this is the fact that, a couple of years ago now, I had to replace my coffee maker. Granted, I probably could have gotten it fixed, but a new one likely cost less. The point is, the small appliance in question didn't stop being a coffee maker for it's lack of effective coffee-making. That was still it's designated function, it simply became unable to actively do it. If I were to have kept it as a decorative piece, (assuming I had the space) it would still technically BE a coffee maker. The fact that it could no longer serve in that capacity did not change what it was.

The second most commonly cited passage that is applied in the futile attempts to support works based Salvation is found in Hebrews 6:4-6. Let's turn there and read it together --

Hebrews 6:4-6

New International Version

4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen[a] away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

While there are multiple interpretations that have been suggested to this passage, only one stands apart as true when taken in the full context of Scripture. That is the subject we've been talking about above. The question of sincerity in proclaiming Salvation. Now I've looked at this numerous times, from multiple translations and online commentary. In the study notes of my NKJV, it informs me that the Greek words used for "partakers" refers to "partners" in God's Kingdom, people who have been regenerated. It also says that "taste" involves direct experience. At the same time, I can't help thinking about the Parable of the Sower in Mark 4:3-8 and explained in verses 13-20. Take a look at the second bit of seed. It was "received with joy" (vs 16). As we read on, we see that these seeds did not take root due to the shallowness of the soil and distractions of the world in the heart of the individual. This person heard the Words of God, received them happily, but never allowed them to take root. This person was not Saved. I would have to say this also applies to the person/people in Hebrews 6. In my online research this evening, I encountered another excellent article on the subject of Eternal Security. This man said that, "if we can lose our Salvation, that would mean that God is not faithful". I concur.

Hebrews10:26 is another "sticky" verse that is most generally taken out of context. The book of Hebrews was addressed to Jewish Believers in order to help them with the transition from Judaism to Christianity. What should their lives of faith look like now?? How should they be thinking about God in light of Jesus?? In this passage, the author* is focusing on the fact that animal sacrifices were no longer necessary.

Hebrews 10:26

New International Version

26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,

Now if we just do what so many others do with things that fit their agendas do and "cherry-pick" this verse to support Eternal (in)Security, it seems to fit the bill, right?? But that's not the proper way to study Scripture. As I mentioned above, the only way to get the right answers is to take into consideration the full context of the subject at hand. Therefore, we need to read the entire chapter to understand exactly what is being said. In the beginning of this portion of Scripture, the author quotes from the Old Testament prophecies in Psalm 40 concerning Messiah. (vs 5-7) Skipping down to verses 16-18, we find another quote from the Old Testament, Jeremiah 31:33-34. This speaks of the part when God told Jeremiah that He would write His Name on their hearts and make a New Covenant with them, remembering their sin no more*. (Israel) Verse 18 is really the key to the whole chapter. "Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin". In looking further into this just now, I found a great article that explains it perfectly. " To reject Christ’s sacrifice is to go on sinning willfully by remaining in the Old Testament sacrificial system. For those who do that, there is no longer sacrifice remaining for sin because for them Christ is not a sacrifice." (I'll include the full link in the footnotes)*

Meanwhile, I also discovered another passage that, taken out of context, could potentially suggest the idea of Eternal (in)Security.

This is found in 2 Timothy 2:17-18. For those of you with a history of Biblical knowledge, you will recognize that this comes directly on the heels of verse 15, encouraging the Believer to "Be diligent...". Further insight on the "exploits" of Messrs. Hymenaeus and Philetus shows that, rather than warning against apostasy, the author is more concerned about the False Teachings these two are spreading. These activities are "spreading like cancer" among his audience, and thus the warning to be "diligent...rightly dividing the Word of Truth", as mentioned in verse 15. Rather than inherently suggesting that these 2 men "lost their Salvation", I would have to say that they "had a handle on the truth" (vs 18, my paraphrase), and ultimately rejected it in favor of their own ideas. In other words, the truth was within their grasp and they let go of it, allowing their egos to get the best of them.

