The Ancient Doctrine of “Once Saved, Always Saved”
We all know people who believe the doctrine of “Once saved, always saved.” This is the idea that once a person becomes a child of God, there is no sin that they can commit to lose their salvation. Many people today find this doctrine to be of great comfort, because it in essence relieves them of all personal responsibility in their relationship with God. After all, if I am saved, and there is nothing that I can do to be lost, then it doesn’t really matter how I behave or act, so I need not worry that much about it. The truth is that this is a most dangerous doctrine when it comes to matters of religion, because it deceives people into thinking that their relationship with God is secure, when it really is not.
Interestingly enough, this false doctrine has been around for quite a long time. In fact, early Christians had to deal with it in the 1st and 2nd centuries. During that period of time, there was a false doctrine known as Gnosticism. Of the Gnostics, one sect taught the doctrine of once saved, always saved. A Christian named Irenaeus lived during the 2nd century A.D. (130-202). He wrote a book titled, “Against Heresies” in which he called attention to this particular fact. In this work (Book I Chapter 6) he said the following regarding Gnostic teaching:...
What's interesting is that the only alternative to OSAS is works-based salvation. After all, if one has to apply personal effort to allegedly retain salvation, then personal effort had to be applied to gain it, which is no salvation at all. How can we know this?
Questions (for those who believe in the potential for salvation lost):
What's the threshold for the alleged loss of salvation?
How many sins does one have to apply personal effort against in order to avoid loss of salvation?
Can anyone draw a line so that we all can see where that threshold allegedly exists? Surely someone who believes this nonsense has one to show to state a belief in loss of salvation, otherwise how does one even know he or she is saved right now? What if any of you has already crossed over that line on any given day without realizing it if nobody can define it? What manner of doctrine has no boundaries that can define it for all to know as to if they are in compliance or not? Come on! Let's get real, here!
If a definitive boundary line doesn't exist for this one doctrine that absolutely exists for all others, then what's the problem, other than to say that loss of salvation is a false doctrine?
Given that it only takes one sin to send a soul to Hell who is not in faith, and given that we ALL sin multiple times throughout each day, where is that line of danger for the alleged loss of salvation?
The straw man argument that belief in total, absolute salvation leads to sinful indulgences, that's nonsense! There is nothing to keep any one of us from sinful indulgences no matter where one stands on this topic. Who among those who believe in salvation loss is any more empowered against lapsing into sinful indulgences than those on the other side of this discussion? Seriously. I mean, come on...that's yet another claim steeped in the pride of the flesh to think that one is better positioned against sin than anyone else simply on the basis of where one stands in relation to this doctrine.
Being SEALED by Holy Spirit, and therefore saved by grace through faith, and that NOT of ourselves, lest any man should boast, that makes boasters of those who think they are retaining their salvation from loss through works of personal effort.
So, again, where's that line? Can anyone show it to us? If not, then where's the substance behind the belief that one can lose his genuine salvation? Pointing at what was addressed to Israel as proof because of the requirement for them to persevere, that's a failure to rightly divide the word of truth on your part.
Please give to us empirical evidence to the claim for salvation loss without trying to harmonize the Kingdom Gospel with the Gospel of Grace.
Blessings to you and yours.
BTW
