One of the last promises in the epistles is that the Lord "is ABLE to keep us from falling" ( Jude 24 ). This is true - the Lord is certainly able to keep us from falling. But if we do not yield ourselves completely to Him, He will not be able to keep us from falling - for He never forces His will on anyone.

As believers, our relationship with Christ is compared to that of a betrothed virgin, awaiting her wedding ( 2 Cor.11:2 ; Rev.19:7 ). In the next verse ( 2 Cor.11:3 ), Paul says that he fears that Satan will deceive us and draw us away from simple devotion to Christ, even as Satan deceived Eve. Eve was in paradise and was deceived by Satan - and was driven out of paradise by God. Today, we who are "engaged" to Christ are headed for paradise. But if we allow Satan to deceive us, we will never enter paradise.

If the bride plays the harlot with the world and with sin, her Bridegroom will refuse to marry her. This is the harlot church referred to as Babylon (in Revelation 17), that is finally rejected by the Lord.

If you love the Lord, you will keep yourself pure for Him, even when you find other believers around you playing the harlot with the world and with sin. Jesus warned us that in the last days, "most people's love will grow cold. (This sentence obviously refers to believers for they are the only ones who love the Lord). But the one who endures to the end will be saved." ( Matt.24:11-13 ).

Satan seeks to deceive all of us. But the Bible warns us that God also will allow us to be deceived, "so that we believe what is false" - IF we "do not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved" ( 2 Thess.2:10 , 11 ).

If we accept the truth that is written in God's Word, and if we face up to the truth about the sins in our own life that the Holy Spirit shows us, and if we are eager to be saved from ALL those sins, then we will never be deceived.

But if we do not accept what is clearly written in God's Word, or if we do not desire to be saved from sin, then God will allow us to be deceived and to believe what is false - not only in this matter of "eternal security" but in other areas as well.

Here then is the conclusion of this whole matter:

We love the Lord, because He first loved us and because He forgave us all our sins. Therefore, by His grace, we will keep our conscience clear at all times and we will love Him and follow Him until the very end - and so we are eternally secure.

Every disciple of Jesus who is following Him is eternally secure.

But let him who thinks he is standing take heed, lest he fall ( 1 Cor.10:12 ).

He who has ears to hear, let him hear.