Christians,Help with a bible debate?

Question

Our family is discussing the salvation lost, once saved always saved debate. We are on very different sides. Can you tell me what you think, with scriptures why?

Thanks!

Answer 1

This is a link to this debate that has been on here before:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060828231820AA88oNo

The asker provides verses and a good argument.

Answer 2

I do not really think I can help you from what I have read in the linked page. If somebody adopts the axiom that the Bible is true and is willing to compromise meaning for that then there is not much you can do about it. Some Christians will accept the most bizarre interpretations of passages rather than accept that there are contradictions in it and in the end it can all be considered 'interpretation'. When I point out that Matthew says that Judas hanged himself but Acts says he fell headlong and his guts spilled out, they will say that he fell after hanging himself as though the author of Acts thought that this was a minor detail which was not worth mentioning. If you point out that one book says Ahaziah's rule began at 22 and another at 42, they will decide that in one case the author decided to use a completely different way of measuring age from anything found anywhere else in the Bible. (Though some do actually put this down to a copying error and say only the originals were completely accurate, as though it would be any use having accurate originals which nobody has seen for thousands of years.) If you want to win such a debate in the minds of a clear majority of people you have to chose your contradictions very carefully. If you want to convince a truly dedicated believer in Biblical truth then you are just not going to succeed.

Answer 3

What limits G-d? To what extent can He be influential in the lives of them that are His and cause things to happen which will impact our choices (yet not make us choose one way or another). In my life, in all lives, there is an ebb and flow, a rising and falling. Both in my emotional and psychological being, my physical being and my spiritual being as well. If I sin (which I do) I have an advocate according to scripture. Will I die in my sin if in the moment after I sin I'm killed and wind up in eternal turmoil. It would be a hard father who would immediately trounce upon a child for a minor infraction despite their overall demeanor. My dearest child turned away from me for a time. Did I love her less? No, I loved her as much and more. Does G-d do any different? Is He capable of making wise choices when it comes to our eternal place of rest. Is He not the just of all judges? What is HIs ultimate aim? To see myriads of people in utter anguish? I don't believe so, in fact the G-d I know is far more loving to all of us then we are to ourselves. We have more to fear from our adversary, though he's a defeated foe, then we do from G-d. Jude 24 is a reference to use. Make special note of the words "keep you". This is, and until He comes (very soon now), and always will be an ongoig debate and really takes us away from the spreading of the Gospel (of which we need to spend more time) and causes those who view these posts to take issue with the body of Meschiach (Christ).

Answer 4

We can lose our salvation if we do not keep repenting of our daily sins. God is not going to sent us to Hell if we have not yet learned that something we are doing is a sin, or if we have not been quick enough to repent, but it will hert our standing in Heaven, and if we let things slide long enough we will lose our salvation.

The Bible shows that people can lose their salvation. Take a look at these scriptures.

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white rainment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life,... Revelation 3:5

...He that endureth to the end shall be saved. Matthew 10:22

And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. Exodus 32:33

When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.
But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. Ezekiel 34:18-19

And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life,... Revelation 22:19

I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
1 Corinthians 9:26-27

Even the Apostol Paul believed that he could lose his salvation.

Answer 5

There are just so many good scriptures in the bible...my thought being raised in a very strict religious household..once saved you are always saved but you truly have to serve God..you can't live 6 days in sin and go to church on Sunday to absolve it all...too many people are under this false belief...God hates lukewarm Christians...he either wants you for him or against him, not somewhere in the middle...I worked in a very corrupt (fortune 500) office and most people were corrupt yet they all claimed to be Christians and went to church every Sunday...do not believe that they were truly saved has to be in your heart not just your head.

Answer 6

Matthew 24;13 He who endures to the end is the one that will be saved.
So being saved doesn't mean that you got it made you have to persist in it. That is another scripture. It says pray constantly so that you do not sin. or something like that.
We are not predestined. Saul was picked to be king and then God rejected him.
Solomon I read was loved by God and chosen to rule, then a couple chapters over it said, God hated him for his many wives caused him to sin.
So it is a thing you have to work on. The bible shows that time goes only one way forward. No one knows the future.
God gives prophecys and then makes them come true.
It isn't that he sees the future. No one knows what happens until it happens.

Answer 7

Hi,
Sorry I am not Christian, so I can't base my arguments on the bible, but on logic.
if "once saved always saved" is correct, than the person who always does good things (speaks the truth, helps people, loves for the others what he loves for himself, ... ), is treated the same way as a wicked person (the one who steals, lies, ...) as long as the wicked person managed to get the salvation (by being good at the beginning and having a firm belief and love to the savior).

For this reason, I believe that every person is responsible for what they do, and even if you have the right belief and love, you will be asked asked about your actions and rewarded accordingly. In this way people will compete to do good deeds because the more you do the greater the reward you will get, and they will refrain from doing bad things because they will accounted for them.
But if you do a bad thing and you regret doing it, how can you erase it?
Well, if it is between you and God, you'll do this by repentance, by asking him for forgiveness and promising that you will not do it again.
If this sin is between you and other people, then you need to seek forgiveness from God, and these people, eg: if you steal sth, repent to God, and give that stolen thing to its owners and ask them for forgiveness.
Hope this helps,

Answer 8

Once saved always saved:

What did God promise us if we would accept his son Jesus Christ as our personal Savior? [eternal life]

Salvation +-nothing 0-nothing! Salvation is a gift from God. and God Never Does Break A Promise. right!

Once we become Gods children. Cover by Jesus Blood. God will never and I mean Never lose one of his children.
Praise the lord. This does not give us a free ticket to go out and sin. Because God said not to abuse his grace. If we do, God will chastise his children. Not throw them away. If God ever lost one of his children. He would not be a all powerful God. So, I got eternal life in Heaven with God, Jesus, Holy Sprite, and all the saved children by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Hopes this helps. Jesus saves

Answer 9

It is my understanding that Jesus paid the price of our redemption and obtained by His sacrifice the grace of salvation for those who would come to believe in Him and accept this grace, which means that it is not automatic and has to be earned by repentance and following the Gospel values.
Judas could have been saved, but dispaired and was lost, also those who continue in a life of sin even after accepting Jesus as Savior cannot be exempt from the judgment of God either.
for me once saved is conditional on our life response to the Gospels.

Answer 10

I think people can change their actions. They can fall away.

And then there's the case of the prodigal son. There are a lot of prodigals out there. Some will come home. Some won't.

I'm assuming you are discussing predestination. As far as your discussion goes don't get locked up on deciding whether or not others are saved. Concern yourself whether or not YOU are.

Answer 11

The key point is that one can be saved, but would still have to endure the wrath of God until progress and growth removed the necessity for further punishment. Because one is saved does not change God's condemnation of sin, even the most subtle. The path is narrow.