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Examining the Doctrine of Once Saved Always Saved The doctrine known as “once saved always saved” is part of Calvinism. John Calvin believed that salvation was totally the work of God with man having no part at all in his salvation. To say that man could decided by his own freewill to obey God would take away from the power of the Almighty. Man, due to his total depravity, is not able to decide between good and evil. Therefore, God must choose who will and will not be saved. Since this decision is God’s then it cannot be changed by any action of man. If you were determined by God to be saved then no act of rebellion or disobedience can change your eternal salvation. When I hear people talk about the “once saved, always saved” doctrine, I see problems. Those who teach this doctrine tell people to give their heart to God. If your election for salvation is determined by God and there is nothing you can do to change such election why go out and preach the Gospel? Why, tell people to repent and give their heart to God? Obviously the Apostles did not know about this doctrine because they commanded the people to repent of their sins. “”Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’ Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2.37-38) A bigger problem with the doctrine of “once saved, always saved” is it plainly contradicts what we read in the Bible. The idea is that once a person is saved there is nothing they can do to negate or forfeit their salvation. While they say a saved person should obey God, they affirm that obedience or disobedience is only an indication one may be or not be saved. Therefore, a saved person should not commit fornication, lie, steal, cheat, worship idols, etc. but doing those things will not cause a saved person to be lost. As I have pointed out on numerous occasions, according to this doctrine a person who has been “saved” can afterward live the most sinful life possible, can deny the existence of God or heaven and in fact may want to go to eternal punishment and still go to heaven. Let us consider this in light of what we read in the Bible. Keep in mind that the epistles were written to those who had already obeyed the Gospel of Christ. They knew who Jesus was, had confessed and repented of their sins, and been baptized for the remission of sins. To the church at Corinth Paul started out his first letter by addressing it to “the church of God which is at Corinth” (1 Corinthians 1.2). Yet in 1 Corinthians 10.12 we read, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” Paul is writing to those considered the church of God, the saved, yet he talks about their falling away from God. To the churches of Galatia Paul wrote, “I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain” (Galatians 4.11). Later he wrote, “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace” (Galatians 5.4). One of the most damaging passages to the doctrine of “once saved, always saved” is Hebrews 6.4-6, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” (emphasis mine, D.T.) Notice the highlighted phrases. Who is the writer talking about? Those who have been enlightened, those have tasted the heavenly gift, those who have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God. How can anyone believe this describes those who have been saved? Yet the writer talks about them falling away. I know some will simply say this is not talking about the saved but who else can it be talking about? Can an un-regenerated person be described this way? Going on to 2 Peter we read of those who have “escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2.20a). Then Peter says, “they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning” (2.20b). Can a child of satan be described as having escaped the ‘pollutions of the world”? This can only be describing the Christian, one who has been saved, and yet can fall away. This is only a brief examination of the doctrine of “once saved, always saved” but one last thought. Why all the warnings given to children of God about losing their salvation, why would satan tempt the child of God, if they can never sin so as to be lost? It makes satan the stupidest person to ever live. However, if a Christian can sin and be lost then the warnings are real and satan is to be taken serious. – Dennis Tucker |