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When thinking about the permanence of salvation, two words are commonly used: security and assurance. While they are related terms, they are not the same thing.
John MacArthur summarizes the difference well:
Many people lack assurance because they do not understand that salvation is an utterly divine, totally sovereign operation. Assurance is built on the historical reality of what Jesus Christ accomplished. It is not a feeling without reason, and you will never have the subjective feeling of assurance until you comprehend the objective truth of the gospel.
In other words, if you are a genuine believer, you are secure, whether you have the feeling of assurance or not. On the other hand, it is also possible for someone to mistakenly assume personal assurance, when he is not actually secured (saved). Genuine assurance is the result of confidence in the finished work of Christ on the cross.
It is enough that no one can snatch a believer from the hand of Jesus Christ.
It is enough that no one can snatch a believer from the hand of God the Father.
It is enough that the Holy Spirit is given as a pledge (guarantee) of our salvation and inheritance.
Any one of those is enough to secure our salvation eternally. Yet all of these statements are true. The entire Godhead is working in unity and harmony to keep believers secure.
The Holy Spirit regenerates believers, lives in the believer, places and seals the believer into Christ's body.
The Father chose believers in the eternal past, and keeps us in eternal life.
Christ's death makes life possible, removed the wrath of God from believers, justified every believer, provided forgiveness, sanctifies the believer, is constantly interceding on behalf of the believer, and will present every believer without fault before Him.
And all that combines to make the believer in Jesus Christ secure — eternally secure.
