Where do you stand when it comes to the “once saved, always saved” debate? If you’re unfamiliar with this long-standing argument, it stems from the question as to whether once someone becomes a believer, if it is possible for them to ever “lose” their salvation? Is it possible for them to turn from God; to reject him to the point of going to hell, not heaven, when they die? Very intelligent, godly, discerning believers fall on both sides of this argument. Every believer would agree that we can't earn our salvation. The Bible says that we are saved by grace through faith alone. It is a gift - the ultimate gift. But can the gift be returned? Can we turn so far from his righteous ways that we forfeit the gift? I don’t know for sure. There are strong biblical arguments on both sides. But I believe that we can reject him to the point of sending ourselves to hell. There are many verses that I could argue support this notion, and some that may seem to contradict it. But this is what God says in Ezekiel, chapter 18, verse 24:
“But if a righteous man turns from righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die.”
My commentary explains that this is a “warning against those who knowingly and willfully turn from righteousness.” As with everything, I believe that it begins and ends with our heart. What happens when a believer in Christ decides to reject Christianity and becomes a Muslim or a Buddhist then later dies? What happens when a believer chooses to reject his faith, abandon his wife and children, and embrace a life of orgies, drugs and all manner of wickedness, then dies? These are real life examples. And I know of several others; ones where even “once saved, always saved” believing pastors struggle to find answers to those they’ve known who have died under similar circumstances. When it comes to this question, I’ve always thought it wise to err on the side of caution. I think it is better to believe that it is possible to lose our salvation and be wrong than to believe that we can’t and be wrong. As far as my life is concerned, I don’t ever want to test this question. I choose to follow Christ with all of my heart, mind, soul and strength until I die, or until he returns, and I hope you do too.
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I debated, for a while, whether I should explore this argument here. Some may argue that the “once saved, always saved” argument is fruitless; that it doesn’t matter and that we will all know the truth when we get to heaven. But if this question will determine whether some of us will get to heaven or not, it does matter. I heard one pastor say that once we are saved we are going to heaven whether we want to or not. Many ardent believers in the “once saved, always saved” argument don’t even want to consider the other side. Many may become angry, discussions can become heated, and relationships can become frayed. My desire is not to sow fear or doubt. My desire is to encourage us all to seek the Holy Spirit in discerning his word; to allow him to teach us what is true so that we can clearly, and with all confidence, share that truth with others. So I encourage you to read the Bible. Allow what you’ve been taught to be tested through the scripture. If you’re at peace with what you know the Spirit has shown you, great. But if you aren’t, and the question of “once saved, always saved” continues to elude you, press God for an answer. The answer to this question may not affect you, but it could affect someone you know who has completely turned their back on God. It may plant an added level of urgency in your prayers for their soul.