Skipping back for a second to 1Timothy 1:19-20, we find Mr. Hymenaeus mentioned in connection with another man, Mr. Alexander. These two are described as, "having faith in good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck..." In this passage we realize that Hymenaeus IS actually Saved, but has chosen, at least for the moment, to reject his conscience*. So now the question becomes, "Can 'shipwrecked' faith be survived??" Pastor John Piper responds to this with a resounding "YES!!". The following article explains wonderfully -- https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/i-shipwrecked-my-faith-am-i-doomed

Before we continue, I have realized the need to address the terms "Justification" and "Sanctification". Once again, those of us who have a background in the church will be saying "just-as-if-I-never-sinned", right?? That's the status Jesus brings to our hearts when we accept Salvation in Him. If you recall the earlier bit in the section on Eternal Security about being "washed whiter than snow", and "purified", then you understand Justification. 1 John 1:7, among a plethora of other verses concerning the blood of Christ*, says that "if we walk in the light... the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." Justification is the same thing, in Christian terms, as Righteousness. It is our position in relation to God when we have accepted Salvation. This is supported by the verses about Adoption/Sonship/heirs. The word "Righteousness" speaks of being "in right standing with God". Contrary to some, this doesn't change depending on our behavior. Think about it this way, you are your parents' child in biological terms if not in fellowship, right?? Nothing anyone can do will change that. Even your adoption into a different family can't change the fact of your birth. Without the man and woman who conceived you, the person sitting there reading this would not exist. Agreed?? The same thing applies to our Salvation. When we choose to become a Child of God, He doesn't let go of us for ANY REASON. Unlike some human parents who reject their kids for behaviors they adamantly disagree with, we will never be "dead" to God. In the book of Romans, we find multiple references to the fact that Abraham's faith was "counted to him as righteousness". This was literally THOUSANDS of years before Jesus came!!* At the same time, those of you with experience in Banking or Accounting will understand Justification as "balancing the books". There remains no discrepancy between the Ledger and the Bank Statement. While we remember the aforementioned fact from Romans 6:23, that, "the wages of sin is death", Jesus "erased" that debt on the Cross. We no longer owe on that bill. It's been paid by Someone more thoroughly qualified than we could ever hope to be. You know those people who "pay it forward" and provide a "free meal" to the next person in line, or the person behind you in the grocery store who covers the balance when you've overspent your Gift Card??* That's what Jesus did, except He didn't just do it for one of us (although He would have). He did it "once for all", as the previously mentioned verses tell us. As I brought out earlier, He didn't do this out of any sense of obligation. He did it because He is gracious. While grace speaks to the point of extravagant giving, mercy speaks of withholding punishment. Jesus' Sacrifice covers for both of these issues.

Now, as to the idea of Sanctification, let me start with this. Some may think that Salvation is something to be chosen every day, as previously discussed, but a thorough search of the Scriptures in their full context refutes this. Not one verse that speaks on the subject of Salvation even hints at the suggestion that we have to "believe in our heart and confess with our mouth" on a daily, or any other, regular basis. I think if that were true, someone in the Bible would have said so at least once, right?? As I said earlier, it's only logical to think that if Jesus' "Once for all" was good enough for us, then shouldn't our "Once for Him" also be sufficient??

