Once Saved, Always Saved? (OSAS)

 

Once Saved, Always Saved (OSAS) ? The Scripture says, “No.” by Rick Thompson

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The essence of disagreement and confusion about OSAS is not with beginning faith, nor with the sovereignty of God. The essence of the debate is ultimately this: Is faith required at death? Can a person, who has had beginning faith, lose their faith? The assumption has virtually been a solid, “No!” We will examine what the multiplicity of Scripture says in this document, not the solitary verses popularized by many well-known pastors and theologians.

Why is OSAS being addressed on Free in Christ? The overwhelming majority of the church is enslaved to sexual sin (statistics in The Cross Divider show ranges from 60% for women, 70% for men [90% at a Christian men’s retreat], and 76% for pastors). Many are questioning their Christian life experience, and even their salvation. OSAS is used by leadership to reassure believers that despite being ravaged by sin, they are saved. There is good reason for believers to question their salvations as Scripture will show below.

At this website, http://www.sbc.net/aboutus/basicbeliefs.asp , the Southern Baptist Convention says the following, which is OSAS:

God’s Purpose of Grace

Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. …All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end.

There are 2 major problems with this position:

1) “All true believers endure to the end.” Based on this sentence, how can you know if you are a true believer? The answer: You will be in heaven after death. If you are not in heaven, then you were not a true believer. That is too late to help you. OSAS should terrorize you, for no assurance of salvation is offered beyond an initial church stamp of approval to your declaration of faith. It assumes the Scripture gives no benchmarks for you to examine yourself prior to death (2 Cor 13:5). In fact, the doctrine asserts, by its absence of Scripture, that benchmarks are unnecessary. And, that is what implementing the OSAS doctrine hopes to do: assure you that you are saved, but without validating you. Do the pastors and church staff help you examine yourselves after initial salvation? I have not seen any that do, who adhere to this doctrine. After your salvation, the mission of the churches appears to be filling the pews, meeting or exceeding budgets, buildings, and plugging you into church programs. “Get busy. You don’t need to worry about your salvation.”

2) The secondary problem is with the last sentence on the website. Let’s restate it: “If God accepts you and sets you apart, you will persevere to the end and never fall away.” This seems to indicate that your salvation only depends on God. In other words, if you had saving faith at the beginning and got God’s approval, it does not matter whether you have saving faith at the end. No Scripture or discussion accompanies this doctrine on the above website. In fact, OSAS heavily depends on a severely restricted diet of Scripture that cannot sustain the doctrine’s appetite.

So, the question is:

IS ‘ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED’ SCRIPTURAL?

That depends on what you mean.

If your salvation is like the proverbial fire insurance policy that is buried in a file cabinet, only to be taken out and claimed because of your initial agreement and paid dues, then “NO, YOU ARE NOT SAVED!” What are the Scriptural precedents for such a conclusion?

• the man who buried his talent in the field, Matt 25:18[i]
• salt thrown out to be trodden under foot by men, Matt 5:13[ii]
• the light hidden under a bushel, Matt 5:15[iii]
• lamps empty of oil, Matt 25:1-13[iv]
• self-importantly assumed salvation, but without God, Luke 14:16-24[v]

OSAS is false, because the Scripture says it is possible to:

• be a castaway , 1 Cor 9:27[vi]
• be overthrown, be idolaters, desire evil things, be fornicators, tempt Christ, murmur, be destroyed, fall, 1 Cor 10:5-12[vii]
• fellowship with devils, 1 Cor 10:20-21[viii]
• believe in vain and not be saved, 1 Cor 15:2[ix]
• be severed from Christ, if you leave Him and return to the Law, Gal 5:1-4[x]
• be hindered from running well and obeying the truth, Gal 5:7-10[xi]
• be spoiled through philosophy and vain deceit, Col 2:8[xii]
• be beguiled of your reward, Col 2:18[xiii]
• run and labor in vain, Phil 2:16[xiv]
• be tempted, so Paul’s labor was in vain, 1 Th 3:5[xv]
• turn aside to vain jangling, 1 Tim 1:6[xvi]
• in the latter times some shall depart the faith, 1 Tim 4:1-3[xvii]
• depart from the living God, through an evil, unbelieving heart, Heb 3:12[xviii]
• fall away, Heb 6:6[xix]
• sin willfully, having no more recourse, Heb 10:26[xx]
• draw back from faith to destruction, Heb 10:38-39[xxi]
• discontinue and leave the faith, 1 John 2:19[xxii]
• turn away so that the latter end is worse than beginning, better to never have known the way of righteousness, 2 Peter 2:20-22[xxiii]
• transgress and not remain in the doctrine and not have God, 2 John 1:9[xxiv]
• be hurt by the second death, Rev 2:11[xxv]
• have your name blotted out of the book of life, Rev 3:5[xxvi]
• have your crown taken, Rev 3:11[xxvii]
• be spit out of His mouth, Rev 3:16[xxviii]
• not inherit all things, Rev 21:7[xxix]

