Once Saved Always Saved?
by Dave Brown
Landing Page: Does Doctrinal Purity Matter?
Quick 3 minute video on this subject: click here.
Comment on the artist's rendering of the Lord's Supper given above. We realize that Judas could be an exception, but the argument most often heard is "Judas never did believe." Did Judas think that he believed? Did Judas not have the Holy Spirit when he was sent out in Matthew 10 to evangelize with the other disciples? If Judas "never did believe" how can anyone who sins (and that would be all of us) know that we have believed. In 1 John 2:3-6 we learn how we know we are in Jesus: "1 John 2:3-6 "And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoso keeps his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him: he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked." As long as Judas had enough faith to obey Jesus he was in Jesus. When his selfishness overcame his will to follow Jesus, he "fell away" (Acts 1:25). You cannot fall way from something that you are never on or in.
There are two articles on this page. The first one (A Scriptural Review of Once Saved Always Saved) addresses the topic above directly with a review of all of the scriptures that contradict the "once saved always saved" speculation. The second article addresses the knee-jerk response when cases are given of Christians falling from grace; it is called The Paradox: "He Never Did Believe."
1 - A Scriptural Review of Once Saved Always Saved
by Dave Brown
Our title question it is one that only the bible can answer. Those who claim that this is a bible teaching have the burden of proof to demonstrate the scriptures that confirm it. The most often cited passage in defense of this doctrine is Rom 8:38-39: "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Please read this carefully and go to the context to assure that you understand it. Is this passage in any way related to the subject of a Christian so sinning that he could become lost? No -- it has everything to do with external forces of Satan that might oppose us and deny us our salvation; but it has nothing to do with the individual himself turning from the Lord and being lost. If a passage that does not even relate to the subject is the best that its proponents can supply, that in itself should tell us something. What they wish it would say is: "For I am persuaded that there is no sin that a Christian can commit that could separate him from his salvation." God loves even the most vile of sinners, and He would welcome any Christian back if they would simply repent and come back into the fold (Matthew 18:12-17). But if they will not repent, there is no assurance of salvation.
The passages referenced below are relevant this subject. As you read them, answer this question: is there anything that a faithful Christian (i.e., a person who is in a saved condition) can do that might cause his soul to be lost eternally? We trust you will be able to answer this question without any help from us, and we will keep our comments to a minimum. Again, we are trying to use a comprehensive approach to enable you to establish the preponderance of scriptural evidence on this subject and determine the answer for yourself.
The passages relative to the subject fall into three categories: (1) scriptures that indicate that we must be faithful until death (or the end of this world); (2) scriptures that issue warnings to those who are tempted to fall away; and (3) conditions of salvation that are issued to faithful Christians (i.e., people who were recognized as being saved). We have highlighted certain words in the passages to provide emphasis; obviously no such emphasis was in the original.
Please see the discussion with regard to our having confidence of our salvation at the end of this article. We can be confident of our salvation if we simply avoid falling away from it.
UNTIL THE END
Matthew 10:22
22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.
Matthew 24:11-13
11 And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray.
12 And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold.
13 But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.
[Endurance implies faithfulness over time.]
Romans 2:4-11
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
5 but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6 who will render to every man according to his works:
7 to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life:
8 but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, (shall be) wrath and indignation,
9 tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek;
10 but glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek:
11 for there is no respect of persons with God.
[This was not a warning to those of the world; it was written to faithful Christians, some of whom were undergoing severe hardships for the cause at Rome.]
2 Timothy 2:11-13
11 Faithful is the saying: For if we died with him, we shall also live with him:
12 if we endure, we shall also reign with him: if we shall deny him, he also will deny us:
13 if we are faithless, he abideth faithful; for he cannot deny himself.
[Jesus will not deny his own; but if we cease being his own, then he will deny that we represent him, or as it says in verse 12: "he also will deny us."
Hebrews 3:5-13
5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken;
6 but Christ as a son, over his house; whose house are we, if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end.
7 Wherefore, even as the Holy Spirit saith, Today if ye shall hear his voice,
8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, Like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers tried (me) by proving (me,) And saw my works forty years.
10 Wherefore I was displeased with this generation, And said, They do always err in their heart: But they did not know my ways;
11 As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.
12 Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God:
13 but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called Today; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin:
[Note the term "falling away" in verse 12. In order to fall away from something you must first be upon it, in this figure it would imply that those who could fall away were once in Christ, i.e., saved. Note in verse 6 the conditional nature ("if") of remaining saved.]
Hebrews 5:8-9
8 though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered;
9 and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation;
[Is the writer talking about just one or a few acts of obedience, or does it require for us to continue to obey him throughout our lives? True, we are not expected to be perfectly without sin. But let us not allow some inadvertent acts of stumbling be an excuse to do whatever we please.]
Hebrews 10:35-39
35 Cast not away therefore your boldness, which hath great recompense of reward.
36 For ye have need of patience, that, having done the will of God, ye may receive the promise.
37 For yet a very little while, He that cometh shall come, and shall not tarry.
38 But my righteous one shall live by faith: And if he shrink back, my soul hath no pleasure in him.
39 But we are not of them that shrink back unto perdition; but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul.
[Perdition: "Loss of the soul; eternal damnation." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
James 1:12
12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which (the Lord) promised to them that love him.
[Is "approval" at the point of becoming a Christian, or does it involve enduring?]
Revelation 2:10
10 Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life.
[Does "unto" here mean the degree of persecution that we must endure, or is it talking about being faithful until the point in time of our physical death? The Greek word is achri: "NT:891 achri (akh'-ree); or achris (akh'-rece); akin to NT:206 (through the idea of a terminus); (of time) until or (of place) up to: KJV - as far as, for, in (-to), till, (even, un-) to, until, while."
(Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Revelation 2:26
26 And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations:
WARNINGS
Romans 11:20
20 Well; by their unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by thy faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
[This is referring to the unfaithful Jews who were broken off, but the warning is to faithful Christians. If they were broken off we could be broken off as well. Would we have to fear if we knew that once we had become saved we could never fall away?]
1 Corinthians 9 (last verse) 9:24-10:12
24 Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.
25 And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they (do it) to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air:
27 but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.
1 Corinthians 10 (continuing the thought)
10:1 For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 and did all eat the same spiritual food;
4 and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ.
5 Howbeit with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer.
11 Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
[Chapter divisions were inserted by man; they are not inspired. The thought begun in 1 Cor. 9:24 continues into the tenth chapter. What does Paul mean: "I myself should be rejected?" This is explained in terms of God's treatment to those who rebelled against him in the wilderness. Did they ever reach the promised land? Read verse 12 and answer the following: do those who believe "once saved, always saved" think they "stand?"]
Galatians 5:3-4
3 Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4 Ye are severed from Christ, ye would be justified by the law; ye are fallen away from grace.
[This was Paul's direct statements to Christians who were trying pull their fellow Christians back under the law of Moses (Judaizers), beginning with the guise of circumcision (see Acts 15:1-5). It seems here and most other places that the only issue is circumcision. However the full truth comes out in Acts 15 when the Judaizers made their case not just for circumcision but to bind the whole law on their fellow Christians, including Gentiles. Here Paul says that if they bind one part of the law they must bind it all to be consistent. Then he goes on to state that they are fallen away from grace by teaching this doctrine. This is the second time we have encountered this term ("fallen away") the other being in Hebrews 3:12, where it says that they were fallen away from the living God. Being in God is the same as being in God's grace, and vice versa, so these two are essentially saying the same thing. Not only is it possible to fall away, but in this case Paul gives specific example of people who have fallen away. This is not just a theoretical concept.]
Galatians 6:7-8
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life.
[Who is Paul writing to here? From 1:1-2, "Paul, an apostle of the Lord ... to the churches of Galatia." Can Christians be deceived? Again to Christans Paul writes 1 Cor 15:33: "Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals." Can a Christian be corrupted?
1 Timothy 4:1
4:1 But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,
[Here is the "fall away" term again, this time "from the faith." Faith in this context is the content of that which is believed, i.e., the doctrine of the Christ, his teachings. The person who falls away from the faith would be lost if he did not repent and turn again to the Lord. The direct opposite of the teachings of Jesus are seducing spirits and doctrines of demons.]
Hebrews 2:2-3
2 For if the word spoken through angels proved stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward;
3 how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation?
[Neglect here is a passive verb. The analogy used is one of watching something float down a stream, and we just watch it go by and make no effort to retrieve it. So it is with our salvation if we are not attentive to it. What do you suppose we will not escape in the rhetorical question?]
Hebrews 6:4-6
4 For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
5 and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come,
6 and (then) fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
[Once again there is the idea of falling away, this time the object is implied. We might ask -- fell away from what? What are we to think of those people who have been enlightened, tasted of the heavenly gift, were partakers of the Holy Spirit, tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come? Would anyone claim that "they were never saved?" We do not believe that verse six is in any sense saying that they have committed the unforgivable sin and they they cannot be forgiven. A careful reading of verse six says that it is impossible for us (other Christians) to renew them. The way that we bring people to repentance is to teach them the truth (in fact, is there any other way?). This verse indicates that they have already learned and obeyed the truth. But now, with this full knowledge, they have with full presence of mind turned against their Lord (strong words: crucifying Jesus afresh). So, our further preaching and teaching them is not going to have any effect, since they already know the truth. This does not mean that they are incapable of recognizing their error and turning from it. But this is something that is going to have to come from within them -- there is no outside force that can accomplish this change of mind, as is the case with those who have never heard the truth. How could "once saved, always saved" possibly apply to them? This thought will be taken up further in the next two passages.]
Hebrews 10:26-31
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins,
27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries.
28 A man that hath set at nought Moses' law dieth without compassion on (the word of) two or three witnesses:
29 of how much sorer punishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know him that said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
[This is effectively stating the same as the previous passage. Who are the "we" in verse 26? In verse 29, what does it mean to be "sanctified?" Who are "the Lord's people in verse 30? We asked above the question of what Christians should fear. There is really only one thing that we have to fear, and that is our own rebellion against the Lord who we claim to love. There is no reason to fall into the hands of the living God other than our own rebellion. We are our own greatest enemies in this regard.]
2 Peter 2:20-22
20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state is become worse with them than the first.
21 For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
22 It has happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog turning to his own vomit again, and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire.
[Now think again about the meaning of "once saved, always saved." These last three passages have emphasized the major point of verse 21 above -- that not only can we become "unsaved," but we can degenerate to a state that is worse off than we were before we were saved. We do not see this as being worse degrees of hell; instead we see this as talking about the probability that this person will ever turn back to the Lord once again. The repulsive figures of verse 22 come from both a scriptural source for the dog (Prov. 26:11) and a secular source for the sow, which we understand appears in Rabbinical writings and Greek classics. Anyone who has kept dogs or pigs can attest to their sickening nature in this regard, and these images were common to the Christians that Peter was writing to. Intentionally disgusting, they are intended to depict how God must view those who have had all the advantages of learning, knowing, and at one time practicing His word, but choose rather to turn back to the things of this world.]
2 Peter 3:13-14
13 But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, give diligence that ye may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in his sight.
[A much more positive exhortation by Peter indicating the need for continued diligence.]
CONDITIONAL "IF"
1 Corinthians 15:1-2
15:1 Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand,
2 by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain.
[Can we believe in vain? How does such a situation come to exist?]
Colossians 1:21-23
21 And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works,
22 yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him:
23 if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.
[What is the condition following the "if" in verse 23?
