Once saved always saved?

We know many of you have been taught that once you are saved you are free from sin and you never have to worry about your soul again. While this certainly is an appealing doctrine, unfortunately it's simply not true. Conclusions like these are drawn from the teachings of men like John Calvin and are often based on one or two verses from the bible. We have mass confusion in our churches today because of these practices. Let's examine this doctrine and let the bible be our authority. 1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. This verse is often used as proof that once we are saved we will never sin again and if we do we were never saved to begin with. This is an especially cruel doctrine because it sets an unreachable standard. The person who is taught this will inevitably sin and feel like a failure. They could go on and on being saved and failing until they eventually just give up. One of the greatest gifts Christ gave us was forgiveness when we fall short. What this verse really means is that whosoever is born of God will not willingly continue in their sins day after day oblivious to their disobedience. I want you to notice that he that is begotten of God keepeth himself. In other words Christ did the saving but it is up to us to keep ourselves from sin from that point on. Man is not perfect and to say that we have no sin even after we are saved is delusional. 1 John Chapter 1 8) For if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10) If we say that we have not sinned we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. God would even say in the book of Genesis that it grieved Him because He had made man in the flesh. Genesis 6 5) And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6) And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7) And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. The flesh is weak and try as we might we are going to sin every now and then. Is it justified, of course not but to deny this fact is only to deceive ourselves. Even Paul himself gave witness to this fact. Romans 7 14) For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15) For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16) If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17) Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18) For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19) For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20) Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21) I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22) For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24) O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. Why is it that Paul could teach so boldly on his own shortcomings? Paul is not sinning willfully but succumbs to the flesh. I think everyone would agree that Paul was saved and he tried his very best to serve God without any occasion of sin. It's just not in us no matter how hard we try. That doesn't mean we don't continually try harder nor does it mean we have a license to sin. If we sin willfully there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin Heb. 10-26. Paul knowing the scriptures can teach boldly because he knows we have an advocate when we fall short and this is the gift of God. 1 John 2 1) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. I know some will say that once we are saved we become a new man and that our old sinful man has been buried. I agree that in a perfect world this is absolutely what should happen. The question is does God change you to the point that you will never sin again? This is not what the scriptures tell us. We are told to put off the old man. This requires action on our part and we all know that we are merely men or women and we are not perfect. Ephesians 4 17) This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18) Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19) Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20) But ye have not so learned Christ; 21) If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22) That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25) Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 26) Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27) Neither give place to the devil. You see God is not going to do it all for us. He already gave His only begotten Son and He expects us to put off the old man and put the new man on. The point of this is that when responsibilities are placed upon us we are going to fall short. We will sin. Thankfully when we do we have Jesus who we can go to and have those sins washed clean in His blood that He gave for us. Now we will look at some examples that will clearly show us that we can fall from grace if we do not repent. 2 Corinthians 7 8) For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. 9) Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10) For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. In these verses Paul is talking to the church of God in Corinth and all the saints which are in all Achaia 1-1. These people have already received Jesus and repented and been baptized. Paul is rejoicing because they were slipping away from the word but having been instructed they repented to salvation. As hard as we try we are going to sin and through chastening and instruction we are made sorry which worketh repentance to salvation. Revelation 2 1) Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2) I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3) And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4) Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. These verses in themselves should have been sufficient for this study. This church was clearly saved or how else could they have fallen. Let this be your example. When you fall repent, it's that simple. We must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ make sure you have repented of your sins before that day comes. Please don't deceive yourself into believing you have no sin. Accept it, try harder, pray, and ask for forgiveness. I also want to make clear that we are not saying Jesus failed to save anyone. His sacrifice was perfect but we are not and just like the church of Ephesus if we do not repent when we fall we will have no one to blame but ourselves. We were warned, the question is will you listen to a man and his doctrine or will you listen to God? This article courtesy of The Rapture Rebuttal www.rapturerebuttal.com