“Can I lose my salvation?” This is a question that comes up quite frequently in discussions that I’ve had with many new (and old) believers. It’s a question that has troubled the souls of many people for hundreds of years. Kept for Jesus, the latest book by Sam Storms seeks to answer this distressing question and provide a solid biblical foundation to help believers understand the truth about assurance of salvation and eternal security.
The book begins with a story about a man named Charley who made a confession of faith at an early age, who wandered away from the faith a few years later, only to declare himself an atheist after two divorces, and an alcohol abuse problem. This is a fairly common scenario that many of us in the church can relate to. I know many people who have made professions of faith who have later walked away from it all-together. The author takes us through three popular theological frameworks to help us understand what has happened to Charley. Mr. Storms explains the views of the Arminian, the Calvinist, and the Antinomian throughout the book to help us gain a better understanding of what the different camps teach on key doctrines in the Scriptures.
The book takes an expositional look at the core doctrines of eternal security and assurance of salvation taught in the New Testament while offering an apologetic view for the Calvinistic doctrine which the author supports. The first few chapters take us on an overview of the differences between the three theological viewpoints and Sam shares what he both agrees and disagrees with while bringing them to the light of what Scripture teaches.
Sam doesn’t shy away from addressing some of the tough passages in Scripture. In Chapter two he addresses such topics like blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, the parable of the soils, and what happens to those who will say “Lord, Lord,” in Matthew Chapter 7 that Jesus responds that He never knew.
Chapter Three – The Dangers of Fickle Faith presents a wonderful exposition of the famous passage in John 15 on abiding in the vine. The author carefully approaches the text from all three theological views and offers six solid reasons to support his view.
Kept for Jesus isn’t simply a theological treatment of doctrines but offers real hope for the church to believe that God will sustain you to the very end.
“As noted in Romans 8:30-39, God the Father has already done the greatest thing imaginable and made the most costly sacrifice possible to secure our eternal safety. He has crucified His Son in our stead. He spared Him not. He gave Him up for us all. Thus when it comes to keeping a tight grip on our souls as we encounter the many threats and temptations of life, He will not decline to do what is immeasurably less. Of this you can be certain, and in it you may rest assured: your loving and gracious heavenly father will never let go of your hand, He will never, by no means ever, leave you or forsake you, or allow you to leave or forsake Him.” – Sam Storms
If you are struggling to understand eternal security I would recommend this book as a great place to begin. Sam is a very engaging author who wrestles with many important questions that we all face at some point in our lives, and while it is not meant to be an exhaustive study, it is both a helpful and valuable tool for the church.
About Author: Sam Storms (PhD, University of Texas at Dallas) has spent 40 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, Tough Topics: Biblical Answers to 25 Challenging Questions, and Kept for Jesus.
This review has been published and shared through Netgalley.
The Greater Tide 