The predominant thought about salvation in the Christian world today is that the death of Jesus, or the blood of Jesus, saves us.

 

It is expressed like this... "He died in our place, shedding His blood for the remission of sins, and that is what saves us from the judgment and wrath of God. From now on, God can only see us as righteous!"

 

Taking this typical doctrine a step further… once we believe these truths, at a certain place and time in history, there is nothing that could ever alter or change this state of being "saved". We are on our way to heaven!

 

This way of viewing salvation is known as Once-Saved-Always-Saved, or OSAS, and a question that is often raised about God's salvation is:

 

“Can a genuine Christian lose their salvation?”

 

The answer, according to OSAS, is “No! If you were truly born of God, it is impossible. You are eternally secure.”

 

There are numerous Bible passages that appear to support this position, but is Once-Saved-Always-Saved what the scriptures, Jesus, Paul and others teach? This is a critically important question.

 

Why is it important?

 

If a genuine believer cannot “lose their salvation”, then there’s nothing to really be concerned about. Yes, we want to know, follow and serve the Lord as best we can, but… when it’s all been said and done, we enter eternal bliss! Guaranteed!

 

If it is possible, on the other hand to come into genuine relationship with the Father through the Son, but finally end up separated and alienated from Him, that is a serious matter worthy of attention.

 

Can we agree on that?

 

If this alternative position is accurate, then we’d certainly want and need to know what the scriptures have to say about this.

 

Before turning to God's word, I'll quickly state that we will look at a broad cross-section of what the word says, and even address some of the OSAS arguments. I won't use a "proof-text" method, though, because I believe it's very important to look at the fullness of what scripture says on a subject.

 

Let’s go directly to the source of all knowledge and wisdom, the word of God.

 

Romans 5: 6 When we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 

9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if, when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 

 

God’s word, in this passage, explicitly tells us that we were reconciled to God and justified by the death of His Son. These statements are in the past tense... Finito!

 

We’re also told that we shall be saved by His life! This is in the future tense.

 

Question One: What does it mean to be saved by His life? We will examine other passages and hopefully, more focus and clarity will come.

 

Question Two: Why is "saved" in the future tense, while “reconciled” and “justified” are in the past tense? Aren’t they all included in the “once for all” package at the moment we believe?

 

We will see.

 

Here is another passage of God’s word that will shed more light on these questions:

 

John 15: 1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine-dresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

 

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

 

Jesus said that every branch in Him that doesn’t bear fruit is taken away and ultimately burned.

 

I’ve heard and read many Once-Saved-Always-Saved interpretations of this, but let me ask you, seriously:

 

Is it conceivable that branches in Him that are unfruitful, and that do not abide in Him, are people who have never come into a vital relationship with Him? I've heard this idea put forth in various ways. For example:

 

"Those branches were never truly connected to the vine! They were tied, or lashed onto the vine, but since they didn't bear fruit, they were obviously never truly connected, or saved."

 

I don’t believe that is a reasonable interpretation, but if you think it may be, let’s move on.

 

Jesus told a parable, known as the parable of "The sower and the seed."

 

Matthew 13: 3 “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

 

The parable was then followed by this interpretation by Jesus:

 

Matthew 13: 18 Hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

 

20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

 

22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

 

23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

 

First, let me say that I do not see “fruit” as conversions to Christ brought about by witnessing done by believers. That is a very prominent view held by many Christians. I disagree.

 

The fruit, in my view, is the “fruit of the Spirit” written about in Galatians 5: 22-23. These are characteristics of the life and nature of Jesus, which believers are called to lay hold of in our own lives, by faith.

 

I will return to Galatians 5, and what it has to say about flesh versus Spirit, right after examining the interpretation of "The sower and the seed."

 

So, there were four types of ground, and only one of those types did not receive the seed. Of the three that did receive the seed, we are told:

 

Stony places: They receive the seed with joy, but stumble when tribulation and persecution come because of the word.

