Once Saved, Always Saved?

I’m very glad to find this excellent article again!!!

NOTE: I corrected a few spelling errors, deleted a few potentially confusing portions (the Hebrews 6 factor and some old covenant correlations, indicated by ellipses in brackets), added some comments in brackets (with “– ed.”), and left-justified all lines. All else was left as is.

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Teachers of the Once Saved Always Saved doctrine, I plead with you, do not forsake the warnings; preach them to the sheep! God will NOT hold you guiltless for the souls who perish from this error in doctrine! Warn them that their sins, their disobedience, their evil deeds, unless repented, may cost them their soul, and their blood will be upon YOUR hands!

– Brian O’Connell

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From: jesusfreak.com, who writes:

This article was originally posted at www.crossbearer.net and written by that site’s owner, Brian O’Connell. I also recommend this article he wrote that also calls for believers to endure in following Jesus no matter what.

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As I begin this study, I must make some statements. First, every Christian is struggling with sin. Temptation is always at our doorstep, and sometimes we fall into the sin. The child of God Repents, even if we must repent over and over again, we repent! We call out to Jesus to help us. Our hearts desire to serve the Lord, and we strive to turn away from sin and walk in obedience. To those who fall into this description [to those who actually do overcome, whose hearts are pure and therefore guilt-free – ed.], I wish to assure you, your salvation is secure with Christ. But there are others, who use this security as a license to freely sin against God, and walk in disobedience, without a heart of repentance, feeling secure of their salvation while trampling Jesus underfoot and insulting the Holy Spirit of Grace (Heb. 10:29)! This study is written to confront these deceived souls, who may very well be in danger of perishing!

Did Jesus ever teach that once you are saved, that you cannot lose your salvation? We are assured eternal security, yes, but only to those who remain in the faith until the end. To those who Obey Him and overcome!

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matt.7:21)

Mat 21:28-31
But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first.

If you will read the remaining verses in Matthew 21, it was the Pharisees who, after telling the Father they would obey, disobeyed God anyway. Then, there were those who at first, refused to obey while they were living in sin, but then repented, and DID THE WILL OF THE FATHER. It is no different than some today who trust on the OSAS doctrine to save them, like those pharisees who trusted that as children of Abraham, they were safe and secure while they continued to sin against God. After repentance and confessing Jesus Christ as Lord these OSAS students who trust their security, willfully return to their sinful vomit and live in disobedience to God, and claim that as Children of God, they will not have to pay the “wages of sin”, which is death!

“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. 21For 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. 22But 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)

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matt.7:21)

Hebrews 5:9 “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him”;

Acts 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

UNLESS WE REMAIN IN CHRIST, WE WILL PERISH!

Once saved Always saved teachers have disregarded the “IF” in the scriptures. It is a condition! I will give you $50 IF you will cut my grass. If you do NOT cut my grass, the $50 is NOT yours!

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; [2] By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory (hold fast, retain) what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.” (1 Cor. 15:1-2 )

Albert Barne’s Commentary explains this verse as “The idea is, that they were saved by this, or would be, if they faithfully retained or held the doctrine as he delivered it; if they observed it, and still believed it...”

John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible puts it this way “it is the man that perseveres in the faith and doctrine of Christ that shall be saved; and everyone that has truly believed in Christ, and cordially embraced his Gospel, shall hold on, and out to the end;”

Compare the above scripture in 1 Cor. 15:1-2 with the Galatian church that did NOT retain the gospel that Paul preached and had “fallen from grace“. The end result of their fall from grace was that “Christ is become of NO effect unto you” !

“Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace“. (Galatians 5:4)

This church was in grave danger of losing their salvation, having fallen from grace, by which Christ had become of no effect to them. Paul now labored to recover them before they were completely lost as he wrote this letter.

“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,” (Galatians 4:19)

If the people of this church were so very secure in their salvation, Paul would not have written this letter with the concern by which he wrote it, and the warnings of the fact that they have forsaken Christ and fallen from grace!