2 Peter 1:5-11
5 Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in (your) virtue knowledge;
6 and in (your) knowledge self-control; and in (your) self-control patience; and in (your) patience godliness;
7 and in (your) godliness brotherly kindness; and in (your) brotherly kindness love.
8 For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.
10 Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble:
11 for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
[There are two "ifs" in this passage -- one in verse 8 and another in verse 10. What conditions are given for each of them? What had some forgotten in verse 9? Had they all been cleansed from their old sins? Would that not have put them into a saved condition?]
1 John 2:24
24 As for you, let that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father.
[What is the condition here?]
BEING CONFIDENT OF YOUR SALVATION
We can and should be confident of our salvation. The apostle Paul stated (2 Tim, 4:7-8): "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course , I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but also to all them that have loved his appearing." It was this same apostle who commanded us to follow his example (1 Cor. 11:1), so we should have no reservations in expressing our confidence that we are saved just as he did. But of course, it must be true.
So, how do we know if we are saved or not? This is not a difficult question to answer. God has placed conditions on our salvation which are quite easy to comply with. Please click here for the commands of Jesus in this regard.
If you have done what Jesus commanded you to do in order to be saved, then there is no reason for you to doubt your salvation. If you have sinned subsequent to meeting the conditions of salvation, then repent and pray for forgiveness and you can be totally confident of your salvation (1 John 1:8-10). Be faithful until death and you will receive the crown of life (Rev. 2:10). This is a promise of God, and God always keeps His promises.
To those who have believed in "once saved always saved" in the past, we know that when confronted with someone who is obviously in egregious sin (e.g., Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8) that the standard answer is: "well they were never saved in the first place." Since we are all guilty of sin, would not this person have to wonder: "Was I really saved in the first place?" Or was it just an emotional experience? Has Satan deceived me?"
Did you follow the plan of salvation because you read it in the New Testament? If so, then you can be sure (by the very passages given above) that as long as your are faithful to Jesus, you will continue to be in a saved condition. If you cannot find the plan that you followed in the New Testament, then do not be deceived into thinking that you are saved. There is no greater harm that one person can do to another than to convince them that they are saved when, in fact, they are not. We certainly do not want to be guilty of doing this wrong to you or anyone else. Please do not take our word for it -- check out the passages that are given, and assure yourself of your salvation from the clear teachings from God's word. That, and that alone, is the assurance you can trust.
What are the conditions of salvation given by Jesus?
2 - The Paradox of: “He Never Did Believe”
by Dave Brown
Preface: Like most words, the word “paradox” can have a variety of meanings depending on the context. In this article we will define a pure paradox to have the following definition: “a set of statements that is impossible to logically resolve as being either true or false.” As an example: “Everything I write is a lie. The previous sentence is true.” We will call this a pure paradox because both sentences cannot be simultaneously true, nor can they be simultaneously false. Please think about it. Paul used something very close to this paradox in Titus 1:12-13: “One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, … This testimony is true.” The only way to fathom Paul’s statement is by the assumption that a liar does not have to lie all the time. If they did then the prophet’s statement “Cretans are always liars” would itself be a lie, and this would qualify as a pure paradox according to our definition.
The statement “he never did believe” is used as an explanation by those who believe in the “faith only -- once saved always saved” (FO-OSAS) doctrine. They have for decades used this simple phrase to trivialize several examples in the New Testament where it is obvious that someone who at one point had faith in Jesus Christ obviously fell away into a lost condition. Let us consider three detailed cases and see if this explanation is logical, or if it is a paradox.
1. Judas Iscariot
It is not reasonable to say that Judas Iscariot was saved, although when called to be a disciple of Jesus it is clear that he must have believed. Judas was not a robot devoid of free will. So even though it is clear that Jesus knew that Judas was going to betray him, this does not mean he was forced to do so. Judas was one of the 12 sent out to preach the gospel with miraculous power, as recorded in Matt 10:1: “And he called unto him his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of disease and all manner of sickness.” Would Jesus give this authority to an unsaved man? That is the conclusion we would have to come to if “he never did believe.” The reasonable explanation is that early in the discipleship of Judas, he did believe, but he later concluded within himself to cash in on this relationship.
This is consistent with Matt 26:14-16: “Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said, What are ye willing to give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they weighed unto him thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to deliver him (unto them.) This was clearly the major turning point for Judas. His clear demise is clearly shown in the following
Matthew 27:3-5:
3 Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 saying, I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood. But they said, What is that to us? see thou (to it).
5 And he cast down the pieces of silver into the sanctuary, and departed; and he went away and hanged himself.
Acts 1:18-19:
18(Now this man obtained a field with the reward of his iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
19 And it became known to all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch that in their language that field was called Akeldama, that is, The field of blood.)
There is no contradiction here; the first says what he did, the second how he did it and the end results. If Judas was saved despite all of the negative things said about him, it is for sure that this would be clearly stated as an example of God’s grace in the New Testament. We need to take what it says for what it says.
Finally, if the fact that Judas was not a legitimate apostle of Jesus Christ is questioned, consider the prayer expressed when his position was being replaced: Acts 1:24-25: “And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, who knows the hearts of all men, show of these two the one whom thou hast chosen, to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place.
2. Simon the Sorcerer
A fairly long reading here, but it is worth it to get the entire story …
Acts 8:9-24
9 But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who beforetime in the city used sorcery, and amazed the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is that power of God which is called Great.
11 And they gave heed to him, because that of long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.
12 But when they believed Philip preaching good tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 And Simon also himself believed: and being baptized, he continued with Philip; and beholding signs and great miracles wrought, he was amazed.
14 Now when the apostles that were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
15 who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit:
16 for as yet it was fallen upon none of them: only they had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,
19 saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.
20 But Peter said unto him, Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money.
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right before God.
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if perhaps the thought of thy heart shall be forgiven thee.
