📰 Once saved, always saved
This article discusses the permanence of salvation.
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✝ Doctrine
Deception
Claim: Once saved, always saved.
28. 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.
The concept of “once saved, always saved” suggests that once you genuinely accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you are eternally secure in your salvation and cannot “lose” it, regardless of your future actions and decisions.
In John 10:28-29 Jesus states that when you believe in him, have faith in his blood, fully persuaded, then no other man can change your thinking toward God.
This is repeated by the Apostle Paul in Romans 8:35-39 with his declaration that nothing outside of yourself can separate you from the love of God.
However, there are many more scriptures that explain you may choose to turn away from God.
Jesus’ call to salvation in Luke 9:23 states when you choose to accept God’s gift of grace, you must choose to not trust in anything you can do, and every day choose to continue in your faith toward Jesus, and do his commandments.
The importance of your daily choice is emphasised throughout the Bible in the form of clearly articulated conditions.
- Matthew 19:17 if you want life, keep the commandments.
- John 8:51 if you do what Jesus says, you’ll never see death.
- Romans 4:23-25 if you believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, righteousness is imputed to you.
- Romans 11:20-22 if you continue in His goodness, God has goodness towards you, otherwise you are cut off.
- 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 if you keep in memory the gospel of Christ, you are saved, unless you have believed in vain.
- Colossians 1:21-23 if you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, you are presented holy and unblameable and unreproveable in God’s sight.
- Hebrews 3:6 if you hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end, you are the house of Christ.
- Hebrews 3:14-15 if you hold the beginning of your confidence steadfast unto the end and if you hear his voice, you are made partakers of Christ.
- 1 John 2:24-25 if the gospel message remains in you, you shall continue in the Son and in the Father.
In Matthew 10:38 Jesus states that when you choose to not take up your cross and follow Him you are not worthy of Him.
Paul in 1 Timothy 1:19 testifies to this choice when he explains that you are made shipwreck as a result of having put away your faith.
In 1 Timothy 5:11-13 Paul declares when you cast off your faith you have damnation.
Hebrews 6:4-6 explains the damnation, declaring that when you reject God after accepting His gift of grace, it is impossible for you to repent and renew your salvation, because that requires you to crucify the Son of God a second time, subjecting Him to open shame.
Hebrews 10:38-39 states that when you stop living by faith you draw back unto perdition.
Hebrews 12:25-26 warns you to not refuse Jesus, as you will not escape the just reward of your rejection.
2 Peter 2:20-21 states that when you have the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, you then choose to return to the corruption of the world by rejecting the commandments from God, it would have been better for you to have never accepted salvation because now, your final condition is worse than it was before you believed.
The facts are:
- It is your choice to continue in salvation.
- It is your choice to draw back unto perdition.
References
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