Once Saved Always Saved?

When a person accepts Christ with all his or her heart, the Bible teaches that the person is saved into Christ's eternal kingdom. This exercising of one's freedom of choice to willingly follow Christ's ways is paramount to God's methods and understanding His character and government. It is central to the concept of love. Can true love be given without having the freedom to choose whether or not you continue to give it? Would God save you against your will? There are some deep issues to consider regarding this subject. Read the following Bible verses and contemplate the importance of free choice as it relates to your ongoing relationship with God.

1 Timothy 4:1 "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils."

1 Timothy 5:12. "Having damnation because they have cast off their first faith."

Ezekiel 18:23-24 (NIV) "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die."

Ezekiel 33:13, "When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it."

(1 Corinthians 15:2 NIV) "By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain."

Luke 8:12, 13 "Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away."

Hebrews 10:38, "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him."

Hebrews 6:4-6 "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."

Revelation 2:4, 5 "Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy FIRST LOVE. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."

2 Peter 2:20-22: "If after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it 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 unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."

2 Peter 3:17 "Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position." [NIV]

(Colossians 1:21-23 NIV) [21] Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. [22] But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--[23] if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

(James 5:19-20 NIV) [19] "My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, [20] remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins."

(John 15:6 NIV) "If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned."

Revelation 22:11 - "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still." This seems to indicate that a change could formerly be made by both the filthy and the holy.

(Matthew 24:12-13 NIV) [12] "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, [13] but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." This seems to indicate that those who don't stand firm will not be saved, even though they once had love.

Rev. 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

Revelation 3:3 - Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Revelation 3:5, "He that overcometh . . . I will not blot out his name out of the book of life." The implication is that those who are not overcomers - who do not endure to the end - will have their names blotted out.

2 Peter 1:10 - Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:"

Exodus 12:21-22 "Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, "Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. [22] Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. Not one of you shall go out the door of his house until morning." [NIV] - What would have happened if someone had gone outside during the night? Would they have been spared because they placed the blood on the doorframe? The blood protected them from God's wrath only while they were under it's protection.

"IF thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." Romans 11:22

Matthew 5:13 - Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

1 Corinthians 9:27 ". . . lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."

God places such a high value on each soul. A person is a special treasure. As a believer learns more of God's ways, understands the goodness and rightness of them, and implements them into his or her life, an immovable faith in God is developed. On the other hand, as the person learns more, it may be that he or she isn't willing to embrace those ways. The person might not be willing to let God work in his or her life. God won't force His way into the mind. He also won't force you to stay on His side in the future. We can all be extremely thankful for that kind of God.