Sanctification and Salvation are thought by some to be the same thing in light of what I just said above. They are wrong. Say you're going on a trip. The destination is the home of a Prince. Only when you have reached the palace will you be safe. That is Salvation. You sign up to go. This assures your place at the palace. You have the promise of Salvation; but along the journey there are many levels of preparation before you are entirely ready to enter. (Think Princess Diaries here) That is Sanctification. Another term for this is Spiritual Growth*. While the indwelling of the Holy Spirit upon our decision for Salvation technically declares us "holy" or "set apart", His continued guidance helps us to mature in our Christian journey so that the glory of Heaven will be less of a change for us, spiritually speaking. (Am I good, or am I good??) JK, it's all God speaking through me... :)

Okay, so now that we got that cleared up, let's look at some other verses and passages that "lend themselves to the cause", as it were --

Isaiah 53:5 tells us prophetically that Jesus would be "wounded for our transgressions" and "bruised for our iniquities". Transgressions and iniquities, for those who may not know, are basically categories of sin. While the word "sin" itself describes any purposeful action that causes a problem between yourself and others (or, as I just realized, presents the "appearance of evil" [1 Thessalonians 5:22] or "stumbling block" [Romans 14:13-23 and 1 Corinthians 8:9], and at the same time, constitutes a moral failure against God due to the lack of love shown to members of His Creation; transgressions and iniquities have some different nuances to them. Transgressions are basically about "crossing a line". This could be either moral or religious in nature. It represents a breach of trust. Those of you familiar with the Lord's payer will know the word "trespasses" or "debts", depending on what Denomination you sit under. A boundary has been breached, and you owe an apology. The Hebrew word used in the Old Testament is "pesha". This speaks to the issue of trust mentioned above, resulting in a broken relationship. The Greek word in the New Testament is "parabasis". Further inquiry shows that transgressions usually refer to the breaking of a specific law, while iniquities focus on the corruption of the heart leading to egregious decisions to blatantly act against God's ways.
Matthew 26:28 finds Jesus writing Himself into the story of Passover*. He specifically assures them, and in turn, us that His blood would be shed "for the remission of sins".
John 8:31-59 conveys a conversation between Jesus and His Jewish followers. The discussion is about how children of Israel, descendent from Abraham, could also be considered Children of God. The best known verse in this passage is 36, in which Jesus assures them, "So if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed." While they took Him literally and thought He was referring to physical slavery, Jesus continued to clarify the point that He was speaking of spiritual freedom. Further down, in verse 58, after sharing with them the fact that He had personally seen Abraham and that he would be glad that Jesus was finally present in the flesh, we find one of the clearest statements Jesus made as to His Divinity. He said, "Before Abraham was, I am". (Look for a post on this in the near future) This passage is one of several that prove that God doesn't base His Salvation on ethnicity (or status, etc.), but strictly on belief.
Romans has a TON of verses which speak to the point of our having been Saved by grace. Literally, chapters 1-11 focus primarily on this truth. At this moment, however, I will just try to give you some highlights.
Romans 1:17 was the key verse of Martin Luther's studies and ultimate revelation of Salvation based solely on faith. It reads "For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'The just shall live by faith." This verse was a direct quote by Paul from Habakkuk 2:2- 4, in which God is answering the prophet's question of why He continues to allow bad people to live and good people to suffer. (An ageless query, as it would seem)
Romans 2:6-7 may appear to suggest works-based faith, but taken in the broader context of Scripture (not to mention the book of Romans itself), we can easily see the truth. While our works do not produce our Salvation, nor do they maintain it, our Salvation should produce good works. Think about the love between a married couple, as mentioned above. Although the legality of the relationship has been established, the work of proving the love should flow naturally. The same applies to our Salvation. We accept the grace of God which legally positions us in His Family. From that point on, our gratitude should be shown out in the way we live our lives in Him by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This brings up the issue of license. This is the idea that presumes on the grace of God, essentially taking it for granted. People who embrace this concept feel that they are "free to do as I please since all is forgiven". They preach a Gospel of Grace rather than taking the humble (and correct) view that we are Saved BY Grace, and not TO it. And this is not to say that we "can't ever sin again" once we're Saved. That approach is neither realistic nor Biblical. For those of you who don't know, this is called Legalism. This means that the focus of Salvation is on works rather than on relationship. These people are missing the point that Jesus came specifically because, as humans, we are inherently incapable of saving ourselves. They take verses like Philippians 2:12 and James 2:26 out of context in support of their need for power and control as opposed to the love of God, shown by His grace in offering us Salvation. They miss the truth brought out so often in Scripture of how God doesn't care about our rituals and rules. He simply wants our hearts.* It's not about perfection. As we saw earlier, grace isn't something we can earn nor do we deserve it. Grace is done purely out of the goodness of the heart. It may help to think about the fact that God doesn't love us because of who we are; but in spite of who are. And it's not that He loves the unbeliever less, otherwise Jesus wouldn't have died for ALL. It's just that those of us who do believe earn the right to be called His Children.* (John 1:12) Although it's true that Jesus' Sacrifice set us free from the law of sin and death; (Romans 8:2+28-30, etc...) This doesn't eliminate Free Will. It simply removes our obligation to sin due to the power of sin over us until that time. In other words, by the overwhelming power of God through the Holy Spirit, the power of sin has been rendered null and void. This, to an extent, almost makes it worse when we sin as Believers. Not because we are any less deserving of death; but because we know better now. (granted, that's easier said than done at times) And it's not that the unbeliever doesn't understand right and wrong, it's just that they don't understand the impact of their actions in eternity. When the Believer chooses to sin, it's a "more informed" decision than for others. Romans 3:21-30 is where Paul is explaining the fact that, since Jesus' death and resurrection provided the price (propitiation) for our sins. Therefore, while the Law reveals sin; nothing we can do can cover for our sins. He spends a lot of time driving the point home to them that Jesus already took care of everything. Their sacrifices are no longer needed. Jesus fulfilled the Laws of Sacrifice. From that time on, the Law is only there to show the fact of sin; not to fix it.
Romans 4, in it's entirety, goes on to give the precedent set by Abraham in having faith in God that was counted as righteousness before the Law came into being. Verses 4-8 speak directly to the issue of wages (works) vs grace.
Romans 5:17-20 are talking about the abundance of righteousness and the free gift of grace offered by God through Jesus. Verses 20-21 may appear to support the aforementioned "Gospel of Grace" embraced by some groups. The truth is that it's only a recognition of our imperfection as humans. Since we're going to sin at times, these verses are actually an encouragement in the fact that the grace of God is powerful enough to have washed it away. The study note in my NKJV brings out the point here that the word "abounded" in verse 20 actually means "superabounded" in the original Greek. This means essentially that our sin can never exceed God's grace. This is NOT "permission" to presume on God's grace, as mentioned earlier. It's only saying that no matter how much sin happens, it can never have more effect than God's grace can have in our lives, as we allow Him to mature us in our faith. (Steve Green - "We Can be as Full as we Want to Be")
Romans 8 is commonly viewed as the "pinnacle" of the entire Gospel Message. A former pastor of mine actually said that if he had to choose just one chapter to save out of the entire Bible, it would be this one. It opens with the reassurance that, for those in Christ, there is no further condemnation for sin. Paul goes on to show that the Law no longer has effect for the forgiveness of sin, how the Believer has gained Sonship in Christ, how we can be confident of future glory despite our current struggles, be reassured that the Holy Spirit helps us, and finally, the knowledge that nothing can separate us from the love of God.
Romans 11:6 once again discusses the fact that, if we are Saved by works, then God's grace is of no effect, because we're doing something to earn it. As stated earlier, the definition of grace is that it is undeserved, and there for there is no obligation to extend it.
Romans 12:9-21 contain a list of ways to serve others. This is NOT a rundown of "mandatory activities" that will secure our Salvation. It's only suggestions of practical things we can do to show love. In the context of the passage, it's specifically speaking to the point of loving our enemies. The last bit of verse 20 actually says that, by being kind to them, we will "heap burning coals on their heads". Now, before you get all "het up", this is not to be taken literally. It's just saying that being the bigger person will (or should) make the other person feel guilty for having treated you poorly.

