Is Once Saved Always Saved?

Scriptural Proof and Evidence

George E. Richardson PhD

• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781098053901
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Theology

Is Once Saved Always Saved? is a book that seeks to answer questions or misgivings that a Christian may have as to whether salvation is eternal or whether as a believer, could he lose his salvation for acts of sin and disobedience against God.

The book was designed to be a study help and a resource for young believers and those with meaningful questions about salvation. The book gives many examples and promises regarding the security of salvation.

The author outlines nine scriptural evidences which support this question. Each evidence is heavily supported with scriptural proof. The book differentiates between relationship with God and fellowship with God and other thought-provoking truths.

This booklet will strengthen your faith, cause you to grow as a Christian, and renew your confidence in the God of your salvation.

1

Is Once Saved Always Saved?

I have listed several Scriptural reasons to show that once a person has been saved, he or she is saved forever with the guarantee of eternal life in heaven. The Scripture gives strong assurances that when a person accepts Jesus Christ as his or her Savior, that person is saved forever. There are no conditions in Scripture assuring that God will change His mind about the salvation He has given to those who have received Jesus Christ as his savior. God cannot and will never go back on His promise of eternal life to those who believe. What He has promised, that He will do.

I encourage you to look up the Scripture references that are cited at the end of each thought as they offer support to the statements that are made. The arguments listed below are biblically sound and give several reasons why a saved person can never lose his/her salvation for any reason.

Here are nine Scriptural reasons which prove that when a sinner confesses Jesus Christ as his personal Savior, that person is saved and can never lose his salvation for any reason:

