Is "Once Saved Always Saved" A Biblical Doctrine?

Thanks midnightwatcher for this thread. There are two topics that are near and dear to my heart: end times prophecy and salvation. 14 years ago our church got a new pastor who began teaching Lordship salvation in which he said we needed to repent of our sins, turn from them, and turn to God in order to be saved. An analogy he made was that a man was driving an old beat up pinto car, a real clunker, and came to a stop light. A man in a beautiful brand new Mercedes pulled up next to him and asked the guy in the pinto if he would like to have the Mercedes for free. Of course said the man in the pinto, but then the man driving the Mercedes said that there's one catch, you need to get rid of your old beat up clunker BEFORE I will give you this brand new car.

So what he was saying is that we needed to clean up our life first before we could get saved. I knew something wasn't right there, but I had never really "studied" what we needed to do for salvation, just what I heard from pastors/teachers and what I saw as I read through the bible. So that got me into a deep dive on salvation for many many years. I'm no bible scholar, but I believe that God has shown me what I needed to know. I'm going to toss a few of what I believe are key pieces of info on this, but I've written a 100 page paper on this subject, so if you really want to know everything to back up what I'm saying hear, PM me with your email, and I'll send it to you.

The most important thing to know in order to understand this "once saved always saved" topic is, what does one need to do in order to get saved? Acts 16:30,31 - What must I do to be saved? "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
Salvation has always been about belief/faith. The two are used interchangeably throughout the bible, but they are really two separate things. Belief is an internal thought process that can't be seen and Faith is the outward action that PROVES what you believe. The story of Abraham offering Isaac as a sacrifice is a perfect example. Abraham believed with all his heart that God was going to raise Isaac from the dead because God had promised him that it was going to be thru Isaac that his lineage would continue. So because of this belief, he was going to sacrifice his son. Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.(Rom 4:3)

That's the kind of belief we are going to need, because most of us are going to have to make that decision in the very near future. Unless we die a premature death, we will be forced to make a decision to take the mark and worship the beast in order to live, or refuse it and keep the faith in Jesus Christ, and die. That is when you will really prove if you truly believe in what you say. Your actions will let others know your inward thoughts. That's what Hebrews 11:1 means - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Substance is something tangible, that you can see and touch, and evidence is information that others can use to help come to an understanding of something they cant' or didn't see. Just like an investigator looks for clues/evidence to help solve a crime, our faith, our actions help others come to an understanding of what is going on internally. So we believe with our mind (internal, invisible) and then we prove what we believe by our faith (outward actions, visible).

So salvation comes by believing in the gospel of Jesus Christ (Rom 1:16) The gospel of Jesus Christ is laid our in a nutshell in 1 Cor 15: 1-4 (death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ).
The greatest passage in the bible on how to be saved is in Acts 10 & 11. Once Peter had given Cornelius and his family the gospel and then told them what they needed to do with it, they obviously believed it as truth, because Peter was still in the middle of talking when they ALL broke out speaking in tongues. Acts 10:43,44

I think this would be a good time to talk about what the word repent means. So, this is what I've come to believe repentance means. In regards to a saved person talking to an unsaved person, repentance means that the unsaved person needs to change their mind in what they believe, to stop believing in the false thing and then begin to believe in the truth. In regards to salvation, to stop believing in a works based salvation (of what we can do to earn it) and start believing that Jesus Christ did the work for us already; He died on the cross and shed His blood for our sins, was buried and then rose again on the third day and now sits on the right hand of God the Father and will come back some day (feast of trumpets 2030) and will give us a glorified body that never feels pain or grows old.

Now, when it's one saved person talking to another saved person who is living in sin, then that saved person needs to confess that sin, turn from it and get back in a right relationship with God. There is a feeling of remorse and sorrow on the part of the person living in rebellion to God.

So do you see the difference? In the first example, there is no need to turn from sin, no need to say a prayer or walk down an aisle to meet someone at the pulpit, no need to make Jesus the Lord of your life, just a person hearing the gospel, evaluating the facts and then coming to a conclusion; either believe or don't believe. Whereas in the second there is definitely a turning from sin with tears and sorrow of the heart. Also, with the first example there is joy and happiness because the person suddenly comes to the realization that someone has already paid the price for their sins and they are receiving a FREE GIFT of salvation. Now that's something to jump up and down for joy for.

