Comfort Doctrines:Once Saved,

Always SavedIs such a doctrine scriptural?

Let’s see what the Bible teaches on this subject.

Introduction• Today we continue our study of comfort

doctrines. • A comfort doctrine is a teaching designed to

give comfort to one who does not want to be held accountable for sinful activity.

• You don’t have to turn very far into scripture to finds an example of this.

Introduction• In Genesis 3, we find the serpent approaching Eve and

asking her if God had said they could not eat of any trees in the garden.

• Eve’s reply was, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'"

• Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Gen. 3:1-5).

• The very first lie was a comfort doctrine.

Introduction• Satan denied God’s penalty for sin. • Ever since that time man has sought for a way to

God without completely surrendering to Him. • Sadly, they will usually find someone who will tell

them they are fine the way they are. • Justification is bundled in these comfort doctrines. • Today we want to talk about a very prevalent

comfort doctrine in the religious world, • “Once saved, always saved.”

The Doctrine Defined• Defined, a belief that once someone is saved by God

through the blood of Jesus Christ (how one is saved is another question), his salvation is eternally secure. No matter what he does, he cannot be lost or fall from grace.

• This doctrine is sometimes called, “Eternal security” or “Perseverance of the saints” (i.e. TULIP in Calvinism).

• This doctrine was developed and promoted by John Calvin as it was part of his system of theology, known as Calvinism in the 1530-40s.

• It is worthy of note that prior to this, the doctrine was not prominently advocated.

Doctrine Explained• The degree to which this doctrine is taught is seen in the following

quotes:• Baptist preacher Sam Morris, in an article on this subject said, “We

take the position that a Christian's sins do not damn his soul. The way a Christian lives, what he says, his character, his conduct, or his attitude toward other people have nothing whatsoever to do with the salvation of his soul. That is settled in Christ and Christ alone .. All the prayers a man may pray, all the Bibles he may read, all the churches he may belong to, all the services he may attend, all the sermons he may practice, all the debts he may pay, all the ordinances he may observe, all the laws he may keep, all the benevolent acts he may perform will not make his soul one whit safer; and all the sins he may commit from idolatry to murder will not make his soul in any more danger.”

Doctrine Explained• In 1959, another Baptist preacher, Bill Foster wrote,

“If I killed my wife and mother and debauched a thousand women, I couldn't go to hell -- in fact, I couldn't go to hell if I wanted to. If on the judgment day, I should find that my loved ones are lost and should lose all desire to be saved, and should beg God to send me to hell with them, He couldn't do it"

• While these are extreme sayings, they demonstrate the true convictions of those who believe in this doctrine.

• If need be, we can produce many quote by those who teach this doctrine.

Does The Bible Teach OSAS?• You be the judge.• Romans 11:22, “Therefore consider the goodness and severity of

God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.”

• 1 Corinthians 9:27, “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

• 1 Corinthians 15:1-2, “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you — unless you believed in vain.”

• Galatians 5:4, “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.”

Does The Bible Teach OSAS?• Colossians 1:21-23, “And you, who once were alienated and enemies

in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight — if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.”

• 1 Timothy 4:1, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons”

• Hebrews 3:12-14, “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,”

Does The Bible Teach OSAS?• Hebrews 6:4-6, “For it is impossible for those who were once

enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.”

• Hebrews 10:26-27, “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.”

• James 5:19-20, “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.”

Does The Bible Teach OSAS?• 2 Peter 2:20-22, “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of

the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire."

• Revelation 2:10, “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

• Revelation 14:13, “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them."

Does The Bible Teach OSAS?• Many other verses could be added to these

discussing the importance of faithfulness, the need to obey God and consequences of failing to obey, the dangers of apostasy, various conditional passages, and many other texts.

• The Bible is so filled with such passages, it is impossible to miss the need for a faithful life to ensure a home in heaven when this life is over.

Answering Their Proof Texts• God’s love and grace. • Many of the passages used to justify this doctrine are passages

about the grace and love of God. • It is argued that if we are saved by grace, then there is nothing

we can do to save ourselves. • Passages like Romans 8:31-39 which speaks of “if God being

for us, who can be against us”. • It also notes that NOTHING can separate us from the love of

God and Christ AND • Ephesians 2:8-9 which says, “For by grace you have been saved

through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

Answering Their Proof Texts• Answer: What these passages teach is absolutely

true. • Our salvation is only possible by the grace and love of

God. • It is the PRIME factor in salvation. • And there is not a force in this world that can change

that. • BUT how does that say it is impossible to reject His

love or give back that gift? • How does that say that we cannot lose our

salvation?

