ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED: UNBIBLICAL IN APPLICATION

__________________

A Paper

Presented to

Dr. John D. Laing

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

__________________

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for SYSTH 3013

__________________

by

Wes Miller

April 20, 2014

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ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED: UNBIBLICAL IN APPLICATION

Introduction

On January 7, 2014, Kim Gravel, star of Lifetime Network’s Kim of Queens

reality show was seen grooming a prospective young lady for an upcoming beauty

pageant. Her father, a preacher, had expressed his disapproval of allowing his daughter

to participate in the pageant. However, Kim disregarded the father’s wishes and

continued to train the young lady saying, “I believe in ‘once saved, always saved’, so I’ll

do good for this child and ask for forgiveness later!”1 This is the very perspective that

many maintain regarding the doctrine of security of the believer, or the assurance of

salvation. It is this errant view that drives so many from accepting the only cure for their

sin and provides the false security for those who will find themselves the object of the

following discourse in Matthew.

“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” – Matthew 7:22-23, NASB

The scriptures provide the true believer ample assurance of salvation, which is achieved by the saving grace of Jesus Christ, sealed by the Holy Spirit, and evidenced by the perseverance of the one changed. The security of the believer is never in doubt by God, for He is immutable and omniscient. It is the human that casts doubt on their security by both interpreting and applying the doctrine of ‘once saved, always saved’ in an unbiblical manner.

‘Once Saved, Always Saved’: What It Does Not Mean

In order to understand the doctrine of the security of the believer, it is critical

1. Kim Gravel, “Kim of Queens: Episode 2,” Internet, available from http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/kim-of-queens/episodes/season-1, accessed 20 April 2014.

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understand what it is not. A view prevalent in society today is that once a person

accepts Jesus as their Savior, they may still live their life according to their own agenda.

Further, “getting saved” is a form of “fire insurance” that allows one to live without fear

of eternal damnation.2 But this viewpoint leaves out the repentance aspect of salvation

altogether, in which true believers see themselves the same way God does, are

remorseful, and turn from behavior that displeases God.3 It is at this point that the true

believer surrenders control of their life to Jesus, including their future, and seeks to live

according to the precepts set forth by the Lord Jesus Christ.4 This is further evidenced by

the words of Jesus, who emphasized that those who love Him will both have his

commandments and keep them, indicating a regenerate life.5 The scriptures establish a

standard by which a true believer may be identified, not judged worthy as some works-

based methods of salvation prescribe. A true believer has seen their sin as God sees it

(Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23), has realized their position before God as needing a Savior

(Isaiah 53:6, Ephesians 2:5,8), has believed in Jesus for Who He is and accepted His gift

(John 3:16, Romans 10:9), and has turned from an old life to the new one given to them

by the Savior (John 14:21, Luke 24:27, and 2 Corinthians 5:17). Having established the

2. John MacArthur, “Perseverance of the Saints,” The Master’s Seminary Journal 4, no. 1 (Spring 1993), 12.

3. Anthony B. Badger, “TULIP: A Free Grace Perspective, Part 5: Perseverance of the Saints,” Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society (Spring 2003), 43.

4. MacArthur, 22.

5. W.E. Nunnally, Ph. D., “Defective Views of Salvation,” Enrichment Journal, Internet, available from http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/200803/200803_128_defectsal.cfm, accessed 20 April 2014.

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clarity of this definition, the obscurity of the eternal home of a believer originates not in

scripture but in the actions of the person in doubt. For, applying the doctrine of ‘once

saved, always saved’ with the intention of securing an eternal home, while holding

intentions of continuing a life pursuant to one’s own will is incongruent with that of a

true believer. By scriptural definition, the person with this initial frame of mind is not

saved at the outset because the gift of the Savior was not accepted and the ownership of

their life was never transferred to the Lord Jesus Christ.6

Falling Away

There are those that come to the truth, however, and then after a long period of

service, seem to lose their zeal for the faith and live out their lives neither hostile nor

supportive of Christianity. In this instance, the person remains inwardly confident that

the doctrine of ‘once saved, always saved’ is still in effect and is secure in the knowledge

that they have an eternal home in heaven because of an initial encounter with religion.

