Debunking Once Saved Always Saved, Part 2
A popular belief amongst Christians today is the doctrine of Once Saved, Always Saved. Why is it so popular? Doubtless there are some who genuinely believe this. But there are others who simply use it as an excuse to live as they please, and still trying to have assurance of salvation. But is this idea Biblical? Is this something Christians should believe? Or is it a dangerous deception invented by the devil? Let's study together and find out.
ADAM AND EVE
Let's start at the beginning, with Adam and Eve. They were created perfect, in essence. They were not in a lost condition. On the contrary, since they were not sinners yet, they were living in paradise, with face to face communication with God. One could argue that they were “eternally secure”. But what happened?
Before God could render them eternally secure, they had to be tested. Would they place their loyalty with God? Or would they disobey and eat from the forbidden tree? In essence, even though they were sinless, they had to resist sin BEFORE being eternal safe from sin. But what happened?
Genesis 3 gives us the account. Satan possessed a serpent that he spoke through to decieve Eve. And then Adam, knowing she had sinned and must die, ate of the fruit as well. He knew full well what he was doing. This is why the Bible says sin entered the world by a man, and not by the woman. But I digress.
22 And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. (Genesis 3:22-24, King James Version).
Adam and Eve, even in paradise, were not eternally secure until they could pass the test of whether or not they would eat from the forbidden tree. And if a perfect pair of humans, who did not yet have a fallen nature, were not yet eternally safe from sin, what makes us think we, with fallen natures, are safe from sin simply because of a one time chioice?
POWER OF CHOICE
One thing that God will never do, is take away our power of choice. Saying that once we accept Jesus, we never have to lose our salvation would be God taking away our power of choice. It would be as if God would be saying, “Alright, now that you've accepted me, you can never lose your salvation. No matter how hard you try, no matter what levels of sin you sink to, you never have to worry about losing your salvation, no matter how much you may want to be lost. Even if you become the worst sinner ever, and hate me above all else, I will still take you to Heaven where your actions, and maybe even your words, say you don't want to be and make you deal with it for all eternity.”
Does that make sense when we read where the Bible says that God is love? (1 John 4:8, 16). No, these ideas do not mesh together. They are mutually exclusive ideas. Let's keep studying to find out why this is so.
BIBLE VERSE PROOF
There are many examples of Bible verses that are used to support the idea of Once Saved Always Saved, to support this idea that we can never lose salvation, once we have accepted Jesus.
Someone sent me this verse (in this version) as part of their support for the doctrine of eternal security. “He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day like the other high priests, first for their own sins and then for the sins of the people. He did this once for all when he offered himself.” (Hebrews 7:27, Common English Bible).
This is one reason I don't like modern translations of the Bible that much. The translators of these newer versions have been proven and unmasked as trying to undermine certain doctrines of the Bible. See Professor Walter Veith's lectures on this entitled Battle of the Bibles and Changing the Word. For study, I prefer the King James Version. It is the most reliable, and I will be referring to it from now on.
“Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.” (Hebrews 7:27, King James Version).
Notice the difference? This verse is talking about the fact that Jesus only had to die once for us. He does not need to be offered up day after day. This verse is not saying that He made anyone eternally secure from sin when He died for us.
“27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and my Father are one.” (John 10:27-30).
Notice a couple of caveats here. The Word of God says no man can pluck us out of the hands of the Father or the Son. The word for pluck, in the Greek, literally means to “to seize (in various applications):—catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force).”(Emphasis mine). In essence, to kidnap. Can anyone kidnap themselves? No. They can make it look like they've been kidnapped, but no one can kidnap themselves.
This goes back to freedom of choice. No amount of pressure from man, no amount of pressure from all the hosts of evil, can force us to choose anything. The phrase, “The devil made me do it,” is an excuse for sin, and nothing more. No one can remove us from God's hand, except as we ourselves consent and make the choice to leave God.
The second caveat in this verse is this: “they shall never perish.” Let's look at the Greek of this verb here. The parsing information for this verb is Second Aorist Middle Subjunctive. “The middle voice indicates the subject performing an action upon himself (reflexive action) or for his own benefit,” and “The subjunctive mood is the mood of possibility and potentiality. The action described may or may not occur, depending upon circumstances.” This is the same exact word and parsing information for the word perish in John 3:16. The promise of salvation is conditional upon our walk with Jesus. We must stay faithful to Him if we desire salvation. This, of course, can only be done through Him and His strength and grace. Even John 15 specifies that we cann't do anything without Jesus, unless we abide in Him.