 

If, however, your faith is like a missile that, once “locked” on target (Jesus), will pursue Him to your end, then you are saved. This is because you will:

• endure to the end (to be saved), Matt 10:22[xxx]
• deny yourself, take up your cross, follow Him, Mat 16:24[xxxi]
• bear fruit, Luke 13:9[xxxii]
• have faith to the end, Luke 18:8[xxxiii] ; Rom 11:20-22[xxxiv]; Heb 11:13[xxxv]; 1 Pet 1:9[xxxvi]
• continue in His word, John 8:31[xxxvii]
• remain in Him, John 15:6[xxxviii]
• suffer with Him, Rom 8:17[xxxix]
• wait patiently, Rom 8:25[xl]
• flee immorality, 1 Cor 10:14[xli]
• hold fast the message, 1 Cor 15:2[xlii]
• stand fast and not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage, Gal 5:1[xliii]
• have faith working by love, Gal 5:6[xliv]
• not give up, Gal 6:9[xlv]
• continue in the faith grounded and settled and not moved away from the hope of the gospel, Col 1:23[xlvi]
• seek those things which are above, Col 3:1[xlvii]
• stand fast, hold the traditions, 2 Th 2:15[xlviii]
• pay close attention to yourself, and to the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this you shall both save yourself and your hearers.  1 Tim 4:16[xlix]
• endure, 2 Tim 2:12[l]
• have fought the good fight, finished your course, kept the faith; 2 Tim 4:7[li]
• hold fast the confidence and rejoice in hope firm to the end, Heb 3:6[lii]
• hold the beginning of your confidence steadfast to the end, Heb 3:14[liii]
• hold fast your profession, Heb 4:14[liv]
• hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, Heb 10:23[lv]
• be chastised, Heb 12:8[lvi]
• have works, James 2:20[lvii]
• walk like He did, 1 John 2:6[lviii]
• retain what you have heard in the beginning, 1 John 2:24[lix]
• have confidence toward God, 1 John 3:21[lx]
• remain in the doctrine and have both the Father and the Son, 2 John 1:9[lxi]
• hold fast My name, nor deny My faith, Rev 2:13[lxii]
• hold fast what you already have, Rev 2:25[lxiii]
• receive, hear, hold fast, repent, and watch, Rev 3:3[lxiv]
• overcome, 2 Peter 2:20[lxv], Rev 3:5[lxvi]
• keep yourself clean from the world, 1 Cor 6:9-11[lxvii]; Gal 5:19-21[lxviii]; Eph 5:5-6[lxix]

 

OSAS is a weak, unscholarly, man-made doctrine that ignores Scripture and waffles on whether ending faith is required. In fact, if OSAS was true, the above Scriptural warnings would be meaningless, irrelevant, and unnecessary. Is that what the adherents of OSAS are seeking? Whether by intent or accident, that is OSAS’s outcome: a gospel that is not worth the paper upon which it is written.

Don’t be fooled! Don’t let people play with your salvation! Take God seriously as these Scriptures show. Examine yourselves.

Salvation is not all on God’s shoulders. Here are two examples:

(20) They were broken off because of their unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be high-minded, but fear: (21) If God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you. (22) Behold the goodness and severity of God: severity on them who fell through unbelief; but goodness toward you, if you continue in His goodness through faith: otherwise you also shall be cut off. Rom 11:20-22             From verse 22: If you do not continue in faith, you shall be cut off!

(12) Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (13) For it is God Who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Phil 2:12-13

Your life is a partnership with God. God is working in you. And, with Him, you are working out your salvation with fear and trembling! Your work is to outwardly display His inner work. Faith and its subsequent change are required in salvation, not just at the beginning, but also at the glorious end!

The error of OSAS is so serious that the church should be helping you to be certain of your salvation. There are benchmarks that tell you whether you are standing firm in faith! The church leadership only helps you by telling you the complete Scripture, not by masking Scripture for the doctrines and purposes of men.

 

 

Marriage in relation to OSAS

Christ is the Bridegroom, and believers are His bride.

In marriage, we commit to love, respect and honor—maintain faith with our spouses—until death. Beginning and ending faith.

When one files for divorce or refuses to receive and give love, that one breaks faith and is no longer in relation with the other.

