once saved always saved?

[donniewheeler]

WONDERING WHAT YOUR views of once saved always saved? and biblical versous to support which side.

[ZiSunka]

Been through this about a hundred times so far this year.

[GreenEyedLady]

Can we get a sticky on this subject????

[Stinker]

WONDERING WHAT YOUR views of once saved always saved? and biblical versous to support which side.

When many people throw that saying; 'Once saved always saved', it is intended to imply that those who hold to this 'eternal security' teaching believe that a person can just intellectually believe the Gospel and verbally confess Christ....then go on sinning as they always have, showing no sign of a sudden positive moral change with no zeal for the word of God.

When a person is truly born-again it means that they have surrendered their intellect as well as their will to Jesus Christ. [This is New Testament belief] Therefore, they do not practice sin anymore. If one continues to practice sin after professing to have accepted Christ, then of couse it is obvious that they did not surrender their will to Christ.

One example of partial-belief (intellectual belief without the will) is John 12:42-43 'Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.'

Therefore, if one is truly born-again, they do not have to be a worried 'bean-counter' when it comes to any sin or sins. They know that God does not practice pulling His Holy Spirit out of the Christian and putting it back in (hundreds or even thousands of times) during his/her lifetime.

[White Horse]

I believe in the security of the believer and the insecurity of the unbeliever. :clap:

[JimfromOhio]

I posted this in my other posts.

I think basically Salvation is by faith in Christ, but not just any faith can save. It must be of the right content and of the right quality to be acceptable to God for salvation.

Let's look at 3 kinds of Salvations that are being taught in the Christian world.

Free Grace Theology
This doctrine states believers can fall into sins for a prolonged period of time and that it is possible for true believers to fall away without losing salvation. This is predominantly a dispensationalist doctrine. Those who hold to this view state that salvation is always in the aorist tense, so that once a person is converted he/she cannot be unconverted regardless of the circumstances. I have heard that theologians who hold to this view are Charles Stanley, Zane Hodges, Charles Ryrie, Erwin Lutzer, Robert Thieme, Michael Cocoris, John Hart, Chuck Swindoll, Earl Radmacher, and all free grace believers.

Calvinism (Perseverance of the Saints) or (Lordship Salvation)
This doctrine states that those who are elected unto salvation will persevere till the end. Holiness and faithfullness will be a general mark for the believer and that true believers will never backslide or fall away from the faith. Those who hold to this position acknowledge that temporary sins will come into a believer's life, but holiness and righteousness will be the consistent lifestyle for the believer. This view denies the view that Christians can lose their salvation. This view is predominant in many Covenant based denominations like presbyterian and reformed baptist. I have heard that this view is held by theologians like John MacArthur (baptist), R. C. Sproul (presbyterian), J. I. Packer (presbyterian), John Gerstner, J. M. Boice, Kenneth Gentry, and James Kennedy.

Arminianism
This doctrine declares that you can lose your salvation. It teaches that you obtain salvation through faith in Christ, but then you must maintain your salvation status or lose it. There's some variation in the Arminian community as to whether one loses salvation by sinning (in which case to maintain your salvation status, you would be required to maintain a certain outward performance or behavior [These I call "Hyper-Wesleyans"], or you lose it by simply not believing anymore [These I call "Wesleyans"], or a combination of these. Aminianism tends to be dominant in those churches that are derived from a Wesleyan tradition such churches as Methodist and Pentecostal (including Assembly of God).

Of the 3, my faith is more of a "Lordship Salvation" . A life of righteousness, good works and separation unto God from the evil ways of the world (Rom 12:1- 2), manifested by speaking the truth (James 5:12), maintaining the sanctity of the home (Eph. 5:22-6:4) settling differences between Christians in accordance with the Word of God (I Cor. 6:1-8), not engaging in carnal strife but showing a Christ-like attitude toward all men (Rom. 12:7-21), exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), and maintaining a life of prayer (Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6), including the privilege, when sick, of calling for the elders of the church to pray and to anoint with oil in the name of the Lord (James 5:13-18).

[DawnTillery]

I struggled with this same question.. I found a verse that makes me understand...


Mt 24:13 (http://bible1.crosswalk.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?word=mt+24:13&version=kjv&st=1&sd=1&new=1&showtools=1) -

But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.


My goal is to live for God, do His will and when I endure till the end FOR HIM, I will be saved.

