ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED?

Once Saved, Always Saved?

One often hears the above phrase sated as, "A Christian cannot fall from grace." Or variations such as "If a Christian falls, then he wasn't saved in the first place." However, Scriptures reveals at least six different reasons why "Once saved Always Saved" is not biblically sound teachings.

     1. The Bible exhorts us to "be strong: and to put on the whole armor of God and to be alert with all perseverance, (Ephesians 6"10-18). The Apostle Peter tells us some things we must do and and then he says, "For as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble." (2 Peter 1:5-11)

     2. Our salvation is dependent upon our being faithful, and thus it stands to reason that we can be lost by becoming unfaithful. Jesus tells us "Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)

     3. The Scriptures speak of the dangers of falling from grace. Galatians 5:4 says out right "You have fallen from grace." We are warned to be on guard. Notice in 2 Peter 3:17 for us to "Be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness." Consider Hebrews 3:12 which states, "Take care brethern, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God."

     4. The New Testament warns us against causing others to fall. Consider Romans 14:15-23 and 1 Corinthians 8.

     5. The Scriptures foretold that some would fall from grace as stated in 1 Timothy 4:1.

     6. The Scriptures tells us that some in the first century that did fall from grace as recorded in 1 Timothy 5:8, 1 Timothy 1:18-20 and 2 Peter 2:20-22.

All of these scriptures show that it is indeed possible for the saved to fall.

Therefore, we must be on our guard to keep this from happening. Lastly, in which is probably the most urgent message of all in the Scriptures,  "Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall." (1 Corinthians 10:12)