The final list of verses we're covering on this subject are as follow -

1 Corinthians 3:15 comes at the end of a passage recently shared by my pastor as part of a sermon on how our work is inherently connected with our lives in Christ. While most people live with a mindset of viewing their jobs as a separate thing from their faith, the sermon series showed us various reasons why we shouldn't. This verse tells us that our work will be "tested by fire". Some may interpret this as supporting Eternal (in)Security and/or a dogma of Salvation by works, but when we look at the full context (there's that word again), we will get a different perspective. On closer inspection, we find that the gold and jewels mentioned speak to the permanent (or enduring) quality of the work of the Believer; whereas the wood, hay, and straw will burn away. By this we can clearly see that it's not a question of the existence of the work that determines Salvation; but that the quality of the work will determine our reward "for the Day will declare it..." (vs 13) This speaks to the Judgement Day of God at the end of all things as we know them. As we saw earlier, love is shown naturally in close relationships. This proves that this passage doesn't question the sincerity of faith unto Salvation, but only the unselfish acts of those who love God already. Verse 15 gives us the undeniable truth. "If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." Another aspect to be observed here is that fire purifies gold and jewels. This echoes our earlier idea of being cleansed. (See also Hebrews 1014, Revelation 19:8, and 21-27-22:3)

Galatians 4:21-31- Here, we find Paul explaining how God made 2 Covenants when dealing with Abraham. The first, in relation to Hagar and Ishmael, emphasized the point that Hagar was a slave and Abraham was trying to gain the promise of God on his own. Therefore, anyone seeking to adhere to the bondage of the Law would be under judgment. (This echoes the insight on Hebrews 10:26) Conversely, those pursuing the freedom of Salvation (through Isaac) are the True Children of the Promise. (verse 28, emphasis mine) This proves that our own effort can never be good enough, even if we feel that we're doing the right thing by "helping God" fulfill His promises. (Hint - He doesn't need it)* You may also recall that we saw the phrase "true (or Real) Children" back in John 8:31-59. Additionally, this passage is another example of Legalism (work based Salvation) vs Grace.

Ephesians 1:7-10 shows that we have "...redemption through His blood for the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace..." Verse 10 speaks to the truth, as I said above, that it has always been God's plan to restore all things unto Himself.

Ephesians 2:8-9 emphasize the point yet again, that "... grace is the gift of God, lest anyone should boast." We saw earlier, in verse 7, where Paul assures the Believer that we have been "raised up" to Heavenly places in Christ.

Hebrews 9 finds the author contrasting the benefits of the Earthly Sanctuary with those of the Heavenly one and explaining why it was needful for the Mediator (Jesus) to die. The chapter closes by extoling the supremacy of Jesus' Sacrifice over those of animals.

Verses 11-22 explain how much more powerful the blood of Jesus was/is as "Mediator of the New Covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance." (verse 15) The passage goes on to reiterate the necessity of blood to guarantee a covenant. "... and without the shedding of blood there is no remission."

(vs 22)

Included in this passage is the idea of "dead works to serve the Living God". (vs 14) This, along with verses like 1 Samuel 15:22, Proverbs 21:3, and Hosea 6:6, all of which admonish the reader that obedience is better than sacrifice in God's eyes, clearly refutes those who embrace a Salvation of works vs grace. At the same time, there are a plethora of verses that speak to the point of rejecting God by embracing the traditions of men. (which I mention in footnote 27)

The final point I would like to address here is the forgiveness of God. While some may say that Jesus only died for the sins that had already happened, we find plenty of evidence to the contrary as we look at the New Testament thoroughly.

