Once Saved, Always Saved?

by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2012.

There is a false teaching that some Christians have swallowed that says that once you're saved, you're always saved, meaning that you can't lose your salvation once you get saved.

That teaching is a lie from Satan.  You surely can lose your salvation, even though you did get born again, and started down the right road that leads to heaven.  

I'll show you scriptures to prove this.  

Phil 2:12 "So, my beloved, as you've always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."

So here is Paul the Apostle writing to the Christians at Philippi and telling them to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  But why would Paul advise them to do that if  "once saved, always saved", and you can't lose your salvation?

If once you're saved, you can't lose it, where is the need to work out one's own salvation with fear and trembling?  Well, you see, Paul knew that you can lose your salvation even though you did legitimately get saved.  (You're saved if you're born again and working out your own salvation with fear and trembling.)

Titus 3:8 "This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, so that those who've believed in God would be careful to maintain good works.  These things are good and profitable to men."

Here, Paul writes to Titus that Christians should be careful to maintain good works.  But why do we need to do that if "once saved, always saved?"  Because once saved, always saved is a lie, and you could lose your salvation if you don't maintain good works.

Matt 7:22,23 "Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, haven't we prophesied in your name?  And in your name have cast out devils?  And in your name done many wonderful works?  And then I'll tell them, I never knew you, go away from me, you sinners."

Here, not just an apostle, but our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is saying that some former Christians will go to hell.  Notice that they had cast out devils.  You don't cast out devils unless you're a Christian.

The seven sons of Sceva in Acts chapter 19 tried to cast out demons and got beaten up for their effort.  One of the demons in the man that they were trying to cast out demons from used the man's voice and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"

The point being that the sons of Sceva, though they were Jewish, had no authority to cast out demons using Jesus' name since they were not Christians.

But in Luke 10:19, Jesus gives the Christians authority over all the power of the enemy.  And in Ephesians chapter 6 we're told our main enemy is those four categories of demons (which are fallen angels who rebelled against God when Satan did).

So then, people who had been Christians and had cast out demons were rejected by Jesus in the passage above in Matthew.  Of course Jesus is saying what shall happen in the future.  He speaks of "on that day."  What day is that?  Judgment Day, when Jesus separates the sheep from the goats.  The sheep are his followers and go to heaven.  The goats are the others who go to hell. 

Jesus also said, "He that endures to the end shall be saved."  If you endure to the end as a Christian, you go to heaven.  But if, halfway along the path you get lazy, and stop studying the Bible, and stop praying, you can go to hell.

Jesus said, "Be faithful until death and I will give you a crown of life."  But if you quit half way and are not faithful until death, you can go to hell."

Hebrews chapter six tells about people who had been Christians and then fall away, and can't be renewed to repentance.

1 Jhn 5:16 "If any man sees his brother sin a sin that's not to death, he shall ask, and he'll give him life for those who don't sin to death.  There is a sin to death, I don't say that he should pray for it."

Here, John tells us that there is a sin to death, and it should not be prayed for.  I believe that a relative of mine has sinned a sin unto death, who used to be a Christian, but let it slip, and didn't work out his salvation with fear and trembling, and sinned unto death, and lost his salvation forever.  

But as soon as he arrives in hell, he will immediately see his mistake.  Unfortunately, once you arrive in hell, it's too late to do anything about salvation.  You have to take care of that in this life, and then continue down the right road, reading the Bible, praying, etc.