Introduction
This articled was originally a letter I wrote to a dear Christian friend who questioned the assurance of salvation. He did not believe we could have such assurance. He believed a "saved" person's final destination depended on a person's behavior or attitude at their time of death.
I start this article with what I said to him at the start of my letter to him: "I have sought to honor your request for scriptural proof of the assurance of salvation, and so the following information is the result of my prayers and research.
Before we go any further, let me strongly say that I refuse to allow our discussion of this matter to become a 'spectacle' before unbelievers, and a debate in our Prayer Fellowship meetings. Please note that, when the meetings started, our leader made it clear that these meetings would not be a place of debate -- especially over doctrinal issues -- but rather a place where we can come together to pray for one another. If we must continue to debate this issue, we can do it outside of that meeting, and with a right attitude -- least an unbeliever see it and think wrongly of us. In the end, we may just have to agree to disagree, and I am willing to do that if that is what it takes for us to remain in harmony, and one accord. In that case, let us find try to find common ground and encourage one another as much as we are able so that our love for one another may be apparent to all those who are watching."
Once Save, Always Saved?
Now what about the "once saved, always saved" doctrine. What I believe is, if a person is truly "saved," then the only way that person can become unsaved again is to do the exact opposite what it took them to be saved in the first place.
How are you "saved"? According to God's Word, by believing in the Lord, and not by doing good and never sinning. Romans 10:9 says, "IF YOU CONFESS with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ AND BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART that God raised Christ from the dead, then YOU WILL be saved." Please notice two things here. First, this statement is conditional. Second, it implies assurance. That is, "IF" you confess AND believe, then you "WILL" be saved. Again, if you do what the Lord requires, which is sincerely "confess and believe," then you have the assurance that He WILL save you.
Faith and Works
One may argue "faith without works is dead," but the scriptures says both must work together. "Works" alone will not save you. You cannot go around saying that because I did the right today God will to save me -- that is, now I won’t lose my salvation. Saying such things would be the same as saying, I did it myself; I don’t need Christ. Even more, such an attitude is merely misdirected faith, faith in self, and such faith will not save you. Your faith must be "in Christ," not in your own works or goodness. Your "work" is to "confess and believe," letting all other "works" flow from your faith.
Galatians 3:11 says it this way, "Clearly no one is JUSTIFIED before God by the law" (by saying I did good; I obeyed the law).
Galatians 3:5 says, "Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you OBSERVE THE LAW (because you do right), or because you BELIEVE (because you have faith in Christ)?"
Keep Your Salvation
Once you obtain salvation, how do you keep it? The answer is easy. You receive it the same way you received it in the first place, which is by faith. Galatians 3:3 says, "Are you so foolish? After BEGINNING with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal (i.e. salvation) BY HUMAN EFFORT?" Galatians 2:21 says, "I do not SET ASIDE THE GRACE of God, for IF righteousness could be gained through the law (through human effort), Christ died for nothing." God's word clearly tells us that we cannot obtain salvation through our human efforts e.g. by being good enough.
Losing Salvation
From what I understand, the only way you could lose your salvation is by doing the exact opposite what you would do to obtain it, which is by denying Jesus is Lord and Savior, by ceasing to believe in Him. Even more, you would have to permanently deny Him. For instance, Peter denied Christ three times, yet he returned to the Lord and went on to become the first leader of the Church, while Judas betrayed Jesus without returning to Him and lost his very soul.
You might question, what would have happened if Peter had died before he had a chance to return to the Lord? In this case, God knew Peter's heart, and He knew Peter would return to the Lord, so He let him live and gave him the chance to do just that. Likewise, He knew Judas would not repent, and therefore let him die, as an example of what happens to those who refuse God's mercy. Knowing how much the Lord loves us, I am certain that, if Judas had come to the Lord to ask Him for forgiveness, the Lord would have forgiven him.