There are many more verses that back up this fact that salvation is by believing, but for brevity sake, I'll move on. So if salvation is obtained by a person believing, then it would make sense that if a person ever stopped believing, then they would forfeit their salvation. Let's look at the bible for such examples.

Rom 11:16-24. This also ties in with John 15:1-6. Jesus is the vine/tree trunk, the trunk is the root system above ground. The branches are the individual people that are attached to the trunk/vine. In order to be attached to the vine, you have to be saved, this signifies the "oneness" that takes place upon salvation; we become part of the body of Christ. So every branch that is attached to the vine signifies a saved person.
Now, look at why God removed "some" of the branches, not all, just some, and it's because of UNBELIEF that they were removed (Rom 11:20). Then Paul warns the Gentile believers to "fear"!! Why? If once saved always saved was true, why should they fear? Well, because if they ever got to a place like the unbelieving Jews, God would also remove them from the tree. So we see that that it's through believing in the gospel that gets a branch grafted into the tree, and then it's through unbelief that the branch gets removed. If being attached to the tree signifies salvation, then being removed from the tree has to signify forfeiture of salvation.

midnightwatcher already mentioned another one in the parable of the sower and the seed. What I'd like to point out to help others as they study, is look at all 3 passages of this parable in Mat, Mark and Luke. In the KJV, Mt and Mark use the same words, but in Luke they use different words. This helps us understand what words mean elsewhere in the bible and is actually very important regarding this topic.
The see that fell on stony ground is the example we need to look at. In Mt/Mark Jesus says these are they that heard the word (gospel message) and with joy "received" it. In Luke he clarifies what it means to "receive" the word, and that is to believe. Since salvation comes to those who believe in the gospel, then these people are saved. Also notice, they are joyful. Again, this is because they understand what is happening, that their sins have been paid for by the work that Jesus has done on the cross and now are receiving a free gift. But the problem is that these people are babies, immature, signified by the phrase "they have no root", meaning their roots don't go deep into the ground.

Now, notice what happens to these baby Christians. Mt 13:21 - for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. Now Luke 8:13 - which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
The two things I want to bring to your attention here is 1) When you see it say that someone heard the gospel and received it, that means they believed it to be true. 2) the word temptation can also mean tribulation or persecution. This second thing is crucial to know when we talk about what it means to "overcome". But as midnightwatcher already stated, this passage clearly is referring to someone who heard the gospel message, joyfully believed it to be true (thus, were saved), but once they began witnessing to others, they were persecuted for their testimony. Because they hadn't grown Spiritually, they wilted under the pressure of adversity and "fell away". This is the same word in 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; . So to "fall away" in Luke means to depart from the faith. As I say many times in my paper on salvation, you can't depart from something unless you were part of it to begin with.

One more example and then a couple tidbits and I'll be done.

Hebrews 3:6-19. I won't print the whole chapter, so read it to get the context, but the message he is conveying is for a believer to stand firm in the faith (v6). Notice he uses the word "if". What it means to overcome and the word "if" are the two tidbits we'll talk about next, but this word is so small yet so powerful. In fact, I'm going to print this verse because it is the foundation for the rest of the chapter.

Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
Actually, I'll talk about "if" now, as it fits well. So this word if makes a promise conditional; a stipulation is attached which needs to be met in order for the promise to be fulfilled. For example, say my 16 year old son just got his license and asks me some saturday morning if he can use the car that night to go to a movie with his friends. I respond with, yes, if you mow the lawn (which I've been asking him to do all week /sigh). So, the condition that needs to be met is that he mows the lawn. If he doesn't mow it, he doesn't get to use the car. Now, did I specifically say he couldn't? No, it's implied because of the word if. So when you're reading the bible and you see a verse regarding salvation and the word "if" is inserted, or something similar, then there is a condition that needs to be met before the promise is fulfilled.

