The False Doctrine of Once Saved, Always Saved
Once Saved Always Saved?
Many of you are no doubt familiar with the doctrine of 'once saved always saved’. This false doctrine contradicts the teachings of Scripture and therefore, the Catholic Church. Some of you, like myself, have entered into a discussion with a Protestant brother or sister regarding this doctrine, and if you are like me, you are left feeling frustrated at the illogical thinking associated with this doctrine. When discussing the notion that a one time profession of faith secures one’s ticket into Heaven, the Catholic is often compelled to ask some obvious questions such as; “What about the person who professes his love for Christ and then goes out and commits murder? Can a person go to Heaven if he murders someone and isn’t sorry for this sin?” Often, the response from the Protestant is that if a person commits murder after proclaiming his love and devotion to Christ, he probably was not serious, and therefore, it was not a valid profession of faith. This leaves the Catholic with the idea that Protestants believe that if one makes a heartfelt profession of faith in Christ, one is somehow protected through the grace of God, from ever committing serious evil like murder. Is this thinking of 'once saved always saved', scriptural?
Once Saved Always Saved?
I remember a conversation I had with a Protestant friend several months ago regarding the doctrine of ‘Once Saved, Always Saved’. When I remarked that Protestants believe that professing faith in Christ protects them from sinning, I was told in no uncertain terms that there is no known doctrine, Protestant or otherwise, that teaches such a thing. So, I challenged my friend. I said, “Why is it that when a Catholic asks if a saved person still goes to Heaven after committing murder, the response is that the person probably never made a heartfelt and true profession of faith?” Doesn’t this response lead one to believe that indeed, if the person had made a heartfelt profession of faith he would be protected from committing murder?” What could my friend say after this? The fact is, according to this doctrine, one does not need to really love God in order to go to Heaven, for even the Protestant knows that one cannot commit such evil against his neighbor and love God at the same time.
Sometime later, I heard back from another mutual friend familiar with this very conversation. Apparently, these two Protestants were feeling the heat and a little bit of pressure to come up with some satisfactory answers for those who do not subscribe to the doctrine of ‘Once Saved, Always Saved’. This particular friend said that it is indeed difficult to understand how someone who commits cold blooded murder could be deserving of Heaven, but that we must not go by our own understanding of what is fair and unfair, but by what the Lord teaches us in Scripture. Of course, I couldn’t agree more.
What does Scripture teach us about the free and undeserved gift of salvation? While it may be absolutely true that according to Scripture no work can merit such a gift from God, does scripture tell us that such a gift is guaranteed, never to be lost? If I wrote down every verse warning about the dangers of falling from Grace, I would have at least a book’s worth, and so I will quote only a few passages from the Book of Romans that I think state clearly that human beings have an obligation to cooperate with the Grace of God if they are to be deemed worthy of Heaven.
What then shall we say? Shall we persist in sin that grace may abound? Of course not! How can we who died to sin yet live in it? Or are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.
For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin. Romans 6:1-6
Several verses later we read:
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Of course not! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? Romans 1:15-16
Paul does not tell us that we will no longer sin now that we have Grace, but tells us that we are slaves to the one we obey. We still have the choice. Protestants love to point out that we are no longer slaves to sin thanks be to the Grace of Christ, and though this is true, it does not logically follow that we can’t be slaves to sin if we so choose, and indeed, Paul tells us that we can. Furthermore, Paul does not say that a one time profession of faith leads us straight to Heaven. He tells us quite clearly and plainly that sin leads to death.
These same friends tried to tell me that Catholics don’t need all of these useless rules helping them earn a spot in Heaven. Only one rule is necessary according to them and that is “Loving God as God loves us”. I couldn’t agree more. If we would but love God the way we are suppose to and the Bible tells us to; with our whole hearts, our whole strength, and our whole minds, there would be no sin, but that is just the key. How is it possible for human beings to always love God like this and without fail? Without our cooperation with God’s grace, we are helpless to love him the way he asks to be loved. Maybe some of those useless God given rules instituted by His Church which help us to do the impossible by showing us how to cooperate with His Grace aren’t so useless after all.
So, in other words…
God doesn’t really take the heart of stone out of his people and give them a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:25-27)?
He doesn’t work in them to will and to do of his good pleasure )Philippians 2:12-13)?
His sheep can be plucked out of his hands (John 10:28-30)?
The Father’s will can be thwarted as to lose one of those for whom He died (John 6:37-45)?
We can be separated from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:35-39?)
The grace of God doesn’t teach us to deny worldly lusts, thereby those who haven’t have never experienced said grace (Titus 2:11-14)?
I put it to you that for every verse wrenched from its context to construe the idea that you can fall finally from salvation, I can provide an answer which draws from Scripture itself to refute your mistaken notions…
Douglas,
I believe that you’ve illustrated your own point of taking scripture out of context in the verses you chose to quote.