Later in this study, I will deal with the difference between “Works of the Law” which Paul was dealing with in the letter to the Galatians, and “Good Works” which James spoke of in his letter!

We shall now continue with the conditional “IF“!

“Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” (Romans 11:22)

“If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned” (John 15:6)

And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel… (Col 1:21-23 KJV)

Apostacy

The book of Hebrews warns the Christian brethren not to depart from God from an evil heart of unbelief, which can be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Again, the conditional “if” is mentioned for those who believe and remain “stedfast to the end”! A backslider, whose heart is being hardened because of his sins, is in danger of departing from the living God! The brother whose heart is hardened because of his sin, ultimately departs from the Lord and denies the God who bought them.

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. [13] But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. [14] For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; (Hebrews 3:12-14)

We are even warned, that in these last days there would be those who would “depart from the faith” such as defined in Hebrews 3:12-14 above and prophetically spoken of in the following verses below. These are those who, depart from God, leave the faith and lose their salvation! How do OSAS teachers explain away the following scriptures without wilfully doing harm to God’s Word?

1 Tim. 4:1
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;

2 Thes. 2:3
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away (apostacy) first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

The word “depart” in Hebrews 3:12-14 and 1 Tim. 4:1 is “aphistemi” (Greek 575) and means to remove, revolt, desist, desert, depart, draw away, withdraw self. The word “falling away” in 2 Thes. 2:3 is apostasia, ap-os-tas-ee’-ah; feminine of the same as Greek 647 (apostasion); defection from truth (properly the state) [“apostasy”] :- falling away, forsake.

By definition, these verses are clearly speaking about Christians whom have turned away from the faith!

That is the reason why Hebrews 3:13, and 10:23-25 declares we must exhort each other daily and remain in the assembly of believers (church), that our faith remains strong, our conviction against sin remains pure, and our profession of faith does not waver, provoking each other to love and “good works”:

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. (Hebrews 10:23-25)

A brother that is living in sin by which his heart is being hardened, and has forsaken the church assembly, may be in grave danger of departing from the faith and losing his salvation! James 5:19-20 instructs us who are in the faith to attempt to turn such a person back to the truth to save his soul from death. Again, you will see the “if“ condition.

Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; [20] Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. (James 5:19-20)

Please note the word “Soul” not “body”! By correcting the false error of the fallen brother, the one who converts him, will have saved his soul from hell and the grave! I pray that my study will save some souls from death and damnation!

Hebrews, warning against backslidding!

“For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29Of 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? 30For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.” (Hebrews 10:26-29)

Someone who “was sanctified” is one who was Saved!

1 Cor. 6:9-11
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, 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. [11] And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Yet the scripture in Hebrews defines this person who “was sanctified” but wilfully returned to his sin as one who no longer has a sacrifice for sin, but will receive Judgment and fiery indignation because he has trampled Jesus under his feet, despised the blood of Jesus and insulted the spirit of Grace! This scripture in Hebrews 10:26-29 has a direct correlation with Hebrews Chapter 6 which we will cover in a moment!

The entire book of Hebrews, for the scholar who will study this book in depth, is a warning against backslidding, with a consequence of “perdition (destruction)” for the backslidder who does not return to the faith and fulfill the will of God.

“For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. “ (verses 36-39) We MUST keep the Faith to the end!

The following scripture has tripped the “Once saved, Always saved” teachers time and time again, forcing them to find a way to excuse it away with all kinds of error!

[…]

I feel it is important here to repeat the verses in Chapter 10

AND the words written in Chapter 3

And we shall sum it up in Hebrews chapter 12

Heb 12:14-15 Try to be at peace with everyone, and try to live a holy life, because no one will see the Lord without it. Guard against turning back from the grace of God. Let no one become like a bitter plant that grows up and causes many troubles with its poison. (GNB)

The entire outline in Hebrews of the purpose and direction of instruction of warnings and encouragements to the body of Christ to remain in the faith without wavering, are nullified by those who teach the OSAS doctrine! […]

Produce good fruit, mortify the sin nature!

“Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance…. 9And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” (Luke 3:8-9)

No fruit = HELL FIRE!

1 Corinthians chapter 5 tells us not to fellowship with someone who claims to be a brother but is living in unrepented sin:

“But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.” Then verse 13 says: “Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person”.

Then in chapter 6 Paul tells us that they WILL NOT inherit the kingdom of God.

Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor. 6:8-11)

You might argue with me that Paul said “all things are lawful for me…” Paul never said that it was lawful for him to SIN! Paul says: “To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.” (1 Cor. 9:21)

Although he lived as without the Mosaic law among the Gentiles, he did NOT live without the Law to God, he kept his body subject to the law of Christ and resisted sin!

“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 Cor. 9:27)

The word “castaway” is “Adokimos”- meaning “unapproved; worthless; rejected; reprobate.”

Then he goes right into Chapter 10 and gives every kind of warning using Old Testament examples about those who fell from grace and concludes in verse 12 with: “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

Furthermore, in Romans 6:1-2, Paul writes: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein”

Once again, we shall see the “IF” condition for salvation. Romans chapter 8 tells us about the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul gives us a conditional “if“, a debt which we owe to keep eternal LIFE:

Romans 8:12-13
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. [13] For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

So the instruction here is that we MUST, through the Spirit, mortify, or put to death, our sinful deeds in order to live! IF we do not, Paul writes “ye shall die”!

WORKS

It has become clearly obvious, as I have confronted those of the OSAS doctrine, that there is great confusion over “Good Works” (James 2:24), the “Works of the Law” (Gal. 2:16) and “Working to cease from Sin“.

Good Works vs. Works of the Law

I’ve heard it said by OSAS students: “Faith PLUS anything else is NOT the gospel”! It is “by faith only“, that we are saved!

WHICH Gospel are THEY declaring? It’s simply NOT God’s Word!

James wrote that we are “NOT” justified “by faith only” as the OSAS teachers declare, but that we MUST have works that prove our faith:

James 2:24
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

James 2:20-23
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? [21] Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? [22] Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? [23] And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

If you are NOT producing “good fruit” and doing “good works” as a result of your salvation, your faith is dead!

The confusion by the OSAS teachers comes in because of the scripture that Paul used in Galatians:

Galatians 2:16
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

And:

Galatians 3:11
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

Why the difference between James and Paul? Simple! The “Works of the Law” Paul spoke about, is a form of Works by which the Jews tried to be saved through “Keeping the Sabbath” or by “circumcision” (which is what Paul was speaking about in Galatians). It is an attempt to be saved by keeping the 613 laws and ordinances of Moses. Ritual bathings, eating “clean” meat, keeping festivals ect.

James, however, was NOT speaking about the “works of the LAW”, but rather “Good Works of Mercy (v.13)” which is a result, and proof of salvation. If you will read James 2:14-26, James talked about feeding and clothing the poor as “good works” that justify the believer and reveals their faith! “….I will show you my faith BY my works” (v.18) So the “Works of the Law” and “Good Works” are totally separate “Works”, and one of them IS required in order to justify the believer and certify the fact that they have faith!

Works of turning away from sin

Luke 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

agonizomai, ag-o-nid’-zom-ahee; from Greek 73 (agon); to struggle, literally (to compete for a prize), figuratively (to contend with an adversary), or genitive (to endeavor to accomplish something) :- fight, labor fervently, strive.

1 Peter 4:17-18 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? [18] And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

molis, mol’-is; probably by variation for Greek 3425 (mogis); with difficulty :- hardly, scarce (-ly), + with much work.