When evaluated by the biblical standard already set forth in this document, the person

does not exhibit the characteristics of one who is saved, as they do not appear to possess

the gift provided by Jesus nor are they living the new life salvation brings. The

perception that they are also entitled to the inheritance of a child of God, when they may

behave as a child of the world creates a negative perception of the ‘once saved, always

saved’ doctrine as well. Yet this creates a conundrum, for if they do not exhibit the

characteristics of a saved individual for a prolonged period of time, has their conscious

6. Ken Keathley, “Does Anyone Really Know If They Are Saved? A Survey of the Current Views on Assurance With A Modest Proposal” (paper presented at the Evangelical Theological Society Southwest Regional Meeting, Dallas, TX, 2 March 2002), 58.

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choice of works now undone the spiritual transformation performed by the Savior? A

common explanation for this phenomenon is that the person only went through the

motions initially and was never saved during their initial encounter with the truth.7 This

is plausible, especially if the person is never inclined to return to the faith at any point

during their life, showing the seeds of repentance.

Loss of Salvation

But what of the observer who questions the eternal home of this example, and

assumes that their salvation was indeed genuine early on? Some maintain that because

the person has turned away from the faith after having come to know the truth, they have

voluntarily abandoned their security in heaven and because of this there is no further

remedy for their condition.8 Indeed, the writer of Hebrews addresses this very condition

in Chapter 6 of his letter.

“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, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 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.” – Hebrews 6:4-6, NASB

This passage of scripture has generated multiple interpretations throughout the

years, with a number of scholars believing that one can fall so far into sin that

7. Wayne R. Kempson, “Hebrews 6:1-8,” Review and Expositor 91 (1994), 567.

8. Waldemar Kowalski, Ph. D., “Once Saved, Always Saved?” Enrichment Journal, Internet, available from http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/201203/201203_070_Once_saved_always_saved.cfm, accessed 20 April 2014.

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they lose their salvation.9 This belief is strengthened by a similar interpretation of

a passage three chapters earlier in the same book.

“14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end.” – Hebrews 3:14, NASB

Proponents of the apostasy reading of Hebrews 6:4-6 passage also point out that

this verse defines true believers as those that do not lose the faith with which they

started.10 This view has much strength as it interprets each passage as it is most

readily understood. The terms “enlightened,” “heavenly gift,” and “made

partakers of the Holy Spirit” are easily identified with salvation. “Fallen away”

can be understood as having turned from the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

The result of this, then, is easily surmised as the loss of one’s salvation, resulting

in a condition that is “impossible to renew … again unto repentance.” This means

that salvation, once lost, cannot be regained.11 It should be noted that one

interpretation of these passages does not recognize the subject of the text as true

believers.12 As this paper has already addressed the lack of eternal security for an

unbeliever, that interpretation will not receive attention in this work. But starting

this passage with a true believer and ending with a person headed for damnation

causes an interpretational crisis across the breadth of the Bible. For how can the

9. Andrew J. Wilson, “Hebrews 6:3b and 3:14 Revisited,” Tyndale Bulletin 62.2 (2011), 248.

10. Ibid., 251.

11. R. Bruce Compton, “Persevering and Falling Away: A Reexamination of Hebrews 6:4-6,” Detroit Baptist Seminary Journal 1 (Spring 1996), 137.

12. Ibid., 144.

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works of man undo a spiritual transformation that was completely an act of grace

of Jesus Christ?

