OceanSide church of Christ

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ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Angels can, but we are told that we can’t.

The first couple did, but we are told that we can’t.

An apostle did, but we are told that we can’t.

Paul wrote that some could, but we are told that we can’t.

Jesus warned members of a church they could to this, but we are told that we can’t.

 

B.      What is it that we are told that we cannot do?  We are told that we cannot fall from grace.  We are told that once we are saved we are always saved. 

 

C.     This teaching has several names:

1.      The Impossibility of Apostasy

2.      The Perseverance of the Saints

3.      The Doctrine of Eternal Security

4.      Once Saved, Always Saved

 

I.                   THE DOCTRINE STATED

 

A.    The Westminster Confession of Faith of the Presbyterian Church sets forth the doctrine very clearly.  “They whom God hath accepted in his Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace:  but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved” (pp. 102-103).

 

B.      “Do A Christian’s Sins Damn His Soul?” by Sam Morris

 

“We take the position that a Christian's sins do not damn his soul. The way a Christian lives, what he says, his character, his conduct, or his attitude toward other people have nothing whatever to do with the salvation of his soul. That is settled in Christ and Christ alone…

 

“These and many other scriptures teach that man's salvation and the justification of his soul depend entirely upon his faith in Christ. The sin question is a Son question. All the prayers a man may pray, all the Bibles he may read, all the churches he may belong to, all the services he may attend, all the sermons he may practice, all the debts he may pay, all the ordinances he may observe, all the laws he may keep, all the benevolent acts he may perform will not make his soul one whit safer; and all the sins he may commit from idolatry to murder will not make his soul in any more danger. The justification of the human soul is through the atonement of Christ and not through the efforts of man. The way a man lives has nothing whatever to do with the salvation of his soul.”

 

II.                ONE VERSE:  Galatians 5:4

 

Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

 

A.    Notice Paul’s words to his readers: ‘

1.      “…ye are fallen from grace.”

“…ye are fallen from grace.”

“…ye are fallen from grace.”

2.      If some today were living then, they would have taken Paul aside and sternly corrected him, saying:  “Paul, don’t you know you cannot fall from grace.”  How would the apostle have responded to that statement?

 

B.      Paul established the churches of Galatia on his first missionary journey (See Acts 13, 14).

1.      Paul, an apostle of Christ, taught the gospel to them.

2.      These Gentiles obeyed the gospel that the apostle taught them.

3.      Question:  Is there any doubt that anyone who was converted by Paul was not a Christian?

 

C.     After Paul’s departure, false teachers entered into these congregations trying to bind the Law of Moses on the Gentile converts, especially the practice of circumcision (Gal. 6:12-13).

1.      “…they constrain you to be circumcised…” (v. 12).

2.      “…but desire to have you circumcised…” (v. 13).

 

D.    They were definitely having an impact on the churches.

1.      Galatians 1:6-7

 

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:  which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 

 

2.      Galatians 3;1

 

O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you?

 

3.      Galatians 5:7

 

Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth.

 

E.      Paul writes this epistle to do three things.

1.      To prove that we are no longer under the law of Moses (Gal. 3:24-25).

2.      To exhort these Christians to continue in the liberty they have in Christ and not be entangled in the Law of Moses (Gal. 5:1).

 

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again in the yoke of bondage.

 

3.      To warn them that if they return to the law, Christ will become of no effect unto them, and they will fall from grace (Gal. 5:4).

 

F.      This one verse alone should be enough to refute the teaching known as “the perseverance of the saints.” 

1.      Paul said that if a Christians attempts to be justified by the Law of Moses that he was fallen from grace.

2.      I will put my faith in the words of an inspired apostle of Jesus Christ above the words recorded in a Confession written by men any day of the week.

 

 

III.             SEVERAL VERSES

 

A.    One verse ought to be enough to prove that the doctrine of “once saved, always saved” is false.

 

B.      But there are many verses that speak about the possibility of falling in the Scriptures.

1.      I Corinthians 10:12

 

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

 

2.      II Thessalonians 2:3

 

Let no man deceive you by any means:  for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.

 

3.      I Timothy 3:6

 

Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

 

4.      Hebrews 4:11

 

Let us labour therefore to enter into his rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

 

5.      James 5:12

 

But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath:  but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

 

6.      II Peter 1:10

 

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure:  for it ye do these things, ye shall never fall.

 

7.      II Peter 3:17

 

Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.

