Once Saved Always Saved?
Most of us are familiar with the saying “Once Saved Always Saved” or (OSAS). We should also know that this is a very dangerous false doctrine. Let’s take a look at what this doctrine teaches. (all scriptures are from the NIV bible)
1. One version teaches that a person is saved forever just by their little moment of faith, however, if they commit really evil and wicked sinful acts, then they were never really saved to begin with.
2. Another version teaches that once we are saved we are the children of God, they apply their logic that goes like this: Your children will always be your children no matter what happens. You may have troubles and may have broken fellowship, yet they are your children and nothing can change that. Then they say, we all are children of God and nothing can undo or reverse that. No matter what we do, we will still be the children of God.
3. And yet another version teaches that no matter what you do, how you do it, how bad you become, how much you sin...NOTHING...absolutely NOTHING will prevent you from going straight into heaven because the blood of Jesus continually and automatically cleanses you from your sins without you even asking for forgiveness.
Let’s look at the first version and show that according to God’s word you can be saved and lose your salvation.
Luke 12:45 But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk.
Luke 12:46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. – (He was the servant of his Lord. But now Jesus Christ says that his lord will appoint him a portion in hell. He was once saved, now is in hell.)
John 15:6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. – (The person was already abiding in the vine. Now, he will be cut off and will be burned.)
1Co 3:16 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst?
1Co 3:17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for God's temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. -- (You are the temple of God. He lives in you. But, if you defile yourself with sin, God will destroy you. It is not once saved always saved.)
1Timothy 4:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. -- (The Holy Spirit says clearly that some saved persons will depart from faith and will be lost.)
Heb 3:12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
Heb 3:13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called "Today," so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
Heb 3:14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. -- (Partakers with God are departing from God. Sin is deceitful and will separate you from God.)
2Pe 2:20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. -- (Those who escaped sin may also fall into sin again.)
Rev 2:5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. – (They had fallen from salvation. Jesus Christ requires them to repent and get back.)
Rev 3:5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. -- (Even though your name is wrote in the book of life it can be removed if you continue in sin.)
Rev 20:15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. -- (They will end up in the lake of fire. Once saved, but now lost it.)
Rev 22:19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
Now the second version teaches that we all are children of God and nothing can undo or reverse that. No matter what we do, we will still be the children of God. That’s not what God’s word says.
1John 3:10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God's child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.
John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. What will they say now? Will they say, since we started as the children of the devil nothing can undo that? Thank God, this logic is absurd and it is not true.We all are the children of our parents. They gave birth to us and we came from their body. We did not come from the body of God, but God will glorify and adopt his sons and daughters.
John 1:12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
2Co 6:17 Therefore, "Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."
2Co 6:18 And, "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and
daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
Romans 8:15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in
fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.
And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
As we have already read from the scriptures above continuing in sin can and will
separate a person from God and they will no longer be considered a son or
daughter.
The last version teaches that the blood of Jesus continually and automatically cleanses
you from your sins without you even asking for forgiveness. Let’s take a look at what
God’s word says.
1John 2:1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
1John 2:2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
As you can see we should not sin but if we do then we have an advocate with the Father which is Jesus. One of the definitions of the word advocate is “friend” or “high priest”. I know that the OSAS people will argue that it doesn’t say that we have to repent so let’s read a little further about what John was saying.
1John 2:3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.
1John 2:4 Whoever says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.
1John 2:5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him:
1John 2:6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.
How can a person think that they can live like the world and still go to Heaven? Let’s take a look at some other scriptures.
1Co 6:9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men
1Co 6:10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
According to I CORINTHIANS 6:9-11:
(1) Fornicators shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Fornication (sexually immoral) refers to sexual activity outside of the marriage relationship between a man and a woman. It would include premarital as well as extramarital sexual relationships. Such activity was rampant in first century Corinth. It is rampant today in our own society. But it doesn’t matter how commonly it is practiced, it is still unrighteous and it will keep one from entering heaven.
(2) Idolaters shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Anything that a person loves more than God is idolatry will keep one from entering heaven.
(3) Adulterers shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Adultery is sexual unfaithfulness to a marriage partner. Adultery will keep one from entering heaven.
(4) Homosexuals shall not enter the kingdom of God. It is not fashionable today to suggest that such activity is unrighteous and will keep one out of the kingdom of God, but that is what the Covenant of Jesus Christ says. Practicing homosexuality will keep one from entering heaven.
