PHILIPPINE VOYAGER

We have heard that ridiculous teaching from the United States called “once saved, always saved” peddled by religious leaders who have enticed people in believing that this belief is Biblical.  To validate their argument, they rely on the Scriptures for support. Their favorite phrase comes from the Book of Ephesians 2:8-9, to wit:

 

“For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

 

Citing the verses these pastors concluded, you need not  work for your “salvation” boldly proclaiming they are saved no matter what they do.  It was a blanket absolution in their mind, but a recipe for spiritual disaster in reality for those who deign to believe it.  In order to lay clarity to these assertions, we pose the rebuttal and use the Bible to arrive at the truth.

 

The first question is, Where in the Bible can you see that phrase “Once saved, always saved”? We have searched the Bible using advanced Bible “phrase/passages/word” search aid and haven’t found an iota of proof that such assertion exists.

 

As said, we will use the Bible in ferreting out the truth.  Perhaps it is best to say that there are two types of salvation in the Bible one of which is by “Gift” found in Ephesians 2: 8-9.  That is the first type of salvation given only once and there are Biblical reason why God has gifted sinners with salvation and the “Process of Salvation”.

 

We begin by reading what God’s aim was in offering such generous and saving concession to sinners.  Let us look at the verses in 1 Timothy 2:4-5, to wit:

 

“Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

 

That verse answers the reason why God sent His own Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ to be crucified and take the punishment for our sins.  But of course let us not leave any stone unturned, what is the reason why God the Father has to send His own Beloved Son to die for us when there were a lot of prophets and messengers foremost of was Moses, due to the covenant or the Ten Commandments given to him at Mount Horeb. 

 

We let the Bible explain why he sent His Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  In the Book of  Hebrews 7:11-12, we see the following verses, to wit:

 

“If perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law.) what further need, was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?  For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.”

 

          So God the Father is after perfection that can be attained in the Christian era only through the Lord Jesus Christ.  Sad to say, there are pastors who have prated that no one can become perfect. Another question now comes to fore, why was there a need to change the priesthood and the law?  Wasn’t Moses’ priesthood good enough for all mankind?  Again we seek answers from the Bible.  In Malachi 4:4 we read that;

 

                   “Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.”

 

There is the answer, the Law of Moses that God commanded him to enforce was only for all of Israel and there was a flaw in it since it did not “bring many sons unto glory”.  Only Christ can bring the “many sons unto glory” or salvation.  We again advert to the Bible.  In Hebrews 2:10 and 8:7-10 we read:

 

                    “For it became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

 

          Hebrews 8:7-10 says:

 

                   “For if the first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second .

 

                   “For finding fault with them, he saith, BEHOLD, THE DAYS COME, SAITH THE LORD, WHEN I WILL MAKE A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH;

 

                   “NOT ACCORDING TO THE COVENANT THAT I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS IN THE DAY THAT I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; BECAUSE THEY CONTINUED NOT IN MY COVENANT, AND I REGARDED THEM NOT, SAITH THE LORD. ”

 

          Thus, the Israelites also lost their salvation thru disregard of the laws of Moses. Also, the law of Moses were carnal ordinances tending to bridle the flesh and not able to “bring many sons unto glory” as it was not a source of endless life thru knowledge of the truth in Christ Jesus.  We again refer to the Bible, in Hebrews 7:16, to wit:

 

                    “Who is made not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of endless life”.

 

Christ offers, up to this, day eternal life, not possible with Moses nor his laws.  In fact the Apostle Paul gives us an insight on its ineffectuality years after Moses died in the Book of Romans 2:23-24, and we read:

 

                   “Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking of the law dishonourest thou God?  FOR THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES THROUGH YOU, as it is written.”

 

Another proof of Lord Jesus Christ’s power to offer eternal life was ordained by the Father are found in several parts of the Bible, it also shows the process and let us embark on a tour through several Biblical books

 

Matthew 3:17 – And lo, a voice from heaven, saying.  This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

 

Matthew 17:5 – While yet he spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold a voice out of the cloud which said, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him’.

 

Mark 9:7 – And there was a cloud that overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son: hear him.”

 

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one cometh to the Father, but by me”.