There is a strange idea that, for us to cease from sin, is “works”! In other words, if I should choose to discontinue an adulterous affair of sleeping with my neighbors wife, I am striving by works to earn my salvation! Foolish reasoning wouldn’t you agree? Yet that is what some OSAS teachers reason when an unrepentant OSAS student defends their right to continue in sin, saying that those who are working or striving to resist sin, “have fallen from grace” and not “trusting by faith”!

Isn’t this the error of thinking that Paul is addressing in Romans chapter 6?

Romans 6:1-2
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? [2] God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Let me give you a story to help understand the correct doctrine of “works” verses “faith”! If a man were to rob a bank and kill an officer in the robbery, and then as he is making his getaway, he stops to help an elderly woman to cross the street, does his “good works” cancel out his crime? Of course not! The Judge slams his hammer and says “Death by electric chair”! He has been judged and must pay the penalty! But then, just as he is about to be electrocuted, the KING enters the room. Having ALL authority, he orders that the criminal be set free, and that HE will take the criminals place and die in his place! As the criminal stands outside of the gates, and watch the lights flicker, knowing that this man gave HIS life in exchange for his crime, do you suppose the man would return to the bank the next day, and attempt another robbery? Of course not!

Romans 6:15
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

The grace of God, by his great mercy, I am forgiven and the penalty of my debt was placed upon the Lord Jesus Christ! NOW, if I suppose that I have the freedom to return to my sin, after I have been forgiven, don’t suppose that the KING will return to the cross again, in order to pay my penalty a second time! In so doing, I will be trodding Jesus under my feet, despising the purchase price of his blood and insult the Spirit of Grace! In gratitude, I should THEN begin a NEW Life, knowing how close I was to death, and live a CLEAN life. I would NEVER rob a bank again!

[…]

Hebrews 10:26-29
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. [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?

All this that I have explained is spoken of in Ephesians 2:8-10!

If I were that criminal, my good works of helping the elderly woman cross the street, could NOT save me from the judgment for my crimes committed! So the free gift, by the grace of God, was purchased for me by my faith in Christ! He freely forgave my debt and delivered me from the death penalty.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast. [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

But how many OSAS students ever quote verse 10 above? NOW that I have been delivered, I am NOW indebted to DO GOOD WORKS, as a result of God’s free gift!

AND, I am indebted to mortify my sinful deeds and be led to OBEY the Holy Spirit!

Romans 8:12-14 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. [13] For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. [14] For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

We NOW have a debt to God, a debt to cease from sin, and to DO GOOD WORKS!

So then, works does not save us, but when we are saved, we are now “ordained to do GOOD works” and “debtors to crucify the sin nature”! In the previous verses in Ephesians, the scripture declares that, when we were NOT saved, we were children of disobedience:

“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” (Eph. 2:2)

If we are no longer children of disobedience, then what kind of children are we now? Aren’t we now, children of obedience, ordained by God to do GOOD works as a result of our salvation?

CAN WE LOSE OUR SALVATION?

Consider the fact that in the scriptures in Revelations chapters 2 and 3, that Jesus was speaking TO THE CHURCH! So then, HOW is it possible that Jesus spoke of blotting out names from the “Book of Life”, if your salvation is secure and you can freely sin against God and even deny his name and still be assured entrance into his wonderful kingdom?

“Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels” (Rev. 3:3-5) We CAN have our name Blotted out of the BOOK of LIFE!

“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 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” (Rev. 2:3-4)

Five of the virgins in Matt. chapter 25 let their love grow cold. The oil, represents the Holy Spirit:

“… for it cannot be for nothing that this inward grace is here set forth by the familiar symbol of oil, by which the Spirit of all grace is so constantly represented in Scripture. Beyond all doubt, this was what was symbolized by that precious anointing oil with which Aaron and his sons were consecrated to the priestly office (Exo_30:23-25, Exo_30:30); by “the oil of gladness above His fellows” with which Messiah was to be anointed (Psa_45:7; Heb_1:9)” Jamieson, Faussett and Brown Commentary ref. Matthew 25:4

“by oil is meant, … either the Spirit of God himself, who is the oil of gladness, and the anointing which teacheth all things; or the regenerating and sanctifying grace of the Spirit,” Dr. John Gill’s Exposition of the entire Bible ref. Matthew 25:3

The oil in their lamps was low, and when the bridegroom came, they had run out of oil and had gone to get more. When they returned, the door was closed.