(5) Thieves shall not enter the kingdom of God. There is no excuse for taking that which rightfully belongs to another. Whether its shoplifting, pilfering, short-changing or armed robbery, fraud and extortion, it is thievery. Whether the person doing the stealing is rich or poor it will still keep one from entering heaven.
(6). The covetous will not enter the kingdom of God. This has to do with having an uncontrollable desire to possess a certain thing. It motivates one into committing sin in order to satisfy greed. Coveting that which belongs to another will keep one from entering heaven.
(7) Drunkards shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Children of God have no need to cloud their perspectives nor dull their senses. We must be able to think and reason clearly. Drunkenness causes one to lose focus and rationality. Those who give themselves over to intoxication will find that it keeps them from entering heaven.
(8) Slanderers shall not inherit the kingdom of God. To attack with harsh, often insulting language. False accusations, rumors etc. Many men and women of God have had to endure reproach for their faith. Not even the Son of God escaped verbal abuse. But they will not have to endure it forever because there will be no revilers in heaven.
(9) Swindlers shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Seducers and smooth talkers of all kinds are included here. The religious con-man belongs to this group as well as the secular. Those who prey on others by trying to take advantage of their misfortune would also be included. Swindlers cannot take their ill-gotten goods with them when they leave this world, nor will they enter heaven.
1Co 6:11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
The Christians at Corinth had been involved in these things before their conversions. During that time they had no hope at all of heaven. Also, any Christians returning to such practices would forfeit their eternal home with God. Those who live according to His purpose shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Let’s take a look at a few more scriptures.
Gal 5:13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
Notice that Paul refers to them as brothers and sisters but goes on to warn them what will happen if they return to their unrighteous ways.
Gal 5:19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
Gal 5:20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
Gal 5:21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Again in Ephesians Paul warns the Christians.
Eph 5:5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a person is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
SUMMARY:
We have looked at many scriptures and nowhere in God’s word does it say that once you are saved you are always saved. If you do these things you can be forgiven but you must repent. Paul was warning Christians that they must always be on their guard because they can backslide and miss out on Heaven unless they repent. Nowhere does it say in the bible that the blood of Jesus continually and automatically cleanses you from your sins without you asking for forgiveness. IF YOU SIN YOU MUST REPENT period.
Most of us are familiar with the saying “Once Saved Always Saved” or (OSAS). We should also know that this is a very dangerous false doctrine. Let’s take a look at what this doctrine teaches. (all scriptures are from the NIV bible)
1. One version teaches that a person is saved forever just by their little moment of faith, however, if they commit really evil and wicked sinful acts, then they were never really saved to begin with.
2. Another version teaches that once we are saved we are the children of God, they apply their logic that goes like this: Your children will always be your children no matter what happens. You may have troubles and may have broken fellowship, yet they are your children and nothing can change that. Then they say, we all are children of God and nothing can undo or reverse that. No matter what we do, we will still be the children of God.
3. And yet another version teaches that no matter what you do, how you do it, how bad you become, how much you sin...NOTHING...absolutely NOTHING will prevent you from going straight into heaven because the blood of Jesus continually and automatically cleanses you from your sins without you even asking for forgiveness.
Let’s look at the first version and show that according to God’s word you can be saved and lose your salvation.
Luke 12:45 But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk.
Luke 12:46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. – (He was the servant of his Lord. But now Jesus Christ says that his lord will appoint him a portion in hell. He was once saved, now is in hell.)
John 15:6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. – (The person was already abiding in the vine. Now, he will be cut off and will be burned.)
1Co 3:16 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst?
1Co 3:17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for God's temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. -- (You are the temple of God. He lives in you. But, if you defile yourself with sin, God will destroy you. It is not once saved always saved.)
1Timothy 4:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. -- (The Holy Spirit says clearly that some saved persons will depart from faith and will be lost.)
Heb 3:12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
Heb 3:13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called "Today," so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
Heb 3:14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. -- (Partakers with God are departing from God. Sin is deceitful and will separate you from God.)
2Pe 2:20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. -- (Those who escaped sin may also fall into sin again.)
Rev 2:5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. – (They had fallen from salvation. Jesus Christ requires them to repent and get back.)
Rev 3:5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. -- (Even though your name is wrote in the book of life it can be removed if you continue in sin.)
Rev 20:15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. -- (They will end up in the lake of fire. Once saved, but now lost it.)
Rev 22:19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
Now the second version teaches that we all are children of God and nothing can undo or reverse that. No matter what we do, we will still be the children of God. That’s not what God’s word says.
