Once saved always saved

𝙅𝙚𝙝𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙝'𝙨 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨

𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝙵𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛- 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝚃𝚊𝚣𝚎 𝚁𝚞𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚕

* Born February 16, 1852 Died October 31,1916
* Was brought up a Presbyterian from birth until around 15 years of age.
* He would take and write Bible verses warning of destruction and Hell with chalk on the sidewalks of Pittsburgh, PA.
* At the age of 16 he started to question the faith he was taught in his youth.
* At 18 he went to a sermon by the Adventist preacher, Jonas Wendell. It was Wendell that first focused Russell into Bible chronology and prophecy, in particular the 1874 date for Christ's expected return.
* Charles later went on to meet "Millerite" Adventist ministers George Storrs, and George Stetson where they discussed their current understanding of what true Christianity was.
* In 1874, Charles was re-baptized.
* In 1876 Russell came across a copy of "Herald of the Morning" published by Nelson H. Barbour. Russell contacted Barbour to set up a meeting in order to compare notes.
* Barbour introduced Russell to some ideas, of which the most important was the Rapture would occur in April 1878 and that the second coming of Christ which was meant to have happened in 1874, had in fact happened but it had happened invisibly.
* Russell was so convinced with what Barbour had to say about the Rapture(which would have included the destruction of all the world's churches) in 1878 that he sold the 5 haberdashery stores that he owned for $300, 000($5.5 millions in today's money) in order to finance the writing of a number of publications that would outline the current religious views of both Barbour and himself.
* And why not, as there was only 2 years to live before the Rapture would occur.
* In 1878 Russell split with Barbour over the fact that the Rapture did not occur when expected and in July 1879 began his own publications "Zion's Watch Tower" and "Herald of Christ's Presence".
* In 1889 the Watchtower built it's very first building in Allegheny for the purposes of publishing literature. And the rest is history.

Eternal Security🔒

Verse 4 - Ephesians 1:12-14
Ephesians 1:12-14
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Discussion
This passage shows that every single believer is sealed with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit the moment they believe. This Holy Spirit is the earnest ("down payment") of our inheritance, meaning that God seals us to prove that He is serious about not losing a single one of those who have trusted in Christ.

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit, then, is proof that a believer is destined to inherit in the Heavenly Kingdom of God. This is why the Bible says our "inheritance" is "incorruptible", and "reserved in Heaven" for us (1 Peter 1:4).

The Bible is replete with verses teaching that the Holy Spirit lives inside of every single believer (Ephesians 4:30, Romans 8:9: 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19: 2 Corinthians 1:22, 5:5, etc.), and this passage shows us that we are sealed until a fixed point in time - until the "redemption of the purchased possession", which refers to the Resurrection when we receive a new, glorified body (Romans 8:23).

Furthermore, we are called a purchased possession - something owned by God himself right now. This is why we are said to be "bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 6:20, 7:23), that price being Christ's own blood (Acts 20:28). The entire price for our justification has already been paid, and nothing can change that.

The Apostle Paul also acknowledges the fact in a parallel verse in Ephesians 4:30 that it's possible to grieve the Holy Spirit (due to misbehavior), but is clear in stating that even such ones are "sealed unto the day of redemption". A similar statement is made in 2 Corinthians 1:22.

Since we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, it is God Himself that secures our Salvation. Not only are we in the Son's hand, and the Father's hand, but the Holy Sprit is in us. Our Salvation is never put in our hands to keep because we aren't reliable. Instead it is kept secure by the three-fold witness of each member of the Trinity.

Soli Deo Gloria ❤