23 For I see that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.
24 And Simon answered and said, Pray ye for me to the Lord, that none of the things which ye have spoken come upon me.
Simon had always been the one who was respected for being God’s mouthpiece. While it was clear that the miracles of Philip and then of the apostles was legitimate (as opposed to Simon’s sorcery), he still had a strong desire for superiority, and calculated that the apostles were motivated by the same thing as he was (a common misconception of false teachers). Peter said “thy heart is not right before God … thou are in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity.” Can such a person be saved? Yes, but only if they will do what Peter commanded – he had to “repent … and pray” for forgiveness since he had already been baptized into the body of Christ (Rom. 6:3). Apparently Peter had told Simon of some of the bad things that would come upon him if he did not (see verse 24).
Can we say that “Simon never did believe?” If so, it directly contradicts verse 13 (above). Can we reason that he believed but not with the quality of belief necessary for salvation? Perhaps. Let us discuss this in more detail after we consider one more example.
3. Ananias and Sapphira
The following passages starts with the word “but” indicating a contrast. The context at the end of Chapter 4 is the report of a man named Barnabas selling a field and giving it to the apostles to be used in the benevolent mission of the church. There is no implication that all Christians did this or that it was mandatory of the richer Christians to do this (see verse 4 below). This was a free-will offering. The sin was that of lying about it, which was clearly done as a matter of their pretentiousness. God made it clear early in the life of the church that the Lord’s church is not to be used for such deceitful self-pompousness.
Acts 5:1-11
5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2 and kept back (part) of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back (part) of the price of the land?
4 While it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? thou has not lied unto men, but unto God.
5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost: and great fear came upon all that heard it.
6 And the young men arose and wrapped him round, and they carried him out and buried him.
7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yea, for so much.
9 But Peter (said) unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to try the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them that have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out.
10 And she fell down immediately at his feet, and gave up the ghost: and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.
11 And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all that heard these things.
There can be little doubt that Ananias and Sapphira were believers. They were certainly members of the church at Jerusalem, and were recognized as Christians. Who else would be willing to sell their land and give part of it for use as the apostles saw fit? Assuming that a gift like this would be accepted from someone who is not a Christian, would Peter have pressed them the way that he did? No, it is clear that this was primarily a lesson for members of the church (see verse 11 above) to not attempt to use the organization and membership of the church for one’s own self-promotion.
There are many other examples of Christians falling from grace that could be given, e.g., Galatians 5:4. However, these are enough to illustrate the points that we will make in demonstrating the paradox.
The Paradox
The knee-jerk response to those who believe the FO-OSAS doctrine when confronted with examples of New Testament Christians falling away is to say: he never was saved in the first place because he never believed in the first place. The reason that such an “explanation” is paradoxical is that it effectively destroys their doctrine. Let’s try to demonstrate this point by point.
Prior to their sin, did Ananias, Sapphira, Simon and Judas believe that they were saved? Can anyone with any sense of truth argue that they were mere pretenders and did not themselves believe that they were saved? Do the scriptures (stories above) give any indication at all that their conversion was bogus, and that what they believed about themselves was a lie? Of course not. Ananias and Sapphira were willing to make a significant sacrifice for the cause – would they do this if they knew from day one they were going to hell? It flat out says that Simon believed – is it not reasonable that he also believed that he was saved? And even Judas, despite his evil intentions, would not be giving up a major part of his life (about three years) if he did not initially have faith in Jesus. Could he have performed miracles as shown in Matthew 10 if he was convinced he was going to hell? God has given us common sense to draw logical conclusions – those who would say that these people were mere pretenders are so twisting the obvious that we should be offended at their insulting our intelligence.
Why are we emphasizing the fact that these people, who obviously became lost, believed that they were saved at the time of their conversions. Simply because the very same thing is true of those who are taught faith only today – if they do what their false teachers tell them to do (i.e., JUST believe and nothing else), they are taught that they are saved and they are totally convinced of that fact. And yet now we are being told that this might not be true. WE ARE BEING TOLD THIS as an explanation as to how someone could fall away but not really fall away – but are the FO-OSAS converts being taught this? If not, why not? Are they taught that perhaps their faith is really not valid. Are they taught that if they later deny Jesus and become a Jihadist (for example), or if they use the church for their own indulgence like A&S did, or if they try to purchase spiritual gifts with money like Simon did, that in fact, this is evidence that they never did believe.
If this is not being taught, then these converts are not being taught the whole truth. Can we not see that saying that these people never did believe actually adds another layer to the requirements of FO-OSAS – they cannot later fall away. But WAIT!!! I thought that OSAS meant that it did not matter what a person did, of he was saved by faith only he would ALWAYS be saved regardless. This just does not add up. That is what creates a paradox.
So if these people were lost because they never really did believe in the right way – are there different ways to believe? Can a person believe he is saved by “faith only” but not really be saved? I know that this is not taught. They are taught that if they believe, that is all that is required. So, if they believe they are saved, then they are assured by the false teachers that they ARE saved. But now we learn that this might not be true. It seems that this might only be a perception on their part, and then later on when they fall away only then does it become apparent that they never really believed in the first place.
Does this mean that the following must be true? … Revelation 2:10: “Be thou faithful unto death , and I will give thee the crown of life.” Well, of course, this is scripture so we know it is true regardless of what any false teacher might say. The question becomes, do you now accept this teaching? Are you saying that now someone must continue to be faithful and not just have faith only in order to receive the crown of life? That IS what the bible says.
We commend you for your step in the right direction. However, it is time to shed the paradox. To be consistent with yourself you must depart from the FO-OSAS doctrine since it has absolutely no scriptural basis whatsoever, and just believe in Jesus and all that he said. In closing please give serious consideration to this truism: there is no greater harm that one human can do to another than to convince him that he is saved when in fact he is not.
What are the conditions of salvation given by Jesus?
