2. Eternal Salvation

Do you honestly ask, How can I escape judgment? In Heb. 5:8, 9, we read: " Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." It was a new thing for Christ to obey. He had always commanded hitherto, but now He learned what obedience was; and, to do His Father's will and bidding, He went forward unflinchingly, even to death. He who had never sinned, died for sin. He was made perfect, and became the author of "eternal salvation" to all who obey Him. How am I to be saved, then? You have to bow down to Christ. God is preaching "eternal salvation,” and it is His free gift through Jesus. You can never lose it, you can never forfeit it. The gift of God is eternal life. It is a great salvation, a present salvation, a common and an eternal salvation. These are its chief characteristics. Whom Jesus saves, He saves to the uttermost. Men in this world take up people for a time, but it is only to drop them in a little, like a hot coal. There is so much selfishness in the world. Jesus takes you up in the unlimited grace of His own heart, and saves you by virtue of the work which He did on the cross. You can never forfeit salvation, because you never deserved it. If our salvation depended on anything in us, we must leave out the word "eternal." But the blessed truth is this, that what God gives He does not take away. His gifts and calling are without repentance. The "Eternal salvation," of the believer rests not on what he is, or feels, or does, but on what Christ is and has done, and God's appreciation of His Son and His work for sinners.
Jesus is the Author of this salvation, and it is a common blessing,—as the rain falls freely all over the land. Must we not pray for it? I shall put it this way. You ask me to your house, and when I go I see the table laden with food then I begin to ask and beg you to give me some,—" Oh, do give me some food." Why, you would think me out of my mind. But it is the folly of man's mind to think he must bring something to God, or ask for the thing God is pressing on him. God is now beseeching you; God is giving; God is inviting souls to come to His Son, whom He sent to be the author of eternal salvation. You must obey Him. He says, “Come unto me, and I will give you rest." Looking to Him is obeying Him. The blind man in John 9 said, "Lord, I believe." That was obeying Him; and in Acts 9 we get Saul saying, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” There is an obedient soul.
Oh, let me entreat you to bow down to Him now. Which side are you on? the Lord's, or the world's? I hope I am on the Lord's side. You hope! Then I have a strong suspicion that you are not. There is no mere hoping, if it is a question of anything in this world. “Who is on the Lord's side?" rang out in force and power in days gone by. All who have obeyed Him are on His side; we cannot be, unless there is the principle of subjection of heart to Him, If there be in our hearts this subjection of faith, we shall rejoice in having.