Once Saved. Always Saved?

 A person is saved when they have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Messiah, call out by His Name to save them, forgive everyone (including themselves), confess all sins, repent, and receive the Holy Spirit. They don’t repeat their sin because they have been CHANGED into a NEW PERSON by the power of the Holy Spirit. They have WITNESSED the Glory of God, and tell of their testimony. God enables them to do the works of HIS WILL.

Is it a done deal? Yes and No.

Yes: If they obey the Holy Spirit’s instructions and do not go back to their sinful lifestyle. There is NO OUTSIDE POWER that could ever undo what God has done. As long as a saved person remains faithful and obedient, God never changes His mind.

John 10:27–30 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” 

No: If they deliberately disobey God after seeing Him, and knowing Him in Spirit. They lose their salvation by their own free will. God does not change His mind, but people do. There's no going back from this. The story of Lot's wife is an illustration of it. She was rescued from destruction and was warned not to look back. Her looking back was equivalent to this situation.

Luke 9:61-62 “Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.” But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” 

2 Corinthians 6:1-2 

“As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” 

Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.” 

John 15:4-17 

“REMAIN IN ME, AND I WILL REMAIN IN YOU. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. 

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other.” 

Hebrews 6:4–6 

"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, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come—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." 

For example; Samuel anointed Saul as king of Israel. God gave him a new heart and filled him with the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, Saul did not stay obedient to God and was later rejected. David took his place. 

1 Samuel 10:6-9 

"At that time the Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them. You will be CHANGED into a different person. After these signs take place, do what must be done, for God is with you. Then go down to Gilgal ahead of me. I will join you there to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. You must wait for seven days until I arrive and give you further instructions. As Saul turned and started to leave, God gave him a NEW HEART, and all Samuel’s signs were fulfilled that day." 

1 Samuel 13:8-14 

“Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself. 

Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him, but Samuel said, “What is this you have done?” 

Saul replied, “I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help!’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.” 

“How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.” 

1 Samuel 15:20-24 

“But I did obey the Lord,” Saul insisted. “I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else. Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” 

But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.” 

Then Saul admitted to Samuel, “Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the Lord’s command, for I WAS AFRAID OF THE PEOPLE AND DID WHAT THEY DEMANDED."

1 Samuel 16:14 "Now the Spirit of the Lord had LEFT Saul, and the Lord sent a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear." 

Proverbs 29:25 “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.”

Matthew 24:7-14 

“Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come. Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But THE ONE WHO ENDURES TO THE END WILL BE SAVED. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then THE END WILL COME.” 

Revelation 2:26 

“To all who are victorious, WHO OBEY ME TO THE VERY END,

To them I will give authority over all the nations.” 

Proverbs 14:14 “Backsliders get what they deserve; good people receive their reward.”

All Glory and Honor to Our God and Savior Jesus Christ! 🙌🏻 💗