Forgotten Word Ministries

ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED
OR ETERNAL SECURITY PHILOSOPHY OF THOUGHT!

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by Ceci Sullivan

Can a born again Christian fall away? Be cut off? Turn away from the truth? Depart from the LIVING GOD? Shipwreck their faith? If the world is already in  a fallen condition, what does the Word refer to when it speaks of THE GREAT  FALLING AWAY IN THE LAST DAYS?

Heb 10:26 "For IF (there is one of those  IF words), We sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the advisories." Vs.29 "of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall be worthy of, who hath TRODDEN UNDER FOOT THE SON OF GOD, AND HATH COUNTED THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WHEREWITH HE WAS SANCTIFIED AND UNHOLY THING, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace? Obviously it is possible for a believer to sin willfully, and whether he repents again is also based upon his own will. ETERNAL SECURITY CAN’T BE TRUE, OR IT NULLIFIES OUR POSITION OF FREE CHOICE, AND WHY WOULD WE BE REWARDED FOR SOMETHING THAT WE DON’T CONTINUALLY CHOOSE? Clearly from this passage, one who has been  sanctified can trod under foot the Son of God and consider the Blood of the covenant, through which he had been sanctified, as ordinary blood, and can blaspheme the SPIRIT OF GRACE."

Heb.6:4-8 "For it is impossible for those who WERE ONCE ENLIGHTENED, and have tasted of the heavenly girt, 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. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh often upon it, and brings forth herbs’ meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessings from God, but that which bears thorns and briers IS REJECTED, AND IS NEAR UNTO CURSING, whose end is to be burned. Clearly this passage of scripture states that it is possible for those who have once been enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, who were made partakers of the Holy Ghost to Fall Away! It is so obvious he is speaking to believers here, and exhorting them to be steadfast in the faith! (So they won’t bare thorns and briers and BE REJECTED!)

2tim.4:3-4 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts, shall heap to themselves teachers having itching ears. And they shall TURN AWAY THEIR EARS FROM THE TRUTH, AND SHALL BE TURNED UNTO FABLES. Paul is distinctly speaking about those who used to hear the  truth and turned from it, to follow after their own lusts, and went for the teachers that didn’t have sound doctrine. Heb.3:12 "Take heed brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in DEPARTING FROM the Living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called TODAY, lest any of you be HARDENED through the deceitfulness of sin.  HARDENED, " (In other words, soft hearts can get hard.) One version says "if you fail to take heed, you will be cut off from the living God."

1Tim.4:1-3 "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, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their CONSCIENCE SEARED with a hot iron," vs.16 "Take heed to thyself, and unto the doctrine, CONTINUE IN THEM, FOR in doing this, thou shall both save thyself, and them that hear." Did Paul tell the truth when he said that some would depart from the faith? Did Paul tell the truth when he said some would depart and follow seducing spirits? Is it possible to sear our own conscience by grieving, denying, and resisting the Holy Ghost?

1 Tim.1:19 "Holding faith, and a good conscience, which some HAVING PUT AWAY, CONCERNING FAITH, HAVE MADE SHIPWRECK." Paul is saying that some have PUT AWAY their faith, and have shipwrecked their lives.

Rm. 11:22-23 "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God, on them which fell, severity, but toward thee, goodness, if thou CONTINUE IN HIS GOODNESS, OTHERWISE THOU ALSO SHALL BE CUT OFF. And they also, IF they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again." This passage speaks of those who fell away from believing God’s goodness, and were CUT OFF. It states if we do likewise, WE SHALL BE CUT OFF. Doesn’t the Word of God state over and over again, our personal  responsibility to CONTINUE....IN faith which works by love? The works me must do is BELIEVE. We must keep examining ourselves to see if we are in the faith.  We shouldn't have faith to be in active sin, and hope there will be no consequences.  Those is this condition aren't really interested in forsaking sin.

John 15:2 "Every branch IN ME that bears not fruit, HE TAKES AWAY, AND EVERY BRANCH THAT BEARS FRUIT, He purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit. (We have to yield to this out of our own free will. Some , who are IN HIM, choose to rebel against His pruning work in their lives.) If we don’t continue to abide in Jesus, we eventually will be cast forth as a branch that is withered. (Receiving life from the vine is a continual act of our will.) "BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE FAITH IN THE OPERATION OF GOD AND THE WORK OF HIS HANDS, THEY WERE DESTROYED AND NOT BUILT UP.  We should ask ourselves if we feel like victims of circumstances.  Are you quick to accuse others and excuse yourself?  Do you feel like Jesus got off the throne and is not over-seeing the events in your lives?  You are backsliding if you are entertaining these kind of thoughts.

Because the children of Israel continued not in the covenant of God, He REJECTED THEM. Does this mean that we are to continue in the new covenant found in Christ Jesus, lest we be rejected likewise? Just because a man marries a woman, doesn’t mean the relationship is forever secure, faithfulness has to be a continual choice and act of the will. Rm.8:9  You have to prove your love, not only once, but continually, day by day in your actions.  What are you proving you love and are devoted to?

