Once Saved, Always Saved? (part 3)

Welcome to part 3 of our series on the doctrine of Eternal Security… also known as Once Saved, Always Saved (OSAS).

I believe that once God saves us, He keeps us saved.

I believe that the very nature of salvation is such that you have to believe in this doctrine in order to actually be saved… even if you state that Eternal Security is false.

One has to believe that God forgives all of our sins (literally), even though we don’t literally repent of all of our sins.

So, I want to give a biblical foundation/defence of Eternal Security.

Keep in mind this will not be an in-depth defence, but a scriptural skeleton argument.

The first thing we need to do is agree some simple things that as Christians… we should believe.

Christians believe that the bible is the inerrant word of God. Everything in it is inspired by God, and therefore true.

Christians believe that God doesn’t lie.

Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

This means that what ever God says is true. Whatever God says will happen, will happen.

This also means that if someone says something contrary to what God has said, they are wrong.

Christians believe that Jesus is God.

John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

This means that the previous verse is applied to Jesus. Jesus doesn’t lie. Whatever He says is true. Whatever He says will happen, will happen.

This also means that if someone says something contrary to what Jesus has said, they are wrong.

Christianity completely rests (stands or falls) on the nature and work of Christ.

Ephesians 2:19-20
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

This means that you have to have the right Jesus or else you can’t have salvation.

For example, if you believe that Jesus is not the Son of God, but just a prophet, then you can’t be saved.

If you believe that Jesus is the spiritual brother of Satan, then you can’t be saved.

If you believe that Jesus is a created being, then you can’t be saved.

There are plenty other false Jesus’ around. If I remember correctly, there is one in Australia and Africa right now.

Those are all basic beliefs about God. All Christians must believe these things to be saved. There are other things that must be believed, but for our discussion, those are the only things we need for this skeletal argument.

Now, before I get to the meat of the argument, we must first take a quiz.

To pass this quiz we must apply the above 4 beliefs.

So remember…

1.      The bible is true

2.      God doesn’t lie

3.      Jesus is God

4.      Jesus is the cornerstone of the faith

Question 1 - When Jesus was on the cross, He told the thief on the cross that he would be in paradise with Him, and then He died. Where did the thief on the cross go?

Answer: The thief on the cross went to paradise.

Question 2 - How do you know where the thief went?

Answer: Because Jesus said so.

I hope you passed the quiz. If you haven’t, I suggest you look at those 4 beliefs and find out what it is you either don’t believe, or didn’t apply.

Remember…

1.      The bible is true. So we know that this discussion between Jesus and the thief took place. We know that what was actually said, was what was written down and is what the bible says.

2.      God doesn’t lie

3.      Jesus is God. So when He says that the thief will be in paradise, the thief will be in paradise. If the thief did not go to paradise, Jesus would have been wrong. This means that Jesus couldn’t be God. It would also mean that Jesus would’ve had sin, since He lied.

4.      Since Jesus is the cornerstone of the faith, if He was wrong, our faith would be in vain as He wouldn’t be able to save us at all.

You can clearly see the entire connection within this very short example.

All of the foundational beliefs in our faith are interlinked. You can’t tamper with one, and not affect all the others.

And remember, this is only 4 that we’re dealing with and there are plenty of other beliefs.

You might question though, how does this relate to eternal security (once saved, always saved)?

Could the thief have lost (or given up) his salvation?

Remember, Jesus declared that the thief would be in paradise with Him. If the thief had lost his salvation, he wouldn’t have been in paradise at all, but hell. Once that happens, Jesus has automatically lost His divinity.

Remember Numbers, once God has declared something, He will bring it to pass. He does not lie.

Jesus declared that the thief would be in paradise. So… the thief must, by the word of the King, go to paradise.

That is the weight of this argument.

Here are the scriptures.

John 10:25-29
Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

I ask you to read the chapter. Read the immediate context. Look and see that I’m not adding a different meaning to the text.

Jesus seems to be making a clear statement here about Christians (His sheep).

He says that He gives them eternal life… that’s number one. He then says that they shall never perish… that’s number two. He then says that none can pluck them out of His hand… that’s number three. He then says that His Father gave Him the Christians… that’s number four. He then says that no one is able to pluck them out of His Father’s hand either… that’s number five.

In these 5 verses, Jesus tells us 5 things about what is going on spiritually with those who are Christians (saved).

There is absolutely no way, Jesus can be true and yet people can lose their salvation.

He makes it very straightforward for us.

Now, some people have tried to make the argument that once someone loses their salvation, they stop being His sheep.

Although that is illogical, and actually contradicts what Jesus says in these verses, there is something else that Jesus says about those who are saved that specifically addresses losing one’s salvation.

