Once Saved Always Saved
Ben Bailey

One of the most destructive doctrines to the Bible and Christian character is the man-made teaching of once saved, always saved. This doctrine states that once a person has been saved he can never loose his salvation. A denominational preacher in Louisville, KY has made this statement concerning once saved always saved: "If I killed my wife and mother and debauched a thousand women I couldn't go to hell--in fact, I couldn't go to hell if I wanted to." While many who hold to this teaching would not take it this far, this has to be the logical conclusion of once saved always saved. No matter what you do, or how bad you live, you cannot go to Hell even if you want to! This is such a tragic doctrine because it twists the Scriptures to their own destruction (2 Pet. 3:16). It is also destructive to Christian character because it provides a license for sin. Does the Bible really teach that once a person is saved he can never again be lost? Let us consider what the Bible really says about once saved, always saved.

Galatians 5:4 “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” The teaching of Galatians 5:4 absolutely repudiates the idea of “Once Saved Always Saved.” In the letter to the Galatians, Paul is writing to “the churches of Galatia” (Gal. 1:2), which represents all those who have already been saved. This is very significant because some have tried to say that these people really weren’t saved in the first place. By saying this, they are saying that Paul, an inspired man of God, didn’t really know who was and who wasn’t in the church. Friend, Galatians 5:4 clearly teaches that some were at one point saved and in the church and then they later fell out of grace with God. Others have objected to this verse by saying that these people had not fallen out of grace, they had merely fallen from within the center of God’s grace. First, what difference is there? Both are without God’s richest grace. Secondly, the Greek Testament will not accept this rendering. The literal word for fallen from is the Greek preposition that means “out of”. Paul is not only saying they have just fallen from God’s grace, but that they have literally fallen out of the realm of God’s grace. Friend, the Bible does not teach once saved always saved, it clearly refutes it!

Acts 8:20 “But Peter said to him, "Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!” If Galatians 5:4 teaches by principle that the doctrine of once saved always saved is false, then Acts 8:20 teaches it is false by case example. Here is a man who has been converted to the gospel by inspired teacher. He then tries to buy the gift of miracles and is found in sin. Then, Peter says to him “That’s okay you’re once saved always saved.” NOT SO! Peter told Simon that his money was would perish with him. Peter told Simon he was about to perish spiritually. Remember, here is a man who has just become a Christian and then Peter told him he was about to be lost. There could be no more convincing example than this that a person can become a Christian and shortly after that be lost. Friend, the Bible does not teach once saved always saved, it clearly refutes it!

1 Corinthians 10:12 “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” In this passage Paul clearly teaches that the Corinthian Christians could fall away from God. Corinth was a very wicked city and the church was becoming wicked in some ways as well. They had division, idolatry, immorality, adultery and other problems that were about to cause them to be lost. However, some might object to this passage by saying “fall doesn’t mean to be lost forever.” Let’s let the context determine the meaning. Those whom Paul is speaking about were involved in the following sins: lust, sexual immorality, idolatry, tempting Christ, and complaining (1 Cor. 10:1-11). Can anyone with these sins in their life go to Heaven? No! In fact, the context defines “fall” as “being destroyed by the destroyer” (1 Cor. 10:10). When Paul says fall he means to be lost for all eternity from God. Truly, these Christians were about to be destroyed spiritually by God and so can we if we are not careful.

2 Peter 1:10 “Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall.” Once again, Peter tells Christians they can so sin as to be lost. Why must a Christian make sure he stays saved if he can never be lost to begin with? Once saved always saved is in total contradiction with this passage of Scripture. There is no need to make sure if you are eternally secure. But, someone might object by saying “These people were never saved in the first place.” Are we willing to say Peter didn’t know who his “brothers” (2 Pet 1:10) were? Peter knew who was and wasn’t a child of God and he also knew that they could be lost if they were not careful. Truly, this passage teaches that the possibility exists for Christians to be lost and fall from grace.

In the Bible, there are clear-cut passages that teach a Christian can so sin as to be eternally lost (See Gal. 5:4; 2 Pet 1:10, 1 Cor. 10:12, Acts 8:20).However, some have tried to distort certain passages to make them teach once saved always. Let us take a moment to examine a few of these distorted passages.

1 John 3:9 “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” To the destruction of John’s overall message, some have tried to make this teach that a person cannot sin after he has become a child of God. First, this is in direct contradiction with what John has already said. In 1 John 1:8, John tells Christians “if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Also, in 1 John 2:1-2 John tells Christians that when they do sin they have an advocate for their sin Jesus Christ. In these passages it is evident John realized Christians would sin and would need help with their sin. What is 1 Jn. 3:9 trying to teach? John is teaching that a Christian cannot stay saved and continue in sin. The Greek word for sin is continual in its action. All Greek scholars and lexicons agree that John is saying a Christian cannot continue in sin and be pleasing to God. John is not envisioning a one-time act, but a continual lifestyle of sin. The NIV translates 1 Jn 3:9 accurately by saying “No one who is born of God will continue to sin…he cannot go on sinning.” Isn’t it interesting that the verse that some have used to prove once saved, always saved actually teaches a Christian can be lost. John is teaching that a Christian cannot continue in sin and still be pleasing in God’s sight. But, a Christian can sin and a Christian can fall away.

John 6:37 “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” Some claim this passage teaches that once you are in Christ, you can never leave Him. In context, this is not at all what Jesus is teaching. Jesus is teaching the exact opposite of that. Jesus is saying that nothing can remove him from you, not you from Him. This is very, very important to recognize. Jesus is teaching us that nothing externally (world, devil, persecution, etc,.) can take you out of his care and protection. But, you can get up and remove yourself out of Christ’s love by living a life of sin. Nothing can force you to leave Christ, but you can freely choose to leave Him and be lost. Jesus clarified this idea in John 10:2 by saying “…no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” Those who believe John 6:37 teaches eternal security must believe that we are mere robots and drones. If nothing can remove us from eternal life, not even our own decisions to leave, then we do not have a free will. The Bible teaches that we do have the free will to choose (Josh. 24:15). Dear reader, John 6:37 teaches that Jesus does not want you to be lost and has done all He can to protect you, but you can turn you back on His protection and be lost.

The Bible does not teach a person can never be lost once he is saved. In fact, the Prodigal Son is a perfect example of a son who left the Father and was dead and lost in sinful rebellion (Lk. 15:24). The younger son chooses to leave the safety of his father’s house to lead a life of sin and waste. To return to the father, the son must make a decision to repent and turn back to his father. While the son is leading an ungodly life, he is considered lost by his father. The application for us is that once we are Christians we can choose to leave the security of the house of God and be lost to our heavenly Father.