Once Saved Always Saved?

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Is once saved always saved Biblical?

Now some will say yes, but a close study of the Scriptures will show otherwise

I would like to begin by saying that a comprehensive study of this doctrine is beyond the scope of this post, and it is not my intention, but neither will it be necessary as the testimony that will be presented is sufficient to end the controversy.

The idea that the doctrine of  “once saved always saved” is found in Scripture cannot be sustained when scrutinized in the light of day, as the evidence to the contrary is insurmountable: I Timothy 4:1 on its own is sufficient to prove the futility of the suggestion.

Please don’t misunderstand me; Jesus did not suffer as He did for our sins for nothing, neither did He give us His life for the purpose of taking it away again. When He gives us his life, He designs that we should keep it forever.

How do we get His life? It is by faith that we get it. And how do we keep it? It is by the same faith.

Notice:

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” Col. 2:6.

His life can never end, but we may lose it by turning away from Him.

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith…” I Timothy 4:1

The teaching of “once saved always saved” undermines the gospel as it promotes the idea that God guarantees our salvation, even if we change our mind and turn from Him, and if that is not the guarantee, then it must be that He removes our freedom of conscience, and our right of choice.
Never again will we be able to change our mind, no longer will we have a choice.

To do this, He must remove our will, and our freedom to choose; and that, we know He will never do.

We only need to consider the example given to us in Eden: Did Adam not deny the Lord by his disobedience? Of course he did, so why then did the Lord not stop him from eating the fruit if his freedom to disobey had been removed, or if he never had it in the first place ?

It may well have been better for God to remove that freedom from Adam in the very beginning, rather than wait till sin had cast its blight upon the human race.
Neither then would the sacrifice of His beloved Son have been necessary.

Now would be a good time to take a look at Paul’s letter to the Galatians, if we do, we shall find that the whole purpose of his letter was brought about because those within the church at Galatia, had departed from the truth by adopting the doctrine of works, and in so doing, falling from Grace.

“O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?… Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” Galatians 3:1-2; 5:4

I believe that the term “fallen from grace” needs no further explanation, as it is to be understood as it reads.

“And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62

Everybody has the right to change their mind, and if they do, they will pass from this earth without Christ, and they will be lost.

A person can also lose their life by unbelief; it happens every day, people will believe one thing today, and tomorrow they will change their mind, and if any should pass from the earth while in unbelief, then they too will be lost.

Because we must remember that if we are in unbelief then Christ is not in us.

As we have not this life in ourselves, but “this life is in his Son.” “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” 1 John 5:11, 12.

So we can only keep everlasting life by keeping the Son.

Therefore we may take Him off at any time by turning away from Him; it is our choice, Christ does not compel the conscience, and this we can do willfully, or, we can also do so by neglect.

Notice the following.

“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:22-23

And what day is Jesus talking about? “that day” It is the day of the Lord when He comes in power and glory with the sound of the trump.

And these people call Him Lord, Lord because they considered themselves Christians, and they did many wonderful works in His name, but unfortunately they did not know Him, and neither did He know them, and so this was the reply.

“And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Mat 7:23

Iniquity is transgression of the Law, so obedience to the Law is a condition of everlasting life.

You will find that these people are members of the church of Laodicea?

“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” Revelation 3:14-17

This Church of Laodicea is the Lord’ church, and He is giving fair warning to those in His church of the consequences of being lukewarm. One only needs to study the characteristics of these people to see that they represent those that call themselves Christians today.

Laodicea means “a judging of the people,” and it is the final church in the last days, and it is therefore the time of the judgment.

We should also study the parables as many of them have end time fulfillment’s which speak of those who consider themselves saved, but who in fact will be lost when the Lord comes, as the door to mercy will have been closed when He does.

For example, the parable of the wise and foolish virgins which speaks explicitly of five foolish virgins that believed they were saved, but they did not have the faith necessary to enter the marriage supper. They were foolish because they had not gathered the necessary oil for their lamps,  and by the time that they did it was too late for them as the door was shut.

We should also study the good and bad fish that were caught in the net, the tares and the wheat, and the man without the wedding garment, and so forth.

Each parable showing that there is going to be a separation in the church when Jesus comes.

And now one last text to close with.

“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” II Peter 2:21-22

There is nothing about eternal security that can be established by the Word of God, without first defiling it, and if we study this out for ourselves then we will have the truth that is required, and need never again depend upon the words of men for our salvation.

For many will be lost in the day of the Lord, not simply because they would believed a lie, but because they did not believe the truth, and His Word is truth.
May God Bless you all.

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