John 6:35-40
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Again, please read the entire chapter. Look at the context to see that I’m not adding a different meaning to this very clear declaration.

Jesus says that all that the Father gives Him, will come to Him… that’s number one. Jesus says that He came down from heaven to do the will of the Father… that’s number two. He says that the will of the Father is that He will not lose anything that the Father has given Him but will raise it up on the last day (speaking of Christians)… that’s number three. He then repeats that same thought again.

Jesus clearly tells us that the keeping of the salvation of all those whom the Father gives Him, is actually linked to the very will of the Father that Jesus was sent to do.

When people deny that God keeps us saved, they actually deny that Jesus will fulfil the will of the Father. In their heads, Jesus has already failed in doing the will of God because they believe thousands… if not millions of people have lost their salvation, at the very least, since His resurrection.

Remember what we first established.

1.      The bible is true

2.      God never lies

3.      Jesus is God

4.      Jesus is the foundation of Christianity.

By the denial of the doctrine of Eternal Security, people deny that Jesus is actually God.

In both of those verses, Jesus would have lied… not only about the nature of salvation, but the will of the Father, as well as His own mission.

Christianity would be all for nought, because Jesus, could no longer be God, since He can be wrong. Jesus would not be able to save us.

Once Jesus declared these things, these become true. Anything and everything that is contrary to these, is wrong by virtue of the fact that since Jesus is God, everything He says is true.

If Jesus loses even one sheep… if even one sheep perishes… then Jesus is no longer true.

Everybody whom the Father draws, and gives to Jesus, Jesus will keep. None of His sheep will perish.

These are the words (and there are plenty more straight from Him), is what convicted me of the bad theology that I was taught for many years. These are the words that showed me that I was not trusting in the grace of Jesus alone to save me. I believed in my works to save me. I was trusting in my repentance andthe grace of Jesus to save me.

Once Jesus says it, it is so. And once you look at all the other scriptures that you think shows a believer a lose their salvation, from this vantage point… in other words, standing on the rock of our salvation… the sure word of the God who does not lie and makes what He says come to pass - you see that all those scriptures don't show a believer losing their salvation at all.

Now, with that said, what are we to make about those who seem to lose their salvation?

Jesus answered this very thing to us multiple times.

Look at the parable of the 4 soils. Look at the parable of the sower. Look at the parable of the 10 virgins. The teaching about the Good Shepherd.

Time and time again, Jesus tells us over and over again in various ways throughout His earthly ministry that salvation is, by its very nature, secure.

Jesus shows us that there are two different viewpoints. These are, first, the human viewpoint, and secondly, God’s viewpoint.

From the human viewpoint, we often think people are saved, when they are not.

Look at the wise and foolish virgins. The foolish virgins were waiting for the bridegroom just like the wise virgins. The foolish virgins dressed in the same way as the wise ones. They also had lamps. But the bridegroom came and picked up the wise virgins.

A lot of people want to say how this shows people losing their salvation. They can miss the rapture.

No. When you continue the parable, the foolish virgins knock on the door where the bridegroom is. And He tells them that He doesn’t know them.

The foolish virgins knew the bridegroom, but the bridegroom didn’t know them.

It’s like thinking we can just saunter into Buckingham Palace because we know the Queen of England.

Of course you know her. Many people around the world know her. You could only go in if she knew you though.

If Christ knows you, you have a relationship with Him. Those who are saved, are only so because Christ initiates a relationship with us. He is the one who seeks us. He is the one who comes after us. He is the one who continues the relationship by sanctifying us.

Now, I fully believe, that God will deal with all those who belong to Him, but are in unbelief regarding the trustworthiness of His words.

Those who are really saved won’t find themselves outside of salvation if they believe the wrong doctrine. God will deal with them. He will not allow them to continue thinking about Him wrongly, and telling others the wrong thing about Him.

The issue is that, if He is our God (as we say), we should trust and believe His words. Why wait for God to chastise us instead of just walking in humble obedience?

I hope you can clearly see, not only the doctrine of Eternal Security straight from the mouth of God Himself (Jesus), but that you can also see what is at stake if we deny this doctrine.

God is the one who sets the standard for truth. If He says it, that’s how it is. All the apostles, and every new testament believer could testify that we can lose our salvation and they would all be wrong. Why? Quite simply because Jesus says so.

Jesus will not lose any of those whom the Father gives to Him. He will give all of them eternal life, and none of them will perish.

Even though there are plenty of places, from Jesus Himself, where He constantly teaches Eternal Security, if we are really His followers, those two should be more than sufficient to convince us.

Join us next time as we begin to, hopefully, answer every single objection against the doctrine of Eternal Security… no… scratch that… against the decree of the Almighty Ruler of the All Reality – Christ Jesus of Nazareth.

Amen