Regarding Heb 3:6, the promise is that we are part of the house of God (body of Christ, branch grafted into the vine/tree). The condition is that we need to "HOLD FAST" the confidence and hope (belief in the gospel) firm unto the end (of our lives). This is a constant theme throughout the bible; to stand firm, grounded, unmovable, patiently endure - to the end. Paul likens it to a marathon race and says we need to run all the way to the finish line in order to receive the prize, which is the crown of life (which is symbolic of our glorified bodies, this is the day of redemption). So pay attention when reading the bible and take note of verses that contain the word "if"; take note of what is needed to be done in order to receive the promise.

Another great passage regarding this tiny word is found in Rom 8:14-17 - For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
People always quote this but they stop right after "joint-heirs with Christ". They don't notice what the stipulation is that needs to be met, which is, that we need to suffer with Him. This means we need to be willing to suffer for our testimony in Jesus Christ, even to the point of death. The people that Jesus mentioned in the sower and the seed did not endure suffering. You see, when you believe, when you TRULY believe in something, you will be willing to endure suffering in order to achieve the goal.

Now, to finish up Heb 3. So we saw that the message is that we are part of the house of God IF we hold fast to our faith. Now, look at the example he uses to help us understand what he just said; Israel's freedom from slavery and their wandering in the wilderness. As they encountered tribulation, their hearts became hardened and they came to a point of unbelief. Because of their unbelief, God swore that they would not enter into His rest. Actually, this story of Israel's freedom from slavery, wandering in the wilderness while waiting for God to bring them to the promised land, is a perfect illustration of the Christian life. Israel saved from bondage = sinner saved from bondage of sin. Israel promised to be brought to the promised land, God's rest = Christians are promised an eternal glorified body and to be with Jesus for ever. Israel's tribulation = our times of testing, the trial of our faith. Those who kept the faith till the end went into the promised land = Christians who keep the faith till the end will receive their glorified bodies. Those who came to a point of unbelief were not allowed into God's rest = Christians whose hearts are hardened by sin and come to a point of unbelief will forfeit their salvation.

Notice the words he uses to clarify that he's talking to believers: the house of Jesus Christ, v12 "brethren", v14 For we are made partakers of Christ, IF we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;.

So he's talking to believers and encouraging/warning them to keep the faith till the end, and then he uses the illustration of what happened to the unbelieving Israelite's as an example to what can happen to them if they come to a point of unbelief. Jude actually uses the same illustration to warn the church of false teacher who will try to lead them astray (Jude 1:3-5).

Finally, what does it mean to overcome? If you read Revelation and the letters to the churches, you will see that word used a lot. A couple of verses I will use tho that will set the tone.
John 16:33 - These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
1 John 5:4 - For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

The second verse actually tells us what we need to overcome; the world. There are two major instances in Jesus' life that illustrate this verse perfectly.
First, when Satan tempted Jesus to bypass the Father's plan for His earthly kingdom by offering it to Him if He would fall down and worship Satan as God. Jesus knew the plan that the Father had and what it entailed, so He knew He was going to get His kingdom, but He would have to endure a lot of pain and suffering to achieve it. All He had to do was fall down and worship Satan and He could have gotten it immediately, bypassing all the suffering. So that was a huge temptation that He overcame.
The second is in the garden as He prayed to the Father, that if there was any other way to achieve salvation for the world to please use that instead, but He ended with, "not my will, but thine be done". Jesus, in His flesh, was acting just like any other person would do. All our lives we know that we will die one day, but when we come face to face with it, we fall down and beg God to heal us, to spare us, to prolong our lives. Jesus knew all along that He was going to die a horrible death, but when the time came for it to actually happen, He hoped that there was a plan B. This was another huge temptation, to bail out and preserve His life, but again, He overcame.

And so this is what I believe it means for us to overcome; that we stay true to God's plan and His will in our lives; but most importantly, that we keep the faith even if it means that we will suffer and die. Jesus set the example for us to follow.

Well, that's it. It's just the tip of the iceberg, but if you want all the info, just PM me your email and I'll send you the complete paper.

Fight the good fight, finish the race, keep the faith

Glen