“Once Saved, Always Saved?” I have been given many answers on the topic of ‘once saved, always saved.’ I have been saved by God’s grace, but a lot of my unsaved friends ask me that question, and I can’t give them a definite answer. I have my own beliefs on the subject, but I would love to have a definite and clear answer. Hope you can help.
The question of “once saved always saved” has been hotly debated by theologians and believers for centuries. It is unlikely that there is anything you or I could say to change anyone’s positions on such a topic. I have always found that truth is a paradox, two seemingly opposing realities that seem to support truth like a tightrope between two poles. When we fail to understand either side of the paradox we fail to properly see the truth. Like the tightrope that is no longer pulled tightly between the two points, it is no longer safe for walking.
We know we have security in Jesus, yet we know we have personal responsibility. We know that salvation is completely and solely based on the finished work of Jesus yet, we must believe and accept the truth. All of these are opposing realities, which make this doctrine provable or unprovable. My question for people who want to debate this, or any doctrine is this, “What’s your point?” Why do you want to know?” People who are dogmatic about any doctrinal position seldom use that position for a place to experience God. It is usually a place to argue and find false security in being right.
I don’t believe “once saved always saved” and I don’t believe “saved-lost-saved-lost.” I could not prove either if I chose a position. I believe security comes from maintaining a meaningful relationship with God.
If that doesn’t meet the need nothing will. Just love those who have strong opinions and save yourself a lot of frustration by trying to defend either point. Thanks for a very needed question.
The answer is actually quite simple: just as accepting salvation is a choice, rejecting salvation is a choice. Only you can throw away your salvation, but no one or anything can take it from you. When and how that happens is unexplainable because it’s a matter of choices + heart beliefs, something only God and that person knows for certain.
This debate arises from erroneous religious teaching about salvation and sin. We don’t lose salvation because of sin; we lose it because we decide to reject Jesus as Lord and Savior – the very same process we use to accept Him as Lord and Savior: OUR AUTHORITY AND POWER TO CHOOSE!