1. The nature of God as it relates to the eternal security of the believer.
   It is not in the nature of God to lie or deceive His children. The Devil is called “a liar” (John 8:44) and the “deceiver” (Rev. 12:9, 20:3,7,8,19) because it is his nature and work to do so, but the nature of God is just the opposite. God cannot lie or deceive mankind (Titus 1:2). God is characterized as “a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He” (Deut. 32:4). He is a God of light, “and within Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).
   When it comes to salvation, God is clear concerning His promise to save the sinner and to keep him saved forever. God has promised that if we ask in faith, believing Him to do what He said He will do, He will do it. God means that and has offered no conditions whereby He will go back on this promise. As a matter of fact, God declares that those who come to Him in faith for salvation, not one of them will be cast out, and none of them will be lost (John 6:37,39). If the believer has even a remote chance of losing his salvation for whatever reason, Jesus would have said it in these verses.
   Those who struggle with or reject the doctrine of eternal security do so because they do not fully understand the nature of God. Most likely, their thoughts of God and what He is like are from their human point of view and not from God’s. If a friend betrays another the human nature wants to withdraw from that person and hold a grudge against him. But God is not that way. He is merciful and gracious in His dealing with mankind, and His ways are higher than man’s ways and His thoughts than man’s thoughts (Isaiah 55:8–9). It is by His grace and mercy that He saves a person, and it is also by His grace that He keeps that person saved. His promise of salvation is not based on anything that the believer does or doesn’t do to keep it.
   The word grace means “to give something that is not deserved or can’t be earned.” God is familiar with the sinfulness of man, yet He has chosen to save him and give him everlasting life based on his obedience and faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. It bears repeating that it is by God’s mercy and grace that a person is saved, and it is also by His mercy and grace that He keeps that person saved.
   The nature of God is such that it does not allow Him to go back on His Word (Malachi 3:6) but compels Him to keep His word and His covenants with mankind (Numbers 23: 19). Therefore, when a believer transgresses and commits acts that displease God, the holiness of God is repulsed by his actions, but His righteousness and mercy stand ready to forgive and cleanse the sinning believer when forgiveness is sought (Hebrews 4:16; 1 John 1:9).
   In addition, the nature of God demands that He keeps His covenants and promises with mankind (Psalms 105:8; 111:5). In Numbers 23:19, the Scripture reminds us, “hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or, hath he spoken and shall he not make it good?” Noah could testify that God keeps His promises. Abraham, who acted impatiently at one point, even doubting God promise, would declare that God keeps His promises. Moses could testify that God keeps His promises because when he failed to follow God’s instruction to speak to the rock, He smote it instead. As a result, God did not allow him to take the children of Israel across the Jordan River and into the land of Canaan (Numbers 20:8–12). Joshua was given the task to lead the children of Israel across the Jordan River and safely into the land of Canaan (Deuteronomy 34:1–8; Joshua 1:1–2). God keeps His promises. Be assured that He will also keep His promise regarding salvation and eternal life assured to the believer.
   The nature of God is also seen in His ability to forgive us of our sins. When God saves the sinner, He forgives the sinner of all his sins—past, present, and future. That was God’s design for mankind before the world was formed. He sent His only begotten Son into the world for the purpose of saving sinners. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses the sinner of all his sins—past, present, and future—and places him into the family of God (1 Peter 1:18–21). The Scripture declares that the believer’s sins are washed in the blood of Jesus Christ, and cast as far as the east is from the west, never to be remembered against him anymore (Psalms 103:12; Hebrews 8:12).
   In exchange for our sinfulness and as part of the finished work of Christ on the cross, Jesus took the believer’s sins upon Himself and imparted to the believer His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). As a result, when God the Father looks upon the believer, though sinful and vile at times, He does not see him as vile or wretched or as a sinner. Instead, He sees only the righteousness of Jesus Christ, which has been imputed or charged to the believer’s account (Romans 4:11,22; James 2:23).
   C. I. Scofield comments on imputed righteousness said, “The righteousness of God is neither an attribute of God, nor the changed character of the believer, but Christ Himself, who fully met in our stead and behalf every demand of the law, and who is, by the act of God called imputation (Leviticus 25:50; James2:23), made unto us…righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30). The believer in Christ is now, by grace, shrouded under so complete and blessed a righteousness that the law from Mt. Sinai can find neither fault nor diminution (any lessening) therein” (Scofield Study Bible, notes on Romans 3:21–22).
   Thus, if God were to take away the believer’s salvation because of his daily transgressions, then God would violate the work of Christ on the cross and, in doing so, would cut across the grain of His very own nature by such an act. That, of course, is impossible for Him to do (Malachi 3:6).
   The fact that God keeps His promises is a sobering thought. It ought to make us realize that God has not only promised to save us and give us everlasting life, but He has also promised to come again and receive all believers unto Himself (John 14:2–3; Thessalonians 4:13–17). He has promised that all the wicked and unbelieving will be judged and will ultimately be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). The Scripture refers to this as “the second death” (Revelation 20:14).
   Why is it called the “second death?” Maybe this explains it. Someone has wisely said, “If you’re born twice, then you will die once; but if you’re born once, then you will die twice.” Salvation is referred to as being “born again” (John 3:3). The first birth is the natural birth when you were born to your parents. The second birth occurs when the believer is born again in the spiritual birth known as salvation (John 3:3; 1 Peter 1:23). The second death, which is spoken of in Revelation 21:8, describes those who rejected God’s offer of salvation. Such are recipients of the “second death,” which is the outpouring of God’s wrath upon those who reject His offer of salvation and eternal life. The realization of this fact should make each believer anxious to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost each opportunity we get to do so.
   We have seen that the nature of God is unchanging, and as a result, He will not and cannot go back on His Word (Malachi 3:6). Because of this truth, it is safe to conclude that the believer’s transgressions do not change the mind of God concerning the eternal life which He has promised, nor does it remove the believer from his secure position in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:35–39). Henceforth, we can trust God and put our faith and confidence in Him, not only to save us but also to keep us saved for all eternity (2 Timothy 1:12).
2. The effectiveness of the blood of Jesus Christ as it relates to the security of the believer.
   It is the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses the sinner of all sin (1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5, 5:9). This has been God’s way of dealing with man’s sin from the history of mankind. God demonstrated this when He slew an animal in the Garden of Eden to provide a covering of skin for Adam and Eve who had violated His command (Genesis 3:21). By this act, an innocent animal gave its life to provide a covering for man’s sin.
   The Old Testament method of atoning for sins also required the blood of an animal sacrifice (Leviticus 16:14–19). That animal, usually a lamb, a bullock, a goat, or a pair of doves (for the very poor) had to be without spot and without any physical blemish or defect. Any physical defect or blemish disqualified it. The reason it did is because it was a type of Jesus Christ, the sinless, spotless Son of God who would become the perfect sacrifice for man’s sin (1 Peter 1:19). That animal was slain, and it’s blood was sprinkled upon the altar by the high priest as a covering for sin once a year.
   This act of atonement satisfied a Holy God, but it’s effects were temporary. The next year, the high priest had to go the tabernacle and offer the sacrifice f...