Do you think such a one gains eternal life, when the Lord Himself is that Life?

“Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6

“(39) You search the scriptures, thinking that in them you have eternal life. But, the scriptures testify of Me, (40) And you will not come to Me, that you might have life.”  John 5:39-40  [Eternal life is not a thing, it’s Him.]

“Whoever eats My flesh, and drinks My blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him at the last day.”  John 6:54

“(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show to you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested to us;)”  1 John 1:2  [Jesus is the Life!]

“And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.” 1 John 5:11

Eternal life is Christ Himself.

No one who abandons Him and withdraws from faith has eternal life.

Ending faith is required.

You must be receiving and giving love—you must be married to the Bridegroom when you die!

If you are not in a faith relationship with Him till death, you are not married to Him, and you are not saved.

 

Originally released 12/28/2015; Updates: 4/24/2016, 1/1/2017, 12/31/2017, 5/25/2018, 9/5/2018

 

 

[i] “But he who had received one went and dug in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.” Matthew 25:18

[ii] “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost his savor, how can he become salty again? He is from that time onward good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden underfoot by men.” Matthew 5:13

[iii] “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it gives light to all who are in the house.” Matthew 5:15

[iv] “(1) Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened to ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went to meet the bridegroom. (2) And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. (3) They who were foolish took their lamps, but took no oil with them: (4) but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. (5) While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. (6) And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him. (7) Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. (8) And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil; for our lamps have gone out. (9) But the wise answered, saying, Not so; for there is not enough for us and you, but go rather to them who sell, and buy for yourselves. (10) And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they who were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. (11) Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us too. (12) But he answered and said, Truly I say to you, I do not know you. (13) Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein The Son of Man comes.” Matthew 25:1-13

[v] “(16) Then He said to him, A certain man made a great supper, and invited many, (17) and sent his servant at supper time to say to them who were invited, Come; for all things are now ready. (18) And they all with one consent began to make excuses. The first said to him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it: I pray you have me excused. (19) And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray you have me excused. (20) And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. (21) So that servant came, and showed his lord these things. Then the master of the house was angry and said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. (22) And the servant said, Lord, it is done as you have commanded, and yet there is still room. (23) And the lord said to the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. (24) For I say to you, That none of those men who were invited shall taste of my supper.” Luke 14:16-24

[vi] “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.” 1 Corinthians 9:27

[vii] “(5) But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. (6) Now these things were our examples, that we should not desire evil things as they did. (7) Do not be idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. (8) Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day 23,000. (9) Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by  serpents. (10) Neither murmur, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer. (11) Now all these things happened to them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world have come. (12) Therefore let him, who thinks he stands, take heed lest he falls.” 1 Corinthians 10:5-12

[viii] “(20) But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I do not want you to fellowship with devils. (21) You cannot drink the cup of The Lord, and the cup of devils: you cannot be sharers of The Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.” 1 Corinthians 10:20-21

[ix] “By which, you are also saved, if you hold fast the message I preached to you, unless you have believed in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:2

[x] “(1) Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (2) Behold, I Paul say to you, that if you accept circumcision, Christ shall be of no profit to you. (3) For I testify again to every man who is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole Law. (4) You who are justified by The Law have been cut off from the Messiah; you have fallen from grace.” Galatians 5:1-4

[xi] “(7) You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? (8) This persuasion does not come from Him Who calls you. (9) A little leaven leavens the whole lump. (10) I have confidence in you through The Lord, that you will not be otherwise minded, but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.” Galatians 5:7-10

[xii] “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Colossians 2:8

[xiii] “Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,” Colossians 2:18

[xiv] “holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.” Philippians 2:16

[xv] “For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter has tempted you, and our labor is in vain.” 1 Thessalonians 3:5

[xvi] “from which some having swerved have turned aside to vain jangling;” 1 Timothy 1:6

[xvii] “(1) Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; (2) speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their consciences seared with a hot iron; (3) forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God has created to be received with thanksgiving by them who believe and know the truth.” 1 Timothy 4:1-3

[xviii] “Take heed, brothers, lest there is in any of you an evil unbelieving heart, in departing from the living God.” Hebrews 3:12

[xix] “if they shall fall away, to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves The Son of God afresh, and put Him to open shame.” Hebrews 6:6

[xx] “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,” Hebrews 10:26

[xxi] “(38) Now the just shall live by faith, but if any man draws back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him. (39) But we are not those who draw back to destruction; we are those who believe to the saving of the soul.” Hebrews 10:38-39

[xxii] “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us, but they went out, that they could be made manifest that they were not all of us.” 1 John 2:19