 

This one endures only for a while, which strongly indicates that there was a beginning to something real, that was abandoned for a reason.

 

Tribulation and persecution turned them away. Difficulties and hardships didn't fit in with the man-centered picture, that they were taught, of what it means to be "saved".

 

Among the thorns: They received the seed, but the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches [Mark 4:19 adds “and the lusts of other things entering in”] choke the word, and they become unfruitful.

 

There is a strong tendency among believers, especially in the “prosperous” west, to get entangled in many other things besides knowing, following and serving Jesus. This is a definite, observable reality.

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This is especially true among the health-wealth-prosperity "teachers" and their followers, who typically believe that it is God's ultimate aim to make His people happy, healthy and prosperous.

 

Good ground: They hear the word, understand it and bear fruit in varying degrees. Luke 8: 15 describes them as "those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."

 

So, three types of ground received the seed of the word, but only one of the three brought forth fruit. I believe this passages clarifies, in a major way, the John 15 passage above about the true vine and the branches. 

 

John the baptizer [He was not a Baptist] said, in Matthew 3: 10, "Every tree which does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." Jesus also said the same thing, in Matthew 7: 19.

 

So... the bearing of fruit by believers is a vital issue.

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Why is it a vital issue?

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Because we are saved by His life! The life of the vine flows into the branches and fruit then comes forth. We will soon see what, exactly, this fruit is and what it means.

 

I will return now to Galatians 5, because it is extremely important.

 

Galatians 5:16-25 contrasts a life and walk in the Spirit, as opposed to one in the flesh. In this passage, "works of the flesh" reflect Adam's nature [self-centered, sinful] and "fruit of the Spirit" reflects the nature of the Last Adam, Jesus.

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Galatians 5: 16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 

 

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

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19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

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22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

 

The passage makes some incredible statements, such as:

 

1. Verse 18: If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

 

What? Aren't all believers not under the law?

 

2. Verse 21: After laying out the works of the flesh, Paul writes, "I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."

 

What? Christians who practice the works of the flesh will not come into God's kingdom? 

 

3. Verses 22-25: After naming the fruit of the Spirit, Paul writes "Against such [qualities of life] there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

 

So, those who walk in the Spirit are not under the law, because there is no law against the kind of life that expresses the nature of Jesus! Also, a "believer" can have the Spirit of Christ, yet not walk in the Spirit. We must choose to do so by crucifying the flesh.

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Paul even states, in Romans 8: 12-14:

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12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

 

Read that passage carefully and feel the weight of it. It is a strong warning!

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I will make a very bold statement at this point:

 

There is only one thing that Christians can stand on for assurance of salvation, and that is... we are like Jesus, here and now in this life! Read the following scripture carefully and prayerfully before shouting, "Heretic! Burn him!"

 

1 John 4: 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.

 

That passage clearly confirms that the life of Jesus, coming forth in and through His people, is what saves us.

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At this point, let's look at a few objections to the idea that believers can end up lost and separated from God.

 

Objection 1. But Jesus said…

 

John 6: 38 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

 

So, the Father's will, according to this objection, is that Jesus would lose none of those whom the Father gave to Him. This seems to be a solid OSAS objection, but, Jesus also said...

 

John 17: 6 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.... 11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

 

So, was the "lost" one, Judas, the one and only exception to an iron-clad rule in all of recorded history? If so... why? Just so scripture might be fulfilled? That seems very arbitrary. Is God like that?

 

And the rebuttal that Judas was before Pentecost and not a Christian doesn't fly, because the real point is that He was given to Christ, yet he was lost.

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Even though it is the Father's will that none be lost of those He gives to Christ, it can and does happen, in the same way it is the Father's will that none should perish but that all should come to repentance [2 Peter 3:9]. Unless you are a Universalist, you know not all will come to repentance.

 

The hyper-Calvinist believes that everything that happens, or has ever happened, is God's will. Is that truth?

 

Objection 2. Jesus said...