So HOW do we keep our lamps full of oil? Obedience! God gives the Holy Spirit to those who “Obey HIM”!

Acts 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

The Holy Spirit is not going to remain inside of the person who wilfully continues to sleep with his neighbors wife, or is holding such anger with a man, that he contemplates and executes murder! If your love for God and your neighbor shall wax cold, Jesus said you will not be saved! Your oil has run dry!

“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved”. (Matt. 24:12-13)

“But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. 24:48-51)

Luke 12:46 adds “…and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.” Rev. 21:8 says that all unbelievers will be thrown into the lake of fire.

The rest of Luke 12:47 says: “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.”

Here is a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, a Christian, who gets impatient waiting for the return of Christ, and he returns to his old sinful ways. The scripture says that he is NOT going to heaven.

“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. 21For 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. 22But 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)

[…]

Romans 4:3
… Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

John 8:56
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

The New Testament simply removed the barriers, the rituals of the law, the ordinances ect. that separated us from God!

Col. 2:14
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

But the message of “holiness” and “righteousness” cannot be made void by the OSAS teachers who promote that one who continues to disobey the Lord and live in open sin are “secure” in their salvation under the dispensation of Grace and has nothing to fear. This is simply heresy by which the book of Hebrews is nullified by their teaching!

Hebrews 10:29-31
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? [30] For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. [31] It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

[…]

“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.” (Rev. 3:15-16)

Early Church Apostates!

An early church historian, Eusebius Pamphilus, Bishop of Ceserea around 300 AD, writes about the martyrs of the early church. Those who renounced Christ Jesus for fear of losing their lives, were considered “Apostates” and endanger of hell, losing their salvation!

“Of these, indeed, about ten also fell away, causing great sorrow and excessive grief to our bretheren… we were all struck with great fear, on account of the uncertainty of their holding out in profession, not indeed dreading the tortures inflicted, but looking at the end, and trembling lest they should apostatize.”

“But the devil also led forth a certain Biblias to punishment, who was one of those that had renounced the faith… But in the midst of the torture she repented and recovered herself, and as if awakening out of a deep sleep, was reminded by the punishment before her, of the eternal punishment in hell… After that, she professed herself a Christian, and was added to the number of martyrs.”
Eusebius Pamphilus Ecclesiastical History, Book V, Chapter 1

“Quitus by name… seeing the beasts and the additional tortures threatened, was so overcome by fear and shaken in his resolution, that he finally gave up his salvation”.
Eusebius Pamphilus Ecclesiastical History, Book IV, Chapter XV

UNREPENTED SIN BRINGS DEATH!

James chapter 1 has the most complete illustration of how one may lose his salvation! It is a dying process!

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 13Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” (James 1:12-15)

Notice that the death of the soul is a process, (1) first Tempted (2) then sin (3) and full grown sin = death.

James identifies that the one who endures temptation, or overcomes, shall receive the crown of life. If you have been mislead to believe that this scripture is speaking of a physical death, lets go to the concluding verses:

Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. (James 5:19-20 KJV)

Yes! James was speaking of the soul, not the body! He gave the dying process of a soul of a brother that falls into sin, erring from the truth, in danger of hell. This scripture creates a major flaw to the Once saved, Always saved theory!

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As long as the sinner is under conviction, he is still able to repent and return to Christ as explained in 1 John 1:9!
But DON’T TEMPT GOD! It is a place of great danger! There IS also a sin unto death!

