Response to the classic question...

I was going through some blogs and came across a posting with the title "Once Saved, Always Saved? Is the Jury Still Out on this One?"

I won't cite it here because I believe the author is still growing in her understanding of Scripture on this issue, but I did want to post my reply to that post to see if I was concise enough to get the point across, but lengthy enough to assure that the full Truth was discussed:

To the Author,

Your posting is extremely lengthy, but in you have some different issues that I would like to address. First, the title:

1. “Once Saved, Always Saved?” - Loaded Question
2. “Is the Jury Still Out on this One?” - No.

1. This question is a bit loaded, because each of its parts need to be defined and analyzed:

Once Saved = True, Christ died once and for all to sin, and as His people we are also dead in sin but alive in Him (Romans 6:9-11).

Always Saved = True, true believers who confess and repent of their sin nature and replace it with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of their life will not perish (Hebrews 7:24-26).

In the context you are using “once saved, always saved” here, however, worries me because it seems like you are asking “does someone who is a professing Christian have the license to sin, or the ability to lose their salvation?” The answer to that is no. Evidence of a Christian is seen through works done in the name of Christ before men (James 2:14-26). Christians are not saved through their works (as false religions teach), but do works in thanksgiving and praise to God. Someone who says they are a Christian and does not have a regenerate heart that grieves over sin and strives to please God in both words and deeds is not to be regarded as a brother or sister.

2. The jury is not still out. The Bible is the Word of God, and is sufficient for all that we need to know about Him (2 Tim 3:16-17). The Bible is extremely clear on this issue.

Comments welcome!