For example, Romans 8:35-39: nowhere in this verse or the rest of the verses you mentioned is your false position of Once Saved Always Saved, supported. It is absolutely true that no evil force can separate us from Christ’s Love. Amen! Christ will remain always faithful to us. But Christ would not force us to love him either because genuine love is impossible that way. God gave you the free will to love him and Christ didn’t take that free will away from you when you chose to be saved. It is precisely because Christ loves you that he gave you the free will to reject your grace at any time in your life. It seems to me that you really didn’t read this article very closely. It is true that nothing can separate us from Christ and no informed Catholic believes otherwise.
The bible makes it abundantly clear that you can fall from Grace by making the choice of your own free will to stop loving Christ.
Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall
1 Cor 10:12
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ
2 Cor 5:10
But if any man have not care of his own, and especially of those of his house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel
1 Timothy 5:8
Paul warns that we mustn’t lose heart.
For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Galatians 6:8-10
Douglas,
In your last sentence you mentioned that you could refute any scripture used to portray the idea that you can fall from salvation. You can start with the scripture used in the article. I believe it would really help if you actually tried to read and understand it with an open mind and heart.
In Christ,
Rob
Douglas, I say AMEN to all of the verses you have quoted above. I believe! Christ’s death and resurrection save all who are baptized and die with Christ and rise with him to new life. It is but through the grace of God, and no works of our own that we are saved. I have some very important questions for you, however. Do you have to love God in order to go to Heaven? Will your initial salvation through your acceptance of Christ crucified save you from choosing sin above God? In Romans 8:28 Paul states, “We know that all things work for good for those who love God.” Loving God is essential. God’s love is steadfast, but we can still choose to be slaves to the one we obey, whether it be righteousness or sin that leads to death. (Romans 1:15-16.)
By the grace of GOD only? Sola Gracias?
Yes. It is only by the Grace of God through Jesus Christ that we can be saved.
But, what does it mean to accept God’s grace? If by Sola Gracias you mean that God’s Grace alone is sufficient then what is it that differentiates those who are saved from those who are not?
Rob
Yes. By Grace only. Catholics believe in ‘Grace alone’, which is different than ‘faith alone’. For’ it is but only by the Grace of God that we can live a holy life which includes a living faith and not a dead faith void of works.
“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well, but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” James 3:14-17
Without God’s grace, there would be no sacrifice in the first place. Without the sacrifice of Christ, there would be no object to place our faith in. Without faith, there is no justification in grace (Romans 3:24), faith (Romans 5:1) or the blood of Christ (Romans 5:9). We are justified by His grace and His blood (Christ’s part) through faith (our part). It is by grace that we are saved through faith (Eph. 2:8). We have access by faith into this grace (Rom. 5:2). A living faith produces good works BECAUSE it’s a living faith, not to become a living faith. The source of the life in the faith is not the works; rather, the life in the faith is the source of the works. In James 2:14, we read of one who “says he has faith” but has no works. This is not genuine faith, but a “bare profession of faith.” So when James asks, “Can that faith save him?” he is saying nothing against genuine faith, but only against an “empty profession of faith.” James gives us the test for genuine faith: like the faith of Abraham, it results in works. The faith that James is condemning is not the faith that Paul is commending. Good works are the fruit, by product and demonstrative evidence of genuine saving faith, not the means of our salvation. James DOES NOT teach that we are saved BY works. His concern is to SHOW the reality of the faith professed by the individual (James 2:18) and demonstrate that the faith CLAIMED (James 2:14) by the individual is genuine. Show me your (alledged) faith without your works and
I will SHOW you my (genuine) faith by my works (James 2:18). SHOW, not establish. We are saved by that kind of faith accompanied (confirmed, authenticated) by works. We are justified by faith but only by a true faith, a faith proved to be true if it is followed by good works. We are not doing good works to become saved, we are doing good works because we were already saved by an authentic faith in Jesus Christ which “trusts in Him alone for salvation.” Man is saved through faith and not by works (Romans 4:1-3; Ephesians 2:8-9); yet faith, if it is genuine, will be substantiated and confirmed by good works (James 2:14-26). Having faith in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation means that you are believing (trusting) only in Jesus to save you. It means you are not placing your faith in anyone or anything else, not even in your own works, for your salvation. This does not mean that saving faith does not result in good works. Salvation through faith “apart from works” means “apart from the merit of works” and not “apart from the presence of works.” Faith is the root and good works are the fruit of our salvation.
Dan,
I just now realized that you posted something in February as a reply to my essay on Once Saved, Always Saved. I don’t know how I missed your reply, but I read it, and I would like to respond.
I think that Catholics and Protestants can agree that a living faith is not possible without works. Please understand that the Catholic Church has never taught that works can merit salvation. It is important, however, to note that James does not say that faith without works is not really faith. It is still faith, but it is a dead faith and therefore, faith can indeed exist without works. This is why the Catholic Church teaches that both faith and works are important, for faith alone does indeed imply faith without works; a dead faith. Let me quote some more from James to show you what I mean.
