Once Saved Always Saved

There are many churches today that teach that once a person has been saved by the blood of Jesus Christ there is nothing that can cause that person to be lost.

A number of years ago a man visited our home inviting us to attend a revival at the church he attended. When he learned where we went to church he said, "Oh, you're the folks who are never sure of your salvation." While we discussed the idea of Once Saved Always Saved, he told me that if a Christian was about to commit a sin that would cause him to be lost, before he could commit the sin God would kill him in order to save his soul. So certain is salvation, this man claimed, that absolutely nothing can cause God to go back on His promise to save man.

I mentioned that I knew people who were Christians who now lived in adultery and drunkenness. Did he believe, I asked, that those people were going to be saved even in their sin. He said that those people were never Christians in the first place.

Rather than taking this man's word or mine, let's look at the scriptures to find out what God says.

We Can Be Certain of Salvation

Sometime we use the scriptures to make a point and end up making an unintended point. We will examine some scriptures that teach it is possible to be a Christian but sin to the point of being lost in hell. However, before we do, we need to see that a person can indeed be a Christian and be certain of his salvation.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16. Whoever believes can have everlasting life.

"And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand." John 10:28,29 We can be confident of never perishing and never being snatched out of the hand of our Savior.

Paul was confident of his salvation as he wrote in 1 Timothy 4:8. "Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing." Not only was Paul confident of his salvation, he was confident of the salvation of all those who "love his appearing."

Please don't miss the point. A Christian can and should be confident of salvation.

Christians Can Sin and Be Lost

Just as certain as the verses above, the next passages we will examine teach that a Christian can sin and be lost. Please examine the following scriptures with an open mind.

"You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace." Galatians 5:4 Can one fall from grace and still be saved by the grace of God? Can one fall from the grace of God if he never received it? Can one be severed from Christ if he was never attached to Christ? Do we need another passage to be any more clear?

"For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.  For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.  But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire."  2 Peter 2:20-22.   Peter mentions those who "escaped the pollutions of the world" by knowing Jesus. Christians are under consideration. He says that if these Christians become entangled in those pollutions again and are overcome, their latter end is worse than the beginning. That means that going back to the pollutions of sin is worse than having never left it. The proof is in the two proverbs. Here, Peter gives us an example of a dog that cleansed itself of defilement by vomiting and a dirty sow that has been washed. The dog returns to its vomit and the sow to the filth of the pig pen. It is gross to witness a dog vomit but it is even worse to see them eat it. Christians who return to a life of sin are as bad as dogs eating their vomit. Peter says their latter end is worse than the beginning. Do you believe Peter?

Take your Bible and read Matthew 25:14-31. This parable talks about 3 men being given talents to keep while their master leaves and goes into a foreign country. This represents Jesus ascending to heaven and leaving Christians with responsibility. After a time the master returns and settles with servants. Two of the men did well by investing their money. The third had done nothing. Notice what Jesus calls this man in verse 26. "You wicked and lazy servant..." He is still called a servant. He is still representative of Christians with responsibility only he was not faithful. Then Jesus says in verse 30, "And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Who? The unprofitable servant. His is a Christian but he is unprofitable. Where was he cast? "...into outer darkness." Hell. A Christian in hell? Yes, and Jesus is the one who said so.

Many who believe Once Saved Always Saved teach a person is saved by faith only. Notice the following verses from 1 and 2 Timothy.

1 Timothy 1:5,6  "Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed..."

1 Timothy 1:19  "having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck"

1 Timothy 4:1  "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons"

1 Timothy 5:8  "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

1 Timothy 5:12 "having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith."

1 Timothy 6:10  "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

2 Timothy 2:17,18  "And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some."

How is it possible that one can stray from the faith, have a shipwrecked faith, depart from the faith, deny the faith and be worse than an unbeliever, cast off their faith and have their faith overthrown, and still be saved by faith? It isn't.

License To Sin

A friend told me about a discussion between two people she knew. These folks were considering going to Las Vegas and one didn't want to go because they felt it wrong to participate in the drinking, gambling, the girly shows, etc. The other said, "I don't know about you, but I am certain of my salvation." You see, the person felt completely justified in drinking, gambling and fully participating in the sins of Las Vegas because Once Saved, Always Saved. That doctrine was providing a license to sin. In fact, engaging in  those sins will cause one to be lost because drunkards and those who cannot exercise self-control will not go to heaven. Galatians 5:19-21.

What About Confidence?

Above we said we quoted verses that teach we can have confidence in our Lord's ability to save. Now we have looked at verses the teach we can sin and be lost. Is that a contradiction? Certainly not.

The verses that give us confidence in the Lord's salvation make that conditional upon our being faithful.

1 Timothy 4:8, "Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing." Those who will be saved are those who love His appearing. If we cease loving His appearing we will lose our crown.

John 10:27-29, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand." Those who will be saved are those who hear Jesus and follow Him. If we cease listening or following, then we will be lost.

Christians who turn their backs on Jesus no longer meet the condition for salvation - faithfulness. Does this mean we save ourselves? Certainly not. But since Jesus made our salvation conditional on faithfulness to Him, He will not save us unless we live in holiness before Him. Jesus is looking for those who will separate themselves unto Him and seek to become like Him.

Can you be saved? Certainly! Can you give it all up if you choose? Certainly! If you have questions, please contact us.

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