So what does this mean? “They shall never perish.” What is the subject for the verb, perish? THEY shall never perish. They as in WE. We each have this choice to make. The possibility of dying eternally or of being saved is dependent upon us. WE have to make that choice. God can't make it for us. If we keep our eyes on Jesus, then we have eternal life. But if we remove ourselves from God's hands, that same moment we forfeit salvation, unless we decide to come back to God and ask Him for the gift of repentance.
Who are the ones that won't perish? The answer is found in the preceding verse, John 10:27. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me...” Only those who follow Jesus whole heartedly have salvation. That is the condition. We must follow Jesus to have salvation. Even if we followed Him for a while, as soon as we willfully rebell against Him, we have lost our salvation.
“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” (1 Corinthians 9:27). "I die daily." (1 Corinthians 15:31). The apostle Paul recognized the very real fact that he could lose his salvation if he became unfaithful to Jesus. The word for castaway, means “not standing the test, not approved...that which does not prove itself such as it ought...unapproved, i.e. rejected; by implication, worthless (literally or morally):—castaway, rejected, reprobate.”
The apostle Paul also recognized the same principle that John saw in his vision from the book of Revelation. To the Seven Churches in Revelation chapters 2 & 3, it says seven times, one to each church, “To him who overcomes,” and then an accompanying promise for overcoming. Accepting Jesus at the start of a loving relationship with Him is not overcoming sin once and for all. On the contrary, it is simply the start of a lifelong, full on war with self and sin. No fallen human has ever overcome all the sin in their lives in one quick moment.
“4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” (Hebrews 6:4-6).
This is another verse used to support once saved always saved. But a simple reading actually disproves the doctrine of eternal security. This verse is saying that it is possible for a Christian who has a genuine walk with Jesus to fall away from the Savior. It is also saying that as long as they are choosing willful rebellion, they cannot be renewed to a saving relationship with Jesus.
As a by the way, if you have fallen away from Jesus, please do not get discouraged. Please do not lose heart and please do not give up. Jesus also said in the Gospel of John, “No man can come to me, except the Father draw him...and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:44, & 37, respectively). So if you once again have a desire to be close to Jesus, that is proof positive that the Holy Spirit is drawing you back to the Savior. So please, if you have fallen away, please come back.
This verse was also presented to me, and again, this is why I do not like modern translations of the Bible: “11 But Christ has appeared as the high priest of the good things that have happened. He passed through the greater and more perfect meeting tent, which isn’t made by human hands (that is, it’s not a part of this world). 12 He entered the holy of holies once for all by his own blood, not by the blood of goats or calves, securing our deliverance for all time.” (Hebrews 9:11-12, Common English Bible).
This translation is basically saying that Jesus entered the Most Holy Place once for all. Let's look at the KJV for the accurate translation: “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; 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.” (Hebrews 9:11-12, King James Version).
So we can see that when Jesus ascended to Heaven, He entered the HOLY PLACE, not the Most Holy Place. And His entering there did not provide eternal security for anyone.
“23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” (Hebrews 10:23-27).
The author of Hebrews made sure to say “if WE sin willfully...” (Emphasis mine). We. The author says if we sin wilfully, we have the final judgment, also known as the lake of fire, to look forward to, and not in a good way. Let's continue the passage:
“28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:28-29).
Again, if we turn to willful rebellion after we have known Jesus in a saving way, we will receive a sore punishment. The author of Hebrews makes it clear that this example individual was sanctified, and then fell away. As a result, if said example individual were not to repent, they would be given a very sore punishment, for once having genuinely known Jesus, and then having turned wilfully away to sin. To finish the passage:
“35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” (Hebrews 10:35-39).
Once again, Hebrews 10 makes it abundantly clear that those who are saved still have the oportunity to turn away from Jesus, to eternal ruin and death, thus forfeiting their salvation.
“42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. 45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.” (Luke 12:42-47).