If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. (1 John 5:16)

I personally believe that “sin unto death” is denying Christ [which is apparently what the Jewish Christians did to a significant enough degree in Hebrews 6, so they could no longer repent. Their names seem to have actually been removed from the Book of Life (Rev. 3:1-6) before they died, unlike what apparently happens to most willfully unrepentant sinners, who live with a guilty conscience, but only have their names removed from the Book of Life after they die – ed.]:

…if we deny him, he also will deny us: (2 Tim 2:12 KJV)

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. (2 Pet 2:1 KJV)

You might say that a born again Christian will never deny Christ. This reasoning might help to explain the hole in your theology when confronted with a “brother” who falls into great sin, but it doesn’t work on the streets. I’ve met them! I know personally one who was truly saved. He even wept for me in prayer when my faith was weak. He spent hours throughout the night in intercession. Now he is ashamed to speak the name of Jesus Christ! He has shipwrecked his faith! Was he ever saved in the first place? You cannot convince me he wasn’t! Is it possible that he may still repent? Sure! Yet it is also possible he may not!

Ezekiel 3:19-20
Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. [20] Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

Furthermore, the sexually immoral brother of 1 Cor. chapter 5, was a brother in the church! Paul instructed them to excommunicate him from the church, and deliver him to Satan. Paul didn’t tell the church that this man was “Never saved in the first place” and is in need of being saved! But as a remedy to this mans sin, Paul ordered the church to excommunicate the man from the church, delivering him out of the commonwealth of the church and into the hands of Satan, for the hope that the man will come to his senses and repent. Paul was clearly concerned about the mans soul which was in danger of perishing! Many commentators believe he repented by the scripture in 2 Cor. 2:5-11! Exactly how a sinner is to be delivered to Satan is not clear, but one note that is clearly drawn by the scriptures is that even though he was part of the church, he was in danger of hell, and that the body of believers were to refuse to fellowship with such a person in hope that he would repent and be restored!

1 Cor. 5:11
But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

1 Cor. 5:13
…. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

The prodigal son, while he was away from the Father, was considered DEAD (Luke 15:24) He wasn’t physically dead, he was spiritually DEAD. He wasn’t considered “alive again” until he returned to the Father. Repentance is the ONLY cure for those that are perishing!

SAVED BY FAITH!
(Were they ever saved in the first place)

Ephes. 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Those who are of the “Once saved, Always saved” (OSAS) camp often say “They were never saved in the first place” when a supposed brother or sister falls into gross sin! This creates a problem with the gospel message! We are “saved through faith” There is not a single scripture in the Bible that declares an apostate to have “never been saved in the first place,” the doctrine propagated by the OSAS school. Yet, contrariwise to the OSAS philosophy, the scriptures instruct us to keep the faith until the end, and there are those whom have, and will, turn away from the faith.

The OSAS doctrine, makes the subject of faith very confusing as the question arises, “how do we know anyone is truly saved”? This question is given to you as well. Are you really saved?

Rather than measuring your salvation based on your faith in Jesus Christ, which can be strong or weak at any given point of time, the OSAS student bases his salvation, not on faith, but of a miracle that can keep him no matter how far he falls into sin! I contend that the scriptures consistently declares that it is our faith, not a miracle, that brings each one of us salvation, and we are warned to hold on to this faith, and not turn away from it, to the very end!

1 Peter 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

2 Tim. 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Col. 1:22-23 …. to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: [23] If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel…

2 Cor. 4:13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

We are instructed by the scriptures to feed our faith with the Milk of the word, and to “grow up” into the “meat” of the word! The Word of God which is our daily bread!

So then, if the salvation of a person is based on having the faith to believe, and confessing this belief with their mouth, then WHAT HAPPENS when someone who once believed and confessed, has “shipwrecked his faith”?

