Once Saved Always Saved.

I spend very little time trying to sort out theology. I often wonder if this is an area where many believers find that I just don’t ‘do it for them’. Not that I care. Well, I care a little. There are many issues of theology where I don’t even pretend to have found the answer.

The question in the forefront of my mind this afternoon is one of those unsettled matters of doctrine. What do you think about the following phrase;

‘Once you are saved, you are always saved.’

I don’t know about you, but I find that the Bible doesn’t always speak in the same terms that we do. For example, you don’t come across the word, ‘missionary’ very often in the Scriptural text do you? The only place I've seen the word is in the man made headings. We think of church in different terms than the way in which it is spoken of in the Bible. Neither will you read a verse which says, ‘Once you are saved, you can’t lose your salvation’.

As believing humans, there is this tendency to divide ourselves into camps over issues that are not clearly outlined in The Word. We’ll gather proof texts in order to defend our case, intentionally neglecting anything that seems to speak to the contrary of our stand.

I’m currently a part of a body of believers who have the tradition of holding to the doctrine which says that once you are saved, you can’t lose your salvation. Many great believing thinkers take this stand, and I’ve heard some really great teachings from some of them. I just don’t think that The Bible is that clear on the issue.

I am reading through Hebrews at the moment and this afternoon I have revisited Hebrews 6:4-6.

4 For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come—6 and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.


We’re told that when a person has been enlightened and shared in the Holy Spirit, if they turn away from God, that it’s impossible to bring them back to repentance again. Depending on your stand, you might point out that this passage isn’t referring to people who have really been saved in the first place; that these weren’t people who had received the Spirit, but who had merely tasted Him.

You might be right. I have a question for you. How do you know the difference between having a taste of His Spirit, verses having received Him? This passage doesn’t speak in our terms does it? It doesn’t say if these people were ‘saved’ in the first place. How do you measure whether or not a person has turned away from God? Is it the same as giving up on church? Did the believers in the New Testament ever go to church in the way that we go to church?

I had a friend tell me a few months ago that he wasn’t sure whether or not he believed any more. So I asked him the question, “Are you saying that you used to believe, but now you really don’t believe?” He answered by saying, “I’m not sure whether or not I ever really did believe in the first place.” That makes it simple right? Perhaps he never really believed in the first place so he was never saved to begin with. All we need to do is figure out who really is saved so that we can fill out their separation papers beforehand. So if this guy was never saved, does this passage in Hebrews even refer to him? If he was never saved to begin with, then why can’t he be brought to Jesus for the first time? Do you ever wonder if perhaps you are losing your faith?

If you like definitive answers to questions such as these, I’m not the one to give them to you. We do know that some people are described as having their faith shipwrecked, and Paul refers specifically to two such individuals in 1Timothy 1:19-20. How can you sink a ship that doesn’t exist? If they didn’t really believe in the first place, what kind of faith did they have? If they really did believe, then how could it be dashed on the rocks? Why doesn’t Paul tell us whether these two individuals really were or were not saved to begin with? That kind of commentary might be helpful, but how could he make that kind of assertion? Is Paul God? Does he know for sure who is and who is not saved? How many of us have the kind of insight into the lives of those around us? Do you know who is and who is not saved in order to make those kinds of solid declarations?

I do know a few things. I know that we can be assured of our own salvation. I do know that, whatever it means to have my faith, ‘shipwrecked’, I don’t want that happening to me. I also know that my salvation isn’t like my wallet or anything else that can be misplaced. I know that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. I also know that if there is a weak partner in the relationship, it’s us. I know that we can count on God to hold up His end of the relationship, even when we fail. I know that there is a difference between stumbling versus walking away from the faith – even though I can’t always tell where to find the line between them. Our inheritance as His children isn’t like an investment that can go sour, a car that will rust, an opinion that can be changed or a shirt that can get dirty. (1Peter 1:40)

As far as church circles go, I believe that people should be allowed to walk away. It’s not like we should just let people go without caring enough to ask why, but if that’s what they really want, I don’t think that they should be bullied or pressured. I talked to a man a month ago who said that when he grew up to be a teenager, he didn’t want to go to church anymore. His father threatened to beat him within an inch of his life if he refused to go. That’s just completely wrong.

In spite of the fact that I don’t have all of the answers, I take great comfort in the fact that I can completely rely on God to do what He has promised for those who continue to trust in Him. “...we who have fled to Him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.” (Hebrews 6:18-19) Our trust is misplaced if it lies merely in the hands of doctrine, teaching or theology. Our trust rests completely on the finished work of Jesus on the cross at Calvary. I hope that you have found your refuge in Him, and that you remain in His loving care. I hope that you continue to trust Him.