The Word of God tells us not to GRIEVE, DENT, RESIST, THE HOLY GHOST, which obviously means we CAN. The unpardonable sin of blaspheming the Holy Ghost is a matter to be deeply considered. I have to wonder if failing to REVERE HIS WORK IN OUR LIVES, the things He has done for me, is what the Lord is referring to in Mark 3:29. Jesus says over and over in John 15, IF YOU CONTINUE, IF YOU ABIDE, IF YOU REMAIN, IF YOU KEEP...Jesus clearly states that IF we are in Him and we fail to be fruitful, we will be CUT OFF. One  translation uses the word UNLESS IN PLACE OF IF. Four verses in John 15 uses the word REMAIN, or IF (KJV), seven times! If we remain in Him and His words remain in us.....we have to conclude that it is possible to FAIL TO REMAIN!  The end of sin is death, whether you are a Christian or not.  Gal.6:7 "Do not  be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap." He who sows the things of the flesh, from the flesh shall reap corruption, he who sows to the Spirit, from the "Spirit shall reap life everlasting. (Sowing is a continual thing we do every day." Paul is speaking to believers here. He is saying, obeying the flesh leads to corruption, and he is speaking to Christians.  Obeying the Spirit, equals LIFE EVERLASTING. Vs.9 says, "not to be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not! OBVIOUSLY IT IS POSSIBLE TO FAINT. Heb.12 SPEAKS OF LOOKING TO JESUS, lest we become weary and faint in our soul, mind. Vs.23, "Beware lest you refuse Him who speaks to you. For if they were not delivered who refused Him who spoke with them on earth, much more can we not escape IF WE REFUSE HIM WHO SPEAKS TO US FROM HEAVEN! It’s obvious, from this portion of scripture, Paul is telling the CHRISTIANS, not to refuse Him who speaks.

He also says to the believers, that those who do the works of the flesh, SHALL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. He tells the Thessalonians about THE GREAT FALLING AWAY. Don’t you have to be joined to something to ....FALL AWAY...FROM IT? He is obviously taking about those who have joined themselves to God through the Salvation of His Son, and fallen away from their beliefs. The writer of Jude, wanted us to remember that God having redeemed and saved His children out of the land of Egypt, destroyed those who failed to keep on believing and trusting Him. He speaks of the Angles who did not keep their first estate, but left their own habitation. (God gave them free choice. Once they were angles, they weren’t always His angels.) If they failed to keep, and left off their position of Faith and Trusting God, can’t we?

Rev.3:5 HE WHO OVERCOMES, the same shall be clothed in white robes, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before His angels. He who overcomes.....This passage is clear that names can be blotted out.

We are KEPT BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST. How much does responding to Him, have to do with being kept? Its not that we loved Him, but He first loved us. DON’T WE HAVE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO RESPOND TO HIS LOVE, HIS SPIRIT, HIS TRUTH?  Believe, Faith, Obedience, all go hand in hand. Those who believe and have faith, obey. Never-the-less, we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which dwells righteousness. THEREFORE, my beloved, while you look for theses things, BE DILIGENT that you may be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless. (He who endures to the end shall be saved.) It's our responsibility to endure, and when we rely on Him, He gives us strength.  And  consider that the long-suffering of The Lord IS SALVATION, even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, As also in his epistles, he spoke concerning these matters, in which there are certain things so hard to be understood , that those who are ignorant and unstable pervert their meaning, AS THEY DO ALSO THE OTHER SCRIPTURES, TO THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION. You therefore, my beloved, seeing that you know these things beforehand, BEWARE LEST YOU FOLLOW THE ERROR OF THE LAWLESS, AND FALL FROM YOUR OWN STEADFASTNESS. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and of God the Father. TO HIM BE THE GLORY BOTH NOW AND FOREVER AND THROUGH ALL ETERNITY!!!!!! 2Pet.3:13-18

WHY WOULD PAUL WARN US IF WE COULDN’T FALL? DID HE SPEAK NONSENSE? HE GAVE MANY WARNINGS. IS SOMEONE YOU LOVE TRYING TO JUSTIFY THEIR SIN, OR IDOLS, THEY AREN’T FREE FROM, SO THEY HANG ON TO THIS DOCTRINE ALONG WITH THEIR un-judged SIN??? If you’re a Christian already, and someone is trying to convince you of this false doctrine, ask yourself why they are doing it, if you are already saved. Do they really have something to hide?  Are they trying to convince you of something they know deep in their own heart is wrong, and they secretly question? Anyone that believes Jesus’ words, know they have a responsibility to remain, and continue in His Word. Even a child who does good, and turns from it to do evil, doesn’t expect to be blessed! Anyone who hangs on to this unquestionably wrong doctrine, is setting themselves up for being over-come, and without victory in their lives.  They must really be honest, do I really believe Jesus can help me over-come my sin, or is this doctrine my excuse and easy way out.  Jesus wants us to be over comers, not have faith to sin with no conscience of consequence.


We do pray this article has been of help to you in understanding the Once Saved Doctrine.

Blessings,
Robert Wise
Forgotten Word Ministries