MYTH: Once Saved, Always Saved

By Mac McFarland

3 August 2000

This study is done to help disciples refute the oft heard phrase: "Once Saved, Always Saved". There are plenty of other scriptures that back up the premise of this document, but this should provide a starting point when confronted with those that believe this myth.

I FIRMLY believe that you CAN lose your salvation, EVEN THOUGH grace is a GIFT from God. He EXPECTS us to make decisions everyday about a lot of things, but to ACCEPT his grace is probably one of the most important ones. Even if you accept it ONCE, it does NOT indicate that you can 'lose' that gift later. How many "GIFTS" have you 'lost' over the years that your parents gave you growing up. Here's the first scripture that INDICATES you can LOSE (or misuse) the grace of God: "As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain." 2 Corinthians 6:1 (NIV) Notice that Paul is writing to 'Christians' in the church of Corinth and clearly states that God's gift of grace CAN be misused!

In the following words of God, as spoken by the Apostle Peter, we again find that, even though people are saved ONCE, does NOT guarantee that they are saved forever. "If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud." 2 Peter 2:20-22 (NIV)

Again, when we turn to the book of James (the brother of our dear Jesus), we can see that it IS possible to lose salvation. James writes: "My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back,…" James 5:19 (NIV) "Wandering from the truth is clearly a synonym for losing salvation, or at least, a CAUSE of it.

When you look at Paul talking to the 'Christians' in Galatia, we find him clearly indicating that one can lose salvation by 'FALLING from grace'. Read the following biblical excerpts: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace." Galatians 5:1-4 (NIV) (Underlined also in the NASV)

We also see reference to Christians (a term only found 3 times in the New Testament--a better term is DISCIPLE, which is used over 250 times) NOT being able to enter Heaven because they have "fallen from grace" or "lost their salvation", in the following words of God: "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21 (NIV)

Now let's look briefly where Paul is talking again to disciples of Jesus. To the church in Ephesus, he pens several 'instructions', starting off by praising them and ensuring they understand that they ARE saved by the tremendous gift of GRACE from God. Here in Ephesians 1:7-8 we see that what I said (and I know you will agree with me) is true: "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding."

And, shortly later, he writes: ” And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory." Ephesians: 1:13-14

Furthermore, he continues in chapter 2, verses 4 and 5: "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved."

At this point, IF you were to stop reading Paul's plea to the Ephesians, you might be fooled into believing that all you had to do was 'praise Jesus into your heart' and you would be saved forever and ever. BUT, if you read on, you will find out that there is a little more to it. Let's start in Ephesians 4:17 and read all the way through Ephesians 5:5: "So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin" : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."

But, I can't stop there, read the NEXT verse: "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient." Ephesians 5:6 (NIV)

Jesus HIMSELF offered plenty of warnings about not living the way he does, and not only to believe in him, but to OBEY him as well. One can ONLY come away with the absolute knowledge from HIS words alone, that just because you believe in him, that heaven is NOT a 'guarantee'. (Uh, even the demons believed in him - Matthew 8:31, Mark 1:34, and Luke 4:41, for example). As a matter of a fact, eternal life is ONLY for those that fully comply with ALL of his instructions and teachings. The 'feeling' in one's heart that he/she belongs to Christ IS SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH. ONE MUST LIVE THE WAY CHRIST COMMANDS US TO. Turn to, and read the following passages from the book of Matthew: "For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:8 (NIV) Skip to Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." This second verses SEEM to contradict the one above (7:8), BUT, they REALLY help to EXPLAIN it. So do some others I will quote below. Yes, EVERYONE has the OPPORTUNITY to receive, simply by knocking, BUT, if the life they live is NOT the one that Jesus describes through his many wondrous parables and other teachings, that opportunity will be to no avail!!!! It is no more self evident in Jesus' following words: "Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!" Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV) He continues in verses 24 through 27 and exemplifies his point with a parable of builders building houses on true foundations.

In Luke 13:22, Jesus again tells about WHO is going to be saved. It is NOT all of those who just 'believe in him', but rather those that DO his will. "Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" He said to them, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, `Sir, open the door for us.' "But he will answer, `I don't know you or where you come from.' "Then you will say, `We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' "But he will reply, `I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!' Luke 13:23-27 (NIV)

AND, as far as BAPTISM is concerned. It IS a requirement for salvation. This subject alone could take me three days to compile a study for you, but let me just use ONE verse that DEMANDS that baptism is a requirement (not the one in Ephesians 4:5, nor even the one in Acts 8:36, but the one spoken by Jesus himself--his LAST words of instruction on earth AFTER he was resurrected). This is in Matthew 28:18-20. "Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Notice that he is commanding his disciples (first call 'Christians' at a town called Antioch later on in the ACTS of the first century Church) to make disciples all over the world and BAPTIZE them!!! Also notice, in support of the majority of this study, that he commands his disciples (that is ANYONE who takes up his cross daily to follow him--another whole study in itself) to OBEY EVERYTHING that he commanded his first disciples. ONLY THEN, will he be with us until 'the very end of the age'.

In summary, I offer to you the wisdom and knowledge I have gained through knowing Jesus in the past few years. I am NOT a seminary graduate, and have not even attended a "Summer Bible School", yet, I feel I have been given a gift to learn from others AND to 'interpret' what I hear and read (reading being the most important) about the Bible in a sound manner. A lot of people simply are 'brainwashed' by false teachers who were prophesied about in both the Old and New Testaments of our wonderful doctrine. It is important NOT to just pick a few phrases out (what it MAY seem like I have done here, but it is not so) and go by them. It is more important to read and understand everything written about Jesus and his teachings. By FAITH, we believe in God and Jesus. By FAITH we should live our lives, and by FAITH we should teach others the good news. We should NOT, however, be teaching others concepts and ideas contradictory to what is in black and white (and of course, red) in the Bible.

In FINAL conclusion, (if there IS such a thing) I want to leave some words specifically for those that dispute false teachers: "For all people that actually believe the oft quoted (but never once from the BIBLE, because it is NOT in there!), "Once Saved, Always Saved", I offer the following as a warning, as quoted FROM the BIBLE in 2 Thessalonians 2:11: "For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie". You may want to read one or two passages before that sentence to fully understand it, BUT, it is CRITICAL that people are not fooled by the 'false prophets' that Jesus and others warned us about. "

Good Day, and May God Bless….