Open your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Romans, and we'll read two verses. Actually, three verses from Romans chapter eight. And these are such God-honoring and God-glorifying verses. They bring forth once again that salvation's all of the Lord.

And the name of this message is Salvation Secure with a question mark, because I've encountered a lot of people who say that salvation is not secure. They can lose their salvation somehow by something they do. I'm gonna tell you a truth right now. If you can lose your salvation, then it's not biblical salvation. Salvation in Christ is secured salvation. And think of this, it's not dependent upon us. The whole reason it's secure for the true born-again, blood-washed believer is because salvation's of the Lord. It's not of our doing. It's all of Him. He keeps us. He saves us, and He keeps us, and He will glorify us one day.

Look at this, Romans chapter eight. We'll read two, three verses that we're very familiar with, and I want you to know, as we read these verses, In verses 28 and 29, I want you to note how it's past tense. This is amazing. This is amazing. Romans 8, 28 to 30. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. We don't always understand these things, do we? why these things occur in our lives, we don't understand them, but we are to simply trust the Lord and rest in Him and know that all things, good and what we would call good and bad, are working for our good, for our good.

Look what it says about God's people. Verses 29 and 30. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, Anytime someone tells you, well, you guys believe in predestination, say, yeah, I sure do. I'm predestinated to be conformed to the image of God's son. That's wonderful. Oh my. That he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called. And that's with an effectual call by the Holy Spirit of God. And that's a call to Christ. It's not a call to works. It's actually a call to cease from our labors. And it's a call to just look to Christ. My oh my. And whom he called, then he also justified. Well, scripture says he was raised for our justification. That happened 2,000 years ago. That's absolutely amazing. In whom he justified, then he also glorified. Scripture says we're already seated with Christ in heavenly places. Isn't that amazing? My oh my.

So here's a question. Can a person lose his or her salvation? The answer to that question is very simple. It's very simple. The answer is it depends altogether on who it is that saved him or her. Right? If salvation, if the salvation a person possesses is in any way dependent on what that person does, what do you mean? Like by praying a prayer or by their supposed free will or by something that they do? Yeah. then they can certainly lose it, because it's not biblical salvation. And the sooner they lose it, the better they are. The better they are. For they will never have the Lord's salvation until they've lost their own salvation.

A person can no more keep his own salvation than he can earn it. We can't earn salvation. We can't earn, it's all of the Lord. Salvation's of the Lord. And people say, well, if I just keep on keeping on, I'll be saved. The Lord saves, preserves, and keeps his people. My! And when we learn that, what a relief it is for us. Now, I was listening to Milton Howard today, and he says, you know, we desire to live godly lives. We do. Because people often say, you preach like this, and people just do whatever they want. No, not true believers. Not true believers. Oh, we grieve over our sin. We sin more. I'll ask you this. Donny Bell asked me this question one time. I love it. Do you sin more than you want to? If you're a believer, you say, oh yeah. Oh yeah, I long for that day when I'll sin no more, but that won't come till I breathe my last breath. Oh my, and be in the presence of the Lord.

So a person can't keep salvation on their own, can't earn it, because it's no way dependent upon something we do to earn it or to keep it. If they believe that, they can earn it or keep it by their own doings, then their salvation is a refuge of lies, plain and simple.

Are we made willing in the day of God's power? Absolutely. Do we run to Christ? Absolutely. I point sinners to Christ all the time. But I know that if they come to Christ, God made them willing. God changed their heart, they're born again. Oh yeah, it's not of anything I've done, not of anything they do. Oh my.

However, if one's salvation is wholly dependent upon Christ, it is impossible for them to lose that salvation. Because it's not of works. True salvation is not of works, lest any man should boast.

I'm going to read Ephesians 2, verses 8 to 10, where our Lord lays it out so plainly, so clearly for us. For by grace are you saved through faith. That's God-given faith. When you're born again, God gives us faith and repentance before God. For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. That means what it says. It says not of yourself. That's God's word. And then it says, it's a gift of God. And then it goes on again to repeat, not of works lest any man should boast.

Why did God the Holy Spirit have that pen? Because men and women like to boast. Look what I've done. Look what we've done. Look at this, look at that. Well, now we believers, we say, look what Christ done. Look what the King had done. He saved my soul. And he did it all, praise his mighty name. And then it says, for we are his workmanship. Oh, from beginning to end, beloved, created in Christ Jesus under good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Look at that. Let's go back to Romans 8.28. We see that there. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. Now this verse has a greater context, or this verse has great comfort in mind than just comforting us in trials. There are many things that happen in our lives for which we can see no reason. We look at them and go, why is this happening? Why is this happening? We don't see the purpose of it. And sometimes we look at it and go, I can't discern any good in this. But we know by this verse, by the declaration of the sovereign God, that every event in the life of the believer is ordered and devised for our eternal good. For our eternal good. because we are kept by the power of God. We are in God's hands. And remember, we're being conformed to the image of the Son. He's conforming us through trials and tribulations, through just his workmanship in us. My.

