Eternal security
The topic of eternal security or “once saved always saved” (OSAS) is very divisive and often misunderstood, which is why I believe it is a great subject to start the CLCF blog with. I currently hold the understanding that salvation is not something you can lose. I also do not believe it is something a true born-again believer would ever walk away from. I will provide scripture to support these beliefs below. I will also attempt to dispel the common criticism of this viewpoint that it creates a license to sin. The other argument hedged against eternal security is that we would no longer have free will to reject Christ after we are saved, so I will do my best to address this position as well.
Much of my opinion on salvation will come from the Gospel of John. While trying to reconcile the topic of justification by faith in Christ and not by works, I was studying James 2:24, which says a man is justified by works and not faith only. I compared this to Paul’s writings in Ephesians 2:8&9, where Paul states we are saved by grace, as a gift from God and not of our works. I would also encourage you to read Romans 3:28 (man is justified by faith apart from works of the law) and Romans 4:5 (the one who does not work is accounted as righteous by his faith). Ultimately, it seemed best to see what Christ Himself said. I will list below several verses from the Gospel of John that gave me comfort and assurance.
John 3:16-18
New King James Version
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:36
New King James Version
36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
The two verses above show that faith in Christ gives the believer everlasting life. It is everlasting, unending, and outside of time. The believer received a gift that does not die or pass away.
John 4:13-14
New King James Version
13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
When we are born again, we receive the Holy Spirit, and God lives inside us. We have everlasting life. We never thirst again.
John 5:24
New King James Version
Life and Judgment Are Through the Son
24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
The judgment has already taken place; we will not walk away or lose this salvation because it has already happened.
John 6:35-40
New King James Version
35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
The above verse is one that refutes the notion that those given to Christ from the Father will “walk away,” but those who belong to Christ will come to Him, and they will be raised up on the last day.
John 6:47
New King James Version
47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.
John 10:1-5
New King James Version
Jesus the True Shepherd
10 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
This verse also refutes the “walk away” argument. Christ’s sheep do not walk away (yes, we still sin and stumble), but ultimately we follow His voice and not the voice of another. As Christ said, we will follow Him. Which means we will not walk away.
John 10:27-30
New King James Version
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”
Again, in John 10, Christ reaffirms that those who are His know His voice and follow Him. To say we can walk away from our salvation is to say we are not his sheep. Even more notable is the phrase, “they shall never perish.”
John 14:15-17
New King James Version
Jesus Promises Another Helper
15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
Those who love God will keep His commandments. We also receive the Holy Spirit, who will abide with us forever.
John 17:1-3
New King James Version
Jesus Prays for Himself
17 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
John 17:12
New King James Version
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
Jesus kept the 12 (except Judas, who was appointed to betray him). This is commonly used to say Judas was called but not justified. This argument holds that the calling of God and the response in faith, which they suppose Judas had because of his performing miracles, are insufficient for salvation. However, the Lord Himself clarifies in this passage that Judas was pre-appointed for destruction so Scripture might be fulfilled. The Lord Himself also tells us that not all who profess His name and perform miracles belong to Him (Matthew 7:22-23).
License to sin? Loss of free will? For my personal conviction, I have resolved these by understanding that it’s by God’s grace we are set free from sins power (Romans 6:18) and the punishment from sin (2 Cor 5:19). It is by His Spirit that we are able to obey and continue to believe in Him( 1 Cor 15:57). We who are truly saved desire to be pure and desire to follow Christ. He is working in us now (Phil 2:13 & Gal 2:20), and He will be faithful to finish what He started in us (Phil 1:6). Essentially, we still have free will, but now God’s grace and the Holy Spirit enable us to be free from slavery to sin and enable us to follow Christ and not to walk away.
In our own strength apart from God, we can not endure life’s trials or remain faithful to God. It is Christ in the believer (Col 1:27) who will manifest Himself in their time of need. The Holy Spirit enables us by His power to overcome and remain faithful. We place no faith in our own ability to endure, but our faith is in Christ’s ability to carry us through. It is inconceivable to consider a scenario in which a Christian, fully aware of the pending eternal torment of Hell and immeasurable riches of Heaven, would willfully deny Christ when they know He is their only hope and deeply love Him. Those who are truly born again would never deny the Lord, because He is living in them and is working on their behalf and is faithful when we are unfaithful (2 Tim 2:13).
I do not intend any of this to diminish the seriousness of denying Christian living, backsliding, or claiming they follow Christ yet continuing to live in sin. You must be born again, and we must reject sin. 1 John is an excellent book of the Bible that addresses this topic well. Ultimately, each person must know for themself if they are secure in Christ. Each of us needs to be able to see the face of Christ in prayer. See His overwhelming and certain love for us. When I pray and, like a child, ask the Lord if I am secure (considering whether I would one day walk away), not only do all the verses I listed and more begin to fill my mind, but an overwhelming sense of peace and love fills me as well. I know He will not fail me, even though I know I will fail Him, and I know I am saved.
I hope and pray this blessed you. I also hope that you would earnestly take this matter to the scripture and prayer and see what the Lord reveals to you. God’s eternal Word is the ultimate authority.
Father,
Give us peace in the finished work of Christ. Help us, Lord, to live holy lives. Help us to be set apart. Lord Jesus, we want to know you, and we want to be known by You. Holy Spirit, help us. Help us to love Christ and please Him. Father, help us to understand Your Word. Give us a hunger for your Word. Set our hearts on fire, Lord. We love you, Father, and we glorify the name of Your Son, and it is in the name of Jesus we pray, amen.