Next article in this series.
Landing Page: Does Doctrinal Purity Matter?
Quick 3 minute video on this subject: click here.
Comment on the artist's rendering of the Lord's Supper given above. We realize that Judas could be an exception, but the argument most often heard is "Judas never did believe." Did Judas think that he believed? Did Judas not have the Holy Spirit when he was sent out in Matthew 10 to evangelize with the other disciples? If Judas "never did believe" how can anyone who sins (and that would be all of us) know that we have believed. In 1 John 2:3-6 we learn how we know we are in Jesus: "1 John 2:3-6 "And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoso keeps his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him: he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked." As long as Judas had enough faith to obey Jesus he was in Jesus. When his selfishness overcame his will to follow Jesus, he "fell away" (Acts 1:25). You cannot fall way from something that you are never on or in.
There are two articles on this page. The first one (A Scriptural Review of Once Saved Always Saved) addresses the topic above directly with a review of all of the scriptures that contradict the "once saved always saved" speculation. The second article addresses the knee-jerk response when cases are given of Christians falling from grace; it is called The Paradox: "He Never Did Believe."
1 - A Scriptural Review of Once Saved Always Saved
by Dave Brown
Our title question it is one that only the bible can answer. Those who claim that this is a bible teaching have the burden of proof to demonstrate the scriptures that confirm it. The most often cited passage in defense of this doctrine is Rom 8:38-39: "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Please read this carefully and go to the context to assure that you understand it. Is this passage in any way related to the subject of a Christian so sinning that he could become lost? No -- it has everything to do with external forces of Satan that might oppose us and deny us our salvation; but it has nothing to do with the individual himself turning from the Lord and being lost. If a passage that does not even relate to the subject is the best that its proponents can supply, that in itself should tell us something. What they wish it would say is: "For I am persuaded that there is no sin that a Christian can commit that could separate him from his salvation." God loves even the most vile of sinners, and He would welcome any Christian back if they would simply repent and come back into the fold (Matthew 18:12-17). But if they will not repent, there is no assurance of salvation.
The passages referenced below are relevant this subject. As you read them, answer this question: is there anything that a faithful Christian (i.e., a person who is in a saved condition) can do that might cause his soul to be lost eternally? We trust you will be able to answer this question without any help from us, and we will keep our comments to a minimum. Again, we are trying to use a comprehensive approach to enable you to establish the preponderance of scriptural evidence on this subject and determine the answer for yourself.
The passages relative to the subject fall into three categories: (1) scriptures that indicate that we must be faithful until death (or the end of this world); (2) scriptures that issue warnings to those who are tempted to fall away; and (3) conditions of salvation that are issued to faithful Christians (i.e., people who were recognized as being saved). We have highlighted certain words in the passages to provide emphasis; obviously no such emphasis was in the original.
Please see the discussion with regard to our having confidence of our salvation at the end of this article. We can be confident of our salvation if we simply avoid falling away from it.
UNTIL THE END
Matthew 10:22
22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.
Matthew 24:11-13
11 And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray.
12 And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold.
13 But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.
[Endurance implies faithfulness over time.]
Romans 2:4-11
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
5 but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6 who will render to every man according to his works:
7 to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life:
8 but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, (shall be) wrath and indignation,
9 tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek;
10 but glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek:
11 for there is no respect of persons with God.
[This was not a warning to those of the world; it was written to faithful Christians, some of whom were undergoing severe hardships for the cause at Rome.]
2 Timothy 2:11-13
11 Faithful is the saying: For if we died with him, we shall also live with him:
12 if we endure, we shall also reign with him: if we shall deny him, he also will deny us:
13 if we are faithless, he abideth faithful; for he cannot deny himself.
[Jesus will not deny his own; but if we cease being his own, then he will deny that we represent him, or as it says in verse 12: "he also will deny us."
Hebrews 3:5-13
5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken;
6 but Christ as a son, over his house; whose house are we, if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end.
7 Wherefore, even as the Holy Spirit saith, Today if ye shall hear his voice,
8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, Like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers tried (me) by proving (me,) And saw my works forty years.
10 Wherefore I was displeased with this generation, And said, They do always err in their heart: But they did not know my ways;
11 As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.
12 Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God:
13 but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called Today; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin:
[Note the term "falling away" in verse 12. In order to fall away from something you must first be upon it, in this figure it would imply that those who could fall away were once in Christ, i.e., saved. Note in verse 6 the conditional nature ("if") of remaining saved.]
Hebrews 5:8-9
8 though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered;
9 and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation;
[Is the writer talking about just one or a few acts of obedience, or does it require for us to continue to obey him throughout our lives? True, we are not expected to be perfectly without sin. But let us not allow some inadvertent acts of stumbling be an excuse to do whatever we please.]
Hebrews 10:35-39
35 Cast not away therefore your boldness, which hath great recompense of reward.
36 For ye have need of patience, that, having done the will of God, ye may receive the promise.
37 For yet a very little while, He that cometh shall come, and shall not tarry.
38 But my righteous one shall live by faith: And if he shrink back, my soul hath no pleasure in him.
39 But we are not of them that shrink back unto perdition; but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul.
[Perdition: "Loss of the soul; eternal damnation." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
James 1:12
12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which (the Lord) promised to them that love him.
[Is "approval" at the point of becoming a Christian, or does it involve enduring?]
Revelation 2:10
10 Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life.
[Does "unto" here mean the degree of persecution that we must endure, or is it talking about being faithful until the point in time of our physical death? The Greek word is achri: "NT:891 achri (akh'-ree); or achris (akh'-rece); akin to NT:206 (through the idea of a terminus); (of time) until or (of place) up to: KJV - as far as, for, in (-to), till, (even, un-) to, until, while."
(Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Revelation 2:26
26 And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations:
WARNINGS
Romans 11:20
20 Well; by their unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by thy faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
[This is referring to the unfaithful Jews who were broken off, but the warning is to faithful Christians. If they were broken off we could be broken off as well. Would we have to fear if we knew that once we had become saved we could never fall away?]
1 Corinthians 9 (last verse) 9:24-10:12
24 Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.
25 And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they (do it) to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air:
27 but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.
1 Corinthians 10 (continuing the thought)
10:1 For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 and did all eat the same spiritual food;
4 and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ.
5 Howbeit with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer.
11 Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
[Chapter divisions were inserted by man; they are not inspired. The thought begun in 1 Cor. 9:24 continues into the tenth chapter. What does Paul mean: "I myself should be rejected?" This is explained in terms of God's treatment to those who rebelled against him in the wilderness. Did they ever reach the promised land? Read verse 12 and answer the following: do those who believe "once saved, always saved" think they "stand?"]
Galatians 5:3-4
3 Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4 Ye are severed from Christ, ye would be justified by the law; ye are fallen away from grace.
[This was Paul's direct statements to Christians who were trying pull their fellow Christians back under the law of Moses (Judaizers), beginning with the guise of circumcision (see Acts 15:1-5). It seems here and most other places that the only issue is circumcision. However the full truth comes out in Acts 15 when the Judaizers made their case not just for circumcision but to bind the whole law on their fellow Christians, including Gentiles. Here Paul says that if they bind one part of the law they must bind it all to be consistent. Then he goes on to state that they are fallen away from grace by teaching this doctrine. This is the second time we have encountered this term ("fallen away") the other being in Hebrews 3:12, where it says that they were fallen away from the living God. Being in God is the same as being in God's grace, and vice versa, so these two are essentially saying the same thing. Not only is it possible to fall away, but in this case Paul gives specific example of people who have fallen away. This is not just a theoretical concept.]
Galatians 6:7-8
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life.
[Who is Paul writing to here? From 1:1-2, "Paul, an apostle of the Lord ... to the churches of Galatia." Can Christians be deceived? Again to Christans Paul writes 1 Cor 15:33: "Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals." Can a Christian be corrupted?
1 Timothy 4:1
4:1 But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,
[Here is the "fall away" term again, this time "from the faith." Faith in this context is the content of that which is believed, i.e., the doctrine of the Christ, his teachings. The person who falls away from the faith would be lost if he did not repent and turn again to the Lord. The direct opposite of the teachings of Jesus are seducing spirits and doctrines of demons.]
Hebrews 2:2-3
2 For if the word spoken through angels proved stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward;
3 how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation?
[Neglect here is a passive verb. The analogy used is one of watching something float down a stream, and we just watch it go by and make no effort to retrieve it. So it is with our salvation if we are not attentive to it. What do you suppose we will not escape in the rhetorical question?]
Hebrews 6:4-6
4 For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
5 and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come,
6 and (then) fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
[Once again there is the idea of falling away, this time the object is implied. We might ask -- fell away from what? What are we to think of those people who have been enlightened, tasted of the heavenly gift, were partakers of the Holy Spirit, tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come? Would anyone claim that "they were never saved?" We do not believe that verse six is in any sense saying that they have committed the unforgivable sin and they they cannot be forgiven. A careful reading of verse six says that it is impossible for us (other Christians) to renew them. The way that we bring people to repentance is to teach them the truth (in fact, is there any other way?). This verse indicates that they have already learned and obeyed the truth. But now, with this full knowledge, they have with full presence of mind turned against their Lord (strong words: crucifying Jesus afresh). So, our further preaching and teaching them is not going to have any effect, since they already know the truth. This does not mean that they are incapable of recognizing their error and turning from it. But this is something that is going to have to come from within them -- there is no outside force that can accomplish this change of mind, as is the case with those who have never heard the truth. How could "once saved, always saved" possibly apply to them? This thought will be taken up further in the next two passages.]
Hebrews 10:26-31
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins,
27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries.
28 A man that hath set at nought Moses' law dieth without compassion on (the word of) two or three witnesses:
29 of how much sorer punishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know him that said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
[This is effectively stating the same as the previous passage. Who are the "we" in verse 26? In verse 29, what does it mean to be "sanctified?" Who are "the Lord's people in verse 30? We asked above the question of what Christians should fear. There is really only one thing that we have to fear, and that is our own rebellion against the Lord who we claim to love. There is no reason to fall into the hands of the living God other than our own rebellion. We are our own greatest enemies in this regard.]
2 Peter 2:20-22
20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state is become worse with them than the first.
21 For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
22 It has happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog turning to his own vomit again, and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire.
[Now think again about the meaning of "once saved, always saved." These last three passages have emphasized the major point of verse 21 above -- that not only can we become "unsaved," but we can degenerate to a state that is worse off than we were before we were saved. We do not see this as being worse degrees of hell; instead we see this as talking about the probability that this person will ever turn back to the Lord once again. The repulsive figures of verse 22 come from both a scriptural source for the dog (Prov. 26:11) and a secular source for the sow, which we understand appears in Rabbinical writings and Greek classics. Anyone who has kept dogs or pigs can attest to their sickening nature in this regard, and these images were common to the Christians that Peter was writing to. Intentionally disgusting, they are intended to depict how God must view those who have had all the advantages of learning, knowing, and at one time practicing His word, but choose rather to turn back to the things of this world.]
2 Peter 3:13-14
13 But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, give diligence that ye may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in his sight.
[A much more positive exhortation by Peter indicating the need for continued diligence.]
CONDITIONAL "IF"
1 Corinthians 15:1-2
15:1 Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand,
2 by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain.
[Can we believe in vain? How does such a situation come to exist?]
Colossians 1:21-23
21 And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works,
22 yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him:
23 if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.
[What is the condition following the "if" in verse 23?
