Is “Once Saved, Always Saved” Biblical?
Q: I used to go to a Baptist church years ago that believed in “once truly saved, always saved.” Well, I got out of church for years and now find myself going to my wife’s chosen church, which is Church of God, who believe in falling from grace after salvation and going to hell. I’m very confused, and to compound seriousness, we take our grandkids to church with us. I am afraid of them being taught wrongly about salvation! Please help.
A: Great question. I like that you phrased it, “Truly saved, always saved,” which is a much better way to formulate and think about the question than “once saved, always saved.” This is an interesting theological topic to discuss.
First, let’s talk about whether this is a church you should be attending. If this issue is one of the few weaknesses or errors that you find in this church, do not hesitate to teach your children what your conscience tells you is biblical truth at home. Explain to them that some Christians see this matter in different ways, and that while the leadership or the pastor of your church sees it differently than you do, you want them to know that this is what you believe, and that what your family believes is biblical truth. That’s okay to do. Look, it’s going to be rare that we find a church where we agree 100% on every minor doctrinal issue. People should not require absolute doctrinal agreement in a church they attend. Assuming that this is a good church for you otherwise, don’t leave it over just this issue. But don’t be shy about instructing your children in what you believe, according to your conscience, is the biblical truth.
In choosing a church, keep this in mind. Some issues have been classically debated in orthodox denominations and groups for hundreds of years. Be careful not to draw a line that becomes so bold that you’re disfellowshipping people or questioning their salvation simply because they don’t agree with you on these issues that have long been debated.
You also mention the dangers of believing that people can fall from grace. Well, keep in mind that “fall from grace” is a New Testament phrase. Paul feared that some believers would fall from grace. So, we need to understand that that phrase in its New Testament context. If we don’t think it applies to salvation – which in that context, I think it lightly does – then we need to provide a biblical explanation. It would be analogous to a non-Calvinist saying, “I don’t believe in predestination.” Here’s the problem with that: the New Testament clearly talks about predestination. If you have a non-Calvinistic understanding of predestination, it doesn’t do you any good to just say, “I don’t believe in predestination,” because the Bible clearly teaches it. If you have a different understanding of it, you should be able to articulate that.
How should we respond if a person asks:
Can someone lose their salvation?
A great place to begin is to answer is by first clarifying, “Why are you asking?” Mostly I would want to know whether you are concerned for yourself or for somebody else.
If a person is concerned for themselves, I would want to know, “Do you doubt your salvation?” Now, there are people who doubt their salvation for good reason. The last thing I want to do is come to every person who lacks assurance and try to persuade them, “No, despite all the evidence that might imply that you aren’t born again, you really are.” The fact is, there are people who just assume they’re born again because they go to church, or they threw a pinecone into a fire at Bible camp, or they grew up in a Christian home, or whatever it may be. So, I’d want to know if they’re talking about themselves, and then really dig deeper on that.
If they’re wondering about somebody else’s salvation being lost, I would remind them that we can’t know for sure with somebody else. We can see indications, but if anything, I would avoid thinking that forfeiture of salvation is exclusively tied to someone’s moral performance. I’m not saying it’s irrelevant. But we can’t say that because someone committed adultery, they must not be saved. That is not necessarily true.
There are people who fall from grace, but it doesn’t obviously show in their moral performance. In other words, they stop trusting Jesus as the Person whose work secures their salvation. Maybe they start trusting a ceremony, or an institution, or a priest, or themselves, or whatever it may be, but ultimately, they stop trusting Jesus. That is an alarm bell. Such a person needs to be exhorted and encouraged to “make their calling and election sure” (see 2 Peter 1:10). Everybody should be exhorted, and receive the exhortation, to make sure that they continue in the faith. It’s dangerous mindset to flippantly say, “Don’t worry about it. If you’re really saved, you can’t fall away.”
Here’s how I respond whenever I am asked, “Can someone lose their salvation?” First of all, I don’t like the phrase, “lose my salvation,” because of the inference that I could misplace it, like my keys. The real question being asked is: “Can a saved person become unsaved?” I want to deal with that question pastorally.
The question I would respond with is, “Are you in Christ now?” That’s the real issue. Let’s forget about the past; right now, are you in Christ? If you’re in Christ, you’re secure. If you’re not in Christ, why would you want to think you’re secure? If you are trusting in Christ and abiding in Him today, I’ll give you all the assurance the Scriptures provide. If not, I’m not going to pat you on your back and say, “Hey, don’t sweat it, dude, if you made a profession of faith at some point.”