As indicated above, Jesus died once for ALL. (Romans 6:10, Hebrews 10:10, 1 Peter 3:18, and Jude 3) This tell us that Jesus' Sacrifice was powerful enough to cover for EVERYBODY who had ever lived, was living then, and ever would live. If not, then why bother preaching about it, right?? Are we meant to think that Salvation was only meant for the people currently living at the time of Christ and we're just supposed to read it as history that has no connection with us?? Of course not!! Otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here typing all of this out for you. I could be outside reading a book instead. (or binge watching "Big Bang Theory" on DVD)

On this issue, the most cited passages for people who get this wrong are the ones that talk about how, if we don't forgive others, then God won't forgive us. These include, but may not be limited to the following:

Matthew 6:15 and Mark 11:25-26. As I have dug more deeply into Bible Study over the past several years, God has given me insight on this. First of all, as other commentaries have said, forgiveness is a quality we are meant to develop as we mature in Christ. Paul remarks on this in Ephesians 4:32 saying, "Be kindhearted one to another, forgiving one another as Christ has forgiven you." As His representatives on this Earth (Ambassadors, according to 2 Corinthians 5:20), we are meant to extend not only God's love, but His mercy, grace, and forgiveness to those around us. Secondly, and this is all mine, as far as I know... It's not saying that God won't forgive us, because Jesus' death and resurrection prove otherwise. What I see here is that, unless we forgive, we won't feel as deserving of God's forgiveness. The question is not "Does the forgiveness not exist unless we forgive?". It's "Do we feel that we deserve God's forgiveness if we have not forgiven anyone. (including ourselves, as per Mark 11) Rather than setting ourselves up as a higher authority on offense than God, and harboring grudges, we need to understand, as He does, that no one is perfect, including us. It's by the grace of God that we are not only Saved, but forgiven.

Several verses supporting this whole concept of God recognizing our imperfection, even after Salvation, are John 16:33, Philippians 2:12, 1 John 1:9, and 1 John 2:1-2.

In the Gospel of John, we find Jesus encouraging His followers by saying, "in this world, you will have tribulation (trouble), but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (Emphasis mine) Here, we find Jesus empathizing with them as a human who has also undergone hard times. He knows that, although the Holy Spirit will be sent to indwell and guide, they will not stop being human. They're going to mess up.

Philippians 2:12 shows that Paul also understands that "the struggle is real", if you will. He is thus encouraging Believers to "... work out your Salvation with fear and trembling". Now don't get it twisted. This is in NO WAY suggesting a Salvation of works. It is simply a recognition of the fact that following Jesus is no easy road, but if we have the proper respect for it, and thus for God, then we will get through it. (Throughout the Bible, the word "fear" is used to indicate "respect", not a reaction to imminent danger)

1 John 1:9 would have to be the best known verse in this theme of God's forgiveness to the Believer. It states that, "if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

1 John 2:1-2 come just a couple of verses later. Here, he is phrasing it as Jesus being an Advocate to the Father when we confess sin.

Again, based on the fact that Jesus died and His blood "poured out for the remission of sin" (Matthew 26:28), we can see that the forgiveness already exists. The question then becomes, "Are we willing to accept it??"

So by now I hope I have thoroughly convinced the doubter and encouraged those of you who already embrace the Biblical truths of Eternal Security and being Saved by Grace Alone. As I mentioned earlier about what that other man said, our Salvation is secured by the fact that God offered it.

We also read in Hebrews 12:2 that Jesus is "the Author and Finisher of our faith" my Bible says here that Jesus has done everything necessary for us to endure in our faith.

All that's required of us is to believe, accept, and "worship in spirit and in truth". (John 4:24)

-- God Bless!!