1John 3:10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God's child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.
John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. What will they say now? Will they say, since we started as the children of the devil nothing can undo that? Thank God, this logic is absurd and it is not true.We all are the children of our parents. They gave birth to us and we came from their body. We did not come from the body of God, but God will glorify and adopt his sons and daughters.
John 1:12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
2Co 6:17 Therefore, "Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."
2Co 6:18 And, "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and
daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
Romans 8:15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in
fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.
And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
As we have already read from the scriptures above continuing in sin can and will
separate a person from God and they will no longer be considered a son or
daughter.
The last version teaches that the blood of Jesus continually and automatically cleanses
you from your sins without you even asking for forgiveness. Let’s take a look at what
God’s word says.
1John 2:1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
1John 2:2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
As you can see we should not sin but if we do then we have an advocate with the Father which is Jesus. One of the definitions of the word advocate is “friend” or “high priest”. I know that the OSAS people will argue that it doesn’t say that we have to repent so let’s read a little further about what John was saying.
1John 2:3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.
1John 2:4 Whoever says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.
1John 2:5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him:
1John 2:6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.
How can a person think that they can live like the world and still go to Heaven? Let’s take a look at some other scriptures.
1Co 6:9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men
1Co 6:10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
According to I CORINTHIANS 6:9-11:
(1) Fornicators shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Fornication (sexually immoral) refers to sexual activity outside of the marriage relationship between a man and a woman. It would include premarital as well as extramarital sexual relationships. Such activity was rampant in first century Corinth. It is rampant today in our own society. But it doesn’t matter how commonly it is practiced, it is still unrighteous and it will keep one from entering heaven.
(2) Idolaters shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Anything that a person loves more than God is idolatry will keep one from entering heaven.
(3) Adulterers shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Adultery is sexual unfaithfulness to a marriage partner. Adultery will keep one from entering heaven.
(4) Homosexuals shall not enter the kingdom of God. It is not fashionable today to suggest that such activity is unrighteous and will keep one out of the kingdom of God, but that is what the Covenant of Jesus Christ says. Practicing homosexuality will keep one from entering heaven.
(5) Thieves shall not enter the kingdom of God. There is no excuse for taking that which rightfully belongs to another. Whether its shoplifting, pilfering, short-changing or armed robbery, fraud and extortion, it is thievery. Whether the person doing the stealing is rich or poor it will still keep one from entering heaven.
(6). The covetous will not enter the kingdom of God. This has to do with having an uncontrollable desire to possess a certain thing. It motivates one into committing sin in order to satisfy greed. Coveting that which belongs to another will keep one from entering heaven.
(7) Drunkards shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Children of God have no need to cloud their perspectives nor dull their senses. We must be able to think and reason clearly. Drunkenness causes one to lose focus and rationality. Those who give themselves over to intoxication will find that it keeps them from entering heaven.
(8) Slanderers shall not inherit the kingdom of God. To attack with harsh, often insulting language. False accusations, rumors etc. Many men and women of God have had to endure reproach for their faith. Not even the Son of God escaped verbal abuse. But they will not have to endure it forever because there will be no revilers in heaven.
(9) Swindlers shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Seducers and smooth talkers of all kinds are included here. The religious con-man belongs to this group as well as the secular. Those who prey on others by trying to take advantage of their misfortune would also be included. Swindlers cannot take their ill-gotten goods with them when they leave this world, nor will they enter heaven.
1Co 6:11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
The Christians at Corinth had been involved in these things before their conversions. During that time they had no hope at all of heaven. Also, any Christians returning to such practices would forfeit their eternal home with God. Those who live according to His purpose shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Let’s take a look at a few more scriptures.
Gal 5:13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
Notice that Paul refers to them as brothers and sisters but goes on to warn them what will happen if they return to their unrighteous ways.
Gal 5:19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
Gal 5:20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
Gal 5:21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Again in Ephesians Paul warns the Christians.
Eph 5:5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a person is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
SUMMARY:
We have looked at many scriptures and nowhere in God’s word does it say that once you are saved you are always saved. If you do these things you can be forgiven but you must repent. Paul was warning Christians that they must always be on their guard because they can backslide and miss out on Heaven unless they repent. Nowhere does it say in the bible that the blood of Jesus continually and automatically cleanses you from your sins without you asking for forgiveness. IF YOU SIN YOU MUST REPENT period.