1 Tim. 1:19-20 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: [20] Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

In Pauls second letter to Timothy 2:15-18, Hymenaeus, having shipwrecked his faith and erred from the truth, is now overthrowing the faith of others and Alexander did much evil to Paul as an enemy of the word of God 2 Tim. 4:14-15

In my personal experience on the streets preaching the gospel, those whom have fallen into gross sin will either be under great conviction by the Holy Spirit to repent, or will eventually deny the Lord Jesus Christ and forsake the faith in order to escape the conviction of the Holy Spirit. When I ask them of they are Christian, they answer “I used to be, but I am not anymore!” [Though, it doesn’t take gross sin to have a guilty conscience, to be in a place of condemnation in which we would lose our salvation if we were to die in having not repented and cleaned up, by the Holy Spirit’s enabling grace – ed.]

(2 Tim 2:12 KJV) if we deny him, he also will deny us:

(2 Pet 2:1 KJV) But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

Then we have the scriptures that clearly prophecy of those in the last days who WILL depart from the faith! What shall these OSAS teachers do with these scriptures?

1 Tim. 4:1 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;

“aphistemi” (Greek 575) to remove, revolt, desist, desert, depart, draw away, withdraw self.

2 Thes. 2:3
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away (apostacy) first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

apostasia, ap-os-tas-ee’-ah; feminine of the same as Greek 647 (apostasion); defection from truth (properly the state) [“apostasy”] :- falling away, forsake.

Because these people are a problem to the OSAS teachers, they simply say they were never saved in the first place. But scripture warns us continuously to keep the faith, to hold fast to the faith, not to lose faith, to walk by faith! The entire book of Hebrews is a warning against falling away!

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It’s by FAITH that we OBEY the Lord!
Without FAITH, we DISOBEY the Lord and trust in the flesh!

For a more complete study on Faith, click here! This continued study will give you a more thorough review of the topic of Faith and salvation!

ONLY THE OVERCOMER WILL INHERIT GOD’S KINGDOM!

The following scriptures, were spoken TO the CHURCH’s!

“To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” (Rev. 2:7) What happens to the man who does NOT eat of the tree of Life?

“He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death”. (Rev 2:11)
Now we know that the second death is the Lake of Fire! (Rev. 20:14)

“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (Rev. 3:5)

COMMON ARGUMENTS

One argument is John 10:28! But before we read verse 28, lets first read verse 27 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

Obedience is part of the condition. They follow Jesus!

John 10:28-29
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.

Although it is clear that NO ONE is able to pluck a child of God from the hand of Jesus Christ our Lord, the OSAS teachers turn a blind eye to other scriptures and say “THAT INCLUDES YOU, YOURSELF!”

Let me explain! Although scriptures declare that there is NONE righteous, no not one (Romans 3:10) and that ALL have sinned (Romans 3:23), we cannot simply add Jesus as being included when other scriptures clearly declare that Jesus NEVER sinned. (2 Cor. 5:21)

In like manner, when other scriptures clearly declare that a brother CAN forsake the faith, depart from God, and deny the Lord, you cannot include the individual Christian into the equation as though he is incapable of turning away from God! To do so, would be in denial of the truth and warnings of the scriptures!

Hebrews 3:12-14
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. [13] But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. [14] For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end;

Hebrews 10:38-39
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.

1 Tim. 4:1
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;

John 15:6
If a man abide (remain) not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

These scriptures above nullify the idea that you “cannot” pluck yourself from the Father’s hand!

The OSAS teachers also argue, that in Ephes. 1:13, that we are “sealed” and therefore cannot ever be “unsealed”!

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Ephes. 1:13

Ephes. 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

As shown in Eph. 1:13 above, the Holy Spirit is the “seal”! Yet scripture declares that God can remove the Holy Spirit (1 Sam. 16:14), and also that He can “Blot out” a name from the BOOK OF LIFE (Rev. 3:5), remove the candlestick (Rev. 2:5) and spew (Gr. “emeo” – vomit) out the lukewarm Christian (Rev. 3:15-16).

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But if my study has been fruitful to reveal the error of the OSAS doctrine, may I encourage you to read the condition required, the debt we owe, for keeping the seal in Eph. 4:17-5:14. We must “put off” the “old man of sin” and “put on” the “new man of righteousness and holiness” (4:22-24) (and Col. chapter 3)

Don’t let anyone deceive you by any means, we have a debt to pay in order to keep our salvation.