Answering Their Proof Texts• 1 John 3:9 – He cannot sin. • Whoever is born of God does not sin. • The premise is sometimes made that this

verse means that if one sins as a child of God it will not be counted against him. • Some argue that the blood of Christ

would automatically cover these sins.

Answering Their Proof Texts• Answer: The context indicates that the point is one

does not have the right to sin as a Christian. • We all know that he WILL sin (John said that in the

first chapter of this letter). • But such is contrary to God’s will and it needs to be

taken care of. • Furthermore, the verb, “cannot” which modifies sin

in this verse, is present tense meaning ongoing action.

• Thus it is saying, he cannot continue in sin.

Answering Their Proof Texts• Everlasting life – cf. John 3:16, 3:36, etc. • There are several passages in NT that speak of

eternal life. • If life given is eternal then it cannot be taken away.

Answer: Heaven is everlasting (so is hell). • That is not debated. • But that does not say that you cannot give back

God’s gift after you have received it. • We must hold fast our confidence, steadfast to the

end.

Answering Their Proof Texts• Power of God – cf. My sheep hear my voice, none

snatches them – John 10:29, “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”

• Answer: This text sounds, at first glance, like that Jesus will permanently keep those who come to Him.

• But as always, read the context:

Answering Their Proof Texts• NOTE the condition of the one described = His

sheep hear His voice, and follow Him. • Both are present tense verbs.• Furthermore, it is dealing with the overall true

principle that God is greater than Satan in every point.

• Satan will NOT win against God! • But that doesn’t mean you cannot leave Him.

Answering Their Proof Texts• 1 John 2:19 – they were never among us. • This text is sometimes used to say that one who

falls away was never a true believer in the first place.

• Answer: Who is being a judge now? • First, how can one fall away if they were never a

true believer in the first place. That does not make any sense.

• There are plenty of examples of faithful followers who become disheartened and abandon God.

Answering Their Proof Texts• What was the Hebrew writer warning His audience

about? • Leaving God! • Who did Peter have in mind in 2 Peter 2:20-22?

I will grant that some come to God with condition or without sincerity.

• That is one of the points of this study, but you CANNOT say that about every person who leaves God. If you are honest, you know better.

The Dangers Of This Doctrine• First, it gives a false security. • When weighed in light of all scripture has to say about

faithfulness to God, and the numerous warnings found throughout scriptures, it is akin to Satan saying, “you shall not surely die”.

• It takes away true accountability. • While one might choose to obey God’s will (which is

what those who teach this doctrine want AND SO DO I), this doctrine teaches it is NOT necessary.

• The result is that you set the terms of your service to God.

• He has no choice but to accept it.

The Dangers Of This Doctrine• It leads to ignorance and complacency. • What real need is there to keep studying when such has

no bearing on your salvation?• It skews one’s perspective of God’s character – including

His love, grace, mercy AND his justice and righteousness.

• It makes Him responsible if you are condemned because you chose to reject Him.

• But wasn’t it Jesus who said, “Not everyone who says to Me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but He who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21-23)

God Does Not Want You To Perish • 2 Peter 3:9 ought to be a source of great comfort to

us. • As His children it tells us He wants us to do right. • Understanding His grace, mercy and love ought to

be a source of comfort.• Even when you do sin, no matter how egregious, He

has provided a path to return to Him. • Acts 8:22, 1 John 1:7-9 – if we confess our sins, He is

faithful and just to forgive…

God Does Not Want You To Perish• Hebrews 10:23 tells us that “He who promised is

faithful.”• When Hebrews 12:5-11 speaks of the chastening of

the Lord, it is designed to encourage us to endure. • That He might chasten us shows that He cares and

seeks our devotion to Him.• WE can live with hope, but only if we are faithfully

striving to serve Him – 1 John 1:5• The point is to understand that He will not tolerate

rebellion or the one who sins.

Conclusion• And thus we can see that this “comfort doctrine” is

both false and dangerous. • Let us never seek to diminish any sin that we might

be guilty of. • If you have sinned – take care of it! • God is waiting. • When you do what He says, there is every reason

for you to find real comfort. • But if you refuse to obey Him, BE AFRAID – BE VERY

AFRAID!