 

IV.             SEVERAL EXAMPLES

 

A.    The angels of heaven (II Pet. 2:4)

 

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains to be reserved unto judgment.

 

B.      The first couple, Adam and Eve

1.      Adam and Eve were created perfect and sinless by God.

2.      They chose to sin (Gen. 3:6).

3.      Their sin is referred to as “The Fall.”

 

C.     The children of Israel in the wilderness

1.      They were not allowed into the Promised Land (Heb. 3:19).

So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

 

2.      The warning given to the recipients of the epistle known as Hebrews (Heb. 3:12).

 

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

 

D.    The “one talent man” of the Parable of the Talents

1.      One man had three servants to whom he gave talents (Matt. 25:14-15).

a.      They all belong to him.

b.      They all blessed with talents from him.

c.       They were all responsible to him.

d.      They were all held accountable to him.

2.      The one talent man did not use his talent (Matt. 25:25).

3.      He was condemned by his lord (Matt. 25:30).

 

Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness:  there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

E.      Simon the sorcerer

1.      Simon was a citizen in the city of Samaria who “bewitched the people” prior to the coming of Philip (Acts 8:9-10).

2.      Simon was influenced by Philip’s preaching.  He believed and was baptized (Acts 8:13a).  According to Jesus, this put him in a saved condition (Mark 16:16).

 

Then Simon himself believed also:  and when he was baptized…

 

3.      Simon sinned after becoming a Christian by offering money to Peter and John in order to have the ability to lay his hands on individuals and give them the Holy Ghost (Acts 8:18-19).

4.      Peter’s rebuke is telling (Acts 8:20)

 

But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought the gift of God may be purchased with money.

 

a.      The word “perish” means ruin, loss, condemnation, damnation, and perdition.

b.      If Simon continued on this course, he would be condemned. 

1)      Remember, he had been saved.

2)      But, his sin after his conversion could have led to his ultimate condemnation in the last day.

 

V.                ONE FINAL PASSAGE:  II Peter 2:20-22

 

A.    One of the arguments that some people make when a person “falls from grace” is to say that the individual was never really saved to begin with.

1.      They looked like a Christian.  They were treated as a Christian.  They labored as a Christian.  They worshipped as a Christian.  But, we are told, they were never a Christian.

2.      In the system of Calvinism, this has led to the teaching of “the visible church” and the “invisible church.” 

a.      The visible church is everyone who calls themselves Christians.

b.      The invisible church involves the ones who are really saved.

 

B.      II Peter 2:20-22 completely destroys this idea.

 

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.  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.  But it is happened to them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and, The sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

 

1.      The Escape (II Pet. 2:20a)

a.      The fact:  “they have escaped the pollutions of the world”

1)      It is plainly said they had escaped the pollutions of the world.

2)      The only way to do this is to become a Christian.

b.      The formula:  “through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”

1)      They escaped through the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

2)      Jesus had said:  “And ye shall know the truth, truth shall make your free” (John 8:32).

2.      The Entanglement (II Pet. 2:20b)

a.      The fight:  “they are again entangled therein”

1)      They are entangled in the world again.

2)      They are entangled after they had escaped its pollutions.

b.      The fall:  “and overcome”

1)      They are overcome, that is, they are conquered by the world.

2)      The onene who escaped is now back in the world.

3)      NOTE:  It is not a matter of their never having escaped.  They escaped and were entangled again in the world.

3.      The End (II Pet. 2:20c):  “the latter end is worse with them than the beginning”

a.      The end of a child of God who goes back into the world is worse with them than the beginning.

b.      If they had never become a Christ, this could not be possible.  They would still be at the beginning.

4.      The Explanation (II Pet. 2:21)  “For it had been better…not to have known…than, after they have known it, to turn…”

5.      The Examples (II Pet. 2:22)

a.      The foul:  “The dog is turned to his own vomit again.”

b.      The filthy:  “The sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.”

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    We have plainly shown that the Bible teaches that a Christian can fall from the grace of God.

 

B.      Whatever verses individuals produce in an attempt to “prove” their doctrine, these passages must be harmonized with them because the Bible does not contradict itself.

 

C.     Two appeals:

1.      If you are one who has accepted and affirmed the doctrine of “once saved, always saved,” we exhort you to give it up.

2.      Perhaps you are a Christian who has been entangled in the world again.  You are like unto Simon who sinned against God.  According to Peter, you need to “repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee” (Acts 8:22).