“Once saved always saved” is a phrase that causes much debate and misunderstanding. There are two contexts in which it is of most practical relevance: (i) our own salvation; (ii) the state of loved ones who once made a profession of faith but have since drifted away. I think the phrase “once saved always saved” is most unhelpful, misunderstood it can often lead to passivity and superstition. A person can be passive about one's own salvation, thinking it doesn’t matter how we live. If we have a loved one who has fallen away (and I guess most of us have such loved ones) it can lead to us having a superstitious view, thinking “well they made a profession once so they will be OK” (this is different from having a faith in the love of God).
So what approach should we take? Well, let’s look first at ourselves. We can have absolute assurance of salvation, for our salvation is founded not on ourselves but on Jesus Christ. It is founded on who He is, what He has done, the life He lived, the death He died and His resurrection. It is all based on Christ. His righteousness is credited to us (Rom 4:22). However, the Bible is emphatic that this does not mean it does not matter how we live, or what we do with our lives. The Bible, Old and New Testament, are stuffed full of commands and exhortations to live a life worthy of our calling. And there is no contradiction between this and being fully assured of our salvation. We must put all our effort into life in full confidence in His salvation. We can live confidently.
What about loved ones who have fallen away? Well we should pray in line with the word of God. We should pray that our Father will lead them to repentance and faith. Thinking that because they made a profession some time ago they will be OK in the end despite the way their life is going is not the right approach, at least not on its own. I believe in an active faith and an effective gospel, ie a gospel that brings about real change in our own lives and the lives of others. So we should pray for real change in their lives, and we can do so with full assurance of faith (1 John 5:14). So both for ourselves, and for others, we pray actively and pray with faith.
So all passive or superstitious approaches to the “once saved always saved” should be dumped immediately. God’s salvation is something far, far greater than that. We were beautifully created in the image of God. Our sin has horribly distorted that image. God’s salvation in Jesus Christ is about restoring the image in our own lives and of those we love.
As it says in Philippians 2:13,14, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to act and will according to His purpose."
So what approach should we take? Well, let’s look first at ourselves. We can have absolute assurance of salvation, for our salvation is founded not on ourselves but on Jesus Christ. It is founded on who He is, what He has done, the life He lived, the death He died and His resurrection. It is all based on Christ. His righteousness is credited to us (Rom 4:22). However, the Bible is emphatic that this does not mean it does not matter how we live, or what we do with our lives. The Bible, Old and New Testament, are stuffed full of commands and exhortations to live a life worthy of our calling. And there is no contradiction between this and being fully assured of our salvation. We must put all our effort into life in full confidence in His salvation. We can live confidently.
What about loved ones who have fallen away? Well we should pray in line with the word of God. We should pray that our Father will lead them to repentance and faith. Thinking that because they made a profession some time ago they will be OK in the end despite the way their life is going is not the right approach, at least not on its own. I believe in an active faith and an effective gospel, ie a gospel that brings about real change in our own lives and the lives of others. So we should pray for real change in their lives, and we can do so with full assurance of faith (1 John 5:14). So both for ourselves, and for others, we pray actively and pray with faith.
So all passive or superstitious approaches to the “once saved always saved” should be dumped immediately. God’s salvation is something far, far greater than that. We were beautifully created in the image of God. Our sin has horribly distorted that image. God’s salvation in Jesus Christ is about restoring the image in our own lives and of those we love.
As it says in Philippians 2:13,14, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to act and will according to His purpose."
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