Romans 8:12-13 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. [13] For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

The gift of salvation was free! He freely pardons those who repent and call upon his name! There is nothing we can do to pay for our sins committed in the past to earn our salvation. BUT, to keep our salvation, we must “mortify the deeds of the body“!

Philip. 2:12 … work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

There is a false quote I have heard from these OSAS people through the years, which has infected many church pulpits. The quote “He has already forgiven us of our past, present and future sins“! This “catch all” phrase is used to pardon the believer “in advance” of the sins committed after salvation, as though there is never a need to repent once the believer is saved, since they are “eternally secure”!

The only truth to the above quote is the term “Past” sins! There is NO scripture that mentions the “present and future sins” being atoned for, in advance, without the repentance of the believer who sins after receiving Christ as Lord!

Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

The present and future sins, and their pardon, is explained in the following verses:

1 John 1:9-2:2 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
[2:1] My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: [2] And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

The Christian walk, requires a continual life of repentance to deal with sins committed after the Born Again experience with Christ Jesus our Lord! If the believer does NOT repent of these sins committed after salvation, the scriptures declare that they will die!

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Romans 8:13

Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; [20] Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. James 5:19-20

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Galatians 6:8

Another verse they use is John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Please notice the part that says: “and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out“. So then what happens to the person who turns away from Him as described in Hebrews 6:4-6, or in 2 Peter 2:20-22, or in Romans 11:22? Or one who denies Him as in 2 Tim. 2:12?

Or those like Hymenaeus and Alexander who “shipwrecked their faith” in 1 Timothy 1:19-20?

For the Once saved, Always saved teachers, a multitude of scriptures in this study and more, giving warning, are disregarded and explained away! As a street preacher, I have met many whom have sadly been influenced by this false doctrine. They sin openly and laugh in my face saying “Hey! I was saved once and I cannot lose my salvation!” Their teachers will have to give account for this before God. These teachers give the excuse, “They were never saved in the first place!” Yet they once believed in Christ, they confessed Jesus Christ as Lord, and were baptized into Christ. With this philosophy, how then does any man know when, and if he is truly saved? The OSAS doctrine places EVERY believer into the questionable category of asking “Is this person really saved”, which can only be answered after they have completed the Christian course of life and have “Overcome” to the end, since only those who are “really” saved will endure to the end! I cover the details on this topic with many scriptures on my web page Saved by Faith which I believe will be very helpful to clear up this question!

Other OSAS teachers will say “Yes, they were saved, but they will only lose their rewards in heaven!” According to 1 Cor 6:9-10, the backslider who dies of a heart attack while in the act of adultery with his neighbors wife, without repentance, will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God and will be cast into the lake of fire according to Rev. 21:8! They will lose the reward of “eternal life”, not their mansion!

For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. (Heb 10:36 KJV)

Read verses 37-39 if you wrongfully nullify this verse. Those who draw back and lose their faith will perish! We MUST “believe to the saving of the soul“!

But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. (Mat 24:13 KJV)

I believe that we are saved when we confess Jesus Christ as Lord, BUT then we must: “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Phil 2:12 KJV)

Teachers of the Once Saved Always Saved doctrine, I plead with you, do not forsake the warnings, preach them to the sheep! God will NOT hold you guiltless for the souls who perish from this error in doctrine! Warn them that their sins, their disobedience, their evil deeds, unless repented, may cost them their soul, and their blood will be upon YOUR hands!

WHY DID JESUS COME TO EARTH?!

“And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. Forthis purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God” (1 John 3:4-10)

He came so that we would SIN NO MORE! John 8:11 “…Go and SIN NO MORE!”

FINALLY

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. 17They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. 18For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it? 19Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked. 20The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly. 21I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. 22But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.” (Jer. 23:16-22)