 

"Everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

 

Well, that too appears to support Once-Saved-Always-Saved. Doesn't it?

 

The problem here is the typical, Christian teaching and understanding of what "believing in Jesus" means. The typical understanding is something like this:

 

You hear some truths or facts about Jesus, His death in your place and the forgiveness of sins... with a one-way ticket to heaven. You then "accept" Him into your heart, and maybe even pray the "Sinner's Prayer". You are now saved, once for all.

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In our current church culture, that is what it means to believe in Jesus.

 

Many who go through such a process do, indeed, come into relationship with the Lord. Far many more do not. Either way, "salvation" is generally pronounced upon the person who prayed, or "accepted" Jesus, and they are assured of a heavenly home for all eternity.

 

What a deal!

 

The Biblical perspective, though, on believing in Jesus means much more. First, it means a casting of yourself upon Jesus; a "cleaving" unto Him, as a drowning person desperately holds on to the life-preserver thrown to them.

 

It also means an ongoing, continuing cleaving to Him, not only as your Savior from Hell, but also as your Lord and your very life.

 

Colossians 3: If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

 

Objection 3: But Jesus said…

 

John 10: 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”

 

This passage also seems to strongly support Once-Saved-Always-Saved, but we need to grasp some things.

 

1. The tenses of the verbs "hear" and "follow" suggest a willful, ongoing choice to listen to, obey and follow Jesus.

 

2. "Sheep" does not necessarily mean "all who have been justified" at some point in history. The evidence for this is obvious...

 

Are all born-again believers actively, now, listening to and following the Lord?

 

Aren't there three kinds of ground that received the seed of God's word? But only one ground bears fruit.

 

This brings to mind two statements by the Lord. First, He said in Matthew 7: 13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

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So, Jesus clearly said that the way that leads to life is not simplistic, with vast multitudes finding it. He said few would find it.

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Who do you think is correct? Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God? Or, the modern "church" that pronounces "salvation" on someone, simply because they "prayed a prayer from their heart"? This "Sinner's Prayer", by the way can not be found anywhere in scripture.

 

Jesus also said “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?" in Luke 6: 46. Was He speaking here only of "religious" people who never entered into relationship with Him?

 

Yes, the Lord did say that none will be able to snatch, or pluck His sheep out of His or the Father's hand, but is that an absolute assurance of eternal security?

 

Look at the following scriptures:

 

Hebrews 3: 12 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 Today 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.

 

1 Timothy 4: 1 Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of demons.

 

2 Thessalonians 2: 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [the day of the Lord] shall not come, except there come a falling away [apostasy] first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.

 

We can't be plucked out of the Lord's hand, or the Father's, but we can depart from the living God, depart from the faith, or apostatize, which means abandoning or renouncing a former allegiance.

 

The "IF" clauses

 

Finally, let's look at just three of the "IF" clauses, and how Once-Saved-Always-Saved believers usually address them. There are numerous "IF" passages, but we'll look at only three.

 

Romans 11: 19 You will say then, “Branches [natural Jews] were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

 

Colossians 1: 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard

 

Hebrews 3: 5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, 6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.

 

The scriptures are very clear. Salvation is not a once-for-all "event" that occurs at a certain time and place, and can never, under any circumstances be altered.

 

Now, how are the passages above, and others like them, generally answered by OSAS believers? It usually goes something like this:

 

"Continuing in God's goodness, continuing in the faith, and holding fast our confidence firm until the end simply proves that you are a genuine, born-again believer. If someone doesn't continue and hold on to their confidence, it just demonstrates they were never the Lord's to begin with!"

 

Frankly, I don't understand how so many people can go through such mental and theological gymnastics to believe such a doctrine. I would LOVE to believe that, having once come into a relationship with God, I was unconditionally safe and secure in His loving embrace, regardless of any choices, decisions or actions I may take.

 

The problem is, the scriptures, Jesus, John the baptizer [not a Baptist], Paul and all of the early, post-apostolic "Fathers" didn't believe or teach it.