“For as the Body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead.” James 2:26
A dead body is still a body, right? James compares the Body to faith and the spirit to works. The Body without a spirit is still a body. The same can be said of faith. Faith without works is still faith. But, the Body without a spirit is dead, just as faith without works is dead. The Body needs the spirit in order to be a living body, but it is still a body. Faith needs works in order to be a living faith, but it is still faith. James seems to imply with this analogy, that you can indeed have faith, but no works, but that is not the kind of faith that will put you on the path toward salvation. So, therefore, salvation by ‘faith alone’ is a false doctrine, because it implies a ‘dead’ faith, the kind of faith that James preaches against.
It is also important to note that works can never merit our initial justification. That is a free gift. However, show me where Scripture says that once we are saved and receive that initial gift, we are forever bound to a living faith that brings us to Heaven. At any time we can choose to reject our gift of Grace and choose hell. This does not mean that we can kick the Holy Spirit out. God doesn’t take the gift away. But, he doesn’t force us to cooperate with this gift of Grace either and we can indeed choose hell. This is the point of my essay.
We don’t do good works to be saved, we do good work because we are saved. Because if we serve God we can not serve anyone else. refer to (Matthew 6:24) To have faith we serve.
A genuine profession of faith in Christ only comes through the Holy Spirit. The problem is, too many people are examining others and in turn trying to justify their own sins. There are many people who SAY and don’t DO. Jesus was all over that topic! Rebuking the hypocrits, teaching about the fruit and the vine,Matthew 7 “there will be many who say “Lord, Lord, didn’t we do this or that in YOUR name? He says depart from me you worker of lawlessness.
Sheep really hear the voice of their Shepard and listen to Him! There is nothing that will snatch His sheep out of His hand. There are many sheep in disguise however. That is why it is so important to stay in His Word and seek Him. Jesus said if you love Me you will obey Me. We are judged by our love to Him, by Him alone who knows who we belong to.
Reading 1John can help us know if we have this faith and eternal life in Him. We should continually work out our salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that everything He calls us to do is the best way. If we are His chosen He predestined before hand, He will bring us one way or another and it may be through severe chastisements. For every son God loves He chastises and disciplines. Don’t you want to go His way? It’s not always the easy way but He does give us His Spirit to fill us with His peace while we are going through those trials.
In conclusion, don’t ask yourself if you want to go to heaven but ask yourself whether or not you want to be with Jesus for all eternity.
1John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
6If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;
7but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Yet and still there is no scripture that claims once saved always saved, the question is were you ever saved? If you continue to commit the same sins that you say Jesus saved you from then what were you saved from. Where is the new creature. Shall you continue in sin that grace may abound, God forbid. There will be a great falling away of whom I know not but if I had to imagine it would be those who think they are saved and continue to sin. If one continues in sin, why did Jesus die? Why would there have been a need for Jesus to die such a gruesome death if it is okay for one to continue to sin after they say that they are saved just because of God’s grace? Shall one continue to take God’s grace for granted? When will grace run out for those who continue to sin. Do not be like the pharisee and clean the outside of the cup while your insides are still filthy. Do not be one of lip service only and have no real committment in the heart towards Jesus. The enemy has filled many with deception and because of that there are many who say that they are saved yet they are still lost in sin. Whenever Jesus came in contact with anyone in the Bible there was a change in there life. If one said they are saved and had and encounter with Jesus, why has there not been a change in that life but they continue to sin? Lip Service or what? It is false doctrine to teach once saved always saved, that is not scriptural no matter how many scriptures you pull out neither of them say once saved always saved. He whom the Lord holds in his hand no man can pluck out, the question is are you in his hand if you are sinning? In the day that a righteous man sin all his righteousness will be forgotten and he will die in his sin. New creature or not, sinner, dressed up on the outside with no place to go, or just playing church? Remember that judgment will begin at the house of God, there are tares amongst the saints. Don’t be the one to whom Jesus turns to and say depart from me ye worker of iniquity I know you not. Once saved always saved is doctrine of man and devils not doctrine of Christ Jesus.
The question is NOT were you ever saved, but once you are saved do you remain in God’s good graces because you were once saved?
St. Paul tells us that we are slaves to the one we obey, whether that be sin or righteousness. A man can receive grace through faith and then fall away at a later point in time depending upon who he decides to obey. Our free will to choose as we please is not taken away and our salvation secured just because we were once saved. We must always choose to cooperate with the free gift of grace if we plan on dying in God’s grace and receiving Heaven. Venial sin does not wipe away our friendship with God, but mortal sin does, and just because we have once opened our hearts to Christ doesn’t mean we can’t completely close our hearts at another point in time to the grace we have received and cut ourselves off completely from Jesus. Scripture does indeed warn us of falling away. But, that is the good news, not the bad news as some would have us believe. For we are given the gift of being true partakers in God’s divine life. We are not mere puppets, but have the will to choose to love God, and there is no limit to how much our faith and love can grow. We can do nothing apart from the grace of God, but we can pray for more faith, we can offer good works for the sake of Christ’s kingdom, and these things can help our life in Christ to flourish. That is the good news.