Footnotes:

Those who don't feel badly about having hurt others are either Narcissists (like my mother), Sociopaths, or Psychopaths.
For those of you who may not know, terms that reference God are always capitalized. (At the same time, it's my personal preference to also capitalize pronouns that refer to God because that's how I was taught in school) (I attended a Private Baptist School K-12)
"Begotten" is a word that many people have struggled with. What does it mean, exactly?? Just now, in reading through the "word focus" box in my NKJV Study Bible, it tells me that the Greek phrase in John 3:16 (and other places, including Hebrews 11:17 concerning Isaac), for "only begotten son" is 'ho monogenes huios'. The indication is one of having been given a position of honor, not specifically about the fact of birth. I feel like a good analogy here would be to think about how, in the Mob, there's always a certain guy who is "made" or about to be "made". This person may or may not be a biological son; but could just as easily be an otherwise "random" guy who has earned the trust of the leader. In any case, this person has a place of higher recognition and responsibility than the rest of the "family". (I hope this helps, I know it does for me)
While in recent discussion on Quora concerning Eternal Security, there was a man who took issue with my comment of saying that "Salvation may not look the same for everyone". He took this to mean that I was suggesting that salvation was possible by another source rather than Jesus. I was in no mood for him to be purposefully obtuse. Regardless, what I meant about the "mechanics" of Salvation always being the same is that Salvation is only found in Jesus. The "process" of belief is what may look different. To give a totally "secular" or general example, when you make a sandwich, it always involves bread and filling(s), right?? That's the "mechanics" (or ingredients). At the same time, the "process" of how the sandwich is assembled may differ. Some put condiment, meat , cheese, lettuce, tomato, etc... others may do this in a different order, or not include every bit of this. Both still end up with a sandwich. The key elements are what matter, not how they are assembled.
The fact that my mother never understood the need for an individual decision for Christ reveals the sad truth that, traditionally, some Mainline Denominations don't emphasize this point. Among these, is the Congregational, as she grew up in it. That being said, even her attendance in some other churches did not influence her to make a personal decision. It was actually the Methodist Church that brought her to this understanding. I was turning 18 and taking the Confirmation Class required for membership. She chose to go with me.
While we typically speak of "being Saved", the fact is that, as we have accepted God's grace, we are "marked for Salvation" that will be fully realized upon the Second Coming of Christ.
Look for my article elsewhere on this page, "2B or not 2B - Do we really Need Baptism??"
For those who may not know, there is an important distinction between being Saved, thus having the Holy Spirit IN you, as promised by Jesus in John 14; and having Him ON you for a specific purpose. (See 1 Corinthians 12 and 14) While I have experienced both, I have come to understand that neither one affects the fact of my Salvation.
In relation to the Penitent Thief, I only say that we may have the "potential" of meeting him; not because I'm unsure that he'll be there. Just that I don't know how it's going to work. Are we going to be here on the New Earth in our same geographic location, or in the New Heaven, mixed with everyone?? Only time will tell...
As we have been studying in our current Sermon Series at Church, "The Big Story", we find that the Bible is, as my pastors have phrased it, "A unified story, leading to Jesus that shapes our life with Him, which is wisdom." Throughout Scripture, we see the cyclical pattern of God's love, first seen in Creation, then disrespected by man time after time, resulting in God's grace on every occurrence. This is particularly evident in today's world by the way God has continued to keep His promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 when He said, "I will bless those who bless you; and will curse those who curse you". Against seemingly unfathomable odds, Israel remains undefeated, and her people thrive. I'm speaking in the broader sense of history here, and not to individual incidents or people. Even a brief look at the most famous Jews in the past 100 yrs, it's clear to see how many have been successful.
When God established the Nation of Israel based on the Abrahamic Covenant, His purpose was that they extend His love to the entire world. He intended for them to be a blessing in response to His having blessed them. Instead, they "hoarded" it and excluded everyone. The other point here speaks to the truth that, contrary to the beliefs of some Messianic Jews, Jesus came for EVERYONE'S sake, not just theirs. This is supported by the fact that the words "nations" and "Gentiles" may be used to refer to others outside the "umbrella" of Israel. Context matters. To be clear, we are not replacing the Jews, we are being added to the Covenant as it has been reestablished under Jesus.