 

Indubitably our Lord Jesus Christ has the power to offer salvation.  The first salvation given as a gift by God the Father was a gift because  we have to be separated from the power of sins.  And why was it given?  We find the answer in Collossians 1:12-13,  to wit:

 

“Giving thanks unto the Father which has made us meet (fit) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and which hath translated us unto the kingdom of his dear Son”.

 

          So it becomes clear and reasonable that God the Father wants us to be transferred (or translated) to the Kingdom of His Son our Lord Jesus Christ and learn from Him the truth to attain eternal life. In a gist the Father wants mankind to inherit salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ and not thru the laws of Moses. In so doing He prepared us for such transfer through the process of baptism or immersion in the water together with prayer as the Lord Jesus underwent by John the Baptist as found in the book of Matthews among others.

 

          Also the Lord Jesus gave a command to Christians as found in the Book of Matthew in chapter 28:19-20 on how to obtain salvation and maintain it, to wit:

 

                   “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:  and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

 

          So in order to be with Christ always, we have to follow the commandment He left us in the preceding verses until the end of our life in order to earn our salvation as Christians.  Why?  Because our Lord Jesus Christ will reward us our salvation as He promised in the Book of Revelation 22:11-12, which reads:

 

                    “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still.  And, behold, I come quickly and my reward is with me, to give every man according to his work shall be.”

 

          The above verse exposes another flaw in the doctrine of “Once saved, always saved” because in the law of Christ you have to work in order to obtain salvation.  This is just fair because the salvation of Christ is a reward, not a gift as was before. The plan for salvation in the last days is only thru   tutelage, instructions and safekeeping of the Lord Jesus, only if we keep and observe through our work His words, not merely read them as some are encouraged to do in futile pedantic exercise.

 

          To the astute reader the “work” required of us, is to do the bidding of the Lord God through His Son Jesus Christ.  This we find in the verse in Philippians 2:12 and 13 which says:

 

                    “Wherefore my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but how much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling”.

 

 “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do his good pleasure.”

 

          Thus if we deny our own will and replace it with the will of God, we are working, why because our own works are not acceptable to Him and only our work done under His good pleasure are acceptable, nothing else.  This also means that His work bears fruit in us and that fruit is the acceptable work we need to do continuously for salvation.

          Another flaw in the doctrine of “once saved, always saved” is the wrong notion that mere acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ as savior makes the acceptor a “saved person”.  Wrong. That is pure arrogance, a canard and damnable heresy. Who are we to precondition our salvation on our own efforts in the mere act of accepting Jesus Christ?  God will not be mocked! 

 

          It is the other way around, our acts and deeds should be acceptable to God in order to attain salvation.  We are the ones who need salvation. We find the premise in the various Biblical principles.

 

          Psalm 19:14 – “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer

 

                   Romans 12:1 to 2 – “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

 

(2) And be not conformed to this world: but ye be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

 

          Conclusively, only when we do acceptable works willed by God for us to do or fulfill can we say we are candidates for salvation.  These are the “work” we need to do for salvation in contrast to the philosophy of “you do not need to work for your salvation” by the “once saved, always saved“ group.

 

          Again, the most dangerous fable that the “once saved always saved’ doctrine espouses is the idea that salvation cannot be lost. This is a foolish proposition.

 

          Consider Judas Iscariot, he was saved once by gift, but did he lose his salvation?  Yes.  Consider also the husband and wife Ananias and Zaphyra did they die saved?  I doubt.  In Hebrews Ch. 6:4-6 it says:

 

“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come; If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance:  seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him into an open shame”.

 

          Also in Hebrews 10:26-27

 

          “For if we sin willfully after we have we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries”.

 

And also we look at the verses in 2 Timothy4:3 & 4 to wit:

 

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lust shall they heap to themselves teachers having, itching ears;

 

          And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned into fables.”

 

          Thus in conclusion, salvation can be lost, there is no doubt about it. The first Salvation is a gift, the second salvation is a reward from the Lord Jesus Christ, a salvation from hell in the last days, for Christians. My earnestness to send to you these verses is found in the letter of exhortation of the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 2, to wit:

 

                    “Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

         

          We are sure of what we are sending to you are the truth for it comes from the Bible, undefiled by human interpretations or opinions.  And all this we do in Love, for God is Love.

 

          Thanks be to GOD Almighty.

 

Bro. Feli

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Written by Deo Quiogue]