My point here is, if you truly believe yet still sin (especially when you repent of them and seek freedom), that does not mean you have permanently turned away from the Lord. In order for you to permanently turn away from Him, you would have to live a life of sin, a life of constant and deliberate sin.
Hebrews 10:26 says, "If we DELIBERATELY KEEP ON SINNING *AFTER* we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and a raging fire (meaning hell) that will consume the enemies of God."
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 says, "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders no thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."
What these scripture actually explain is that a person who continues to live a life of sin (even after saying they believe in Christ and make Him Lord) may not truly believe in Christ and made made Him Lord. These people actually commit the "unforgivable sin," which is to call God's Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Truth) a liar. By their attitude and the way they live, they show whom they really belong to, "the father of lies." They prove that they either never truly believed, or that they no longer sincerely believe "in their heart."
Galatians 6:7 says, "Do not be deceived, a man will reap what he sows." In the case of those who commit occasional sins, they may reap what they sow (e.g. death for that sin), but they may not necessarily lose their salvation.
Not Back and Forth
Some people think you can be "saved," then "lost," then "saved" again. I am not so sure about that, because Hebrews 6:4 says: "IT IS IMPOSSIBLE for those who have been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift (of salvation), who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, IF THEY FALL AWAY to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace." Lets paraphrase it: If those who have been "saved" or "born again" fall away i.e. cease to believe in Jesus, then "it is impossible" for them "to be brought back to repentance" i.e. become "saved" or "born again", again. In fact, there is no scriptural proof that one can go back and forth; saved, lost, saved, lost…
The Back and Forth Evidence
In preparing this article, my friend asked me to consider Ezekiel 18 as his evidence for a back and forth salvation. Although the entire chapter of Ezekiel 18 is too long to list here, Ezekiel 18:26-27 is a good summary. It reads: "If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin, he will die for it; because of the sin he has committed he will die. But if a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life."
Now, I might be wrong about this, but in light of Christ and the actual context of this scripture, I do not believe it is referring to one's salvation, but rather it is the same as Galatians 6:7, referring to reaping and sowing within one's life. That is, when you sin, you pay consequences for your sin, and when you do right, you benefit from doing right.
Even more, I have already shown that salvation is by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, and not by one’s personally goodness or effort. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For it is BY GRACE you have been saved THROUGH FAITH -- and this is NOT FROM YOURSELVES, it is the GIFT of God--NOT BY WORKS so that no one can boast. For WE ARE GOD'S WORKMANSHIP, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Notice the second part states we are God's workmanship, meaning He did the work, and that we do "good works" because of what Christ did for us, not because we are trying to obtain our salvation. In fact, 2 Timothy 1:8-9 clearly says, "By the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy life -- NOT BECAUSE OF *ANYTHING* WE HAVE DONE."
Not All are Saved
Worth noting here is, Ezekiel 18 and Galatians 6:7 can apply to your salvation. If you continue to disbelieve God, whether through actually saying you do or through a life of sin, you will "reap" eternally what you have "sown." Likewise, if you sincerely believe and demonstrate your belief through a life of obedience, then again, you will "reap" eternally what you have "sown."
Additionally, Jesus Himself said that not everyone who CLAIMS to believe in Him will be saved. He said, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Matthew 7:21-23). Some people think they are saved when they are not. Although they claim salvation, they do not do "the will of the Father." Now before you claim this as evidence for "works," realize Jesus clearly explained what He meant when He said, "I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you." What I mean is, Jesus is not talking about "works" but relationship. He saves those who genuinely "know" Him, believe in Him and make Him Lord of their lives.
Conclusion
In conclusion, you do not gain salvation, or even keep it, by being good, or right, or never sinning i.e. by trying to do what is right, and trying to stay away from sin. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "If anyone is in Christ, he IS a new creation; the old HAS GONE and the new HAS come! ALL THIS IS FROM GOD." Notice this... "IF" you sincerely believe in Christ, then you are already "a new creation." It is already a done deal! Even more, this, including salvation, is "from God."
