Once Saved Always Saved?Ivan Djurina
Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. The Pharisees and Sadducees hated Jesus because he challenged their salvation by the law. Israel was saved, which means delivered from bondage, and Paul used them as an example and warning to us... Hebrews (summary of those verses) 3:10 They erred in their heart and didn’t know his ways. 3:12 Evil heart of unbelief and departed from God. 3:13 Hardened in deceit and sinned. 3:15 Harden not your hearts to provoke God. 3:17 They sinned and died in the wilderness. 3:18-19 They entered not into his rest because unbelief. 4:1 Let us fear lest we come short of entering into his rest. 4:6 Entered not in because unbelief 4:7 If you hear his voice harden not your hearts. The main thing we see here is to guard our heart, this is our responsibility. GOD IS LOVE. His love can overcome. Paul wrote to the Romans... Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, [39] 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. However, we cannot use any of these in judgment as an excuse. For example, you can get angry at me but you made yourself angry by what you allowed in your heart. Only if we let sin rule, and this comes with unbelief, that God will judge guilty as with the unbelievers. Jude 1:5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
Unbelief can open the door to sin and sin brings judgment read on. Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, [27] But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. If once saved always saved is true, then what happened to Judas? The apostle saw miracles and did miracles. Hand picked by Jesus, how did he become lost? His heart was not right and love of money was his motive. Philippians 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: [19] Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) Believers can become enemies of the cross because the world’s lure of fame fortune is strong. 2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. [21] For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. Believers can turn away from the holy commandment and they can become worse than what they were in the beginning. It would have been better that they didn’t know this truth. Peter you are not very nice how can you write that? Maybe we should look at what Paul wrote to his son Timothy. 1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; [2] Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; [16] Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. Paul said to Timothy that some will depart from the faith (believers) give themselves to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, and If I preach devils doctrines can I be saved? My conscience is then fried because I departed from the faith and its my fault not Gods. We need to teach the apostles doctrine to save ourself and others to be saved (continue was the key word). Lets turn to Philippians Again Paul is concerned about people whose end is destruction, are they not saved. James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. [4] Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Who is James writing to here? Who is Ye? People who are friends of God but they also are friends with the world. He calls them adulteresses and adulterers and we know their end. 1 Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, This is just clear and simple to understand but you still want more proof. 1 Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. Paul feared being castaway or shipwrecked from God he feared that his enemy the flesh should rule and destroy his end. Lets look at a parable on this. Luke 12:44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. [45] But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; [46] The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. Jesus tells of this parable about a servant who was left to rule over all his master had. Jesus warns us how this man has said in his heart I will rule my way and forget about what I was told and will party. Notice what happens to the servant he is treated now as unbeliever.
If one becomes wayward and dies in that backslidden state, will this person be saved? The answer is no. However, If one repents and genuinely desires to turn away from sin and toward Jesus to reconcile and to live for Him, we read: "For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found..." (Luke 15:24) God bless,
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