2 Peter 1:5-11
5 Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in (your) virtue knowledge;
6 and in (your) knowledge self-control; and in (your) self-control patience; and in (your) patience godliness;
7 and in (your) godliness brotherly kindness; and in (your) brotherly kindness love.
8 For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.
10 Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble:
11 for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
[There are two "ifs" in this passage -- one in verse 8 and another in verse 10. What conditions are given for each of them? What had some forgotten in verse 9? Had they all been cleansed from their old sins? Would that not have put them into a saved condition?]
1 John 2:24
24 As for you, let that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father.
[What is the condition here?]
BEING CONFIDENT OF YOUR SALVATION
We can and should be confident of our salvation. The apostle Paul stated (2 Tim, 4:7-8): "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course , I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but also to all them that have loved his appearing." It was this same apostle who commanded us to follow his example (1 Cor. 11:1), so we should have no reservations in expressing our confidence that we are saved just as he did. But of course, it must be true.
So, how do we know if we are saved or not? This is not a difficult question to answer. God has placed conditions on our salvation which are quite easy to comply with. Please click here for the commands of Jesus in this regard.
If you have done what Jesus commanded you to do in order to be saved, then there is no reason for you to doubt your salvation. If you have sinned subsequent to meeting the conditions of salvation, then repent and pray for forgiveness and you can be totally confident of your salvation (1 John 1:8-10). Be faithful until death and you will receive the crown of life (Rev. 2:10). This is a promise of God, and God always keeps His promises.
To those who have believed in "once saved always saved" in the past, we know that when confronted with someone who is obviously in egregious sin (e.g., Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8) that the standard answer is: "well they were never saved in the first place." Since we are all guilty of sin, would not this person have to wonder: "Was I really saved in the first place?" Or was it just an emotional experience? Has Satan deceived me?"
Did you follow the plan of salvation because you read it in the New Testament? If so, then you can be sure (by the very passages given above) that as long as your are faithful to Jesus, you will continue to be in a saved condition. If you cannot find the plan that you followed in the New Testament, then do not be deceived into thinking that you are saved. There is no greater harm that one person can do to another than to convince them that they are saved when, in fact, they are not. We certainly do not want to be guilty of doing this wrong to you or anyone else. Please do not take our word for it -- check out the passages that are given, and assure yourself of your salvation from the clear teachings from God's word. That, and that alone, is the assurance you can trust.
What are the conditions of salvation given by Jesus?
2 - The Paradox of: “He Never Did Believe”
by Dave Brown
Preface: Like most words, the word “paradox” can have a variety of meanings depending on the context. In this article we will define a pure paradox to have the following definition: “a set of statements that is impossible to logically resolve as being either true or false.” As an example: “Everything I write is a lie. The previous sentence is true.” We will call this a pure paradox because both sentences cannot be simultaneously true, nor can they be simultaneously false. Please think about it. Paul used something very close to this paradox in Titus 1:12-13: “One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, … This testimony is true.” The only way to fathom Paul’s statement is by the assumption that a liar does not have to lie all the time. If they did then the prophet’s statement “Cretans are always liars” would itself be a lie, and this would qualify as a pure paradox according to our definition.
The statement “he never did believe” is used as an explanation by those who believe in the “faith only -- once saved always saved” (FO-OSAS) doctrine. They have for decades used this simple phrase to trivialize several examples in the New Testament where it is obvious that someone who at one point had faith in Jesus Christ obviously fell away into a lost condition. Let us consider three detailed cases and see if this explanation is logical, or if it is a paradox.
1. Judas Iscariot
It is not reasonable to say that Judas Iscariot was saved, although when called to be a disciple of Jesus it is clear that he must have believed. Judas was not a robot devoid of free will. So even though it is clear that Jesus knew that Judas was going to betray him, this does not mean he was forced to do so. Judas was one of the 12 sent out to preach the gospel with miraculous power, as recorded in Matt 10:1: “And he called unto him his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of disease and all manner of sickness.” Would Jesus give this authority to an unsaved man? That is the conclusion we would have to come to if “he never did believe.” The reasonable explanation is that early in the discipleship of Judas, he did believe, but he later concluded within himself to cash in on this relationship.
This is consistent with Matt 26:14-16: “Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said, What are ye willing to give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they weighed unto him thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to deliver him (unto them.) This was clearly the major turning point for Judas. His clear demise is clearly shown in the following
Matthew 27:3-5:
3 Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 saying, I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood. But they said, What is that to us? see thou (to it).
5 And he cast down the pieces of silver into the sanctuary, and departed; and he went away and hanged himself.
Acts 1:18-19:
18(Now this man obtained a field with the reward of his iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
19 And it became known to all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch that in their language that field was called Akeldama, that is, The field of blood.)
There is no contradiction here; the first says what he did, the second how he did it and the end results. If Judas was saved despite all of the negative things said about him, it is for sure that this would be clearly stated as an example of God’s grace in the New Testament. We need to take what it says for what it says.
Finally, if the fact that Judas was not a legitimate apostle of Jesus Christ is questioned, consider the prayer expressed when his position was being replaced: Acts 1:24-25: “And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, who knows the hearts of all men, show of these two the one whom thou hast chosen, to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place.
2. Simon the Sorcerer
A fairly long reading here, but it is worth it to get the entire story …
Acts 8:9-24
9 But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who beforetime in the city used sorcery, and amazed the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is that power of God which is called Great.
11 And they gave heed to him, because that of long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.
12 But when they believed Philip preaching good tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 And Simon also himself believed: and being baptized, he continued with Philip; and beholding signs and great miracles wrought, he was amazed.
14 Now when the apostles that were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
15 who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit:
16 for as yet it was fallen upon none of them: only they had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,
19 saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.
20 But Peter said unto him, Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money.
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right before God.
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if perhaps the thought of thy heart shall be forgiven thee.
