Once Saved, Always Saved: Is it true?

Holly3278 said:

Hi everyone. I am a current believer in Once Saved Always Saved doctrine. However, I have my doubts. I am looking for the opinions of those of you who do not believe in this doctrine and believe that you can lose or give up your salvation. What are your evidences for this? Also, there are some verses that support Once Saved Always Saved. Are you willing to explain those in the context of your belief that Once Saved Always Saved is wrong? I don't want to look up the verses now but I'll look them up later. Thanks!

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Once saved always saved is a true statement. Salvation is an EVENT. Once it has happened of course it has always happened. Once born always born. Once graduated from 12th grade always graduated, and so on.

But it is a trick in the way it is presented by Calvinists. The REAL question is not whether one IS saved (Eph 2:8) but whether or not one will be saved when Jesus comes again in THAT future salvation event. These are two different salvation events. See Heb 9:28 for example. And a Ephesians 2:8 salvation event is no guarantee of a future Heb 9:28 salvation event. In fact, this is the whole point of the book of Hebrews. Those once born again can and will fall short of that future salvation event. The Bible makes this very clear. God will not be mocked. You will reap what you sow.

Commoner

There are three distinct and separate views of OSAS.
1. Antinomianism --- view that one can be sinful, fornicating, drunk, robbing, but still saved.
2. Predestined-Election --- view that God CHOOSES only a few; those chosen, will be saved, the rest are beyond hope. Also called "irreisistlbe grace", "limited atonement", "Calvinism", "Reformed theology", "unconditional election", etc.
3. Eternal Security --- differs from #2, in that everyone CAN be saved; but once "in", either their hearts are too changed to ever LEAVE, or God dynamically interferes to prevent one from leaving.

Ironically, though #1 is "easy to disprove", the other two frequently use terms like "backslidden-saved"; which, if you think about it, is nothing but Antinomianism revisited.

I've (mostly) written a text on the subject; citing all the verses the propopnents have given me, and explaining how they can exist in a "OSNAS" view. Then there is a section that I do not think any OSAS view will be able to accommodate. It ismy view that salvation cannot be "lost"; but it can be "forfeit", by unbelief (faithlessness).

The question that binds all FOUR beliefs, three OSAS and one OSNAS, is: "What is salvation"? This is a critical question; for it defines who and what we are.

Salvation is by belief (Jn3:16); but not any KIND of belief, for even DEMONS believe (James2:19). Jesus qualified what kind of belief saves us --- belief that "causes us to be humbled as children" (Matt18:3-4), that causes us to be "dong God's will" (Matt7:21), to be "repentant" (Lk13:3), and to be "born again". Each of these is written as: "Unless ____, you won't go to Heaven".

The idea of "born again" is the umbrella under which all the others reside. All the world has HEARD the term --- but what does it MEAN?

Salvation, in a single succinct word, is FELLOWSHIP with God! 1Jn1:3, 6-7. The real person of Jesus, and the person of the Holy Spirit --- these indwell the believer. "Born again" is explained beautifully in Romans, chapters 6-8. It is "dead to sin, and alive by the Spirit in Christ". We are "new creations", the old "passes away annd all becomes new" (2Cor5:17). We are "crucified with Christ, no longer WE who live but Christ lives in us; and the life we now live in the flesh, we live by faith in the One who loved us and delivered Himself up for us." (Gal2:20)

RE "backsliding" -- Paul says, Rom6:1: "Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? May it never be! How shall we who have DIED to sins, still live IN it?" Many passages detail how the unrighteous live; and boldy assert that "those who practice such things will NOT go to Heaven; but YOU --- were as them, but now are WASHED, are SANCTIFIED, and JUSTIFIED in the name of Jesus and in the Spirit of our Lord." (1Cor6:9-11)

If all of us agree on the ESSENCE of salvation, as I have just stated, specifically FELLOWSHIP ---- which requires TIME --- prayer, reading the Word, fellowshipping and worshipping our Lord, then the "OSAS/OSNAS" debate becomes non-issue, doesn't it?

We can all fellowship in harmony and worship God together.



PS: My book has an appendix of 40+ verses, and three summarized letters, that I feel really speak against OSAS; if you're interested, I can PM them to you...

Read eph 1 and see all the things God does for us because of eph 1:20

Eph 1:20 which He brought about in Christ , when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.



It is God's work that we believe john 6:29

why ... #1 God does what he says 1 thes 5:24
#2 God said what he going to do in Eph 1:4, and 2tim 1:9

where angels offer salvation after sinning? no

did they sin once and recieve judgement.. Yes in the future! ezekiel 28:16-19 and right then....Gen 1:2

what did adam and eve recieve when they sinned .... judgement[Gen 3:8-19] and clothing from God [Gen 3:21]

just a side note!

Holly3278 said:

Hi everyone. I am a current believer in Once Saved Always Saved doctrine. However, I have my doubts. I am looking for the opinions of those of you who do not believe in this doctrine and believe that you can lose or give up your salvation. What are your evidences for this? Also, there are some verses that support Once Saved Always Saved. Are you willing to explain those in the context of your belief that Once Saved Always Saved is wrong? I don't want to look up the verses now but I'll look them up later. Thanks!

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Good Day, Holly

Heb 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

having obtained--having thereby obtained; literally, "found for Himself," as a thing of insuperable difficulty to all save Divine Omnipotence, self-devoting zeal, and love, to find. The access of Christ to the Father was arduous (Heb_5:7). None before had trodden the path.

eternal--The entrance of our Redeemer, once for all, into the heavenly holiest place, secures eternal redemption to us; whereas the Jewish high priest's entrance was repeated year by year, and the effect temporary and partial, "On redemption," compare Mat_20:28; Eph_1:7; Col_1:14; 1Ti_2:5; ***_2:14; 1Pe_1:19.



Eternal: Greek
aiōnios

1) without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be

2) without beginning

3) without end, never to cease, everlasting

Redemption:

lutrōsis

1) a ransoming, redemption

2) deliverance, especially from the penalty of sin

Peace to u,

Bill