[xxiii] “(20) For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through fully discerning and knowing The Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. (21) For it would had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. (22) But it has happened to them according to the true proverb, The dog has returned to his own vomit; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” 2 Peter 2:20-22

[xxiv] “Whoever transgresses, and does not remain in the doctrine of Christ, does not have God. He who remains in the doctrine of Christ has both The Father and the Son.” 2 John 1:9

[xxv] “He who has an ear, let him hear what The Spirit says to the churches; He who overcomes shall not be harmed by the second death.” Revelation 2:11

[xxvi] “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white raiment. I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Revelation 3:5

[xxvii] “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which you have, that no man take your crown.” Revelation 3:11

[xxviii] “So then because you are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of My mouth.” Revelation 3:16

[xxix] “Those who overcome shall inherit all things; and I will be their God, and they shall be My sons and daughters.” Revelation 21:7

[xxx] “And you shall be hated by all men for My Name’s sake, but he who endures to the end shall be saved.” Matthew 10:22

[xxxi] “Then Jesus said to His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Matthew 16:24

[xxxii] “and if it bears fruit, it is good: and if not, then you shall cut it down.” Luke 13:9

[xxxiii] “I tell you who He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when The Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8

[xxxiv] “(20) Well, they were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be high-minded, but fear. (21) If God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you. (22) Behold the goodness and severity of God: severity on them who fell through unbelief, but goodness toward you, if you continue in His goodness through faith. Otherwise you also shall be cut off.” Romans 11:20-22

[xxxv] “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded by them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Hebrews 11:13

[xxxvi] “receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:9

[xxxvii] “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed on Him, If you continue in My word, then you are My disciples indeed;” John 8:31

[xxxviii] “If a man does not remain in Me, he is cast away as a branch, and withers, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are consumed.” John 15:6

[xxxix] “and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.” Romans 8:17

[xl] “But if we hope for that which we do not see, then we wait for it with patience.” Romans 8:25

[xli] “Therefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.” 1 Corinthians 10:14

[xlii] “By which, you are also saved, if you hold fast the message I preached to you, unless you have believed in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:2

[xliii] “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1

[xliv] “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision matter. The only thing that matters is faith working by love.” Galatians 5:6

[xlv] “And let us not be weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not faint.” Galatians 6:9

[xlvi] “if you continue in the faith grounded and settled and have not moved away from the hope of The Gospel, which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; of which I Paul am made a minister;” Colossians 1:23

[xlvii] “If you then are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God.” Colossians 3:1

[xlviii] “Therefore, brothers, stand fast, and hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word, or our letter.” 2 Thessalonians 2:15

[xlix] “Pay close attention to yourself, and to the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this, you shall both save yourself and your hearers.” 1 Timothy 4:16

[l] “if we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, He also will deny us:” 2 Timothy 2:12

[li] “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7

[lii] “but Christ as a Son over His Own house; Whose house we are, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.” Hebrews 3:6

[liii] “For we are made sharers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end;” Hebrews 3:14

[liv] “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, Who has passed into the heavens, Jesus The Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.” Hebrews 4:14

[lv] “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful Who promised;)” Hebrews 10:23

[lvi] “But if you are without chastisement, of which all are sharers, then are you bastards, and not sons.” Hebrews 12:8

[lvii] “But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:20

[lviii] “He who says he remains in Him walks like He did.” 1 John 2:6

[lix] “Let that therefore remain in you, that you have heard from the beginning. If that which you have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, you also shall continue in the Son, and in The Father.” 1 John 2:24

[lx] “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, then we have confidence towards God.” 1 John 3:21

[lxi] “Whoever transgresses, and does not remain in the doctrine of Christ, does not have God. He who remains in the doctrine of Christ has both The Father and the Son.” 2 John 1:9

[lxii] “I know your works, and where you dwell, even where Satan’s seat is: and you hold fast My Name, and have not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwells.” Revelation 2:13

[lxiii] “But that, which you have already, hold fast until I come.” Revelation 2:25

[lxiv] “Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore you shall not watch, I will come on you as a thief, and you shall not know what hour I will come upon you.” Revelation 3:3

[lxv] “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through fully discerning and knowing The Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.” 2 Peter 2:20

[lxvi] “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white raiment. I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Revelation 3:5

[lxvii] “(9) Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, (10) nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (11) And such were some of you, but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in The Name of The Lord Jesus, and by The Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

[lxviii] “(19) Now the works of the flesh are manifest: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, (20) idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedition, heresies, (21) envy, murders, drunkenness, reveling, and such like: of which I am telling you now, as I have told you the past, that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21

[lxix] “(5) For this you know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (6) Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience.” Ephesians 5:5-6