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