Hey All - Question - Once Saved Always Saved?

Question

Have friends who once were on fire for God but who seem to have lost sight of what it all means to be a disciple of Christ - they live for themselves, no praying, no studying, no nothing but if you asked them they would say - i'm Saved, i'm going to heaven!!!!
What do you think? Any bible verses appreciated. Thanx xx

Answer 1

A persons life not their words shows who they really are. Remind your friends that not all who cry Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven.

Luk 13:27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Answer 2

This happens when people get used to things. It's hard to always be *on* but if they are backsliding as far as you say then they are in trouble. It seems they have taken a laxadaisical atitude towards something that is really quite serious. You can't throw what Jesus did in His face saying well I'm saved! Remember the part in the Bible where it says...

Where were you when I was naked?
Where were you when I was thirsty?
Where were you when I was hungry?

If you don't live for Jesus then who do you live for?

By the way, the above folks don't come to a good end and they claimed to be *on fire* too.

Answer 3

Revelation 3:15,16

The days of rocking chair theology and doctrine are past.
Above are two versus for all Christians at this hour.

Predestination, once in grace always in grace, eternal security, Armenian ism, once saved always saved, faith or works, etc., etc. The time for all this is over, over, and over.

The question, as you seem to grasp, is are you hot, cold or lukewarm -- two out of three isn't good. Cold and you're gone. Lukewarm and you're spit out.

Doctrine is not to produce head knowledge but to edify. To edify means to build a fire, not hear a long preachment or lecture.

Read the Word and pray daily. Find some people with true fire and stay near them. Not fleshly hoopla but joy in the Holy Ghost.
As the world grows darker the fires of the elect will shine brighter and brighter.

Answer 4

Tares will grow together with the good seed, (the children of the kingdom - Matt.13:38, Acts.17:29, Gal.3:26, the wheat - Matt.13:30) to the end.

Tares are those Jesus will profess He never knew (Matt.7:23, Lk.13:17); they are Gentiles (1 Thess.4:5, Eph.2:12), Satan’s children (Ps.58:3, Jn.8:37-47, Jn.3:8-10, Jn.3:12, Matt.13:38, Re.2:9).



Pat (ndbpsa ©)

Answer 5

Some good verses here, but I'd say read the entire book of 1 John to anyone that believes the non-sense of "once saved, always saved".

1 John 2:6 says "whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did."

Jesus prayed to his father daily, he studied God's word, he shared who God was with everyone he met. We must all do this if we claim to walk in him, or we are not.

1 John 2:15-17 " 15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever."

Answer 6

Hi, many people have been asking this question as the numbers of people in churches and who are actively following God are diminishing - people whos fire has dimmed or apparantly gone out. Many people do say that "once saved, always saved" however when people drop out the question is asked - were they really saved? - because they believe that if you are truely saved you will stay close to God and that it is only people that haven't truely been saved that fall away. I can't answer your question one way or the other as to who God will extend His welcome and who will be told that they refused to acknowledge Him and will be sent away. It's not easy, I also know a number of people who were just so involved and were passionate about following God who now seem to be taking a time out and ignoring Him. I think we can only pray for them, love them and try to be good friends without trying to pressurise them into anything as that would just make them pull away from us. Stand firm and trust God, His thoughts and ways are higher than ours, God is abounding in grace and love, and His plans will be accomplished. ~Many are the plans in a mans heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19v21.

Answer 7

Those are some good quotes and stuff above so I will not requote them. I once held onto once saved always saved. I needed that theology even when I was on fire because the enemy kept after me telling me I would fail and fall back into hell. I held on so tight I started to forget to fight for my sanctification. The Doctrine of Once saved always saved is VERY dangerous for this and other reasons (like the slow fall back into sin that your friends MAY be going through) I do not believe in it anymore it is POSSIBLE to loose salvation even after you are saved. (and of course there is always the possibility they were never saved to begin with.) Do not however think that just because they are slowing down they are "not saved" we all go through peaks and valleys in our time with the lord. Encourage them and keep them in your prayers love them and remind them every now and then of who loves them. Also look to make sure your church does the same alot of people drop out because thier church is no longer there for them or they feel they cannot grow anymore in thier church maybe thier church is dying too. Help them all and things should get better.

Answer 8

Verses coming. Hope it helps.

“Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also,
being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.” 2 Peter 3:17

A warning not to be led astray. No warning needed if it cannot happen.


“I keep under my body [suppressing its efforts to control], and bring it into subjection
[to God’s will in all things]: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others,
I myself should be a castaway.” 1 Cor. 9:27

If Paul could worry about becoming a castaway are we any better off??

“Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” Revelation 2:10

Faithful unto death. The prize isn't for those who start the race, but, rather, for those who finiash it.


Galatians 5:1-4:
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

Again we have mention of falling from grace. If anyone can fall after having been saved then any can. That means there must be an error in the once in grace always in grace theory.

Answer 9

Yes once saved always saved but many who seem to be fall away.
One already mentioned the parable of the sower. Some receive the word and spring up but fall away when either persecutions come or the love of the world draws them away. Like Demas who preached with Paul but left because he loved this world more.
2 Timothy 4:10
for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica

Answer 10

No one can pull them away from God's protection, but they can leave on their own. They can fall away. Two verses come to mind, both from James. Remember, unlike Paul who travelled, James remained in Jerusalem. He saw people exactly like your friends. They were on fire, but then everyday life dampened their enthusiasm. Or put another way their faith was(luke 8:14) choked by life's worries.
James 2:18Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.19 You believe that there is one God, Good! Even demons believe that---- and shudder.
James 2:26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

You may have already done this, but I would recommend first inviting them to help on a project. That way they may be less inclined to become defensive. Be gentle and loving.

Answer 11

2 Nephi 31:16,20

And now my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the loving God, he cannot be saved.

Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope,and a love of God and all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure till the end, behold , thus saith the Father: ye shall have eternal life.


By this scripture we know we must ENDURE until the end with a steadfastness in Christ, FEASTING upon the word.