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” – Ephesians 2:8, NASB

The canvas of scripture is painted with passages that show the mind of Christ regarding

the care of His true children. Through them a clear pattern of protection and security is

established that a loss of salvation interpretation of these passages would starkly

contradict within an immutable God.13 Some statements of scripture on security include

“he who hears my Word … has eternal life, and does not come into judgment” (John

5:24), “one who comes to me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37), “I give them

eternal life, and …. no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28-30), “there is

no condemnation for those … in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1), “the Holy Spirit of God, by

whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30), “He who began a

good work in you will perfect it …” (Philippians 1:6), and “… I will remember their sins

no more” (Hebrews 8:12).14 Still, proponents of the loss of salvation interpretation find

limits in these verses in the point in time at which they apply, arguing that all are true

until the believer consciously commits apostasy after salvation. In redress, one must

consider the reason for the cure and the effect of free will in its advent.

The Fall and Falling Away

God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden with bodies unmarred by sin.

13. Henry Knapp, “Augustine and Owen on Perseverance,” Westminster Theological Journal 62 (2000), 65.

14. Compton,138.

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In doing so, He allowed them to exercise their own free will in regard to the

commandments He gave, and man sinned, resulting in a broken relationship with his

Creator.15 This established the need for a Reconciler, Who God provided in His Son

Jesus Christ.

“10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” – 1 John 4:10, NASB

Through this God provided a cure for what man marred in Eden. Proponents of

the loss of salvation interpretation agree that this cure is permanent once a true

believer leaves the earth, for salvation may not be lost once it is being enjoyed in

Heaven, by definition, as it is eternal. The cure, scripture says, was planned since

the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). The cure was also of priceless

value, as it required the death of the only Son of God (John 3:16). In addition to

this, scripture pointed to this death throughout history in the lives of Isaac

(Genesis 22:6), Samuel (1 Samuel 1:23), David (Proverbs 4:3), the widow of Nain

(Luke 7:11), and many others. Given the fact that the cure was planned before the

physical advent of the need, that the cure was of ultimate cost, and that the reason

for the cure was to permanently address the sinful actions of man, it would not

logically follow that once applied it could be undone by the afflicted it was meant

to heal. Consider the argument that man continues to possess free will after

salvation, and can therefore choose to consciously reject Christ, thereby falling

15. John C. Collins, “What Happened to Adam and Eve?” Presbyterion 3 (March 1, 2001), 12.

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away from grace.16 Does free will depart from man in Heaven? It appears to

have been present in the angels before the world was created, as the “anointed

cherub” was perfect until he made a conscious decision to sin.

“Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” – Ezekiel 28:15, KJV

The Bible says that nothing impure will enter Heaven (Revelation 21:27) and that there

will be no death, pain, sorrow or crying there (Revelation 21:4). Therefore, if no sin will

enter Heaven, the presence or absence of the free will is moot in this instance, in that if

present it may not be exercised in the pursuit of sin. This leaves one to consider the

mitigating factor that would differ between both Heaven and this world in the

commission of sin, and more applicably to the issue at hand, apostasy. Upon death, the

true believer receives a new body, and this could be argued is the mechanism by which

apostasy is prevented, as within the old body, the flesh warred against the spirit.

“So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.”- 1 Corinthians 5:42-44, NASB

One must consider the nature of the offense that necessitated the cure. When Adam and

Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden, their bodies were not affected by the fall. The

sin nature was not present and it was the commission of the sin that affected their

spiritual condition with God.17 These bodies, free from sin and its effects had no

16. John Jefferson Davis, “The Perseverance of the Saints,” Journal of the Evangelistic Theological Society 34, no.2 (June 1991), 216.

17. Gordon H. Clark, Ph. D., “The Image of God in Man,” Journal of the Evangelistic Society 12, no. 4 (September 1, 1969), 218.

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deterring effect on the outcome of their fall. If the security of salvation is left to man it

will be lost in every instance because the strength does not exist in him to preserve it in

this world, nor will it in the next. Jesus practiced this the principle of keeping the critical

functions of the faith in His hands during the time He ministered on earth.

“Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. 24 But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew human nature. 25 No one needed to tell him what mankind is really like.” – John 2:23-25, NLT

The context of this scripture is that Jesus had been performing so many miracles

that some began to see Him as the physical, rather than spiritual Messiah. He

would not trust them to make the salvation plan happen in the manner in which

was needed as He reserved that for God’s Sovereignty. The same principle

applies to securing the true believer in salvation. Therefore, if God planned a

permanent cure for an affliction that was caused by the sinful actions of man, it

would not logically follow that He would fashion one that could be undone in the

same manner. Thus, the mechanism by which He insures their perseverance and

prevents a repeat of the incident in the Garden of Eden by apostasy is through the

sealing of the Holy Spirit. When a person receives Christ as their Savior, the

Holy Spirit infuses their heart, sealing them with God’s promise that He will

complete the work He is beginning at that moment.18 The sealing of the Holy

Spirit is the “deposit” on the eternal life that will be made evident upon the

physical death of the true believer.19 God gives the Holy Spirit to the true

18. MacArthur, 16.

19. Ibid., 17.

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believer as a pledge of the eternal life that they will inherit as His adopted child (2

Corinthians 5:5). How then may these verses in Hebrews be reconciled to the

characteristics of God, Who has provided a permanent cure for a condition that

was caused by the actions of man?

In reviewing the previously noted passages in Hebrew against the

background already drawn of “salvation by grace” and “secured by God, not man,

sealed by the Holy Spirit,” it becomes apparent that the author of Hebrews

intentionally made an event that occurs in the future (eternal salvation) the

prerequisite to an event that has occurred in the past (perseverance in the faith).20

This, in conjunction with the other scriptures, indicates that perseverance is the

evidence of the presence of the sealing of the Holy Spirit on a true believer.21

Therefore, in the case of Hebrews 6, the scripture speaks with consistency. The

statement “if a person were to lose their salvation by a pattern of sinful behavior,

there would be no possible way to provide regeneration for them” is true. If the

author of Hebrews is referring to a person who was indeed a true believer, they

could not lose the gift of salvation because of the seal placed upon them by the

Holy Spirit. However, even if they could do so, for the sake of discussion, the

author affirms the impossibility of their return to renewal because the intent of the

gift is a permanent cure. It is therefore inconsistent to consider that an immutable,

omniscient God would provide a permanent cure for sin that is subject to the same

20. Wilson, 250.

21. Ibid.

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nullifying agent as the condition it was designed to heal. The remaining

interpretation consistent with scripture is that these are false believers spoken of

in 1 John.

“19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.” – 1 John 2:19, NASB

This conclusion is further buttressed by a brief explanation of Greek conditional

clauses. The most common form of conditional clause in Greek is the familiar

cause-to-effect (C-E) relationship, where should C occur, then E necessarily

happens. In this type of situation, the cause is found in the protasis of the

passage, while the effect is located in the apodosis.22

“but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband.” – Romans 7:2, NASB

Accordingly, the protasis (if her husband dies) contains the cause that generates

the effect, located in the apodosis (she is released from the law concerning the

husband). This is the type of conditional that is the most common in scripture,

but it is not the only kind present. Another conditional of note is the evidence-to-

inference (E-I).23

“But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.” – Hebrews 12:8, NASB

In this example, the protasis (if you are without discipline) contains evidence about the

reader (lack of discipline). The apodosis (you are illegitimate children and not sons)

22. Wilson, 258.

23. Ibid.

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suggests an inference about the reader (you are illegitimate).24 A clear understanding

of the difference in these types of conditionals in the Greek text is important when

seeking to understand the passage in question. A contemporary example of this would be

as follows:

‘If she has a ring on her left hand, then she’s married.’ Note that the protasis is not the cause of the apodosis. In fact, it is often just the opposite: ‘If she gets married, she will wear a ring on her left hand.’ Thus, often, though not always, the ground-inference condition will semantically be the converse of the cause-effect condition.25