Jesus Himself said that someone could go from being His faithful servant, to be a lost unfaithful servant. When we truly accept Jesus, and study His Word, He will make known to us His will for our lives. And as long as we continue in that saving relationship, we have salvation. But those who reject Jesus after knowing Him, and don't repent, will be “beaten with many stripes,” because they knew their Father's will, and stopped doing it. But again, God is quick to forgive. So if you have wandered away, He still loves you and wants to save you. He DOES NOT want to punish you. But let us not mistake His love for weakness.
“20 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. 21 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. 22 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.” (2 Peter 2:20-22, emphasis mine).
The apostle Peter here makes it clear that it is possible for those who have been saved, or in his words, if they “have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” it is possible for them to return to their old life of sin. And as we have seen from John 10, we must be following Jesus in order to have salvation. When we don't follow Jesus, we don't have salvation.
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall DEPART FROM THE FAITH, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;” (1 Timothy 4:1, emphasis mine). think this one really speaks for itself. Even Jesus in told the church of Ephesus to “4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because THOU HAST LEFT THY FIRST LOVE. 5 Remember therefore from whence THOU ART FALLEN, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Revelation 2:4-5, Emphasis mine).
THE NEVER HAD FAITH OBJECTION
Of course, one argument is that those who followed Christ, and then turned back to sin were never saved to begin with. After all, how could one who has known the pardoning love of Jesus possibly go back to sin? It happened with multiple people written about in the Bible. Let me ask a question? Was David saved before he committed adultery with Bathsheba, and her husband killed to try and cover it up? Or was he never saved to begin with?
The Bible calls David a man after God's own heart. And it is pretty clear from reading the story of this king that he had a saving relationship with God. But when he slept with a married woman and then murdered her husband to hide the fact that he got her pregnant, he for a period of time became an agent of Satan. If you don't believe me, let's check out what the apostles John and Paul said:
“Envyings, MURDERS, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:21, emphasis mine).
“9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neitherFORNICATORS, nor idolaters, nor ADULTERERS, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor COVETOUS, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, emphasis mine).
“7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and MURDERERS, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:7-8, emphasis mine).
EXAMPLES OF BIBLICAL FIGURES
King David had been guilty of everything in bold and capitals in the above texts, with the exception of fornication. Fornication typically refers to non married sex. And we have Biblical proof from both Paul and John that these kinds of people won't be in Heaven, unless they repent. Nowthen, if King David was saved before he committted these sins, what was the point in repenting? If he was already saved, and couldn't lose his salvation, then there was no need for him to repent. Psalm 51 should not exist according to the doctrine of eternal security.
Another example is King Solomon, son of King David. Even a surface level reading of his story reveals he had a saving relationship with God. And then he fell into apostasy. And I believe it was so gradual that even he didn't notice it till he was full on into it. And he married literally thousands of strange women, and worshipped false Gods, both of which the Holy Spirit declared through both Paul and John that these kinds of people won't enter Heaven, except they repent. And repentance is a gift of God. It's not something we earn. We receive repentance as a gift of God by keeping our eyes on Jesus, and Him crucified. Let's make that clear.
Both David and King Solomon repented of their respective apostasies. But here is an example of a man who was saved, then fell into apostasy, never to return to God. Make no mistake, the Bible says very clearly that King Saul was saved at one point. He knew the Lord. I quote here from an article from Amazing Facts Ministry, from their article by Elder Joe Crews entitled, Can a Saved Man Choose to be Lost?
“It is written of Saul that he was "turned into another man." "And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be TURNED INTO ANOTHER MAN." 1 Samuel 10:6 emphasis added. Yet Saul backslid from his high and exalted position, disobeyed the Lord, and at last took his own life (1 Samuel 31:1-6). It cannot be said in this case that Saul was not converted, because God says that he was. Yet, he took his own life with no opportunity of repentance.”
The only security we have is in keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, and walking with Him in a moment by moment love relationship. The true believer in Jesus always has the freedom to return to sin if he so desires. And make no mistake, Satan has myriad temptations designed to get us to do just that. But if we keep our eyes heavenward, and constantly look at Jesus, we can overcome the devil by the grace of God. Even one sin, though, persistently cherish, is enough to cancel out all the power of the Gospel in our lives. This is a topic that demands careful study. Because if we get it wrong, it could prove eternally fatal.
