Once Saved ALWAYS Saved

If you do not believe that once a person is saved he is always saved, then you have NEVER really trusted in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you are lost in your sins, and you are heading straight to Hell. This is true even if you have been baptized and are an active church member, and is true even if you are a Sunday School teacher or preacher. This is written, not to offend, but out of genuine concern for your soul. Because, I repeat it, if you do not believe in the eternal security of the blood-bought believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, then you have NEVER been saved, and except you repent of your UNBELIEF you will end up eternally tormented in the flames of the Lake which burns with fire and brimstone.

But the fearful, and UNBELIEVING, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Rev. 21:18)

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Mat. 7:21-23)

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; AND HIM THAT COMETH TO ME I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I SHOULD LOSE NOTHING, but should raise it up again at the last day. AND THIS IS THE WILL OF HIM THAT SENT ME, that every one which seeth the Son, and BELIEVETH on him, may have EVERLASTING LIFE: and I WILL raise him up at the last day. (John 6:37-40)

The Bible very clearly tells us that salvation is by God's grace through faith in the finished work of Christ, and is NOT of our own works.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that NOT of yourselves: it is the gift of God: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast. (Eph. 2:8-9)

NOT BY WORKS of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made hers according to the hope of eternal life. (Tit. 3:5-7)

But we are all as an unclean thing, and ALL our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we ALL do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Is. 64:6)

As it is written, There is NONE righteous, NO, NOT ONE: there is NONE that understandeth, there is NONE that seeketh after God. They are ALL gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is NONE that doeth good, NO, NOT ONE. (Rom. 3:10-12)

For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (Rom. 2:23)

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of ETERNAL SALVATION unto all them that obey him; called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. (Heb. 5:5-10)

Over and over again in the Bible Jesus promises eternal life or everlasting life to all who place their faith in Him. Here are just a few examples:
 

And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even ETERNAL LIFE. (1 John 2:25)

That whosoever believeth in him should NOT PERISH, but have ETERNAL LIFE. (John 3:15)

My sheep hear my voice, and I KNOW them, and they follow me: and I give unto them ETERNAL LIFE; and they shall NEVER PERISH, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and NO MAN IS ABLE TO PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY FATHER'S HAND. I and my Father are one. (John 10:27-30)

But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end EVERLASTING LIFE. For the wages of sin is death; but the GIFT of God is ETERNAL LIFE through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 6:22-23)

In hope of ETERNAL LIFE, which God, that cannot lie, PROMISED before the world began. (Titus 1:2)

NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH WE HAVE DONE, but according to his MERCY he saved us, by the washing of REGENERATION, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his GRACE, we should be made heirs according to the hope of ETERNAL LIFE. (Titus 3:5-7)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should NOT PERISH, but have EVERLASTING LIFE. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is NOT CONDEMNED: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16-18)

He that believeth on the Son HATH EVERLASTING LIFE: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath EVERLASTING LIFE, and shall NOT come into condemnation; but IS PASSED FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE. (John 5:24)

And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have EVERLASTING LIFE: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:40)

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me HATH EVERLASTING LIFE. (John 6:47)

Some people, however, believe in a different Jesus than the Jesus of the Bible. They believe in a Jesus that is weak and powerless and cannot finish what he starts. Their Jesus is, in fact, a liar, for he promises eternal life, supposedly gives it to people when they believe in him, but then that "eternal" life ENDS when they sin. The eternal life he gives is fake, and he is a fraud. He starts to save people, but is unable to finish the job. Thus, in reality, he is of no use whatsoever, for people have to end up saving themselves by their good works anyway. They are thus stronger than their phony, useless, counterfeit Jesus. THEY ARE REALLY TRUSTING IN THEMSELVES. THEY ARE THEIR OWN GODS. Their Jesus is a creation of human imagination---they have created and must do for their god, rather than God creating and doing for them---, and so they are actually greater than their Jesus. VAIN PRIDE is the basic reason this false Jesus and false gospel is so popular.

The apostle Paul wrote the following divinely inspired words to the churches at Galatia and Corinth concerning this phony gospel and phony Jesus:

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. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, LET HIM BE ACCURSED. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, LET HIM BE ACCURSED. (Gal. 1:6-9)

For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth ANOTHER Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive ANOTHER spirit, which ye have not received, or ANOTHER gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.... For such are FALSE apostles, DECEITFUL workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. (2 Cor. 11:2-15)

And Jesus said unto him, THIS DAY is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:9-10)

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will NOT blot out his name out of the book of life, but I WILL confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (Rev. 3:5)

Whosoever BELIEVETH that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.... For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our FAITH. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that BELIEVETH that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4-5)

Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous. (Ps 69:28)

And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Rev. 22:19)

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: BUT HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; YET SO AS BY FIRE. (1 Cor. 3:11-15)

While the life you live is certainly important, of much more importance is the foundation upon which you build your life. Mat. 7:24 speaks of the "wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock." I Cor. 10:4b says: "...and that Rock was Christ."

I once knew a man who hired an unscrupulous contractor to build his home. Alas, while he was away the contractor poured a shallow, unreinforced foundation. Upon this paper shell foundation was built a luxury home with the very finest of materials. Even before it was finished great cracks appeared in all the walls, and it began to sink in one corner. Its ruin was great, and there was no remedy. So is a seemingly clean and moral person, doing many good works, but who has never trusted Christ as personal Lord and Savior. Without the foundation of Christ, cracks will soon develop in his golden life to render it ruined, and he will die to spend eternity in the torments of the flames of Hell.

Lot is an example of a saved person who wasted his life, yet was still saved. The Bible says he "pitched his tent toward Sodom" (Gen. 13:12). He eventually got so far away from God that he got drunk, and in his drunkenness got both his daughters pregnant (Gen. 19:30-36). Yet, in the eyes of God Lot was still considered a "just" and "righteous"---though miserable---man. The Bible says that God "delivered JUST Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that RIGHTEOUS man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his RIGHTEOUS soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)" (2 Pet. 2:7-8).

Cain is an example of a lost religious man. He believed there is a God, and even gave an offering to God. But his offering was bloodless, showing that he was trusting in his own good works to save him, and was not trusting in the coming virgin-born Messiah who would shed His blood on a cruel cross for the sins of the world.

And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. (Gen. 4:3-8)

The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." (2 Pet. 2:22)

YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN. (John 3:7)

Therefore if any man be IN Christ, he is a NEW CREATURE: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Cor. 5:17)

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. (Gal. 6:15)

People who do not believe once saved always saved tend to resent Christ down in their hearts, for they think He is forcing them by threat of Hell to live what they consider to be an unhappy, "goody-goody" life instead of what they consider a fun, sinful life. This is why Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).

By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: but this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins FOR EVER, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath PERFECTED FOR EVER them that are sanctified. (Heb. 10:10-14)

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 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. (Rom. 8:35-39)

And this is the record, that God hath given to us ETERNAL LIFE, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that ye have ETERNAL LIFE, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:11-13)

Now unto him that is able TO KEEP YOU FROM FALLING, AND TO PRESENT YOU FAULTLESS BEFORE THE PRESENCE OF HIS GLORY WITH EXCEEDING JOY, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)
 

(C) Copyright 1994 by Louis A. Turk. All rights reserved. You may  reprint this article, provided you do not edit it in any way without the author's consent, and provided this paragraph is printed at the end of the article.  Other publication requires advance permission of the author.