Kept for Jesus [eBook]

What the New Testament Really Teaches about Assurance of Salvation and Eternal Security

Can Christians lose their salvation? This question has perplexed—and, at times, distressed—believers for centuries, and it is still often asked today. When faced with their sin and shortcomings, many Christians are tempted to conclude that they’ve strayed too far and that God no longer loves them. In Kept for Jesus, pastor Sam Storms addresses common concerns that Christians have related to their eternal security, offering hope and assurance from the Bible. Examining every New Testament passage that speaks to this important issue, this book charts a biblical course between those who say that Christians can lose their salvation and those who carelessly declare, “Once saved, always saved.” This pastoral book will equip pastors, church leaders, and laypeople with biblical answers for anyone questioning their salvation.

Sam Storms (PhD, University of Texas) has spent 38 years in ministry as a pastor, professor, and author. He was visiting associate professor of theology at Wheaton College from 2000 to 2004, and is currently senior pastor at Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He is the founder of Enjoying God Ministries and the author of numerous books, including Chosen for Life and Tough Topics: Biblical Answers to 25 Challenging Questions.

“I have wrestled with the issue of assurance of salvation not just as a pastor counseling timid souls but as a sinner trusting in God. What a great help is Kept for Jesus, then! Handling the relevant biblical texts with clarity and precision, Sam Storms has crafted real ministry with this book, working by the Spirit to plant the security of union with Christ in the believer’s heart.”
—Jared C. Wilson, Pastor, Middletown Springs Community Church, Middletown Springs, Vermont; author, Gospel Wakefulness and The Pastor’s Justification

“With care and compassion, Sam engages in a wide-ranging discussion of the love of God, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, spurious faith versus saving faith, human dignity and human depravity, the nature of eternal security, God’s preserving power in faithful Christians, the problem of apostasy, and much more. Not shying away from the controversial nature of his topic and tackling head-on dozens of difficult passages, Sam offers an engaging book that deals biblically, theologically, and practically with the all-important matter of assurance of salvation.”
—Gregg R. Allison, Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“Is your errant friend unsaved or simply backslidden? This book contains a great overview of what the Bible teaches about eternal security, the perseverance of the saints, God’s sovereignty and free will. Clear, readable, and compelling. A must for anyone who wants to understand the Reformed view on the assurance of salvation.”
—Mary A. Kassian, Professor of Women’s Studies, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; author, Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild

“Too often the gospel is reduced to only wiping away sin’s debt. Storms shows us a more wonderful gospel of love and direct relationship with God in which Christ is inseparable from us, keeping us, and holding us as family. Storms is a pastor of pastors, walking us through the thorny issues—such as the warning passages—and into green pastures of communion with our Savior. He calls us into the beautiful tension and transformation of God’s forever grace.”
—Daniel Montgomery, Pastor, Sojourn Community Church, Louisville, Kentucky; Founder, Sojourn Network; author, Faithmapping and Proof

“Do you worry that you will lose your salvation? Do you feel confident in God’s love for you? This book will help you feel secure in God’s promises over you. Jesus said of his people: “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28). Sam Storms once again demonstrates his pastoral wisdom as he lovingly lays the foundation for eternal security.”
—Adrian Warnock, author, Hope Reborn and Raised with Christ

“This is classic Sam Storms: warm, thoughtful, clear, and wise. Not all readers will agree on every detail, but all will be well served by working through the issues with such an insightful guide. Throughout the book, God’s protection of his people shines through—and so do the joy and security that this brings to all who trust him.”
—Andrew Wilson, Pastor, Kings Church Eastbourne, East Sussex; author, If God, Then What? and Unbreakable

“Sam Storms has given us a book that is fair, humble, straightforward, and helpful. He consistently presents views that oppose his own and frequently admits he does not have all the answers. He argues biblically and passionately for the truth that God keeps true believers saved to the end and focuses on the Christian life and rejects errant views, including those that cut the biblical cord between God’s keeping us and our keeping on in faith, love, and holiness. This is a good book, and I am happy to recommend it.”
—Robert A. Peterson, Professor of Systematic Theology, Covenant Theological Seminary