Whatever efforts we make, our trust is not in those efforts, but only in the one who can save us, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. If you end up in hell, it is not simply because you have done wrong somewhere along the way, but because you did not sincerely "believe." As 2 Timothy 1:12 says, "I know Whom I have BELIEVED, and I AM CONVINCED that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him." And Philippians 1:6, "BEING CONFIDENT of this, that HE who began a good work in me WILL carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." He -- He -- He -- WILL carry it on to completion. He does it! Not us.
Other Scriptural Evidence
Jesus said, "Whoever hears my word and BELIEVES him who sent me HAS eternal life, and WILL NOT be condemned; he HAS crossed over from death to life" (John 5:24). Again, "whoever believes" "has" already received "eternal life" (salvation), so that person "WILL NOT be condemned." Your assurance is: if you sincerely believe, then you know you have already received "eternal life" or salvation.
"If we died with Him; we also will live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him. *IF* WE DISOWN HIM; HE WILL ALSO DISOWN US; if we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself" (2 Timothy 2:13). If you PERMANENTLY "disown" Him, He will disown you and thus you lose your salvation; the same way Judas did, but Peter did not. Your assurance is: if you do not PERMANENTLY disown Him, then you know He will not disown you, or keep you from salvation.
"He who HAS the Son HAS LIFE (or rather eternal life); he who does not have the Son of God does not have life" (1 John 5:12). Salvation is based on what one has, not on what one does not have. Your assurance is: if you have faith in the Son, then you know you have "life," which is salvation.
"I write these things to YOU WHO BELIEVE in the name of the Son of God so THAT YOU MAY KNOW that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). Your assurance is: if you believe in the Son of God, you know you have "eternal life," which is salvation.
"Consider the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you (what?) CONTINUE in His (what?) KINDNESS. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if [those who do not believe] do not persist in (what?) UNBELIEF, they will be grafted in" (Romans 11:22). What is His kindness? Isn't it His grace? Again, salvation is by grace, through faith. Your assurance is: if you "continue in His kindness," continue to believe in and accept Him, then you know you will not "be cut off."
"An INHERITANCE THAT CAN NEVER PERISH, spoil, or fade -- kept (where?) in heaven for you, who through faith (not works, or by being good) are shielded BY GOD’S POWER, until the coming of the salvation" (1 Peter 1:4-5). You receive an "inheritance" by being in the family, and an inheritance is a gift, not something earned. Yet again, you receive it "through faith." Notice here too that salvation is "kept...by God," and not by our ability to keep from sinning. Your assurance is: if you are a child of God through faith in Christ, then you know you will receive an "inheritance" or salvation.
"HE WILL keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you is faithful" (1 Corinthians 1: 8-9). Once again, God WILL keep you strong. He does it. Your assurance is: if you are truly in Christ, then you know He will keep you "strong to the end," so that you receive salvation.
Jesus said, "I GIVE them eternal life, and they shall never perish, NO ONE CAN SNATCH THEM OUT OF MY HAND. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and NO ONE CAN SNATCH THEM OUT OF MY FATHER’S HAND" (John 10:28-29). As someone once noted about Jesus statement here: Are you someone? Are you greater than Christ or God? If not, can you snatch yourself out of His hand? Your assurance is: if you are in Christ's hands (through faith in Him), then no one, not even yourself, can "snatch you out" of His hand." Also, that He "gives" you "eternal life" or salvation; it is a gift.
"For if the INHERITANCE depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the PROMISE" (Galatians 3:18). Your assurance is: if you do not depend on "the law," i.e. your own righteousness, and you depend on the "promise," that God will save you through faith, then you know you will receive your "inheritance" or salvation. "But the scriptures declare that the whole world is a prisoner to sin, so that what was PROMISED, being given THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, might be GIVEN TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE. Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge (for what purpose?) to lead us to Christ that we might be JUSTIFIED BY FAITH. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law" (Galatians 3:22-25).
All scriptures NIV unless otherwise noted.