Once-Saved-Saved-Forever

Question: I have been aggravated for some time with the controversy surrounding the security of the believer. In other words, the "Once Saved, Always Saved" issue is very controversial in many Christian circles, and there seem to be few resources on this issue. Could you please address this in a future issue of the Berean Call newsletter?

Response: Regardless of our own perceptions or convictions, we must begin with the words of the Lord Jesus Christ and compare all other scriptures (such as James 5, Ezekiel 18, or the "difficult" passages in Hebrews) to His words. The clearest statement of the Savior's intent can be found in John 10:26-29. He makes six declarative statements with absolutely no qualifications:

1) My sheep hear My voice. 2) I know them. 3) They follow Me. 4) I give unto them eternal life. 5) They shall never perish. 6) Neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand, nor out of My Father's hand.

The language used in the original is very adamant, as the phrase translated "any man" is all inclusive--which includes "us" in the "any man" category. Hebrews 12:5-12 is an excellent (albeit painful) example of how God works in the lives of His children as He disciplines them. There are no qualifiers re how closely they follow, how far they stray in their waywardness, or how dim the voice of the Shepherd may become to them. Furthermore, "If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire" (1 Cor 3:14-15).

Apostasy is not only possible, but it was expected by the earliest church. The very meaning of apostasy is described in the Didache. The earliest church preached that the world deceiver would lead Christians astray into following him. In doing so, they would apostasize (a military term used of soldiers who would abandon their army).

Which verse are you thinking of? I can't find any verses in the Bible where Christians will apostatize to the point of being unsaved and overturning John 10.26-29.

1Ti 4:1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,

2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,
2Ti 4:4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

Heb 6:4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
Heb 6:5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
Heb 6:6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.

Right, so these verses don't say the believer will fall away all the way. Nor can you entirely exclude this verse from saying many will come near to Christ yet still fall away such as yourself since you are unwilling to give your life to the God who keeps and think you can be saved by works and thus boast. Christians can be deceived by doctrines of demons and deceitful spirits, even so, we can't lose eternal life, otherwise God would not have given it to us in the first place.

The writer of this letter told the Hebrews in verses 1-3 that they had no need of laying again the foundation. Some might retort: But what if a person fits the description in verses 4-6? Must he not lay the foundation again if he falls away? Should he not be renewed again to repentance? The answer of the writer was: Even though one may have the conditions of verses 4-6, that is to say, a situation in which he has really sinned, it is still impossible for him to be renewed to repentance.

Once one repents and believes in Christ it is final. You can't get saved again, nor can you lose salvation. Just because someone is a Christian doesn't mean we get a free ticket without consequences. What will happen is you will lose the reward of returning with Christ to reign during the 1000 years. Study this very carefully and hopefully you will come around,

http://www3.telus.net/trbrooks/1Tim4.htm