Expert: Marvin Howard - 7/16/2004

Question
A friend asked me today about "once saved always saved". Are there any scriptures to back this belief? Are there any scriptures to prove that one can loose their salvation? I need some help with this one.
Thanks

Answer
Hi!

David, there are scriptures which might seem to advocate this position on the surface. However, there are plainer passages which refute it. It all boils down to grammar usage. For example, "may" and "should" do not carry the same meaning as "will" and "shall." Persons with the position of OSAS do not have a grasp of grammar. Everywhere salvation is discussed in scripture, present or future, it is always conditional: each is an "if/then" proposition, even if the "then" isn't contained within the verse itself. Remember, the chapters and verses were supplied by fallible man. You must seek out the context of each passage, for as marked, such is usually not included.

Here is a portion of one of the sermons I have posted to the web. To view the sermon in its entirity, go to:

http://www.geocities.com/preacherman_1962/archive9.html

"...

UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION (= "U" of TULIP)

NOW HEAR YE THE WORD OF THE LORD as recorded in
II Peter 1:10!

'Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:'

'If' is a conditional word. The election, therefore, is conditional (at least) on the Christian doing things listed in previous verses. Is our election conditional (as per the Word of God), or unconditional (per the word of Calvin)? Of course, God's Word is true, and every man a liar. Since Calvin chose to contradict God, Calvin is proven to be a liar, and this point of his doctrine is false.

...

PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS or Eternal Security (= "P" of TULIP)

This point of the doctrine is also referred to as, 'Once saved, always saved.'

NOW HEAR YE THE WORD OF THE LORD as recorded in
I Corinthians 9:27!

'But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.'

After Paul was saved, and a preacher of the gospel, he could still be castaway from God, or be lost. I would like to know what kind of egos this man (Calvin) and his blind followers have to believe they are in a better position than the great apostle, Paul! They may be unaware of this verse of scripture. However, once shown, to maintain the teaching is to demonstrate this inflated ego.

Also, as shown in our debunking of the "T" of the T.U.L.I.P., our election can be made sure. therefore, the opposite must also be true; our election may be unsure.

Each of the scriptures used here is plain. Proponents of this doctrine have been given many more ambiguous scriptures to prove their point. You cannot take a difficult passage of scripture and ascribe to it a meaning which would contradict plainer passages. Doing so teaches a different doctrine, and thus brings the teachers under the condemnation of Galatians 1:8-9."

I hope this helps in your situation. If you need more specifics, or have further questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

In His Service,
Marvin Howard
preacherman_1962@yahoo.com
preacherman_1962@bellsouth.net
http://www.geocities.com/preacherman_1962