And this includes things that happened before we were converted and things that happened after we were converted. Because before we're converted, God is working and bringing us to Christ, God the Holy Spirit. And in all things after conversion, God works to keep the believer. And it's all according to his foreknowledge in eternity past, beloved. For his glory, for his honor, for his praise. See, lest any man should boast. God gets all the glory. He gets all the honor. He gets all the praise. My, and God is glorified through his elect. We praise his mighty name for saving us.

And think of this, all the events in history, this is one that'll blow our minds, is to ensure the salvation of God's people. You know, he might have something start over here and a preacher go over there and preach the gospel and the Lord will save someone. My, he bought NAM all the way to Israel. Right? Because that little lass, that little girl, that little slave girl told his wife, well, there's a prophet in Israel that can heal him. My.

Let's break down this verse real quick. Look at verse 28. And we know this is something God's people know. We know this. It's not a matter of our opinion. It's not even a matter of our circumstances. We know this. We've been taught this by God the Holy Spirit. It's been revealed to us. We know that all things Just to show that we know that we're redeemed by the blood of Christ, we know. And it says that all things, all things, God the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, all good angels, rulers, ministers, evil beings such as Satan, all good events such as peace, prosperity, health, and happiness, and all bad events such as war, famine, and sorrow, and sickness, and death. They what? Work together. Look at the next, work together. All these things are not only present and operate in us and towards us, but they all cooperate. Now think of this. They all cooperate under God's direction, under his sovereignty, and they control to fulfill his purpose.

Think of Joseph. Think of Joseph. His brothers threw him in a pit. Then he's sold off to slavery, slave guys. And then they take him, they put him on the block in Egypt and Potiphar buys him. My, then he ends up in Potiphar's house, he's doing so well. Potiphar makes him one of the master servants. My oh my. And then Potiphar's wife gets eyes on him, he flees out of there, he ends up in prison. And he's in prison with a butler and a baker. And the butler, Gets to go back up to serving Pharaoh and the baker dies. Picture two thieves, right? Look at that, just like Calvary's cross. Just a picture of Christ. And then he's raised up to be prime minister over all of Egypt. Oh my, it's amazing. All those things, all those things work for good.

And then look at the next part, for good. That's eternal good meant here. That's not just, that's not temporal guilt, good. That's eternal good. Again, not necessarily present comfort or ease or joy is our ultimate goal. What's the believer's ultimate goal? To be with Christ. To run the race. And we know Christ's going to carry us right up there, isn't he? He's going to take us right home. Paul says, I press toward the mark of the high calling. He's looking to Christ, beloved. He's a runner who got his eye on that finish line, not Christ. Isn't it wonderful? The one who saved us with his precious blood. How am I?

All things are working to accomplish God's will. Now look at this. Who are all these things working for? A lot of people stop right there, but look at this. To them that love God, to them that are the called according to his purpose. For those who are again, that are called according to His purpose. For them that love God, when we're born again, we love God now. And we're called sons of God. And because we're sons, God sends the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, whereby we now cry, Abba, Father. See, salvation's of the Lord. It's all of Him. called according to His purpose.

The promise of eternal good and well-being is not a blanket promise to all men. No. It's those who've truly received Christ, to those who truly are born again, to those who truly love the Lord. Look at that. To them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose. It's not for the whole world.

My, another privilege we see. That God bestows such grace and mercy on such sinners, such as we, such as I. It's incredible. And how are we called? By God's grace, by the power of God, the Holy Spirit, through the grace of God. For by grace you say through faith in that not of yourselves, it's a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. My, it's just beautiful.

So Paul could say that nothing in time and space can separate us from the love that began in eternity. Look at Romans 8.35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? And remember, Paul's writing to believers. He's not writing to everyone in the world. He's writing to born-again, blood-washed believers at Rome.

In Romans 8.35, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, huh? Nope. Or distress? Nope. Or persecution? Nope. Or famine? Nope. Or nakedness? Nope. Or peril? Nope. Or sword? Nope. You know why? Because Christ keeps us. Look at this. Look at verse 36. Romans 8, 36. It is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long. We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things though, look at this, we are more than conquerors. Through who, through who, through who? Through him that loveth us, through Christ. Oh, it's wonderful.

For I am persuaded. Now, God's people, we've been persuaded, haven't we? By the grace of God, we've been persuaded. Look at this, for I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Someone will say, well, why? Because God saved us. God saved us, beloved. We are saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is God incarnate in the flesh. And he shed his precious blood on Calvary's cross, lived that perfect life, given us a righteousness that allows us to be in the presence of God. And what do we say? Hallelujah. What a Savior is Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen and amen.