"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly"
(John 10:10) “When we are saved we receive eternal life. If that life could be lost, it wouldn't be eternal. Therefore, once saved, always saved... So the argument goes. But the logic behind this statement can be seen as erroneous once we ask and answer a few questions about the statement's elements. The biggest flaws in this argument are the idea of tangible possession of eternal life and the assumption that eternal life is given as a commodity. Most assume that it is a type of life that is somehow implanted within us and becomes a personal possession. How far from the Biblical record this belief is! What is the Biblical record you ask? John answers: "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is IN his Son." (1 John 5:11)
Notice that this doesn't say that eternal life is FROM the Son, but IN the Son. Notice that it also doesn't say that eternal LIVES are in the Son, but eternal LIFE. I can hear you now...So what are you saying? Are you implying that eternal life is in the singular? If this is true, then we can't do more than share it. No one has a claim to eternal life as their sole possession.
Folks, I didn't write the Bible, I only try to understand it. But, yes, eternal life is shared. You don't have tangible possession of it. It is in Christ. In order to appropriate eternal life, we must continue to remain in Christ. Jesus repeatedly impressed a saying upon us, "Abide in me, and I in you." There is a reason for it. Other verses show that this life is shared. "Jesus said unto her, I AM the resurrection, AND the life..." (John 11:25) Christ is THE life. It doesn't exist apart from Him. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) Eternal life is THROUGH Jesus Christ. "When Christ, WHO IS OUR LIFE, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory" (Col. 3:4) Christ, Himself, is our life. How could it be made any plainer than in 1John "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (1John 5:12)
But you say, "But it is impossible to NOT have the Son once a profession has been made! Once saved, always saved!" My dear friend, John answered your objection in this very same letter. "Let that therefore ABIDE in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. IF that which ye have heard from the beginning shall REMAIN in you, ye also shall CONTINUE in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life." (1 John 2:24-25)
Note that John used the words abide, remain and continue. What are the implications of these words. Along with the word IF, they set up the conditionality of salvation. Remember Jesus' words "Abide in Me and I in you". The very introduction of these words in this passage makes it conditional. The words imply that it is entirely possible that one can cease to abide, cease to remain, cease to continue. If it isn't possible, then these words have no meaning nor place in this passage. What this all boils down to is that we PARTICIPATE in the one eternal life that emanates in Christ as we continue to abide in Him and He in us. Our original argument states that if eternal life could be lost, it would not be eternal. The fallacy with this argument is that it isn't the life that will cease, it is our participation that will cease. We have "possession" of this life ONLY as we are abiding in Christ who IS our life.”... Additionally Jesus defines eternal life in these words... "And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3)
“ The Biblical use of "to know" goes far deeper than a mental assent. It means to be intimately known of each other. This can not be accomplished without a relationship. I know of George Bush, but I don't really know him. To know him I would have to have an ongoing friendship. The same holds true with God. Which is why He will tell many at the judgement, "I never knew you" or "I don't know you"”. | 
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