An application of this knowledge to these passages in Hebrews yields an

understanding that is consistent with the tenor of the foundation laid by others in

this discourse. The protasis of Hebrews 3:14 (if we hold fast the beginning of our

assurance firm until the end) contains the evidence for the inference shown in the

apodosis (we have become partakers of Christ). Similarly, in Hebrews 3:6b, the

protasis (if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the

end) contains the evidence for the inference shown in the apodosis (whose house

we are). In each of these passages, persevering until the end is not the cause for

the salvation, it is the evidence of the inference made regarding those who inherit

it.

Warning Passages

There are other passages of scripture that warn against the contemporary

‘once saved, always saved’ lifestyle embraced by many. Colossians 1 contains an

24. Ibid.

25. Daniel Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), 683.

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example of one such passage.

21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

The tension is apparent in verse twenty-three, where the protasis (if you continue

in the faith…) contains the evidence of the inference made in the apodosis (He

has reconciled you). In this way perseverance may be seen as the evidence of the

salvation present in the believer.26

A second passage related to the security of the believer may be found in 2

Peter.

“20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. 22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.” – 2 Peter 2:20-22, NASB

There is little dispute that this passage refers to true believers; however, the end state is

frequently interpreted as apostasy. The context of the passage provides insight into the

state into which the believers have returned. These believers were being enticed by false

teachers (v. 18) into their former behaviors, which included engaging in fleshly desires

and sensuality. While the “way of righteousness” implies a relationship with the Savior,

26. Charles C. Bing, “The Warning in Colossians 1:21-23,” Bibliotheca Sacra 164 (January-March 2007), 85.

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the connotation of this phrase combined with the “commandment handed onto them”

indicates that they had returned to their former lifestyles. The verses do not indicate a

final rejection of Jesus, as would support apostasy. In similar situations, Paul excoriates

sin, such as in 1 Corinthians 5, where he corrects the sin of incest. He further reprimands

the Corinthians for taking part in the Lord’s Supper unworthily in 1 Corinthians 11.

However, in neither passage does he present apostasy as the cause or regeneration as the

cure.27 This passage is thus meant to warn believers against being enticed to return to

their former lifestyle once being saved. For, how satisfied can a believer be engaged in

the sins of the world, knowing their Heavenly Father will discipline them?28

A further passage of scripture that warns against the ‘once saved, always saved’

“free to sin” lifestyle is found in Hebrews 12.

“14 Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; 16 that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.” – Hebrews 12:14-17, NASB

The writer of Hebrews commands the reader to pursue peace and sanctification, the

process by which one becomes like Christ throughout a lifetime. He further admonishes

each to strengthen one another in perseverance, and not to allow an unregenerate person

to come into their midst and cause division. The warning then turns to what many

27. Duane A. Dunham, “An Exegetical Study of 2 Peter 2:18-22,” Bibliotheca Sacra (January-March 1983), 47.

28. Ibid., 51.

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interpret as an example of apostasy in Esau and evidence of the ability of a believer to

lose their salvation. This passage portrays Esau as godless in selling his birthright, as it

was associated with the many covenants that Abraham had bequeathed to Isaac. This

serves to illustrate a believer who has rejected Christ and given up the gift of salvation.

Verse seventeen then is seen as the impossibility for salvation of believers that have

fallen away from the faith. In this example, the premise is flawed because Esau rejected

the initial birthright (it had not yet been given him), or salvation, and could therefore not

represent a true believer. His subsequent request for renewal was rejected, though sought

with tears, because he sought the blessing of the inheritance out of regret over the loss of

his position, not out of genuine repentance.29 This is an example of an unbeliever who is

being punished for unbelief, and is consistent with other scripture on the matter.

A final passage that warns against aberrant behavior due to the doctrine of the

security of the believer is found in the viticulture metaphor of John 15.

