Once Saved Always Saved

• It was done at the cross, we are being legalistic to think our works will have any effect on our salvation.

• Salvation was a free gift and therefore cannot be earned

• The definition of works are keeping Gods Law, or Ten Commandments.

• Because it was done at the cross, and sin or breaking God's Law cannot effect your salvation, repenting is a way of earning your salvation, and therefore not necessary.

The Irony

I will start out with a strong statement here:

The real reason anyone believes in Once Saved, Always Saved theology is because deep down, they doubt their own salvation.

The Bible refers to us having the assurance of salvation, or the promise of eternal life..

24. Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.
25. And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life. 1Jn 2

17. The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. Isa 32

This verse describes how we experience this promise. When you abide in God, spending time with Him, making Him a first priority, choosing to live a pure life as God changes your nature, heaven becomes real. So real that it becomes a reality that drastically changes how you feel. For example, even my driving habits change and I am not in such a hurry because eternal life is a reality, and I am no longer obsessed with making the most out of every second. Major crisis in my life don't effect me the same way, because once again, when Heaven is real, I just can't care about little things down here. You see, without truly believing you are saved, you cannot have the gifts of the spirit: peace, love, joy.

Assurance of salvation can ONLY come as a gift from God, as a result of his Holy Spirit dwelling in us. It is the same as our earthly relationships. When you know you are in love, you don't need to convince yourself with theories and arguments, or ask your friends if they think you are in love, you just know.

Can salvation be lost?

27. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
28. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. Joh 10

The interesting thing is that verse 28 is considered the best proof text supporting the once saved always saved belief. This is evidence that people who believe this theology are trying to prove a point rather than studying the Bible with an open mind. What does the very verse before this ultimate proof text say? Notice the word "follow." We hear God's voice and follow Him. Does this sound like something that can be done at a particular moment, or on a continual basis? You see, as long as we follow God, nothing can snatch us out of His hand. But if we choose sin rather than following God, He cannot force us to be with Him.

Heb 5:9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,

The majority of Christians cling to the once saved always saved theology, and ironically enough, this same majority of Christians do not feel it is not even necessary to "obey Him" by keeping His Law. The term legalism has become blurred to mean anyone who thinks we can effect our salvation in any way. As a result Christians today draw the line on the 4rth Commandment, and live like Cain, rebellion against How God desires to be worshipped. The very fact that they argue with such a closed mind on the topic of being saved is evidence that deep down they are not certain as to whether they are saved. They need assurance from their pastor or fellow christians, because they don't have it from God. Can you see why this topic is so important? Someone who has received the assurance of salvation from God, does not feel the need to prove scripturaly that they are saved!

So how DO we know we love God?

3. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 1Jn 5

Notice how this verse indicates that not only are we to keep God's commandments, but that they must not be burdensome. In other words, just as the new covenant promised, the Law must be written on our hearts. Strangely enough many christians take this to mean we do not have to keep the Law. Look at how Paul describes the New Covenant in the book of Hebrews...

Heb 10:16 "THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, . . . . .
22. let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
23. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
24. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
25. not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
26. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
27. but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.
28. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
30. For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE."
31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32. But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings:
33. partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated;
34. for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.
35. Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.
36. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
37. "FOR YET A LITTLE WHILE, AND HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME AND WILL NOT TARRY.
38. NOW THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; BUT IF ANYONE DRAWS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM."
39. But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. Heb 10

In this passage alone is ample reason to doubt any theology that would both suggest we cannot lose our salvation, and that it is ok for Christians to not even try to keep the law. "Hold fast. . . without wavering" for the "promise." In verse 26 we see that although "it was done" and finished at the cross, if we continue to choose sin, Jesus' sacrifice cannot cover us. Does this mean we must live perfect sinless lives? Of course not, but what about Christians who justify never even attempting to keep the Law and the Sabbath? Is it any wonder why deep down they feel insecure about their salvation?

In verse 29, we see that it is worse to sin in the new covenant than it was to sin or break the book of the law in the old covenant times. Again in verse 36 we see that we need "endurance" in "doing the will of God" to "receive the promise." In verse 39, Paul gives us a serious warning not to "draw back" and that "anyone" can do so. Yes that means anyone, including you or me can "draw back to perdition." Does this make me insecure in the promise knowing that I can lose it? Absolutely not. Keep in mind that receiving the promise is not something that we just decide to believe in, but a gift from God for doing His will.

That passage alone is enough to reveal the truth in this matter, but believe me, it is not the only passage in the Bible offering clarity on this topic. Infact you cannot read more than a few verse anywhere in the Bible without finding something that goes against the saved theology. An excellent example of this can be seen in Mark chapters 2-4. In fact this entire section of scripture dismantles every pillar of this theology. I encourage you to read it for yourselves as I cannot include it all here. However I can include some, while giving short notes on the rest.

Chapter 4 addresses this question of whether a truly saved person can turn from the faith. Why is this question important to this topic? Because essential to the saved theology is the idea that only Christians that were never truly converted fall away. The truly converted will never fall.

3. "Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow.
4. And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.
5. Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.
6. But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.
7. And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.
8. But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."
9. And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
10. But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.
11. And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables,
12. so that 'SEEING THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE, AND HEARING THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND; LEST THEY SHOULD TURN, AND THEIR SINS BE FORGIVEN THEM.' "
13. And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?
14. The sower sows the word.
15. And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.
16. These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
17. and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble.
18. Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word,
19. and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
20. But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."

Hopefully you were not to lazy to read the whole passage carefully. If you haven't already caught the obvious here, the 2nd and 3rd group are strong rebukes to mainstream christians who believe in once saved always saved. The 2nd group "receive it with gladness"..." endure for a time" then not right away, but "Afterward" stumble because of what? "Tribulation or persecution for the word's sake."

Now for the 3rd group who fell among the thorns. They "hear the word" but "the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. "

Now why you ask, are these such rebukes to the "saved" christians? First of all, saved christians feel that persecution is irrelevant, because persecution falls under the category if unnecessary works which are unnecessary suffering if you are already saved. Jesus said:

Mat 10:32 "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
33. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

What concerns me is that mainstream Christians tend to stop way short of persecution in what they call works, which brings up the 2nd point. Even the cares of the world and riches offer too much of a tribulation to mainstream Christians. "They draw nigh to me with their mouth but there hearts are far from me" describes perfectly those who make scriptural excuses for things like not paying tithe, keeping the Sabbath, changing their diet, or any other inconvenient work. They say they believe but are not willing to put their money or time where their mouth is. And it is these tests, that challenge our faith in the area of our weaknesses that cause us to bear fruit. When we take that scary leap and believe in God, He can reward our faith by giving us more reason to have faith.

Salvation a Free Gift