For my Catholic readers, I feel that it may help you to understand the false premise of Transubstantiation if you understand that Jesus did not "magically" turn into a loaf of bread when He said this. The presence of God in the Eucharist is metaphorical. It's the exact same thing as saying that "Grandpa is here 'in spirit'" even though he may have passed 2 Christmases ago. Make sense?? The "hard saying" was that He was leaving, NOT that Jesus was asking them to become Cannibals.
The idea of God dealing with things in the moment vs "knowing the end from the beginning" as I grew up understanding it is something that will require more research on my part as I wrestle with this new insight.
Back in school, there was a song that included both Romans 8:38-39 and 1 John 4:7-8. (I'll TRY to include them both below, but not sure what I'll be able to find)
The "two days" I originally thought this would take, have turned into 5. Who knew!!??
I have also realized that the book of Job, specifically chapter 10:3, suggests that God is under no obligation to reward righteousness.
As to the point of saying "God the Father", the truth of the Trinity is that the Father plans, The Son executes, and the Spirit empowers.
Our Lead Pastor has brought out the point, more than once that, "When Scripture presents us with a 'problem', it's an invitation for us to dig in and find the treasure of God's truth."
The author of Hebrews is traditionally thought of as having been Paul, but other information has come to light that casts doubt on this. No solid conclusions have been made.
We all know the expression "forgive and forget", right?? The point here is not that God "forgets", per se, but that He no longer holds our sins against us. And again, this does not give us "license" to presume on God's grace. The focus is on the fact that we shouldn't continue making a habit of sin after we have chosen to accept Salvation.
Here's the link to the Hebrews 10:26 article - https://carm.org/about-salvation/does-hebrews-1026-teach-that-we-can-lose-our-salvation/
I know there have been times in my own life when I've "rejected my conscience", how about you??
Contrary to what some people think, we Protestants absolutely do not "ignore" or "deny" either the blood of Christ, nor His Resurrection. We understand as well as anyone that Salvation would not be possible without them. (This stems from another Quora discussion in which I said that I honestly don't know where they come up with this stuff. Oh, and another part of it was the idea that we reject the idea of Baptism. We LITERALLY have an entire Denomination NAMED after it!! ;p Granted, they may have been speaking to the point of Baptism as being mandatory for Salvation, but that's not what they said.)
The time span between Abraham and Jesus was approximately 2,000 yrs.
I've had a kind gentleman pay my balance when I overspent a grocery Gift Card ahead of Thanksgiving before. <3
As to the subject of Spiritual Growth, we did a study on this in our Fellowship Group a year or 2 ago. This was taken from Bruce Wilkinson's book, "The 7 Stages of Spiritual Growth". (I personally didn't "love" how it was arranged, but the aspects are covered decently enough and there's room in each section for personal reflection.)
It has been brought out by others that there is a discrepancy in the schedule between Matthew's and John's Gospels. (the other 2 agree with Matthew) Regardless, the point is that Jesus was writing Himself into the prophecies.
Verses speaking to the point of God preferring obedience over sacrifice or rituals include, but are not limited to 1 Samuel 15:22 and Mark 7:8-9.
While the song from Disney's "Hunchback of Notre Dame", "God, Help the Outcasts" is beautiful, the premise that we're all "children of God" is not Biblical. As we see from verses like John 1:12 and others, only those who Believe gain the right to be called "Children". The fact that He Created humanity doesn't qualify us automatically. Like I suggested above, the term "begotten" equates to a upstanding member of the Mob being "made". The question of birth may be irrelevant.
To clarify the idea that God doesn't need our help to fulfill His promises, I can't help thinking of the expression "God helps those who help themselves". While it's true that we may, at times, need to give God something to work with; in the case of Abraham, He already had it. At the same time, I'm recalling something that was said in church this past Sunday morning about how when we step out in faith, God "puts the ground under our feet." Sometimes, we just need discernment in understanding what's needed in the moment in order to best please God.