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.” – John 15:1-6, NASB

This passage is often interpreted with the fruitless branches seen as believers who have

left the faith and are therefore removed and burned (in hell). It is worth noting that the

29. Robert A. Peterson, “The Perseverance of the Saints,” Covenant Seminary Review 17, no. 2 (1991), 101.

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author of this passage, John, seems to only recognize only two types of individuals:

believers and unbelievers.30 In John 8, he classifies people as either children of Satan or

children of God. In John 3:36, people either believe that Jesus is the Son of God or they

see death. They either keep the commandments of God or they do not in John 14:23-24.

People hate the Light or they love it in John 3:19-21, and they either do not possess

everlasting life or they do in John 5:24.31 Given this realization and the foundation laid

thus far, the fruitless branches cannot refer to true believers, as they are sealed by the

Holy Spirit and are marked by evidence of perseverance. The overall passage relates the

concept of union with Christ; however, the context of the specific phrase “in me” does

not. If it did, all branches would therefore be true believers, at least for some period of

time. It is used in this passage as it has been before in the Old Testament, as an aggregate

example (Isaiah 5, 7, Jeremiah 2, 6, Ezekiel 15), just as the field is used in the example of

the Parable of the Tares and the Wheat in Matthew 13. Here, “in me,” alludes to those

who have been exposed to the truth of Jesus. In the immediate context, the unfruitful

branch is Judas, who outwardly appeared to be a follower, but who had been a deceiver

and robber from the beginning.32 Unbelievers (unfruitful branches) are removed and find

their eternal judgment in hell, while true believers (fruitful branches) were pruned and

remained connected. In this, both salvation and perseverance are completely dependent

30. Roberts, 108.

31. Ibid.

32. Ibid.

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upon the power of God, and not man.33 Therefore, this passage speaks of true

believers, who by definition show evidence of perseverance, and possess eternal security.

It also refers to unbelievers who reject the message of Jesus Christ and therefore receive

eternity in hell.

Conclusion

Since 1935, more than one billion people have played the game Monopoly,

many using the “Get Out of Jail Free” card to help them escape the dreaded corner square

rather than pay the $50.00 fine, roll a double, or remain in jail for three turns (and still

pay the fine).34 Security of the believer is not a “Get Out of Jail Free” card that may be

used to grant the believer a license to sin as they choose. On the contrary, possessing this

attitude towards salvation is a dire warning to the individual that their relationship with

Jesus is not genuine. Paul encourages the Corinthians to:

“Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.” – 2 Corinthians 13:5, NLT

True believers are clearly identified in scripture as having received the gift of salvation

through genuine repentance and in whom perseverance is markedly evident. True

believers may fall into sin for a period of time, but they are disciplined by God, repent,

and rejoin the way of righteousness because the Holy Spirit lives within them.

Unbelievers are identified by having never received Christ as their Savior, or having

33. Gary W. Derickson, “Viticulture and John 15:1-6,” Bibliotheca Sacra 153 (January-March 1996), 18.

34. “Monopoly Fun Facts and History,” Internet, available from http://www.hasbro.com/monopoly/en_US/discover/about.cfm, accessed 21 April 2014.

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made a profession, turned away after a period of service to their former lives. There

was no Godly discipline that drew them back to repentance and they never rejoined the

way of truth because they never truly received Jesus as their Savior and gave Him control

of their lives. They may live for years convinced that they have eternal security because

they have prayed the right words, but there is no evidence of perseverance residing in

them. These are the unbelievers of whom Matthew speaks.

“21 “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 will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” – Matthew 7:21-23, NASB

The doctrine of ‘once saved, always saved’ itself is scripturally valid; however, it

is the real life application of the principle by man that is unbiblical, as many use it

as a license to sin. It is only appropriate then that the very basis for this doctrine,

the preservation of the saints, is not left to man, but is kept in the secure hands of

God.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

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