23 For I see that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.
24 And Simon answered and said, Pray ye for me to the Lord, that none of the things which ye have spoken come upon me.
Simon had always been the one who was respected for being God’s mouthpiece. While it was clear that the miracles of Philip and then of the apostles was legitimate (as opposed to Simon’s sorcery), he still had a strong desire for superiority, and calculated that the apostles were motivated by the same thing as he was (a common misconception of false teachers). Peter said “thy heart is not right before God … thou are in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity.” Can such a person be saved? Yes, but only if they will do what Peter commanded – he had to “repent … and pray” for forgiveness since he had already been baptized into the body of Christ (Rom. 6:3). Apparently Peter had told Simon of some of the bad things that would come upon him if he did not (see verse 24).
Can we say that “Simon never did believe?” If so, it directly contradicts verse 13 (above). Can we reason that he believed but not with the quality of belief necessary for salvation? Perhaps. Let us discuss this in more detail after we consider one more example.
3. Ananias and Sapphira
The following passages starts with the word “but” indicating a contrast. The context at the end of Chapter 4 is the report of a man named Barnabas selling a field and giving it to the apostles to be used in the benevolent mission of the church. There is no implication that all Christians did this or that it was mandatory of the richer Christians to do this (see verse 4 below). This was a free-will offering. The sin was that of lying about it, which was clearly done as a matter of their pretentiousness. God made it clear early in the life of the church that the Lord’s church is not to be used for such deceitful self-pompousness.
Acts 5:1-11
5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2 and kept back (part) of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back (part) of the price of the land?
4 While it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? thou has not lied unto men, but unto God.
5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost: and great fear came upon all that heard it.
6 And the young men arose and wrapped him round, and they carried him out and buried him.
7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yea, for so much.
9 But Peter (said) unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to try the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them that have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out.
10 And she fell down immediately at his feet, and gave up the ghost: and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.
11 And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all that heard these things.
There can be little doubt that Ananias and Sapphira were believers. They were certainly members of the church at Jerusalem, and were recognized as Christians. Who else would be willing to sell their land and give part of it for use as the apostles saw fit? Assuming that a gift like this would be accepted from someone who is not a Christian, would Peter have pressed them the way that he did? No, it is clear that this was primarily a lesson for members of the church (see verse 11 above) to not attempt to use the organization and membership of the church for one’s own self-promotion.
There are many other examples of Christians falling from grace that could be given, e.g., Galatians 5:4. However, these are enough to illustrate the points that we will make in demonstrating the paradox.
The Paradox
The knee-jerk response to those who believe the FO-OSAS doctrine when confronted with examples of New Testament Christians falling away is to say: he never was saved in the first place because he never believed in the first place. The reason that such an “explanation” is paradoxical is that it effectively destroys their doctrine. Let’s try to demonstrate this point by point.
Prior to their sin, did Ananias, Sapphira, Simon and Judas believe that they were saved? Can anyone with any sense of truth argue that they were mere pretenders and did not themselves believe that they were saved? Do the scriptures (stories above) give any indication at all that their conversion was bogus, and that what they believed about themselves was a lie? Of course not. Ananias and Sapphira were willing to make a significant sacrifice for the cause – would they do this if they knew from day one they were going to hell? It flat out says that Simon believed – is it not reasonable that he also believed that he was saved? And even Judas, despite his evil intentions, would not be giving up a major part of his life (about three years) if he did not initially have faith in Jesus. Could he have performed miracles as shown in Matthew 10 if he was convinced he was going to hell? God has given us common sense to draw logical conclusions – those who would say that these people were mere pretenders are so twisting the obvious that we should be offended at their insulting our intelligence.
Why are we emphasizing the fact that these people, who obviously became lost, believed that they were saved at the time of their conversions. Simply because the very same thing is true of those who are taught faith only today – if they do what their false teachers tell them to do (i.e., JUST believe and nothing else), they are taught that they are saved and they are totally convinced of that fact. And yet now we are being told that this might not be true. WE ARE BEING TOLD THIS as an explanation as to how someone could fall away but not really fall away – but are the FO-OSAS converts being taught this? If not, why not? Are they taught that perhaps their faith is really not valid. Are they taught that if they later deny Jesus and become a Jihadist (for example), or if they use the church for their own indulgence like A&S did, or if they try to purchase spiritual gifts with money like Simon did, that in fact, this is evidence that they never did believe.
If this is not being taught, then these converts are not being taught the whole truth. Can we not see that saying that these people never did believe actually adds another layer to the requirements of FO-OSAS – they cannot later fall away. But WAIT!!! I thought that OSAS meant that it did not matter what a person did, of he was saved by faith only he would ALWAYS be saved regardless. This just does not add up. That is what creates a paradox.
So if these people were lost because they never really did believe in the right way – are there different ways to believe? Can a person believe he is saved by “faith only” but not really be saved? I know that this is not taught. They are taught that if they believe, that is all that is required. So, if they believe they are saved, then they are assured by the false teachers that they ARE saved. But now we learn that this might not be true. It seems that this might only be a perception on their part, and then later on when they fall away only then does it become apparent that they never really believed in the first place.
Does this mean that the following must be true? … Revelation 2:10: “Be thou faithful unto death , and I will give thee the crown of life.” Well, of course, this is scripture so we know it is true regardless of what any false teacher might say. The question becomes, do you now accept this teaching? Are you saying that now someone must continue to be faithful and not just have faith only in order to receive the crown of life? That IS what the bible says.
We commend you for your step in the right direction. However, it is time to shed the paradox. To be consistent with yourself you must depart from the FO-OSAS doctrine since it has absolutely no scriptural basis whatsoever, and just believe in Jesus and all that he said. In closing please give serious consideration to this truism: there is no greater harm that one human can do to another than to convince him that he is saved when in fact he is not.
What are the conditions of salvation given by Jesus?
Next article in this series.
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