[93fleetwoodlowlow]

yes i do believe that once you get saved you are always saved. you can't lose salvation, that would basically mean that their is something stronger than God who can make you lose your salvation. the whole reason for getting saved is to run from sin, not to it.

[JimfromOhio]

Here's another

It is a matter of the Holy Spirit securing your salvation at the moment you accepted Christ as your saviour. The initial work of conviction, repentance, and regeneration, the Spirit provides for the believer's ongoing sanctification.

Ephesians 1:13 14 says, "You were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance." The Greek word translated "sealed" speaks of authenticity an unbreakable promise. The Holy Spirit secures you for eternity. Holy Spirit is sufficient for every need. Our responsibility is to be filled with the Spirit and to walk by the Spirit each day (Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:16, 25).

The moment you accept God's gift is the moment you come alive spiritually. You were dead in sin but the moment you accepted Christ, you are saved through faith. You didn't do it; it was God's gift to you. If works on your part were involved, you would boast; but the privilege of boasting about your salvation belongs to God.

Salvation is not the result of your confirmation, baptism, communion, church attendance or membership, giving to the church or to charity, keeping the Ten Commandments, living by the Sermon on the Mount, believing in God, being a good neighbor, or living a respectable life. None of those things will ever allow anyone into heaven.

Ephesians 2:1-10 (NIV)
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

God's Spirit convicted us of our sins, brought us to repentance, and regenerated us. He then indwelt, baptized, sealed, gifted, and separated us from sin. In the ongoing process of sanctification, He gives us access to and intimacy with God, who supplies all the resources we need for physical and spiritual life.

Sanctification:
Second Thessalonians 2:13 says, "God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth." In that context "sanctification" means we have been set apart from sin and eternal death. That's a positional sanctification resulting from our standing as believers in Christ. Our practical sanctification comes as the Spirit does His transforming work within us day by day (2 Cor. 3:18).

[Sword-In-Hand]

The horse is dead, the stick is broken. The horse isn't even recognizable anymore. It's just fur and mush.;)

[sparklebuns]

If our salvation is truly a gift of God, why would he take it back? That would go against his character and faithfulness to us as his children.

[JPPT1974]

yes i do believe that once you get saved you are always saved. you can't lose salvation, that would basically mean that their is something stronger than God who can make you lose your salvation. the whole reason for getting saved is to run from sin, not to it.

Once Christ is in your life and accepted Him as your Savior & Lord and repent of your sins, He is there like an flash of lightening.

[MagusAlbertus]

I think basically Salvation is by faith in Christ, but not just any faith can save. It must be of the right content and of the right quality to be acceptable to God for salvation.
believe that a person can just intellectually believe the Gospel and verbally confess Christ....then go on sinning as they always have, showing no sign of a sudden positive moral change with no zeal for the word of God.
sounds like you are arn't preaching salvation by grace to me.

Your bought at a price, if you faithfully believe then your saved... “can't go on sinning”.. i sure as hell hope that you can keep on sinning and I have faith that God’s grace extends a little bit further than casting into said location those without the “right” doctrinal view of dancing, smoking or church-instrument-use.

otherwise we're all dammed to hell.

“the question isn’t weather or not you have fire-insurance, but how big of a change heaven is going to be for you when you die”

In not developing a spiritual relationship with Christ your sure are going to have a big-change when you die. Like a man escaping through a wall of flame, right?

[Singinman]

See the thread -

http://www.christianforums.com/t1761864-question-on-eternal-salvation-again.html

It discussed the same issue. I do not know of any born again Christian who has rejected God's grace and salvation, but the author of 2 Peter and the author of Hebrews clearly believe that it is possible for one to do so (2 Peter 2:20-21 and Hebrews 6:4-8; 10:26-31). It is not the possibility that God will break his promise to the believer being discussed here. What is being discussed is the clear possibility that the believer of his own free will can reject God's grace which he now has. The writers are warning those who contemplate this act that there is a certain, final and devistating consequence to their proposed action.

So I believe that once saved always saved is a false doctrine. It is derived from and is a perversion of the "perseverance of the saints" which I believe is the faithfulness of the believer to the will of God. As long as we hold to our belief, as long as we try to be faithful we can sing Blessed Assurance with full heart and voice. I am not addressing here those who might stray under the influence of overwhelming grief or pain. I am talking about those who would say, OK Lord I've tried your way and I do not like it, I would rather be a sinner. Once that choice is made there is no turning back.