For Video of this lesson
Is Once Saved Always Saved Biblical?
Let me explain.
Once saved always saved will be a reality when we get to heaven. Until then, the teachings of Jesus and the apostles was a paradigm of personal responsibility to be faithful.
” His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matthew 25:21
“Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.” Luke 13:7-9
Fruitfulness
The great fallacies in christianity are doctrines created by scriptures while ignoring others. Such is the Doctrine of Once saved always saved. One is committing scriptural malpractice to read Paul while ignoring Jesus.
Yet, there is no difference in theology from Paul to Jesus, but rather simply failing to read context… not just of the scripture above and beneath our pet scriptures…. but the context of thought and spirit of the whole.
Paul breathed in the same spirited air that Jesus breathed out… and that gives us the Word of God.
Faith that continues
“..because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.” Romans 11: 19-20
Paul said of himself,
“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
Diligence is understood by all of Scripture. Without diligence, you lose what you gain.
God forbid we include another writer of scripture to weigh into this subject of faithfulness.
“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:”
2 Peter 1:10
One more and trust me or better yet study the Bible and you will find this principle to be woven in scripture from the beginning till the end.
Jesus said to a New Testament Church
“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 2:5
Here is the principle that breeds false doctrines and perceptions about truth. Pitting one scripture against another and making it an either or. John 3:5 or John 3:16? Oh I like John 3:16 better.
This is the fallacy of a falsehood.
The principle is they are both true and one must not feel obligated to dismiss one to believe another because the doctrine your taught has so narrowly based an understanding that falls apart if you include the other.
“Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:” Isaiah 28:9-11
It is the scriptural principle that the Word of God is a whole.
Not simply Paul, or Peter or Jesus… or even the New Testament or the Old.. but it takes it all.
It’s all true in the whole.
The problem is many people learn the scripture from individuals who have been indoctrinated in the surmising of what scripture means before they are taught to read and understand what the scripture means without the surmising informing their perception.
And so looking through spectacles of Luther or Calvin, Joseph Smith or Catholic,…. and there are hundreds of different kinds of truth altering prescriptions that are in the end the cause of the great divisions in christianity.
Once saved always saved is one of the great deceptions.
Why does it matter?
Because sincere people who love God fail to understand that God expects fruitfulness, diligence and faithfulness. People can dismiss their own failings and feel some sense of comfort in the failings of others because of a lie.
“But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matthew 24:13
When the Holy Spirit convicts them of what they are doing and their lack of prayer, attending church or some action or activity, they pull out the bottle of false doctrine they were taught and lie to themselves, “I am once saved always saved.”
We attend funerals of people who have defamed God and the world and the family will find a preacher to stand up before all and declare them saved and in heaven. This sort of activity in the name of Christianity is just short of blasphemy. Causing those who are living the same way to continue with a solace, if Jack was saved… I know I am going to heaven.
The evil fruit of a seemingly simple deception has far reaching effect.
God Help us to take off the lenses of Denominational traditional doctrines and study the scripture before it’s too late for ourselves and those we love.
No doubt one can point to a few isolated scriptures that give us comfort that we are in his Hand and nothing can separate us from the Love of God, however that truth does negate the cold reality of Truth Jesus and all of his Apostles taught including Paul.
Diligence, Faithfulness, Fruitfulness and Endurance until the end
“Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:” Romans 2:7 & 8
Once saved always saved will be a reality when we get to heaven. Until then, the declaration of Jesus and the apostles was a paradigm of personal responsibility to be faithful.
If you have questions feel free to send me a note.
If my words above seem to be overtly provocative that is partly on purpose. The only way most of us will study something is we must be provoked deeply enough that we are disturbed to go study it out.
Here is the challenge, will we study scripture or simply find someone to comfort our sentimentality or will we search the scripture. There is great comfort in deception and that is why this deception is so deeply cherished.
Still today our flesh loves a way out… and if we are not careful we will love darkness rather than light because our nature, carnal nature is against the principles and truth of God.
Sincerely,
Scott Phillips
“But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:” 2 Peter 1:9-10
To believe in once saved always saved, one must exclude many scriptures that deal with the subject.
Like most false doctrines, one must stretch one scripture and ignore other scriptures. Remember, all of the scriptures together explain the issue. It may not fit in the nice clean boxes of your tradition. Seems like God does not care about what the Pope, Luther, Calvin or Wesley said on the subject. Let God be true and every man a liar.